LMU or wait for Tufts?

[Danalittle]

Hi everyone! So I was lucky enough to be accepted into LMU's silver (january) cohort, which would require a quick decision. I need to accept my seat at LMU in the next two weeks, and I likely wouldn't hear back from other schools until after the january classes have started. I applied to quite a few other schools but other than LMU, my top choice would be tufts, but i don't even know if i would get in

LMU
-already been accepted
-lower cost of living in TN
-cheaper than tufts ($55k a year)
-no teaching hospital onsite
-not guaranteed a place in the fall cohort if i defer
-would need to pick up and move from MA to TN very quickly

Tufts
-instate option
-i already work in the hospital and my boss has confirmed i would be able to continue working there with flexible hours if i were to be a student
-has a teaching hospital
-more expensive than LMU ($61k a year)
- i don't even know if i would be accepted (avg GPA last year was 3.76 and im at a 3.7 and they're v gpa heavy)
-big gamble to risk my one acceptance

I'm meeting with my academic advisor next week, but any input would be appreciated

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[olsonvet]

Hi everyone! So I was lucky enough to be accepted into LMU's silver (january) cohort, which would require a quick decision. I need to accept my seat at LMU in the next two weeks, and I likely wouldn't hear back from other schools until after the january classes have started. I applied to quite a few other schools but other than LMU, my top choice would be tufts, but i don't even know if i would get in

LMU
-already been accepted
-lower cost of living in TN
-cheaper than tufts ($55k a year)
-no teaching hospital onsite
-not guaranteed a place in the fall cohort if i defer
-would need to pick up and move from MA to TN very quickly

Tufts
-instate option
-i already work in the hospital and my boss has confirmed i would be able to continue working there with flexible hours if i were to be a student
-has a teaching hospital
-more expensive than LMU ($61k a year)
- i don't even know if i would be accepted (avg GPA last year was 3.76 and im at a 3.7 and they're v gpa heavy)
-big gamble to risk my one acceptance

I'm meeting with my academic advisor next week, but any input would be appreciated

from what I read from other people that have gone through or are currrently in vet school, they would say "go with the cheaper option". Money plays a very big part for your foreseeable future.

 

[Danalittle]

from what I read from other people that have gone through or are currrently in vet school, they would say "go with the cheaper option". Money plays a very big part for your foreseeable future.

That’s what I’ve been thinking too! I don’t believe in the whole vet school rankings or one school being better than another, it’s just that the lack of a teaching hospital on campus kinda stinks

 

[olsonvet]

That’s what I’ve been thinking too! I don’t believe in the whole vet school rankings or one school being better than another, it’s just that the lack of a teaching hospital on campus kinda stinks

There are alot of other things though! DM me if you want to chat more. I'm heading to LMU next week to check things out and look for housing.

 

[supershorty]

I'm gonna be honest, a 5 or 6k difference wouldn't be sufficient for me to turn down an option with a teaching hospital to go to one that was cheaper but didn't have a hospital. I think that is an invaluable part of veterinary school and I think it's absurd that a program without one charges anywhere near the same tuition as one with.

This is a little less straightforward since you are only holding the one acceptance, and you have to weigh whether you're comfortable with the prospect of not getting into school at all if you turn that down to pursue other ones.

I personally wouldn't go to a program without a teaching hospital. Plenty of people do and become fine vets, but the opportunities afforded to you by a teaching hospital are so great, that would be worth the difference in tuition to me.

 

[Gangar#094]

LMU does not have a teaching hospital, but third year students complete surgeries before entering clinical year.

Surgeries are spay and neuters, students do 4 surgeries and assist in 8, so that’s 12 surgeries end of third year. A guaranteed spay & neuter, the other 2 are whatever is available.

Fourth year then is active in live clinics conducting a variety of surgeries etc. Connect with current students and ask them how they feel about the program if you’re worried about what kind of learning/experience it is.

 

[supershorty]

third year students complete surgeries before entering clinical year.

This is true at any program. You'll not find one without a junior surgery lab involving live spay/neuters.

Current students - at any program - will be biased because their experience is the only one they'll ever have. They can't compare to another school, they don't go there. So OP, keep that in mind regardless of what you decide to do.

My own experience is biased because I'm at a program with an extremely busy teaching hospital, with one of the largest caseloads nationally. As such, I can't imagine NOT being at an institution with one. But is having a teaching hospital worth a total of ~25k? Yeah, I think so. And I have a hard time understanding what institutions that don't have hospitals are doing to justify having tuition in the same league as those that do. It doesn't strike me as attempting to improve the student debt crisis at all, that's for sure lol

 

[olsonvet]

Hi everyone! So I was lucky enough to be accepted into LMU's silver (january) cohort, which would require a quick decision. I need to accept my seat at LMU in the next two weeks, and I likely wouldn't hear back from other schools until after the january classes have started. I applied to quite a few other schools but other than LMU, my top choice would be tufts, but i don't even know if i would get in

LMU
-already been accepted
-lower cost of living in TN
-cheaper than tufts ($55k a year)
-no teaching hospital onsite
-not guaranteed a place in the fall cohort if i defer
-would need to pick up and move from MA to TN very quickly

Tufts
-instate option
-i already work in the hospital and my boss has confirmed i would be able to continue working there with flexible hours if i were to be a student
-has a teaching hospital
-more expensive than LMU ($61k a year)
- i don't even know if i would be accepted (avg GPA last year was 3.76 and im at a 3.7 and they're v gpa heavy)
-big gamble to risk my one acceptance

I'm meeting with my academic advisor next week, but any input would be appreciated

Lots to think about! Best of luck to you. Just go with your gut and achieve your dreams! Wherever you decide to go, you will need to come to terms with your decision. You will need to make the best of your experience no matter where you go!

 

[max_wildlife]

hey! current third-year at Tufts; let me know if you have any questions as you make your choice. if you're working in the hospital I'm guessing you chat with students quite a bit, but let me know if you want any thoughts on anything.

and despite their focus on gpa, I got in with a 3.1 science and a 3.4 cumulative, so if your experience stands out, the gpa might not matter that much.

 

[josie13756]

Hi everyone! So I was lucky enough to be accepted into LMU's silver (january) cohort, which would require a quick decision. I need to accept my seat at LMU in the next two weeks, and I likely wouldn't hear back from other schools until after the january classes have started. I applied to quite a few other schools but other than LMU, my top choice would be tufts, but i don't even know if i would get in

LMU
-already been accepted
-lower cost of living in TN
-cheaper than tufts ($55k a year)
-no teaching hospital onsite
-not guaranteed a place in the fall cohort if i defer
-would need to pick up and move from MA to TN very quickly

Tufts
-instate option
-i already work in the hospital and my boss has confirmed i would be able to continue working there with flexible hours if i were to be a student
-has a teaching hospital
-more expensive than LMU ($61k a year)
- i don't even know if i would be accepted (avg GPA last year was 3.76 and im at a 3.7 and they're v gpa heavy)
-big gamble to risk my one acceptance

I'm meeting with my academic advisor next week, but any input would be appreciated

I would weigh heavily on choosing Tufts Having teaching hospitals (small animal, large animal and exotic) on campus is invaluable. Tufts is also redesigning their curriculum beginning with the class of 2028 and hands on opportunities will be an even larger part of the curriculum. We also have farms with cows, sheep etc…right on campus! I would reach out to Ford at Tufts admissions and see if he has any insight on whether you have a good chance of being accepted to Tufts.