WICHE Applicants c/o 2016

[Reader19]

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I've read several threads about WICHE, but I'm curious to see what this year's applicants/recipients are thinking. I've received offers, and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it. I just don't like the idea of being forced to return to AZ (What if I get an opportunity else where?) But I don't want to be irrational financially...

Yes, I know the head v. heart dilemma is common just about now...

 

[ASUprevet]

I'm in the same boat as you. Right I'm very interested in enlisting in the Army Veterinary Corps but WICHE would prevent me from doing that. Eventually I want to return to Arizona to practice small animal medicine. I'm a lifelong Arizonan and my dad is a vet here so I'd like to work with him down the road. But like you, I want to have my options open while in school.

Realistically, as much as I love CSU, I would reject any offer that is not sponsored by WICHE. $300K in student debt? No thank you! I can't think of a job outside of Arizona that would be worth it financially to pass up WICHE. Once you start to pay off those loans, I have the feeling you'd regret passing up a WICHE offer. At least at Washington State you have the option of getting in-state tuition after one year. And then you can go where ever you want!

What are you interested in doing that would take you out of Arizona?

 

[Reader19]

I don't have a specific plan in place that would be disrupted by WICHE. I just don't like the idea of being stuck. I've lived in Arizona all my life, and while I like it, I think I'd rather explore than return to the same place. But more or less twice as much debt without WICHE would be limiting in other ways.

 

[ASUprevet]

Yeah I hear ya. I guess it just comes down to whether you follow your head or your heart. If you go small animal, it won't be that hard to pick up a job outside of Arizona after working here for 4 years. I think Arizona is a great place to practice veterinary medicine.

For me, I can't imagine coming out of school with upwards of $300,000 in student debt. That just seems so captivating and stressful. I don't know why other applicants turn down their IS school for another much more expensive university. If this were medical school, I think I could tolerate more student debt. But vets aren't typically blessed with 6 figure incomes.

 

[Reader19]

Have you visited CSU or WSU/will you?

 

[ASUprevet]

Yes I have visited both schools. Both vet schools are amazing. There are many things I like about both schools. Both schools have great facilities, busy teaching hospitals, academic resources, and so forth. Here are my some of my thoughts of the pros and cons of each school.

Washington State:
Pros:

• Great faculty. Everyone I met is so helpful, friendly, and genuinely interested in the success of each student. They are very approachable and down to earth.
• I love how the four main buildings in the college are interconnected. At day a first year student can go anywhere in the college and participate in any procedure. At CSU, you also have access to the buildings but the 1st and 2nd year students meet far away from 3rd and 4th year students where the teaching hospital is located. CSU is building new facilities close to the teaching hospital so 1st and 2nd years can have more access to the hospital.
• The Paul G. Allen School for Animal Health at Washington State is near completion. I'm interested in international veterinary medicine and this research facility will be a great place to get involved in global animal health.
• I appreciate that WSU interviews their applicants (besides WICHE). I think it says something that a school that still invests the time and resources to get the very best applicants. (I heard there are always a few socially inept students at CSU.)
• Cost of living is cheaper.

Cons:

• Pullman is not a very attractive place to live. Long winters, icy roads, not anything like we're used to in AZ. There's not much to do (as if we'll have all the free time in the world)
• It's farther from home and more difficult to get to.
• There aren't many large animal food production farms near Pullman. But I think that's generally true about Fort Collins as well.

Colorado State:
Pros:

• Much easier to get to, both driving and flying. Allegiant Air flies directly from Mesa to Fort Collins. (I'm not sure if you're from the Phoenix area or Tucson.) Denver is about an hour drive south.
• The town of Fort Collins is awesome. It really has everything you need or want. Great restaurants, downtown area, local parks, and so forth. Many more things to do outside.
• Weather is a bit more temperate. It probably snows as much as Pullman but it doesn't stay on the ground for that long. I think you get more of a four seasons in Fort Collins.
• I can't say much about the faculty at CSU because I got an "unofficial tour" from a recent DVM graduate. But the few I met were pretty nice.
• CSU gives all 1st year students their own desk space. All the desks are in the same area so you get know and be good friends with fellow classmates.

Cons:

• I've kind of already mentioned a few disadvantages of CSU. Overall I think CSU is great but there are a few unique features of WSU (e.g. School for Global Animal Health).
• Tuition and cost of living is a bit more expensive at CSU.

There are a few other pros and cons of each school that are really only relevant to my situation and desires (my dad is a WSU alum). Right now I'm leaning towards CSU, but I'm not quite sure yet. Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[VetHead]

Just to respond to the differences in cost as sponsored students: I did the math and found that with CSU's already higher in-state tuition and an estimated 7% hike annually (which is the norm at both CSU and WSU) you would be paying about $14,000 more over 4 years in tuition alone. Plus the cost of living is likely to be slightly higher (going along with the desirability of Fort Collins as a place to live). The cost of living that CSU quotes is deceptively much smaller than that which WSU claims. It seems backwards to me considering the housing prices I've found online.

If you were offered a scholarship to CSU with your WICHE offer like I was, you probably got their email that you are not eligible for any additional scholarships over the 4 years from the vet college. Although you are still eligible for CSU-based scholarships, the fin aid office there told me that there really isn't much to be had. In contrast, WSU strongly encourages applying for their CVM-based scholarships in addition.

Considering that CSU was more than just "a bit more expensive," it helped me feel confident that WSU was the way to go. I just accepted their offer today!

We don't have an obligation to return to MT after vet school, so I can't really comment on that aspect of the discussion.

 

[VetHead]

Also, I visited OSU, CSU and WSU, and WSU was my favorite by far. All three had nice facilities, though. The vets I've talked to all liked where they went to school, and I think there's no real "wrong decision" between them. Just a matter of what seems right to you.

 

[RxyBrtn]

I got alternate status for WICHE here in NV. I've been talking w/ friends who were offered WICHE and one has heard that when you return to your home state for the required 4 years that jobs may be offered at significantly lower pay than other fresh out of school vets because those places offering the job know that those individuals HAVE to work in Nevada (for example) and can get away with giving them a lower salary. Have you guys heard anything about this?

Also, if I end up receiving WICHE (talk is, they may open another spot, and my friend declined WICHE and my other friend who got alternate just received her offer), I don't know if I would use it or not. I already know pros and cons of the wiche schools, but what do you guys think the pros and cons are of wiche itself? i have my own opinion, but I'm curious to hear others...

 

[ASUprevet]

I got alternate status for WICHE here in NV. I've been talking w/ friends who were offered WICHE and one has heard that when you return to your home state for the required 4 years that jobs may be offered at significantly lower pay than other fresh out of school vets because those places offering the job know that those individuals HAVE to work in Nevada (for example) and can get away with giving them a lower salary. Have you guys heard anything about this?

Also, if I end up receiving WICHE (talk is, they may open another spot, and my friend declined WICHE and my other friend who got alternate just received her offer), I don't know if I would use it or not. I already know pros and cons of the wiche schools, but what do you guys think the pros and cons are of wiche itself? i have my own opinion, but I'm curious to hear others...

First of all, VetHead, congrats on deciding on WSU! I love everything about the CVM at WSU. I'm sure you'll have a great experience in Washington. That is weird that the additional WICHE scholarship at CSU prevents you from getting additional scholarships from the CVM.

I have deciding against WICHE mostly because of a better offer from Texas A&M. This will cost me less and I have no obligation to return to Arizona right after vet school.

I've never heard of Arizona employers doing that to WICHE students. If I were an employer, I'd want to hire a WICHE graduate because I'd know they would most likely not leave my clinic for a better job in another state.
I would say take WICHE unless you absolutely do not wat to return to Nevada right away and you are okay having $200,000+ in student debt. You could always go non-WICHE at WSU and get instate tuition after one year if you get in there.

 

[orcagirl]

That being said how do you decide to give up a WICHE offer when the schools are pretty much financially equal? I still have a few schools to get visit, but I feel like it's so hard to decide and I only have a month left.

 

[RxyBrtn]

First of all, VetHead, congrats on deciding on WSU! I love everything about the CVM at WSU. I'm sure you'll have a great experience in Washington. That is weird that the additional WICHE scholarship at CSU prevents you from getting additional scholarships from the CVM.

I have deciding against WICHE mostly because of a better offer from Texas A&M. This will cost me less and I have no obligation to return to Arizona right after vet school.

I've never heard of Arizona employers doing that to WICHE students. If I were an employer, I'd want to hire a WICHE graduate because I'd know they would most likely not leave my clinic for a better job in another state.
I would say take WICHE unless you absolutely do not wat to return to Nevada right away and you are okay having $200,000+ in student debt. You could always go non-WICHE at WSU and get instate tuition after one year if you get in there.

My "pickle" is that I got into USU/WSU and they are not a part of wiche yet. So if I get wiche, it would save me a bunch and I could go to WSU for all four years. But I don't know if I would want to come back to NV. I love it here, but the state of this state is no bueno. The rest of the nation is starting to recover from the recession, but Nevada, particularly Northern Nevada (I will never live in Las Vegas again...) is still really struggling. Unemployment rates are high, foreclosures are high, and NV is towards the bottom for education. We've had massive budget cuts, etc at UNR. I don't know if this is a place I would want to raise a family which is ultimately something I want to do. And how do you make a decision like this that looms far off in the future knowing the state of things now?

I mean I'm asking a what if question because I have no clue if I will get wiche or not. But if I get it, I feel like I will really be stuck. It's a great program, but I almost hope I don't get it so the decision is made for me. $200,000+ is a looooooot of debt. I would like to own some property someday...lol

Venting session done. Thanks for listening guys! 😳

 

[orcagirl]

WICHE can be nice and I don't know a whole lot about Nevada, but it's got to be better than AZ. Our state can be very stupid at times and the public education system here sucks. I am from a part of AZ that at one point in time had the highest unemployment rates in the nation, though everything is what you make of it. Both my parents still have their jobs. That being said it's really up to you. There's a possibility you will get WICHE if someone declines their spot which means less debt, but going back to Nevada. At the same time you might not get it and if you don't save your spot at the USU/WSU program (which from my understanding won't be part of the WICHE program, in fact UT students no longer qualify for WICHE) you might have to wait another year. However, it might be worth it to not be in so much debt. I know tuition and other costs are really factoring into my decisions.