Please help narrowing down my school application list...

[flotus]

Thank you to whoever takes the time to read this because it is stupid long <3

Hi all, I made a previous WAMC thread and received from valuable insight. However, I have 20ishhh schools that I am eligible to apply to/feel most comfortable with. Although, it is more important to me to become a veterinarian than where I get my degree from, I want to be reasonable. I, of course, want to make sure that the schools I apply to focus (at least somewhat) on what I am most interested in vet med.

Prior to heavily researching each of these schools, I would like to narrow my list down to 10. Although cost is a factor, it is important to me that I actually get into a school. I had previously decided that I was unable to apply to my in-state because of some outside circumstances. However, after discussing with my advisor (after the advice I received on this site!! Tysm) I have adjusted my schedule and I will be able to apply to my in-state (Auburn)!

As I said, I want to narrow my down list based on which schools I am most likely to get into. Could anyone provide some thoughts on which schools on my list focus more on the holistic reviews as opposed to solely GPA based? Or which applicants normally get in before their degree is completed? Overall, which schools I should apply to?

Also, the pre-reqs I will be "missing" by the time of my application are organic II/lab and biochem. Those won't be completed until December (app deadline is September, as I'm sure you all know ) My overall is 3.63, trending upward. My science is somewhere close to a 3.4 (can't remember off the top of my head) and likely to trend slightly upward or stay the same. I'm unsure of my last 45 because I still have to finish off this semester, and I won't graduate until Spring 2023. However, I have diverse research, internship, and clinic experience. I'm also low-income, first generation.

Here are the schools I need to narrow down to 8 (I already know I will be applying to Purdue and Auburn for sure!):
CSU
Cornell
Kansas
Lincoln Mem
Long Island
LSU
Midwestern
Miss State
OH State
Oregon St
Tufts
UF
U Minnesota
U Penn
U Tenn
U Wisconsin
Western U
NC State
(Side note: I know Cornell is very GPA heavy, but it would be a dream to attend. Any insight on if that would be feasible or likely is also appreciated!)


As always, thank you all so much for your help! I genuinely appreciate it.

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[BlackCatsRuleTheWorld]

Hey! You’ve got great experiences and your GPA is solid, here are some suggestions for your list. Awesome that you worked it out so that you can apply to your IS

I’d recommend including:
Mississippi State
Minnesota
Ohio State
Cornell - if it’s your dream school, shoot your shot!

I’d recommend excluding:
CSU (extremely high # of applicants)
UF (very GPA focused)

Maybe:
NC State - tuition is a steal, so they have a loooot of applicants but could be worth a shot!

 

[JaynaAli]

Maybe:
NC State - tuition is a steal, so they have a loooot of applicants but could be worth a shot!

Unless things have changed, NCSU takes very few OOS seats (like <20) so those end up being extremely competitive and GPA is usually very high for those people. Like 3.9 is the average OOS GPA or something. OP’s GPA is not bad (seems pretty average honestly) but it’s not that high either I probably wouldn’t recommend NCSU for that reason.

Personally, I’d cut LMU and western because having a teaching hospital is important to me…I know it’s an accepted model or whatever but I want the hospital especially if I’m paying so much. I’d cut Midwestern and Long Island because of cost of attendance is crazy and I wohldnt want to be a Guinea pig for a new curriculum. Honestly I think Tennessee and Kansas are pretty high for OOS too…I realize you just want to get in but you also have to think about your future after graduation and that means factoring in debt, so looking up and writing down total cost of attendance of these schools is something I’d recommend.

 

[flotus]

Hey! You’ve got great experiences and your GPA is solid, here are some suggestions for your list. Awesome that you worked it out so that you can apply to your IS

I’d recommend including:
Mississippi State
Minnesota
Ohio State
Cornell - if it’s your dream school, shoot your shot!

I’d recommend excluding:
CSU (extremely high # of applicants)
UF (very GPA focused)

Maybe:
NC State - tuition is a steal, so they have a loooot of applicants but could be worth a shot!

Hey! You’ve got great experiences and your GPA is solid, here are some suggestions for your list. Awesome that you worked it out so that you can apply to your IS

I’d recommend including:
Mississippi State
Minnesota
Ohio State
Cornell - if it’s your dream school, shoot your shot!

I’d recommend excluding:
CSU (extremely high # of applicants)
UF (very GPA focused)

Maybe:
NC State - tuition is a steal, so they have a loooot of applicants but could be worth a shot!

Thank you for your feedback! I do have a question. The reason why I was going to apply to Colorado state is because of their program that “qualified but lacking applicants” can get into. Apparently, if you come from a disadvantaged background but lack the grades or something then CSU sometimes offer a 1 year program that upon completion guarantees admission to the vet school. Now, of course, I’d hope to get in on my first try. However, I just thought that if I didn’t that perhaps my unique background (homelessness, first gen, etc) might make me a good candidate for that. However, there is no application for that program. CSU picks those students after they apply and get rejected. What do you think? If you think it’s still a long shot/not worth it, I will definitely take that into consideration!

 

[flotus]

Unless things have changed, NCSU takes very few OOS seats (like <20) so those end up being extremely competitive and GPA is usually very high for those people. Like 3.9 is the average OOS GPA or something. OP’s GPA is not bad (seems pretty average honestly) but it’s not that high either I probably wouldn’t recommend NCSU for that reason.

Personally, I’d cut LMU and western because having a teaching hospital is important to me…I know it’s an accepted model or whatever but I want the hospital especially if I’m paying so much. I’d cut Midwestern and Long Island because of cost of attendance is crazy and I wohldnt want to be a Guinea pig for a new curriculum. Honestly I think Tennessee and Kansas are pretty high for OOS too…I realize you just want to get in but you also have to think about your future after graduation and that means factoring in debt, so looking up and writing down total cost of attendance of these schools is something I’d recommend.

I agree that debt is important but I’ve also accepted that my full education will likely cost ~300k anyway. I feel like if I dwell on it, my life won’t get any easier and I’ll only become more anxious. At the end of the day, becoming a veterinarian is plan A and plan B, and regardless of the amount of $ it takes to get there, I’ll have to make it work. :/ I’m interested in working for the government and hopefully doing loan forgiveness.
If all of my loans are federal, I’m sure I would be able to do an income based repayment option.

All in all, I just want to be happy for the 4 years I attend vet school and feel comfortable in my environment.

But! Thank you so much for your feedback about midwestern/LMU/etc. I agree with all you said

 

[BlackCatsRuleTheWorld]

Hey! You’ve got great experiences and your GPA is solid, here are some suggestions for your list.

I’d recommend including:
Mississippi State
Minnesota
Ohio State
Cornell - if it’s your dream school, shoot your shot!

I’d recommend excluding:
CSU (extremely high # of applicants)
UF (very GPA focused)

Maybe:
NC State - tuition is a steal, so they have a loooot of applicants but could be worth a shot!

Thank you for your feedback! I do have a question. The reason why I was going to apply to Colorado state is because of their program that “qualified but lacking applicants” can get into. Apparently, if you come from a disadvantaged background but lack the grades or something then CSU sometimes offer a 1 year program that upon completion guarantees admission to the vet school. Now, of course, I’d hope to get in on my first try. However, I just thought that if I didn’t that perhaps my unique background (homelessness, first gen, etc) might make me a good candidate for that. However, there is no application for that program. CSU picks those students after they apply and get rejected. What do you think? If you think it’s still a long shot/not worth it, I will definitely take that into consideration!

Ohhh! Their vet prep program. Your background definitely fits so that could be worth a shot. The one thing is CSU is pretty pricy and you’re adding a whole extra year onto that (Unless that program comes with a scholarship as well).

To be honest with your amount of experiences, if the rest of your app (essays, LORs, interviews) is well rounded I think you have a great chance getting in somewhere.