Tufts vs Lsu vs Penn: advice please!

[DivingistheLife]

I need some advice! Being that I have to make my decision in about one week, and I still can't decide on a school... Everytime I research one of the schools, I get excited about that one and want to go there until I recheck the next one and so it goes.

I am most interested in conservation/animal behavior with regards to wildlife and aquatics. LSU and Tufts have the wildlife programs, but I don't know if I can really turn down penn. I also don't really like the cold weather and in that regards I am leaning more towards LSU, but if anyone has any input- mainly with LSU vs Tufts, it would be greatly appreciated!

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[Angelo84]

Congrats. I don't feel like retyping it so if you search you can find a pretty good tufts vs penn thread. Also check out the factors in picking a school--current students did pro/cons lists. I would say if your interests are wildlife and behavior to come to Tufts over Penn ( I think they are both roughly the same cost but check the cost of education numbers. As far as the weather goes yes it gets cold but you spend all day inside. The longest walk you will be making during the day would be five minutes from the lecture hall to the anatomy lab. If you found an apartment or house with a garage the weather doesn't affect you much--at least as far as the being out in the cold goes. Although I admit I like snow--just not scraping off my car! I don't have a clue about LSU so I can't help you there.

Are you instate at any of them? Do you have a preference for environment--Penn is very much in a city Tufts is very much not in a city--so if you like/dislike living in cities that might help.

PM me if you have tufts specific questions.

Good luck!

 

[StillDreaming]

A big con for LSU to consider would be that they are sitting in the Hot seat with UTK, in that they are currently on limited accrededation (at least there are rumors amongst my coworkers, i haven't had anything confirming that). So first off you should find out if this is true, and if so, why is the school on this limisted accrededation, and what are their plans for the next two years to solve it.

A pro for tufts (and con for LSU) is that Tufts is private, and the bidget cuts are not really affecting them as much as other schools. Yes, Tufts is having their budget reduced, but not as drasticlally as some other schools. Find out what's going on at LSU with their budget.

Next i would say look at the different curriculums, ways of teaching, opportunities for clinical experience prior to senior year, etc. See which one you best fit in.

And of course, look at cost. Living out at LSU is MUCH cheaper than the boston area, and over 4 years, this adds up. Write out a budget for each school and see if there is a drastic difference. If so, make it a factor in your decision

 

[chris03333]

A big con for LSU to consider would be that they are sitting in the Hot seat with UTK, in that they are currently on limited accrededation (at least there are rumors amongst my coworkers, i haven't had anything confirming that). So first off you should find out if this is true, and if so, why is the school on this limisted accrededation, and what are their plans for the next two years to solve it.

A pro for tufts (and con for LSU) is that Tufts is private, and the bidget cuts are not really affecting them as much as other schools. Yes, Tufts is having their budget reduced, but not as drasticlally as some other schools. Find out what's going on at LSU with their budget.

Next i would say look at the different curriculums, ways of teaching, opportunities for clinical experience prior to senior year, etc. See which one you best fit in.

And of course, look at cost. Living out at LSU is MUCH cheaper than the boston area, and over 4 years, this adds up. Write out a budget for each school and see if there is a drastic difference. If so, make it a factor in your decision

Personally I would look at limited accreditation
as a plus, not a minus. Why? Because they are still accredited, which means you will be treated as a graduate of an accredited school, and ....now there is a fire lit under their butts to make improvements.

 

[redsteven]

You definitely don't want to go to Penn.

My opinion is obviously not influenced by the fact that I'm waitlisted there

 

[nonvideas]

As a Penn student it pains me to say it, but Penn's programs in the areas you're interested in are very weak. I think that if you're really diehard about those things, you'd be frustrated at Penn pretty early on.

 

[DivingistheLife]

Thanks for the information so far- I've checked out the lists on tufts vs penn- but am still hoping for any more information on LSU. Does anyone know someone who goes to LSU or almost did that knows pro/cons about their programs that you can send this way?

 

[smm482]

I spent last Spring interning at an equine breeding farm that is owned and operated by an equine vet, and I just got back from visiting out there over my spring break. There was a 4th year vet student from LSU there on a two week rotation while I was visiting and another LSU student had been there for the two weeks prior. The vet I worked for (a well-respected equine theriogenologist) spoke very highly of the skill set both of these 4th year students had and attributed much of their success to the practioners at LSU and all of the hands on experience these students had had access to. I know this is just one man's opinion, but I respect it. He has had 4th year vet students from a number of schools spend rotations there (including Tufts) and he taught Therio courses at a vet school before returning to private practice. I know this isn't the list of pros/cons you're looking for, but I thought I'd share. I worked with a 4th year vet student last spring that was visiting from another school (not one of the ones you're choosing from so I won't mention it by name) and his abilities were nowhere near those of the LSU students. Granted, an individual student is not representative of a school as a whole but don't rule out LSU just because it's not as well known. A great vet can come out of any school. Good luck with your decision making!