Successful Applicant Stats Class of 2016

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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squirrelsrule

squirrelsrule

Ohio State CVM c/o 2016!
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Since I don't need to wait to hear from the other schools I applied to since I got into my number 1 first :soexcited:, I'll get this thread started :D

First time applicant, 25 years old, Female, Ohio resident.
Applied: Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Tennessee
Apps withdrawn: Wisconsin and Tennessee
Still waiting: None
Interview: Ohio State
Accepted: Ohio State c/o 2016!

Cum GPA @ time of application: 3.99
Last 45 credit hrs: 4.0
Science GPA @ time of application: 4.0
GRE: 1280. 730q, 550v, 5.0 AW

Veterinary Experience:
-765 hours working at a small animal emergency clinic as a vet assistant (on VMCAS, but I continued working there after submitting and got over 1000 hours there total)
-120 hours shadowing at a small animal clinic
-20 hours shadowing a traveling small animal vet
-7 hours shadowing an equine vet (yes, I put it on VMCAS even though it was only 7 hours, the clinic was 2 hours from my house and she only accepted people interested in equine to shadow more than once, but she let non equine people come out for one day if they'd like to get a feel for it, so that's what I did.

Animal Experience:
-7300 hours wildlife rehabilitation at my own non-profit that I set up. I take in about 150 animals a year and am the sole caretaker of all of them. Wildlife rehab is what led me to vet medicine! I absolutely love wildlife rehab with all my heart!
-600 hours volunteering at a petting zoo that had all kinds of exotics (bobcat, camels, zebra-crosses, prairie dogs, kangaroo, and then more typical goats, sheep, and horses)
-40 hours working as a kennel assistant while the owner went on vacation
-I also have at least 1000 hours in wildlife rehab volunteering and completing an internship at a wildlife center, but I put it under community activities so the hours weren't recorded.


Extracurricular/Community Activities:
-I listed the volunteering at the wildlife center in this section but was actually animal experience :rolleyes:
-Ranger Kid Commander at my church (similar to boy scouts).

eLORS:
-1 vet from the SA emergency clinic I was a vet assistant at
-The small animal traveling vet
-One of my biology professors from undergrad that I go birdwatching with each spring, he's been trying to talk me into grad school for years so he was very eager to write me an elor.

Awards and Honors:
-High school valedictorian
-Dean's list every semester
-Softball MVP- just a community league, but I listed it anyways :)
-Excellence in Science award (awarded to one graduating senior and nominated by the professors)
-Graduated Summa Cum Laude with my bachelor's of science degree at the age of 18 (I was a post-secondary student and completed three years of college in my last 2 years of high school and then finished up the year after graduating high school)

I am so excited to be going to Ohio State :soexcited:.
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Congrats on boosting your hours Squirrels. If I remember correctly you had to really scrounge for vet hours for this cycle, so it is impressive that you managed to get so many. I am also really impressed that you have your own rehab place! That must be such a challenge, but so rewarding too.

Congratulations on getting in!
 
Thanks :). I was scrounging for hours when I first thought about applying, but then I quit my job at the electronics place and got a job at an emergency clinic as a vet assistant. Worked there full time Feb-Nov :thumbup:. I still work some weekends and am grateful for the experience, but it wasn't the most pleasant place to work :(

The rehabbing is a ton of work and was my main concern last year because I didn't want to give it up, but needed vet hours, but the job switch did the trick. I managed to still take in 130 animals this past year on top of taking 3 classes (2 spring and 1 fall class) and working full time. It's a lot of work, but I love it so much! No babies now that it's winter and I miss rehabbing sooooooooooooooooooooo much. Soon we'll be in full swing with baby creatures again though :). Giving up rehabbing is gonna be the hardest part of vet school for me.
 
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I suppose I will post here as well since I sent my acceptance letter back to CSU yesterday!

Second time applicant, Colorado resident
Applied: Colorado, UC Davis, Kansas, Washington State, Edinburgh, RVC, Massey
Interview offers: Washington (declined), Kansas (offered after I received a rejection- I declined because I got in at CSU)
Still waiting: Davis, RVC, Apparently Massey didn't get my supplemental paper though I will be withdrawing my application (EDIT: withdrew Massey and RVC, denied Davis)
Accepted: Colorado and Edinburgh
Attending: CSU

Cum GPA: 3.6 (I stated 3.59 on the "What are my chances" thread, but one of my professors made a mistake entering my grades, so I actually graduated with a 3.6- not that .1% means much...)
Last 45 credit hrs: 3.55
Science GPA: did not have to calculate for the places I applied
GRE: 1st round 470 V, 530 Q, 3.5 A 2nd 580 V, 590 Q, 4 A (I stink at math and standardized tests:p)

Veterinary Experience:
- 6 hr observing equine recognition of pregnancy study
- 1020 hr experience in research lab under a veterinarian where we work with horses, mice, and sheep doing everything from palpating, placing intra-cranial catheters, notching and weening mice litters,and ovariectomizing sheep
-15 hr equine
- 340 hr spay and neuter clinics
- 1106 hr small/exotic clinic
- 7 hr zoo in France (I got to take a lion's temperature!)
- 45 hr small animal vet that specialized in physical rehab
- 2 hr bison embryo transfer

Animal Experience:
- ~ 5000 hr shelter experience (worked and volunteered at several shelters since I was 12)
- 50 hr kennel technician
- 7 hr rescuing baby sea turtles in Mexico
- 80 hr wildlife conservation in Costa Rica monitoring poison dart frogs and bottlenose and spotted dolphins
- 10 hr preparing piglets for 4H

Employment:
- Research associate
- barista
- orientation leader
- Research lab tech

Extracurriculars:
- 3yr volunteering for the Colorado Winter Special Olympics
- pre-vet club
- craft club
- many,many, many other random volunteer activities

eLORS:
- Vet from my current research lab
- Physics Professor
- Co-director of the animal shelter I work at on weekends
- The PI and former head of the department of the lab I worked in through undergrad (she had a phD so I couldn't list any of those hours under vet experience)

I decided not to waive my right to see their LORs because when I was denied last year I was told who wrote good letters and who only wrote OK ones. However my vet was a little offended by this.

Awards and Honors:
-Deans list several semesters
- co-valedictorian at my high school
- NIH fellowship for research
- jewelry design scholarship
- volunteer awards
- other random things

I was able to double my vet experience hours between the last time I applied and this round. It was also mostly large animal related which CSU told me I was lacking last year (only had about 6 :oops:). I decided not to do a Masters program in my year off because I figured my gpa was fine. I also decided not to re-take the GRE though it might have been smart if I had. Oh well... I am SO excited to be on the road to being a VET!:soexcited:
 
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Short time lurker (actually just found out about this place a few weeks ago!), but I also accepted my CSU offer! :D

Colorado Resident, first-time applicant
Applied: CSU only :cool:
Interview offers: None - CSU doesn't do them (silent yays have commenced)
Accepted: wait for it...CSU! No way.
Attending: Also the one and only CSU. Finishing up undergrad this year in Equine Sciences.

Cum GPA: 3.54
Last 45 credit hrs: 3.75
Science GPA: no idea (didn't have to worry about it)
I want to note here, since it doesn't really show on my GPA: I failed general chemistry- like, I took an F in the class failed. I took it my freshman year and with an extreme lack of study skills, combined with my personal hatred and general incompetency in chemistry as a whole, it was overwhelming. I ended up with something like a 2.7 GPA at the end of my first semester- I got at least one C in another (non-science) class, and some Bs. I ended up re-taking the class as a repeat-delete option, worked my tail off, and ended up with a B. So, obviously, it's not the end of the world if you don't start off well - just show that you can keep getting better.

GRE: V 560 Q 580 A 5.0


Veterinary Experience:
~ 1900 hrs working as a research lab assistant/chores person deluxe for a vet involved in research on Equine Herpesvirus-1 Myeloencephalopathy. Great experience, but the (extremely extensive) undergrad thesis I did on it killed me. I really, really hope I never have to count viral plaques under a scope again.
However, I'm going to miss the kick out of answering the question "Do you have herpes now because of your research?" with whatever will make people :scared:. Hahaha.
~ 300 hrs learning (as a client) more than I wanted to know about equine lameness as my horse has struggled through a 3-year chronic problem that we can't figure out. I was a little on the fence about putting this on my application since it was on my own animal, but apparently it wasn't an issue.
~ 60 hrs performing small animal vaccinations/field healthcare with a variety of vets in Soweto, South Africa as part of a study abroad program. Also had the ability to participate in game darting exercises and treatment of a pride of lions and a hurt wildebeest in other parts of the same country.
- 20 hrs shadowing my hometown equine field vets throughout middle school and high school.
- 10 hrs checking vitals at a very hot, very loonnnggg eventing trial.


Animal Experience:
~ 4000 hrs as a 4-H and horse show junkie child throughout middle and high school. I showed my horses fairly extensively (through breed shows as well) and had a market lamb project for quite a few years.
~ 1000 hrs working as a wrangler (aka listing reasons why one could not ride a horse in high heels/miniskirts/with umbrellas/if under 1 year of age...true stories, all of them) for a trail-ride business
- 300 hrs as a team member of my university's ranch horse versatility club - I showed for 2 years.
- 120 hrs on the univ's horse judging team.
- 50 hrs attending lectures/hands on workshops for the pre-vet club.


Employment:
- organic farm worker
- movie theater concessions slave
(the rest were listed under animal/vet experience)


Extracurriculars:
- Volunteer at a rural hospital in Tanzania, East Africa (long story, I spent a year of my childhood there and it was on a return visit)
- A whole bunch of random crap including Pre-Vet Club, 4-H show ring steward, volunteering for the horse judging team/ranch horse team/5ks/local triathlons and my avid interests in bouldering and ski racing among other outdoor ways of breaking oneself.


eLORS:
- Vet from my research lab
- Vet/Prof from my Equine Disease/Nutrition classes (I also was a teaching assistant for her)
- Employer/Owner of the trail ride stables I worked at


Awards and Honors:
- Deans list for a few semesters here and there
- Colorado Youth Ambassador for my horse-show breed club affiliation
- Member Excellence Award - same horse club
- A whole crapload of 4-H scholarships
- College Honors for poster presentation of my research projects
- Honors Scholarships/Awards (one I got for my South Africa experience)

I have a large interest in international vet med (and rural vet med) due to some experiences I had as a kid in Tanzania - I've been to Africa 3 times now and its so interesting to me to compare the quality of animal healthcare between the US and Tanzania/South Africa.


Honestly, I really wasn't sure if I would get in this cycle - I've always had the vet med dream but you all know how it is, especially given the fact I only applied to CSU, first application cycle, yada yada all that crap. Looking back, I probably should have applied to more schools, but my heart wouldn't have been broken if I didn't get in the first year. I had a few ideas as far as maybe pursuing an MPH etc, and then applying the year after to a bunch more schools.
However, it worked out, I saved a ton of money on applications, and I'm getting in-state tuition, so go me?! ;)

Edited because I'm apparently brain-damaged when it comes to posting things on the internet.
 
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Foxtrot I bet I know you through the pre-vet club or anatomy last year ( I TA'd it). Now I am really curious about who you are:) Oh well I guess I will figure it out at orientation.
 
Maybe...that would be really funny! I wasn't involved much past soph year in Pre-Vet club and took anatomy my freshman year, but we pre-vets are a small(ish) group! Can't wait for orientation.
 
Fireflysushi said:
I decided not to waive my right to see their LORs because when I was denied last year I was told who wrote good letters and who only wrote OK ones.
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Congrats on your acceptance!!! This is actually something I was wondering about - if I did not waive my right to see my letters, at what point CAN I see those letters? haha
 
Wait, what is the purpose of this thread? It seems like a self-congratulatory pat on the back to me. Is this really going to help those applicants that don't get into vet school this year?
 
Hi, ASUprevet! This is a pretty common thread that appears after every application cycle.

For some, it's good to see the individual stats of those who've received offers rather than looking at general averages per school, etc.

I found the previous years threads very helpful in showing me where I was deficient when it came to my application and to give me ideas as to how to improve.

I think if you look at the previous threads, you'll see that there's a lot more "holy crap I can't believe I got in with my GPA/GRE/experience/whatever!" than there is bragging or back-patting!
 
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ASUprevet said:
Wait, what is the purpose of this thread? It seems like a self-congratulatory pat on the back to me. Is this really going to help those applicants that don't get into vet school this year?
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It shows the stats of those who are successful, thus giving future applicants a better idea of what certain schools look for. I'm sure once March-April rolls around, we'll have more posts in this thread, some of which will undoubtedly have lower GPAs, less experience, etc. I know I looked at last year's Successful Applicants thread when trying to figure out what my chances were.
*pats Squirrels, Foxtrot, & Firefly on the back* <---- and some of this, too :laugh:
 
ASUprevet said:
Wait, what is the purpose of this thread? It seems like a self-congratulatory pat on the back to me. Is this really going to help those applicants that don't get into vet school this year?
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If you wait a while, more people will post. Right now, the folks we have posting here are really amazing applicants with perfect stats. After a bit, others will post that did not have perfect stats but still managed to get in somewhere (like myself). So it shows all the sorts of applicants that are accepted.

You should do a search for last year's thread and flip through. :)
 
ASUprevet said:
Wait, what is the purpose of this thread? It seems like a self-congratulatory pat on the back to me. Is this really going to help those applicants that don't get into vet school this year?
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This thread last year helped me figure out that I needed way more vet hours than I had thought to be a more definite choice. I was only looking at having 200-250 hours and I thought that was great, til I saw this thread last year! Got me to get out there and find a job as a vet tech and quit my job at the electronics place.

And I disagree that we're perfect. I was worried about getting in this try, thought I'd have to reapply next year, especially after they made me wait so long after my interview before accepting me. And look fireflysushi's stats are awesome and this is their second time applying, so they got rejected last year. This is like a heads up thread to show the people who got in and their stats so you know where you stand. We only have a couple so far, there will be more diversity as time goes on. Some have lower GPA and/or GRE and TONS of experience and others have higher GPA and/or GRE and a little lower experience.
 
ASUprevet: totes on board with these two lovelies & Nordi as well! This thread SHOULD help you to realize that a) your stats might NEVER hold a candle to some & b) you have your work cut out for you. If anything, SDN pre-vet in general kept me more level-headed about the whole application process. It's not about numbers like say, pre-med (I only say such slightly incendiary things cause many of my friends ARE pre-meds or now med students!:D) programs often are. Pre-vet is about experience and numbers: the whole package deal (and you thought the elders were joking when they mention this!:laugh:).

From looking at other people stats AND hearing their personal stories, I returned to my track to vet school. I feel much more committed and know now that I'd never be able to give up on this dream calling. And I didn't even get to the insanity of vet school yet ---- but, that being said, I know I want to throw my hat in the ring this year.:)
twelvetigers said:
You should do a search for last year's thread and flip through. :)
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squirrelsrule said:
This thread last year helped me figure out that I needed way more vet hours than I had thought to be a more definite choice. I was only looking at having 200-250 hours and I thought that was great, til I saw this thread last year! Got me to get out there and find a job as a vet tech and quit my job at the electronics place.
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ASUprevet said:
Wait, what is the purpose of this thread? It seems like a self-congratulatory pat on the back to me. Is this really going to help those applicants that don't get into vet school this year?
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I completely agree.
 
twelvetigers said:
Here, I'll even save you guys the trouble of looking for it.

Flip through it and then tell me if you still think it's all one big 'self-congratulatory pat on the back.'

Special attention to post 115 plz.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=776924
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THANK YOU for posting this. I spent SO long looking for it last night and could not find it. (However, I was looking on my iPod because my computer is in the shop, so its harder to see).
 
ASUprevet said:
Wait, what is the purpose of this thread? It seems like a self-congratulatory pat on the back to me. Is this really going to help those applicants that don't get into vet school this year?
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On par with what TwelveTigers was saying, let me be the 1st to post my "not so amazing" stats! Hopefully this will convince you that this isn't a thread for accepted applicants to brag, but to give others hope. Kinda like "If I can do it, you can do it!"

3rd time applicant
Colorado/Texas resident
Applied: CSU, LSU, K-State, Auburn, Tufts, UC-Davis, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, and A&M (missed A&M deadline though)
Interview offers: Purdue and Mississippi (2) -- declined both
Withdrawn apps: Iowa and Michigan (2)
Rejected: everywhere else (7)
Still waiting: none
Accepted: CSU
Attending: CSU!!!

Cum GPA: 3.0 (<-- not a typo!)
Last 45: 3.8
Science GPA: 3.61
GRE: V 490, Q 600, A 4.0 (<--standardized tests and I HATE each other!)

Veterinary Experience:
~ 500 hours at the Texas A&M Large Animal ICU (vet assistant - '00)
~ 3500 hours at a SA clinic in Dallas, TX (vet tech - on and off from '07-'09)
~ 720 hours at a SA clinic in Dallas, TX (vet tech - '08)
~ 1000 hours at a SA clinic in Clarksville, TN (vet tech - '10)
~ 25 hours on an African Elephant Sanctuary in South Africa (vet assistant - '11)

Animal Experience:
~600 hours on a quarter horse ranch in TX (trail guide - summer '98)
~5000 hours total with college rodeo (A&M), amateur rodeo associations, and A&M equestrian team.
~400 hours with Texas A&M Dairy Farm (employee - '00)
~400 hours raising an orphaned Hereford-cross calf in my backyard for my stupid landlord ('01-'02). I only put this in there because Sherry Stewart thought it was hilarious and insisted that I include it in my app!
~600 hours with a Thoroughbred farm in Navasota, TX (employee - summer '02)
~1000 hours working as a pet sitter in Dallas, TX ('07-'09)
~50 hours doing 2 Independent Studies (repro) for CSU with dairy and beef cattle ('11)
~360 hours doing behavioral research in African Elephants in South Africa ('11)

Employment:
- Leasing agent
- Waitress/server
- Account Executive with a radio broadcasting company in College Station, TX
- Personal Trainer

Extracurriculars:
- 2 years with a therapeutic horseback riding organization in Loveland, CO
- 2 years working with special needs children after school (during high school)
- LOTS of other random community/charity events
- Pre-vet club
- Indoor/Outdoor soccer leagues
- Triathlons

eLORS:
- Vet I worked for in Dallas
- Research Coordinator in South Africa
- A Law Professor I have known for years (kinda random, but she wrote a hell of a letter)

I waived my right to see each letter, but I know each of these people very well and they voluntarily sent me copies of what they submitted (w/o me even asking)!

Awards and Honors:
-Deans list several semesters
- sports awards
- Employee of the month several times

I got my B.S. in Agriculture from Texas A&M in '04 (was supposed to be '03, but took a victory lap so I could rodeo an extra year!). I honestly NEVER cracked a book to study because I didn't give a crap and all I cared about was rodeo, the equestrian team (kinda), and having fun. My GPA was a 2.5 when I graduated...I know, pretty awesome, don't be jealous! I worked in radio for a few years after graduating and absolutely hated it. I had always wanted to be a vet, but thought my chances were completely screwed after my stellar undergrad performance at A&M. I talked to several advisors, did a ton of research on each school, and chose to move to Colorado to establish residency and complete the prereqs. I had completed them all (with mostly A's) by my 2nd app, but still didn't get in. I started a 1-year Master's program (Toxicology) last semester and finally got in this time! Sherry Stewart stressed to me after each application that I needed to keep taking lots of upper level biomedical science classes each semester (making A's) to prove to them that I could handle the course loads. That's why my last 45 GPA is awesome. I had close to 200 credit hours so my cumulative wasn't going to move much. She kept telling me to keep up the "upward trend" in my grades and to volunteer as much as I could (since my vet/animal experience was way above average). After my 2nd app, I chose to write a VERY unorthodox PS. I had several people read it after I was done editing and they all loved it (even my Master's advisor). I also went to Africa for the entire summer to do research/volunteer work with elephants and other wildlife. This really set me apart from most of the other applicants in my position.
 
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ARC, you said your BS was in Agriculture in '04....do I know you...? I was Animal Science '05....If not, then we definitely know some of the same people! Lol.

(Huge congrats, by the way :) )
 
ouijetaime said:
THANK YOU for posting this. I spent SO long looking for it last night and could not find it. (However, I was looking on my iPod because my computer is in the shop, so its harder to see).
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No problemo! To find any of them, just go to the search option, pick the advanced search... select the pre-vet forum from the list of all forums, and then search for 'successful applicants' with the 'search thread titles only' option selected. You'll get at least 5 of 'em.
 
squirrelsrule said:
And I disagree that we're perfect. And look fireflysushi's stats are awesome and this is their second time applying, so they got rejected last year. This is like a heads up thread to show the people who got in and their stats so you know where you stand. We only have a couple so far, there will be more diversity as time goes on. Some have lower GPA and/or GRE and TONS of experience and others have higher GPA and/or GRE and a little lower experience.
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My whole goal in posting was to give people an idea of what I did to improve my app from last year to this year. I never considered my stats as being awesome, and my goal was not to make others feel down about theirs. (My GRE math score was like a 42%!!). I think I read every single post on the Successful Applicants thread last year. Some of the posts were frustrating to me because I knew I would never have a 3.9 or even a 3.7. But others gave me hope- people with lower gpas or GRE's or hours getting in. So I realize that my stats won't give to to everybody, but I do hope that the way I did things to get in might be useful to somebody. I had to work my ***** off the last two years to get vet hours and when I was denied last year after taking the GRE twice and finally getting to 1000hrs I was devastated, but then I figured out what my app was missing (thanks to SDN) and applied again. I am not going to feel bad about my stats and neither should you. I merely hope that others can use the information in this thread to acheive their own goals
 
Minnerbelle said:
Was your PI the head of the dept? 'Cause I've prob seen you around if that's the case.
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Yep, that's the one. My boss is technically the equine neuro/internal medicine guy.

I'm also the one fighting in the hallways with my nemesis, the autoclave trash cart.
 
sooprnova said:
Hi, ASUprevet! This is a pretty common thread that appears after every application cycle.

For some, it's good to see the individual stats of those who've received offers rather than looking at general averages per school, etc.

I found the previous years threads very helpful in showing me where I was deficient when it came to my application and to give me ideas as to how to improve.

I think if you look at the previous threads, you'll see that there's a lot more "holy crap I can't believe I got in with my GPA/GRE/experience/whatever!" than there is bragging or back-patting!
Click to expand...

Okay, I guess I can see the value for other pre-vet students. Sorry if I came across as brash. Best of luck to everyone! :)
 
TT and ARC, you two are inspiring... I too am one of the low gpa'ers. My cumulative is not awesome, my science is not great, but my last 45 is super. I'm taking 3 science classes this semester (online) AND working full + part time. I've got my work cut out for me, but I'm determined to post here next year if this cycle doesn't work out for me. ARC- how does CSU feel about applicants moving to CO just to establish residency?? I know some schools frown upon this. Also, TT, did you move to OK to establish residency or are you actually from there??

Sorry that I am not actually contributing to the topic of this thread!!!
 
I really like this thread. It gives me hope for future applications. I def admire ARC99 and everyone else who has gotten in.

I hope next year I can impact my GPA enough to make me a competitive applicant.
I am super scared by taking 14 credits and working 21-30 ish hours a week. Independently, school and work zap me of energy... but I need to continue to get good grades so I can get into school and have better employment in the future... but then I need to work a lot to pay for school... I feel like there is no wining.

Does anyone have recommendations as to how they balanced so much school and work simultaneously? I know I have to do it if I want to have a chance at getting in next year.
 
Virginger said:
I really like this thread. It gives me hope for future applications. I def admire ARC99 and everyone else who has gotten in.

I hope next year I can impact my GPA enough to make me a competitive applicant.
I am super scared by taking 14 credits and working 21-30 ish hours a week. Independently, school and work zap me of energy... but I need to continue to get good grades so I can get into school and have better employment in the future... but then I need to work a lot to pay for school... I feel like there is no wining.

Does anyone have recommendations as to how they balanced so much school and work simultaneously? I know I have to do it if I want to have a chance at getting in next year.
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I'm in the same boat with work and school right now and honestly, as much as it sucks, I've had to take out student loans to pay for school so I'm not so stressed financially.

Sorry, know this is off topic. PM me if you want to talk (or gripe lol) some more.
 
Virginger said:
Does anyone have recommendations as to how they balanced so much school and work simultaneously? I know I have to do it if I want to have a chance at getting in next year.
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During one semester I took 16 credit hours and worked about 30 hours a week on top at three separate places. It was extremely stressful and I was sick almost almost every month that semester. It was really hard to stay on top of my studies, but I think the trick is to plan out your time. I would get home and collapse on the couch to de-stress sometimes, but then wouln't get any studying done, so I would stress even more later. When I made a plan like wake up an hour earlier and go to the gym, and study for two hours when you get home THEN watch TV/ de-stress, I think I stayed on top of things better. I also think it's important to be able to say no. If someone at work asks you to do something extra, you have to be able to say "No thanks I have to study". And finally I think it's really important to get enough sleep. No matter what I got 8 hours of sleep a night. I refused to pull all nighters because I knew I wouldn't retain any of the information. Once I noticed my attention slipping I would call it a night and go to bed.

Getting and using a planner (paper not electronic) is also something that really helps plan out your day to use the time to the fullest.
 
Fireflysushi said:
Getting and using a planner (paper not electronic) is also something that really helps plan out your day to use the time to the fullest.
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:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

i can't say enough about the importance of a paper planner. in college i used to get those large planners that were daily, and then each day had the hours on it and i would plan my entire day out including time to eat, shower, watch TV/take a break, etc. and i would also check off things as i finished them as well. worked wonders for me, i was much more organized with my time than i ever was in high school.

ETA: i know my method with the daily planner sounds super anal attentive and way too complicated, but trust me it is worth it in the end. take 10 minutes each night to plan out your next day...goes a long way in the end.
 
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I really need to exercise to stay happy and focused. Even if a play around with my dogs for a few minutes outside, it's enough to keep me motivated for hours of studying. A million times yes to the planner. I do the same thing as Sunnex3.
 
-sigh- i guess i'll post now too since i've pretty much decided on where i'm attending next year :)

APPLICANT STATS
-1st time applicant, 22 years old, female, Virginia resident (working full time right now after graduating in May 2011)
-interested in SA emergency/critical care as well as shelter medicine
-Applied: Penn, CSU, Tufts, Wisconsin, VMRCVM, UC Davis, Edinburgh, RVC
-Interviewed: Penn, Tufts, VMRCVM (invited, but withdrawn)
-Withdrawn: Wisconsin, VMRCVM (before interview), UC Davis
-Accepted: Penn, Tufts, CSU, Edinburgh, RVC
-Attending: most likely Penn (like 95% certain)

ACADEMICS
-Undergrad Institution: University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts and Sciences
-Academic Rigor: High (grade deflation, tough courseload, employed with work-study jobs + involved in extra curriculars)
-Majors: B.A. in Biology, graduated in May 2011
-Cum GPA: 3.94
-Last 45 credit hrs: 4.00
-Science: did not have to calculate, but I would guess somewhere around 3.9?
-GRE: 750 Q (82%), 590 V (84%), 5.5 AW (96%)

HONORS AND AWARDS
-Graduation with honors (summa cum laude)
-Dean's list all semesters in college
-Recipient of named scholarship from university
-Recipient of 2 scholarships in high school
-Several academic excellence awards in high school
-Director's Honor's List, college level summer program
-DOD Science and Engineering Apprenticeship program, accepted in high school but didn't attend
-NHS (member in high school)
-Letters of Academic Recognition from Virginia Senate/House of Delegates (high school)
-several music awards for piano/violin


VETERINARY EXPERIENCE
-1100 hours as ICU/ER tech at a very large/busy DC metro area specialty referral hospital/emergency center (current job)
-1100 hours as Internal Medicine tech at same hospital
-120 hours as Surgery tech at same hospital
-240 hours as veterinary technician at low cost medical center at DC animal rescue league
-150 hours as research assistant in Dermatology lab at Penn med school
-200 hours as research assistant at Medical Genetics + Pathology lab at Penn vet school
-1000 hours as veterinary assistant at busy general practice in DC

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE
-200 hours as medical center volunteer at DC animal rescue league
-65 hours as lab assistant taking care of frogs for Physiology lab in Penn med school
-200 hours as dog walker for local rescue groups at their adoption events (high school)
-100 hours as horse handler at therapeutic riding center (high school)
-1000 hours riding and taking care of horses since i was 9 years old

OTHER EMPLOYMENT
-320 hours as administrative assistant for the Clinical Studies department at Penn vet school
-350 hours as research assistant for Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society (CIAS) at Ryan Vet Hospital
-50 hours as office assistant at Ryan Vet Hospital behavior clinic

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
-occasional blogger for Penn Appetit Magazine, student run culinary magazine at Penn (college)
-co-president/web master for pre vet club (college)
-treasurer/pre-vet rep for pre health club (college)
-member of baroque ensemble (college - performed chamber music, violin)
-violinist in senior regional/junior district orchestras (high school)
-principal/1st chair of my violin section in my school's orchestra (high school)
-violinist in local youth orchestra (middle/high school)
-violinist in pit orchestra for high school musical productions
-pianist for church choir (high school)

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
-2 veterinarians, both from same specialty clinic, both DACVIM (board certified internists)
-1 veterinarian, from same specialty clinic as above, DACVECC (board certified criticalist), she is my current role model of who i want to be as a vet :biglove:
-1 veterinarian, from animal shelter's low cost medical clinic, medical director
-1 academic, cancer cell biology professor from senior year of college (favorite professor ever!!! :love:)
-1 from pre-major advisor, she helped me a lot with classes/overall guidance in college during my freshman/sophomore years and we kept in touch my junior/senior years


PERSONAL STATEMENT
I used an instance from my first day in the internal medicine department at the hospital i current work at to illustrate how little i used to know about the profession and throughout my essay showed my growth in what i've learned from the profession as i've gained various experiences over the last few years and how i've realized what i want to do both immediately after school and in the long run. i used my essay to a) display all the variou experiences i've been involved in, b) show my growth as a person. i emphasized how much i just KNEW that this is what i want to do with my life and really wanted the ad coms to know how much i've grown and how much i've learned both from personal experiences with my dog and my various interactions with clients/patients. I had lots of feedback from current vet students (both people i personally know and from a couple members on SDN) as well as my mom, sister, friends from college, and my personal mentors. I can't say enough about the importance of receiving a lot of feedback. you'll get some opinions that you won't really use, but the benefit is that you can combine everything together to get a great essay.

as a side note, i will say that i focused on some gloomy/serious subjects such as euthanasia and a lot of client stuff in my essay, which was noted to be unusual (but not in a bad way).


i feel truly blessed and humbled to have been accepted to so many places this cycle, as a first time applicant, especially when there are so many applicants out there who are absolutely awesome and over qualified. being a part of this forum has helped me so much in the application process, can't thank you guys enough! :D
 
Ahhh Sunnex! You rode horses AND played the violin!!!! (I did those things too!) that made me super super excited! I'm sure you are better than me a both HAHA! I played from 6th-12th, but at least I made 1st violin!!!
 
bigkittinteef said:
I really need to exercise to stay happy and focused. Even if a play around with my dogs for a few minutes outside, it's enough to keep me motivated for hours of studying. A million times yes to the planner. I do the same thing as Sunnex3.
Click to expand...
Yep definitely do the planner. I use the one on my palm pixi because it has the hours and I always have my phone with me, but paper works too.
 
jemappellejane said:
ARC- how does CSU feel about applicants moving to CO just to establish residency?? I know some schools frown upon this.
Click to expand...

As far as I can tell, they don't care one iota. I also moved to CO to establish residency and have been here for less than a year (will be over a year when I matriculate) and was accepted as well as granted in state sponsorship no questions asked. If you are 23 or over it is really easy to establish residency in CO. You just have to stay on top of "proving intent to stay." This really means change of address, getting a state drivers license, registering your car in the state, and paying income tax to the state when you get a job. I did not have a paying job yet when I applied, so I couldn't even claim that, but I made sure I had the right dates on all of the other paperwork.

I think it is not a big deal to CSU because a ton of people here in CO are transplants, and as far as I can tell, CO is so awesome that everyone just stays here :love: I know I plan to.

Someone else should chime in if you think I am totally off base.
 
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Chebanse said:
As far as I can tell, they don't care one iota. I also moved to CO to establish residency and have been here for less than a year (will be over a year when I matriculate) and was accepted as well as granted in state sponsorship no questions asked. If you are 23 or over it is really easy to establish residency in CO. You just have to stay on top of "proving intent to stay." This really means change of address, getting a state drivers license, registering your car in the state, and paying income tax to the state when you get a job. I did not have a paying job yet when I applied, so I couldn't even claim that, but I made sure I had the right dates on all of the other paperwork.

I think it is not a big deal to CSU because a ton of people here in CO are transplants, and as far as I can tell, CO is so awesome that everyone just stays here :love: I know I plan to.

Someone else should chime in if you think I am totally off base.
Click to expand...

jemappellejane said:
ARC- how does CSU feel about applicants moving to CO just to establish residency?? I know some schools frown upon this.
Click to expand...


Chebanse is right...
I moved here in 2006, then moved around a bit from 2007-2009 (Army), but then moved back in 2009 for good. Yes, you do need to get a CO drivers license, register your vehicle (which is SUPER expensive...mine was $600 this year!!!), and pay income tax if you have a job. Oh, and have a CO address, of course. It's pretty easy to get IS here and there really isn't a defined "time period" that you have to live here before you do (at least I don't think there is), but you just have to get all of the above mentioned things done before you apply.

If you know for sure that CSU is where you want to be, then I'd move! CSU has the largest # of OOS applicants so you're competing against ~1300+ people for ~40 spots! When you're IS, you're going up against ~250+ people for ~75 spots. That's why I moved here...I knew my application wouldn't hold a candle in the OOS pool. In fact, Sherry Stewart actually recommended that I move here when I started my research on each school. Same thing at Tennessee when I had a file review with the dean there. He said verbatim, "If you were actually an in-state resident, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now because you'd be in." But, I just liked CO better than KnoxAngeles.

PM me if you have any ?s about it and I'd be happy to discuss it further with you! CO is an awesome place and I am so glad that everything worked out well for me in the end!

Edit: I was not in the Army...my SO was, so we moved around a bit while he was stationed in TN...that's the only reason I moved away from CO initially.
 
ARC99 said:
It's pretty easy to get IS here and there really isn't a defined "time period" that you have to live here before you do (at least I don't think there is), but you just have to get all of the above mentioned things done before you apply.
Click to expand...

The time period is one year prior to matriculation. I think that they even mention the specific date that you need to have all of your documentation completed by listed either on the app itself or somewhere on the website where they discuss residency.
 
ARC99 said:
Same thing at Tennessee when I had a file review with the dean there. He said verbatim, "If you were actually an in-state resident, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now because you'd be in." But, I just liked CO better than KnoxAngeles.QUOTE]

Well, I'm not really partial to CSU or anything, I'm just trying to research where I would have the best chance at getting into if I moved there. I really can't be picky given my stats. Your stats are definitely inspiring for someone like me. However, your science gpa is waaaay better than mine. I'll pm you...

Chebanse said:
The time period is one year prior to matriculation. I think that they even mention the specific date that you need to have all of your documentation completed by listed either on the app itself or somewhere on the website where they discuss residency.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info- this is great to know! :D
Click to expand...
 
Chebanse said:
The time period is one year prior to matriculation. I think that they even mention the specific date that you need to have all of your documentation completed by listed either on the app itself or somewhere on the website where they discuss residency.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...I didn't realize that. I know that I moved there in 2006 (Aug. to Dec.), moved around with my Army bf and then came back in Aug. 2009. My first app. was submitted in Oct. 2009 and I was considered IS. I had only been in CO for 8 months total (5 months in 2006 and then 3 months in 2009). I wonder??? :confused:

Virginger said:
I really like this thread. It gives me hope for future applications. I def admire ARC99 and everyone else who has gotten in.

I hope next year I can impact my GPA enough to make me a competitive applicant.
I am super scared by taking 14 credits and working 21-30 ish hours a week. Independently, school and work zap me of energy... but I need to continue to get good grades so I can get into school and have better employment in the future... but then I need to work a lot to pay for school... I feel like there is no wining.

Does anyone have recommendations as to how they balanced so much school and work simultaneously? I know I have to do it if I want to have a chance at getting in next year.
Click to expand...

Virginger: Thanks for the admiration!!! :love: I just know you'll be getting in soon!!! You seem so determined and it looks like you've got great plans in case this cycle doesn't work out. As for balancing work/school, I planned EVERYTHING! To-do lists are absolutely vital for my day to be productive! And, as I've mentioned in the Productivity thread, I do not watch TV until I'm in bed and I make sure I get "enough" sleep. I also take "me time" every day (work out, take dogs to park, hour nap, whatever...). You can do it!!! I've got faith in you!!! Have you heard from all your schools yet?
 
Last edited:
Chebanse said:
The time period is one year prior to matriculation. I think that they even mention the specific date that you need to have all of your documentation completed by listed either on the app itself or somewhere on the website where they discuss residency.
Click to expand...

Ok, nevermind...I see why I was given IS now! Duh...:smack:
Wasn't thinking about the time of potential matriculation (Aug. 2010) being exactly 1 year from the time I actually moved back (Aug. 2009). And that's my cue to hit the sack! My brain is shutting down...:sleep:

Wait...before I go...Chebanse, do you (or anyone else) know if CSU does grade replacement or if they average?

Thanks and GOODNIGHT!!!
 
Profile
-Female
-23 years old
-Purdue University
-first applicant
- international student

Acceptance and Interview invites
-Michigan State Acceptance
-Minnesota, Mississippi, Tufts, Purdue, UIUC, Iowa interview invites
-I did not recieve interview invite from U Penn only and waiting from Wisconsin

Stats
- Cumilative, Science, last 45 GPA ~ 3.9/4.0
- GRE: Q770 V690 W3.5
- shadowing at private small animal hospital (300hr)
- shadowing at purdue teaching hospital (100hr)
- internship at wildlife center (100hr)
- research with live animals (pigs and birds) - 300 hours
- pre-vet club 2 semester

hope this helped :)
 
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