University of Minnesota c/o 2023 Applicants

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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Does anyone know common places that students live around campus? I’m at such a loss of where to even start looking 🙁
 
gabynicolex said:
There’s a c/o 2023 Facebook page already & someone just posted a whole spreadsheet with info!
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Do we have to be added to it or should I be able to see it? Just didn’t see anything pop up on a Facebook search.
 
I was looking at costs of attendance over 4 years on the website, and I saw an amount for the 3rd year summer. Are all students required to take courses during that summer? I'm asking because that will be another semester of tuition which I'll have to factor in.
 
VetToTheFuture said:
I was looking at costs of attendance over 4 years on the website, and I saw an amount for the 3rd year summer. Are all students required to take courses during that summer? I'm asking because that will be another semester of tuition which I'll have to factor in.
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3rd semester summer starts your clinical year which is a callander year and not really an academic year. I think that's the same for most vet schools so do budget that in its required
 
Ljaps23 said:
Does anyone know if lectures are recorded?
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Any lectures in the main classroom are, but classes held in our active learning classroom are not. Very few things in the active learning classroom are really "lecture" since, well, it's for active learning and generally group work, but some classes (namely physiology) will have clinicians come in and talk about a disease/case that's relevant to what you're learning. It is usually building on or supporting lecture though, so a recording to study isn't really necessary anyway.
 
supershorty said:
You might want to look at renting a house or a duplex too - I know before I bought my place, I looked at some rentals like that and they were, in general, a better deal financially than some of the apartments close to campus.
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any idea on what the general ballpark rent is for these houses per person?
 
yowza14 said:
do most people drive/have cars? I'm trying to figure out if I should plan on bringing one
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I think most students have cars. Not everyone drives to school if they live close enough, but for getting groceries/going anywhere it's much easier to have a car. The public transport system here is good but it can take a long time to get from point A to point B just because of transferring buses.
 
Does anyone know what the typical school day is like? The website says 8-5...would you say that’s accurate? Are you in lectures most of this time or are there labs everyday? Thanks!
 
PinkKongToy96 said:
Does anyone know what the typical school day is like? The website says 8-5...would you say that’s accurate? Are you in lectures most of this time or are there labs everyday? Thanks!
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For first year it's mostly accurate, but it varies from week to week. I'd say we get out early or start late at least once or twice a week.
It's mostly lecture, but there are active learning sessions that are more group work or case based, probably once a weekish? We have anatomy lab twice a week. Clinical skills labs will divide up the class because not everyone can be in lab at the same time, and that will often get you out early or at least get you time to study before lab. Other labs vary; some are more frequent than others. Most labs you will have to be present for the entire time, but for some group based labs there's a chance to leave early. We aren't in labs every day, but a few times a week depending on the semester.
Any electives you don't take will usually either start the day later or end the day early. Time is also scheduled for online classes on our calendar to make sure you do have time for them; that has gotten us out a bit early fairly often this semester.

In general, I would plan to be in class from 8-5 every day and take the late/early days as happy bonuses.
 
SnowJ said:
For first year it's mostly accurate, but it varies from week to week. I'd say we get out early or start late at least once or twice a week.
It's mostly lecture, but there are active learning sessions that are more group work or case based, probably once a weekish? We have anatomy lab twice a week. Clinical skills labs will divide up the class because not everyone can be in lab at the same time, and that will often get you out early or at least get you time to study before lab. Other labs vary; some are more frequent than others. Most labs you will have to be present for the entire time, but for some group based labs there's a chance to leave early. We aren't in labs every day, but a few times a week depending on the semester.
Any electives you don't take will usually either start the day later or end the day early. Time is also scheduled for online classes on our calendar to make sure you do have time for them; that has gotten us out a bit early fairly often this semester.

In general, I would plan to be in class from 8-5 every day and take the late/early days as happy bonuses.
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Does Minnesota incorporate a pbl style learning like western does?
 
Ljaps23 said:
Does Minnesota incorporate a pbl style learning like western does?
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I don't think so? I don't know much about western or about pbl systems in general. (So I could be in one and not know it, but I feel like it would have been mentioned) Most classes will try and tie in clinical significance to remind us why it all matters and keep in interesting. Second semester we have a clinical correlations class that starts you walking through cases like a real doctor would; getting a history, determining diagnostics, interpreting diagnostics, and writing up your record. Active learning sessions in general are often working through cases, but it depends on the class.
I'd say the closest we get (based on the very very brief google search about pbl) is Agents of Disease in spring. They had us do mini cases this semester (which are new, so they may not stick around depending on feedback) where we had a basic case and we had to find out a lot of the information on our own/in groups. We got to practice searching through our resources to make differential lists, find cell tropisms, etc

This might be different in the more clinical courses we take in future years; first year is a lot more about learning normal; normal anatomy, normal physiology, normal biochemistry, etc and then we build on that later on. I haven't heard anything about it though
 
SnowJ said:
I don't think so? I don't know much about western or about pbl systems in general. (So I could be in one and not know it, but I feel like it would have been mentioned) Most classes will try and tie in clinical significance to remind us why it all matters and keep in interesting. Second semester we have a clinical correlations class that starts you walking through cases like a real doctor would; getting a history, determining diagnostics, interpreting diagnostics, and writing up your record. Active learning sessions in general are often working through cases, but it depends on the class.
I'd say the closest we get (based on the very very brief google search about pbl) is Agents of Disease in spring. They had us do mini cases this semester (which are new, so they may not stick around depending on feedback) where we had a basic case and we had to find out a lot of the information on our own/in groups. We got to practice searching through our resources to make differential lists, find cell tropisms, etc

This might be different in the more clinical courses we take in future years; first year is a lot more about learning normal; normal anatomy, normal physiology, normal biochemistry, etc and then we build on that later on. I haven't heard anything about it though
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It gets more case-based as you get farther into the curriculum. Large Animal Surgery II is the only exclusively case-based class right now, but others are moving toward it.
 
PawPrints93 said:
I will be declining my IS offer this week.
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Bless you for posting that here!!! And good luck at wherever else you have decided to go!!

SnowJ said:
I think most students have cars. Not everyone drives to school if they live close enough, but for getting groceries/going anywhere it's much easier to have a car. The public transport system here is good but it can take a long time to get from point A to point B just because of transferring buses.
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Don't forget the snow! Public transport does really well considering but it can still get really slow and buses can get off schedule during our bigger snow storms/icy days.
 
I'm from further south where we snow is more or less a mythical thing, and I'm bringing my Honda Civic with me to Minnesota. Is there anything I should have or know for driving in winter?
 
gabynicolex said:
I’m coming from Florida and also had a Honda Civic until last week when I got an all wheel drive HRV. My best friend just moved up to MN in November with her Civic and has been stuck in the snow too many times to count lol. After she called me crying while stuck in a Chick-fil-A drive thru I realized that I would definitely need to change cars :laugh: I know that’s not possible for everyone, but if there’s a way then it would be a good option!
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Oh man, now I'm scared, and I definitely don't have the option of changing cars haha...
 
VetToTheFuture said:
I'm from further south where we snow is more or less a mythical thing, and I'm bringing my Honda Civic with me to Minnesota. Is there anything I should have or know for driving in winter?
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If your car is rear wheel drive it's going to swerve more than if it were front or all-wheel drive, so you may need to take turns slower and be more careful. Regardless of what kind of car you have, the key to winter driving is to slow down and leave plenty of stopping distance. I recommend taking turns slower, slowing down earlier and more gradually, and trying not to accelerate when changing lanes if the roads are slick. (These are peak times for the car to slide.) Be aware of what's going on around you and you should be fine.
Sadly it's against the rules to practice driving in the fairgrounds, but I'd recommend finding a low traffic area or parking lot where you can practice handling your car in the winter. It's important not to panic when your ABS kick in or when you start to slide a bit. Overcorrecting can make things worse.

If there's so much snow you have trouble getting out of your parking space: pulling forward before trying to back up again can give you extra momentum. Know that all the time your tires are spinning, they are digging a slick little depression into the ground, so you have to get the tires past that to move. Once you're out of that depression try not to slow down again/roll back into it: take advantage of the traction while you have it (as long as there aren't people in your way, of course). Do not underestimate the power of a single person pushing your car- they may give you just the movement you need to gain traction again.

Things to have: a shovel in case you need to shovel some snow away to move your car, an ice scraper for your windows, a brush for snow (I have an extendable two-in-one scraper and brush that is fantastic. I am short with a car taller than me, so it's super handy). Windshield washer with de-icer can be helpful. Don't forget to scrape ice off of your wipers- you need them to wipe away snow as it melts, or to wash off the salt that will be blown onto your windshield.
I have never owned snow tires and I don't think they are super necessary in the cities, but if you can afford them they aren't a bad idea. If you can't, just make sure you have good tires so you can get good grip on the road.
My dad tells me to keep my gas above 1/4 tank in the winter. You'll go through gas faster in the winter as you warm up your car.

Above all: do not feel like you have to risk your life to go to school. Lectures are livestreamed and recorded, so if you're having trouble getting out or feel it won't be safe to make it to school you have options. If you have an exam or lab, just give yourself plenty of extra time to clean off your car and take your time on the roads. Your safety is number 1 always.
 
SnowJ said:
Things to have: a shovel in case you need to shovel some snow away to move your car, an ice scraper for your windows, a brush for snow (I have an extendable two-in-one scraper and brush that is fantastic. I am short with a car taller than me, so it's super handy). Windshield washer with de-icer can be helpful. Don't forget to scrape ice off of your wipers- you need them to wipe away snow as it melts, or to wash off the salt that will be blown onto your windshield.
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I also always have a blanket and some snacks in my car juuuuuust in case.
Also kitty litter. Fantastic for getting traction when your car is like “lol no”
SnowJ said:
My dad tells me to keep my gas above 1/4 tank in the winter. You'll go through gas faster in the winter as you warm up your car.
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And adding to this, I’ve always been told not to go under half a tank when it’s below freezing out. Supposedly if it gets too low condensation forms in the empty area of the tank and can freeze in the fuel lines and cause your car to not start.
And if you get stranded somewhere it’s better to have a half tank of gas vs low fuel so you can keep your car running to stay warm longer.
 
SkiOtter said:
I also always have a blanket and some snacks in my car juuuuuust in case.
Also kitty litter. Fantastic for getting traction when your car is like “lol no”

And adding to this, I’ve always been told not to go under half a tank when it’s below freezing out. Supposedly if it gets too low condensation forms in the empty area of the tank and can freeze in the fuel lines and cause your car to not start.
And if you get stranded somewhere it’s better to have a half tank of gas vs low fuel so you can keep your car running to stay warm longer.
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I tested that second part about the freezing fuel lines during that week where it was a gazillion degrees below zero and didn't have any problems, but maybe I just got lucky... I guess I can test it again for science or something. Honestly I tested it because I was running low on gas and didn't want to stand outside at the gas station and so risked it for a few days out of sheer wimpiness.

@VetToTheFuture I have a Prius and while it's not always FUN to drive it in the snow, I can usually get it around okay in the winter. Snow tires might help. A Civic should be fine. I think the hardest thing about driving in the snow is just learning not to do anything suddenly - no hard braking, no hard accelerating, and slow lane changes.
 
supershorty said:
Honestly I tested it because I was running low on gas and didn't want to stand outside at the gas station and so risked it for a few days out of sheer wimpiness.
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Oh I feel this.
It’s another reason I always make sure I have a lot of gas because then when it’s freakishly cold out I don’t have to go get more
 
Thank you all! Seriously, my number 1 concern about Minnesota is not surviving the winter. If you see anyone who looks like a moving igloo, that's probably gonna be me. I was worried that I'd have to get snow tires but the price for them had me fainting. Sounds like going slow is the name of the game.
 
dr.lyssypoo27 said:
Does UMN require a certain laptop/tablet?
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They didn't previously (I'm realizing all of my information is slowly becoming outdated) but they did have a list of "recommendations/requirements" which I would avoid bothering to look at because they definitely were not necessary and lead to me purchasing a laptop that was way bigger, heavier, and more expensive than I actually needed.
 
dr.lyssypoo27 said:
Does UMN require a certain laptop/tablet?
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kcoughli said:
They didn't previously (I'm realizing all of my information is slowly becoming outdated) but they did have a list of "recommendations/requirements" which I would avoid bothering to look at because they definitely were not necessary and lead to me purchasing a laptop that was way bigger, heavier, and more expensive than I actually needed.
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This is still true! There are certain specs they recommend (mostly for the sake of radiology) but I think most laptops will work just fine. We use software called "lockdown browser" for some exams, so I think the most important thing is that you have a device that will run that. I have a friend who uses a tablet for notes but needs the laptop for exams because the tablet either can't run the software or it doesn't work well.
 
SnowJ said:
This is still true! There are certain specs they recommend (mostly for the sake of radiology) but I think most laptops will work just fine. We use software called "lockdown browser" for some exams, so I think the most important thing is that you have a device that will run that. I have a friend who uses a tablet for notes but needs the laptop for exams because the tablet either can't run the software or it doesn't work well.
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So I’m looking at iPad Pros.. Would the iPad or my generic laptop be okay for the radiology stuff? Do you know where I can find the recommendations or requirements?
 
dr.lyssypoo27 said:
So I’m looking at iPad Pros.. Would the iPad or my generic laptop be okay for the radiology stuff? Do you know where I can find the recommendations or requirements?
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omg yes I was wondering the same thing! I was looking at getting an iPad Pro too for the note taking and stuff
 
dr.lyssypoo27 said:
So I’m looking at iPad Pros.. Would the iPad or my generic laptop be okay for the radiology stuff? Do you know where I can find the recommendations or requirements?
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Bergelicious818 said:
omg yes I was wondering the same thing! I was looking at getting an iPad Pro too for the note taking and stuff
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They should send you the recommendations with a bunch of other prep stuff this summer. They may have updated them since last year, but I can try and dig up what they gave us if you like.

My generic laptop handles radiology just fine, even though I can't adjust contrast the way they tell us you need to be able to. I don't know anything about apple products, but I assume the iPad pro would work fine?
 
SnowJ said:
This is still true! There are certain specs they recommend (mostly for the sake of radiology)
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Just gonna put it out there that my tablet meets all the specs for imaging and apparently that's not enough to save me from being terrible at it. 😛
 
Bergelicious818 said:
omg yes I was wondering the same thing! I was looking at getting an iPad Pro too for the note taking and stuff
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It looks so nice to take notes on.. but with the Apple Pencil and a keyboard from Apple, it’s all like $1400 :,(
 
If anyone is looking for a female roommate lemme know! I’m fine with animals in the place, I’m very clean, and I won’t eat your food 🙂
 
You absolutely do not need an iPad
Dvm2023hopeful said:
Is an iPad necessary? I feel like I see so many students talking about it like it’s the best thing ever. I have a surface I bought 3 years ago and really never used (my crappy luck got me purchasing the only surface model that blacks out and the Microsoft store basically said tough luck) that I was gonna bring but I feel it’s not the same.

Would I be able to do fine without an iPad and just a MacBook 😳. If it’ll make my life a lot easier in lectures than I would consider getting an iPad but I really don’t want to if I don’t have to.
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Dvm2023hopeful said:
I was looking at off campus housing since I wouldn’t have to move each year. They are so nice but so expensive for a one bedroom 🙁 And a big plus is most student housing apartments have a heated indoor garage!
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Yeah same!! I’ll pm you!
 
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