CSU vs UPenn

[roadtovetschool]

I have my own thoughts on both schools but am wondering if anyone is familiar with both and would have a good idea to give a comparison. Tuition and COL are just about equal after all is said and done. I'm interested in research, possibly PhD route, and also shelter medicine/ethics/research.

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[MixedAnimals77]

I have my own thoughts on both schools but am wondering if anyone is familiar with both and would have a good idea to give a comparison. Tuition and COL are just about equal after all is said and done. I'm interested in research, possibly PhD route, and also shelter medicine/ethics/research.

@vetmedhead @RedLauren CSU

@staff_wielder @raf2769 @Skimble UPenn

 

[staff_wielder]

@vetmedhead @RedLauren CSU

@staff_wielder @raf2769 @Skimble UPenn

I remember CSU being about 10-12k cheaper total cost of attendance wise last year, but maybe that's changed? I don't know your socio-economic background and whether 40k after 4 years + potential interest is enough of a factor for yourself. City living is more expensive than Fort Collins as I was set for CSU for a while and visited several times with my significant other at the time who was from CO. I calculated my cost of living to be higher than CSU's estimate for sure, though. Penn is strong for research, and the two professors in charge of the joint PhD program are great (I'm doing research with one of them). We have several people interested in public policy and the USDA and NIH main headquarters are closer to Penn than CSU. Can't comment much on how shelter med compares to CSU.

 

[roadtovetschool]

I remember CSU being about 10-12k cheaper total cost of attendance wise last year, but maybe that's changed? I don't know your socio-economic background and whether 40k after 4 years + potential interest is enough of a factor for yourself. City living is more expensive than Fort Collins as I was set for CSU for a while and visited several times with my significant other at the time who was from CO. I calculated my cost of living to be higher than CSU's estimate for sure, though. Penn is strong for research, and the two professors in charge of the joint PhD program are great (I'm doing research with one of them). We have several people interested in public policy and the USDA and NIH main headquarters are closer to Penn than CSU. Can't comment much on how shelter med compares to CSU.

Thank you for your input! I keep going back and forth- there are pros and cons to both but ultimately both are such great options (minus the exorbitant tuition at both!) and a good fit for me each in their own way.

 

[roadtovetschool]

So, I actually have a third option, Mississippi State. I'm from SC so it's my contract option (I couldn't apply to UGA because of their time limit that all prereq are completed within 10 years... I graduated 10 years ago ). I know everyone would say to go to MSUbecause it's so much cheaper l, however I am concerned I'll be so miserable there. The southern culture is hard to adapt to, I'm originally from IL, my s/o won't be able to move with me because there is nothing in Starkville for work, I don't like the curriculum (no academic electives, feels very much geared for GP), I don't feel like there are near as many options to explore different areas of vet med, especially within the research area. SO, my question is, IF I were to choose MSU, and it didn't work out after year 1, is there ever an option to transfer schools? Ive never seen anyone discuss it. I'm just so hesitant to pick a school I already am not excited about and then feel 'trapped' for 4 years. It's cheaper but it's still a lot of money if you aren't happy somewhere. Any thoughts/opinions welcome!

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

So, I actually have a third option, Mississippi State. I'm from SC so it's my contract option (I couldn't apply to UGA because of their time limit that all prereq are completed within 10 years... I graduated 10 years ago ). I know everyone would say to go to MSUbecause it's so much cheaper l, however I am concerned I'll be so miserable there. The southern culture is hard to adapt to, I'm originally from IL, my s/o won't be able to move with me because there is nothing in Starkville for work, I don't like the curriculum (no academic electives, feels very much geared for GP), I don't feel like there are near as many options to explore different areas of vet med, especially within the research area. SO, my question is, IF I were to choose MSU, and it didn't work out after year 1, is there ever an option to transfer schools? Ive never seen anyone discuss it. I'm just so hesitant to pick a school I already am not excited about and then feel 'trapped' for 4 years. It's cheaper but it's still a lot of money if you aren't happy somewhere. Any thoughts/opinions welcome!

It is possible to transfer to certain schools, but it's not easy. I have looked into transferring - off the top of my head, Penn, WSU, and TAMU take transfers. I am sure there are a few others, but a large chunk of vet schools don't accept transfer students. Those that do often have difficult requirements such as letters of recommendation from three of your first year professors (I know for me personally I don't at this point in first year have three professors that know me well enough to write a rec). If you decide to go to MSU, I would do it with the knowledge that you will probably be attending MSU all 4 years - don't count on being able to transfer.
I would encourage you to mess around with https://vetschoolbound.org/how-much-will-my-veterinary-education-cost/ and Student Debt Center - VIN to see what the difference in COA will be, especially with accrued interest, and how that difference will impact your debt load and paying it off. Just quickly crunching numbers with mostly default settings, MSU is 90k cheaper than CSU and 138k cheaper than Penn assuming you pay off your loans with REPAYE over 25 years. That is a significant amount of money that will affect your quality of life after graduation. The other thing I would point out is that, while there isn't a mind-blowing difference in the cost of the loan over 25 years, there is a big difference in how much debt will have accrued by the time you receive forgiveness: 322k at MSU, 620k at CSU, and 781k at Penn. The higher loan burden may affect your long term mental health, impact your career decisions, and prevent you from receiving loans for other things, such as a car, house, or starting your own practice. I would urge you to consider whether paying off all that extra money is worth 4 years of maybe liking where you are better. It would not be for me personally.

 

[SkiOtter]

there is a big difference in how much debt will have accrued by the time you receive forgiveness: 322k at MSU, 620k at CSU, and 781k at Penn. The higher loan burden may affect your long term mental health, impact your career decisions, and prevent you from receiving loans for other things, such as a car, house, or starting your own practice. I would urge you to consider whether paying off all that extra money is worth 4 years of maybe liking where you are better. It would not be for me personally.

And the more money that is forgiven, the bigger the tax bill at the end

 

[roadtovetschool]

I've looked at all the numbers, that's how much I don't want to go there that I'm crazy enough to even be considering the other 2. Although on the same note, I haven't ruled out MSU completely purely because of that cost difference. Ugh such a hard choice. I honestly thought I'd be lucky enough to get into one school, I wasn't anticipating having options.

 

[cheval12]

I've looked at all the numbers, that's how much I don't want to go there that I'm crazy enough to even be considering the other 2. Although on the same note, I haven't ruled out MSU completely purely because of that cost difference. Ugh such a hard choice. I honestly thought I'd be lucky enough to get into one school, I wasn't anticipating having options.

lol same exact boat. I was just hoping for ONE school, and now I have choices and idk what to do!

 

[roadtovetschool]

lol same exact boat. I was just hoping for ONE school, and now I have choices and idk what to do!

What are your choices?

 

[cheval12]

What are your choices?

I've narrowed it to Iowa State, Illinois, and Penn. I get IS tuition at Iowa State and IL, but Penn has such a great equine program ughhh

 

[SkiOtter]

I've narrowed it to Iowa State, Illinois, and Penn. I get IS tuition at Iowa State and IL, but Penn has such a great equine program ughhh

It’s not worth an extra 20-30k per year. That’s 80-120k BEFORE interest. You’ll get a great education wherever you go, but that much extra debt chained to you for 25 years and then a tax bill that is monumentally more than from an IS school just isn’t worth it, IMO.

 

[JaynaAli]

In regards to the OP's situation, I think the no-SO situation does require careful thought and could influence things, but the dislikes with the curriculum and fears of no exposure to research don't seem like real issues to me. No vet school has all that many opportunities to explore research. Yes, there are programs (summer research scholars) and there may be options to work in labs, but you are training to be a DVM, not a researcher. I would argue that the curriculum at MSU gives you MORE opportunities to explore non-GP careers because there is so much off-campus time. I don't know if there are lots of rules, but a quick scan on the website shows there are at least 31 WEEKS where you could be off doing externships in your interests. You know how many weeks I had? 16. You know how many off-campus rotations @WildZoo can take at UTK? I don't remember the exact number but it was even less. The courses seem geared to getting you to pass NAVLE. There may be fewer classroom electives, but that specific curriculum is more designed to let you get 'elective time' on rotations. The difference in debt [total COA+ accrued interest at graduation] between in-state MissSU and CSU/Penn is (according to VIN, clearly there may be some other factors) 150,000-280,000. That. is. not. worth. it. Take it even from someone with way less debt than average, those loans will affect your everyday life, especially that that level. Go to the cheapest school, try to have a good attitude about the south, and make the best of it. Vet school is largely what you make it anyway.