LSU vs Mizzou vs Illinois (All OOS)

[austin_haller72]

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I have been accepted at LSU which was where I was planning on attending but today I received calls telling me I was pulled off the waitlist at Mizzou and Illinois. I was able to visit LSU campus during the DVM Showcase day so I feel like that is the campus I was most prepared for plan wise. Being that I am not going to have that opportunity at the other two schools I wanted to see if anyone else can help me in my decision. Overall, Mizzou seems like it would be a clear choice given the cost savings by applying for IS tuition after a year, but I wanted to see if anyone is able to weigh in anymore as far as the merits between the three schools.

Additionally, my dream school (after my IS rejected me) was UGA, and I found out today that I am #19 on the waitlist. I feel like 19 is a little high at this point being that all of the drops before the 15th have already occurred, but does anyone know if there is still a chance that is worth waiting another 2-3 weeks for?

Whatever help anyone can offer is greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Sparker]

I can't give you specifics on any of these schools, but as a general rule, whatever school gives you the best financial offer is where you should go. "Go to the cheapest school." So, unless you're in a reallyyyyyyy good financial situation (as in you can pay for school out of pocket), if Mizzou is going to cost you the least, that is where you should go. All of these options are good schools and will give you the same degree, so having a few thousand less in debt will benefit you in the long run.

 

[austin_haller72]

As I have been researching online it seems there is a lot of people upset with the 2+2 program, dated facilities, and limited electives at Mizzou. Is anyone who has experience there able to weigh in on this?

 

[_rae_]

As I have been researching online it seems there is a lot of people upset with the 2+2 program, dated facilities, and limited electives at Mizzou. Is anyone who has experience there able to weigh in on this?

Have you checked out the Mizzou thread for this year?: Mizzou 2025-2026 (c/o 2030 hopefuls)

I think beans and Ali do a great job of addressing those things. They came from a Pros/Cons list that battie made (post at the top of this thread) and there were some shenanigans she had to address on there recently after it circulated on reddit.

 

[austin_haller72]

Have you checked out the Mizzou thread for this year?: Mizzou 2025-2026 (c/o 2030 hopefuls)

I think beans and Ali do a great job of addressing those things. They came from a Pros/Cons list that battie made (post at the top of this thread) and there were some shenanigans she had to address on there recently after it circulated on reddit.

I saw that after posting this message and its definitely cleared a lot up for me, but I would also like to hear as many opinions as possible if you have any thoughts or experiences to share

 

[JaynaAli]

I’d rather pay less, even if the facilities aren’t sparkly, shiny, and new.

 

[_rae_]

I saw that after posting this message and its definitely cleared a lot up for me, but I would also like to hear as many opinions as possible if you have any thoughts or experiences to share

Take it with a grain of salt because I'm at UMN and did not apply to any of these schools. Based on the schools you have listed, I would choose Mizzou. I am lucky enough that I got into school before BBB, but it absolutely would have changed where I applied and where I chose to go. The schools I applied to were equivocal in cost (Tufts IS is like, $6k less than OOS, so it was not really different; UPEI didn't have an exchange rate lock and with the projected changes to USD would have been almost as expensive). Even if you're not 100% in love with the school, it's only 4 years of your life. I've heard really great things about Mizzou and one of the doctors who helped me get into school was an instructor there for the last little bit and she loved the area.

I also know I got very sick of hearing "go to the cheapest school". For reference, I'm two years in with $137k in federal loans of which $8k is interest from while I've been in school and about $50k of HPSL loans. Those numbers are hard to swallow when you're looking at them. Having said that, your peace and wellbeing are worth something. I told myself if a school was within $15k of my cheapest option but I really loved it, I would eat the additional $60k for my own happiness. This is not necessarily a sound financial decision, but it was one I was personally okay making since I'm married, have older parents, and life factors that felt more important to me than debt. You have to decide what that number is for you, but know that I regret not spending the extra money up front to cast my net a bit wider to schools with cheaper tuition. I however do not regret my choice to go to UMN.

 

[battie]

I saw that after posting this message and its definitely cleared a lot up for me, but I would also like to hear as many opinions as possible if you have any thoughts or experiences to share

Illinois grad here. 5 years out next month.

I think all schools should go to the 2+2 style program and not these wishy washy halfway measures like the clinical quarters that Illinois has. I love the rotation quarters while I was in school, don't get me wrong. But now that I've been a doctor for a hot second, those clinical quarters did nothing to prepare me for being a doctor. We called the "rotation vacation" when I was there, and it's horribly ironic now that I understand how true that was.

Most (if not all?) human med schools follow this 2+2 program. So we know tens of thousands of medical students can and do handle this system. And then the number one concern by **employers** hiring new grad vets is how really are they really. 2 years of clinics I feel makes you more ready, especially if it gives you 1) primary case duty for medical cases and 2) makes you primary surgeon in any sense.

There is nothing at Illinois worth tens of thousands if not over a hundred thousand more in loans over mizzou. Not the new hospital. Not the mega courses. Nothing. And I'm someone who ***loved*** vet school at its core. But with the upcoming limits on finances for students, and now trying to find a new job where my limitations isn't the style of medicine a practice has but what they can afford to pay me, I cannot recommend a student to someone that's more expensive

 

[JaynaAli]

I know a contingent of us harp on costs a lot here on SDN and people don’t like to hear it, but truly, on the other side, that’s what matters most. The people I know who did choose a more expensive option may be like Rae and not really regret their school choice, but I guarantee that for almost everyone, if there was a way to get an extra even 10-20k if not more to put towards loan repayment, people would be thrilled and do some fairly sketchy things. You almost never hear someone regret the cheaper option. I’m sure those people exist, but they’re much less common than the people who feel stuck in life because of loans. Your essentially gifting future you a significant amount of cash that can be put to use buying a home, supporting a family, traveling, or blowing in whatever way you so choose.

 

[_rae_]

The people I know who did choose a more expensive option may be like Rae and not really regret their school choice, but I guarantee that for almost everyone, if there was a way to get an extra even 10-20k if not more to put towards loan repayment, people would be thrilled and do some fairly sketchy things.

Unfortunately UMN was my cheapest option at the time . COA for Tufts as an IS was still $8k+ more than UMN with COL factored in, UMN offered me a scholarship, and I don't remember what PEI was at the time, but it's now comparable to those costs. I think my regret comes in with not applying to more schools to give myself a cheaper option.