Minnesota Vs. Iowa State

[Tru108]

Hi!

So I’ve been accepted to Iowa state and was waitlisted (oos #6) at University if Minnesota. I’m confident I will get pulled off the waitlist for Minnesota so I’m starting to look into both schools. I’m aware of the cost difference for the two schools and am aware that Minnesota is more expensive. Putting cost aside, I love the program at both schools.

I did my masters at Iowa state so I’m familiar with Ames/ Des Moines.

I’m interested in small animal medicine and know that Minnesota has a bigger case load, but other than that I need help deciding! Thank you for your input!!

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[genny]

Why are you having a hard time deciding? What about Minnesota makes all that extra debt seem worthwhile?

 

[Tru108]

Why are you having a hard time deciding? What about Minnesota makes all that extra debt seem worthwhile?

I’m from Los Angeles so living in Minneapolis I feel would resemble the most like home for four years. As well, I fell in love with the school and the students I spoke to there. Plus flights from MSP to LAX are significantly cheaper than DSM to LAX so that would make going home/ having family visit more convenient.

 

[genny]

I’m from Los Angeles so living in Minneapolis I feel would resemble the most like home for four years. As well, I fell in love with the school and the students I spoke to there. Plus flights from MSP to LAX are significantly cheaper than DSM to LAX so that would make going home/ having family visit more convenient.

That is all very true. Ames is absolutely nothing like LA. What was your masters in? Were you in the vet med building for that?

 

[Tru108]

That is all very true. Ames is absolutely nothing like LA. What was your masters in? Were you in the vet med building for that?

I got it in biomedical sciences and yes I was in the vetmed building

 

[genny]

I got it in biomedical sciences and yes I was in the vetmed building

So there is probably nothing I can add for ISU - you know at least some of the people who will be teaching vet med classes, you know what the school is like. I think ISU vet Med students tend to be supportive of each other, and there’s a good network for upperclassmen helping and guiding the newbies. Once you make it in, there’s this mentality about helping each other make it through. I loved that about ISU.

 

[SnowJ]

Minnesota is also extremely supportive of students, and all of the faculty really do want to help you succeed. We have orientation groups that include faculty as well as second and third years to give you advice and support during the transition into vet school, and there's a voluntary mentor program that can connect you with a vet in a field you are interested in for support and career advice. First semester there's a group of students who set up mock exams so you can get used to the format/types of questions you'll get in certain classes, and they can give you study advice. We have tutors and a social worker dedicated to the vet school (she works with clients, staff, and students and can connect you with mental health resources). All the faculty are very open to questions and helping you understand the material (one of my professors even gave us all his cell phone number so we can text him with questions).
The class attitude is very supportive as well; we're all in this together. We set up google drives to share study resources and we have a class chat group (outside of the facebook group) so we can ask questions/give each other reminders.

 

[teddydash]

I have the exact same dilemma! I loved Minnesota just not sure I can justify the cost difference or cost of living.

 

[Tru108]

I have the exact same dilemma! I loved Minnesota just not sure I can justify the cost difference or cost of living.

Same. It’s such a significant difference!!!

 

[teddydash]

Same. It’s such a significant difference!!!

If I could get in state tuition at UMN even after second year that would make such a difference price-wise that I could justify it. But after doing more research on gaining residency it does not seem like it’s possible

 

[Strix]

If I could get in state tuition at UMN even after second year that would make such a difference price-wise that I could justify it. But after doing more research on gaining residency it does not seem like it’s possible

I'm just reading through this now and am running into a similar issue. Even with the fact that I am purchasing a house in Minnesota and have always planned to live there after school, after emailing the residency office, it seems to me that there is absolutely no way of changing to become a resident while in school. I'm not sure if this is something relatively new, but I asked lots of questions and if there was any way of it working, and I really don't think there is. Not even if you marry a resident.

 

[teddydash]

I'm just reading through this now and am running into a similar issue. Even with the fact that I am purchasing a house in Minnesota and have always planned to live there after school, after emailing the residency office, it seems to me that there is absolutely no way of changing to become a resident while in school. I'm not sure if this is something relatively new, but I asked lots of questions and if there was any way of it working, and I really don't think there is. Not even if you marry a resident.

I think it is relatively new. I think in the past the residency stuff was done by the vet school and now it’s dealt with through the residency offices of UMN (the bigger university). I have a friend that said in the past it was doable. So that stinks for us :/

 

[SnowJ]

I'm just reading through this now and am running into a similar issue. Even with the fact that I am purchasing a house in Minnesota and have always planned to live there after school, after emailing the residency office, it seems to me that there is absolutely no way of changing to become a resident while in school. I'm not sure if this is something relatively new, but I asked lots of questions and if there was any way of it working, and I really don't think there is. Not even if you marry a resident.

I think it is relatively new. I think in the past the residency stuff was done by the vet school and now it’s dealt with through the residency offices of UMN (the bigger university). I have a friend that said in the past it was doable. So that stinks for us :/

I don't think residency was handled by the vet school in the past (that I know of anyway) but there have been staff changes in the residency office in the past couple of years. I think the new heads in charge are more strict about residency decisions, unfortunately :/

 

[supershorty]

Yeah residency at UMN has always been at the university level, not through the vet school. But new staff in that office now.

 

[mypetmoose]

For someone who is also between these two- kinda...I'm on Iowa's waitlist- Minnesota is still the better option for me because I will be living with some family so I dont need to think about cost of living. That helps me rationalize it, and I'm pretty sure that makes it cheaper all things considered. Sorry for the brief thread hijacking, I guess I just wanted to hear someone say that sounds about right...

 

[genny]

For someone who is also between these two- kinda...I'm on Iowa's waitlist- Minnesota is still the better option for me because I will be living with some family so I dont need to think about cost of living. That helps me rationalize it, and I'm pretty sure that makes it cheaper all things considered. Sorry for the brief thread hijacking, I guess I just wanted to hear someone say that sounds about right...

If you're just looking at tuition and fees, ISU is about $5000 less per year for years 1-3, then $10k less for year 4. So about $25,000 less across all four years. If your cost-of-living math makes taking out that much more in loans livable, then go for it.