Hey, Emily! What are you currently interested in? Large animal, small animal, mixed, exotics, or research? Each university has specific areas that they excel in. My suggestion would be to actually go to those universities (if you are able to) and see if they match your personality. Also, I would do research on weather conditions. Believe it or not, that can make a difference in what kind of car you need and what clothes that you wear during the year. For instance, I lived in the Midwest for four years while completing my undergrad. I had to add antigel to my car (to prevent the diesel from gelling) and purchased long johns for the first time. If you decide to apply to a school in the Midwest, be prepared for very windy conditions throughout the year especially in the winter. (What the weatherman says on TV is not necessarily what the temperature outside is.) Also, Iowa receives a lot more snow than Kansas and be prepared for ice!
Out of the group, I would say that Wisconsin has the cheapest in-state tuition, but be prepared for the higher costs of living and paying by the month for on-campus parking. I know that UW-Madison and University of Minnesota charge by the month for on-campus parking. If you can, I would live as close to campus as possible or live near a bus route.
If you decide to apply to Oregon and Washington, I would definitely look into establishing residency. I spoke to some students from Wazzu, and they told me that it was relatively easy to establish residency. Plus, no in-state income tax! The eastern portion is very different from the western portion. The western portion is more urbanized and industrial compared to the eastern side that is more agricultural. You need a four-wheel drive especially crossing the mountain passes during the winter.
I would ask Kpowell about Mizzou. I have been to the state of Missouri a few times. The people are friendly over there, and Columbia is not to far from Kansas City or St. Louis if you want to relax or catch a flight.
Oh, speaking for success rates, I would go to each each potential school's website and look for "Successful Student Statistics" or "Successful Student Profile" of the Class of 2017.
Please double check to make sure your courses satisfy their prerequisites.
If you need anymore info, feel free to PM me. 🙂
