WAMC: 4th time applicant

[kml1721]

Hi all. 4th time applicant and desperate to get in. From Indiana, considering Purdue only (not looking to expand the list for personal reasons). Last cycle I was waitlisted at Purdue with only ~350 vet hours and similar animal experience hours. My GPA will increase slightly when I submit my application; what is shown is as of spring 2023 (I am taking summer classes right now). Interested in small animal, specifically working in a rural area.

Graduating GPA (undergrad): 3.75
Cumulative GPA (grad): 4.0
Cumulative GPA (undergrad + grad): 3.82
Science GPA: ~3.65

Degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Biology — graduated May 2021
• Master of Public Health— in progress; expected to complete August 2024

Veterinary Experience:

• Mixed animal practice (shadowing): ~50 hours
• Small animal practice (shadowing): ~400 hours
• Small animal practice (vet assistant): will have ~750 hours when submitting application
• Oncology department in vet teaching hospital (volunteer) ~10 hours (interrupted by COVID-19)

Animal Experience:

• Gait lab in vet teaching hospital: ~35 hours
• Animal shelter: ~30 hours
• Personal pet — elderly dog that needs extra care, such as manual urination, carrying from place to place, giving medications, etc.: ~500 hours

Research Experience:
N/A (unless you count research papers I have written for MPH but are not published)

Awards:
Dean’s List: 7/8 semesters in undergrad

Extracurriculars:

• Pre-Vet Club (active member)
• First Responders Club (treasurer)
• Pokémon Club (social media chair + treasurer)

Employment:
Grocery store worker (meat/seafood department): ~4500 hours

Letters of Recommendation:

• 2 veterinarians from the practice I work at
• 1 professor from my master’s program
• 1 coworker from my job outside of vet field (an assistant manager who knows my work ethic well)
• Potentially 1 professor from undergrad who wrote me a letter last year

Special Considerations:

• Takeaways from my personal statement: want to work in rural area, want to mentor fellow rural LGBTQ+ folks in vet med as a vet; included my passion for rural access to health and my research work have I done in my MPH program that reflects these passions
• I currently spend ~50 hours a week working between two jobs and a master’s program and cannot add more experiences
• I am certified in Health Equity and Health Promotion through Public Health Ontario.
• I plan on completing the diversity and inclusion training through ACT online training before I submit (side note: where should I put certifications on my application).
• I have written an explanation statement to explain my low veterinary hours. I mentioned that I had to prioritize a paid job outside of the field over unpaid vet hours. As a result, I paid off my student loans, have an emergency fund, and have savings for my vet school expenses. I also mentioned transferable skills that I learned in this job that have been an asset in the field.
• Outside of both of my jobs, I also help my mom with craft shows for her small business (setting up her booth, checking out customers, etc) and have started making my own crafts to sell as well. Some of these craft shows also double as fundraisers (i.e. for the animal shelter, for kids in need around Christmas); is it possible to add this experience on my application?

Concerns:

• Is my application competitive enough?
• Am I missing anything that Purdue is specifically looking for that I could easily add?
• How can I stick out more?

Thanks in advance!

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[olsonvet]

My concern would be your low vet hours and other hours that reflect you have explored different areas within the career. I was told by a application review panel that the vet hours help them know you are prepared to do the work of a vet. They want to make sure you know what the expectation is once you are in the field. While I know you have good experience outside of animals, they may not think you are fully prepared for the work of a vet. Just my 2 cents. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Georgethecat]

Have you done file reviews from your previous application cycles?

 

[olsonvet]

Have you done file reviews from your previous application cycles?

Yes. my grades, interview, and references were good. I was low on vet hours.

 

[HorseObsessed]

Your vet hours may have been low last cycle but they are not anymore. Yes, other students have worked in the field for years, but many have just a few hundred shadowing and get in. If you look through the accepted students page you will see applicants with fewer hours than you. Of course, your main gamble is applying to just one school.

 

[kml1721]

My concern would be your low vet hours and other hours that reflect you have explored different areas within the career. I was told by an application review panel that the vet hours help them know you are prepared to do the work of a vet. They want to make sure you know what the expectation is once you are in the field. While I know you have good experience outside of animals, they may not think you are fully prepared for the work of a vet. Just my 2 cents. I wish you the best of luck!

When I did my last application review at Purdue, I was told to “maximize” my hours and they want quality over quantity. I am fortunate to have shadowed and now work at a vet clinic that has given me a plethora of hands-on experience and client interaction, even when I just shadowed. I am hoping my explanation statement detailing my choices to prioritize paid work outside of the field and a master’s degree will give me an edge over last year. Thank you for your input!

 

[kml1721]

Your vet hours may have been low last cycle but they are not anymore. Yes, other students have worked in the field for years, but many have just a few hundred shadowing and get in. If you look through the accepted students page you will see applicants with fewer hours than you. Of course, your main gamble is applying to just one school.

I am well aware I’m putting my all my eggs in a basket with applying to one school. I have personal (non-financial) reasons to only apply to one school, so I am trying to maximize my application to increase my chances. Thank you for your input!