How did you decide where/how many schools to apply to?

[prevetdreamer]

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My first filter for schools was pre reqs. If I hadn't taken them or wouldnt be willing to take them (cell bio, blech), I crossed them right off my list. Actually, my first filter was probably eliminating all the out of states schools. I think it would be a really awesome experience, but I also think it would be a hassle to come back and forth and I worry about the extra cost associated with moving and living overseas. After that, I think I filtered class size and cost since both of those are important factors to me. I cut schools that had larger classes than about 100 or with OOS tuition greater than about 40,000 per year. After that I went through each school individually and decided whether I liked it enough to apply. I'm still doing some reserch though and my decisions could change...

Washington: Utah contract thing so I get IS, loved it when I visited
Oregon: long time dream school, close to home, small class size
Mississippi:good all around school, fit all my wants, loved the curriculum
Tuskegee: good amount of OOS, smaller class size, big picture approach
possibly another one from vmcas??? we will see!

As far as how many, my mentor told me that if you don't get in to your top 5 or 6 schools, you probably won't get into a seventh... so I'm sticking to about 4 or 5.

Just a word about locations... I LOVE the southern schools. I've always wanted to live there. I don't really want to go to a school in the mid west, although I'm not completely eliminating them. The schools and towns are lovely, I'm sure, I just have a fear of tornadoes... lol

 

[orca2011]

@LaRue

Tufts and Illinois both have Wildlife clinics on campus, which was a huge plus for me. I've always been interested in wildlife/zoo medicine but just didn't have the experience so I thought going to a school that had a clinic for me to get involved would allow me to fulfill that dream. Illinois' clinic is entirely student run, so the more involved you are, the more you end up getting to do.

Downside to either of these schools, is they both are expensive. Rumor is there is a chance of gaining IS at Illinois but I'm not sure how many actually do that and what you have to do.

 

[kernel]

I get the sense that only a few people are going this route, but I could be wrong!

Firstly, I cannot afford to pay out of state tuition. I'm not willing to pay off ridiculously huge student loans, either. The vet I shadow went to an OOS school and she says she pays roughly $1300 a month in student loan payments 😱. That's more than I make in two months at my part time job...

Secondly, I love my in- state school. I've visited a couple of other OOS schools, but home is where my heart truly is.

Lastly, I don't see the point in paying app fees for schools that I wouldn't go to if I actually got in. It's ridiculous. I went to a college prep school, and all my "gunner" friends applied to second-tier and even Ivy league colleges that they didn't particularly like...who knows why, to please their parents and the college counselors, maybe? Anyway, I think that's bull. You're wasting time and money, not to mention keeping highly sought after spots from kids who didn't get in anywhere else (*ahem* I speak from experience 😛 on that last one 😛).

 

[Emiloo4]

I get the sense that only a few people are going this route, but I could be wrong!

Firstly, I cannot afford to pay out of state tuition. I'm not willing to pay off ridiculously huge student loans, either. The vet I shadow went to an OOS school and she says she pays roughly $1300 a month in student loan payments 😱. That's more than I make in two months at my part time job...

Secondly, I love my in- state school. I've visited a couple of other OOS schools, but home is where my heart truly is.

Lastly, I don't see the point in paying app fees for schools that I wouldn't go to if I actually got in. It's ridiculous. I went to a college prep school, and all my "gunner" friends applied to second-tier and even Ivy league colleges that they didn't particularly like...who knows why, to please their parents and the college counselors, maybe? Anyway, I think that's bull. You're wasting time and money, not to mention keeping highly sought after spots from kids who didn't get in anywhere else (*ahem* I speak from experience 😛 on that last one 😛).

I completely agree with this... if you can't pay for it or don't want to go, don't apply. If you are "I'll go wherever I get in" then go for it!

 

[irrelephant23]

LaRue-
I personally have been volunteering at the Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic as an undergrad, and can say that it is awesome! I've learned much more through my work there than I have in most of my SA experience.

I've been trying to narrow down where I want to apply to places with some sort of wildlife program or electives as well, but I'm very lucky that my IS has such a cool clinic! I think i'm going to apply to Tufts as my never-going-to-happen reach school anyway just because of all the wildlife possibilities!

 

[LdT]

I am in Canada, and I basically did not look at any school that requires GRE or any other tests (too lazy, too busy)... which pretty much eliminates all US schools. So I am applying to Calgary
Saskatchewan
Dublin
Glasgow
Royal Vet College
I was going to apply to Melbourne and Murdoch, but I need to be able to take my dogs w/o any quarantine requirements 😍

 

[Bearby]

1. Pre-reqs, required GPA, GRE, experience hours - if you don't meet the minimums and don't think that will change before you would matriculate, just leave it be.

2. IS vs. OOS. Some schools let you gain residency after a year, others do not. Many schools don't accept large numbers of OOS applicants.

3. Money. Unfortunately, money is an issue for most of the people going to vet school. Don't put yourself in a financial position that you are not comfortable with. What I mean by that is...even if you get into the best school in the world, if you aren't going to be able to support yourself after you graduate...what's the point? A graduate of all the other schools in the country will be called doctor, too.

4. Programs. Some schools are known for certain specialties: wildlife, aquatic, shelter medicine, etc. Some schools have several really good departments. If you know what you want to do, find schools that are good at that! If you don't know what you want to do (like me), find a place that have good programs all-around or at least several that are notable.

5. Location. Some people like to get away during vet school, go some place that they might want to be after they graduate. That's cool, but some people like to be close to friends and family during the high stress situation that is vet school. I have been so fortunate to have my loved ones close enough that I can go home for a weekend if I need a breath of fresh air. Keep in mind that even if you don't go to school where you ultimately want to practice, that's ok! There are people at these schools who are from everywhere. Make connections.

 

[Kibo]

Hey everyone! I've been lurking around this forum on and off for years under a different username (it included my last name so I decided to change it), and am excited to be back on SDN. I'd love some advice about where to apply this year.

I'm a first-time applicant, Ohio resident. I have a 3.82 GPA, 1340 GRE, dual-degree BS in Animal Science and Zoology, and about 2,100 animal hours and 2,500 vet hours (including research, SA, and equine - should accrue at least several hundred more at my full-time SA job before submitting). I finished my BS in 2010 before doing the Peace Corps - just got back this winter and am excited to finally be applying for vet school!! At this point I am learning towards specializing in either equine or emergency/critical care.

I'm definitely applying to Ohio State, and am trying to narrow down the list of other schools to apply to. I have been looking at Missouri, Wisconsin, and NCSU because of their cheap OOS tuition/ability to establish residency. I especially like Mizzou's 2+2 program. I also think I'll apply to CSU (although honestly the biggest draw for me is the location <3), and am considering Tufts and Oregon as well. I've thought about Edinburgh (I absolutely love Scotland!) but am afraid of how impractical it might be (expense, flying home for holidays, bringing my dog, etc.). Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of these schools, or which schools might be more likely to admit/reject me based on my stats? Please feel free to suggest any other schools you think would be a good fit. Thanks!

 

[Emiloo4]

Hey everyone! I've been lurking around this forum on and off for years under a different username (it included my last name so I decided to change it), and am excited to be back on SDN. I'd love some advice about where to apply this year.

I'm a first-time applicant, Ohio resident. I have a 3.82 GPA, 1340 GRE, dual-degree BS in Animal Science and Zoology, and about 2,100 animal hours and 2,500 vet hours (including research, SA, and equine - should accrue at least several hundred more at my full-time SA job before submitting). I finished my BS in 2010 before doing the Peace Corps - just got back this winter and am excited to finally be applying for vet school!! At this point I am learning towards specializing in either equine or emergency/critical care.

I'm definitely applying to Ohio State, and am trying to narrow down the list of other schools to apply to. I have been looking at Missouri, Wisconsin, and NCSU because of their cheap OOS tuition/ability to establish residency. I especially like Mizzou's 2+2 program. I also think I'll apply to CSU (although honestly the biggest draw for me is the location <3), and am considering Tufts and Oregon as well. I've thought about Edinburgh (I absolutely love Scotland!) but am afraid of how impractical it might be (expense, flying home for holidays, bringing my dog, etc.). Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of these schools, or which schools might be more likely to admit/reject me based on my stats? Please feel free to suggest any other schools you think would be a good fit. Thanks!

If it was me with your stats, I would apply to Ohio State and maybe one other that you really want to go to. Just my $0.02. 😀