Hey so I was admitted to OSU and NCSU for Zoology. I’m OOS for both and both will cost relatively the same amount to go to. I would also be in the honors program if I went to oregon state, but I am still on the waitlist for nc state’s honors program (but if nc state’s zoology major is way better then I don’t mind not being in the honors program).
For more context, I don’t want to be a veterinarian, I am planning on getting a PhD in the future and going into an animal conservation research field, and I am also considering herpetology as a more specific field. I generally prefer ecology and animal behavior to anatomy and physiology, though I am looking forward to taking classes on all of them (I’m just saying). I am also interested in environmental policy and will probably try to minor in something related to that. Which college should I choose?
Is proximity to home not an issue? These are at opposite ends of the country so just wondering. If they cost the same, I would definitely consider NCSU due to its reputation in this area of study (even if you’re not going to be a vet). I’m not very familiar with Oregon State but I do know that if you have a really specific type of science major you enjoy, NCSU is a fantastic place for that.
Also, in terms of research opportunities nearby, NCSU is hard to beat. Not only are you in the state capitol, but the Research Triangle Park is huge in terms of science opportunities. Looking at the population and location of Corvallis, I’m not sure there would be as many opportunities so close by.
However, I am an NC resident (despite not applying to NCSU as I’m an undecided major) and not very familiar with Oregon State, so I hope someone more familiar with OSU chimes in!
My son picked NC State for the wildlife & conservation biology major, it’s in CNR which feels like a smaller college within the university. NCSU also has a small but growing Applied Ecology department which might interest you, you can minor in that and I think it actually requires a semester of research experience. In general it seems like they try to get students into both research and career experiences as much as possible, depending on your career goals. My son loves the vibe there and picked it over both VT and UNC (we are in-state). I’d say look at the classes both schools offer for the majors and minors you are thinking of and see which ones look more exciting and interesting to you!
Wouldn’t it be better to go to a lower cost undergraduate school in California (if you have in-state residency in California) or Alabama (if you can get a large merit scholarship which several colleges there offer for stats) so that you can save money for expensive veterinary school?
I meant, to get there from your home.
If you live in California, getting to Oregon should be doable by car or train, probably cheaper than by plane, but then how do you get to campus?
For NC, you’d have to pay for the plane ticket, so look at costs, especially if you hope to go back for Thanksgiving and will have high cost plane tickets then in addition to Christmas.
The perks of the Oregon State Honors program would likely lead to smaller classes which could lead to more personalized letters of recommendation and research opportunities, both crucial to get into a PHD.
What’s your net cost* at each?
*net cost = (tuition, fees, room, board) - (grants, scholarships)
Does your parents’ budget cover the OOS costs?
Well I mean, I live in LA and there’s no way my mom can take time off to drive me up there, so I will be shipping my stuff and flying to a college either way. And my mom might move to another state anyhow while I’m in college as well, so travel across states isn’t something I am thinking about right now. As for net cost, it’s around 25,000$ for both. I was waitlisted at the in-state schools I applied to, hence why I’m asking about OSU and NCSU. I’m really just asking about which program is better, I’m not really focusing on the cost for this specific thread right now, but thank you!
I’m not going to vet school but I am planning on getting a phd so I see what you mean. I was waitlisted from the in-state colleges I applied to, otherwise I would have made up my mind already. I am definitely leaning towards applying to schools that will be in-state for me for grad school too, but i’m not exactly focusing on that right at this moment. I am more asking about zoology program differences between OSU and NCSU and which one I should go to based on the above info.
I am eligible, but they gave me the provost scholarship instead. My costs for OSU might change because they haven’t finished giving out other scholarships that I had to apply for (and if that is the case then I will go to oregon), but if I don’t then both colleges are about 25,000$ (yes I know it’s a lot but for the sake of focus, I am just wondering about the specific programs I am interested at each school).