mb12
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- Feb 18, 2020
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I have been fortunate enough to get accepted into five of the schools I applied to and wait-listed at two others but I am having a hard time deciding between them. I have thought a ton about this decision but every time I decide to eliminate a choice I think of a new reason to reconsider it. I am hoping to pursue a career in aquatic medicine but I am also open to exotic/zoo/wildlife medicine as well. I am originally from Iowa but I have spent the past two years interning and working in aquatics and have made many connections in the aquatic field. Any information on the way exams work at each school, social life, and opportunities in aquatics or zoo medicine would be extremely helpful.
Minnesota was by far my favorite school after all of my interview days. I felt very welcomed and the school overall seemed very supportive. They also have a good partnership with both the como and the Minnesota zoo. However, out of state tuition at Minnesota is extremely high and I don't know if I can justify being that much in debt.
Purdue is kind of my in between choice right now. I really enjoyed my visit there, liked the small class size, and the international programs they offer. Purdue is also the cheapest out of state option but has limited opportunities in zoo/wildlife medicine.
Tufts is the best school on the list for wildlife medicine. I really enjoyed my visit there and I like that you can kind of flexibility in the the courses you can take. I also lived in the Boston for about a year and have many friends in the surrounding areas. However, Tufts is expensive and the cost of living in Mass is very expensive and flights home are also expensive.
Iowa State is still on my list because of in-state tuition. From what I have heard recently, the exotic program is basically gone and they have closed their wildlife clinic this year. Even though I am from Iowa I have not had the opportunity to visit the vet school and with admitted student day being moved online I won't have the opportunity to visit before the deadline. I personally do not feel like I would get the best education for what I want to do if I went here but tuition is close to $20,000/$30,000 cheaper than some of the other schools I am considering.
UGA was the one school that I was pretty sure I wouldn't be accepted at because of how few out of state students they take so I wasn't heavily considering it until I found out I was accepted. I studied abroad with UGA during the summer of my junior year in undergrad and have visited Athens once so I am slightly familiar with the school. I really enjoyed Athens but I have never visited the vet school. I don't know a ton about their curriculum but I know they have a zoo/exotic rotation. There also are multiple aquariums/zoos/other organizations that deal with wildlife in the surrounding areas that I could get experience at.
I know the best school for what I want to do is UF, but I personally did not feel like their interview day was well organized. UF was my number one choice going into this process but I left my visit feeling very disappointed. However, I did enjoy the atmosphere of Gainsville and they are the only school with courses in aquatics. I don't know if I should even consider UF since I was wait-listed and they don't give you your rank number.
With admitted student days being canceled and moved online I feel like I lost an opportunity to learn more about these schools. Overall, I am really conflicted and any extra information about any of these schools would be appreciated!
Minnesota was by far my favorite school after all of my interview days. I felt very welcomed and the school overall seemed very supportive. They also have a good partnership with both the como and the Minnesota zoo. However, out of state tuition at Minnesota is extremely high and I don't know if I can justify being that much in debt.
Purdue is kind of my in between choice right now. I really enjoyed my visit there, liked the small class size, and the international programs they offer. Purdue is also the cheapest out of state option but has limited opportunities in zoo/wildlife medicine.
Tufts is the best school on the list for wildlife medicine. I really enjoyed my visit there and I like that you can kind of flexibility in the the courses you can take. I also lived in the Boston for about a year and have many friends in the surrounding areas. However, Tufts is expensive and the cost of living in Mass is very expensive and flights home are also expensive.
Iowa State is still on my list because of in-state tuition. From what I have heard recently, the exotic program is basically gone and they have closed their wildlife clinic this year. Even though I am from Iowa I have not had the opportunity to visit the vet school and with admitted student day being moved online I won't have the opportunity to visit before the deadline. I personally do not feel like I would get the best education for what I want to do if I went here but tuition is close to $20,000/$30,000 cheaper than some of the other schools I am considering.
UGA was the one school that I was pretty sure I wouldn't be accepted at because of how few out of state students they take so I wasn't heavily considering it until I found out I was accepted. I studied abroad with UGA during the summer of my junior year in undergrad and have visited Athens once so I am slightly familiar with the school. I really enjoyed Athens but I have never visited the vet school. I don't know a ton about their curriculum but I know they have a zoo/exotic rotation. There also are multiple aquariums/zoos/other organizations that deal with wildlife in the surrounding areas that I could get experience at.
I know the best school for what I want to do is UF, but I personally did not feel like their interview day was well organized. UF was my number one choice going into this process but I left my visit feeling very disappointed. However, I did enjoy the atmosphere of Gainsville and they are the only school with courses in aquatics. I don't know if I should even consider UF since I was wait-listed and they don't give you your rank number.
With admitted student days being canceled and moved online I feel like I lost an opportunity to learn more about these schools. Overall, I am really conflicted and any extra information about any of these schools would be appreciated!