Cornell vs UPenn vs UMN vs UIUC for public health or shelter med

[skunker07]

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Hello! I am seeking advice on choosing from the above schools. I was blessed with an acceptance from Cornell, and interview offers at UMN, UIUC, and Penn in the next few weeks. Having grown up on the west coast, I don't know too much about these schools besides what I researched briefly during the admissions process. I understand that yearly costs are my biggest deciding factor but I'm seeking OTHER advice/thoughts related to campus curriculum focus, school culture, etc. Mainly:

1. Which would support opportunities in veterinary public health? What are the shelter med programs like at each (if such a program exists?)
- Is it research oriented? Known for lots of hands on experience? etc
2. How diverse is the area? How hard is it to get housing? Best places to live?
3. Anything else that you which you would have known prior to committing?

 

[pp9]

Hello! I am seeking advice on choosing from the above schools. I was blessed with an acceptance from Cornell, and interview offers at UMN, UIUC, and Penn in the next few weeks. Having grown up on the west coast, I don't know too much about these schools besides what I researched briefly during the admissions process. I understand that yearly costs are my biggest deciding factor but I'm seeking OTHER advice/thoughts related to campus curriculum focus, school culture, etc. Mainly:

1. Which would support opportunities in veterinary public health? What are the shelter med programs like at each (if such a program exists?)
- Is it research oriented? Known for lots of hands on experience? etc
2. How diverse is the area? How hard is it to get housing? Best places to live?
3. Anything else that you which you would have known prior to committing?

I can comment on UIUC. I graduated in 2019 but will share my experience. Paging @battie and @SkiOtter as well.

1. UIUC has a decent shelter med program, and quite a pre-clinics electives for shelter med as well. I did not take the shelter med electives or rotation on clinics, but I heard really good things. Keep in mind you can do additional off campus shelter med externships/electives regardless of what school you choose.
2. Champaign/Urbana is a university town, so the diversity there is primarily due to the student body. Otherwise, it's surrounded by rural Illinois, but you are ~2 hours away from Chicago for weekend trips. I had no issue finding housing each year, and COL/housing is pretty low. I lived in Savoy, and then Urbana and would recommend either option.
3. I feel like I can't answer this because UIUC was my only choice when I committed. You'll become a vet regardless of where you choose to attend! The downside of some schools going to virtual interviews is that most applicants miss the only opportunity they have to tour the school (unless you want to shell out the money and make the trip anyways).

 

[battie]

@futuredogtor614 is a current UIUC student so could contribute maybe.

To add, there's a MPH that's integrated into the vet med program if you wanted to pursue that. Likewise, there's a ton of shelter opportunities; @SportPonies did the clinical rotation.

I had no problem with the area or school. I had a major life event, failed out of first year, and several things. I felt very supported and succeeded in schools once I got my **** figured out.

Keep in mind for Illinois that the way things are graded, there's very little opportunity to fix a big mess up.

 

[pp9]

Keep in mind for Illinois that the way things are graded, there's very little opportunity to fix a big mess up.

Oh yeah - this is a big one. If you want to specialize, particularly in something competitive, I wouldn't recommend UIUC unless you were IS. They're on the quarter system with mega-courses, with 1 quarter in both first/second years being ungraded. Clinics are also pass/fail. So basically your entire GPA is based on 9 grades.

If you don't want to specialize, I wouldn't worry about the mega courses as much. The main benefit of the mega couses is that they really help you if you do poorly in 1-2 subjects, but do fine in the rest. I nearly failed anatomy first year (or did actually fail, idr) but was not at risk of failing the year because of this. You also only have a midterm and a final per quarter, unlike other schools that might be testing you every week or more.

As someone who knew they wanted to do zoo med going in, I didn't realize how detrimental the UIUC curriculum would be for me (someone who was never likely to get 4.0s) until it I was in it and realizing how many more GPA opportunities I'd get at any other school.

 

[futuredogtor614]

1. In addition to the MPH program that battie mentioned, there are also a few public health electives offered in addition to a public health rotation available when you're on clinics. We do also have a shelter med rotation available as mentioned, and I know our shelter med club has worked with different shelters to set up different community events like wellness days or spay/neuter days. Some of these events have been more local, and others have been up in Chicago.
2. It might depend on when and where you're looking, but I didn't have any issues. I know someone in the class below me got accepted very shortly (I think within a couple weeks) of classes starting so they had a bit of a rush but were able to find housing. I've only lived in Urbana, but I've liked the area I live in.
3. If there's anything more specific you wanted to know about or any other questions you have, I'd be happy to answer them. UIUC is my IS and was also my only acceptance that cycle, but I can't think of anything offhand right now that I wish I knew before starting here.

 

[skunker07]

Thanks everyone for the informative responses! I didn’t know about the scarcity of grades that UIUC students have their GPA based on, and this would be a big factor for me since I do intend to specialize. Thankyou!!

 

[Halocat]

Hello! I am seeking advice on choosing from the above schools. I was blessed with an acceptance from Cornell, and interview offers at UMN, UIUC, and Penn in the next few weeks. Having grown up on the west coast, I don't know too much about these schools besides what I researched briefly during the admissions process. I understand that yearly costs are my biggest deciding factor but I'm seeking OTHER advice/thoughts related to campus curriculum focus, school culture, etc. Mainly:

1. Which would support opportunities in veterinary public health? What are the shelter med programs like at each (if such a program exists?)
- Is it research oriented? Known for lots of hands on experience? etc
2. How diverse is the area? How hard is it to get housing? Best places to live?
3. Anything else that you which you would have known prior to committing?

Hi Cornell student here....i'll do my best to provide perspective lol. Full disclosure I'm an exotics track so my knowledge of shelter med/public health opportunities may be limited.
1. We have a public heath MPH program and believe there are opportunities to be involved in public health related research on campus. We have a shelter med elective course and clinical rotation. We also have lots of freedom (up to 12 weeks) to do rotations outside of Cornell for clinics that you could tailor to your interests. We also have a program called Expanding Horizons that funds over the summer research projects you design abroad and I sure you design a shelter med/ public heath focused one. The school is also great at sharing summer opportunities offered elsewhere and I believe some are public health based.
2. I think the area is pretty diverse. There are lots of hills lol and you are like 45ish minutes from major cities/highways. Ithaca is a very pretty area with lots of arts/nature but, if your used to a city/big undergrad town it can feel a little small (which hey I mean you need that to study 1st year especially). Getting housing isn't too hard. There are a lot of complexes near the vet school people live in, but honestly the best way to find housing is the FB page and email listserve you'll be added to if you accept your seat. Usually, other students are looking for roommates and places tend to be passed down to rent for less $ by graduating seniors whose landlords love vet students. I lived in a complex 1st year with an upperclassmen and other vet student which was nice bc they gave advice. Then I moved into a passed down duplex with my 1 roommate (we pay like $1600 for reference). Ithaca is slightly expensive bc it's a college town but if you get roommates you could get the cost down a bit.
3. PBL is an adjustment. Do I think it will make me a better doctors absolutely, was it hard and frustrating at first kinda. Also, we have study strategy tutors to help you adjust. We also have elective periods every year and can work (paid) in the teaching hospital from 1st year, though it is a match system. Also, we do have a lot of things and clinics that are graded more on a non letter based scale. Foundation courses are letter grades but not all worth the same amount of credits.

Hope that helps a little. Congratulations and you'll do amazing wherever you go!

 

[skunker07]

Hi Cornell student here....i'll do my best to provide perspective lol. Full disclosure I'm an exotics track so my knowledge of shelter med/public health opportunities may be limited.
1. We have a public heath MPH program and believe there are opportunities to be involved in public health related research on campus. We have a shelter med elective course and clinical rotation. We also have lots of freedom (up to 12 weeks) to do rotations outside of Cornell for clinics that you could tailor to your interests. We also have a program called Expanding Horizons that funds over the summer research projects you design abroad and I sure you design a shelter med/ public heath focused one. The school is also great at sharing summer opportunities offered elsewhere and I believe some are public health based.
2. I think the area is pretty diverse. There are lots of hills lol and you are like 45ish minutes from major cities/highways. Ithaca is a very pretty area with lots of arts/nature but, if your used to a city/big undergrad town it can feel a little small (which hey I mean you need that to study 1st year especially). Getting housing isn't too hard. There are a lot of complexes near the vet school people live in, but honestly the best way to find housing is the FB page and email listserve you'll be added to if you accept your seat. Usually, other students are looking for roommates and places tend to be passed down to rent for less $ by graduating seniors whose landlords love vet students. I lived in a complex 1st year with an upperclassmen and other vet student which was nice bc they gave advice. Then I moved into a passed down duplex with my 1 roommate (we pay like $1600 for reference). Ithaca is slightly expensive bc it's a college town but if you get roommates you could get the cost down a bit.
3. PBL is an adjustment. Do I think it will make me a better doctors absolutely, was it hard and frustrating at first kinda. Also, we have study strategy tutors to help you adjust. We also have elective periods every year and can work (paid) in the teaching hospital from 1st year, though it is a match system. Also, we do have a lot of things and clinics that are graded more on a non letter based scale. Foundation courses are letter grades but not all worth the same amount of credits.

Hope that helps a little. Congratulations and you'll do amazing wherever you go!

Thankyou!! This is so helpful