Accepted to multiple schools...how to choose?

[rccoyle]

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I guess I'm in the lucky position to have been accepted to multiple vet schools this year. So now I'm wondering how do I choose which one to go to? More specifically I'm wondering whether I should pick a school ranked at the top of the US News and World report list that might be out of state (hence $$$$). Or should I go to my instate school which is lower on the list but will cost me significantly less money. I'm just wondering if there is a bias in the field that would make it more advantageous for me to go to one of the "higher ranked schools."

Thanks for any help or info you can give me.

 

[cowgirla]

Ignore rankings. They mean nothing.
Go to your IS school and save money.

 

[NStarz]

I'm a big fan of the dart board and/or the 52 card pickup methods.

That's an awesome problem to have! Good luck with your decision!

 

[Adaggiote]

You should choose based on how much you think you'll save...and location..and maybe prestige if possible.

Goin' back to medical forum now.

 

[idahoequestrian]

I guess I'm in the lucky position to have been accepted to multiple vet schools this year. So now I'm wondering how do I choose which one to go to? More specifically I'm wondering whether I should pick a school ranked at the top of the US News and World report list that might be out of state (hence $$$$). Or should I go to my instate school which is lower on the list but will cost me significantly less money. I'm just wondering if there is a bias in the field that would make it more advantageous for me to go to one of the "higher ranked schools."

Thanks for any help or info you can give me.

Hi! There are so many things to think about when choosing a vet school! First of all, congrats on being accepted to multiple schools! Here are the things I would think about when trying to choose a school:
1. What is your intended career? Research, small animal, equine, large animal, etc. This is important because one school may have more resources for you. Also, each career will pay differently, and you need to think about how you'll pay off those loans!
2. In general, any vet school you choose is going to give you a great education. Have you visited your in-state school? How did you like it? Could you see yourself there? How close is it to home? An in-state school is a great choice because the cost is so much less, especially if you think the school is a good fit for you!
3. What does your gut tell you? Out of all of your visits/interactions with each school, which one were you most impressed with?
4. Ask the vet you worked/work for who wrote your LOR; he/she can give you some advice on in vs. out of state, pay, loans, and the education you're likely to receive.
5. Have fun! Enjoy this experience and be happy that you are such an excellent applicant to have been accepted to multiple schools!

I hope this helps! =)

 

[twelvetigers]

If you would be happy at your IS (even remotely) then go there and have less debt. What you want to do will be more important when looking at internships, residencies, and summer experiences.

That's my opinion, at least. 🙂

 

[cuitlamiztli]

Ignore rankings. They mean nothing.
Go to your IS school and save money.

+1 👍

1. What is your intended career? Research, small animal, equine, large animal, etc. This is important because one school may have more resources for you.

In all honesty, I'd put intended career further down the list or take it off entirely... unless you are in a financial situation where the tuition/loans are not an issue (or will be roughly equal). Vet school will be what you make of it; it's not the end of the world if your IS school's resources aren't as good as another schools. If you're really and truly interested in a specific area then you will create your own opportunities. Join your school's whatever club, or start one. Attend national and special interest meetings. Do a summer internship. Network with clinicians, or see if they know anyone in the field you can network with. Use your elective clinical rotations wisely. Think about pursuing an internship after graduating. And so on.

So tl;dr -- unless you absolutely hate your IS school, my advice is to try to minimize your debt because you can always work to enhance your education if your school is "deficient" in your area of interest.

 

[Savethewhales]

First of all congratulations on being accepted by multiple schools. As for how to choose....

Which school will you be most comfortable in that will provide you with the best learning environment in order to become the best Doctor YOU can be?

Some people learn best with traditional lectures, some people PBL, some people are intersted in a specific track (for example some schools have limited access to large animal or you have to search and join clubs in order to get the exposure you want.)

According to every single vet I have talked to, they dont care about the name of the school when they are hiring. If you earn your DVM and pass your boards you are now on the same page as everyone else. However, what is going to KEEP you at a practice is the fact that you are a good doctor. Pick the school that you feel in your heart is the best place for you to learn but be honest with yourself. Theres no point in going to a big name schoool incurring tons of debt if you are going to be bummed about missing friends and family or if you aren't 100 percent into the schools curriculum. By now you probably have a good idea of the situation that provides the best learning experience for YOU.

Congrats and good luck!!!

 

[awaring1]

Lucky!

All AVMA accredited schools should give you the same education. I may face this same problem (I hear back from two interviews on practically the same day) and there are pretty much only a few things that I would consider.

1.) Cost. IS vs OOS is such a huge difference in cost that I would almost always recommend IS if it saves you money. Also be sure to factor in cost of living. It can vary greatly from school to school depending on its...

2.) Location. I know almost everyone is willing to put up with a crappy location for a degree, but if you have the luxury of choice why not consider it? Is the town/area somewhere that you could see yourself being happy for 4+ years? Is it too urban for you or maybe not urban enough? Does the town have enough options to entertain you? (After you study of course.) If you like doing outdoor activities will you still be able to?

3.) Gut feeling. This is probably the best indicator. Visit both schools (if you have not already) and just see which one feels like the best fit.

4.) Unique Features. Does the school do anything a little differently that they are proud of? Cornell for example (which you may be talking about) is proud of their "case based" teaching methods. Some people I know love it, some hate it.

5.) Distance from family. I don't know anything about your personal life (and I'm not asking) but it may be good for you to be somewhat close to home. You may not recognize it now but if you ever want to come home for break or such it may be a lot easier if home is within reasonable driving distance. Also having a support system within reach may be really helpful when times get stressful.



That's my two cents.

Go where you want to! You are going to be a vet!
Yayy!

 

[Robdude]

I was accepted to several different universities for my undergraduate work. Maybe it's silly, but, let's face it, whatever school you end up at, you'll probably wear a lot of clothing with their colors.

I just hate the way I look in red (sadly, a LOT of schools have red as one of their school colors); but it made my choice an easy one. Now I'm in Fort Collins, with green at white.

Nah, I'm just kidding. I'd go with the cheaper one 🙂

 

[LetItSnow]

I guess I'm in the lucky position to have been accepted to multiple vet schools this year. So now I'm wondering how do I choose which one to go to?

I'll slip you something under the table to accept at two places and let me borrow your identity for a few years. ;-)

Lucky dog - congrats!!

 

[lailanni]

Unless you absolutely hate your IS school, my advice is to try to minimize your debt because you can always work to enhance your education if your school is "deficient" in your area of interest.

Your future self will thank you for a lower debt.

It may not seem like a big deal now to pick another place, but potentially getting into 2x the debt is a serious thing.

One day you might want to own a house. You'll be glad you went in-state then.

 

[that redhead]

Choosing your in state school is the wisest option, financially. Unless you absolutely hate it (in which case why did you apply there?), I would go IS just to save yourself the future burden of debt.

 

[BlacKAT33]

i chose more debt with greater happiness lol i do not regret my decision but other people have diff opinions. make a list, rank it according to what you think (do it with your parents if you are still close with them). mine actually agreed on my own decision which made it a lot easier to take the debt along with a huge positive list 🙂

 

[cubby38]

I think a huge factor in the decision is your intended career. If you are planning on going on to more schooling, boarding, residencies, etc, then I do think that the school matters. For example, if you are hoping to specialize in oncology then it would be stupid to go to your instate vs colorado state. If you are just planning on working in a residential clinical setting then, yeah, it would be wiser to save the money and go to your in-state.

On a general level, every vet school is going to give you basically the same level of education BUT there are other things that you need to consider like working for one of the worlds best surgeons at X school, or doing research at a the school that leads the way in Y. It all depends on what you intend to get out of your education and where you want to see yourself four years down the road. As cliche as it sounds, who you know will make a difference after those four years.

 

[twelvetigers]

But, I'm sure you could do some summer research at CSU or make sure you do an externship/preceptor there during your fourth year... if it's a difference between $70k and $200k, I just don't think it's worth it to spend that much more. It will take some extra effort on your part to make connections at the other school, but just think of it as earning that $130k worth you've saved in debt, and maybe that will motivate you. 🙂

 

[psilovethomas]

I was accepted to several different universities for my undergraduate work. Maybe it's silly, but, let's face it, whatever school you end up at, you'll probably wear a lot of clothing with their colors.

I just hate the way I look in red (sadly, a LOT of schools have red as one of their school colors); but it made my choice an easy one. Now I'm in Fort Collins, with green at white.

Nah, I'm just kidding. I'd go with the cheaper one 🙂

Green and white- why I chose to go to MSU for undergrad because Virginia Tech's maroon and orange do not look good on a redhead

 

[Pelagia]

This is a situation I've found myself in, too. Because I didn't want to go to my IS school, I applied to several OOS schools. I was scared not having an IS school to "fall back on", and figured that I would at least get into one OOS. I didn't count on getting into more than one, but when it happened, I developed certain criteria for helping me choose "the" school:

1. Overall Feeling: This was a major one for me, which is why I put it first on the list. This composed of a lot of things such as the sense of community at the school, how helpful/knowledge/nice the faculty, staff and students were, how I felt in the schools' teaching hospitals, how well I envisioned myself attending that school, etc. You're gonna be spending a TON of time at school, not just being there for the four years, but the sheer number of hours per day at the school. The people there will be your support system and extended family. Make sure you feel like it's the right fit for you.

2. Program: Yes, I know it's not important to put too much stock into this, because you will develop new interests in vet school, but at the same time, if you know there's something you want to explore, but some of the schools don't have it, that's worth taking into account. For me, I'm interested in learning about avians/exotics. I loved each and every school I visited, but not all of them even offered an avian/exotics course. Yes, there are externships, but I wanted to be able to get that experience at my school.

3. Cost: Of the three schools I seriously considered, each of them allowed OOS students to apply for residency after a year. That was a huge, huge plus for each of those schools. Also, you've got to look at the cost of the tuition itself, especially if you have loans from undegrad (like I do). As we all know, vets don't get paid great, and it's such a bummer to graduate with 100K in loans.

4. City: Pick a place you will enjoy living. I'm married, so for me, I also picked a school in a city where my hubby had good job prospects. Also consider the cost of living of the city. Weather is a lot more minor of an issue, but still something to consider.

These are the main criteria I used to pick my school. You will be happy wherever you end up, because you will be in vet school! But hopefully the criteria can help you make the choice you will be happiest with. Good luck! 🙂

 

[FriarVet]

I totally get that going to your IS saves you a lot of money but what if you don't have an IS? I have a couple of options: one with a prestigious name--does it really matter?, one that gives you IS tuition after a year if you live there year round--far from any family or friends, and two in the UK--I'm up for an international adventure. Any advice?

 

[twelvetigers]

Personally, I'd opt for the one that allows IS tuition, but heck. Do whatever is gonna make you happy, just make sure you weigh the debt verr-r-r-ry carefully. It's easy to underestimate the impact that paying a large debt will have on your future lifestyle.

 

[Savethewhales]

here's a little addendum on my previous post..... I orginally said pick the school that you will be the best doctor you can be. That might be a situation with little debt if that gives you anxiety. That might mean close to your family....or far from them if you don't get along. I feel like its different for each individual and only YOU know YOURSELF best. If you don't care about difference in school loans, then dont worry about them. You can pay off school loans for life and if you are doing what you want to do, being a good person, and feeling good about what you do, no amount of money can take that away. I will be taking out full loans just like most other people. Heck, I might even have to sell my house to do this. BUT, I could also die tomorrow or 2 years from now. For me, being close to my family matters more than debt. If anxiety from debt is going to get in the way of your studying or your well- being, then you should definitely choose the cheaper option. The beauty of individuality if that what is most important to me might be 180 degrees from what's important to you.

 

[sumstorm]

I'd look at the total projected cost for each school (including if you can change residency.) That will give you a real financial understanding (I'd also run those numbers through some calculators to determine what monthly payments will be, and figure out how many hours of work that will be once you start working.)

Then I'd take a look at each school. Do you like how they feel? Do you get a warm fuzzy feeling? visit if you can. can you see yourself there? Fit is important.

Then I'd look at what oppurtunities they offer. ask the school to put you in contact with students and professors in the areas of vet med you are interested in. Do NOT think that just because it isn't obvious that your interests will be addressed that they will be neglected. There are many hidden oppurtunities that you would never know about if you weren't there.

then I'd worry about some of the other stuff; do you like the city/weather/area? do you have the support that you desire in the area (family, friends, lack thereof if you prefer?)

 

[breenie]

I'm one of those naughty people who is probably going to chose OOS over IS.

My IS is Wisconsin (IS tuition of ~17k). I've lived in this city for almost 20 years, and did my undergrad at UW. For a variety of reasons, I'm ready to leave. 😉

The OOS school I will likely go to is Mizzou, who has an initial "expensive" year, and then drops down to about what my IS tuition is after that. Yeah, there's an extra chunk of change, but in the long run, I thought the extra investment was worth it to get me out of Wisconsin. In the scheme of things, I won't be paying 42k/year, which is what it would be like if I go to Purdue (the third school I applied to).

A large part of my decision is financial (ie, Wisconsin and Mizzou are my choices above Purdue), but I decided to take a bit of a financial hit in the interest of leaving the town I grew up in. That's a very very personal thing for me, and if you don't have a very concrete reason not to go to your IS... well... go there! Otherwise, if you got accepted to a school that is easier on the wallet (NCSU, Mizzou, etc), go there if you really loved it! I can't criticize. 😉

 

[rosyreef]

Teaching style of the program, location, cost, distance from family.. those were all high on the Pros & Cons list I made to decide between my two top choices. It may sound obvious but in the end, make the decision that is going to make you the most happy and fulfill your expectations and desires during vet school. I still have some 'friends' who think I made the wrong decision choosing my IS school because they think I did it based upon my boyfriend working there and their program being "ranked higher" ..but honestly, when I made that list, the teaching style (integrated PBL), location (smaller city that I've hoped to eventually live in for years) and cost (somewhere around $65,000 less) were my highest Pros, even more so than my family being only an hour away (in comparison to 6-7 hours away as they were during undergrad and grad). I fully believe that you should make a decision based on what you want out of a DVM program (unless of course there is a SO involved; thankfully mine was super supportive and would been happy for me even if I decided to stay two states away).

🙂

 

[sumstorm]

It may sound obvious but in the end, make the decision that is going to make you the most happy and fulfill your expectations and desires during vet school.
🙂

I'd suggest NOT limiting your considerations of your happiness and fulfillment to vet school...you'd like to be happy and fulfilled after vet school. Particularly when considering debt. But, I'd also say that if the fit is horrible, then all the money in the world won't make it right. But if the cost is too high, having the best 4 years of vet school isn't going to pay the bills 3 years out. So many students really do not understand debt...most haven't yet paid all of their own bills with money they have earned (vs earned + family assistance vs loans vs credit.)

It is certainly a personal decision and balancing act.

 

[BlacKAT33]

4. City: Pick a place you will enjoy living. I'm married, so for me, I also picked a school in a city where my hubby had good job prospects. Also consider the cost of living of the city. Weather is a lot more minor of an issue, but still something to consider.

These are the main criteria I used to pick my school. You will be happy wherever you end up, because you will be in vet school! But hopefully the criteria can help you make the choice you will be happiest with. Good luck! 🙂

i totally forgot to mention this was a huge factor in my positive list for choosing OOS vs. the cheaper IS tuition. My boyfriend had a great job offer in the same city and he moved up here with me. I can't imagine what would have happened if we had to do long distance, or if he moved to a city just to be with me but he hated being there himself.

There are so many personal factors for individual people. I dont think it's as cut and dry as picking the cheaper school.

 

[projekt]

Most of the above are good answers. I want to emphasize cost. It is only going up. Choose an option that minimizes financial stress, as that is one of the few stresses you can control. The only thing worth prioritizing over cost that I see mentioned so far is minimizing relationship stress by attending somewhere that your SO can get a job. No SO? Choose the cheapest option.

UGA, for example, has an ancient teaching hospital. It's comically old. Our classrooms are falling apart. But going out of state would make my debt $200,000 instead of $110,000. I don't think any other schools provide a better overall education than UGA. In my estimation, they're about the same. I'd probably have more fun in the classroom at Western, but, seriously? $270,000 all said and done? Not on a DVM salary.

 

[rosyreef]

I'd suggest NOT limiting your considerations of your happiness and fulfillment to vet school...you'd like to be happy and fulfilled after vet school. Particularly when considering debt. But, I'd also say that if the fit is horrible, then all the money in the world won't make it right. But if the cost is too high, having the best 4 years of vet school isn't going to pay the bills 3 years out. So many students really do not understand debt...most haven't yet paid all of their own bills with money they have earned (vs earned + family assistance vs loans vs credit.)

Cost is an incredibly important factor, as it was for me when I was making my decision. However, if a school out of state can provide you with what you're looking for and you fully understand the difference of repaying your loans later on, then you should make your decision accordingly. Considering the costs between attending in state and out of state programs should be done by anyone who is lucky to have that choice, but it also shouldn't be the deal breaker for one school if every other factor is pointing you to another university.

 

[rileyroo]

I was in this exact same position last year. I got accepted to my absolutely favorite OOS school and to my IS/contract school. It was an extremely difficult decision, but I ultimately chose to go with my IS.

1. the OOS school didn't offer an IS tuition option and the debt was going to be incredible

2. the cost of living in the OOS city was going to be extremely expensive compared to my IS/contract school.

3. i was going to have to move for either bc my state doesnt have a vet school and my contract school is 8 hours away, but it was closer to home than the OOS (closer to SO and parents).

there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a school and it's a personal choice. you are the one who will be attending class, living in the area where the school is located, and repaying the loans. so it really comes down to which decision fits you and your life best. good luck with your decision and CONGRATS!! 🙂

 

[sumstorm]

However, if a school out of state can provide you with what you're looking for and you fully understand the difference of repaying your loans later on, then you should make your decision accordingly. Considering the costs between attending in state and out of state programs should be done by anyone who is lucky to have that choice, but it also shouldn't be the deal breaker for one school if every other factor is pointing you to another university.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think the assumption of IS = cheap makes any sense. Some of the IS schools cost more than attending OOS. And the region you are in can have different cost of living, hence why I suggested doing the calculations for the total expected cost (including COA.)

As for considering costs post graduation...I think that can be a very difficult thing to do for most students, particularly traditional students. I wish we were better at teaching students back in HS how much all this can mean, but the difference in costs between schools can literally be over $200,000....and when that is compounded with interest. I agree that someone shouldn't go to a school that they dislike or doens't feel acceptable to them, but I think cost can (and in many cases should) be a deal breaker. There are plenty of students graduating who really never looked at exactly how much they would need to pay back each month, or how it might change thier career options, or how it might mean always renting or never having a business. If anyone doubts that it can have a dramatic impact that might be overlooked when the money isn't coming straight out of pocket, consider taking a look at the articles on student debt in DVM360. I know that a lot of my fellow students are just now having some realization of what their debt may mean in terms of pursueing internships and residencies, options that they didn't even know they wanted going to school. It's easy to say 'what's the difference in $10k a year?' when we aren't working the hours to understand that $10k is ~3mo of full time work in a year for an associate vet (after taxes.)

Just something to consider. as I said, it shouldn't be the bend all end all, but it should certainly have an impact.

 

[l2vet]

Mom always said that when two choices are presented to you, and the only difference is money--that is to say, that you could be equally happy with either choice, disregarding the cost--always choose the option that leaves more money in your pocket.

 

[Minnerbelle]

There are plenty of students graduating who really never looked at exactly how much they would need to pay back each month, or how it might change thier career options, or how it might mean always renting or never having a business. I know that a lot of my fellow students are just now having some realization of what their debt may mean in terms of pursueing internships and residencies, options that they didn't even know they wanted going to school. It's easy to say 'what's the difference in $10k a year?' when we aren't working the hours to understand that $10k is ~3mo of full time work in a year for an associate vet (after taxes.)

👍👍👍

Sucks for me, I didn't have the choice of cheap IS tuition. I ended up choosing CSU for a couple of very personal reasons as well as for some professional opportunities that I wanted at CSU that I couldn't find elsewhere. When I calculated the cost of attendance over 4 years, CSU came out to be about $20k more than OSU... and decided that the $20k was worth the extra opportunities I would get at CSU.

So here I am at my "Dream School" (which actually was cheaper than some other schools)! I still feel like I came to CSU for all of the right reasons. But just like sumstorm says, I'm starting to feel really antsy about my future. My debt is building so fast that I really don't think post-DVM training is an option for me at this rate. Just so I have a chance at possibly being able to do an internship/residency after graduation, I've been working at least 20 hrs/week since October. This week I worked ~40 hrs. All of this is JUST to get me on more equal footing in terms of debt with the rest of my classmates. Maybe the OP is in a better financial situation than I am, but I think this is something to think about.

I know some people's opinions are more along the lines of "yeah I have a quarter million dollars in debt, but it's my dream to become a surgeon! What's deferring payment and accruing interest for another 4 years? I can pay that off later with my surgeon salary..." but I just can't get myself to think that way. For me, it has a lot to do with the fact that going to vet school is in itself a selfish decision, and my financial situation definitely will adversely affect others. I'm just trying to control damage as much as I possibly can.

 

[eringobraugh]

So here I am at my "Dream School" (which actually was cheaper than some other schools)! I still feel like I came to CSU for all of the right reasons.

And you're in our wolf pack

 

[Minnerbelle]

And you're in our wolf pack

haaaaaaaaaaahahahahahha. yep. I was just talking with our intestinal friend a little while ago about the exact moments at which we each joined the wolf pack. oh pingree, at least it was good for something!

 

[StartingoverVet]

There are plenty of students graduating who really never looked at exactly how much they would need to pay back each month, or how it might change thier career options, or how it might mean always renting or never having a business.

Without disagreeing with any other part of your statement I would like to point out a few things about practice ownership... We had a talk in our VBMA class from a Wells Fargo loan officer who specializes in loans to Docs for medical practices (vets, dentists, etc).

* He had said that the amount of student loan debt was NOT deterrent at all in getting a loan to buy or start a practice.

* Vet practices are apparently #2 among all types of business loans in being repaid (#1 is pig farmers), so they are pretty helpful in making those loans.

* Also, it is not a deterrent in buying a larger practice (i.e. getting a large loan), as they focus on cash flow not debt level. In fact, they prefer you to buy a larger practice as that gives you a higher cash flow to service your high debt.

* It does NOT affect your interest rate at all - assuming you are not in default. The key is your credit score and credit score is not affected by your student loans (again you just have to be paying them). Having a lot of debt and repaying it is a good demonstration of your competence to handle more loans.

* It was pretty amazing to hear him talk about (as an example) a $1mm dollar loan to someone 5 years out of school with $400k in debt already. It just wasn't an issue.

So although I agree that cost of vet school is ridiculous at the higher priced schools (and I will not get into this argument again, but I believe an irrational economic decision).....it is at least not a deterrent to owning a practice if that is what any of you are planning on doing.

In fact, getting a loan to buy a practice (or start your own) is probably one of the smarter ways to make repaying your loans easier if you are up for the challenge of owning your business.

It seems counter-intuitive, but at least in this case, your loans will not hurt ya!

 

[chickenlittle]

While it is easy to get practice loans as a veterinarian, it isn't always easy to repay those loans. I know of several practices that are in the process of closing their doors right now because the veterinarian can't repay the loans. I also know of a number of veterinarians who ARE repaying their loans, but are NOT drawing any salary at all from their business at this time. Some of those vets are lucky enough to have savings, some have a wealthy spouse, and some are working relief/emergency on their days off to pay their (personal) bills. Saying that the business will cash flow to pay off debt and saying that the business will actually be able to pay the owner a salary are two very different things.... banks know that we veterinarians have low default rates on loans and will repay the bank at the expense of our own personal finances.

 

[Bill59]

I wouldn't say it's easy to get a business loan right now but it can be done. The default rate on vets with business loans is historically about 1%, so banks will lend ... provided you have a good business plan and feasibility analysis.

The bigger problem is cash flow. Most businesses fail because they run out of cash. If you can't pay the power bill this month, the lights are going off ... and you're out of business. Same with payroll, drug distributors, whatever.

And a high student loan payment each month is another drain on your cash flow if you're a practice owner. And if you can't pay the bills, nobody is going to care who signed your diploma.

So if you get accepted to several accredited schools and one is substantially cheaper -- counting tuition, living expenses, everything -- I would be hard-pressed to recommend going anywhere other then the cheaper place.

The only exception is if you are independently wealthy.

 

[breenie]

ust so I have a chance at possibly being able to do an internship/residency after graduation, I've been working at least 20 hrs/week since October. This week I worked ~40 hrs.

How on earth do you manage that? 😱 I am impressed, dude.

 

[drforwhiskers]

Just decline the offer to whichever one has more SDN-ers on the waiting list!

Haha, j/k. But, seriously, everyone else above has pretty much said it: just choose the one that's right for you, and be thankful you got in!

 

[NittanyKitty]

While every situation is different and there are easily a dozen factors you need to consider when choosing a school, I'll also throw my vote into the "cost is #1" group.

When I applied, Penn was my IS school (and it's pricey), so I only applied to OOS schools where tuition was cheaper or I could switch residency after a year. I initially signed on with Wisconsin even though it would mean moving about sixteen hours away from my family, ten hours from my boyfriend, and not having a chance of him finding a grad school less than three hours from me in 2012. Why? Penn, even with the scholarship they offered me, would have easily been $40,000 to $50,000 more than Wisconsin (who also offered me some funding) after four years. That's a LOT of money and considering I want kids and am thinking of internship/residency as a possibility, it was scary to voluntarily take that additional debt on when I had another option. Luckily, NCSU pulled through with the waitlist and I got into my first choice, my cheapest option, a school with a manageable family/boy distance (8-9 driving hours each), and the chance he can move here in 2012 for grad school at Duke or UNC.

Everyone's different, but cost is a very serious consideration, especially if we're talking about more than a few thousand a year. I think an additional $15,000 to $20,000 total would be the absolute maximum I would personally take on to attend a favorite school over a cheaper school. Besides, if you applied to a school, you should be willing to go there. If there were enough things about the location, program, school, facilities, etc. to make you apply in October, why not let the dollars do the talking when making the final choice?

P.S: If anyone's worried about long-distance relationships, think of all the money you're saving attending the cheaper school and don't feel guilty buying a plane ticket once in a while. It's what I do every time I drop $250 on one!

 

[vetme]

Without disagreeing with any other part of your statement I would like to point out a few things about practice ownership... We had a talk in our VBMA class from a Wells Fargo loan officer who specializes in loans to Docs for medical practices (vets, dentists, etc).

* He had said that the amount of student loan debt was NOT deterrent at all in getting a loan to buy or start a practice.

* Vet practices are apparently #2 among all types of business loans in being repaid (#1 is pig farmers), so they are pretty helpful in making those loans.

* Also, it is not a deterrent in buying a larger practice (i.e. getting a large loan), as they focus on cash flow not debt level. In fact, they prefer you to buy a larger practice as that gives you a higher cash flow to service your high debt.

* It does NOT affect your interest rate at all - assuming you are not in default. The key is your credit score and credit score is not affected by your student loans (again you just have to be paying them). Having a lot of debt and repaying it is a good demonstration of your competence to handle more loans.

* It was pretty amazing to hear him talk about (as an example) a $1mm dollar loan to someone 5 years out of school with $400k in debt already. It just wasn't an issue.

So although I agree that cost of vet school is ridiculous at the higher priced schools (and I will not get into this argument again, but I believe an irrational economic decision).....it is at least not a deterrent to owning a practice if that is what any of you are planning on doing.

In fact, getting a loan to buy a practice (or start your own) is probably one of the smarter ways to make repaying your loans easier if you are up for the challenge of owning your business.

It seems counter-intuitive, but at least in this case, your loans will not hurt ya!

This gives me a glimmer of hope...🙂

 

[nuevaburra]

First off, congrats to the OP!

Second, an attempt to hijack this thread: anyone know which schools allow residency for tuition after a living in the state for a year of school?

I know that as an undergrad at Wisconsin I had to live in the state for a year for something OTHER than school to qualify, but in Cali it doesn't matter why you are there.

 

[breenie]

First off, congrats to the OP!

Second, an attempt to hijack this thread: anyone know which schools allow residency for tuition after a living in the state for a year of school?

I know that as an undergrad at Wisconsin I had to live in the state for a year for something OTHER than school to qualify, but in Cali it doesn't matter why you are there.

Mizzou, NCSU (I think), Ohio are the ones that immediately come to mind. Minnesota is supposed to be possible but a little harder. TT might magically pop in with some links. 🙂

 

[nuevaburra]

Thanks, Breenie! NCSU, eh? Mountains AND beaches? Yes, please! I think you can commiserate with my desire to get out of Dairyland ;O)

 

[breenie]

Thanks, Breenie! NCSU, eh? Mountains AND beaches? Yes, please! I think you can commiserate with my desire to get out of Dairyland ;O)

Yes. That is why I am going to Mizzou regardless of what Wisconsin tells me in a week or two. 😉 Love you, Wisco, but it's time to go-go.

 

[Trilt]

First off, congrats to the OP!

Second, an attempt to hijack this thread: anyone know which schools allow residency for tuition after a living in the state for a year of school?

I know that as an undergrad at Wisconsin I had to live in the state for a year for something OTHER than school to qualify, but in Cali it doesn't matter why you are there.

Attached is the list the program I'm in compiled a bit back - tuition rates are from 2010, I think, but the residency stuff is reasonably accurate. "Possible" generally just means that there are a pretty big amount of hoops to jump through, but you're not locked in as an OOS student from the get-go. As always, though, take everything with a grain of salt and contact the schools you're applying to!

(And yes, geographically Raleigh is pretty awesome. 😀)

 

[nuevaburra]

Thank you Trilt! Super awesome amazing helpful!!!

 

[awaring1]

I may also be in similar situation, but with a twist.

Let's say (hypothetically) that I was accepted by both UC Dublin and University of Glasgow. (Already accepted to Dublin, should hear from Glasgow this week). I know that price is pretty much my #1 deciding factor, but it would be difficult with these schools.

Glasgow: 5 years @ ~$32k/year = ~$160k
UCD: 4 years @~$45k/year = ~$180k

Glasgow seems cheaper overall, but does that extra year make a big difference? That would be another year of me not working (to pay off loans) and would interest rates be collected over that 5th year?

I have already been rejected from my IS school (oh the perks of being a NY resident...) and my US school choices are only slightly cheaper (~$152k) so maybe the extra $8k would be worth going abroad... but then there is the cost of travel to add. I should have more solid optioned by the end of the week but the whole four year vs. five year is tough to swallow right now.

 

[breenie]

Glasgow: 5 years @ ~$32k/year = ~$160k
UCD: 4 years @~$45k/year = ~$180k

Have you looked at cost of living? It makes a surprisingly huge difference in some cases (and none at all in others).

 

[nuevaburra]

I may also be in similar situation, but with a twist.

Let's say (hypothetically) that I was accepted by both UC Dublin and University of Glasgow. (Already accepted to Dublin, should hear from Glasgow this week). I know that price is pretty much my #1 deciding factor, but it would be difficult with these schools.

Glasgow: 5 years @ ~$32k/year = ~$160k
UCD: 4 years @~$45k/year = ~$180k

Glasgow seems cheaper overall, but does that extra year make a big difference? That would be another year of me not working (to pay off loans) and would interest rates be collected over that 5th year?

I have already been rejected from my IS school (oh the perks of being a NY resident...) and my US school choices are only slightly cheaper (~$152k) so maybe the extra $8k would be worth going abroad... but then there is the cost of travel to add. I should have more solid optioned by the end of the week but the whole four year vs. five year is tough to swallow right now.

Is that taking into account room and board? Because that can easily be two or three times as expensive* overseas, never mind the costs of flights home ($600 round trip in off-season, $1500 in summer).

*as living in Wisconsin, which is cheap.