Are older vet students outcasts?

[rosemma]

I am not an older vet student. I would say I am very much the "average." Caucasian, female, 23 years old. I was just curious how the older, non-trads are viewed by the rest of their vet class. Do the older students hang out with the younger students? I don't have a problem with it, but I was just curious.

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[Truth74]

I would assume it will be the same as undergrad, or better.

I can tell you about my experience in undergrad as a nontrad. I took courses full time, during the day. Pretty much NOBODY cared. If they did, I just chocked it up to immaturity and moved on. I can't control the reaction that someone has to my presence, but I can control how I respond to them. I would hope that the maturity level would have risen for vet school.

The majority of the people I studied and had class with did not notice (or care to notice) how old I was. [One girl, with whom I had at least 4 class, did not know I had kids, even though I brought them to study sessions, and exam reviews. ] Now, the social aspect may be different. I did not have the time to go to bar A and social gathering B, so I didn't develop those kinds of relationships. I had work, a few clubs, and family. I guess, it would be the same as a student that needs to work through school. They wouldn't be as social, but they would be in class.

I've heard from nontrad friends (that are currently in vet school), that the trad students don't care what color your hair is, if you've got the right answer. Also, they may not get some of your cultural references, but if you were kinda off the mainstream when you were younger, they wouldn't get the joke, anyway.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

No way, I'd say they're even more popular! I'm very good friends with the older students in my class - we have a few in their early to late 30s and even early forties even who are taking the challenging step of coming back to school. They socialize with the younger members of the class perfectly well, and vice versa. I love having older students in the class for "life advice"

 

[Jeterfan1]

No way, I'd say they're even more popular! I'm very good friends with the older students in my class - we have a few in their early to late 30s and even early forties even who are taking the challenging step of coming back to school. They socialize with the younger members of the class perfectly well, and vice versa. I love having older students in the class for "life advice"

THANKS - you just made my day!

 

[dpcdoc]

No way, I'd say they're even more popular! I'm very good friends with the older students in my class - we have a few in their early to late 30s and even early forties even who are taking the challenging step of coming back to school. They socialize with the younger members of the class perfectly well, and vice versa. I love having older students in the class for "life advice"

That is good to hear, as I will be the eldest member of the class of 2012 at VMRCVM at 40 years young.

 

[ShelterGirl]

It seems like there are more people in their 30s and 40s entering vet school now - my class has 5 that I know off the top of my head, possibly more. Since it's not such a rarity, it probably means that older students aren't outcasts - or at least I hope not.

It's probably a situation where it becomes what you make of it. I'm personally looking forward to meeting people with the same interests as me - even if they didn't watch the same TV shows growing up as I did

 

[dartfrog]

University of Minnesota C/O 2012. . . I am 32 years old (also have a wife and an infant son). I'll let you know next year whether or not I'm an outcast.

 

[AuburnPreVet]

We adore our older classmates. We have a guy in the class above me that is in his later 50's even. These non-trads tend to be pretty young at heart and you stop noticing that they are older than the average.

 

[twelvetigers]

I think older students would make excellent friends. They won't try and steal your boyfriend/girlfriend, they won't get drunk and throw up in your car...

I'm generalizing, of course. The older students seem like they have a better idea of what they want from life so they're so much more straightforward and focused. Definitely good qualities! Trust me, no one is gonna count your wrinkles or shun you because you saw the Bee Gees live.

 

[critterfixer]

I actually DID see the Bee Gees live.

 

[twelvetigers]

HAHA! I hit the nail on the head. Well *I* for one basically love the Bee Gees, so if I met you and you told me that, I'd think you were pretty cool.

 

[BrumleyVet]

I think older students would make excellent friends. They won't try and steal your boyfriend/girlfriend, they won't get drunk and throw up in your car...

I'm generalizing, of course. The older students seem like they have a better idea of what they want from life so they're so much more straightforward and focused. Definitely good qualities! Trust me, no one is gonna count your wrinkles or shun you because you saw the Bee Gees live.

Twelvetigers, you not only made my day, but made my journey to Vet School a bit easier. I'm 40 and just starting my junior year of undergrad. Every once in awhile I wonder what the younger students are really thinking. I realize that you are only one of a million , but I appreciate your comment. So does this mean I can throw away my eye cream now??

 

[cozycleo]

I'll be right in the range of 30 when/if I get in. Not old by any means, not even close. I started college literally a week out of high school, and about 3/4 of my classes had 30 or 40+ students, and they were the hardest working and most respected. They asked interesting questions and stirred the pot for good debates. My lame 18 year old self just sat in the back and didn't make much noise.

I would like to think that those of us with more life experience will be accepted with no issues, and I certainly will have the most respect for the students older than I am. When I toured UMN they told me that a woman in her 60s had graduated awhile back, and they also had an attorney graduate recently. How awesome is that?!!!

I thinik what I'm looking forward to the most is meeting and talking to my classmates, and getting to see what backgrounds they came from. I really enjoy talking to other nontrads.

 

[critterfixer]

So does this mean I can throw away my eye cream now??

Brumleyvet, hold on to the eyecream. I started vet school at 41, and I swear the first year aged my skin by leaps and bounds. It's likely the lack of sleep, but you can have my eye cream when you pry it from my cold, dead, arthritic hands.

 

[jkq202]

.

 

[twelvetigers]

Haha. Well, girls are awesome, so... you know.

I hope there are lots of older students in whatever class I end up in!

 

[fargeese]

BTW Dpcdoc, thanks for accepting, it made me feel better when accepting to know that I wouldn't be the only "mature" one (ha ha) at Tech.

I know I am planning on using my status as "old" to try to avoid the high school aspect of vet school. My hope is that I will left out of that nonsense, the way that my high school students would never tell me any of the good gossip.

 

[VetMed555]

I'm more scared of being an "in-the-middle" outcast. Ok, so 21-24 year olds are "traditional" and 30-40+ are "non-traditional" older students. What about 26-29 year olds? Not young enough to fit in with the "fresh out of school" ones and not old enough to qualify for the "older" group.

P.S. I will FIND something to worry about even if there's nothing to worry about.

 

[pressmom]

I'm more scared of being an "in-the-middle" outcast. Ok, so 21-24 year olds are "traditional" and 30-40+ are "non-traditional" older students. What about 26-29 year olds? Not young enough to fit in with the "fresh out of school" ones and not old enough to qualify for the "older" group.

P.S. I will FIND something to worry about even if there's nothing to worry about.

I wouldn't worry about this. I'm in that group, and I've made friends. Some are my age and some are younger. You'll be surprised at the number of semi-scenic route people in your class.

 

[dpcdoc]

I was actually asked about this during my interview. I think if you treat people like you wish to be treated and are respectful of the differences in age, backround, etc there will be no problems, especially in a community of like minded individuals with a common goal. I had no issues arise in previous classes, like Orgo. or physics labs where you must work closely with other students. Even though I was old enough to be their father. I did find myself just shaking my head at times, like when this girl wore those tennis shoes with wheels on them to chemistry lab and was zipping around....

 

[jkq202]

HAHA! They're called "heelies" and they're awesome! It's kind of funny, there's some signs at supermarkets and stuff now that say "NO HEELIES"

 

[Truth74]

HAHA! They're called "heelies" and they're awesome! It's kind of funny, there's some signs at supermarkets and stuff now that say "NO HEELIES"

*Raises hand* I don't think it's funny at all.

I've seen the firsthand effects of "Heelies" on a supermarket. Kid is rolling behind his mother, misjudges when she's stopping, slams into the back of the cart when she goes to pick something up. Kid falls down in the middle of the aisle and takes out a floor display. Kid can't stop and grabs a rack of clothes to slow down. Kids race each other and smack into a little old lady as she's picking out her produce. Kid pushing a cart with his baby sibling in it, while rolling on heelies, flips the cart, and baby has to get a ride in an ambulance. Oh, I've got more of these.

Who gets blamed for these instances? Who is going to get sued?

Not the parents, the supermarket.

Whew, that sounded angry. I'm not, really. I was one of the people that had to get the first aid kit and call the ambulance. I'm so glad I don't work there anymore.

Back to the topic. The way that things went in the hands on classes that I had, it appeared to me that the older students would just wade in there and do what was asked. I think there is more of a "Let's do this. I don't care what I look like doing it," mentality. I noticed that the other students liked the fact that we would do the stuff that they were hinky on trying.
Hopefully this will not be the case in vet school. I'd think, we'd all be so happy to get there, that we'd all want to do everything.

 

[twelvetigers]

I alays have to fight the urge to trip kids wearing heelies. So annoying.

 

[theunraveler]

I am not an older vet student. I would say I am very much the "average." Caucasian, female, 23 years old. I was just curious how the older, non-trads are viewed by the rest of their vet class. Do the older students hang out with the younger students? I don't have a problem with it, but I was just curious.

unless ur some super anal individual who is out to piss every one off then i would think outcast is likely otherwise u'd fit rite in....we got gramps, single mom, daddies with kids ...all are students and all in vet school...

(edited) ok no gramps...but others older age groups are there

 

[BrumleyVet]

(edited) ok no gramps...but others older age groups are there

But we now have a "grams" - my step-son just told me I was going to be a grandparent!

I do alot of headshaking in lab too, but I have also learned how to make "spiked" gummy bears!!

critterfixer - you're priceless!

 

[EnviroVet]

I'm more scared of being an "in-the-middle" outcast. Ok, so 21-24 year olds are "traditional" and 30-40+ are "non-traditional" older students. What about 26-29 year olds? Not young enough to fit in with the "fresh out of school" ones and not old enough to qualify for the "older" group.

P.S. I will FIND something to worry about even if there's nothing to worry about.

Don't worry VetMed, you're not alone. I'm 29 so I'll fall in that "in-the-middle" group too

 

[twelvetigers]

And I'll be 29 too. Because it'll take me that long to get in. XD