RVC vs Colorado

[bentley1123]

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Hi everyone! I've been lucky to be accepted to a few schools this past cycle, and I think I've narrowed my choices down to CSU (OOS) and RVC (4 year program). I was wondering if any current or past students have some insight for the pros/cons of each school? I know cost is a big factor, but it seems as though they are similar when accounting for cost of living.

I'm interested in small animal medicine and may specialize in the future, and so one of my concerns is if one school would make me a better candidate for residency or is it more based on your GPA and LORs?

Location is really important to me, but both are great for different reasons. I studied abroad in college and absolutely loved it so living in the UK is super appealing to me, but I also would love to live near the mountains since I love to hike and ski so I'm super torn!

Thank you for the help in advance!!

 

[5Hs5Ts]

RVC will not push you or hold you to any reasonable standard as a school. they say they dont spoon-feed students but what that really means is that they rely mostly on independent study and offer minimal didactic contact hours (1-3 lectures in the morning each day and a discussion based session 1-2/week in the afternoon). rotations have been lacking as well. i have not done a single neuro/ortho/ophtho/oto exam on rotation, and its not for lack of interest or seeking opportunity. the NAVLE pass rate is also quite low at RVC over the last few years. we don't really sit many exams and the ones we do are not long. i would suggest in large part that the lack of navle success comes down to students not being used to taking multiple choice exams.

RVC works if you are super motivated and can be keen and pristinely organized for four years straight but the learning environment feels pretty empty in my opinion.

london is a fantastic place to live but you're only actually in the city for GAB and then you live a 20 minute train ride out of the city for the other 3. i think many students struggle with the number of potential distractions available in and near london so it depends on you and how disciplined you are.

school does not matter at all for specialization pathways. what matters is your grades, your LORs and your personability/work ethic. i would choose CSU if i were in your position

 

[bostonbonne]

Hi everyone! I've been lucky to be accepted to a few schools this past cycle, and I think I've narrowed my choices down to CSU (OOS) and RVC (4 year program). I was wondering if any current or past students have some insight for the pros/cons of each school? I know cost is a big factor, but it seems as though they are similar when accounting for cost of living.

I'm interested in small animal medicine and may specialize in the future, and so one of my concerns is if one school would make me a better candidate for residency or is it more based on your GPA and LORs?

Location is really important to me, but both are great for different reasons. I studied abroad in college and absolutely loved it so living in the UK is super appealing to me, but I also would love to live near the mountains since I love to hike and ski so I'm super torn!

Thank you for the help in advance!!

The probation is definitely happening at RVC right now and it has been very clear that it is the NON-North American students who are skewing the scores. While I am sure there are NON-NA students who study for the NAVLE as if their career depends on it, this is not what is happening for the vast majority. It is actually talked about on campus that most don't even study for it because there is no direct pathway to working in the US and it is "maybe someday" thought process. The majority of students have no plans to migrate and apply for US citizenship. Think about it, if you fail and are not from NA you still get to practice Veterinary Medicine without a hiccup in your home country, in this case EU, UK and Australia for example. However for North American students they have no license, no citizenship and are paying 8X what domestic students are paying. I don't see how any of this is equitable to a group that is disproportionately affected. I wish RVC and the AVMA would do something. The other option is for students to be responsible to each other which is not happening, and it is now too late. Based on all the information if they lose the Accreditation next year the alternative pathways would add years to your Vet journey as you will be treated exactly the same as a Vet trying to take the NAVLE from China or Russia or any other country. It takes at least a year to get an exam date and then you still have the other sections of the ECFVG process. Not to mention the massive student loans that will become due and you will not have a license to practice in the North America. That's quite a gamble if you ask me

 

[Cowsrcool]

I would not attend RVC. They have expressed they have no plan for their students when their accreditation is stripped this coming year meaning you will have no path to taking the NAVLE and being a vet in North America. Attend Colorado.

 

[5Hs5Ts]

The probation is definitely happening at RVC right now and it has been very clear that it is the NON-North American students who are skewing the scores. While I am sure there are NON-NA students who study for the NAVLE as if their career depends on it, this is not what is happening for the vast majority. It is actually talked about on campus that most don't even study for it because there is no direct pathway to working in the US and it is "maybe someday" thought process. The majority of students have no plans to migrate and apply for US citizenship. Think about it, if you fail and are not from NA you still get to practice Veterinary Medicine without a hiccup in your home country, in this case EU, UK and Australia for example. However for North American students they have no license, no citizenship and are paying 8X what domestic students are paying. I don't see how any of this is equitable to a group that is disproportionately affected. I wish RVC and the AVMA would do something. The other option is for students to be responsible to each other which is not happening, and it is now too late. Based on all the information if they lose the Accreditation next year the alternative pathways would add years to your Vet journey as you will be treated exactly the same as a Vet trying to take the NAVLE from China or Russia or any other country. It takes at least a year to get an exam date and then you still have the other sections of the ECFVG process. Not to mention the massive student loans that will become due and you will not have a license to practice in the North America. That's quite a gamble if you ask me

it is not "very clear" that it's the UK students bringing down the pass rate, and you shouldn't automatically believe everything you hear on campus. that is probably a factor but there are no published numbers about pass rate by citizenship so until there are, its best not to make these assumptions.