Tufts c/o 2018 applicants

[Panda23]

I am super stoked to be accepted to tufts, I love their program and all the people I met there!! My only concerns involve living in that area, I'm hoping maybe some current students can speak to this? Are there any good/fun restaurants and bars and such in the area? What about things to do? My brief visit definitely made it look in the middle of nowhere, but I wasn't there very long. I have a SO who might be coming with me and I want him to have places to go and things to do without having to go all the way out to Boston while I'm busy with school. Or at least have realistic expectations of what's available if he does come with me. Any input is appreciated!

Hi BananaBagel- I have grown up in the town surrounding Tufts, so I can definitely speak to this. First off, all towns immediately surrounding Tufts have a lot of good restaurants and bars and also small sports bars. And all the shops and places you could ever possibly need/want. I.E grocery stores, gyms, Roche Brothers, Wegmans, Dicks Sporting Goods, panera breads, gift shops, movie theatres, T.J Max, Marshalls, Staples, PetSmart, UNO's, basically anything you want & need.
Then, If you don't have time to go into Boston, you can head into the city of Worcester, which is probably a good 25 minutes away from North Grafton. Worcester is a city with a lot of bars, clubs, and pubs. Not to mention this is where a lot of college students and younger crowds hang on weekends and such because Worcester has a lot of its own Universities (WPI, Worcester State, Clark University, etc etc.). So Tufts is not in the middle of nowhere, it is just placed in a nice quaint town.

-Let me know if you have any other questions!

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[BananaBagel]

Hi BananaBagel- I have grown up in the town surrounding Tufts, so I can definitely speak to this. First off, all towns immediately surrounding Tufts have a lot of good restaurants and bars and also small sports bars. And all the shops and places you could ever possibly need/want. I.E grocery stores, gyms, Roche Brothers, Wegmans, Dicks Sporting Goods, panera breads, gift shops, movie theatres, T.J Max, Marshalls, Staples, PetSmart, UNO's, basically anything you want & need.
Then, If you don't have time to go into Boston, you can head into the city of Worcester, which is probably a good 25 minutes away from North Grafton. Worcester is a city with a lot of bars, clubs, and pubs. Not to mention this is where a lot of college students and younger crowds hang on weekends and such because Worcester has a lot of its own Universities (WPI, Worcester State, Clark University, etc etc.). So Tufts is not in the middle of nowhere, it is just placed in a nice quaint town.

-Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks! That's actually super great to hear

 

[bluesails]

Really random but did anyone else notice the little extra stuff included in the acceptance letter envelope? Clue: grey animals (don't want to spoil it for others)

 

[Leville11]

The dvm/mph deadline is "by march 1." Does that mean it's due 11:59pm today or 11:59pm march 1?

 

[bluesails]

Anyone else thinking of doing large animal / equine at Tufts and or doing it now and can speak more about the program? I got the impression that because there's no tracking a huge portion of the curriculum is SA, which I don't actually mind - just curious about someone finding the need to tell me that (as if they found it a huge inconvenience to getting LA stuff in).

Edit: I just got an amazing email from a fourth year at Tufts who does equine and can only speak highly of their program. I'm going. I'm definitely going. Excited all over again!!

 

[bluesails]

Hey! Admitted Students Day anyone?

 

[MissRPB]

I'm curious if anyone knows what the chances of being accepted are for waitlisted students?

 

[WildVet18]

There's definitely no way to know for sure, but as somebody wait listed last year and accepted this year, I can tell you the information that I gathered these past two cycles.

I was told by admissions that they do over-accept by "some", but they would not say by how many. I have heard rumors that it is somewhere from 1.5-2 x the spots available, but that's totally unofficial. I also know that at least in recent years, they have accepted SOME people off of the wait list...I don't think there has been a year when they didn't dip in to the wait list at all.There are definitely some people who are rejected post interview...so not everyone who is interviewed and not accepted gets wait listed. I was also told by admissions last year that the previous year (so 2011-2012 application cycle) there were about thirteen people who got in off the wait list, although when I asked Patty whether that meant 13 people total were taken off of the wait list or if it meant 13 people taken from the wait list accepted spots in the class, and she said that she could not tell me.

Admissions said that when spots open up for out-of-state, they take another out-of-stater, and for an in-state spot, they take an in-stater. So they essentially have two wait lists. Ford indicated that at least last year, there was a better chance for someone to get off of the in-state wait list than out-of-state because in-staters only have to compete with fellow MA residents when a spot opens up, where as out of staters are up against everyone else on the wait list. During my file review Ford indicated that while they do not rank the wait list, he felt I was in the "top half". I did not get off, so at least for in state they accepted less than half of the wait list. I would definitely do a file review...although they won't give you specific indications, they will probably give you some indication.

I also know that it is VERY rare for them to call anyone until April 15th, so don't fret if you don't hear anything before then! Last year they started calling people off the wait list immediately (the 16th I think), then gave them two weeks to decide, and there was another "round" of people taken off. After that there were a few people called off periodically if someone dropped their deposit, deferred, etc. I hope this helps some...best of luck!

 

[bluesails]

JUST sent in my deposit to Tufts today. So freaking excited! Admitted Applicant Day was awesome.

 

[mjenssen]

Does anyone know when they'll be sending out the financial aid info?

 

[bluesails]

Just wanted to share. Currently crying at the concept of being able to see this hahaha

http://tuftscummingsschool.blogspot.com/2014/04/4-3-14.html

 

[letsbeadventurers]

The waitlist is moving, just got a call from Ford. I'm in!

 

[MissRPB]

There's definitely no way to know for sure, but as somebody wait listed last year and accepted this year, I can tell you the information that I gathered these past two cycles.

I was told by admissions that they do over-accept by "some", but they would not say by how many. I have heard rumors that it is somewhere from 1.5-2 x the spots available, but that's totally unofficial. I also know that at least in recent years, they have accepted SOME people off of the wait list...I don't think there has been a year when they didn't dip in to the wait list at all.There are definitely some people who are rejected post interview...so not everyone who is interviewed and not accepted gets wait listed. I was also told by admissions last year that the previous year (so 2011-2012 application cycle) there were about thirteen people who got in off the wait list, although when I asked Patty whether that meant 13 people total were taken off of the wait list or if it meant 13 people taken from the wait list accepted spots in the class, and she said that she could not tell me.

Admissions said that when spots open up for out-of-state, they take another out-of-stater, and for an in-state spot, they take an in-stater. So they essentially have two wait lists. Ford indicated that at least last year, there was a better chance for someone to get off of the in-state wait list than out-of-state because in-staters only have to compete with fellow MA residents when a spot opens up, where as out of staters are up against everyone else on the wait list. During my file review Ford indicated that while they do not rank the wait list, he felt I was in the "top half". I did not get off, so at least for in state they accepted less than half of the wait list. I would definitely do a file review...although they won't give you specific indications, they will probably give you some indication.

I also know that it is VERY rare for them to call anyone until April 15th, so don't fret if you don't hear anything before then! Last year they started calling people off the wait list immediately (the 16th I think), then gave them two weeks to decide, and there was another "round" of people taken off. After that there were a few people called off periodically if someone dropped their deposit, deferred, etc. I hope this helps some...best of luck!

Thank you so much for this info! I haven't heard anything from them, but I'm holding out.

 

[bluesails]

If anyone has been pulled off the Tufts waitlist and is making a tough decision, please let me know. I just turned down both Cornell and Penn for Tufts and though it's probably one of the scariest things I've done I am pretty sure I will be more successful and happy at Tufts and not at any of the other schools. I went through a pretty intense pros and cons debate so feel free to PM for some insight.

 

[brown.chicken.brown.cow]

Hey all, so I was called off the waitlist as OOS and am now trying to make a decision. I did some number crunching the other day (which was incredibly sobering) and am slightly terrified by the thought of being close to a quarter of a million dollars in debt by graduation. I'd love to just say "screw it" and hope for the best, but that rational voice inside my head (and by rational voice inside my head I mean my mother) is making me second guess accepting the offer.

This field is my passion, and I realize that any vet school will leave me with crazy amounts of debt, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it all. Even my IS, which I was rejected from, would only be about 10K cheaper per year.

I'd love any input or thoughts that other people have had, or advice from current students/graduates. I know I can't be the only one that's thinking about it!

 

[Minnerbelle]

Hey all, so I was called off the waitlist as OOS and am now trying to make a decision. I did some number crunching the other day (which was incredibly sobering) and am slightly terrified by the thought of being close to a quarter of a million dollars in debt by graduation. I'd love to just say "screw it" and hope for the best, but that rational voice inside my head (and by rational voice inside my head I mean my mother) is making me second guess accepting the offer.

This field is my passion, and I realize that any vet school will leave me with crazy amounts of debt, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it all. Even my IS, which I was rejected from, would only be about 10K cheaper per year.

I'd love any input or thoughts that other people have had, or advice from current students/graduates. I know I can't be the only one that's thinking about it!

That debt-load was pretty scary but sort of doable with good job security... But I can tell you as someone who was in the job market this year it is really tough. Like really really tough, esp if you want to practice in a popular location that tends to be saturated... And I can imagine it'll only get worse. It seems like a majority of the jobs that are considering new grads are either really crappy practices, or places in the desert or super remote locations. There are def more and more people accepting less than ideal jobs because those are the only offers they have.

Where does that leave you? I'm not saying it's all doom and gloom because there will be a good percentage of people who have okay to good jobs since it's not like vet clinics across the country have disappeared. But, the competition is only getting stiffer and stiffer. You just have to ask yourself how much will you regret it if you end up with a quarter of a million dollars in debt and you end up with a ****ty job all alone in the desert because that's all you can find that pays well. That's starting to become a reality for people i know. There's always been a good number of new grads whose first jobs didnt work out, but i would imagine it's getting worse, and that the options after that first crappy job is only getting smaller and smaller. Remember also that the quarter million dollars will easily blow up to the $300-400k+ range with the interest you accrue during your schooling and possibly grace period and esp if you do an internship. That amount of debt leaves you essentially in financial ruins for at least the next 20 years of your life or even longer, depending on how something like PAYE works out for you. It might be worth it if you are living the life with a job that you love. But what if you end up with a job you're not excited waking up to go to every morning? Will you be okay with that then? And if that affects your spouse and children? If the answer is yes yes yes, then go for it. But this is probably the biggest decision you'll be making for your financial future, so I'd consider it very carefully while you actually still have the option of not gettin involved.

Am I still happy I did? Yes. But at the same time, i got super lucky in many ways (my debt burden is way less, my SO is helping me pay it off, and i managed to slip into a job im super excited about). I know others even in my class who already regret their decision, even with a job secured. Some new grads from recent years are still happy even with the mega debt you're facing. Others are miserable. I know that doesn't help but I guess it depends on how much you love the profession and how much of a risk taker you are.

 

[letsbeadventurers]

Hey all, so I was called off the waitlist as OOS and am now trying to make a decision. I did some number crunching the other day (which was incredibly sobering) and am slightly terrified by the thought of being close to a quarter of a million dollars in debt by graduation. I'd love to just say "screw it" and hope for the best, but that rational voice inside my head (and by rational voice inside my head I mean my mother) is making me second guess accepting the offer.

This field is my passion, and I realize that any vet school will leave me with crazy amounts of debt, but I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it all. Even my IS, which I was rejected from, would only be about 10K cheaper per year.

I'd love any input or thoughts that other people have had, or advice from current students/graduates. I know I can't be the only one that's thinking about it!

I've thought about this a lot as well. I am a non-traditional student, so I am already older than most students entering vet school (I'm 28). So to think by the time I'm 32, I will just have graduated and be in tons of debt is really daunting. There are other options. I was looking at participating in the Army scholarship program. They pay your entire tuition, give you a monthly living stipend and summer employment in the field. But you then have to spend the four years after vet school as an army vet and you get little choice in where you work and what exactly you are doing. But you get professional pay which is similar to what you would be making in a clinical practice. I have decided against this option because of my age and wanting to have more control over my life after vet school.

But I would start to look around at scholarships. That's what I'm going to do. I believe most of them we would not be eligible for until after our first year, but don't hold me to that because I haven't looked into it that much.

The vet I work for was helpful too. He graduated from Tufts in 1985, so I am sure it was much less expensive back then. But he said you just have to make it your mission to pay off the debt as quickly as possible. You given so much of your life to get to this point and if it is what you will truly love doing then it will be worth it in the end.

 

[frogzer]

I've thought about this a lot as well. I am a non-traditional student, so I am already older than most students entering vet school (I'm 28). So to think by the time I'm 32, I will just have graduated and be in tons of debt is really daunting. There are other options. I was looking at participating in the Army scholarship program. They pay your entire tuition, give you a monthly living stipend and summer employment in the field. But you then have to spend the four years after vet school as an army vet and you get little choice in where you work and what exactly you are doing. But you get professional pay which is similar to what you would be making in a clinical practice. I have decided against this option because of my age and wanting to have more control over my life after vet school.

But I would start to look around at scholarships. That's what I'm going to do. I believe most of them we would not be eligible for until after our first year, but don't hold me to that because I haven't looked into it that much.

The vet I work for was helpful too. He graduated from Tufts in 1985, so I am sure it was much less expensive back then. But he said you just have to make it your mission to pay off the debt as quickly as possible. You given so much of your life to get to this point and if it is what you will truly love doing then it will be worth it in the end.

 

[brown.chicken.brown.cow]

I appreciate the input guys! Decisions, decisions...

 

[Leville11]

Hey, I'm an incoming V18 currently looking for housing close to campus. I have 2 roommates lined up (other V18's) and wanted to know if anyone else wants to join us. We're looking for a house or duplex to fit 4 or 5 of us. Message me if you're interested!