Choosing a Veterinary School

[fuzzylab]

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Advice!

 

[JaynaAli]

Go to the cheapest school. Cost should be your #1 deciding factor, especially with the current unknown regarding loans and the department of education.

Recent NAVLE pass rates is also something I think does also need slight consideration since there have been several schools that have drastically dropped in recent years. But also a lot can change during the four years someone is in school (in both directions!), so this wouldn’t be my main consideration.

Presence or absence of a teaching hospital in theory shouldn’t matter as far as getting you to a DVM in the end, but I also personally wouldn’t pay a premium price for a school that doesn’t offer a teaching hospital. By that I mean there’s nothing inherently wrong with the schools that are distributive and I’d go there if it is the cheapest option, but I’d prioritize places with hospitals, especially if they’re cheaper than distributive schools.

Most of the other trappings I see people bring up (classroom structure, grading schemes, time in clinics, city size/stuff to do, etc.) are not that significant in the grand scheme of things and certainly not worth paying more for.

Oh and also, things like “hands on the first year” or “spend time on clinics the first year” are definitely not as neat nor as beneficial or fun as you’d think.

 

[Georgethecat]

All of the above. Rinse & Repeat!

 

[TheDogFather]

It can't be emphasized enough--cost should be your #1 consideration. The training is practically cookie-cutter. Davis' perpetual #1 ranking, the scenery and cool of Colorado State, the pseudo-prestige of an Ivy League program--none of that will make any difference in your skill level or future employability.

 

[i<3animals]

hihi, i am OOS accepted into midwestern u, i am still waiting to hear from western u. i am going to visit midwestern this week & feel so conflicted with this price & loans. i feel i will be accepted into other schools next cycle but worry. any advice?

 

[JaynaAli]

hihi, i am OOS accepted into midwestern u, i am still waiting to hear from western u. i am going to visit midwestern this week & feel so conflicted with this price & loans. i feel i will be accepted into other schools next cycle but worry. any advice?

Declining to reapply is risky, as you’re not guaranteed to get another acceptance. So people who decline offers to try to reapply need to be okay with the possibility that they may not ever be offered acceptance again. Hopefully you would get another acceptance in the future, but you may not. Are you okay with that? With that said, I personally would not be willing to pay the price Midwestern charges. I think it’s a fine school, but 400+ in loans is much more than I would want to be on the hook to repay, especially with current unknowns about the future of income based repayment plans and other education-related things. But this isn’t a decision anyone can make but you, since you have to live with the potential outcomes either way, whether that is not getting in again or being saddled with an extremely, extremely high student debt burden.

 

[Georgethecat]

hihi, i am OOS accepted into midwestern u, i am still waiting to hear from western u. i am going to visit midwestern this week & feel so conflicted with this price & loans. i feel i will be accepted into other schools next cycle but worry. any advice?

Where else did you apply this cycle?

 

[JaynaAli]

Midwestern is […] on the more expensive side but it is cheaper than the island schools!

I don’t think this is true?

 

[fuzzylab]

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I don’t think this is true?

That’s my bad as I was looking at the overall cost not semester cost for the islands since that’s how they have it listed. However, when you factor in relocating from the U.S., traveling, and getting things to the island it ends up being fairly pricey. Plus having to relocate for your clinical year as well.

 

[battie]

That’s my bad as I was looking at the overall cost not semester cost for the islands since that’s how they have it listed. However, when you factor in relocating from the U.S., traveling, and getting things to the island it ends up being fairly pricey. Plus having to relocate for your clinical year as well.

We have a mentee doctor on my staff who graduate from Midwestern a year ago May. She has 450,000 in just principal for loans, let alone interest that accrued and still is.

There's a point where the degree is simply not practical, especially now with the utility of federal loans up in the air. I can definitely tell you that point of practicality is way below 450k.

 

[pp9]

We have a mentee doctor on my staff who graduate from Midwestern a year ago May. She has 450,000 in just principal for loans, let alone interest that accrued and still is.

There's a point where the degree is simply not practical, especially now with the utility of federal loans up in the air. I can definitely tell you that point of practicality is way below 450k.

🤢

Damn. That's got to be 60k+ in interest that capitalizes the day you graduate, right? And if you end up on a plan with taxable forgiveness, that's easily a 6 figure tax bill you've got to plan for. And that's assuming nothing crazy happens with those payment plans. Unless your coworker is hustling her *** off and is working multiple jobs/5-6 days a week and not planning on forgiveness.

Plus having to relocate for your clinical year as well.

Relocating for clinical year shouldn't be a huge issue, right? I mean if anything you're going to a lower COL area. I know that moving is inconvenient no matter what, but it's pretty common for students to move around each year unless they ended up finding something they really liked. I moved 3 times in vet school myself.

However, when you factor in relocating from the U.S., traveling, and getting things to the island it ends up being fairly pricey.

Also, devil's advocate, but I'd be willing to bet that island vet schools have a great buy/sell community for this exact reason. Hell, even stateside students thrive off of 4th years' castoffs.

There is also the possibility of pre-furnished housing - idk if this is actually a thing for the island schools, but I'd be surprised if a landlord didn't jump on that opportunity already.

 

[fuzzylab]

Based on what students and faculty at the island schools have said it is an absolute nightmare to get anything to and from the island and very very costly since everything has to go through customs and you need to buy barrels. I suppose if you planned on getting rid of everything before moving and then rebuying it all when you get back to the states but also doesn’t seem very cost effective. Moving min away is definitely easier than to a different country I think.

 

[pp9]

Wow that’s shocking as doctors I know who have graduated from Midwestern a few years ago are around [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]k not [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]k. Still absolutely insane but I had no idea.

@supershorty can you tell this poster how to fix the emoji situation lol

 

[battie]

@fuzzylab uninstall and reinstall the SDN app. That should solve the issue

 

[fuzzylab]

I’ve tried so many times to fix it but it doesn’t work for long :/

 

[supershorty]

@fuzzylab uninstall and reinstall the SDN app. That should solve the issue

This plus clear the cache.

Or don't use the app. I don't on my phone, I just access it through my browser.

 

[allygator13]

Based on what students and faculty at the island schools have said it is an absolute nightmare to get anything to and from the island and very very costly since everything has to go through customs and you need to buy barrels. I suppose if you planned on getting rid of everything before moving and then rebuying it all when you get back to the states but also doesn’t seem very cost effective. Moving min away is definitely easier than to a different country I think.

What exactly would you be trying to take to the islands? I never had to bring more than 2 large suitcases to Grenada. Pretty much all housing that students live in (on campus or off campus) is already furnished and equipped for cooking. And moving back stateside was really not a big deal, though my mom kept most of my stuff for me while I was away (which may not be a possibility for others).

 

[fuzzylab]

I am not planning on going to an island school but unless it has changed in the past few years several students had said that microwaves are a rarity in Grenada and if you want to try and get one you will pay a minimum of $[emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]] for a barrel to get one to the island. Wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me but again have heard this from several students even stated at one of the informational sessions so they make it VERY known.

 

[pp9]

I am not planning on going to an island school but unless it has changed in the past few years several students had said that microwaves are a rarity in Grenada and if you want to try and get one you will pay a minimum of $ for a barrel to get one to the island. Wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me but again have heard this from several students even stated at one of the informational sessions so they make it VERY known.

I'm not trying to pressure you to pick any particular school for the record, I'm playing devil's advocate here...just buy a microwave on the island (either new or used) and resell it when you leave. There is no reason to bend over backwards to ship a microwave to an island when you can buy one for (probably) less. It took me only a few seconds on Google to find stores that sell microwaves on Grenada. I know moving to an island is not an easy task and I'm not trying to make it seem like it's no big deal, but it may be possible you're overthinking some things here.

Side note, but I'm wondering if microwaves are a rarity because they aren't a 'thing' culturally. And if that's the case, I bet toaster ovens are much easier to find there (and they make for better reheating, lol). Outside of North America, microwaves are not always a given in homes. Shoot, out of all the apartments I've lived in (probably pushing 10 now, all US in several states), I've had to own my own microwave in 3-4 of them.

 

[allygator13]

I am not planning on going to an island school but unless it has changed in the past few years several students had said that microwaves are a rarity in Grenada and if you want to try and get one you will pay a minimum of $[emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]] for a barrel to get one to the island. Wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me but again have heard this from several students even stated at one of the informational sessions so they make it VERY known.

Interesting, I had them in both places I lived off campus Honestly a bit ridiculous to ship a barrel just for a microwave...