Balancing school and vet hours

[aspirevet]

So I'm going to be a freshman in undergrad this upcoming semester. I'll be majoring in equine science and taking 14 credits. I plan on joining the pre-vet club and another animal club and I've applied to volunteer at a vet teaching hospital (minimum hours required is 15 hours per month). There's also a local spay and neuter clinic that I'm interested in volunteering at as well...

Is it a bad idea to start signing up for these volunteer opportunities for vet/animal hours? I feel like it will be difficult for me to balance gaining the experience as well as going to class. Any tips?

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[cheathac]

In my opinion, it all depends on your time management skills. If you can manage volunteering AND do well in your classes, then go for it. I wouldn't do too much off the bat.. Classes come first. Then slowly increase what you're involved in. I'm extremely busy, with 3+ jobs, research, clubs, TA for some classes.. All with 17+ credit hours and I have a fairly competitive GPA. It all comes down to time management and being efficient with studying for your classes . Good luck!


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[Frozenshades]

Just keep in mind you'll have summers too; plenty of time for volunteering or a job. Get settled with your classes and grades first. I had 0 vet hours starting undergrad and scraped together several hundred at various fields in 2 years before I submitted my VMCAS, so it can be done just fine.

Honestly though, just keep in mind that once you graduate it's easier and cheaper to take an extra year if you need to beef up your experiences, instead of taking extra classes and sweating to boost your GPA.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

So I'm going to be a freshman in undergrad this upcoming semester. I'll be majoring in equine science and taking 14 credits. I plan on joining the pre-vet club and another animal club and I've applied to volunteer at a vet teaching hospital (minimum hours required is 15 hours per month). There's also a local spay and neuter clinic that I'm interested in volunteering at as well...

Is it a bad idea to start signing up for these volunteer opportunities for vet/animal hours? I feel like it will be difficult for me to balance gaining the experience as well as going to class. Any tips?

Personally, I think the first semester of university should be about you settling in to university -- meeting new people, getting used to a new routine, paying attention to your classes, and developing good study habits. Yes, join some clubs and meet other like minded students, but don't go crazy about piling on your volunteer hours. You've got summers to do that, too.