Strayed away from vet med for a bit but want to pursue it again! Any advice would be helpful.

[PinkDrinkz]

My original plan was to go to vet school and become a vet since I was very young. I volunteered at my local zoo and dog rescue and also interned and shadowed at a variety of vet practices in high school and during my undergrad (small, emergency, mixed, large, and zoo). However, I decided to explore my options the latter half of my junior year and into my current semester and so I strayed away from that plan to see if I liked restoration and conservation for about two semesters total. But after having gotten that experience, I realized that I have a burning passion for veterinary medicine and want to do everything I can to pursue this career because it is something that I really enjoy and want to do in the future.

I graduate with a Biology B.S. and Environmental Science minor after the Spring 2017 semester and am moving from California to the East Coast. I'm planning to take about a year off after I graduate to gain more experience and money and also to amp up my application before applying for a vet school. I can definitely increase my hours and also retake a couple courses to bump up my GPA (I got a C in molecular genetics, second semester of general chemistry, and animal physiology). I'm planning on retaking these courses in some university (haven't decided yet) in Maryland.

My first question: Should I apply for a mock interview and review that the Health Professions Application Committee at my school offers in the spring even if I "fell behind" due to me trying out different options for two semesters?
My second question: If I retake a couple courses during my year off at a different institution than the one I graduated from, do I add those grades together or would they be separate grades and GPAs?
My third question: Should I call and get vet/job opportunities locked down during my spring semester before I move or just find them when I get settled down there?

I don't expect answers to all of those questions! In general, I would love to hear your guys' thoughts on all of this is and if you can offer me some good advice. I would really appreciate it! Thank you

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[singhb09]

Hi! To answer your first question -- if your school offers a mock interview, I would definitely consider doing that! It sounds like a great opportunity. In regards to grades, some schools do grade replace, whereas others average the two grades so I'd email admissions of whichever schools you might be considering. Finally, if you can find a job before moving out there that would be great! Although it doesn't seem like it would be the end of the world if you had to wait to find a job once you've moved. Once you're working the hours will start adding up fairly quickly!

 

[PinkDrinkz]

Hi! To answer your first question -- if your school offers a mock interview, I would definitely consider doing that! It sounds like a great opportunity. In regards to grades, some schools do grade replace, whereas others average the two grades so I'd email admissions of whichever schools you might be considering. Finally, if you can find a job before moving out there that would be great! Although it doesn't seem like it would be the end of the world if you had to wait to find a job once you've moved. Once you're working the hours will start adding up fairly quickly!

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! You're right, I definitely should to talk to my advisor and sign up for that mock interview even though I'll be applying after a gap year. And going back on the subject of grades, lets say I find out the schools I want to apply to, and they replace the grades or average out the grades. Would it be worth it to retake or take a comparable class that I got a C in for genetics, second half of general chemistry, and animal physiology? Thanks again for the advice!

 

[singhb09]

Hi, thanks for the quick reply! You're right, I definitely should to talk to my advisor and sign up for that mock interview even though I'll be applying after a gap year. And going back on the subject of grades, lets say I find out the schools I want to apply to, and they replace the grades or average out the grades. Would it be worth it to retake or take a comparable class that I got a C in for genetics, second half of general chemistry, and animal physiology? Thanks again for the advice!

Given that the change would we rather minuscule if the two grades were averaged (say a C, then averaged with a better grade of an A) I personally don't think it's worth the effort. If you have the time and money to spare, I'd definitely say it's worth it since any and every improvement you can make helps. If you're pressed for either though, it might be more helpful to look to improve upon other areas such as experience, GRE, research etc.