It’s the culmination of your lifelong dream- you are finally applying to vet school! Congratulations! It is an exciting and scary time. You are starting to make substantial decisions which will affect your life and career. Some people may fret over where to apply to vet school. Fortunately, it’s a surprisingly simple decision-making matrix.
Is there a state school where you live? If yes, apply there. You do not want to pay more for your educational than absolutely necessary. Your in-state school is probably the least expensive option.
If there is not a state school, does your state participate in cooperative program with another vet school, such as Delaware with Georgia or WICHE (Western Interstate Commission for Higher education) with several western schools? If yes, apply to the associated school.
Is there something odd about your application that may make it difficult to get into your state school? If yes, you may apply to out-of-state schools, private schools, and overseas schools. Realize that the tremendous financial cost of these options may be a monkey on your back for most of your life.
That’s it. There’s no consideration of ranking. You know what they call the person who graduated from the bottom-ranked school in the country? “Doctor.” You can get a good education anywhere and you can get a bad education anywhere- it is up to the individual student. This isn’t law or politics. Your employer will not care from where you graduated. Keep your costs down. Graduate debt-free if possible. Then enjoy your full, free life.