Minnesota c/o 2014!

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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I'm not! I already have insurance, so I'm doing the waiver. You have to get it if you don't have something else, though.
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Hi. I am a sporatic poster on this thread. But, I have moved in Minnesota and I love it! It's so beautiful. My husband and I just rented a place in St. Louis Park. This may be far from campus but I'm willing to make the drive. I too am new to the snow situtation...so this should be interesting. Now that I am finally here I feel as though I can focus on getting things in order.

So my question to you guys is: What do we need to do as far as loans go? I know we are waiting to hear back about our financial aid packet in July. But we also go the supply list and they want us to order by July 21st. Looking at the list including books this is going to be expensive. Do we wait for our financial aid email before looking at loans? And are you guys using loans to buy the supplies? Sorry if these are silly questions. :rolleyes:
 
^ Eh, don't waste your money on most books. You will have more notes than you ever thought possible and won't even have time to crack open a book. I went crazy last year and bought almost all the books on the list and ended up never using them. The only books I'd recommend would be the biochemistry book (if you don't have yours from undergrad) and the dissection of the dog. Possibly physiology. Otherwise, save your money ;)
 
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oilidigigoat said:
So my question to you guys is: What do we need to do as far as loans go? I know we are waiting to hear back about our financial aid packet in July. But we also go the supply list and they want us to order by July 21st. Looking at the list including books this is going to be expensive. Do we wait for our financial aid email before looking at loans? And are you guys using loans to buy the supplies? Sorry if these are silly questions. :rolleyes:
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Welcome to Minnesota, oilidigigoat! You'll have to join us at our next gathering. :)

If you look at the top of the VSS order form, there is a box to check to pay after financial aid disperses. It looks like you have until Oct. 6.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that unless you are extremely well-off you are pretty much going to get enough loans to cover the full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, books, housing, transportation, etc). Last year, that was $20,556 per semester for in-state students and $30,578 per semester for out-of-state students. You may not get the subsidized loans, but you still should get unsubsidized and GradPlus. For what it's worth, I have been working full time for the last several years, but still received an offer for a full package for my MPH program this summer.

Whether or not you want to accept the full package is up to you, of course.

Good luck and hope that helps!
 
parietal said:
Welcome to Minnesota, oilidigigoat! You'll have to join us at our next gathering. :)

If you look at the top of the VSS order form, there is a box to check to pay after financial aid disperses. It looks like you have until Oct. 6.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that unless you are extremely well-off you are pretty much going to get enough loans to cover the full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, books, housing, transportation, etc). Last year, that was $20,556 per semester for in-state students and $30,578 per semester for out-of-state students. You may not get the subsidized loans, but you still should get unsubsidized and GradPlus. For what it's worth, I have been working full time for the last several years, but still received an offer for a full package for my MPH program this summer.

Whether or not you want to accept the full package is up to you, of course.

Good luck and hope that helps!
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Im still a bit foggy when it comes to the loans as well. I know you guys have told me previously to just wait for the loans/financial aid packet when it comes in July (hopefully early July:laugh:).
I have been fortunate enough where my parents have supported me through undergraduate school, however when it comes to vet school, School + cost of living, etc. i am all on my own. Will I receive enough loan money for this? Since I am OOS, it will be quite a hefty amount ea semester/year:oops:.

Or do I have to look into getting separate loans outside of school.
Im sorry . I am new to this and still confused. I wish the fafsa info would come already!
 
JKIM02 said:
Will I receive enough loan money for this? Since I am OOS, it will be quite a hefty amount ea semester/year:oops:.
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In theory, yes. You should receive a bit more than the amount I said above ($30,578 per semester or about $61,000 for the full year) since those are last year's numbers. This the total "cost of attendance," an amount the university has calculated to cover your tuition, fees, average rent/food, books/supplies, transportation, etc.

The total package will likely include $10,250 per semester in Ford Federal Direct loans (some of which may have subsidized interest) and the remainder (about $21,000 per semester) in GradPlus loans. You can find out more about the loans here. If you entered your parents' info on your FAFSA, you may also qualify for Health Professions loans, but they usually aren't very large.

You should budget to ensure the $61,000+ package covers all your expenses. You can get private loans, but you should try to avoid them at all costs. They are very expensive.:thumbdown:

And just to clarify, you should have already done your FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid). What we all are waiting for is the eFAAN, or the electronic Financial Aid Award Notice.
 
turnandburn said:
^ Eh, don't waste your money on most books. You will have more notes than you ever thought possible and won't even have time to crack open a book. I went crazy last year and bought almost all the books on the list and ended up never using them. The only books I'd recommend would be the biochemistry book (if you don't have yours from undergrad) and the dissection of the dog. Possibly physiology. Otherwise, save your money ;)
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^ All my housemates said basically this exact same thing. They also said to buy books from Amazon, not the supply store.
 
Also, slightly oversharing status update - I changed my mind, and I'm gonna use the school insurance instead. The free rabies shots make it the cheaper option for me, since my old coverage wouldn't cover them. Your milage may vary, but I'd compare the two taking that into consideration.
 
I wonder when the dang loans packages are going to get sent out! Im so ansy!! I feel like im going into this with only the $20 in my wallet. lol!
For those of you getting the books through VSS... are you getting the veterinary consult option? It would be very nice to be able to bring my book to class without having to lug the books to class. :)
 
So, anyone up for another gathering?
 
Totes! Just not this weekend, I'm going to Madison after work Friday and coming back Sunday night.

Also: I got my U Card today! It's everything I dreamed of and more!

...actually, it's a plastic rectangle. But you get my point.

If you want to get yours, you can just walk into the U Card office downtown and ask for it. All you need is your student/SS # and some form of ID. They print it for ya right there, so pretty up first if you do go.
 
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Tiktaalik said:
Totes! Just not this weekend, I'm going to Madison after work Friday and coming back Sunday night.

Also: I got my U Card today! It's everything I dreamed of and more!

...actually, it's a plastic rectangle. But you get my point.

If you want to get yours, you can just walk into the U Card office downtown and ask for it. All you need is your student/SS # and some form of ID. They print it for ya right there, so pretty up first if you do go.
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Who knew? :)
 
It'll probably cause trouble during orientation, but I needed it to get into my lab, lol.
 
Tiktaalik said:
It'll probably cause trouble during orientation, but I needed it to get into my lab, lol.
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I have mine, too. Needed it for my MPH classes. We can be troublemakers together. :D

elliepants said:
...always!...
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So, maybe the evening of July 20 for a gathering? I'm going to be down there anyway and we can celebrate E being done with her job? July 22 would work for me as well...
 
parietal said:
I have mine, too. Needed it for my MPH classes. We can be troublemakers together. :D



So, maybe the evening of July 20 for a gathering? I'm going to be down there anyway and we can celebrate E being done with her job? July 22 would work for me as well...
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Yes, please!
 
parietal said:
I have mine, too. Needed it for my MPH classes. We can be troublemakers together. :D



So, maybe the evening of July 20 for a gathering? I'm going to be down there anyway and we can celebrate E being done with her job? July 22 would work for me as well...
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Yay, we're the troublemakers!! :D

I'm cool with either of those days.
 
are you getting the veterinary consult option?
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LOVE Vet Consult! I strongly recommend it :)

Also, Marilyn at VSS manages to get some pretty good prices on new books... I'd recommend checking her prices before going to Amazon. If you plan to get used books (i.e. if you want a book with Vet Consult), then Amazon usually wins.
 
StealthDog said:
LOVE Vet Consult! I strongly recommend it :)

Also, Marilyn at VSS manages to get some pretty good prices on new books... I'd recommend checking her prices before going to Amazon. If you plan to get used books (i.e. if you want a book with Vet Consult), then Amazon usually wins.
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Good to know! THanks for letting me know! And congratulations on the recent graduation Dr. Stealthdog!! Any words of wisdom for us freshman? (omygoodness we are going to be like freshman again. haha:laugh:)
 
So, maybe the evening of July 20 for a gathering? I'm going to be down there anyway and we can celebrate E being done with her job? July 22 would work for me as well...[/QUOTE]

Been MIA-sounds like the trouble makers have been at it again. I'm always up for a celebration.
 
Looks like I even forgot how to "quote" correctly.
 
Why is spring break so late this year????
 
Hey guys! Im just finishing up my VSS order form and I was wondering if any of you guys are ordering extra scalpel blades. Do you guys know what size they are? I can get my scalpel blades cheaper through work but I dont know what size to get. Are they just 15's? That is the size most commonly used at my work. Thanks in advance!!

:love:
 
Any words of wisdom for us freshman?
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Words of wisdom, huh? Let's see...

-if you need coffee or soup, the Hay Loft wins for convenience sake, but if you want better quality with better prices, take a walk to Lori's Coffee House on Buford and Cleveland. You can usually still pick up U of MN wifi there, too, so it's a nice study spot. It's also right next door to the delicious Mim's Cafe, where you can get a tasty gyro or falafel for lunch :)

-do not be afraid of wandering around the hospitals! I didn't explore the hospitals much until I hit clinics, and feel like I kind of missed out. You don't have to wait until your required ICU duty or second year mini-rotations to start spending some time in the hospital. Just look for a fourth year who doesn't seem super busy, introduce yourself, and ask them if you can hang out with them for a little while or if they can talk to you about a case they saw that day. I also think it would have been nice to get a job in the hospital... The people who got jobs in the pharmacy, cleaning up the surgery suites, working in the ICU, or working with the blood donor program already knew where things were, knew the names of doctors and technicians, and just seemed all around more comfortable in the hospital from the start.

-Wetlabs are almost always worth it! Even if you have to stay late after a long day, or have to sacrifice a little study time before an exam... I remember a lot more from wetlabs than I do from exams.

-Lynne Lura knows everything, and if she doesn't, she knows who to send you to to get an answer. She's the best!

-I was an in-stater, so I didn't really have to worry about residency, but... From what I've heard, if you're an out-of-stater who applies for residency, you will most likely get rejected initially. But I know several people who were granted residency after making an appeal following their rejection. So don't take an initial rejection as the final word!

-The lecture halls are rarely a comfortable temperature. Dress in layers!

-Foal/cria team was so. much. fun. And this is coming from someone who is 100% small animal interest. Don't be nervous about taking neonatology/foal team if you have no equine experience. It's awesome!

That's all I can think of for now... if I come up with any more, I'll let you know!

Do you guys know what size they are? I can get my scalpel blades cheaper through work but I dont know what size to get. Are they just 15's?
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I *think* the dissection kits used 10's, but don't quote me on that... You will definitely need extras, as you'll use one or more in almost every anatomy lab session.
 
Thanks, StealthDog!
 
Fall class schedule is up!!!!

I can't decide whether to be terrified or excited... Both is probably appropriate.
 
Tiktaalik said:
International class is during lunch :-(
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You didn't know that? We meet in the upstairs of Pomeroy and eat during class. Supposedly very casual. I know the prof (she's the MPH coordinator), and she's really cool. Plus travel grants! It'll be worth it. :)

On the other hand, I am already freaking out about the pile of tests around Oct. 1: Clinical Skills, Clinical Skills Lab (2 of them? maybe the class is split into two?), Biochem, Anatomy, Histology and Radiology all within a week or so! :scared:
 
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parietal said:
You didn't know that? We meet in the upstairs of Pomeroy and eat during class. Supposedly very casual. I know the prof (she's the MPH coordinator), and she's really cool. Plus travel grants! It'll be worth it. :)

On the other hand, I am already freaking out about the pile of tests around Oct. 1: Clinical Skills, Clinical Skills Lab (2 of them? maybe the class is split into two?), Biochem, Anatomy, Histology and Radiology all within a week or so! :scared:
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Yah yah, I didn't know it because I'm not SUPERJOURNALIST!!!! lol.

(I think the class is split for clinical skills). And yes, I saw an exam week two and almost peed a little. :eek:
 
Tiktaalik said:
Yah yah, I didn't know it because I'm not SUPERJOURNALIST!!!! lol.

(I think the class is split for clinical skills). And yes, I saw an exam week two and almost peed a little. :eek:
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:D My sources tell me the radiology take-home exams are untimed, open-book quizzes that aren't too bad. We should plan to spend sufficient time on them, however, and not try to do them in a rush at the last minute. :)

Also, there is no need to panic over the Clinical Skills tests, just pay attention. And, apparently, know your cow breeds.
 
parietal said:
:D My sources tell me the radiology take-home exams are untimed, open-book quizzes that aren't too bad. We should plan to spend sufficient time on them, however, and not try to do them in a rush at the last minute. :)

Also, there is no need to panic over the Clinical Skills tests, just pay attention. And, apparently, know your cow breeds.
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We have to know cow breeds???? I'm screwed for sure!
 
So I lurk here basically because you are all awesome and Minnesota left such a positive impression, but I have that cow book and it is great. Definitely good for people who both know cows and those who have never been close to a live one before.
 
parietal said:
Try this: http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-C...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279222062&sr=8-1

Helps me not look like an idiot when I'm working with farm animal vets. I don't know them all by any means, but it helps. :) Plus you can get it for $0.01 + shipping. :D
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badcats said:
So I lurk here basically because you are all awesome and Minnesota left such a positive impression, but I have that cow book and it is great. Definitely good for people who both know cows and those who have never been close to a live one before.
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You guys are awesome!! Thanks! :D
 
Did you guys get your financial aid yesterday?

I did, and was like :eek::eek:*faint*

I had better get residency, lol.
 
Tiktaalik said:
Did you guys get your financial aid yesterday?

I did, and was like :eek::eek:*faint*

I had better get residency, lol.
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Yes and it literally made me gasp.

What do you guys think about that potential summer course they want input on? I'm noodling on it.
 
Just got an email that " I won a spot in the Parking Lottery". Gortner Ramp for me ladies and gentleman. I must admit that it brought me to a happy place. Sometimes it doesn't take much-lol
 
Italia9647 said:
Yes and it literally made me gasp.

What do you guys think about that potential summer course they want input on? I'm noodling on it.
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Honestly, I don't know. It sounds like something I would enjoy, but I'm doing lab rotations every summer anyway, so I won't be able to take it even if they do offer it.

Gratz on the parking lotto win!
 
Unrelated funny story - the medium gloves that my pi and lab manager wear are too small for my hands, so they told me they'd order me some large ones.


I come in today to find 5 boxes of large gloves. Half of a shelf is just my gloves, lol. I guess they're expecting me to stick around a while.
 
Tiktaalik said:
Did you guys get your financial aid yesterday?
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Not yet! Weird. I applied back in February, too. (Iowa State required that.) Maybe they do it alphabetically?

Italia9647 said:
What do you guys think about that potential summer course they want input on? I'm noodling on it.
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It sounds cool, but I'd want to know how much extra summer tuition there would be and what time commitment would be required. I also preferred that the instructors provide the cases: those of us who may not be working in a clinic are probably going to have trouble coming up with cases on our own...

Italia9647 said:
Just got an email that " I won a spot in the Parking Lottery". Gortner Ramp for me ladies and gentleman. I must admit that it brought me to a happy place. Sometimes it doesn't take much-lol
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Yay! I got my spot in the State Fair lot, too. :)

Tiktaalik said:
I come in today to find 5 boxes of large gloves. Half of a shelf is just my gloves, lol. I guess they're expecting me to stick around a while.
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Glad they like you! :D
 
parietal said:
Not yet! Weird. I applied back in February, too. (Iowa State required that.) Maybe they do it alphabetically?
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It must not be, since I haven't gotten mine yet either (and since Italia has gotten hers...).

Now I'm worried...
 
And I haven't heard anything about a summer course.

WHAT'S GOING ON!!?!?
 
elliepants said:
And I haven't heard anything about a summer course.

WHAT'S GOING ON!!?!?
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Do you have your umn.edu e-mail set up? Check that.

It's just something they're considering.

Don't know what the deal is with financial aid, though. If it doesn't come through by Tuesday we can ask...
 
parietal said:
Do you have your umn.edu e-mail set up? Check that.

It's just something they're considering.

Don't know what the deal is with financial aid, though. If it doesn't come through by Tuesday we can ask...
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I actually do have it set-up. Weird...
 
Plus, I got a couple of test e-mails (and the one about bird food) through CVM-2014 (listhost, I think), so I know it's working...
 
elliepants said:
I actually do have it set-up. Weird...
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I just forwarded the e-mail about the class to you.

Did you get the other one Joe sent about fall calendars? He seems to tend to ignore the subject line, so maybe your junk mail folder is grabbing them?
 
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