I need help with birds and collage

ParrotLover2001

New member
Dec 20, 2016
931
12
In my parents house
Parrots
A cockatiel, a bourke, and three budgies
So I'm almost 16, meaning just two more years till collage! Because I don't trust my family to care for my birds (they've been teasing about feed them to the dog and cat. And there is a good chance they will forget about them.) I have decided to go to college in state. (I live about 20 minutes away from the closest collage.) unfortunately I have to go out of state for vet school! (Because My state sucks!!!) Do they allow you to bring pets? Or do I have to do something I will regret (leaving them with my family, giving them away, I don't want to do this stuff.)
I love my birds I don't want to get rid of them, I have no friends so no one can watch them while I'm gone. I need help.


Sent from my iPod touch
 

Flboy

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2014
12,598
4,101
Greater Orlando area, Florida
Parrots
JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
Good to plan, and local college so much smarter for many reasons! Assuming 4 years local and still 2 years in high school, you are looking at 6 years before veteran!
Looking at it this way, you really have a lot of time to do a lot of planning! Enjoy today!
 

GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month πŸ†
May 14, 2016
15,045
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Cleveland area
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The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
Good for you, for planning and reaching out. I love how you love your birds. In fact, I think I just really like you a lot, in general. :)
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,643
10,007
Western, Michigan
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DYH Amazon
So I'm almost 16, meaning just two more years till collage! Because I don't trust my family to care for my birds (they've been teasing about feed them to the dog and cat. And there is a good chance they will forget about them.) I have decided to go to college in state. (I live about 20 minutes away from the closest collage.) unfortunately I have to go out of state for vet school! (Because My state sucks!!!) Do they allow you to bring pets? Or do I have to do something I will regret (leaving them with my family, giving them away, I don't want to do this stuff.)
I love my birds I don't want to get rid of them, I have no friends so no one can watch them while I'm gone. I need help.


Sent from my iPod touch

Regarding College:

Assure that the Regional College you are considering can /do transfer course credit hours to the Vet School you are planning on attending. It is not unheard of for some Regional Colleges to not meet the course hour credit standard of the National College standards. In addition, if they do transfer (At Full Hour Rate) some courses may not. So, you will want to avoid taking those course.

In addition, all Colleges try to push Students into taking 'Junk Courses' that have no Life Value, short of sounding kind of neat! Those course only steal valuable time and money from you. And, you have no want to waste either your time of money!

There are required base 101 level courses that you must take! That said: If you find a Professor recommending that you continue additional course study in one of these areas that Do Not Directly Support Your Long Term Goal, RUN!!! That Professor is Not helping You! Only Filling Seats!

All of this brings us to this one Point: If Your Goal is Vet School. With the Exception of the Required base 101 level courses, do not take any courses that are not directly related to your Goal: Vet School.

That All Said: I am guessing that your Major will likely be Pre-Med. But, double check that with your targeted Vet School. FYI: Any Recommendations regarding course study from the Vet School is the only thing that should trump what I have stated here!

Now, just to make your life a bit more crazy. I am a Strong Believer in having Two Majors! One is clearly Pre-Med (Vet School) and the other is a Life Value Major rooted in the Solid Sciences: Math, English (Writing Studies), any of the Sciences specific to your Major. But avoid any and all Ocean Bio Course. Stay far and clear of those area! Think: Waste of your Money and Time!!!

FYI: Up to and in some cases much greater than 50% of Freshmen Level students to not or barely complete their first half of the Freshmen year!!! The Grade Point Average that you achieve in this year either sets you up for success or it eats away at your overall Grade Point Average until you complete Vet School! Your Target for this first year is not less than 4.+ in all courses.

Parrots and College!

Dorms! Some do and some do not! Vet School will likely allow Birds. I am guessing that you will stay at home when attending your Regional College as a means of saving money.

Jobs!

You need to get a job working in or around your Major (Vet School). Most students head for Vet College are likely already working in Vet Clinics, Animal Shelters, Pet Stores, etc... The more hands on Clinic level hours you can get from now until you enter Vet School the Better.

Likely more information that you have planned on getting! But if your Life Goal is to be a Vet, you must value any information /experience you get as to whether it supports or costs you time and money you need to support your Life Goal!!
 
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GaleriaGila

Well-known member
Parrot of the Month πŸ†
May 14, 2016
15,045
8,742
Cleveland area
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The Rickeybird, 38-year-old Patagonian Conure
Thank you, Mr. Boat. Very helpful. I strongly agree about the double major and the related job.
 

JBassset

New member
Oct 18, 2016
205
5
Boise
Parrots
3 year old GC Conure
13 year old B&G Macaw
I wanted to be a vet when I was a kid. I found a local vet that would let me volunteer my time with him. That way if I applied to veterinary school he could certify that I had the time in etc. I wound up learning that no, I didn't want to be a vet, but it was a great experience and I would suggest you look into doing something similar.

Beyond that, it's very rare to find campus housing that will allow pets. I work at a mid major and all of the schools in our area have strict "no pet" policies. Most will overlook a small fish bowl but anything beyond a gallon is pretty much grounds for getting kicked out of housing.

No rodents, no dogs, no cats and NO birds. Once in a while someone sneaks a rat or something in but as long as it's quiet and clean nobody notices so it gets by. But a bird of any kind is gonna make noise and that's not going to get overlooked.

You're basically looking to off campus housing if you want to bring them.

A vet program may have it's own housing and may have different rules. It's not unheard of for specialty programs to have their own dorm block and allow things that aren't allowed in general housing. Our Honors College allows much more leeway (and larger rooms!) than general housing does.
 

BeatriceC

New member
Feb 9, 2016
1,351
91
San Diego, CA
Parrots
Goofy (YNA), Oscar (Goffin 'too). Foster bird Betty (RLA). RIP Cookie, 1991-2016 ('tiel), Leo (Sengal), Charlotte (scarlet macaw). Grand-birds: Liam (budgie), Donovan (lovebird), RIP Angelo (budgie)
As a former college professor, I'm going to say that the chances you'll find on campus housing that will allow birds is practically nil. However, off campus housing might be an option, depending on finances. Finding an apartment or a rental house to share with a few other students might work. When I was in university and grad school I shared a 4 bedroom house with 7 other people (two people per bedroom). It was a really nice house is a really nice area (Coral Gables, FL), and splitting the rent and utilities 8 ways made the $1500/mo in rent and utilities pretty darned manageable (it would be a lot higher now...university for me was over 20 years ago). The trick is finding that many people you can live with for that long and who are reliable. My first group stayed together for three years, and it was amazing. Our landlord allowed us to have two cats, two dogs and an iguana between us.

Now, once you get through undergrad and into vet school you're going to have a different issue, and that is time. The daughter of a friend of mine is starting her last year of vet school in Washington State this year. She doesn't have to work because of a massive wrongful death settlement regarding her father a number of years ago. The settlement pays for everything and then some. Even without working, she's putting in 14 hour days at school and in clinicals. That doesn't leave any real time to care for pets, let alone needy animals like parrots. This is still doable, but you'll want to consider the time commitments, and look into possibly hiring a parrot nanny during those years.
 

Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
9,789
San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
I salute your ambition to become a vet and loyalty to your fids! A terrible shame your family taunts to the degree you perceive the fids lives would be endangered.

As Sailboat suggested, a compromise that allows you to achieve general education requirements at a local community college has merit. You must, however, advocate for yourself and not entirely trust school counselors to have an awareness of the final institution requirements.

For some vocations and institutions pedigree is important. Where you achieved undergraduate education and the timeliness of completion matters greatly. If you plan to transfer, make darned sure to comply with all requirements to avoid greatly wasted time and money! In my profession, the mere attainment of any bachelors degree from an accredited college is golden. Veterinary medicine is likely very different!

Finally, you will eventually face the time crunch and housing dilemma depicted by Beatrice. The good news is you are planning early and this will permit the widest variety of options. Perhaps your parents will have a change of heart!
 

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