CSU vs. UT

[QuietTempest]

Hi all, I’m very fortunate to have been accepted to several programs, including my top two. I originally planned on attending CSU (my IS) without question. But now, I’m less certain about which school to choose. I definitely plan on tracking mixed if attending CSU, since I’m really not sure what field of vet med I want to pursue. I’m passionate about shelter med and plan on doing shelter med/community practice electives in either program.

Currently, considering tuition alone, CSU is cheaper. However, I just attended UT’s admitted student day and found out that I could very likely obtain in-state tuition status at UT for years 2-4 due to my mother being a current Tennessee resident. If this worked out, I believe total tuition cost would end up being cheaper for UT. I’m not sure about cost of living in Knoxville, but cost of living in Fort Collins (where I currently live) keeps going up and up. I plan on looking into additional costs more thoroughly this week. I also plan on living with multiple roommates and saving as much as possible in other personal expenses.

Another thing, UT has been so welcoming, both through email communication and the in-person admitted student event. I know this doesn’t matter in the grand scheme, but even the dean for student affairs reached out to me with a personal email to congratulate me (I received an acceptance without interview). Conversely, it’s been essentially nothing but radio silence from CSU since the acceptance. I know CSU has an incredible program, and I’ve dreamed of attending CSU for the past 6 years, but it feels a bit difficult to be excited about the program right now. I just feel like UT genuinely wants me as part of their program, whereas it feels like I’m just one of a bazillion people who hope to have the opportunity to attend CSU. TIA for reading my long post! Any advice/insight would be greatly appreciated!

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[MixedAnimals77]

As a fellow CO resident I understand your pain with csu and increasing costs of living in foco. Before making a definite decision I would chat extensively with the UT residency office on main campus since they are the ones that make residency decisions. Since you'll be considered a graduate student usually your parental residency status is not considered for your residency determination. Also look more into Knoxville col.

For me it made more sense to go to wsu than csu between tuition and col however I knew I was guaranteed to be able to become and IS resident year 2 so long i followed the rules and rent was ~500/mo in pullman vs foco of 1k+. I've now moved back to CO and don't regret my decision but I knew going in that it was 100% going to be cheaper for me

 

[WildZoo]

I would definitely make sure you would be able to change your residency status and get that in writing before making a decision to attend UT. I did have a couple classmates that were able to do that based on their parents being TN residents but I don't know what the exact process of that was.

I am not sure how COL in Knoxville compares to Fort Collins, but it has been getting more expensive as well. We were in the same apartment for the last 3 years and are paying over $200 more per month now than we were when we moved in.

I'm happy to answer more specific questions about UT. If the finances end up making sense for you, it really is a wonderful school. We're a tight knit community, there's a lot of support, and I loved going there. The big downside is always the cost.

 

[QuietTempest]

I've now moved back to CO and don't regret my decision but I knew going in that it was 100% going to be cheaper for me

Do you work in clinical practice now? How was the transition back to CO for work? Did you need to do anything additional for licensing before you could start practicing? I currently plan on returning to CO to practice unless something drastic happens or I end up getting completely priced out of the state

 

[QuietTempest]

I would definitely make sure you would be able to change your residency status and get that in writing before making a decision to attend UT.

I'm happy to answer more specific questions about UT.

I will definitely reach out for confirmation and get something in writing! How was your surgical experience in the program? Any suggestions for housing in Knoxville? Places to avoid? I would like to live with other vet/professional students. Thank you so much!

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Do you work in clinical practice now? How was the transition back to CO for work? Did you need to do anything additional for licensing before you could start practicing? I currently plan on returning to CO to practice unless something drastic happens or I end up getting completely priced out of the state

I do. I'm a rural mixed practitioner on the SE KS border. Transition back was super easy because I have family in state so moving back was easy. Housing was a bit complex and I lived with my parents for a few weeks and then a temporary rental for like 1.5 months before moving into my house. Had to store most our stuff in storage for like 2 months.

Only additional thing I needed was for my usda to go to the CO state specific training but could start doing everything else immediately. CO also doesn't have a licensing exam so that was nice.

Yeah husband and I sold our modular in WA state and bought a house in CO but even with that down payment securing housing was a stretch. It definitely would have been more difficult had we moved to like Springs or Denver or even Pueblo where we are both originally from instead of a tiny town on the prairie.

 

[WildZoo]

I will definitely reach out for confirmation and get something in writing! How was your surgical experience in the program? Any suggestions for housing in Knoxville? Places to avoid? I would like to live with other vet/professional students. Thank you so much!

Sorry I just realized I never responded to this. Busy time right now.

Surgical experience is good. There is not a junior surgery course like a lot of schools have. There is a spay/neuter elective instead, that there are two opportunities to take. Most people that want to take it are able to, and rather than getting like 2.5 surgeries, you get 8-10 as primary surgeon.

Otherwise during clinics, everybody takes the community practice rotation where you get 2 spays and 2 neuters, and then the shelter med/mobile rotation and you get 20-30 surgeries that way. That felt like plenty for me to be comfy doing spays and neuters in practice, even though that rotation was early in clinics so almost a year before I graduated. That's the live animal side of things, there are cadaver and simulation labs for other surgeries.

North and South Knox will be the more affordable places, West Knox is more expensive. I would avoid East Knox and Fort Sanders.

 

[QuietTempest]

Sorry I just realized I never responded to this. Busy time right now.

No worries, thank you again! I appreciate the advice!