Factors when picking a school

[whyrightmeow]

So I am in my first year and there are a few things I wish I would have considered before I made my final decision. These are only my opinion, and I won't be offended if yours varies. I am only posting this because I wish I would have read something like it before I made my decision.

I am at The Ohio State University right now as an out of state student.

Positives:
Can apply for resident tuition next year
Great school, nice facilities
Curriculum includes Professional development - basically a 1 credit course on a variety of topics including stress, time managment, finances, etc
Parking is right outside the building
Parking pass is a hang tag, so carpoolers can share 1 tag between several cars
24 hr access to building
Nice recreational facility/wall climbing
Social worker available 24/7 (for when you finally have that meltdown)

Negatives:
Quarter system (not semesters) - this complicates everything. Plus you don't finish until June.
Can only leave for 3 weeks over the summer - so any externship must be in-state unless it is HIGHLY unusual.
Lockers are tiny; a normal bookbag will not fit into them. It is also very crowded when everyone is trying to get to their locker at the same time. (seems minor, I know, but its the little stresses that are the worst)

Things I wish I would have asked:
Is anatomy lab structured, or do you just get a dog and a book? (Our canine anatomy lab is, in my opinion, poorly structured)
Are tests returned to students, or is it against honor code to write down questions from the test? (At OSU vet school no tests are returned, EVER. This bothers me after every test, since I like to know what I got wrong and what the correct answer was - this may have been a deal-breaker for me)
How much (live) animal interaction is there for first year students?
Do you buy class notes or are they posted online so notes can be taken directly on a laptop? (I was amazed at needing to buy 80% of my notes, when I came from an undergrad school that I never once bought a course pack for)
Is the schedule set, or does it change from day to day? (Our schedule has a main theme, but basically changes a little each day)

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[RubyBertha]

Thank you everyone for the input! @JaynaAli @SandstormDVM @batsenecal @epivetlove

@vetmedhead I have toured TAMU a few times, its amazing!! The large animal hospital is breathtaking, and the new classroom buildings are state of the art. It's like walking into the fanciest hotel you can imagine. I interviewed there last cycle and didn't get in (first time applicant, unfinished Bachelors). This cycle I have heard from several counselors including a recruiting officer for TAMU's vet school that I have a much better chance this time around of getting in. I have much more experience now and a completed degree bumps you up a couple points. Last year I only applied to TAMU, because it really is the only place I've ever considered going. This year I applied to a few more places (interviewed at TAMU, Purdue, and Auburn, and am still in the running for Oklahoma State).

I just wasn't expecting to find another school that I liked as much, so when I toured Auburn I started to get a little worried that I might be happier there.
The things I'm considering (and probably way overthinking ) are:
- If I don't get accepted to TAMU, would it be worth it to wait another year, work and make some money, and try again next year?
- Or if I get in at Auburn and would be extremely happy there, would it be worth it to take on the extra debt?

 

[deleted676737]

I guess that's not including living expenses?

It looks like when vet students on here talk about their total loan figure, they often don't include rent/food/transportation expenses/etc. I know some people get family support, have savings, or have an SO who pays or splits expenses... but what does everyone else do? Working full-time in the summer and part-time during the year doesn't seem like it would cover all that much.

According to the VIN cost of education map (based on info the schools provide), cost of living over four years varies from $52,000 - $135,000. That ads on quite a bit! I can't tell if people are just covering living expenses without loans, just not including it, or what. I have a couple options I'm considering with similar tuition but different costs of living, and it's tough to tell how much difference that will make.

What are the schools you're currently considering? Maybe current students could give you an idea of what the COL is like in those areas and whether the school over- or underestimates living costs. I also think that the VIN map assumes that you take out the full amount in loans for the school's COA so depending on what you feel like you can comfortably live on and what you actually take out, it may not be completely accurate.

Obviously I can't speak for others, but when I talk about my loan totals here I actually do include living costs. For ISU, the max allotment for room and board/books/transportation/etc. is low at about $6000/semester (I will say that I have classmates that seriously struggle to be able to pay all of their bills on that unless they are working, even though overall COL here is cheaper than almost anywhere else in the country). Keep in mind, too, that depending on how the cards fall, a good number of students have to make that spring allotment last through the summer months, as well. Other schools might be more generous in their estimates.

So even though I'm employed, I generally assume that I will take out the full allotment every year.

Total COA at ISU for IS is $38k/year*4 years=$152k. I also have $46k of undergrad debt, though, which brings it to a minimum of $198k. That's before interest, capitalization, and does not include any tuition inflation... which will all put me over $200k. Heck, I've only got one year of vet school loans at this point and that plus my undergrad loans has already put me at just over $80k with interest---it's quite sobering.

 

[battie]

I guess that's not including living expenses?.

Those numbers actually do include cost of living. I'm using about 14,000 for cost of living here in Illinois. For Colorado (IS), the cost of living is definitely higher, but I would have done a ton of things differently where it would have balanced out.

On VIN, they drastically overestimate the living expenses needed as long as you're willing to live on the cheap side. I think the last I looked, they estimated 30K for living expenses for Illinois (if I remember correctly).

 

[battie]

- If I don't get accepted to TAMU, would it be worth it to wait another year, work and make some money, and try again next year?
- Or if I get in at Auburn and would be extremely happy there, would it be worth it to take on the extra debt?

These are both going to be super personal questions that will be different depending on the person. My two cents:

I applied three times and this last time, Illinois was my only acceptance. I obviously took it. However, I had enough money saved/left to me by a dead relative that it paid for this first year (except living expenses). Had I not had that, I don't think I would have even bothered applying OOS because I wasn't willing to take on that much debt.

As for if the debt will be worth it to go to Auburn, I don't think so. Like I said, I would have gone through the hunger games for an IS seat purely because it's almost half the debt. But location means next to nothing to me (except being smack dab in the middle of a city; will never do it). I'm a person who can live anywhere right now in my life. So there's a big difference in what can make someone happy.

 

[TrashPanda]

Those numbers actually do include cost of living. I'm using about 14,000 for cost of living here in Illinois. For Colorado (IS), the cost of living is definitely higher, but I would have done a ton of things differently where it would have balanced out.

On VIN, they drastically overestimate the living expenses needed as long as you're willing to live on the cheap side. I think the last I looked, they estimated 30K for living expenses for Illinois (if I remember correctly).

I think I'm missing something. According to Illinois's website, OOS is about $207k for four years (just tuition and fees, no living expenses, assuming no increase in tuition and not including interest accumulation while in school). $14k/year for living expenses brings it to $263k. How are you getting $225k? Unless you meant $14k for all four years which seems awfully low.

And yeah, it does look like they've way overestimated for where I'm going (it looks like most schools have), which is very reassuring! Based on what I've googled, if I took out the max amount, I could rent a very nice 1-bedroom all for myself, eat out often, and still be left with a few hundred extra each month. (I don't plan on doing any of that!)

 

[battie]

I think I'm missing something. According to Illinois's website, OOS is about $207k for four years (just tuition and fees, no living expenses, assuming no increase in tuition and not including interest accumulation while in school). $14k/year for living expenses brings it to $263k. How are you getting $225k? Unless you meant $14k for all four years which seems awfully low.

My dead great-grandpa paid for my tuition/fees/etc. this year. Lol. So that's where the missing money is. Also, the excel sheet I made includes all the interest I'm accruing, so that's also included. When I graduate, I'll owe 225k with interest that has accrued up to that point.

 

[TrashPanda]

My dead great-grandpa paid for my tuition/fees/etc. this year. Lol. So that's where the missing money is. Also, the excel sheet I made includes all the interest I'm accruing, so that's also included. When I graduate, I'll owe 225k with interest that has accrued up to that point.

Ahh, gotcha. It's difficult to figure out how much stuff costs because everyone's personal situation is so different, but anecdotes really help. Thanks for putting up with my questions!

 

[battie]

Ahh, gotcha. It's difficult to figure out how much stuff costs because everyone's personal situation is so different, but anecdotes really help. Thanks for putting up with my questions!

Not a problem! I also applied for 25ish scholarships (award for next year), so fingers crossed that works out. Lol.

Yeah, that's why the question of, "How much are you willing to pay?" is so hard to answer. There's several people in my class that are getting substantial help from family (either parents or SO) while there's people who have no monetary support except from the government. So I think it's more helpful to talk to people in a similar situation as you rather than relying on COL estimates. And being honest with yourself on what kind of spender you are. Some people are extremely tight with their budgets and others play it fast and loose. As long as you know you do/do not stick to your budget/don't bother to budget and plan accordingly, you can get a decent ballpark idea of your COL

 

[EP0NA]

I'm looking for some input from Iowa State students. I'm a resident of South Dakota so both Iowa State and the University of Minnesota are options for me at the in-state tuition rate. One of my references told me he hired a recent ISU graduate who was unhappy with her clinical experience in year 4. I'm looking for other opinions and experiences to weigh against this. My interest is in swine and pathology so I would like to know how the clinical experience and options in this area weigh at ISU vs Minnesota. I'm leaning very heavily toward ISU since it's cheaper but it would put my mind at ease to know a bit more about year 4. Thanks in advance!

 

[battie]

I will mention that I've heard only good things about the amount of clinical experience that we get at ISU, both in and out of fourth year, so it shocks (and disappoints) me a bit to hear about someone that was unhappy with it.@kcoughli?

I'm wondering if this is a situation where the person kinda slid through rotations and didn't take anything from some/most of them, or did the bare minimum. It doesn't really reflect on the rotation quality, just what that person did/did not get out of them. Confidence might be a problem; many people here in my class would like to do internships to be extra prepared for the real world. Maybe this grad doesn't feel real world ready.

 

[genny]

I'm looking for some input from Iowa State students. I'm a resident of South Dakota so both Iowa State and the University of Minnesota are options for me at the in-state tuition rate. One of my references told me he hired a recent ISU graduate who was unhappy with her clinical experience in year 4. I'm looking for other opinions and experiences to weigh against this. My interest is in swine and pathology so I would like to know how the clinical experience and options in this area weigh at ISU vs Minnesota. I'm leaning very heavily toward ISU since it's cheaper but it would put my mind at ease to know a bit more about year 4. Thanks in advance!

I'm not into swine, so I can't really give much perspective about that, other than to say Iowa is a major pork producer and ISU tends to score pretty high on the pig questions on NAVLE. You can get heavily involved with SMEC (Swine Med Education Center) during your first 3 years at ISU, and they offer summer internships. There are swine rotations, and my classmates that have taken them have seemed to enjoy them. I have seen swine on my in-hospital food animal rotations, and got to help with a c-section on a show pig! So much fun!
I think you get out of your clinical year what you put into it - so if you want to coast by with minimal effort, you can do that. Thus far, I have been very happy with my clinical experience. I'm tracking mixed animal, and I've done things I will probably never do again as a small animal GP, but they've been immensely useful in growing my confidence in my ability to practice medicine. Obviously, some rotations are more fun and interesting than others depending upon your area of interest, but I don't think I've been through one that wasn't valuable in some way.
If you have more specific questions about the 4th year experience at ISU, feel free to PM me.

 

[EP0NA]

Thank you so much for the replies! I don't know this person myself but I also suspect that the effort they put in may have been minimal so they didn't get as much out of it as they could have. My gut feeling was to choose Iowa State and your input puts my mind at ease. If I have any further questions, I'll be back. Otherwise, I'll be seeing a few of you this fall. Thanks!

 

[twelvetigers]

Not everyone will agree with me on this, but IMO the debt:salary disparity of veterinarians in general is bad enough that I would still consider cost to be the #1 factor when deciding which school to attend.

I think pretty much everyone here that has started veterinary school, and definitely everyone that has graduated, will agree with you on that 110%. Absolutely.

 

[Momokeen]

I think pretty much everyone here that has started veterinary school, and definitely everyone that has graduated, will agree with you on that 110%. Absolutely.

Agree with you and @SandstormDVM. It's so hard to not think about cost even if you are in a decent financial situation. I told my manager the schools I've got into so far and she told the vet I work for. And of course he says to go to the top ranked one which is the most expensive. And I'm just like do you even realize what it costs to go to vet school now? You graduated like 30 years ago! I don't think he does know the cost and it really bothers me when he makes it seem like the only school worth going to is the top ranked one. This is probably better for the rant thread but oh well.

 

[twelvetigers]

Maybe you could tell them the cost difference, and then the difference with interest applied... it may raise some eyebrows. Older vets need to stay in touch with the current state of the profession. It's just a good thing to do.

 

[Tulojow]

Agree with you and @SandstormDVM. It's so hard to not think about cost even if you are in a decent financial situation. I told my manager the schools I've got into so far and she told the vet I work for. And of course he says to go to the top ranked one which is the most expensive. And I'm just like do you even realize what it costs to go to vet school now? You graduated like 30 years ago! I don't think he does know the cost and it really bothers me when he makes it seem like the only school worth going to is the top ranked one. This is probably better for the rant thread but oh well.

After you graduate, there's a limit to the amount of value the ranking of your school adds to your degree and license. I've asked vets in several different offices how much the prestige of your school makes a difference in jobs and opportunities. So far, all of them have replied with some variation of: "Do you know what they call vet students who finished at at top-ranked and mid-ranked school? Doctors."

 

[Baer]

Agree with you and @SandstormDVM And of course he says to go to the top ranked one which is the most expensive. And I'm just like do you even realize what it costs to go to vet school now? You graduated like 30 years ago! I don't think he does know the cost and it really bothers me when he makes it seem like the only school worth going to is the top ranked one.

Either things were extremely different back then or he had a lot of outside help. The vet that owns the practice I work at graduated about 13-15 years ago and is still paying off his loans...the struggle is real lol.

I agree with the people bringing up the point about costs. For me, picking a school is all cost based unless it comes down to picking between schools that cost the same. Then I'll be picky about the program (I already have my choice though). Prestige is only going to go so far but that extra $100k in loans is really going to hang around. Going to a top ranked vet school may help you a tiny bit but I'd like to see some evidence that's it's really worth another $100k.

 

[MixedPracticeJunkie]

Since Midwestern is being discussed right now I need some quick advice about possibly picking a school...
I am debating on the following:

• Applying to Midwestern just in case the last school I applied to this round (UGA) rejects me.
• Applying to Midwestern anyway and contemplating the costs/etc of moving to UGA vs. Midwestern...I live in CA so Midwestern is much closer, but the tuition costs for Midwestern is obviously more than UGA.
• Foregoing all of the above and re-applying to schools during the next VMCAS cycle.

I know Midwestern can be a polarizing topic here on the forum, but ideally I would like to start school this year.

Please please please try applying a second or third cycle before MWU. I interviewed and was accepted this cycle. JUST tuition for 4 years is like >$230,000. I loved MWU, their facilities (obviously, they're brand new!), and curriculum....but I'd save yourself the $30k and apply to Ross as a safety before MWU - they are way more established and less expensive. Just my humble opinion, but cost is the #1 reason I will not be attending MWU. Second most expensive program in the states behind Colorado.

 

[battie]

Either things were extremely different back then or he had a lot of outside help.

Extremely different. The veterinarian who wrote my letter of rec graduated from CSU just under 20 years ago and tuition was $7,000 a semester. Even as a Colorado resident with some scholarships, it was going to cost me 18K a year to attend their undergrad program. They're IS vet school costs are about 27k now (almost 2x what she paid a year). There's a lot of economics that apply there, of course. But she is one of the few older vets I have heard acknowledge the sharp increase in education prices.

 

[amgoose319]

Need help! I have two acceptances both OOS. One of them is LMU. I really like the other program I got accepted to more, but my fiance received a job offer that would give us free housing and a meal plan at LMU, plus pay. I know cost is important, but I am honestly worried because they are such a new program and don't have a teaching hospital. Both tuitions are the same, but the job offer obviously makes it cheaper. I have no idea which to pick. A new program that's cheaper but has a lot of uncertainties, or a well established program with lots of opportunities?


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[Coopah]

Hey guys, I'm hoping for some advice. I have a couple schools to choose from, but I'm wondering how to decide. Cost is definitely the biggest factor, but the cost is dependent on what my husband makes for a salary. If I go to a cheaper school that has a higher cost of living, I'm worried we'll be living month to month. If I go to a more expensive school with cheaper living, my husband's potential salary could make up the difference in tuition and we'd be close to family. I'm just not sure how to go about making a decision when I don't know what my husband could get for a job or how much he'd make in either place. There's just so much unknown, how do I make a decision like this?

 

[Skimble]

Need help! I have two acceptances both OOS. One of them is LMU. I really like the other program I got accepted to more, but my fiance received a job offer that would give us free housing and a meal plan at LMU, plus pay. I know cost is important, but I am honestly worried because they are such a new program and don't have a teaching hospital. Both tuitions are the same, but the job offer obviously makes it cheaper. I have no idea which to pick. A new program that's cheaper but has a lot of uncertainties, or a well established program with lots of opportunities?

I think LMU has the same accreditation status as Midwestern, so no matter what happened you would graduate as if from a fully accredited school. I'm not sure how they are handling their clinical year yet, so you should look into that, as I'm sure they have it all planned out. What uncertainties are you worried about?

 

[TrashPanda]

Hey guys, I'm hoping for some advice. I have a couple schools to choose from, but I'm wondering how to decide. Cost is definitely the biggest factor, but the cost is dependent on what my husband makes for a salary. If I go to a cheaper school that has a higher cost of living, I'm worried we'll be living month to month. If I go to a more expensive school with cheaper living, my husband's potential salary could make up the difference in tuition and we'd be close to family. I'm just not sure how to go about making a decision when I don't know what my husband could get for a job or how much he'd make in either place. There's just so much unknown, how do I make a decision like this?

Unless there's a really, really big difference in cost of living I'd personally go with the lower tuition/higher COL because 1) you can't control tuition but can control how much you spend on other costs and 2) salaries are generally higher in higher-COL places. A higher-COL area will probably have more job openings and opportunities for advancement, but that could be very field-dependent. From what I've seen in schools' Cost of Attendance estimates, there's a lot of wiggle room in living budgets so the difference might not be as much as you think, especially if you already have good money habits and split expenses with your husband. Since housing is normally the biggest expense, looking up rental prices should give you an idea of what the actual COL difference is.

Has your husband tried contacting some headhunters? Could make the job search a lot easier, plus give him some info on the local job market.

 

[Coopah]

Unless there's a really, really big difference in cost of living I'd personally go with the lower tuition/higher COL because 1) you can't control tuition but can control how much you spend on other costs and 2) salaries are generally higher in higher-COL places. A higher-COL area will probably have more job openings and opportunities for advancement, but that could be very field-dependent. From what I've seen in schools' Cost of Attendance estimates, there's a lot of wiggle room in living budgets so the difference might not be as much as you think, especially if you already have good money habits and split expenses with your husband. Since housing is normally the biggest expense, looking up rental prices should give you an idea of what the actual COL difference is.

Has your husband tried contacting some headhunters? Could make the job search a lot easier, plus give him some info on the local job market.

Yeah we're working on it. We've looked at jobs in both areas and they vary widely in salary and desirability. We've also looked at housing and done rough calculations, but it comes down to what salary he gets and what financial aid I can get from the school. I'm just trying to figure out the future with no information.

 

[amgoose319]

I am in the EXACT same position (well with a serious boyfriend). It is going to be such a difficult descision... Glad I'm not alone!

It's quite stressful!

 

[amgoose319]

I think LMU has the same accreditation status as Midwestern, so no matter what happened you would graduate as if from a fully accredited school. I'm not sure how they are handling their clinical year yet, so you should look into that, as I'm sure they have it all planned out. What uncertainties are you worried about?

I'm most worried about how they don't have a teaching hospital, so clinical year I will likely have to move somewhere for certain rotations or have a LONG commute time. If my fiance has a job in the area, we will likely live separate for the majority of the year.

I don't think it's a worse program, it's just the fact that it's so new and there aren't any data yet for graduation statistics is kind of scary.

 

[SummerTheLynx]

THIS POST IS DIRECTED AT ALL PEOPLE APPLYING THIS YEAR AND HENCEFORTH, HOPEFULLY THE CAPS CATCH YOUR ATTENTION.

So, I think one of the big issues that some people do when applying is throw such a broad net with what vet schools they are applying for, and end up applying to schools that they would not actually attend (I have several friends from my year that did so, and I see it happen from postings on here with a fair frequency). So I implore all of you to take a quick second and do a quick thought exercise, thinking about each school you are applying to. Whether it be 5 schools, 10 schools, even 3 schools. Now I want you to pretend that you only got into school X. Would you attend THAT YEAR if you only got into that one school? The answer should be yes, or at least a very good likelihood pending a visit to the school during interview season. If the answer is no, and that scenario happens, you are essentially agreeing that you will likely not be able to get into that school again, as you rejected them once when they accepted you.

Another big thing to think about is costs. Remember that the cost of vet school is not simply the cost of vet school. It is the cost of vet school + compounded interest. I know several people that are like "Eh, so what, I will just pay taxes on that money, it won't be so bad." I can tell you that it is difficult to accumulate the money to pay the taxes off, while trying to have a semblance of a life (my sister is staring at over $300k in debt currently) - a decent car, a modest house, etc. Really, REALLY think about costs, it's not something to be taken lightly. With that said, there are several schools that offer IS tuition after the first year. And of course, there is your IS school (which some people don't have), so definitely think carefully before looking that gift horse in the mouth. Also remember that COL should be taken into account when thinking about tuition, as some areas can have double the COL of others.

I think you would be hard pressed to find people on this forum that think rank is a legitimate thing that should be taken to heart. If you are confused about why rank should not be considered in your choosing of a school, feel free to ask around, tons of people will be happy to explain the ins and outs of how ranking is assessed and what it "actually" means. Remember that if it is an AVMA accredited school, the AVMA is guaranteeing that you will get a quality education. This is a serious guarantee.

Other than this, I would say that one thing that can be helpful overall is asking EARLY about schools you may be interested, and if you are not sure what schools you may be interested, reach out here. Everyone is more than happy to help as much as they can.

 

[Baer]

So, I think one of the big issues that some people do when applying is throw such a broad net with what vet schools they are applying for, and end up applying to schools that they would not actually attend (I have several friends from my year that did so, and I see it happen from postings on here with a fair frequency).

I'm a bit biased towards this (quite salty at being waitlisted at both of my contract schools) but I agree with this 100%. There are several people that applied to a huge list of schools that got accepted into both contract schools for my state even though they had no intention of going to them. I get that you want to have a safety net and in the end they will just pull from the alternate lists anyway so we will all have our chance.

Just doesn't seem like it makes sense to apply to 10 schools knowing you would only go to 1-2 of them anyway. I know someone personally that got accepted into 1-2 schools last year and turned them all down just so he could reapply to a school he didn't get into. Overall, I think it was money that played a decent role in that choice but it's still silly to apply to those schools if you had no intentions on going there. Plus when you think about it, those application fees add up...that's even more money/debt down the drain.

 

[Emmy Senpai]

I'm a bit biased towards this (quite salty at being waitlisted at both of my contract schools) but I agree with this 100%. There are several people that applied to a huge list of schools that got accepted into both contract schools for my state even though they had no intention of going to them. I get that you want to have a safety net and in the end they will just pull from the alternate lists anyway so we will all have our chance.

Just doesn't seem like it makes sense to apply to 10 schools knowing you would only go to 1-2 of them anyway. I know someone personally that got accepted into 1-2 schools last year and turned them all down just so he could reapply to a school he didn't get into. Overall, I think it was money that played a decent role in that choice but it's still silly to apply to those schools if you had no intentions on going there. Plus when you think about it, those application fees add up...that's even more money/debt down the drain.

I agree. However I will say that when I was applying this past summer, my goal was to just get into vet school. I didn't think about how much it would cost, the only thing I was concerned with was getting in and becoming a vet. This may be why some people apply to schools as a safety net with no interest in actually going to those schools. After interviewing at Kansas State as an OOS applicant, the debt hit me. I realized in order to LIVE, I would either have to choose another career or go to my IS and have half the debt I would if I went to k-state. I realize now that I wasted about $400 dollars applying to other schools when my IS is the only financially responsible option for me, but I didn't know that at the time of applying. I hope that some of you applying this upcoming cycle will research the costs of veterinary school and save money by only applying to those that are the most financially feasible. Money may not be important now, but in the future when you need to buy a car, house, pay for hospital bills, pay for parents' nursing home costs, etc, if you go to an expensive school you will be out of luck (and money)

 

[TrashPanda]

Money may not be important now, but in the future when you need to buy a car, house, pay for hospital bills, pay for parents' nursing home costs, etc, if you go to an expensive school you will be out of luck (and money)

And in the future when you need to get a job! I hope that once I graduate, if I'm offered a dream job with a low salary and a job I don't want with a higher salary, I'll be able to pick the dream job. Four years is a lot shorter than the rest of our careers, but those four years can have huge implications both personally as you mentioned, and professionally.

 

[otfastpitch]

PLEASE HELP!!

I have narrowed my choice of schools to Mizzou and the Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada. I am from New England so I feel that I would be much happier in an environment similar to that (Canada), but Mizzou is so much cheaper!!!

Can anyone help me reason this decision?

 

[AllieLane]

Hi everyone, I have a question about Tufts University! read in the .doc file about pros and cons that Tufts have "large LA case load" but also "weak food animal program", could someone elaborate on that? Does that mean Tufts mainly do equine?

I am trying to decide between Tufts and U of I. Costs are roughly the same as I am OOS for both but U of I may have lower living cost. Both have great wildlife programs, but it looks like U of I have better large animal/food animal program? (I am especially interested in large animal and wildlife but happy to do anything)
Thanks!!

 

[SummerTheLynx]

PLEASE HELP!!

I have narrowed my choice of schools to Mizzou and the Atlantic Veterinary College in Canada. I am from New England so I feel that I would be much happier in an environment similar to that (Canada), but Mizzou is so much cheaper!!!

Can anyone help me reason this decision?

I feel that most people would highly recommend going to the cheaper option in almost any circumstance. By similar environment are you referring to weather conditions simply? I am currently a student at Mizzou, so feel free to ask any questions/concerns you may have here or in pm!

 

[Coopah]

Hi everyone, I have a question about Tufts University! read in the .doc file about pros and cons that Tufts have "large LA case load" but also "weak food animal program", could someone elaborate on that? Does that mean Tufts mainly do equine?

I am trying to decide between Tufts and U of I. Costs are roughly the same as I am OOS for both but U of I may have lower living cost. Both have great wildlife programs, but it looks like U of I have better large animal/food animal program? (I am especially interested in large animal and wildlife but happy to do anything)
Thanks!!

When I interviewed at tufts it looked as though they had a strong dairy and equine program, but not much for swine, goats, and chicken ect.

 

[Ashgirl]

Hi everyone, I have a question about Tufts University! read in the .doc file about pros and cons that Tufts have "large LA case load" but also "weak food animal program", could someone elaborate on that? Does that mean Tufts mainly do equine?

I am trying to decide between Tufts and U of I. Costs are roughly the same as I am OOS for both but U of I may have lower living cost. Both have great wildlife programs, but it looks like U of I have better large animal/food animal program? (I am especially interested in large animal and wildlife but happy to do anything)
Thanks!!

I also recommend going to Mizzou- the difference in tuition will save you big time. I'm also a Mizzou student so if you have any questions feel free to PM me!

 

[ahallowell]

Hi everyone, I have a question about Tufts University! read in the .doc file about pros and cons that Tufts have "large LA case load" but also "weak food animal program", could someone elaborate on that? Does that mean Tufts mainly do equine?

I am trying to decide between Tufts and U of I. Costs are roughly the same as I am OOS for both but U of I may have lower living cost. Both have great wildlife programs, but it looks like U of I have better large animal/food animal program? (I am especially interested in large animal and wildlife but happy to do anything)
Thanks!!

I have the same question! I'm developing my list of schools to apply to and I'm between adding either U of I or Tufts. I'm OOS for both. I'm interested in food animal / public health so I'm curious to which is the better option. Tuition and fees are about the same with campus fees at U of I included so it might come down to COL if their programs are similar.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[otfastpitch]

I feel that most people would highly recommend going to the cheaper option in almost any circumstance. By similar environment are you referring to weather conditions simply? I am currently a student at Mizzou, so feel free to ask any questions/concerns you may have here or in pm!

I partly mean weather. It isn't also much closer to home, and as much as I hate to admit it, I am very much a home body and am not sure how I'll do much farther away. I know the summers at Mizzou are shorter due to the 2+2, but that program interests me at the same time.

I just get this feeling that I'd be happier closer to home, but I really can't bring myself to choose a school that will probably be over 50k more expensive after 4 years

 

[TrashPanda]

I partly mean weather. It isn't also much closer to home, and as much as I hate to admit it, I am very much a home body and am not sure how I'll do much farther away. I know the summers at Mizzou are shorter due to the 2+2, but that program interests me at the same time.

I just get this feeling that I'd be happier closer to home, but I really can't bring myself to choose a school that will probably be over 50k more expensive after 4 years

How much closer to home is it, really? If you haven't already, you may want to look up school calendars and flights/driving distances to see what the difference is. See how often you could realistically go home. If I had to guess, I'd say there probably won't be much of a difference. Your trip might take a little longer from Mizzou, but it's not like you'd be able to go home every weekend vs. only once a year. Columbia, MO does have a small airport which makes things convenient.

 

[Karabiner13]

I updated the Ohio State section on the Factors When Picking a School document. There was some outdated information I got rid of, some new information added, and I reorganized it a little

@MiamiVet2021 I know you were interested in pros and cons for Ohio State

 

[MiamiVet2021]

Thank you, very helpful!

I updated the Ohio State section on the Factors When Picking a School document. There was some outdated information I got rid of, some new information added, and I reorganized it a little

@MiamiVet2021 I know you were interested in pros and cons for Ohio State

 

[greeneyegal92]

Hey everyone
Wondering if anyone knew of vet schools that favor students with a better last 45 GPA than their overall, or a school that puts more emphasis on experience than GPA and GRE. Just looking to apply again strategically!
Thanks in advance

 

[deleted676737]

Hey everyone
Wondering if anyone knew of vet schools that favor students with a better last 45 GPA than their overall

Off of the top of my head... Kansas State, Michigan State, Louisiana State, and Minnesota do not consider cumulative GPA at all---only science/pre-req and last 45 hours. Iowa State has a minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 2.5 to apply, but they don't actually use it in the admissions formula past that. There may be some others that I'm not thinking of.

or a school that puts more emphasis on experience than GPA and GRE. Just looking to apply again strategically!

Truthfully, there aren't any schools that really place more emphasis on experience than on academics period. Some may be slightly more forgiving if you have a particularly high amount of hours or extremely varied experiences, but I don't know of any schools where it would necessarily be weighed more heavily than GPA and/or GRE. NC State, Georgia, Texas A&M, and UC Davis may be ones to avoid since they are definitely very numbers-heavy---especially for OOS applicants---from what I've seen (others with more experience at these schools, definitely feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), though, unless you happen to be a resident of one of those states.

 

[greeneyegal92]

Off of the top of my head... Kansas State, Michigan State, Louisiana State, and Minnesota do not consider cumulative GPA at all---only science/pre-req and last 45 hours. Iowa State has a minimum cumulative GPA requirement of 2.5 to apply, but they don't actually use it in the admissions formula past that. There may be some others that I'm not thinking of.


Truthfully, there aren't any schools that really place more emphasis on experience than on academics period. Some may be slightly more forgiving if you have a particularly high amount of hours or extremely varied experiences, but I don't know of any schools where it would necessarily be weighed more heavily than GPA and/or GRE. NC State, Georgia, Texas A&M, and UC Davis may be ones to avoid since they are definitely very numbers-heavy---especially for OOS applicants---from what I've seen (others with more experience at these schools, definitely feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), though, unless you happen to be a resident of one of those states.

Yea I'm not in state for any of those; definitely not on my list haha I know unfortunately I won't be able to avoid GPA and GRE entirely I just know it's not the strongest part of my application. My cumulative is 3.39, my science is 3.21 and my last 45 is 3.64.

 

[deleted676737]

Yea I'm not in state for any of those; definitely not on my list haha I know unfortunately I won't be able to avoid GPA and GRE entirely I just know it's not the strongest part of my application. My cumulative is 3.39, my science is 3.21 and my last 45 is 3.64.

Well, it's definitely not impossible with your numbers, if that helps!

I was accepted with a cumulative GPA of 3.21. I believe both my science and last 45 hours GPAs were 3.6ish. Just over 2000 hours of vet experience and average to slightly above average GRE.

 

[greeneyegal92]

Definitely encouraging thanks so much! Not ready to toss in the towel quite yet

 

[PippyPony]

Hi everyone, I have a question about Tufts University! read in the .doc file about pros and cons that Tufts have "large LA case load" but also "weak food animal program", could someone elaborate on that? Does that mean Tufts mainly do equine?

I am trying to decide between Tufts and U of I. Costs are roughly the same as I am OOS for both but U of I may have lower living cost. Both have great wildlife programs, but it looks like U of I have better large animal/food animal program? (I am especially interested in large animal and wildlife but happy to do anything)
Thanks!!

I have the same question! I'm developing my list of schools to apply to and I'm between adding either U of I or Tufts. I'm OOS for both. I'm interested in food animal / public health so I'm curious to which is the better option. Tuition and fees are about the same with campus fees at U of I included so it might come down to COL if their programs are similar.


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Just to follow up on this, I was at Tufts Admitted Students Day today, and they quoted some numbers:

~1,800 cases seen at the large animal hospital on the Grafton campus, with the majority of that being equine. They are currently building an equine complex on the campus, so I'd imagine this will only increase.

They have an ambulatory practice with 7 vets that travels around to local farms (mostly dairy, I think), and said there is plenty of opportunities for large animal work in that context. They didn't quote a caseload number for cows/camelids etc, however.

Contrast that to their small animal case load...

~35,000 cases a year seen in Grafton, plus another ~15,000 at their specialty clinic in Walpole, plus more cases at a few other locations like Tufts at Tech.

All told, it's the largest small animal caseload in the country.

I met a bunch of students and faculty today who are focused solely on large animal, but a few of them mentioned that the curriculum reflects their caseload distribution, and is more based in small animal. So, just something to keep in mind.

There is a working farm on the campus (which is around 600 acres, iirc), and there are cows, sheep, pigs, goats, horses, and a couple alpacas & llamas kicking around. So there is ample opportunity for clinical skills practice on the campus.

In terms of Public Health, Tufts has a dedicated DVM/MPH program that seems to be very popular. So there are great options if you're interested in the public health aspect of things.

 

[PippyPony]

Oh, and Massachusetts has a very high cost of living compared to most of the US.

But, the nice thing is that the area around Tufts is incredibly beautiful - it's in a very idyllic rural New England setting.

So, housing may be pricey, but at least it's a pleasant place to be for 4 years

 

[Petsfurever]

Oh, and Massachusetts has a very high cost of living compared to most of the US.

But, the nice thing is that the area around Tufts is incredibly beautiful - it's in a very idyllic rural New England setting.

So, housing may be pricey, but at least it's a pleasant place to be for 4 years

Housing in that area of Massachusetts is MUCH more reasonable than other parts of the state though!

 

[greeneyegal92]

If I were to take a med terminology class and a medication dosing class would those be considered science or general credits? I need more science online courses!

 

[PippyPony]

Housing in that area of Massachusetts is MUCH more reasonable than other parts of the state though!

Eh, it depends which direction you head in... We'll need to be closer to Boston because of my husband's job, and once you get east of rt 495, the prices jump accordingly and are quite high compared to national averages. You're right that heading west, north, or south does result in a more reasonable real estate market, though