Wonderful News/The Hardest Decision of my life thusfar

[Kater]

Today in the mail I got two FAT envelopes that I never expected to get! They were acceptance letters for U. Mass. Amherst and U. Wis. Madison WEEKS late!! Now I have like zero time to decide between the two as our decisions are due May 1!! This is insanity!! I want to major in Animal Science at one of these schools but I really didn't expect to be making this decision ---I had all but given up on these schools as it was SO LATE! I need some input from all you animal science majors, vets or anybody who knows about the animal science programs at these schools! HELP!!


If you don't know much about the schools tell me how I can better evaluate these programs! I have visited U Mass and love it there but have been told that U Wis is overall a better school/more challenging school! I need your input! I value your thoughts as fellow TRUE ANIMAL LOVERS.

I know at both schools I would be free to express myself as an anti- factory farming invidual but I also get the impression that U Wis is more "activist" overall!

WHAT TO DO WHAT TO DO!!!!!

~Kater!!! Master KATER!!!!!

[aly]

Sorry, I don't know much about either school. I do know a little about Univ. of Wis, but not enough to try to give you advice. I just wanted to say that whatever decision you make I'm sure will be a good one. I am going to get an animal science degree too, but not until after my canine behavior internship. I'm excited!

[Ann]

Living in Sweden, I haven't even heard of those schools, but I still just wanted to post and wish you good luck! You are very lucky to have the oppurtunity to go to a school like this, so be proud!

[delidog]

on the mainland...as the saying goes...the best vet schools to go to are as follows:

University of Pennsylvania
Colorado State University
University of Florida at Gainesville
California State...Davis University
Cornell
University of Virginia...not sure of exact name

these schools offer both large and small animal medicine....
you say animal science...do you want to be a vet????
i am sure there are more out there....but as far as being on the cutting edge of veterinary medicine....these are the best...
pa.,co.davis,gainesville,and cornell being the best with the best facilities......cornell is by far the coldest!!!

[RachelJ]

The University of Wisconsin is located in downtown Madison. It is an attractive city, and the campus is more or less integrated with the down town area as opposed to being in a separate location off by itself.

Congratulations on your acceptances, and let us know what you decide.

[Karen]

Don't know anything about the animal sciences program there. I do know that UMass Amherst is a big school, so feels almost like a city, but in a lovely rural New England area. (And you'd be only a 2-hour drive from us/Boston, a couple hours away from NY city ...) The kind of education you get there depends largely on you - if you are easily distracted, it might not be the place for you. It has large activist communities, that I know. There are groups for almost anything you could think of - but that may be true of all large Universities.

Tell ya what, I work with someone who went to Madison - here's his input:

Hi there! Glad to be here. Reading Karen's review of Amherst, I think it applies to Madison as well. Both are very good schools with great programs, a lot of diversity, and a breadth of culture. Madison, too, is a place where a student can easily get lost (for better and for worse). I went there for grad school, and was lost in the library for years instead, but I was always jealous of the undergraduates -- I wanted to have my Madison experience when I was younger! My vote, all other things being equal, would be Madison -- but I'm biased and also a complete stranger, so don't take my word for it. Visit. The school and the town speak for themselves.

[K9karen]

HI! HOPE I'M NOT TOO LATE! Just spoke to my friend, familar with the U of Wisconsin. She's partial but said it's a fabulous school almost like a city within itself, very international, people from all over. She said that it'll be freezing in the winter, but so will Mass probably. I'ts close to Milwaukee and Chicago. It has a great reputation. BUT I'm sure UM.Amhurst is too!! Just like Mayor Karen said. Hmmm tough decision..2 great schools...I guess the only way to pick is to check out which has a better progam in Animal Science. If you are going to be a vet, thank you one and all, I have to humbly agree, the UofP is awesome. Very innovative, I believe it's a "teaching school" so lots of state of the art stuff. I'm sure you will make the right decsion and lots of luck. If I knew then what I know now, I would have been a vet and just learn to love science and math. Lets us know the outcome!!!

[gini]

I can be of absolutely no help - but I did want to say a huge congratulations. Acceptance from two fine schools is a true honor! Please let us know what you decide.

[Daisylover]

Originally posted by gini
I can be of absolutely no help - but I did want to say a huge congratulations. Acceptance from two fine schools is a true honor! Please let us know what you decide.

I don't know either school either but I always heard that Tufts had the best animal school.
Michigan State has a highly rated program as well.

[Kater]

I'm learning towards U. Wis. Madison for many reasons and I'll be mailing off that acceptance letter today! Thanks for all the kind words and sound advice..... I do hope to go to UC Davis if my calling is veterinary medicine after these first four years. It's great to see your dreams become a reality! man oh man!!!

~Katerrrrrrrr

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I know this is late, but just wanted to say congratulations, kater! I don't think you'll regret your decision to go to WI. I went to a private college in WI, but I'm partial to everything in WI since that is where I'm originally from. I've never heard anything bad about Madison, and have only heard rave reviews. I'm sure the other schools are good too, but I think you've made a wise choice. And the winters aren't all that bad....then again....coming from Hawaii, you might want to stock up on a lot of sweaters!!!

[delidog]

i don't know....you might want to rethink that un.of wis. thing....did you see the arrest of the pipe bomber today????? what school he attending????
not to suggest that all students at univ. of wis. are pipe bombers...
but i bet that school will be under serious surveillance for the next year or so...or until he is sentenced.....
might not be such a fun place to attend right now....
that school will be seriously affected by this

[AmberLee]

I could be wrong (the lord knows that happens often enough!) but I thought that the Pipe bomber had been a student at the UW Menominee campus and that KateR was thinking of going to the UW Madison campus. There will be some disruption, but relatively light, I'd think. (Menominee caught my eye: my dad was born in Menominee, Michigan and I keep rereading the article as I didn't know there was a Menominee, Wisconsin, too...)

For what it's worth...

[Edwina's Secretary]

Actually, he went to the University of Wisconsin - Stout. The main campus of the University of Wisconsin is in Madison (gorgeous too I might add.) In the late 60's early 70's it was a hotbed of student radicals. I believe it was SDS who blew up a couple of buildings there, including the Math building. There was at least one death. In college I dated a guy who went on to graduate school there and he showed me the bullet holes, etc.

Anyway, UofW has a system, similar to California I think, of various campus throughout the state. When I heard "Stout" on the news last night that was a new one to me. I looked it up and it is pretty far north in Wisconsin which makes sense because the guy is actually from Minnesota. (This is a "local" story so it is getting lots of coverage here.) His father was interviewed and of course, his son is a good boy and just wanted to get his message out (PLEEEASSE!)

In any case UofW - Madison is still somewhat radical. Wisconsin has sort of a split personality -- Madison -- state capital and sometimes called Moscow of the Midwest and the rest of the state.

[AmberLee]

Good to know. Thanks.

I dug out my atlas. There IS a Menomonie, WI, but the news reports here spelled it Menominee, like the town in Michigan. (Go figure )

Do you think there will be disruption on the Madison campus due to all this?

Note: Our responses to the father's remarks were almost identical!

{{{Hugs to Sara and Edwina!}}}