Factors when picking a school

I think the lists, especially the "pros" list, are good for interviews as well as they can show what you have done as far as "researching" the school. I can't imagine that mentioning how excited you are about the school's state-of-the-art _________ facilities could be a bad thing!

ri23 said:

That seems odd. How do you learn dog anatomy? We do dogs first quarter, horses second, and cows/goats/sheep/pigs third.

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Actually I'm wrong. I took Anatomy in the Spring when the vet students were doing horses. They do their dogs in the fall.

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Any ISU students out there...starwrecker where are you??? I would love to read some stats before interviews next weeks. Thanks in advance!

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Hey no one did Penn yet! I think pros and cons are really relative, but here's my personal opinion (I'm a second year)

Pros:
- caseload at the hospitals is one of the highest out there, if not the highest, so you'll learn a ton in clinics and get to see some crazy stuff
- lots of clubs with hands-on activities and wetlabs pretty much going on every weekend, if you're up for them.
- the student body is pretty diverse (well...we still are mostly white women, but aside from that). We have a lot of 2nd career students and people from a variety of backgrounds
- All the lectures are recorded, so if sitting in class is not your thing you can listen to the lectures later. Most of the professors put their stuff online, but they also give us handouts for all their lectures.

In between:
- Philadelphia - could be a pro or a con...lots of nightlife and stuff to do, and there is an awesome cheesesteak truck right in front of the school, but far from the large animal facility (New Bolton Center) and crime can be an issue in west philly
- I'd say that the teaching is hit or miss. We have some really great professors who are enthusiastic about teaching and want to present the material in a clinically relevant way but other professors who seem like they couldn't care less about teaching or are so deeply steeped in their own research projects that they have no idea how to present the material so that it is relevant or interesting to us.

Cons:
- pretty impersonal your first couple of years. There might be one or two professors who know my name, if that.
- not a lot of official handling of live animals the first two years.
- they really don't put forth any effort to hook you up with jobs or summer opportunities, except research-related ones.

enchantingme2 said:

Hey Everyone!!! I was really excited to see this thread and read about other schools. I am a first year at Ohio State and I absolutely love it out here in C-bus. I wanted to post my pros and cons too about OSU, since I know that different perspectives are always helpful!

I do want to point out that it is only my first quarter of my first year. I think that a lot of things will change or present themselves as the years progress. Thus, I can only give my opinion as a Buckeye newbie and don't know what other classmates or upperclassman think. Overall, I love it here. I was hard pressed to come up with cons that were legit and not something like the coffee line is too long in the morning (I mean why complain when we have our own Starbucks?) Even the cons I did post are minor and easy to become accustomed too. Also, if you haven't noticed... I am a little biased hahaha.

I hope this helps! Go BUCKS!!!!

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Might I point out that EnchantingMe's presence at Ohio State is a MAJOR Pro. I've never met a more positive person! But yeah, Ohio State basically rocks. No school is perfect, but they do a really good job here.

VAgirl said:

I don't really have the attention span to post a full list of factors on Davis right now, but in response to this I just wanted to say one thing...biking!!! One of my favorite things about living in Davis is biking everywhere. No parking issues for me! Of course, the fact that it's 66 degrees outside right now (in the middle/end of November, seems to be totally typical) does help with that.

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Yes...my plan as well...until my bike and I fell TWICE last week then I came home covered in mud/slush yesterday....bike is going away for the winter...gotta love Canada.

banditalfi said:

- animal contact regularly - twice a week for class and isaac (teaching horse) and the teaching cows are available for you to practice on whenever you are not in class... dogs and cats are a little harder to come by, but most students have one or the other

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I'm sure I'm misunderstanding...one for the whole school...?? or each group has their own?

DISCLAIMER: this is not going to be complete or coherent, being incomplete and incoherent is my job for thanksgiving break!

Pros-
KUMAR = most amazing anatomy prof everr (also a really great guy)
>>plus we have super awesome 2nd year helpers that organize mock practicals and review sessions etc

All of our professors are pretty awesome and available to students
>>our dean is also super available to students and wants to listen to our input and it usually actually makes a difference

Awesome, amazing, beautiful campus

Dogs/cat for anatomy lab are through donor program, no buying of purpose bred animals
>>>we're working on getting donated ponies too, we have 2 as of right now

new campus center/lecture hall is awesome with lots of student study areas (one with a fireplace) an awesome caf/catering service and a really nice new gym

HUGE caseload in both small and large animal hospitals
>>plus student technician teams allow even lowly 1st years a chance to get in there early
>>top notch specialists/clinicians/surgeons

small class size (86ish) and we even have 10 boys!!
>>my class (and as far as I can tell all the other classes) manages to have some fun while still keeping the grades expected of us

Problem based learning once a week for most of the 1st semester (we do more too, this is just all I have done so far)

Clinical skills about once a month = we get to touch real live animals
>>live dog labs in anatomy = we also get to touch live animals as well as learn how to do a neuro, optho, and dental exam etc

parking is something like $5 a year and is available really close to most of the places we have class in

All (that I can think of) syllabi/lecture notes are available online

Big sib program is great

We start clinics in spring of third year which i think is kind of early? not sure

Our campus is separate from all the other Tufts colleges, it's just us vet students, some masters students, some researchers, and the hospital (which i think is a good thing)

OK I think this is getting a bit long winded, if you hadn't figured it out yet I really love it here


Cons-

Lowe (one of our lecture halls) is really crowded we share it with another class, when only one class is in there, its fine
>>this will be fixed by spring when we can start using our new lecture hall

it's New England, it gets cold
>>I love NE so this isn't really an issue for me

it's North Grafton, there isn't much to do around here
>>some people commute from Boston and don't mind at all
>>you're not going to have time to do anything anyways, the PO pub works out just fine for that much needed beer and greasy appetizer fix

we're going paperless next semester = if you want a paper syllabus, you'll have to buy it

no free printing

library doesn't stay open 24/7 like at big universities

I guess that's it, keep in mind I just started my first year so I'm sure there are things missing.

Good luck everyone, I know this is a wicked stressful time but try to enjoy the holidays. Make sure you are well prepared for your interviews, I practiced a mock interview with my vet and it made such a huge difference!

Sorry it's short - KittenKiller hit most of the main points

Pros

Accepts a larger number of out-of-staters
Free notes for class
History - if you're into that, I think Old Vet is beautiful and I love classroom A and that vet students have been sitting in that room for the past 100 years or something learning veterinary medicine
Almost everything you need is within walking distance: the gym, the grocery store, Wawa, restaurants etc. etc.

Cons

Cost - Penn is expensive even for instate

I'm not sure anyone has done CSU yet, so I'll chime in.

Pros:
-Large class size (mine is 134), I hopefully won't get tired of my classmates in 4 years
-Wonderful professors (especially anatomy)
-Anatomy CD by Dr. Whalen (step by step guide to dog dissection... real pictures, you can move them around. It's awesome!)
-Fort Collins is probably the friendliest town I've ever been to.
-Lots of toys at the VTH (MRI, Nuclear Medicine... the fun stuff that has already been listed at other schools)
-Many clubs, lots of opportunity for wetlabs
-Free Science Diet and/or Purina every month
-Lots of guest lunch lectures, which means free food!
-Good food on campus and walking distance
-Lots of interns and residents
-24 hour access
-"Cubes"... for freshmen. This is our own part in the Anatomy/Zoology bulding with our own desk and space. Need key card access.
-Rec Center
-We get our tests back within a week, but must return them within the next week (and no, we cannot write down test questions)
-Printed and online notes
-PBL elective
-Football stadium is not close to campus
-Curriculum is good
-Close to Denver for those that like sporting events (Pro Football, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey)

Cons:
-We share Anatomy lab with the undergrad Human anatomy lab... eww.. dead people
-Veterinary Teaching Hospital is not associated with the main campus (3rd/4th years are there, 1st/2nd years are at main campus. They are building a sophomore lecture hall, so soon only 1st years will be at main campus)
-Parking blows (but the town is VERY bike friendly)
-Fort Collins is a typical college town (too small for me, but lots like it)
-CAPSTONE!!!

rexosaurus said:

-Anatomy CD by Dr. Whalen (step by step guide to dog dissection... real pictures, you can move them around. It's awesome!)

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You get this CD if you take the online Domestic Animal Anatomy course as well. It's verruh nice!

Yah, it's a big help! Especially when your dog looks nothing like the lecture notes said it would!

haha, does any dissection ever look like the book says?

anyway... i may have to try and get my hands on that cd... i've got a couple years before i apply, but it can't hurt to have it!


glad someone finally posted CSU though. i was curious.


oh, and to the OP, i love this thread idea!

I'll chime in on my experiences at Tufts:

Things I like:
-Early intro to clinical stuff: clinical skills class once a month starting first semester of first year, work opportunities (for pay) for students in both hospitals, ‘selectives’ program that gets you clinical or research experience (and/or gets you relationships with area clinics/researchers)
-Enter clinical rotations in March of third year
-Large and varied SA and LA hospital case loads
-Strong 1st year anatomy program: several guest anatomy lab lecturers have said they were very impressed with the depth of our program, the range of animals we work with, etc.
-PBL component augments traditional lecture-based curriculum
-Supportive faculty, staff and administration
-Supportive students: 2nd and 3rd years frequently hold review & tutoring sessions for 1st years prior to big exams
-Collaborative environment: we really help each other learn the material
-Diversity in student experience: some of our classmates come from very different backgrounds and have some varied experiences, both professional and personal, to share
-A lot of continuing education stuff by way of lunchtime lectures, evening lectures, etc.
-Parking on-campus is plentiful and $5/year.
-Beautiful, new campus center with gym, study lounges (one with a pool table), etc.
-Massachusetts and New England, in general, are on-the-whole very liberal and open-minded places to live.


Things I'm not crazy about:
-Rural location: Culture shock for me, having lived in a large city for 15 years prior to vet school (but we chose to live close to Boston to offset that).
-Vet school has its own campus: no students other than vet students are on the Grafton Campus, so you don’t have contact with students from other academic programs (grad, med, etc, are either on the Medford and/or Boston campuses).

Yes, I believe that VA Girl has good advice. There are schools that either aren't listed or you are only getting one two perspectives on, so use the topics that have been presented to do further checking into the school or schools that you are interested in - especially as you try to suppress those interview jitters and have time to speak with current students while you are on campus - wherever that may be.

Haven't seen Missouri mentioned yet, so here goes...

Pros on the vet med school:

-early clinics! We start in October of third year, so we get the equivalent of a whole semester more in the clinics than many schools
-we're on the main campus and one of the few (or maybe only, can't remember) schools with a vet med, medical, law, and engineering school on the same campus. We still mostly keep to ourselves, though we have grad students in many of our classes too
-pretty balanced caseload (except exotics, see below)
-excellent for research! Mizzou is one of the few public research one institutions and there's a lot of cross research with the ag, biology, nursing, and medicine departments as well as strong departments in neurology, orthopaedics, and laboratory animal pathology/medicine
-good number of toys (CT, MRI, underwater treadmills for dogs and horses)
-they do seem like they try to have the classes be complementary sometimes, especially second year (like we'll be talking about cardiology in both pharmacology and pathology, for example)
-the new rec center was finished in 2005 and it's really really nice

Cons on the vet med school:

-shortened summers...they are only 6 weeks, so you don't have much time to get a job or do a research project
-not very much hands on animal experience in the first two years without joining clubs
-the slides for histology were crap. I'm somewhat colorblind, so telling pink from purple from gray from blue is difficult on 20-30 year old faded slide sets. I think it's valuable to know how to use a microscope (which I already knew), but I think something like Virtual Microscope may be more clear for demonstration purposes
-the library SUCKS. The hours are inconvenient for late night studying and the decor hasn't changed since the 70s (it's like that awful red/orange color). I think I've studied in the library maybe 4-5 times tops.
-we get some exotics stuff in the classroom, but pretty much no exotics anything at the teaching hospital, so you'll have to do externships, etc elsewhere
-classrooms and the computer lab(s) are getting cramped, so when you want to study in the computer lab and there is another class having a test, you are kind of screwed because there is now usually overflow from the other one
-I wish we had more PBL than we do

Pros on Columbia, MO:

-fun for a "smaller" town. Not uber cosmopolitan, but you have everything you really need in a town of a little under 100K.
-a surprising amount of outdoor activities and it's reasonably dog friendly (no BSL, several dog off leash areas and hiking trails)
-a good mix of conservative and liberal folks
-cheap price of living. A 1 bedroom apartment can be had for $400 a month pretty easy, or around $200-300 if you find roommates. Housing to buy is a good price too. A condo or a smaller fixer upper can be had at around 80-100K, with nicer little places in the 100-130K range.
-great for agriculture. Got a fabulous farmers market and I can do almost all my grocery shopping for fresh produce, meat, eggs, breads, etc there during the summer
-1.5-2 hour drive to both Kansas City or St. Louis if you want to go to the big city for the day

Cons on Columbia, MO:

-for a "small" town, we have a LOT of traffic. Everyone uses the main roads because the side roads are too small or too slow, so it's all slow during "rush hour."
-if you're looking for a place, have someone who knows advise you on where to buy or rent because it can go from decent neighborhoods to the "ghetto" (not like east St. Louis or anything, but yeah...) quickly and back again.
-people don't understand that goes 15 mph under the speed limit is annoying

Optimistic 13 said:

Anyone from NC State out there?

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seriously! go go NC State!

Would anyone be kind enough to make a list for Wisconsin?

I was hoping my lab partner in crime, bakaduin, would take care of Florida since he did undergrad here as well, but I shall come to the rescue of Fairyblastt!

Pros:
-In-state tuition after one year of FL residency!
-One of the best, if not the best, zoo medicine programs in the US
-The professors -- they really and truly care about each and every student. It feels like they are in it for the students and not for research grants etc
-24 hour access to anatomy lab & a truly amazing small animal anatomy prof
-Gators football, duh! I high-fived Tim Tebow at the LSU game!
-Starting clinics after sophomore year, then back into the classroom, then back to clinics. I LOVE the way clinics are integrated into the classroom and back again. One of the #1 reasons I chose UF.
-Relationship with Disney's Animal Kingdom. One of our profs is head pathologist there (and I want his job, haha)
-There is something for everyone in Gainesville. It has a lot of culture! Not to mention it's a foodie heaven.
-It is December 10 and 80 degrees outside. That might be a con for some, but I am from PA and hate snow with a fiery passion.
-Tons of great clubs and wetlabs and field trips. First semester I already got to go behind the scenes at Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium!
-Only 88 students in the class! Means more time for individual attention and you are more like one big mostly happy super stressed family.
-This is true for most vet schools, but I love the dirt cheap pet food (Hill's, Purina, Natura, etc) and free heartworm/flea meds!
-Unique certificate programs: Food Animal Med, Aquatic Animal Med, and International Medicine
-Einstein Bros Bagel right outside the freshman lecture hall. SAVED MY LIFE.
-Brand new, state-of-the-art small animal hospital currently being built, should be finished by the time my class is in clinics. *fingers crossed*

Cons
-Only one summer "off" to do fellowships/research/sleep a lot, since we start clinics immediately after sophomore year
-The huge volume of UF undergrads can make an out-of-stater feel like even more of an outsider! Everyone is really nice, though
-Again, probably true at most vet schools but 4 students on one small dog can be a bit crowded. Luckily I had the 3 best lab partners in the universe.
-They are SO BAD at communicating schedule changes, financial aid information, anything important. I just found out 2 weeks ago that I owed $400 for shots I received in August. Merry Christmas to me!
-In reference to the above, I felt like our notes were another "hidden" cost, as there was no info given about paying for them until last week. Would like to pay for EVERYTHING up front so I don't suddenly become dirt poor right before the holidays!
-Only 88 students in the class! Everyone knows everything about everyone! lol
-Parking is apparently a bit of a nightmare? I live within walking distance so I don't have to deal with it. I HIGHLY recommend living within walking distance, my life is so much easier, plus I get to eat lunch at home Not to mention saving $100+ on a parking pass.

I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of things, but if anyone has any questions I'd be more than happy to answer! I am especially adept at answering questions related to culture shock from moving from the Northeast to the South, being an out-of-state student, the joys of McAlister's sweet tea, and also being a non-trad! Oh, and the International Med certificate.

I was lucky enough to have to choose between schools and I am SO HAPPY that I chose Florida! /advertisement

RockStarKDub said:

I was hoping my lab partner in crime, bakaduin, would take care of Florida since he did undergrad here as well, but I shall come to the rescue of Fairyblastt!

Pros:
-In-state tuition after one year of FL residency!
-One of the best, if not the best, zoo medicine programs in the US
-The professors -- they really and truly care about each and every student. It feels like they are in it for the students and not for research grants etc
-24 hour access to anatomy lab & a truly amazing small animal anatomy prof
-Gators football, duh! I high-fived Tim Tebow at the LSU game!
-Starting clinics after sophomore year, then back into the classroom, then back to clinics. I LOVE the way clinics are integrated into the classroom and back again. One of the #1 reasons I chose UF.
-Relationship with Disney's Animal Kingdom. One of our profs is head pathologist there (and I want his job, haha)
-There is something for everyone in Gainesville. It has a lot of culture! Not to mention it's a foodie heaven.
-It is December 10 and 80 degrees outside. That might be a con for some, but I am from PA and hate snow with a fiery passion.
-Tons of great clubs and wetlabs and field trips. First semester I already got to go behind the scenes at Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium!
-Only 88 students in the class! Means more time for individual attention and you are more like one big mostly happy super stressed family.
-This is true for most vet schools, but I love the dirt cheap pet food (Hill's, Purina, Natura, etc) and free heartworm/flea meds!
-Unique certificate programs: Food Animal Med, Aquatic Animal Med, and International Medicine
-Einstein Bros Bagel right outside the freshman lecture hall. SAVED MY LIFE.
-Brand new, state-of-the-art small animal hospital currently being built, should be finished by the time my class is in clinics. *fingers crossed*

Cons
-Only one summer "off" to do fellowships/research/sleep a lot, since we start clinics immediately after sophomore year
-The huge volume of UF undergrads can make an out-of-stater feel like even more of an outsider! Everyone is really nice, though
-Again, probably true at most vet schools but 4 students on one small dog can be a bit crowded. Luckily I had the 3 best lab partners in the universe.
-They are SO BAD at communicating schedule changes, financial aid information, anything important. I just found out 2 weeks ago that I owed $400 for shots I received in August. Merry Christmas to me!
-In reference to the above, I felt like our notes were another "hidden" cost, as there was no info given about paying for them until last week. Would like to pay for EVERYTHING up front so I don't suddenly become dirt poor right before the holidays!
-Only 88 students in the class! Everyone knows everything about everyone! lol
-Parking is apparently a bit of a nightmare? I live within walking distance so I don't have to deal with it. I HIGHLY recommend living within walking distance, my life is so much easier, plus I get to eat lunch at home Not to mention saving $100+ on a parking pass.

I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of things, but if anyone has any questions I'd be more than happy to answer! I am especially adept at answering questions related to culture shock from moving from the Northeast to the South, being an out-of-state student, the joys of McAlister's sweet tea, and also being a non-trad! Oh, and the International Med certificate.

I was lucky enough to have to choose between schools and I am SO HAPPY that I chose Florida! /advertisement

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That would definatly be my deciding factor. Ok, so not really but lucky you. Anyways I have a friend that is the same year as you are in vet school at Florida.

Gordo said:

That would definatly be my deciding factor. Ok, so not really but lucky you. Anyways I have a friend that is the same year as you are in vet school at Florida.

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Ha! I knew it would be great coming to a Div I school from a Div IV (5, 6, 7?) school, but I had no idea HOW great. The Swamp is truly awe-inspiring!

Everyone knows everyone here, so I'm happy to meet you through our apparently mutual friend. Haha.

RockStarKDub said:

I was hoping my lab partner in crime, bakaduin, would take care of Florida since he did undergrad here as well

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Good luck with that. Bakaduin is a slacker. Just saying.

RockStarKDub said:

... the joys of McAlister's sweet tea...

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Mmmmmmmm yum. Thirsty now!

BayleeVet2B said:

Any UGA folks out there???

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I'm happy with Georgia.

Pros:
High-ranked.
Generally good weather.
Lots of specialists.
Thorough curriculum.
Anatomy lab has both structured and unstructured times.
Students do both large and small animal dissections.
High-quality histology lab.
Generally bike friendly, but very hilly.
Scooters are encouraged and park for free.
Parking is available and the waiting list is short, but it's $20-40/month.
Athens is a fun place.
Lots of clubs, but 1st years don't have much time.
Elective courses are cool.
Faculty are generally excited about students.
Mentoring program.
No required technology. You can come here without a computer, but it's harder.
Special non-profit bookstore.

Cons:
96 students/class (I consider that LARGE!)
Uncomfortable lecture halls.
Hospital is aging and won't be replaced until after I leave.
Republican state government thinks it's a good idea to de-fund education during an economic downturn.
Attendance is mandatory.
Most teachers just read their notes to you, making mandatory attendance that much more dreary.
No live animals in 1st year except the palpation dogs.
Very little case-based learning.

RockStarKDub said:

I was hoping my lab partner in crime, bakaduin, would take care of Florida since he did undergrad here as well, but I shall come to the rescue of Fairyblastt!

Pros:
-In-state tuition after one year of FL residency!
-One of the best, if not the best, zoo medicine programs in the US
-The professors -- they really and truly care about each and every student. It feels like they are in it for the students and not for research grants etc
-24 hour access to anatomy lab & a truly amazing small animal anatomy prof
-Gators football, duh! I high-fived Tim Tebow at the LSU game!
-Starting clinics after sophomore year, then back into the classroom, then back to clinics. I LOVE the way clinics are integrated into the classroom and back again. One of the #1 reasons I chose UF.
-Relationship with Disney's Animal Kingdom. One of our profs is head pathologist there (and I want his job, haha)
-There is something for everyone in Gainesville. It has a lot of culture! Not to mention it's a foodie heaven.
-It is December 10 and 80 degrees outside. That might be a con for some, but I am from PA and hate snow with a fiery passion.
-Tons of great clubs and wetlabs and field trips. First semester I already got to go behind the scenes at Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Aquarium!
-Only 88 students in the class! Means more time for individual attention and you are more like one big mostly happy super stressed family.
-This is true for most vet schools, but I love the dirt cheap pet food (Hill's, Purina, Natura, etc) and free heartworm/flea meds!
-Unique certificate programs: Food Animal Med, Aquatic Animal Med, and International Medicine
-Einstein Bros Bagel right outside the freshman lecture hall. SAVED MY LIFE.
-Brand new, state-of-the-art small animal hospital currently being built, should be finished by the time my class is in clinics. *fingers crossed*

Cons
-Only one summer "off" to do fellowships/research/sleep a lot, since we start clinics immediately after sophomore year
-The huge volume of UF undergrads can make an out-of-stater feel like even more of an outsider! Everyone is really nice, though
-Again, probably true at most vet schools but 4 students on one small dog can be a bit crowded. Luckily I had the 3 best lab partners in the universe.
-They are SO BAD at communicating schedule changes, financial aid information, anything important. I just found out 2 weeks ago that I owed $400 for shots I received in August. Merry Christmas to me!
-In reference to the above, I felt like our notes were another "hidden" cost, as there was no info given about paying for them until last week. Would like to pay for EVERYTHING up front so I don't suddenly become dirt poor right before the holidays!
-Only 88 students in the class! Everyone knows everything about everyone! lol
-Parking is apparently a bit of a nightmare? I live within walking distance so I don't have to deal with it. I HIGHLY recommend living within walking distance, my life is so much easier, plus I get to eat lunch at home Not to mention saving $100+ on a parking pass.

I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of things, but if anyone has any questions I'd be more than happy to answer! I am especially adept at answering questions related to culture shock from moving from the Northeast to the South, being an out-of-state student, the joys of McAlister's sweet tea, and also being a non-trad! Oh, and the International Med certificate.

I was lucky enough to have to choose between schools and I am SO HAPPY that I chose Florida! /advertisement

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Your post just most definitely made me fall in love with florida. (was on my top 3 before) and now I reallllyy wanna go!

-Gators football, duh! I high-fived Tim Tebow at the LSU game!

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Did you get a vial of St. Tebow's sweat?

projekt said:

Did you get a vial of St. Tebow's sweat?

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Ugh ... I am just glad he didn't get the Heisman.

ri23 said:

Ugh ... I am just glad he didn't get the Heisman.

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Oklahoma and Bradford can have the Heisman, I'll be happy with the National Championship victory thats sure to happen in a few weeks

projekt said:

Did you get a vial of St. Tebow's sweat?

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OMG, that was great. And I second you other post. They are about to take it all the way.

Haven't washed my hand since the game!

To add to and comment on Fargeese's observations of VMRCVM...Class of 2011 here:

First - correction on the "can't go to conferences 1st year" - Actually, yes you can. There was a food animal conference this semester that many studetns went to. Also, the Virginia VMA has their annual conference in February in Roanoke (45 min away) and we have classes canceled so we can attend. Unfortunately, few ever attend and this has ticked off the VVMA folks every year. So if you want to go to a conference go to VVMA and show them students are interested, because they really think we aren't. Second, you can go to OSU over spring break for a conference as well and a trip will be organized through SCAVMA. So, that wasn't really true...

Pros:
+ Lots of parking
+ Main campus/Blacksburg in general has a FABULOUS bus service. I actually don't drive to school (my husband and I are cheap and didn't want to pay for the parking permit), I just take the bus. Sometimes it's inconvenient (i.e. decreased service when main campus is on break and we're not, decreased service at night), but it's included in your student fees (i.e. free) and very convenient.
+ After 5pm you can park right next to the vet school
+ Agreed - small class size. I know everyone's names, prof's know many of our names. Very nice.
+ Palpations are great!
+ Cafe is great as well - hot breakfast and lunch foods, good soups, made-to-order pizzas, sushi trays.
+ We have lots of study-guide posters as well.
+ Besides the clubs, etc on main campus you get access to everything. I went to a small undergrad so this is really awesome. There's a building with pool tables and a bowling alley, good food on main campus (Sbarro, Pizza Hut, Chic-fil-a, Cinnabon, etc), big library.
+ Main campus library has a "graduate student study room" - only grad students can get in (swipe ID card) and it's big, spacious, quiet. I really like it.
+ Very beautiful scenery.
+ Agreed with the artsy fartsy-ness. There's a lot more "local" stuff going on here than you would expect. REALLY great farmer's market on Sat. and Wed. in the spring/summer/fall.
+ Unlike Fargeese, I'm actually going to put the first year classroom on the "Pros" list. While yes, as a first year, it seems way far away and in the basement (and it is) it has WAAAYYYY more comfortable and spacious seating than in either the 2nd or 3rd year class rooms. The first year classroom also has it's own lounge space outside of it with couches and a coffee maker and it's own refrigerators. I really miss being down there. :-(
+ Large lockers with lots o' space. True they're downstairs in the "dungeon" but you can store tons of stuff in them.
+ Anatomy was GREAT!!! Everything is very, VERY directed. We do get Millers but each lab is taught first - here's this, here's that, etc. Then we have time to find things on our own and profs come around to help. Anatomy is organized by body system - extrinsic thoracic limb, thoracic cavity, abd. cavity, repro (end first semester), head, special senses, thoracic limb, pelvic limb (end second semester). We start with the dog in each section and then do large animals so each exam tests all species, just one section at a time.
+ Paper notes for just about all classes. Runs $60-$100 depending how many electives you sign up for.
+ Tracking. I like this. See my post in the VMRCVM thread.

+/- Some classes return exams (or at least post on wall outside classroom), some don't. Kinda aggravating.

Cons:
- Parking lot is at top of hill away from the veterinary school...not a big deal when the weather's nice but when the cold winter wind gets whipping across there it's BRUTAL.
- Cafe only open for breakfast and lunch and only on weekdays
- Agreed with SCAVMA - if you want to be involved in anything else you MUST join SCAVMA (including pay dues) and you MUST attend 4 meetings a year. Big hassle and most people are annoyed with it.
- Agreed - first years get SCREWED with their first semester exam schedule. I think we had 12-13 exams in the month of October alone as well. It's brutal and not cool. However, the school has a new academic person (not sure of her actual title...), Dr. Hodgson who is totally on the students' side and is looking into how to help students out in this area. Several of the 2nd years exams for both fall and spring semesters were moved around because of this. We have had NO 3 exam weeks this semester and there is only 1-2 next semester and that only applies if you're taking certain electives (i.e. NO 3 exam weeks for core classes).
- Agreed - we have a large number of foreign faculty and staff that at times makes comprehension difficult. The professor likely referenced though by Fargeese is a total sweet-heart though and everyone loves him, which (I think) makes up for the language barrier at times.
- Agreed - Blacksburg housing is expensive, particularly if you want to buy. But if you are ok with renting and watch Craigslist you can find deals. My husband and I rent a duplex right off Main Street and on the bus route (I walk to school in 45 min in good weather) for $440/month.
- Agreed - losing parking for football games is stupid and irritating.
- Agreed - didn't enjoy Orientation much.

There ya' have it.

Just bumping this thread up as many of us are going to be making decisions in the near future.

For most of us who will be lucky to EVER get in ANYWHERE, the list goes something like:
PROS: Lets me in
CONS: Rejects me

I was under the impression that all vet schools had a feeding/free food program every month, however since people are listing that as a pro for their school I guess not.

Does Ohio have a feeding program?

Beanjamime said:

I was under the impression that all vet schools had a feeding/free food program every month, however since people are listing that as a pro for their school I guess not.

Does Ohio have a feeding program?

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I came away from the tour with the impression that getting free food was not an issue at all. Along with free OTC flea and tick control. But I will leave it to a current student to verify that.

Just in case anyone else was wondering, I found out that OSU does have a feeding program (see their unofficial student handbook - Iams, Hills, and Purina)

This thread has been helpful for me! I just wish I had seen/read it 2 days ago before I was at LSU In either case, I think this will probably make my decision just that much harder...thank you anyway for all of the input!

For most of us who will be lucky to EVER get in ANYWHERE, the list goes something like:
PROS: Lets me in
CONS: Rejects me

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I feel ya!

.

Current OSU student here to say yes free food and flea/tick products are easy to come by. They are all sponsored by the companies for the most part (ie. Purina advocate program). So....although I could not tell you for sure, I assume that many if not most or all other schools have the same programs established for their students. Purina, Iams, Hills, Merck/Merial etc. all have great programs for the students and def. help to sponsor a lot of programs and lunch lectures. As a first year especially during orientation...plan on getting a lot of free stuff with a lot of brand names on it. (Its almost like your birthday, but you share it with 139 other people!)

Mississippi State

My Pros:
-2 years class, 2 years clinical experience -- I didn't know how much I loved this until I reached my current (4th semester) and realized I don't have to sit in a classroom every single day after this spring!
-MDL (multi-disciplinary lab) - you get an assigned desk that's yours all year. It's a nice little place to call your own at the vet school
-Parking is right out front
-Starkville is small enough that I spend more time studying than I would were I in a larger town/city
-The weather can be nice, especially the mild winters. Downside is the HOT humid summers...
-Everyone is like a big, friendly family
-Good class size (76-80)
-Entire fourth year spent doing a few more rotations, externships galore and electives (to get experience that may not be offered here)
-Surgery lab during 2nd year
-Half the class is out of state, so easy to bond with others feeling displaced in the deep south
-Decent gym on the main campus
-Homeware Bound program -- we save hundreds of dogs lives each year by sending them to cities with far less of an overpopulation problem
-We use local shelter dogs for our spay/neuter lab -- so we learn and help the shelters at the same time, with no terminal surgery!
-Terminal surgeries during elective rotations and critical care lab are OPTIONAL
-Only referral and emergency clinic around, so get the majority of those cases
-Entire town knows and respects the vet school and it's faculty and students
-Counseling connections on main campus are made available to us
-Try really hard to prepare us for being money and business-savvy
-24 hour access, decent outdoor lighting
-Printing isn't free, but I've been told it's a very good deal; lots of computer access in our library
-Don't have to pay for notes. Some are provided in packets, most are provided online and you print on your own dime.
-Finally have an oncologist, and should soon have an oncology department like most of the other vet schools!
-Rent is cheap, property is SUPER cheap.
-Big sib/little sib program; interview mentoring program; pizza party before your interview
-Some really great faculty, and they make themselves very available to us
-Cafeteria in the vet school with Chic-fil-a offerings and other yummies



My Cons:
-Starkville is a small, southern college town. And I'm a northern-ish, big city kind of gal. But it's charming in it's own way, and bearable for 4 years
-The nearest Target is 1.5 hours away =(
-Have to agree to pay out-of-state tuition for all four years. No getting out of it.
-No exotics program, and they're rarely seen in the clinics
-No summer break after sophomore year -- but you get a break somewhere during the year, depending on your rotation
-A few too many pre-exam prayer sessions and conservative meanies for my taste...
-Surgery dogs are our responsibility for an entire week, every other week; that means walking, feeding, etc, which is a lot of work on top of all your studying sometimes...
-Small case load in some of the clinics
-Town is small, so you run into classmates and professors EVERYWHERE. Nothing like shopping at Walmart at 11pm on a Saturday night in your sloppy sweats and running into your Anesthesia professor...
-They "force" us to attend all guest lectures and things of that sort, and chastise us like little children if we skip out. I figure, I'm paying a heap of money for my education, why do I need to come to extra hours that mean nothing to me, and get chided for doing something better with what little free time I have?
-The classes here tend to have a younger average age than most schools, because the early entry program has a lot of people doing only 2-3 years of undergrad. At 26, I sometimes feel ancient compared to some of the 19 and 20 year olds in the freshman class...
-Half the classes/professors have banned computer use during class
-A few really good restaurants, but if you're a food snob or like a big selection, you're out of luck... (no Indian food!) (although my vegan classmate has managed to survive thus far...)
-TORNADOES
-Some "useless" classes; or more like, they could have been covered all together in one semester rather than being separate courses (ex: Professional development, preventative med)
-Start school a week or two earlier than most of the other vet schools (still get decent time off for the holidays and summer)

LVT2DVM said:

CAN I GET AN AMEN?!

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Amen, sister.

P.S. The pros and cons for OKState are a lot like the ones alonepear just listed for Mississippi. I guess I'm not sure about 24hour access, terminal surgery options, etc. but the town and type of people in the town are quite similar. I can't/won't do an actual review since, duh, not a vet student... but if anyone's curious, it's fairly similar.

P.P.S. Why are northerners so damn scared of tornadoes? It's not like they happen all the time! Lol.

twelvetigers said:

P.P.S. Why are northerners so damn scared of tornadoes? It's not like they happen all the time! Lol.

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Try absolutely terrified!! Oh I have seen the movie Twister .. I know what goes on down in those parts.

Ditto to Zoonose. They're just too unpredictable, not that earthquakes aren't but I'm used to those (southern CA). I've never, ever experienced tornados and they scare the bejezus out of me! I'm trying to imagine how to train my pets to go into the basement when tornado sirens sound off !

twelvetigers said:

P.P.S. Why are northerners so damn scared of tornadoes? It's not like they happen all the time! Lol.

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Actually, I swear the tornado sirens are what really scare me! They are end-of-the-world sounding, super loud, doomsday sort of sirens, and they'll come on in the lull of a thunderstorm, or when a really warm day has suddenly turned cold, and your heart just sort of lurches

During our first few months freshman year, we saw two tornadoes in the distance from the large foyer window of the vet school -- needless to say we were all freaked. People who leave their horses and dogs outside during the day always panic. But usually they happen at night... waking you up to get in the bathtub with your roomie and two dogs at 2am the night before your anatomy final... Plus, a good percentage of vet students here live in trailers (not me, no way I'm getting sucked up in one of those things!)

Best part is, I saw one of the sirens on an electric post when we were house-hunting, and asked the real estate agent about it -- she said it was mostly for tornado warnings, but they RARELY went off. I think they went off like 5 times my freshman year alone! Although none this year so far

Hahaha. I guess growing up in tornado alley makes it all seem a bit more normal. I've lived here for 23 1/2 years (yes, that would be my whole life) and I have only seen one tornado in person.

At our house now, we have a tornado siren thing IN OUR BACKYARD. Just happens to be there. It's loud. They test it once a month. You get so used to it, though... I'm sure Chloe still hates it but what do you expect? Haha.

Okay yes, tornado sirens going off in the middle of the night are creepy, but they serve a purpose - it would be much worse to NOT have a warning. Meteorologists in the tornado areas are generally VERY good at predicting these things. Also, storm shelters are pretty common around here, especially in trailer parks.

I guess my point is... don't avoid Auburn/Miss/OkSU/KSU because you're scared of tornadoes, because that's just silly.

Plus, they only happen in like March/April. They aren't year-round like earthquakes, and they don't cause anywhere near as much destruction as hurricanes or fires.

I'd sure take my earthquakes and fires over a tornado any day!