Factors when picking a school

whyrightmeow · Nov 18, 2008

So I am in my first year and there are a few things I wish I would have considered before I made my final decision. These are only my opinion, and I won't be offended if yours varies. I am only posting this because I wish I would have read something like it before I made my decision.

I am at The Ohio State University right now as an out of state student.

Positives:
Can apply for resident tuition next year
Great school, nice facilities
Curriculum includes Professional development - basically a 1 credit course on a variety of topics including stress, time managment, finances, etc
Parking is right outside the building
Parking pass is a hang tag, so carpoolers can share 1 tag between several cars
24 hr access to building
Nice recreational facility/wall climbing
Social worker available 24/7 (for when you finally have that meltdown)

Negatives:
Quarter system (not semesters) - this complicates everything. Plus you don't finish until June.
Can only leave for 3 weeks over the summer - so any externship must be in-state unless it is HIGHLY unusual.
Lockers are tiny; a normal bookbag will not fit into them. It is also very crowded when everyone is trying to get to their locker at the same time. (seems minor, I know, but its the little stresses that are the worst)

Things I wish I would have asked:
Is anatomy lab structured, or do you just get a dog and a book? (Our canine anatomy lab is, in my opinion, poorly structured)
Are tests returned to students, or is it against honor code to write down questions from the test? (At OSU vet school no tests are returned, EVER. This bothers me after every test, since I like to know what I got wrong and what the correct answer was - this may have been a deal-breaker for me)
How much (live) animal interaction is there for first year students?
Do you buy class notes or are they posted online so notes can be taken directly on a laptop? (I was amazed at needing to buy 80% of my notes, when I came from an undergrad school that I never once bought a course pack for)
Is the schedule set, or does it change from day to day? (Our schedule has a main theme, but basically changes a little each day)

moosenanny · Feb 5, 2011

Shadow23 said:
Thank you for this! Wow, histology without microscopes? I know you mentioned that microscopes are available for use, but do you think this teaching style could be a con since most vets use plain ol' microscopes in practice, and thus having less experience with one would be an obstacle?

I personally think Davis has the perfect balance of both. We watch narrated slide "tours" online using our "virtual microscope" set to prepare for lab (our professor dictates what is on the slide and what she wants us to know, pointing out various structures and cell types with her mouse cursor), and then during lab we use super-cool double-headed microscopes with a partner to find the cells/structures ourselves. Then, to study for the exams, I never actually went into lab (although I know some of my classmates did) - I preferred zooming in and out of slides using my computer screen, and re-listening to the professor-narrated slide tutorials.

Minnerbelle · Feb 5, 2011

StartingoverVet said:
From our discussion of Histo in the c/o 2014 thread it seems most schools do most of histo away from the microscope. Penn was one of the few that remained on the microscope, but next year they are also moving on.

I think it is a matter of efficiency. Unless you are going to specialize you just aren't going to be looking at a lot of random tissue samples under the microscope.

haha... yeah... CSU is like a vet school in the stone-ages. histo is most definitely all pretty much on old microscopes (tho we have a really cool 10 headed scope that you can group study on). no podcasts, no noffin.

squeegee · Feb 5, 2011

Minnerbelle said:
haha... yeah... CSU is like a vet school in the stone-ages. histo is most definitely all pretty much on old microscopes (tho we have a really cool 10 headed scope that you can group study on). no podcasts, no noffin.

what about Dr. Stewart's histo slides on ramct?

Minnerbelle · Feb 5, 2011

squeegee said:
what about Dr. Stewart's histo slides on ramct?

unless i failed to find the motherload of them... they're pretty limited. It's more like an online textbook rather than a collection of slides right? i guess we do have weekly online quizzes with digital images (just a still shot, no zoom, no swiveling, etc... ). but all the histo labs are on microscopes every week, and the glass side quizzes and histo final were on the microscope. I think i would have failed the final had i not actually looked at the real slides.

now that i've thought about it though, we do have pretty nifty stuff from dr. whalen that are technologically advanced! Like how we now have a web version of the virtual canine anatomy with zooming capabilities on each window. apparently he's now working on an equine version. the neuro cd, the cranial nerve exam stuff, and to a lesser degree, the radiology cd are pretty good too!

and to be fair, i guess the crappy lecture halls we have now will be replaced a few years down the road when they build them right at the VTH.

turnbackhelly · Feb 5, 2011

Shadow23 said:
Wow, histology without microscopes? I know you mentioned that microscopes are available for use, but do you think this teaching style could be a con since most vets use plain ol' microscopes in practice, and thus having less experience with one would be an obstacle?

I've heard this argument, and I think it could have some validity, but I think if you had a decent amount of microscope exposure in your prereq biology classes, you should probably be fine for clinics and the real world (unless you end up going into something like pathology where microscope use is very heavy). personally, i took an undergrad histology course last year that was microscope only so i feel pretty satisfied with my microscope skills. i guess if you don't really feel too comfortable with a microscope it would be on you to seek out the extra experience, but as i said the double-headed microscopes are out at the stations and always available for use if you wanted to practice either in lab or on your own time. now that i think about it there was one histology lab where we had to use the microscopes to look at fresh (previously frozen) bull semen, so there is some use.

libster06 · Feb 5, 2011

I WISH we did histo away from the microscope!! We had 1 hour of lab every day, and we had to use our histo books to figure out what we were looking for! We had 3 or 4 teachers in the lab walking around to help us, but with 86 students, that's not a whole lot of help. Then, for our tests we would go into the auditorium and have a powerpoint show of pictures for us to identify structures on. Except on the last Histo exam, we had 12 questions where we had to go to different microscopes and ID the organ, structure, gland, etc.

Super glad that's over with...

ariann0412 · Mar 1, 2011

Is there anyone who wants to comment further on FL or ohio? I got into both and I fell in LOVE with ohio, but I just got into florida and honestly don't know that much about it and don't want to make an uninformed decision... I'm confused!

natalieises · Mar 1, 2011

I heard a call for an Illinois pro con list. As I'm procrastinating studying for finals I'm here!

Pros:
New curriculum: Illinois is really getting progressive with the school, which is nice to see someone changing things up. I honestly love the curriculum and think it's a great happy medium between PBL and traditional curriculum

Quarter system with one set of midterms and one set of finals. A few quizzes sprinkled in there, but having one integrated midterm and final per quarter is awesome. It's still stressful of course studying, but you only have to freak out 2 times/8 weeks! haha And of course you can totally bomb one section (histo) and the rest will bring your grade out of the gutter so you don't fail a class. (It is all one class, one grade per 8 weeks)

Hands on experience and rotations starting DAY 1! Who can complain about this? No grades, live animals, "rotation vacation"

Some pretty awesome professors who help you get through some tough days.

Amazing anatomy TA's, and virtual microscopy for histology

Lectures are all recorded to Itunes, which I haven't really utilized, but I could see that being a huge bonus for some people.

Cons:

It is a new curriculum, meaning there are still kinks, and sometimes that sucks.

It's Illinois and I am so ready to get out of the midwest.

So that is a pretty pathetic attempt, but my brain is fried and I must get back to studying. Any questions just ask!

peachykeenies · Mar 10, 2011

Since some lucky people are now in the process of choosing between schools, I thought I'd give this thread a bump

ao2000 · Mar 11, 2011

Does anyone have a pro/con list for Prince Edward Island?

that redhead · Mar 11, 2011

ao2000 said:
Does anyone have a pro/con list for Prince Edward Island?

I can send you mine through PM, if you'd like

gsi924 · Mar 11, 2011

even though i am waitlisted i would love one from purdue, pretty please to whatever boilermaker is reading this =)

dvmsara · Sep 29, 2011

Figured I'd come on and give a newer take on Iowa State. Caveat: I was actually in the UNL/ISU cooperative program, so I was at Nebraska with my class of 25 for the first two years, before joining the rest of the class at ISU (if anyone wants more insight on this particular program, let me know). From what I can tell by talking to classmates and underclassmen, they get a decent amount of live animal exposure the first two years--there are classes to teach animal handling, physical exams, blood draws, etc.

Anyway, first things first: please stop asking about IOWA. Yes, there is a school called Iowa. It is in Iowa City. Its mascot is the Hawkeye. It usually has a decent football team. It does NOT have a vet school. Iowa STATE, on the other hand, is in Ames. Their mascot is the Cyclone and they generally suck at football (though they tend to pull off spectacular upsets of Iowa once in awhile). This is where the vet school is located. Just wanted to get that off my chest...

Pros:
--Extremely nice and helpful staff, professors, and clinicians (though always a couple outliers).
--Generally non-competitive learning environment. People very often share notes either by e-mail, or by posting them on the "T Drive," which everyone has access to.
--Vet school is separate from main campus, including separate parking. On game days, the lot is taken over (the stadium is virtually next door to the vet school), but you just have to grab a parking pass the day before and you can park there without paying. The main campus is only about a mile away, and is very nice to go for a stroll around it or to go to the rec center, but you almost never have to go there if you don't want to.
-- 24 hour access to the building, classrooms, labs, study rooms, etc. Your ID card has a chip in it and you just wave it over the pad by the door and it lets you in.
-- Library in the vet school.
-- Classrooms, offices, labs, small animal and large animal hospitals are all in one building. There are also ambulatory services for equine and large animal.
-- Absolutely AMAZING hospitals with all the "toys." The large animal portion opened a couple of years ago, and the small animal one just opened this summer. The surgery and pathology areas are still in the old part, but should be finished in the next 6 months or so, and the Equine Performance Evaluation Facility is not quite done, either. There is also a Wildlife Care Clinic in the school, which I think you can work/volunteer at during school.
-- Very technologically advanced. All lectures are video-taped and posted online. High tech classrooms, etc.
--Those who got an A in a class can sign up to be tutors for underclassmen, and are paid by the school to do so. I did this for anatomy. Upperclassmen can also be hired as TAs for anatomy lab. Typically there are about 3 professors and 1 or 2 TAs in the lab at any time that are available to answer questions. The lab didn't seem very organized, but I didn't take anatomy here, so I can't be too sure.
-- AWESOME surgery education. You don't do the actual surgeries until third year, but you do get to practice suturing on cadavers and stuff like that in 2nd year. You are in a group of 3 and switch off each week who is primary, assistant, and anesthetist. Some of the procedures we did: spay/neuter (of course), enterotomy, gastrotomy, gastropexy, intestinal resection and anastomosis, cystotomy, and liver biopsy. The elective advanced surgery lab (2nd semester 3rd year) also did diaphragmatic hernia repair w/chest tube placement, and extracapsular repair of a cranial cruciate rupture.
--Lots of very active clubs for every interest. Many put on awesome wet labs, so it's a great way to get more hands-on experience. Dues for most are about $10/year, but you get a free lunch at every meeting, so it's well worth it. You don't have to join SCAVMA to be in other clubs.
--Great opportunities for international travel (for credit, and scholarships and financial aid are available!). FAQ's here: http://vetmed.iastate.edu/outreach/international-programs/faq-isu-vet-med-study-abroad (also click links on the left to see where students have gone/will be going). Christian Veterinary Fellowship also does vet mission trips to many places, often Central America or Native American Reservations in the US.
-- Ames is a relatively small (pop. ~55,000), friendly college town. Bar scene is typical for such a town (so I'm told--not my thing). You can buy the basics in town, but if you want a night club or good shopping, Des Moines is only about 45 minutes away.
-- Trailer park right next to the vet school. No parking pass, no digging your car out in the winter, you can walk to the football game, great when you get called in in the middle of the night during 4th year. This does require you to buy (and ultimately sell) a mobile home, but generally I think you come out ahead when you consider you only have to pay lot rent of about $250/month. Otherwise there are plenty of apartments, including a TON that were just built basically across the street from the trailer parks.
-- Great tailgating. Coming from Nebraska, it's a bit annoying that most people here don't even care about the football game itself, but the tailgating situation is something to see! There is an Iowa State vet school bus that they park in the tailgating lot every game day. Not sure how it was originally acquired, but the bus is maintained by the students.
--15% discount at the hospital--it's not much, but it helps. Of course, the usual free food, flea/tick preventatives, etc. apply here, too.

CONS:
-- As I said, EVERYTHING is in one building. This is awesome, but it means that the building is GINORMOUS and quite maze-like. Takes some getting used to.
-- Large class size may be a deterrent for some, but I never found it to really be a problem. There are 120 for the first two years, joined by 25 more from Nebraska for the final two years.
-- Cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers (sometimes with floods).
--Not a whole lot to do in the area (not that you'll have the time, anyway). Check out Ledges State Park. Discount movie theater ($1-2 per ticket) is great for the vet student budget (yes, there is a first-run movie theater in town, too).
--Case load, at least last year, was not that great on some rotations. Not sure if this is an ISU thing or just due to the economy.
--Not a lot of exotics, though Dr. Zaffarano is trying to build this up (she previously owned a private exotics practice, and sees all the exotics in the Community Practice service).
--Though you get tons of experience in surgery 3rd year, 4th year surgery rotation kind of sucks. Sure, you might scrub in on stuff, but you won't be doing much. On soft tissue or community practice, you might get to do like one spay or neuter. Used to be you could do a rotation at a shelter in place of soft tissue surgery and get tons of experience that way, but I have heard they aren't going to let students do that anymore (I recommend DEFINITELY still taking the shelter rotation, but it'll have to be as an elective).
--SCAVMA members can only miss one meeting per semester, though 4th years don't have to attend. Also, there is pressure to join because members get a huge discount on their surgery packs 3rd year (essentially, the discount offsets the dues you pay). I don't think most people have a problem with this and I would have joined anyway, but for some it's an issue. Probably 98-99% of the students are SCAVMA members.
--Those from the coasts will have a little culture shock at any midwest school. Some like it, some have a love/hate relationship with it, and some just don't understand it!
--Everyone is forced to buy the same tablet computer. As of 4 years ago, this added up to about $2400 for the basic package. Upside is that there is an on-site IT team that will fix anything that goes wrong (for free), and give you a loaner in the meantime. This would be impossible if there were hundreds of computers of different makes and models.

Dear GOD that was a long post! Sorry, everyone. As you can see, I really liked Iowa State. Let me know if I can be of any assistance re:ISU or UNL/ISU cooperative program.

cuitlamiztli · Sep 29, 2011

I'll ditto pretty much what dvmsara said but with a few changes/additions...

dvmsara said:
Anyway, first things first: please stop asking about IOWA. Yes, there is a school called Iowa. It is in Iowa City. TL;DR -- don't be the person who asks what it's like going to Iowa or what there is to do in Iowa City if you're here to interview!

Pros:
-- Library in the vet school. It's a branch of the Parks Library on main campus. One big plus is that you can go online and request books/whatever from main campus... they'll send things over so you can pick up and return the materials without having to leave vet med.
-- There is also a Wildlife Care Clinic in the school, which I think you can work/volunteer at during school. You can definitely volunteer at the WCC. The staff are all undergraduates, but they occasionally have summer internships for veterinary students.
-- Very technologically advanced. All lectures are video-taped and posted online. High tech classrooms, etc. While all lectures are recorded, it's up to the professor whether they release the "echos" to us. Some do, some don't, most will consider doing so if you ask. Two of our 3 classrooms have been recently renovated, and the renovations in the third should (hopefully) be completed by the end of this semester (Fall 2011 for people who don't read post dates).
--Those who got an A in a class can sign up to be tutors for underclassmen, and are paid by the school to do so. I did this for anatomy. You just have to get a B or higher to be a tutor. It's a nice bit of extra cash. There are also lots of opportunities to work in the building. The lab didn't seem very organized. I thought anatomy lab was much more organized in fall than in spring... fall was like "here are your objectives so find them!", spring was like "here are your cadavers so find everything!"
--Great opportunities for international travel (for credit, and scholarships and financial aid are available!). Definitely! And if there's somewhere you want to go, just let Katie know and she'll try to get a trip organized for the next summer. Feel free to PM me if you want more info on South Africa and Australia.

CONS:
--Not a whole lot to do in the area (not that you'll have the time, anyway). There are tons of parks in Ames and great biking/walking/running trails if you like to do that stuff. There's also a dog park and apparently a water park in the middle of town.
--Case load, at least last year, was not that great on some rotations. Not sure if this is an ISU thing or just due to the economy. It's hopefully just an economy thing! Caseload on some rotations also depends on what time of the year you take it.
--Used to be you could do a rotation at a shelter in place of soft tissue surgery and get tons of experience that way, but I have heard they aren't going to let students do that anymore. At this point you can still take a shelter rotation ("small animal overpopulation and surgery") instead of soft tissue surgery. Not sure if that'll change for the 2014'ers and beyond though.

dvmsara · Sep 30, 2011

don't be the person who asks what it's like going to Iowa or what there is to do in Iowa City if you're here to interview!

Oh dear, how embarrassing. Hope this wasn't you! You would think one would at least see the signs for Ames and Iowa State University as you come into town!

There are tons of parks in Ames and great biking/walking/running trails if you like to do that stuff. There's also a dog park and apparently a water park in the middle of town.

True, as long as the weather's good! Forgot about the new water park--never did get to go there, but I looked into it and it was only like $4.50 for students!

At this point you can still take a shelter rotation ("small animal overpopulation and surgery") instead of soft tissue surgery. Not sure if that'll change for the 2014'ers and beyond though.

Good, I'm hoping that it was just a rumor, then.

cuitlamiztli · Sep 30, 2011

dvmsara said:
Oh dear, how embarrassing. Hope this wasn't you!

Nope! But someone did ask the Iowa City question at a student panel last year.

dvmsara · Sep 30, 2011

cuitlamiztli said:
Nope! But someone did ask the Iowa City question at a student panel last year.

I did student panel for several interviews, but never heard anything anywhere near that funny! Well, at least they didn't ask it in front of the administration or anybody who matters!

CorporateFatCat · Sep 30, 2011

Thanks for posting about Iowa State, guys. I was just proof-reading my "what does Iowa State offer that is unique to other vet schools" essay and I didn't know about the study abroad program. That is definitely a great opportunity. It's also good to know that the school provides students with a good surgery education (this is something that's been on my mind recently). Hopefully I'll get to see the school in person if I get invited for an interview this year :xf:

. Thanks again.

tuckervet · Mar 1, 2012

Twelvetigers posted this link in another thread, but I noticed no one has actually commented on it since last year, so I figured I'd bump it because I'm sure there are plenty of SDNers that could use this info right now.

To everyone trying to decide between schools, congrats on getting in!
To everyone still waiting to hear, or who didn't get good news, don't lose heart, it can still happen!!

ChamorruDVM2016 · Mar 2, 2012

Can any current students list some pros and cons of Purdue or RVC? Would be VERY appreciated!!

wildcatj · Jun 14, 2012

I just want to bump this thread up for this app cycle. I'm sitting down (again) and choosing schools and I find this thread to be SO helpful.

irrelephant23 · Jun 15, 2012

wildcatj said:
I just want to bump this thread up for this app cycle. I'm sitting down (again) and choosing schools and I find this thread to be SO helpful.

Agreed! This thread has addressed a lot of things I'm taking into consideration. Narrowing down is still hard though.

wildcatj · Jun 15, 2012

irrelephant23 said:
Agreed! This thread has addressed a lot of things I'm taking into consideration. Narrowing down is still hard though.

Urg, yeah. Now I've narrowed it down to 6 and I'm not sure how I feel about that number, part of me feels like it's too high, part of me feels like it's too low.

irrelephant23 · Jun 19, 2012

wildcatj said:
Urg, yeah. Now I've narrowed it down to 6 and I'm not sure how I feel about that number, part of me feels like it's too high, part of me feels like it's too low.

You're in a better place than I am! I have it down to 12.

Something about getting rejected from 5 and waitlisted at 1 OOS has me in the mind frame that I need to apply to a ton of schools. I know I'm a much better applicant this time around, but I just can't shake the feeling. I did the math. It's going to be about $2,100 just for the applications. My interview alone cost my $500 last cycle. I know that this is a lot, but I feel like I have to cast a wide net. This is going to be rough :bang:

I'm going to try to get the number down to 10 though!

wildcatj · Nov 29, 2012

Kpowell14 · Nov 29, 2012

wildcatj said:
I wanted to update this list and send out a request for some updated info since most of these are now a few years old. I love this thread and think it's just a really good source of info.

We're still missing:
Dublin
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Ross U
St. Matthews
Western

And I am very selfishly requesting updated pros/cons lists for:
Ohio
Illinois
Iowa
Wisconsin
Oregon
Mizzou

Auburn
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...53&postcount=6

Colorado
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...2&postcount=62

Cornell
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...8&postcount=43
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10543698&postcount=248

Edinburgh
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10337512&postcount=234
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10337638&postcount=235

Georgia
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...4&postcount=76

Illinois
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10661287&postcount=258

Iowa State
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=167
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=171
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=11621925&postcount=263

Kansas
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...7&postcount=46

Massey
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...0&postcount=19

Michigan
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10333344&postcount=227

Minnesota
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...7&postcount=11

Mississippi
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...2&postcount=94

Missouri
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...4&postcount=68

NCSU
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=145
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10534431&postcount=242

Ohio
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...38&postcount=1
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...9&postcount=20

Oregon
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...62&postcount=3

Purdue
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=186

St. George
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...4&postcount=47

Texas A&M
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...53&postcount=6
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...4&postcount=48

Tufts
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...0&postcount=60
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...6&postcount=66
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=174

Tuskegee
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=218
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=225

UCDavis
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...0&postcount=40

UF
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...8&postcount=71

UPenn
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...6&postcount=56
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...1&postcount=61
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=127
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=174
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10334204&postcount=228
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10537923&postcount=245

UTK
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...0&postcount=18
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...9&postcount=20
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...9&postcount=28
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...0&postcount=40

VMRCVM
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...9&postcount=42
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...4&postcount=83

Washington
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...75&postcount=9

Wisconsin
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=147
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...&postcount=154

And of course the Mizzou link doesn't work anymore

ETA: the UTK links don't work either

wildcatj · Nov 29, 2012

Actually looks like none of the old links work. I have some time, I'll go back and fix them.
Edit: Ok, I think they should all be fixed. Let me know if any of them don't work or link to the wrong post.

that redhead · Nov 29, 2012

Never any love for AVC

wildcatj · Nov 29, 2012

that redhead said:
Never any love for AVC

I didn't even list it in the missing section. What a jerk! Feel free to add pro/con if you feel so inclined!

scb44f · Nov 29, 2012

I'll work on one for Mizzou as soon as my internet is back up at my house.

Kpowell14 · Nov 29, 2012

scb44f said:
I'll work on one for Mizzou as soon as my internet is back up at my house.

Yaaay

that would be Awesome

Thank You!

wolfspeaker · Nov 29, 2012

Colorado and Massey links don't work

twelvetigers · Nov 29, 2012

Those all worked at one point. I dunno what made them incorrect now.

As the creator of the original linky-list, this really gets on my peeves.

dyachei · Nov 29, 2012

twelvetigers said:
Those all worked at one point. I dunno what made them incorrect now.

As the creator of the original linky-list, this really gets on my peeves.

they were probably archived.

scb44f · Nov 29, 2012

As promised, here is my perspective on Mizzou.

Pros:

2+2 program (start clinics in October of 3rd year)
Lots of time available to spend in a clinical setting off-campus (two free blocks where you can do whatever you want (6-8 weeks each), two evaluated preceptorships (2 weeks each), and 10 weeks of electives that can be fulfilled at approved private clinics, the VMTH, etc.)
All that time for externships/electives allows you to get experience in your field of choice (exotics comes to mind since the teaching hospital does very little of that)
You get to choose one of your free blocks, so if you have a wedding, need to search for jobs in an area where a spouse has a job, etc. you can do that without worry
Possible to get in-state tuition after the first year if you are not from MO
Some jobs available in the VMTH, plus research positions available during the summers
24 hour swipecard access to the classrooms and VMTH
Vet school is set to the side of main campus, and we have our own parking lot
Electrophile mentioned a strong orthopaedic department and I could not agree more (lots of collaboration with engineering departments and human physicians)
Administration is fabulous and willing to help with any issue or request
Exotics Symposium held here every two years run by a very active exotics club to help make up for the low exotics caseload in the teaching hospital
Except for first semester, the majority of classes and the schedule change every 8 weeks
Bookstore supplied with anything and everything we need
Cafeteria with daily specials and weekly coupons online
VPN allows you to access files at school without going back in
CVM-wide dropbox allows you to upload files to share with classmates, or download files other people have put up there
Majority of exams are on the computer and we have an unlimited supply of free ear plugs
The administration is listening to my classmates and me to try and improve the interview experience
Open house very much relies on the students, and we get free breakfast and/or lunch plus a t-shirt!
Fantastic IT department who helps us with anything electronics-related
Majority of lectures are recorded and posted during first year, some are during second year
Friendly professors (certain ones host tailgates at every game, others just plain know everyone)
Housing available close enough to walk or far enough to buy a house with land for their horses (I have classmates on either end of the spectrum)

Cons:

No PBL!! Stuck in lectures allllll the time
6 week summers after first and second year because in the spring, we go for the normal semester plus another 8 weeks
No electives available during classroom years except the block just before entering clinics
Poor exotics caseload in the teaching hospital
Library has crummy hours and no private study rooms
Very few private study rooms in the school overall (there is one small study room, and other than that you use classrooms, restaurants, or peoples' houses as study places)
First years are divided into two teams: one to sweep and mop the anatomy lab at the end of the day for a week and another to clean the microwaves/fridges at the end of a given week (you only have to do these once each, or maybe the anatomy team twice, but it was still frustrating to know how much we are paying and yet we are cleaning the facilities...)
Crappily-run in-state interviews (they just don't make us feel loved like the OOS applicants, but like I said, the people in charge are listening to my friends and me so hopefully they will improve!)

And now some on Columbia:

Pros:

Football and other sports if you are into that
KC and STL are only 2 hours away
We have a mall (my undergrad town didn't so I'm still pumped about this one)
Housing is affordable and is incredibly pet-friendly (my husband and I have a 3 bed, 1.5 bath with a fenced backyard and one car garage that we rent for $650/month - could find cheaper, but I like the area as it is across from a middle school and there are mostly families in our neighborhood)
Lots of outdoors activities (bike trails and hiking especially)
Plenty to do (movie theaters, dog parks, coffee shops, restaurants, rec centers, huge public library, tailgates, plenty of places to drink and/or dance)
Being from Kansas City and going to undergrad in a town of 18,000, I really love that Columbia is in between that (I have classmates from big cities and smaller towns who both hate it here though, so this one really varies for people)

Cons:

Plenty of annoying traffic, especially at 7:40-ish in the morning and at 5 pm.
How many Wal-Marts do we need??? Seriously, there are 3 of them, and right next to each one is a Hy-Vee
If you're into things like Trader Joe's, we don't have that

kakurubird · Nov 29, 2012

scb44f said:
Cons:

Plenty of annoying traffic, especially at 7:40-ish in the morning and at 5 pm.

How many Wal-Marts do we need??? Seriously, there are 3 of them, and right next to each one is a Hy-Vee

If you're into things like Trader Joe's, we don't have that

I figure it can't be any worse than DC traffic...

And if I am lucky enough to have choices, things like Trader Joe's may actually factor into my decision..

scb44f · Nov 29, 2012

kakurubird said:
I figure it can't be any worse than DC traffic...

And if I am lucky enough to have choices, things like Trader Joe's may actually factor into my decision..

Yes, but some people think that because Columbia is smaller, it doesn't have traffic. Not true. Most people travel along the same 3 or 4 roads to get to/from campus so it gets very congested.

bannanababy146 · Nov 29, 2012

wildcatj said:
I wanted to update this list and send out a request for some updated info since most of these are now a few years old. I love this thread and think it's just a really good source of info.

And I am very selfishly requesting updated pros/cons lists for:
Ohio
Illinois
Iowa
Wisconsin
Oregon
Mizzou

I agree! I'd like to hear a new list for Illinois and Iowa. Also Purdue, the only one posted was from an undergrad so it focused a lot of West Lafayette.

And thanks scb for posting about Mizzou!

Kpowell14 · Nov 29, 2012

scb44f said:
As promised, here is my perspective on Mizzou.

Pros:

2+2 program (start clinics in October of 3rd year)

Lots of time available to spend in a clinical setting off-campus (two free blocks where you can do whatever you want (6-8 weeks each), two evaluated preceptorships (2 weeks each), and 10 weeks of electives that can be fulfilled at approved private clinics, the VMTH, etc.)

All that time for externships/electives allows you to get experience in your field of choice (exotics comes to mind since the teaching hospital does very little of that)

You get to choose one of your free blocks, so if you have a wedding, need to search for jobs in an area where a spouse has a job, etc. you can do that without worry

Possible to get in-state tuition after the first year if you are not from MO

Some jobs available in the VMTH, plus research positions available during the summers

24 hour swipecard access to the classrooms and VMTH

Vet school is set to the side of main campus, and we have our own parking lot

Electrophile mentioned a strong orthopaedic department and I could not agree more (lots of collaboration with engineering departments and human physicians)

Administration is fabulous and willing to help with any issue or request

Exotics Symposium held here every two years run by a very active exotics club to help make up for the low exotics caseload in the teaching hospital

Except for first semester, the majority of classes and the schedule change every 8 weeks

Bookstore supplied with anything and everything we need

Cafeteria with daily specials and weekly coupons online

VPN allows you to access files at school without going back in

CVM-wide dropbox allows you to upload files to share with classmates, or download files other people have put up there

Majority of exams are on the computer and we have an unlimited supply of free ear plugs

The administration is listening to my classmates and me to try and improve the interview experience

Open house very much relies on the students, and we get free breakfast and/or lunch plus a t-shirt!

Fantastic IT department who helps us with anything electronics-related

Majority of lectures are recorded and posted during first year, some are during second year

Friendly professors (certain ones host tailgates at every game, others just plain know everyone)

Housing available close enough to walk or far enough to buy a house with land for their horses (I have classmates on either end of the spectrum)

Cons:

No PBL!! Stuck in lectures allllll the time

6 week summers after first and second year because in the spring, we go for the normal semester plus another 8 weeks

No electives available during classroom years except the block just before entering clinics

Poor exotics caseload in the teaching hospital

Library has crummy hours and no private study rooms

Very few private study rooms in the school overall (there is one small study room, and other than that you use classrooms, restaurants, or peoples' houses as study places)

First years are divided into two teams: one to sweep and mop the anatomy lab at the end of the day for a week and another to clean the microwaves/fridges at the end of a given week (you only have to do these once each, or maybe the anatomy team twice, but it was still frustrating to know how much we are paying and yet we are cleaning the facilities...)

Crappily-run in-state interviews (they just don't make us feel loved like the OOS applicants, but like I said, the people in charge are listening to my friends and me so hopefully they will improve!)

And now some on Columbia:

Pros:

Football and other sports if you are into that

KC and STL are only 2 hours away

We have a mall (my undergrad town didn't so I'm still pumped about this one)

Housing is affordable and is incredibly pet-friendly (my husband and I have a 3 bed, 1.5 bath with a fenced backyard and one car garage that we rent for $650/month - could find cheaper, but I like the area as it is across from a middle school and there are mostly families in our neighborhood)

Lots of outdoors activities (bike trails and hiking especially)

Plenty to do (movie theaters, dog parks, coffee shops, restaurants, rec centers, huge public library, tailgates, plenty of places to drink and/or dance)

Being from Kansas City and going to undergrad in a town of 18,000, I really love that Columbia is in between that (I have classmates from big cities and smaller towns who both hate it here though, so this one really varies for people)

Cons:

Plenty of annoying traffic, especially at 7:40-ish in the morning and at 5 pm.

How many Wal-Marts do we need??? Seriously, there are 3 of them, and right next to each one is a Hy-Vee

If you're into things like Trader Joe's, we don't have that

Your freaking AWESOME!!!!!

Eta: My heart is set on Mizzou.. Even your cons arent so bad lol

kakurubird · Nov 29, 2012

scb44f said:
Yes, but some people think that because Columbia is smaller, it doesn't have traffic. Not true. Most people travel along the same 3 or 4 roads to get to/from campus so it gets very congested.

Oh, I'm sure there's still traffic. With the size of the school, there has to be something substantive.
Just saying that it's not a change for me, so can't make me too discouraged about the area.

scb44f · Nov 29, 2012

Kpowell14 said:
Your freaking AWESOME!!!!!

Eta: My heart is set on Mizzou.. Even your cons arent so bad lol

Yeah, I mostly like school, but sitting in classes all the time is a huge drag for me. That's probably my biggest con. I know plenty of my classmates have many more issues about living in Columbia, but overall I really like it. I kind of think that you could plop me just about anywhere and I'd be relatively happy as long as I didn't have to live in an apartment.

NStarz · Nov 29, 2012

Ohio State!

Pros

-New semester curriculum. They worked on it for four years, and they've really thought everything out. We get hands on experience (a bit) starting first semester and they've added clinically relevant courses (clinical pathology) to the first semester as well.
-Professors are amazing! Our anatomy professor invited us over to her house for Thanksgiving if we didn't have anywhere else to go. Especially with the semester conversion (we have one course being taught to both the first and second years), they are really willing to hear us out and address any problems/issues we are having.
-They're building a Subway in the hospital--should be ready in a month or two!
-Can take electives starting second semester
-Third year is mostly lab based (so not 2+2 but pretty darn close)...ie, surgery and anesthesia labs (spays/neuters), etc.
-Shelter rotation fourth year = lots of surgery experience (+ a really active surgery club)
-They just hired a career counselor for us to help us with resumes/CVs/cover letters/interview skills/jobs after graduation. She's already been super helpful.
-They're starting to podcast more of our lectures, though it really depends on the professor.
-Our note packets are super thorough and awesome.
-Lots of clubs/organizations = lots of hands on/extracurricular learning opportunities
-Staff/faculty/administration is super friendly and approachable.
-Lots of classmates with different experiences to bring to the table--we're really diverse!
-IS residency after first year
-semi-tracking? You get to declare a career area of emphasis which focuses your electives and gives you broader experiences in your clinical year but you are still required to go through rotations in areas you don't declare (everyone does SA, equine, FA, anesthesiology, ophthalmology, shelter med, etc. etc.)
-parking lot right next to vet school (though can fill up with undergrads at the beginning of the semester when they all go to class. It's not "our" parking lot, per say, but I never have trouble finding a spot.
-can go hang out in the hospital whenever you want. Clinicians really like to explain cases and do informal rounds (we also have the opportunity to attend formal rounds for certain services, namely FA).
-higher caseload than a lot of other vet schools
-Columbus is a pretty nice city (part suburbia, part city)
-lots of graduates = lots of alumni that want to hire OSU grads
-some crazy well-known faculty with lots of connections (Dr. Couto in oncology is world-famous, we have the person who developed the FeLV vaccine, etc.)
-our professors try to make things clinically oriented (in anatomy, for example, we'll learn what needs to be severed in order to do a spay instead of just memorizing where the suspensory ligament is located. Clin path is super clinically oriented--we have CBC quizzes where we get to work through a CBC and analyze it, and in the biochemistry section, our professor gives us little practice profiles throughout our notes to cement the material...I guess that's a bit of PBL)
-FOOTBALL! 12-0! GO BUCKS!
-24/7 access to hospital/academic building/anatomy lab
-lots of professors for one class gives you a lot of differing opinions. You really get the expert in the topic they are discussing.
-we get a day off for the OVMA's Midwest Vet Conference (which is supposedly super awesome! I will tell you all in the spring how it goes)
-lots of places to study at the vet school
-we have our own financial person and student services person (mental health, etc.)
-don't need to go through traffic to get to the vet school (depending on where you live!)
-every specialist on staff known to mankind
-opening new hospital 20 minutes away to see specialty/emergency cases (not sure about this yet...more of a private practice feel than the VTH I think)
-professional development throughout curriculum (financial stuff, suicide awareness, interviewing, resumes, business, careers, etc.)
-business certificate available through business club (developing business minor through business school...by summer 2013 I think)
-separate Marysville large animal ambulatory rotation allows for a larger LA caseload
-everyone in Ohio is SUPER NICE
-class is only 8-3 most days (2nd semester classes start at 9)
-our SCAVMA tries to raise money to pay for students' travel expenses to SAVMA conference

Cons
-make you jump through hoops to get residency (including a new rule this year that you can only be out of the state for a cumulative 30 days your first year)
-kill you first year with OOS tuition ($62,000), but can get residency after first year
-library hours are limited (they're trying to change this)
-lots of professors = lots of different teaching styles = lots of differing ways to test
-Ohio is freaking cold
-airport is kind of tiny
-traffic downtown/on highways can be tough during rush hour/all the time. LOL
-20+ credits/semester (though this may be every vet school)
-feel like guinea pigs since we are the first class on the new semester curriculum
-wish we did a bit more cat anatomy (though there is an elective on feline anatomy you can take later on)
-hospital is a bit old, though some parts were recently renovated
-class size is a bit overwhelming at times. There are people that I still don't recognize from my class.

That's all I can think of for now! Message me if you have any questions or want to know something specific

vickers · Nov 29, 2012

NStarz said:
-make you jump through hoops to get residency (including a new rule this year that you can only be out of the state for a cumulative 30 days your first year)

I kinda want to know how they would keep track of this. I can't imagine they will actually check someone's house/apartment 335 days a year, or track their vehicle to make sure it stays in state?

Kpowell14 · Nov 29, 2012

scb44f said:
Yeah, I mostly like school, but sitting in classes all the time is a huge drag for me. That's probably my biggest con. I know plenty of my classmates have many more issues about living in Columbia, but overall I really like it. I kind of think that you could plop me just about anywhere and I'd be relatively happy as long as I didn't have to live in an apartment.

Yea, I'm sure that does suck... But it's only for 2 years!! Then it's clinics!!

From what I've read about Columbia, I think I will like it. I'm not a city girl, I like outdoorsy stuff

NStarz · Nov 29, 2012

vickers said:
I kinda want to know how they would keep track of this. I can't imagine they will actually check someone's house/apartment 335 days a year, or track their vehicle to make sure it stays in state?

It's on the honor code. You have to document when you leave the state. And if stuff doesn't measure up (you say you've been there the month of January but didn't buy any groceries or gas, for example), that could be problematic.

psilovethomas · Nov 29, 2012

Michigan State
Hopefully msuspartan can add to this

Pros:
-hands on experience first semester in the clinical competencies course. we learned how to perform physical exams on cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, lab animals, poultry, and many exotic animals, including snakes and lizards! we also learned venipuncture, iv cath placement, orogastric tubing, and neuro and optho examination skills.
-class is 8/9-3 3 days of the week or 9-5 only 2 days a week first semester. second years don't have class until 12 some days during the week.
-all lectures are visual and audio recorded, and if the professor forgets, lectures are archived from the past few years
-two semesters of anatomy (one dog/cat, one horse/cow) to help things stick
-always welcomed in the clinic! the clinicians are awesome and will engage you in conversation and ask you questions based on your current knowledge to get you thinking about cases
-newly renovated auditorium for classes
-school and anatomy/histo labs open 24/7 with student ID access
-awesome student center with TVs, pool table, private and group study rooms, couches, computers, microwaves, and a fridge. faculty do not have access to the student center
-lots of cool technology in the clinics. here's a random video of a lion from a local zoo going through an MRI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAQ-OJp0YPg
-lots of wildlife rehab, especially raptors and other birds
-close association with the local zoo- good for those who want to pursue zoo/exotics
-professors are really truly great people. they really want us to succeed. our anatomy/neuro professor also invited us over to his house for Thanksgiving

-moderate sized class- 111 students
-5 semesters (1st and 2nd year, and first semester of 3rd year) are in the classroom, leaving the remaing 1.5 years for clinics
-lots of opportunities for externships if you secure them early
-the vet school has its own psychologist and IT department
-MSU football and basketball! Go Green!
-The campus is absolutely gorgeous. It is like a giant park. The vet school is in its own little corner of campus. The vet school and hospital are connected, so not a whole lot of walking getting to one from the other

Cons:
-OOS tuition is expensive and cannot apply for IS tuition
-first semester first year morning classes are in the medical school, which is about 5 minute walk from the vet school
-parking is expensive. I paid ~$450 for my parking pass.
-East Lansing is COLD and dreary in the winter. But the beautiful spring makes up for it

scb44f · Nov 29, 2012

Reading Nstarz made me realize I forgot a pro about the vet school (added at the beginning of the list):

Pros:

We used to get two days off to go to SAVMA Symposium but this year they are testing out a day for MVMA and a day for SAVMA so who knows what they'll end up deciding
2+2 program (start clinics in October of 3rd year)
Lots of time available to spend in a clinical setting off-campus (two free blocks where you can do whatever you want (6-8 weeks each), two evaluated preceptorships (2 weeks each), and 10 weeks of electives that can be fulfilled at approved private clinics, the VMTH, etc.)
All that time for externships/electives allows you to get experience in your field of choice (exotics comes to mind since the teaching hospital does very little of that)
You get to choose one of your free blocks, so if you have a wedding, need to search for jobs in an area where a spouse has a job, etc. you can do that without worry
Possible to get in-state tuition after the first year if you are not from MO
Some jobs available in the VMTH, plus research positions available during the summers
24 hour swipecard access to the classrooms and VMTH
Vet school is set to the side of main campus, and we have our own parking lot
Electrophile mentioned a strong orthopaedic department and I could not agree more (lots of collaboration with engineering departments and human physicians)
Administration is fabulous and willing to help with any issue or request
Exotics Symposium held here every two years run by a very active exotics club to help make up for the low exotics caseload in the teaching hospital
Except for first semester, the majority of classes and the schedule change every 8 weeks
Bookstore supplied with anything and everything we need
Cafeteria with daily specials and weekly coupons online
VPN allows you to access files at school without going back in
CVM-wide dropbox allows you to upload files to share with classmates, or download files other people have put up there
Majority of exams are on the computer and we have an unlimited supply of free ear plugs
The administration is listening to my classmates and me to try and improve the interview experience
Open house very much relies on the students, and we get free breakfast and/or lunch plus a t-shirt!
Fantastic IT department who helps us with anything electronics-related
Majority of lectures are recorded and posted during first year, some are during second year
Friendly professors (certain ones host tailgates at every game, others just plain know everyone)
Housing available close enough to walk or far enough to buy a house with land for their horses (I have classmates on either end of the spectrum)

Cons:

No PBL!! Stuck in lectures allllll the time
6 week summers after first and second year because in the spring, we go for the normal semester plus another 8 weeks
No electives available during classroom years except the block just before entering clinics
Poor exotics caseload in the teaching hospital
Library has crummy hours and no private study rooms
Very few private study rooms in the school overall (there is one small study room, and other than that you use classrooms, restaurants, or peoples' houses as study places)
First years are divided into two teams: one to sweep and mop the anatomy lab at the end of the day for a week and another to clean the microwaves/fridges at the end of a given week (you only have to do these once each, or maybe the anatomy team twice, but it was still frustrating to know how much we are paying and yet we are cleaning the facilities...)
Crappily-run in-state interviews (they just don't make us feel loved like the OOS applicants, but like I said, the people in charge are listening to my friends and me so hopefully they will improve!)

And now some on Columbia:

Pros:

Football and other sports if you are into that
KC and STL are only 2 hours away
We have a mall (my undergrad town didn't so I'm still pumped about this one)
Housing is affordable and is incredibly pet-friendly (my husband and I have a 3 bed, 1.5 bath with a fenced backyard and one car garage that we rent for $650/month - could find cheaper, but I like the area as it is across from a middle school and there are mostly families in our neighborhood)
Lots of outdoors activities (bike trails and hiking especially)
Plenty to do (movie theaters, dog parks, coffee shops, restaurants, rec centers, huge public library, tailgates, plenty of places to drink and/or dance)
Being from Kansas City and going to undergrad in a town of 18,000, I really love that Columbia is in between that (I have classmates from big cities and smaller towns who both hate it here though, so this one really varies for people)

Cons:

Plenty of annoying traffic, especially at 7:40-ish in the morning and at 5 pm.
How many Wal-Marts do we need??? Seriously, there are 3 of them, and right next to each one is a Hy-Vee
If you're into things like Trader Joe's, we don't have that

[/QUOTE]

swingnsave · Nov 29, 2012

It would be awesome to see an updated list of the pros-cons for Davis with the new curriculum this year

hint hint

485501 · Nov 29, 2012

swingnsave said:
It would be awesome to see an updated list of the pros-cons for Davis with the new curriculum this year hint hint

I second this request! Pretty please?

deb1123 · Dec 3, 2012

Especially for KSU, Michigan, OKSU, Penn, Minnesota, and VMRCVM

Factors when picking a school

OSU c/o 2012

UC DAVIS class of 2014!!!

Full Member

Full Member

Full Member

Cornell CVM c/o 2014

Crank a wank!

OSU CVM 2015!!

Illinois CVM 2014

Texas A&M c/o 2015!

Full Member

Full Member

WesternU 2015

ISU CVM 2011

onward and upward

ISU CVM 2011

onward and upward

ISU CVM 2011

UC Davis c/o 2016

KSU C/O 2015

Purdue c/o 2016!

Mizzou c/o 2017!

Illinois C/O 2017

Mizzou c/o 2017!

Illinois C/O 2017

Mizzou c/o 2017!

Mizzou c/o 2017

Mizzou c/o 2017!

Full Member

Mizzou c/o 2017!

Llamas and cattle and sheep, oh my!

Mizzou c/o 2017

Full Member

stabby cat

vet robot pirate zombie

Llamas and cattle and sheep, oh my!

Full Member

Llamas and cattle and sheep, oh my!

Full Member

Mizzou c/o 2017

Full Member

Llamas and cattle and sheep, oh my!

Ohio State c/o 2016

Full Member

Mizzou c/o 2017

Ohio State c/o 2016

...so now what?

Llamas and cattle and sheep, oh my!

floating through space*

485501

Minnesota c/o 2017!

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