Michigan State c/o 2020 Applicants

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Today is the day! (Well day 1!) of course I woke up with a roaring cold this morning. I'll be the red nosed, nasally voiced one! Lol I have been indecisive about what I wanted to wear- jeans or dress pants. Casual or not I want to make good impressions!
Don't worry, you're not the only one that has a cold. I've been struggling for a couple days now already.

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Anyone maybe interested in meeting up tonight? I'm traveling alone, so I was looking for something to do!
 
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Anyone maybe interested in meeting up tonight? I'm traveling alone, so I was looking for something to do!
You're always welcome to come get a behind-the-scenes view of vet school and join my study group as we cry over how much we have to go over for finals. :p
 
Just wanted to check in and let everyone who is interviewing in Jan & Feb know that the MMI's went well! Seriously, don't stress! Just be yourself and you'll be a-ok! ;)
 
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Well, it was a good weekend. Loved the school and the faculty and staff! I do have to say that despite the stress and nerves, the MMIs were quite fun! I don't really think there is a way to prepare. Just be yourself and relax! :)
 
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Well, it was a good weekend. Loved the school and the faculty and staff! I do have to say that despite the stress and nerves, the MMIs were quite fun! I don't really think there is a way to prepare. Just be yourself and relax! :)
Yeah I definitely tried to prepare like a lot and nothing I did was relevant at all. Haha !
 
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Well, it was a good weekend. Loved the school and the faculty and staff! I do have to say that despite the stress and nerves, the MMIs were quite fun! I don't really think there is a way to prepare. Just be yourself and relax! :)

Yeah, honestly, I thought it was enjoyable too : D You guys will do great, don't worry! Also if you made it this far, it seems like you have a good shot at acceptance (For IS, it sounds like they'll be accepting ~70% of the students they interview). Make sure you are proud for how far you've come :)
 
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Is anyone else holding their breath every time they open their email, hoping for an early Christmas present aka acceptance email? Lol. I know it's way too soon but now that my MMI's are done, that's all I can think about!
 
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Is anyone else holding their breath every time they open their email, hoping for an early Christmas present aka acceptance email? Lol. I know it's way too soon but now that my MMI's are done, that's all I can think about!
I'm def Holding my breath but not getting my hopes up, especially because I'm OOS.
 
I'm def Holding my breath but not getting my hopes up, especially because I'm OOS.
Awwww but I think I met you (I thought your nametag said Helen at the meet and greet, I believe) and you seem super sweet!!! It stinks that you and all the other OOS pl have to wait longer than the IS to find out! I feel for you!!! I hope you get in. How many other places did you apply?
 
Awwww but I think I met you (I thought your nametag said Helen at the meet and greet, I believe) and you seem super sweet!!! It stinks that you and all the other OOS pl have to wait longer than the IS to find out! I feel for you!!! I hope you get in. How many other places did you apply?

Aww yeah I remember! :) you seem really sweet too!! Everyone I met there was really nice...faculty, students, and fellow applicants especially, I had a great time.

So I applied to 8 places total, and I have a few more interviews coming up, so I'm trying to put my focus on that and not to think about pending decisions since there's nothing I can do about that at this point. But it is super hard not to, I almost wish she hadn't told us that they could be coming! Again, not expecting anything, but knowing there is a chance makes it hard not to think about.
 
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I'm so glad to hear that the MMIs are nothing to worry about!! When did they say that IS applicants would be finding out about admissions decisions?
 
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I'm so glad to hear that the MMIs are nothing to worry about!! When did they say that IS applicants would be finding out about admissions decisions?
They told us they hoped to have all the IS decisions made and sent by the end of Jan. So one way or the other, we should all (IS) how if we've been accepted, wait listed or declined by the end of Jan. Eeeeek!
 
They told us they hoped to have all the IS decisions made and sent by the end of Jan. So one way or the other, we should all (IS) how if we've been accepted, wait listed or declined by the end of Jan. Eeeeek!


Holy... that soon? But what about the feb interviews? No IS appicants in that group?

I interview in Jan and I know I've been dying to know my fate since this cycle began but it makes me anxious to think the decision could be so soon.
 
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Holy... that soon? But what about the feb interviews? No IS appicants in that group?

I interview in Jan and I know I've been dying to know my fate since this cycle began but it makes me anxious to think the decision could be so soon.

Yeah they said all IS applicants are either December or January.

OOS have to wait until after the February interviews because those are all OOS.
 
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Were the December and January interviews only for the IS applicants? I guess I need to fire off a few more emails to find out why I'm not in the IS pool when I qualify as IS.

**Saw Hayley's post once I had submitted mine.
 
Yeah they said all IS applicants are either December or January.

OOS have to wait until after the February interviews because those are all OOS.
Ugh I understand why they makes us OOSers wait....but it makes me sad that I have to wait so long. By that point I could be accepted into my IS and never even want to see what they have to offer. Le sigh. Oh well I guess that is on me to uphold.
 
Were the December and January interviews only for the IS applicants? I guess I need to fire off a few more emails to find out why I'm not in the IS pool when I qualify as IS.

**Saw Hayley's post once I had submitted mine.

Is your mailing address California?

They had me as an MA resident because my mailing address is Boston where I go to school, but my residency is CT. It doesn't matter cause I'm OOS there either way, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's what happened to you if you have a mailing address in CA.
 
Ugh I understand why they makes us OOSers wait....but it makes me sad that I have to wait so long. By that point I could be accepted into my IS and never even want to see what they have to offer. Le sigh. Oh well I guess that is on me to uphold.
To be fair, every one of our OOS tour guides/panel members that were students said that as much as they love love love MSU, if you are OOS and get accepted into your IS school, you should absolutely take that over going to a school OOS.
 
To be fair, every one of our OOS tour guides/panel members that were students said that as much as they love love love MSU, if you are OOS and get accepted into your IS school, you should absolutely take that over going to a school OOS.
I think it depends on what the two look like compared. I know that the camelid program at MSU is supposed to be a bit better. But shelter med is better at OSU. If the IS is deficient compared to the OOS school then it's probably better to choose the OOS. I'm lucky to have such a great program, but that doesn't mean I won't be torn still. :)
 
Were the December and January interviews only for the IS applicants? I guess I need to fire off a few more emails to find out why I'm not in the IS pool when I qualify as IS.

**Saw Hayley's post once I had submitted mine.
No, the Dec ones were a mix of both IS and OOS. I think Jan is as well.
 
I think it depends on what the two look like compared. I know that the camelid program at MSU is supposed to be a bit better. But shelter med is better at OSU. If the IS is deficient compared to the OOS school then it's probably better to choose the OOS. I'm lucky to have such a great program, but that doesn't mean I won't be torn still. :)
They were just saying to pick your IS school if you had the choice purely from a financial perspective. Apparently the OOS debt is about 305,000...significantly more than IS debt.
 
They were just saying to pick your IS school if you had the choice purely from a financial perspective. Apparently the OOS debt is about 305,000...significantly more than IS debt.
Yea it's always more to go OOS. But money isn't everything. It's just varying degrees of crippling debt. Lol
 
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I think it depends on what the two look like compared. I know that the camelid program at MSU is supposed to be a bit better. But shelter med is better at OSU. If the IS is deficient compared to the OOS school then it's probably better to choose the OOS. I'm lucky to have such a great program, but that doesn't mean I won't be torn still. :)

Speaking as an OOS second year at MSU, my debt is sitting at over 100k right now. You'd be naive and what some might call out of touch to take MSU over an IS seat. And I'm not sure what you mean about the "camelid program". I mean seriously I saw one alpaca in the hospital this semester. If you are looking for something that specific internships/externships/summer opportunities might be your best bet no matter what school you're at.
 
Speaking as an OOS second year at MSU, my debt is sitting at over 100k right now. You'd be naive and what some might call out of touch to take MSU over an IS seat. And I'm not sure what you mean about the "camelid program". I mean seriously I saw one alpaca in the hospital this semester. If you are looking for something that specific internships/externships/summer opportunities might be your best bet no matter what school you're at.
My mentors are MSU grads and they say there's at least a better chance of learning there. Unless I wanted to move to an ag heavy school. Which I don't.

Debt is bad wherever we all end up going. I've never been one to let money stop me. I like both schools. So why not consider them both? I will end up picking whichever school I think is the better fit.
 
Yea it's always more to go OOS. But money isn't everything. It's just varying degrees of crippling debt. Lol
You're right, money isn't everything. But every AVMA accredited school will set you up to be a competent vet, so it's better to go as cheap as possible.

It isn't as little as a $100,000 difference. When I crunched the numbers a few years ago it came up to a $300,000 difference (if not more). This is huge, and is the difference between getting a house or buying a clinic. All of my vets who went to the OOS I was thinking about (which was about $50,000 cheaper than MSU....), begged and pleaded me to think about going to my IS. $300,000 (in my personal opinion), is not worth the few extra cases or whatever I may see at another school, when I can get that experience through externships or other club opportunities at the school I'm at now. Vet School is what you make it.
 
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Debt is bad wherever we all end up going. I've never been one to let money stop me.
debt is significantly worse at OOS. You should definitely top and think before taking significantly more debt. it might not mean much now, but when you're trying to pay off loans, you probably will change your tune.

If you really want camelid info, take electives if offered at any school, go on externships/external rotations 4th year that focus on them. heck, volunteer time with a camelid vet after graduation.
 
I already work with two msu camelid vets in husbandry, surgery, and novel research. So I've been pretty well tainted with a love of alpaca medicine.

What I'm saying is I will end up at my best choice for me. That's all.
Do I want to have ridiculous debt? Of course not. I'm not saying it won't be a factor. I'm saying it's not the most important factor.
 
I already work with two msu camelid vets in husbandry, surgery, and novel research. So I've been pretty well tainted with a love of alpaca medicine.

What I'm saying is I will end up at my best choice for me. That's all.
Do I want to have ridiculous debt? Of course not. I'm not saying it won't be a factor. I'm saying it's not the most important factor.
and my point is that you can usually make up for a lack of a certain focus by focusing on it 4th year. I'm letting you know what you may not understand, having not been in vet school.
 
This is huge, and is the difference between getting a house or buying a clinic.

See this is why I love living in my hometown. I can buy a nice house for 20 grand. Or if I want to splurge a mansion for 200. Our housing market sucks.

But the people in my area are very giving when it comes to their pets. So it's a good balance.

You know....other than the street violence of a city.
 
I already work with two msu camelid vets in husbandry, surgery, and novel research. So I've been pretty well tainted with a love of alpaca medicine.

What I'm saying is I will end up at my best choice for me. That's all.
Do I want to have ridiculous debt? Of course not. I'm not saying it won't be a factor. I'm saying it's not the most important factor.

Yes, it is.

Having attended two different schools and having friends spread across the country at various veterinary schools, I can promise you there is nothing a school offers that you can not get at some point in your four years in veterinary school whether it is at your actual school or via externships/preceptorships.

Money should most definitely be the number one most important factor for anyone considering veterinary school.... believe me, you will thank yourself in 4 years when you are staring at those loans that are about to go into repayment.
 
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I already work with two msu camelid vets in husbandry, surgery, and novel research. So I've been pretty well tainted with a love of alpaca medicine.

What I'm saying is I will end up at my best choice for me. That's all.
Do I want to have ridiculous debt? Of course not. I'm not saying it won't be a factor. I'm saying it's not the most important factor.
Fair enough. But if you're basing the most important factor on getting a specific experience (e.i. camelid medicine), you'll be shocked to find that you'll be able to get this experience at other schools if not more experience with them, especially through externships, summer work, etc.
 
and my point is that you can usually make up for a lack of a certain focus by focusing on it 4th year. I'm letting you know what you may not understand, having not been in vet school.

4th year is definitely where I plan to make up for whatever lacks, but it's always a pick and choose what is lacking. I do have a basic understanding of how these things work.

Money should most definitely be the number one most important factor for anyone considering veterinary school.... believe me, you will thank yourself in 4 years

I can understand how scary the loans will be. I know none of you will believe me. Because you seem to think that I think money grows from seeds...But when you have had the life I have you learn to understand pretty quickly. I have had to pay for my education my entire life. So once again, I'm not letting that be the only factor.

Things always work out for the best. And I look forward to whatever the future holds. So until then I will keep waiting on my email.
 
4th year is definitely where I plan to make up for whatever lacks, but it's always a pick and choose what is lacking. I do have a basic understanding of how these things work.
Basic understanding? yes. But I am trying to give you a realistic look. If you want to owe 6 figures more to get camelid experience, that's on you. I hope you will not be one of the many that literally is unable to pay back their loans. Your comments here do make me think you're being a little cavalier about it
 
I can understand how scary the loans will be. I know none of you will believe me. Because you seem to think that I think money grows from seeds...But when you have had the life I have you learn to understand pretty quickly. I have had to pay for my education my entire life. So once again, I'm not letting that be the only factor.

Things always work out for the best. And I look forward to whatever the future holds. So until then I will keep waiting on my email.

What does having to pay for your education your entire life have to do with taking on $150K vs over 300K???

Guess what, I have also had to pay for my education my entire life too and I wish I had the opportunity to only have 150K of debt... I didn't have an IS, so I didn't get that option. Hindsight is always 20/20 that is why those of us who have "been there" are saying these things. Think of it as an older sibling passing on advice of things they have learned as they navigate through life.


"Things always work out for the best"--- this is just being naive. You can't hold your breath and hope. Give yourself the best opportunity for things to work out, don't cripple yourself before you even leave the starting gate.
 
Yea it's always more to go OOS. But money isn't everything. It's just varying degrees of crippling debt. Lol

I'm not going to direct my response at K&C, because she made it clear she does not welcome critical feedback, but for the rest of you ....

.... Money isn't everything, but it should be your #1 consideration with vet school if at all possible. It is NOT just varying degrees of crippling debt. It will haunt you for a long, long time and significantly effect your quality of life. If you're picking a more expensive school just because they have a marginally better focus on a particular area of interest, you are making a poor decision.

Really truly.
 
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What does having to pay for your education your entire life have to do with taking on $150K vs over 300K???

Guess what, I have also had to pay for my education my entire life too and I wish I had the opportunity to only have 150K of debt... I didn't have an IS, so I didn't get that option. Hindsight is always 20/20 that is why those of us who have "been there" are saying these things. Think of it as an older sibling passing on advice of things they have learned as they navigate through life.


"Things always work out for the best"--- this is just being naive. You can't hold your breath and hope. Give yourself the best opportunity for things to work out, don't cripple yourself before you even leave the starting gate.
I mean I have had to pay for my education since middle school. I was a ward of the court. As in out of my pocket from what was left to me.

Please. Do not lecture me on the value of a dollar. I have lived with nothing. I have been lucky to be taken into a family that loves me. But please, don't lecture me on money. I understand far greater than you realize.
 
I mean I have had to pay for my education since middle school. I was a ward of the court. As in out of my pocket from what was left to me.

Please. Do not lecture me on the value of a dollar. I have lived with nothing. I have been lucky to be taken into a family that loves me. But please, don't lecture me on money. I understand far greater than you realize.

If you do understand more than we realize then you would recognize that an extra $100K+ is not worth a possible "experience" that you can get at just about any other veterinary school or through externships that would not cost $100K+....

This isn't a "lecture" this is those of us who have been through veterinary school and know how it works telling you, "hey an experience is not worth over $100K of debt because you can get that experience ANYWHERE without taking on that debt".

Take the advice or don't, that is on you. But sometimes it is nice to know that you don't have to spend $100K or more to do something or get something you want.
 
If you do understand more than we realize then you would recognize that an extra $100K+ is not worth a possible "experience" that you can get at just about any other veterinary school or through externships that would not cost $100K+....

This isn't a "lecture" this is those of us who have been through veterinary school and know how it works telling you, "hey an experience is not worth over $100K of debt because you can get that experience ANYWHERE without taking on that debt".

Take the advice or don't, that is on you. But sometimes it is nice to know that you don't have to spend $100K or more to do something or get something you want.
Like I said. I will most likely choose my IS if it comes to that.
 
But please, don't lecture me on money. I understand far greater than you realize.

Your comments here - suggesting that it would be good to take on significantly more debt in exchange for marginally more exposure to an area of interest - suggest that you don't.

Honestly, if you want to do that to yourself, fine by me. But please do not give that advice to other people like you implied in a previous post. That does a major disservice to them.
 
I'll add too that it's not just the students that gave tours and sat for panels that said take an IS seat... The admissions faculty says at interviews that it is wise to take an IS seat over MSU or whatever other OOS option you have.
 
Does anyone have an approximate breakdown of the total number of people interviewed (IS and OS) and total numbers of each accepted? I saw someone say ~70% IS get accepted, but that seems liberal. That's about ~175 of the ~450 that get interviewed, assuming it's roughly 55/45 instate/OOS interviewed. I can't imagine them accepting more than 250 for a class of 120, so that leaves about ~75 acceptances for the other ~200 OOSers interviewed. Do these numbers seem about right?

Also, last year it looks like they sent out invites automatically just based on SIS scores and submitting the supplemental. Were our VMCAS's/supplementals reviewed before interview invites went out? The website says "Two of our faculty review the Supplemental Application and the VMCAS Application. They review the file to add value to the SIS based on five non-academic criteria which are..." It seems like they did, but I'm not sure.

So nervous :dead:
 
Does anyone have an approximate breakdown of the total number of people interviewed (IS and OS) and total numbers of each accepted? I saw someone say ~70% IS get accepted, but that seems liberal. That's about ~175 of the ~450 that get interviewed, assuming it's roughly 55/45 instate/OOS interviewed. I can't imagine them accepting more than 250 for a class of 120, so that leaves about ~75 acceptances for the other ~200 OOSers interviewed. Do these numbers seem about right?

Also, last year it looks like they sent out invites automatically just based on SIS scores and submitting the supplemental. Were our VMCAS's/supplementals reviewed before interview invites went out? The website says "Two of our faculty review the Supplemental Application and the VMCAS Application. They review the file to add value to the SIS based on five non-academic criteria which are..." It seems like they did, but I'm not sure.

So nervous :dead:

They interviewed about 450 people last year (I believe) but they are interviewing fewer people this year. How much fewer we do not know.
Also, yes, they reviewed our files before sending out the invites (which I assume is part of why there are less of us being interviewed).
 
Does anyone have an approximate breakdown of the total number of people interviewed (IS and OS) and total numbers of each accepted? I saw someone say ~70% IS get accepted, but that seems liberal. That's about ~175 of the ~450 that get interviewed, assuming it's roughly 55/45 instate/OOS interviewed. I can't imagine them accepting more than 250 for a class of 120, so that leaves about ~75 acceptances for the other ~200 OOSers interviewed. Do these numbers seem about right?

Also, last year it looks like they sent out invites automatically just based on SIS scores and submitting the supplemental. Were our VMCAS's/supplementals reviewed before interview invites went out? The website says "Two of our faculty review the Supplemental Application and the VMCAS Application. They review the file to add value to the SIS based on five non-academic criteria which are..." It seems like they did, but I'm not sure.

So nervous :dead:

Only about ~340 get interviewed from what they told me (I think they said they're were 84 interviewees this past weekend and they'll have 4 interview dates. 84*4), and only ~100 or so IS students are being interviewed (they want roughly ~70 IS and ~35 OOS). Thus 70% for IS.
 
Ok, thank you! But they definitely overshoot with acceptances because not everyone accepted ends up matriculating. I would imagine they end up sending out at LEAST 150 acceptances total if there were ~340 interviewed for a class of 100-115, but I assume the vast majority of IS people accepted end up matriculating.
 
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I wonder how many IS applicants there were....

P.S. Thanks for the info! I'm getting really excited to see it all next month!!
 
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Not sure... But remember there goal is to wrap up all the IS applications by the end of Jan. So all 100 IS candidates should be interviewed between the two dates. But they are just "goals" haha
 
I was wondering that too... I don't know if they'll ending up sharing that though. On the class of 2019 profile they only have a totally number of applicants.

Also, I second your excitement. I'm nervous too... but at least half plain excited.
Don't be nervous! I promise promise it's not scary!!! Seriously! When I was driving over from GR I was like having a mini panic attack bc I was so nervous and after the fact, I realized I truly had no need to be! It was fun! Be you and have fun with it and you'll do great!
 
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