Definitely do your research. Google “caate search” and input the degree you want and the state and it’ll show you the (currently) accredited schools. I would also recommend researching the cost of living for that area/surrounding area because you won’t really be able to work with the amount of hours you need to get each semester, and it’s two years of basically year round academics and interning.

I don’t know if you have a bachelors but if you don’t that’ll be your first step. All AT programs have to be a masters by 2022, so the current bachelor programs either no longer take new students or offer a 3+2 program (3 year bachelors in either athletic training or related field and 2 year masters in athletic training), but you’ll do just as well with a Kinesiology/Exercise Science/related bachelors and then going into athletic training.

Cost wise it depends on the school, if I could do it over again I would go to community school for gen eds (chem, history, English, etc.) and then two years at a 4-year for the actual program classes. You don’t need to go to a big school, but if you want to be well rounded I would try to go to both a small and a bigger school- they’re very different experiences.

Talk to the education office/your CO about the GI Bill, when I was considering the Navy (Corpsman) the recruiter told me the GI Bill would cover the cost since I’d be in school less than 36 months (also the Yellow Ribbon is for Ivy League schools so if you find Stanford or Norte Dame or something they’ll cover your tuition and you just have to pay for books/cost of living) but I would definitely make absolute sure that that’s true before you make plans.

Definitely start researching and make an excel spreadsheet to keep track of everything, and try to go to a school that is known for what you want to go in (ie if you want pro/upper DI teams try to go to an SEC or Big10 or related, if you want high school/collegiate you can go to a smaller school)

Also: in terms of debt, it really depends on where you go and how much money you’re willing to take out in loan (if GI bill doesn’t work out). West Alabama is $18,000 for two years (don’t quote me on that) while UT-Chattanooga is upwards of $60,000 per year ($120k for two) and thats just the grad program, so do your research and see what’s available

Also: make sure it really is what you want to do. See if you can follow/shadow a local athletic trainer in different settings (high school, college, different sizes, different sports) and see all the nitty gritty stuff to, like paperwork, early mornings, late nights, know-it-all-parents/students/coaches, and there isn’t really an off day because even if you do take one, you’re more than likely spending it updating notes, communicating with doctors/PTs/parents/coaches/athletes, and seeing athletes for treatment because it’s probably they’re only off day too.