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Tony Bartels, DVM, MBA

Dr. Tony Bartels graduated in 2012 from the Colorado State University combined MBA/DVM program and is an employee of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) and a VIN Foundation Board member. He and his wife have more than $400,000 in veterinary-school debt that they manage using federal income-driven repayment plans. By necessity (and now obsession), his professional activities include researching and speaking on veterinary-student debt, providing guidance to colleagues on loan-repayment strategies and contributing to VIN Foundation initiatives.

VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | COVID Repayment Restart | Veterinary Student Debt Help

COVID-19 Student Loan Repayment Restart

COVID-19 Student Loan Repayment Relief Ending: Strategies for Re-entering Repayment Since March 13, 2020, borrowers with federally held student loans have received student loan repayment relief. Interest rates have been set to zero percent, payments have been suspended, and for those using income-driven repayment or working towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the suspension time has […]

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Webinar | Repay Wiser: choose the right student loan repayment strategy for your situation to save time and money

The First Two Years of Student Loan Repayment for Veterinarians

Graduating Veterinary Students: Here’s what the first two years of student loan repayment can look like using an Income-Driven Repayment strategy Student loan repayment is financially and emotionally stressful. The earlier you have a student loan repayment strategy, the more time, money, and stress you can save yourself throughout repayment. As a veterinary student and

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | Aspiring Veterinarians Apply Smarter

For the Aspiring Veterinarian – Apply Smarter!

Veterinary medicine is experiencing a student debt crisis. Yes, many higher education graduates experience loan repayment hardship; however the magnitude affecting recent veterinary graduates is unique.  Every day I counsel pending and recent graduates through the Veterinary Information Network (VIN) and via VIN Foundation who report student debt balances in excess of $200,000, $300,000, $400,000, and $500,000 with incomes between

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | Apply Smarter Q&A: Veterinary School Application Questions

Apply Smarter Q&A: Vet School Application Questions

Below we highlight a few frequently asked pre-veterinary school questions and provide detailed answers about VETERINARY SCHOOL APPLICATION:We also have frequently asked questions and detailed answers about veterinary student loans and veterinary income. “The GRE is not required at some veterinary schools because of COVID, any idea if that’s gonna be permanent or if they

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | Apply Smarter Q&A: Veterinary School Student Loan Financial Aid

Apply Smarter Q&A: Student Loans and Financial Aid

Here are some questions and detailed answers about Student Loans and Financial Aid asked during Apply Smarter webinars. We also covered questions and answers about veterinary school application and veterinary income. “What is a “standard” amount of financial aid offered by vet schools? I know it varies a lot, but would you say it’s easy

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | Apply Smarter Q&A: Veterinary School Veterinary Income

Apply Smarter Q&A: Veterinary Income

Here are some questions and detailed answers about Veterinary Income asked during the Apply Smarter webinars. We also covered questions and answers about veterinary school application and veterinary student loans. “I’ve heard that it is very tough to have a job while attending vet school? Is it because the program is intense?” Yes, the curriculum

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | COVID-19 impact to your student loans

COVID-19 Impact to Your Student Loans

CARES Act federal student loan relief explained! — UPDATE, April 30, 2020 — Since VIN and VIN Foundation held a free webinar to explain how the recent CARES Act and the Department of Education guidance on student loan relief for federal student loan borrowers impacts veterinary student loan borrowers, we have had several questions come in.  The most common

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VIN Foundation | Supporting veterinarians to cultivate a healthy animal community | Blog | Should I refinance my Federal Student Loans?

Should I Refinance My Federal Student Loans?

HOW TO KNOW IF OR WHEN YOU SHOULD REFI YOUR FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS Managing your veterinary student debt can be as emotionally charged as managing patients. But, in finances as in medicine, the best decisions are evidence-based. The bombardment of marketing campaigns encouraging you to refinance your federal student loans into a private loan(s) can

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A better use of associate and employer funds

Employer Assisted Student Loan Repayment Benefits for Veterinarians

We have run thousands of student-loan repayment simulations for veterinarians in an effort to help them navigate their student loans and repayment options. The results have shown for situations where student debt exceeds income, the most flexible and financially beneficial repayment strategies are counterintuitive.Contrary to conventional wisdom, loans with shorter terms and lower interest rates don’t necessarily

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