Taking Pre-Reqs Post-Bachelors

[SelleSnowy]

I think I've really messed myself up by being dumb at 18, and I'm not sure how to come back from it.

Here's the scoop.
I graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2012 with a BS in Animal Science, but didn't pursue the Pre-Vet option which included all of the pre-requisites for vet schools. I wanted to take more Animal Science (specifically Animal Nutrition) courses because I wanted to be a zoo keeper. My parents pressured me to finish in exactly 4 years or they would drop their side of the loans, so I didn't have time to work in a clinic or shelter during college. 21+ units/quarter meant I was in class 7 am - 7 pm every day. Trust me, I'm really kicking myself now! However, I interned for an equine dental technician, the school's beef cattle unit, and the school's meat lab during those 4 years, so I have something extra to pad my resume.
I remember my friends in pre-vet pulling out their hair over orgo and zoo grades, and I was grateful to not be in their position. Now I'm extremely jealous!

It's been two years now. I had to take an unrelated full-time job to support myself, because my parents live in a small town with no animal opportunities or colleges. I've been volunteering at my local zoo (unfortunately I live in San Diego and it's the #1 place zookeepers want to work) but they won't even look at my resume for a job interview because I don't have paid experience in the field. The vicious cycle of needing experience to get experience kicks in.

My revised goal is to take the remaining pre-requisites at a community college so that I can still work my full-time job and pay my own way, then apply to vet schools. I'm having trouble even getting a foot-in to volunteer in the veterinary field because I've never been a tech or assistant. Some of my out-of-state friends are assistants and techs without even having their associate's, but apparently California has pretty strict certification requirements. I'm still trying! I send my resume/volunteer application out between 1-5 times a day, and hopefully it will happen for me soon.


Oh I wish I could slap some sense into the past me, but I can't change that now!

My concern is that I will spend all my time and money investing in the pre-reqs at a CC and then vet schools will turn me down for not doing them at university. Has anyone ever gone back after a Bachelors and done pre-reqs at a CC?

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[Montezuma's Revenge]

I completed most of my prereq's at a CC. There are vet schools that require certain classes to be completed at a 4-year institution - i.e. Oklahoma State and I'm sure there are others - but most don't care. I was accepted into Ohio State, Iowa State amd Mississippi State this year, so know it isn't frowned upon. I would recommend that you spend time now researching the schools that you're interested in applying to and see what there requirements are. Then you'll know if you can take all, or only some, of your prereq's at a CC.

 

[that redhead]

Welcome to sdn You should check out the search function- many people have been in your exact position and been successful.

My advice on the vet experience is to get your foot in the door by asking to shadow for a day- low commitment for them and they're more likely to agree. Make a good impression and ask to come back, rinse and repeat. Then make your move asking to volunteer.

As for the coursework, just make sure that whenever you're applying will accept cc credits for each specific pre-req.

 

[WillowLeaf]

Try asking to shadow instead of volunteer. Many clinics (at least in my area) will not take volunteers because it's a big risk to the clinic, but they will take a shadow. Also, try going in person, looking very professional, and ask to shadow for a half day or a day. Some clinics prefer that first, before agreeing to a long-term shadow.

You can take some prereqs at a CC, but some might need to be taken at a 4-year university. Check with whatever schools you're planning to apply to. Davis is your IS, right? If you're planning to apply there, their prereq page lists Genetics, Biochem, and Physiology (NOT anatomy & physiology combined, by the way, unless they change that for next cycle) as upper division classes that need to be taken at a four-year university. Other schools will have different requirements. Some don't care, and some are very strict about where you take a class. Organic chemistry, upper-division biology electives, and anatomy and physiology are ones that I've seen listed as upper division before. I took math, physics, and some other stuff at a CC, and it was fine for the schools I applied to.

 

[SelleSnowy]

Welcome to sdn You should check out the search function- many people have been in your exact position and been successful.

Thank you! And I've been lurking long enough, you'd think I would have done a search first... I guess it's just self-validation or something crazy. We're high-stress personalities, we need reassurance!

Davis is your IS, right? If you're planning to apply there, their prereq page lists Genetics, Biochem, and Physiology (NOT anatomy & physiology combined, by the way, unless they change that for next cycle) as upper division classes that need to be taken at a four-year university.

Davis and Western are both IS for me, but they're probably same price or more than some of the lower priced schools in other states. I'm not particular. Obviously I'd prefer Davis for the reputation, but I'm open to all accredited schools. Western got a lot of trash-talk in my undergrad courses, and I'm not sure why. I've read a lot of good things about them (other than $$$) but I know the area and as a Cal Poly grad I might get some brownie points.

That is disappointing about Physiology since I took Animal Anatomy & Physiology at Cal Poly. As far as I know that was our only option, and some people I took that with got into Davis somehow.

I was aiming for Oregon State due to price, location (my parents offered to move to the area if I go), and they have some of the more specific pre-req requirements so I figured if I aimed for them, I could apply almost everywhere else as well.

I'm most interested in exotics (I'm a rat person) and my friends in the AFRMA said they desperately need more local rat-friendly veterinarians. I don't know much about cats or dogs outside of my coursework so I am trying to volunteer at a spay/neuter facility that holds feral cat clinics at least once a week. How cool is that!? Plus spay/neuters are pretty essential and I've never seen one on a cat or dog before. I castrated pigs and lambs for a lab practicum but that's about it.

I'll definitely look into shadowing as well. Sounds like fun!

 

[SelleSnowy]

These are my outstanding pre-reqs I need to complete:

Biochem
Physics I & II
Gen Chem II
Organic Chem I & II
+ Additional Upper Div Bio Science (ex. Intro to Zoology/Lab)*
*Unless I can transfer some of my upper div Animal Science.

I'm mostly concerned for Biochem and Organic Chem. Since I have to take classes a la carte, I don't know if I can go to a university to take them.
Hopefully the advisors at the CC will know, but in the past I've found counselors to be pretty incompetent.

 

[EngrSC]

I'm sort of in your situation and I live in San Diego too! I take a class and lab at a time through SDCCD (I took virtually no biological science courses in my engineering program) and plan on taking the upper division classes open enrollment through SDSU or CSUSM.

Anyway, I work at a really great vet hospital and we had a couple people leave recently. Our office manager is always on the prowl for educated and responsible people that learn quickly and it sounds like you may fit the bill. PM me and I can give you more details and if you're interested you should swing by and apply

 

[KCgophervet]

I'm most interested in exotics (I'm a rat person) and my friends in the AFRMA said they desperately need more local rat-friendly veterinarians.

Kind of random, but if you really want to get some good small rodent experience you could try going for a job in a lab somewhere or shadowing with a lab animal vet (at universities or large research hospitals for example). They typically deal with hundreds/thousands of mice and rats and will blow your mind with info about them Most of my vet experience prior to getting into vet school was through working in a research lab and I get really excited when I hear about rats and mice (and its all too rare!)

 

[WillowLeaf]

Thank you! And I've been lurking long enough, you'd think I would have done a search first... I guess it's just self-validation or something crazy. We're high-stress personalities, we need reassurance!


Davis and Western are both IS for me, but they're probably same price or more than some of the lower priced schools in other states. I'm not particular. Obviously I'd prefer Davis for the reputation, but I'm open to all accredited schools. Western got a lot of trash-talk in my undergrad courses, and I'm not sure why. I've read a lot of good things about them (other than $$$) but I know the area and as a Cal Poly grad I might get some brownie points.

That is disappointing about Physiology since I took Animal Anatomy & Physiology at Cal Poly. As far as I know that was our only option, and some people I took that with got into Davis somehow.

I was aiming for Oregon State due to price, location (my parents offered to move to the area if I go), and they have some of the more specific pre-req requirements so I figured if I aimed for them, I could apply almost everywhere else as well.

I'm most interested in exotics (I'm a rat person) and my friends in the AFRMA said they desperately need more local rat-friendly veterinarians. I don't know much about cats or dogs outside of my coursework so I am trying to volunteer at a spay/neuter facility that holds feral cat clinics at least once a week. How cool is that!? Plus spay/neuters are pretty essential and I've never seen one on a cat or dog before. I castrated pigs and lambs for a lab practicum but that's about it.

I'll definitely look into shadowing as well. Sounds like fun!

You're looking at the same schools I applied to!
You might want to ask Davis rather than taking my word for it, in case I misunderstood or their requirements changed. For last cycle, they told me that my Human Anatomy & Physiology was not acceptable because it included anatomy (not because it was human-focused, that was okay). They recommended some options for me to take an online physiology course, because my state schools had just discontinued their physiology courses.

Rats are the best!!!

These are my outstanding pre-reqs I need to complete:

Biochem
Physics I & II
Gen Chem II
Organic Chem I & II
+ Additional Upper Div Bio Science (ex. Intro to Zoology/Lab)*
*Unless I can transfer some of my upper div Animal Science.

I'm mostly concerned for Biochem and Organic Chem. Since I have to take classes a la carte, I don't know if I can go to a university to take them.
Hopefully the advisors at the CC will know, but in the past I've found counselors to be pretty incompetent.

I took Biochem I and II online as a non-degree student, because my university has a weird schedule that makes biochem take about 1.5 years to complete, and it was faster to take it over the summer from a different school. So at least some universities will let you take that. I just had to apply as a non-degree-seeking student, and then email the professor my transcript showing that I had taken biochem's prerequisites at my university so he could override the registration block.

 

[grrrr121]

Hello fellow San Diegan! I'm in a similar boat, took pre-reqs at a CC and took the upper division ones through distant learning at different Universities. You can try taking classes at SDSU or CSUSM, but I didn't have any luck with crashing. I work a full time job in the business world, and I was lucky to find a small animal hospital who took me on part time as an assistant with no prior experience, so it can be done! Check craigslist for jobs, and also a lot of the Banfields in the area have lower starting jobs that don't require experience. There's a lot of places around to volunteer at also, if you want more animal experience. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[geologist]

I have to do this too. I'm planning on taking intro classes at CC and upper divisions/electives at a 4-year. Many state schools have a non-degree seeking option. Also, many school's admissions are specific on if you have to take classes at a 4-year or not, so I'd check with the schools you're applying to.

 

[Lab Vet]

Kind of random, but if you really want to get some good small rodent experience you could try going for a job in a lab somewhere or shadowing with a lab animal vet (at universities or large research hospitals for example). They typically deal with hundreds/thousands of mice and rats and will blow your mind with info about them Most of my vet experience prior to getting into vet school was through working in a research lab and I get really excited when I hear about rats and mice (and its all too rare!)

Yup. I second this. A lab animal practitioner will have loads more specialized knowledge concerning rodents than the average exotics practitioner. Rats and mice are their bread and butter species.

 

[TheComfyCat]

I have no idea if your community college has anything like this, but mine had a cross-enrollment arrangement with the UC/CSU campuses where if you're a CC student, you can enroll in UC/CSU classes through the community college and pay the CC tuition rate. The only real catch is that you can only enroll if the class isn't full, and some of the classes fill up before you get a chance to enroll. It's a whole lot cheaper than paying the tuition rate of a non-degree seeking student, though. There are some other conditions, but overall it's a nice program.