What are my chances?

[StartingoverVet]

. Thanks again, you guys are awesome!

qft.

See guys, I am awesome.

I like this @Mewfasa person. You should all listen to her.

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[haley.jo]

Hey everyone quick question of I have a science GPA of 3.6 but overall GPA of 3.1 and a couple grand hours of large livestock hours do you think that would enable me to get in? I'm just wondering if my Sci and experience hrs will save me and my last 3 semesters have been 4.0 gpa. What do you think?

 

[SouthernKyGal]

Hi everyone. I have an overall GPA of 3.52 and over 600 hours of small animal veterinary experience and I'm working on getting large animal. I average about 15 hours a semester. I just finished my sophomore year of undergrad. One vet I shadow told me that I need to take 18 hours and work. He thinks that I'm not doing enough to get into vet school. However, I've tried working during the semester and I feel like it's too much. Especially since I'll be taking organic chem this fall. What are your thoughts? Am I not doing enough?

 

[Felixor90]

Oh noes I got skipped D:

 

[orca2011]

Hi everyone. I have an overall GPA of 3.52 and over 600 hours of small animal veterinary experience and I'm working on getting large animal. I average about 15 hours a semester. I just finished my sophomore year of undergrad. One vet I shadow told me that I need to take 18 hours and work. He thinks that I'm not doing enough to get into vet school. However, I've tried working during the semester and I feel like it's too much. Especially since I'll be taking organic chem this fall. What are your thoughts? Am I not doing enough?

If working at the same time and taking 18 credits, will bring down your grades, don't do it. Only do what you can academically manage. Some people thrive on that type of schedule but other's need a lighter schedule to be able to function. If you think you can handle it, go for the 18 credits, but don't work if you feel like it will be too much. Fifteen credits seems like a pretty standard credit load, so I don't think staying around there will hurt you as long as you keep up the grades and keep getting experience. And by working during the semester, how many hours is he talking? If you want to try something, maybe look at an on campus job that has very flexible work hours/make your own schedule.

 

[Gwenevre]

If working at the same time and taking 18 credits, will bring down your grades, don't do it. Only do what you can academically manage. Some people thrive on that type of schedule but other's need a lighter schedule to be able to function. If you think you can handle it, go for the 18 credits, but don't work if you feel like it will be too much. Fifteen credits seems like a pretty standard credit load, so I don't think staying around there will hurt you as long as you keep up the grades and keep getting experience. And by working during the semester, how many hours is he talking? If you want to try something, maybe look at an on campus job that has very flexible work hours/make your own schedule.

Libraries. Residence Hall Front Desks. Both jobs I've worked and I have done my coursework while at work. Right now I am completing two summer courses while getting paid at the desk. And because they're student jobs, the employers understand course scheduling and flexing around your hours.

 

[dovelover]

Libraries. Residence Hall Front Desks. Both jobs I've worked and I have done my coursework while at work. Right now I am completing two summer courses while getting paid at the desk. And because they're student jobs, the employers understand course scheduling and flexing around your hours.

Yes. I worked in the library for 2 years in undergrad. Best job ever. Got to do homework when it wasn't busy, came across all sorts of really random movies and books to check out. And we got to pick our shifts to work around our class/studying schedule. It was great.

 

[Shepherd Lover]

Hey guys! I'm a first-time IS applicant and was wondering what chance I have, especially because my vet experience is below average

21 years old, female, Indiana resident

Expected Degrees:
B.S. in Biology, Honors, Indiana University (2015)

Cum GPA: 4.00
Science GPA:4.00
Last 45: 4.00


Veterinary Experience:
- 450 hours experience SA
- 62 hours experience LA

I work at a small animal clinic as an assistant and shadowed an equestrian vet.

Animal Experience:
- 255 hours working in a zoo
-75 hours volunteering through 4-H
-1000 hours participating in 4-H

Research Experience:
-480 hours in a DVM's lab
-300 hours through a high school water testing project
-1000 hours in a neuroscience lab

Letters of Recommendation
-Neuroscience PI
-DVM PI
-LA Vet I shadowed

GRE: have not taken it yet, but in a Kaplan Practice Test I received 95% Q, 83% V (A is not on practice exam)

I am applying to Purdue and Oregon.

 

[dovelover]

Hey guys! I'm a first-time IS applicant and was wondering what chance I have, especially because my vet experience is below average

21 years old, female, Indiana resident

Expected Degrees:
B.S. in Biology, Honors, Indiana University (2015)

Cum GPA: 4.00
Science GPA:4.00
Last 45: 4.00


Veterinary Experience:
- 450 hours experience SA
- 62 hours experience LA

I work at a small animal clinic as an assistant and shadowed an equestrian vet.

Animal Experience:
- 255 hours working in a zoo
-75 hours volunteering through 4-H
-1000 hours participating in 4-H

Research Experience:
-480 hours in a DVM's lab
-300 hours through a high school water testing project
-1000 hours in a neuroscience lab

Letters of Recommendation
-Neuroscience PI
-DVM PI
-LA Vet I shadowed

GRE: have not taken it yet, but in a Kaplan Practice Test I received 95% Q, 83% V (A is not on practice exam)

I am applying to Purdue and Oregon.

Well, you have a 4.0 and you've got a ton of research experience (though I'm not sure the high school project counts?). Adding in more hours before you turn in your application in would be nice, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could get in without any extra hours. Do you have a life outside of school? Aka, do you have any leadership experience, community service, non-vet work experience? Vet schools do like well rounded people. But then again, you have a 4.0, so depending on how the school's admissions works, that's giving you a big bump right there. I would personally apply to more than 2 schools though.

 

[Shepherd Lover]

Well I research about 8 hours a week during the school year so that takes up a bit of my time but I am also involved in Alpha Chi Sigma (Pre-professional chemistry co-ed fraternity). Most of the rest of my time I like to spend with my friends doing non-resume building activities. Do you have any idea on average number of vet experience hours for any schools? I've had a hard time finding that information.

 

[dovelover]

Well I research about 8 hours a week during the school year so that takes up a bit of my time but I am also involved in Alpha Chi Sigma (Pre-professional chemistry co-ed fraternity). Most of the rest of my time I like to spend with my friends doing non-resume building activities. Do you have any idea on average number of vet experience hours for any schools? I've had a hard time finding that information.

Comparing yourself to the average number of hours any school advertises will only make you feel depressed. Those averages include folks who have worked as full time vet techs for years and accumulated tens of thousands of hours in some cases. I think you're at the low end of acceptable, but it will vary by school, as some place a lot more emphasis on number and variety of hours than others. Since the rest of your application is pretty strong, it probably won't be a huge barricade for you. Also, research hours are often included in counts of veterinary hours... or at least they used to be when research was included in the veterinary experience section of VMCAS. I don't know if schools are looking at that differently now or not. But most schools that emphasize variety in your vet experiences include research as one of the suggested potential areas. So that bumps your numbers up a lot.

 

[Shepherd Lover]

Comparing yourself to the average number of hours any school advertises will only make you feel depressed. Those averages include folks who have worked as full time vet techs for years and accumulated tens of thousands of hours in some cases. I think you're at the low end of acceptable, but it will vary by school, as some place a lot more emphasis on number and variety of hours than others. Since the rest of your application is pretty strong, it probably won't be a huge barricade for you. Also, research hours are often included in counts of veterinary hours... or at least they used to be when research was included in the veterinary experience section of VMCAS. I don't know if schools are looking at that differently now or not. But most schools that emphasize variety in your vet experiences include research as one of the suggested potential areas. So that bumps your numbers up a lot.

Thank you dovelover!

 

[Tosh15]

Hi all, I've just finished my junior year and am currently working on my VMCAS. I'm having some serious self doubt and unsure of whether I should even apply this year. Here are my stats:

Major: Animal Science
GPA : 3.86

Animal experience
Clinical hours: 165 hrs
Non-clinical: 650 hrs

GRE
Verbal: 154
Quant. 156
Analytical writing: 3.0 --- 15th percentile!!!
**I have no idea why I performed so horribly on the essay - In high school I passed both the AP composition and AP literature tests and I scored in the 90th percentile when I took the ACT. My freshman year of undergrad my writing professor approached me and tried to convince me to switch my major to writing or journalism. Hopefully my GRE score was therefore the result of some external factor, and my personal statement will be pretty well-written.

My letters of recommendation will probably be average, nothing spectacular.

Although I have the grades, I'm terrified that my GRE scores and lack of hours will severely hurt me on my application. Is it even worth it for me to apply this year???

 

[Ashgirl]

Hi all, I've just finished my junior year and am currently working on my VMCAS. I'm having some serious self doubt and unsure of whether I should even apply this year. Here are my stats:

Major: Animal Science
GPA : 3.86

Animal experience
Clinical hours: 165 hrs
Non-clinical: 650 hrs

GRE
Verbal: 154
Quant. 156
Analytical writing: 3.0 --- 15th percentile!!!
**I have no idea why I performed so horribly on the essay - In high school I passed both the AP composition and AP literature tests and I scored in the 90th percentile when I took the ACT. My freshman year of undergrad my writing professor approached me and tried to convince me to switch my major to writing or journalism. Hopefully my GRE score was therefore the result of some external factor, and my personal statement will be pretty well-written.

My letters of recommendation will probably be average, nothing spectacular.

Although I have the grades, I'm terrified that my GRE scores and lack of hours will severely hurt me on my application. Is it even worth it for me to apply this year???

Hey there Tosh!

Overall, your stats look pretty decent, and I actually do think it could be worth a shot for you to apply this year if you want to apply. What kind of clinical and non-clinical hours do you have exactly (small animal, large, exotics)? Even if you don't have a lot of hours, if you have quite a bit of diversity, that could help your application. Is there any way you could shadow a vet for the rest of the summer to gain a little more hours on the vet side?

As for the GRE, your V and Q scores aren't bad at all, and the good news is that some schools don't even look at your writing score at all, which breakdown of how a school weighs the GRE can be found on the school's' websites.

 

[Tosh15]

Thanks Ashgirl!

My clinical hours are mostly at a small/mixed practice. While the vet sees a lot of dogs and cats, she also does farm calls mainly with cattle (but also camelids and even reindeer!)
The other experiences I've had include a week of shadowing in the large animal hospital at the vet school a few years ago, ride alongs with mobile vets who see mostly horses, and a 24 hour emergency clinic.

As for the summer, I might be able to get a 100 or so more hours at an emergency clinic somewhere. The problem is that I am working about 80 hours a week with only one day off (gotta pay rent!). I already feel like I'm running out of time, as I am still trying to get something lined up.

Good to know that the GRE isn't as bad as I thought. That gives me some peace of mind!

I have also heard from some that I should apply even if I am not a good applicant because applying a second time gives you an opportunity to demonstrate how you've improved and demonstrates perseverance. Any thoughts on this idea?

 

[Gwenevre]

Thanks Ashgirl!

My clinical hours are mostly at a small/mixed practice. While the vet sees a lot of dogs and cats, she also does farm calls mainly with cattle (but also camelids and even reindeer!)
The other experiences I've had include a week of shadowing in the large animal hospital at the vet school a few years ago, ride alongs with mobile vets who see mostly horses, and a 24 hour emergency clinic.

As for the summer, I might be able to get a 100 or so more hours at an emergency clinic somewhere. The problem is that I am working about 80 hours a week with only one day off (gotta pay rent!). I already feel like I'm running out of time, as I am still trying to get something lined up.

Good to know that the GRE isn't as bad as I thought. That gives me some peace of mind!

I have also heard from some that I should apply even if I am not a good applicant because applying a second time gives you an opportunity to demonstrate how you've improved and demonstrates perseverance. Any thoughts on this idea?

I definitely advocate this! I applied last round even though I was an okay-applicant (everything was just a little above average) and I got a great file review, so my application this year is much stronger because the schools told me what I needed to improve.

 

[Tosh15]

I definitely advocate this! I applied last round even though I was an okay-applicant (everything was just a little above average) and I got a great file review, so my application this year is much stronger because the schools told me what I needed to improve.

Gwenevre, did you simply meet with an admissions coordinator to find out how to improve, or was it a more complicated process?

Glad to know there is always hope! Good luck this year!

 

[Ashgirl]

Gwenevre, did you simply meet with an admissions coordinator to find out how to improve, or was it a more complicated process?

Glad to know there is always hope! Good luck this year!

It usually depends on the school. Most have instructions on how to contact the school (for example, Ohio State has a specific time where you call them to set up a phone or face-to-face appointment to discuss your application).

 

[Gwenevre]

Gwenevre, did you simply meet with an admissions coordinator to find out how to improve, or was it a more complicated process?

Glad to know there is always hope! Good luck this year!

What I ended up doing was I applied, got an interview, then got rejected. I e-mailed my school asking for feedback and they set me up to talk to someone, who told me why I wasn't chosen for this class and what I should improve for my next application cycle.
I think you have really good stats, and if you want to, at least apply to your in-state school with the intention of getting in. That way if you don't, you get the feedback and didn't spend any extra money applying out of state. And if you do, then you're done!

 

[dwts4]

Hi! I'm sort of on the fence about applying to vet school this year because I have a fairly weak GPA, I'm just looking for some feedback about what my chances might be.

Majors: Animal Science, Biology
Minors: Equine Science, Endocrine Physiology and Health (possibly also Biochemistry depending on how my schedule works out next year)

GPA: 3.344
sGPA: Probably around 3.2
Last 45 hours: Probably around a 3.2
GRE: Taking at the end of August

Veterinary Experience:
450 SA practice (Will be about 150 more by the end of the summer)
220 Equine practice
(My area of interest would be equine however I could only find a paid position at the SA practice and I need paid work right now. Would that be something to put in my explanation statement?)

Research Expereince:
234 hours assisting with a research project involving exercise stress in both mature and yearling horses (received course credit)
57 hours assisting with veterinary research testing a new drug for horses (received course credit)
30 hours assisting with a research study comparing different kinds of forage based feeds
80 hours assisting with a research study looking at the effects of maternal alcohol exposure in rats as well as the effects of alcohol exposure in adolescent rats

Animal Experience:
9 years of owning horses/being responsible for all aspects of their care and managing the barn
35 hours training a heifer for a showmanship class (received course credit)
50 hours training and preparing a dairy goat for a showmanship class (received course credit)
102 hours assisting with the care of the research horses at school (received course credit)
86 hours assisting with the daily care of the heifers at school (received course credit)
25 hours teaching students with no large animal experience how to groom and handle a horse for a showmanship class
~200 hours on barn staff at a therapeutic riding facility during high school and my freshmen year of college
Riding lessons all through middle school/high school
(Not sure if any of the stuff I got course credit for counts for anything?)

Other:
~500 hours assisting with lessons at a therapeutic riding facility in high school (volunteer work)
~200 hours volunteering at a different therapeutic riding facility during college
Currently a PATH certified therapeutic riding instructor
1 semester as an undergraduate physiology TA
Teaching able-bodied riding lessons about 2 hours a week
(I'm guessing all teaching/assisting with riding lessons shouldn't go in animal experience since its more about working with the students than handling animals?)
2 years on my school's ballroom dance team, 1 year on e-board as the home competition coordinator.

Awards:
2 merit based scholarships
Jr. Volunteer of the Year at a therapeutic riding facility in high school

I really feel like my application would be fairly weak but any comments are appreciated. Unfortunately re-taking the courses isn't really an option for me and I have 130 credits so I think my GPA will be sort of difficult to move. I am also a New Jersey resident so I don't have an instate school to apply to.

 

[Mrow123]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you couldn't list things like research projects you did for course credit under "research" - I thought it had to be listed in your classes/transcript. If that is true, it would certainly weaken those aspects of your application because you couldn't list them.

 

[Gwenevre]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you couldn't list things like research projects you did for course credit under "research" - I thought it had to be listed in your classes/transcript. If that is true, it would certainly weaken those aspects of your application because you couldn't list them.

That's a really good question for the @VMCASSTAFF or on the VMCAS Questions 2014 thread, should be able to get some clarity there.

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

Anything you get a grade for, experiences of any kind, that are listed on an official transcript should be placed in coursework not in experiences.

 

[TheComfyCat]

Although VMCAS says not to, I wonder if the schools prefer you list those under animal/ research experience... I remember @pinkpuppy9 had some schools tell her they wanted her classroom experiences listed under the experiences section. It's pretty confusing when schools and VMCAS give conflicting instructions. Maybe you should also contact the schools you're applying to and check what they say as well.

 

[dovelover]

Although VMCAS says not to, I wonder if the schools prefer you list those under animal/ research experience... I remember @pinkpuppy9 had some schools tell her they wanted her classroom experiences listed under the experiences section. It's pretty confusing when schools and VMCAS give conflicting instructions. Maybe you should also contact the schools you're applying to and check what they say as well.

I had put an experience that I did as part of a class down under the experience section... mostly because I didn't know we were technically not supposed to? I mean, yeah, the class was listed on my transcript, but that says nothing about what I actually did in that class. Looking at the transcript, you would have no idea that I was actually working with a vet and learning how to restrain lab animals and doing blood draws and injections and stuff on live animals. And why on Earth would they not want you to talk about research you did just because it's listed as some generic credit on your transcript? I personally would still include it, because I think most schools would want to know what you did, and the line on your transcript means diddly squat to them. And if they say, oh hey, they got credit for this, it shouldn't be here, well then, they just won't count it. It's just like the schools out there that want you to put pet ownership on your application even though it's not supposed to be counted as animal experience. They're not gonna exclude you from vet school because you talked in detail about an experience that you technically shouldn't have included (as long as you actually did what you said you did), especially since I'm sure a lot of people do it without knowing that they're not supposed to. It did not say anywhere obvious on my application that things you get credit for should not be included under experience... because I definitely looked.

 

[Gwenevre]

See I have that same-ish issue. One of my classes in the fall includes us going out to farms and doing reproductive labs, and I will be AI certified by the completion of the course. But since I'm getting credit, I shouldn't put that on my application? It seems skewed, and not quite in my favor.

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

So, let's be clear here. The instructions that vet schools have requested VMCAS deliver to applicants was listed above. There is no right or wrong here. It is your application and if you wish to place graded work as experience it's definitely up to you. I agree that most schools will likely NOT ding you for doing so.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Although VMCAS says not to, I wonder if the schools prefer you list those under animal/ research experience... I remember @pinkpuppy9 had some schools tell her they wanted her classroom experiences listed under the experiences section. It's pretty confusing when schools and VMCAS give conflicting instructions. Maybe you should also contact the schools you're applying to and check what they say as well.

Yes, contact your schools! I was told I shortchanged myself on my application by not giving more attention to my research experience (that occurred in classrooms). Not every school agrees 100% with the suggestions/instructions that VMCAS makes (they can't make everyone happy!) so it's best to reach out to admissions offices. I wish I would have known that last year, I probably would have gotten at least one interview...

For example, my animal nutrition class had both a research-esqe portion (each group formulated/mixed broiler chicken diets and we tweaked as needed to reach a growth goal, made predictions, etc.) complete with a report. That class also involved animal experience (chickens!). Knowing what I know now, I'd list the class under coursework, list the animal experience as one entry, and then describe how I participated in a massive research project.

It wasn't published, which is another confusing element of VMCAS/applying. Some schools won't consider any of your research experience (lab assistant, classroom projects, etc.) unless you are published (as in your name is on the paper). Some schools DO care that you ran experiments for a professor or that your bio lab had some sort of research portion.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

I had put an experience that I did as part of a class down under the experience section... mostly because I didn't know we were technically not supposed to? I mean, yeah, the class was listed on my transcript, but that says nothing about what I actually did in that class. Looking at the transcript, you would have no idea that I was actually working with a vet and learning how to restrain lab animals and doing blood draws and injections and stuff on live animals. And why on Earth would they not want you to talk about research you did just because it's listed as some generic credit on your transcript? I personally would still include it, because I think most schools would want to know what you did, and the line on your transcript means diddly squat to them. And if they say, oh hey, they got credit for this, it shouldn't be here, well then, they just won't count it. It's just like the schools out there that want you to put pet ownership on your application even though it's not supposed to be counted as animal experience. They're not gonna exclude you from vet school because you talked in detail about an experience that you technically shouldn't have included (as long as you actually did what you said you did), especially since I'm sure a lot of people do it without knowing that they're not supposed to. It did not say anywhere obvious on my application that things you get credit for should not be included under experience... because I definitely looked.

This! My "Animal Nutrition" course on my transcript doesn't even hint at the fact that I formulated diets and raised broilers from a few days old.

 

[Panderson]

It's taken me a while to talk about my stats because I'm embarrassed of them freshman year, I didn't know what I wanted out of life and just didn't care as much as I should have. I am in a liberal arts honors college where I concentrate in the sciences and will have to complete an honors thesis to graduate with my bachelor's. It is quite arduous and requires hard work! I kept a 3.2 overall my first semester ( B's in bio I and the lab) but then in the spring earned C's in Bio II lecture, Precalc, and Spanish I, and a B in lab. It dropped me considerably.

This past year, I came back with a new, determined, and more confident mindset. In an effort to figure myself out a bit I temporarily started the classes for a bachelor's vet tech degree while sticking with my honors degree at the same time. I made all A's in those classes. Also I made a B in Chem I, and A in II, and an A and B in the labs, respectively. I also scored an A in Calc I. In the fall I made a 3.6, spring a 3.7, which raised my cGPA to a 3.2. I took 15 hours in the fall and 21 in spring. I currently work at a SA/LA clinic and will have 430 hours of my first vet experiences. I also have animal experiences from a no-kill shelter and the vet tech program at my school. This coming year I absolutely will get a 4.0 or only 1 B each semester. I am putting finishing the vet tech program on hold to finish prereqs. My work with vet tech and at the clinic put a fire under me, and I know that my future career is my number 1 priority from here on out--not friends, not boys, not anything else. I'll continue grabbing as much experience as possible, and possibly research if I may find it. With this said, do you guys think that a shot may be salvaged for me if I continue working this hard and even harder? LSU is my IS. I know an honors program is no excuse for 3 C's, so please give me honest opinions. I will appreciate it.

 

[dovelover]

It's taken me a while to talk about my stats because I'm embarrassed of them freshman year, I didn't know what I wanted out of life and just didn't care as much as I should have. I am in a liberal arts honors college where I concentrate in the sciences and will have to complete an honors thesis to graduate with my bachelor's. It is quite arduous and requires hard work! I kept a 3.2 overall my first semester ( B's in bio I and the lab) but then in the spring earned C's in Bio II lecture, Precalc, and Spanish I, and a B in lab. It dropped me considerably.

This past year, I came back with a new, determined, and more confident mindset. In an effort to figure myself out a bit I temporarily started the classes for a bachelor's vet tech degree while sticking with my honors degree at the same time. I made all A's in those classes. Also I made a B in Chem I, and A in II, and an A and B in the labs, respectively. I also scored an A in Calc I. In the fall I made a 3.6, spring a 3.7, which raised my cGPA to a 3.2. I took 15 hours in the fall and 21 in spring. I currently work at a SA/LA clinic and will have 430 hours of my first vet experiences. I also have animal experiences from a no-kill shelter and the vet tech program at my school. This coming year I absolutely will get a 4.0 or only 1 B each semester. I am putting finishing the vet tech program on hold to finish prereqs. My work with vet tech and at the clinic put a fire under me, and I know that my future career is my number 1 priority from here on out--not friends, not boys, not anything else. I'll continue grabbing as much experience as possible, and possibly research if I may find it. With this said, do you guys think that a shot may be salvaged for me if I continue working this hard and even harder? LSU is my IS. I know an honors program is no excuse for 3 C's, so please give me honest opinions. I will appreciate it.

First of all, 3 Cs aren't gonna kill you. Especially because I'm guessing only 1 of those is a prereq at most schools, and they happened during your first year. Second, upward trends are great. And on that note, if you keep going as you are, you should be able to raise your GPA to something that is decent. But what I really wanted to say was, I really don't like the sound of the no friends, no boys, no anything else. First of all, as far as the anything else goes, schools like to see well rounded applicants that have participated in clubs or done community service or have held leadership roles. Second, pushing all of your friends out of your life is more likely to hurt your success than help it. I say this as someone who was pretty lonely in college. As much as you think you can do without other people and think friends are only a distraction, your mental health will eventually suffer because of it. And that is NOT conducive to getting good grades. You need to find time for social interaction of some sort or another.

 

[Panderson]

First of all, 3 Cs aren't gonna kill you. Especially because I'm guessing only 1 of those is a prereq at most schools, and they happened during your first year. Second, upward trends are great. And on that note, if you keep going as you are, you should be able to raise your GPA to something that is decent. But what I really wanted to say was, I really don't like the sound of the no friends, no boys, no anything else. First of all, as far as the anything else goes, schools like to see well rounded applicants that have participated in clubs or done community service or have held leadership roles. Second, pushing all of your friends out of your life is more likely to hurt your success than help it. You need to find time for social interaction of some sort or another.

Oh no, I think we had a misunderstanding! I don't want to push everyone away... They just won't consume all of my time as they used to. I only involve people in my life that understand that I am busy and can't always make time for them, and won't throw a fit when I can't always drop everything for them, as was the case in my first year of college. That was a time where I still hung out with people from my hometown who always clamored for me to visit every weekend when I should have been studying. I still have a social life, it is just not my whole world. I also have wonderful, understanding friends at my school and it is now officially my home! Thank you for your honesty

 

[dovelover]

Oh no, I think we had a misunderstanding! I don't want to push everyone away... They just won't consume all of my time as they used to. I only involve people in my life that understand that I am busy and can't always make time for them, and won't throw a fit when I can't always drop everything for them, as was the case in my first year of college. That was a time where I still hung out with people from my hometown who always clamored for me to visit every weekend when I should have been studying. I still have a social life, it is just not my whole world. I also have wonderful, understanding friends at my school and it is now officially my home! Thank you for your honesty

haha okay, that sounds better. You just never know sometimes... some people get a little obsessed with school and grades.

 

[Reptilio93]

Soooo…… I'm pretty terrified about applying for Vet School as I here about all this experience and work I need and I feel I don't really qualify.
I didn't really get my act together until Junior year of college (my past year) and so I'm very worried about where I stand and if I should even Apply

CURRENT ACADEMICS:
CGPA: 3.25
Science GPA: 3.24

*of course I plan to raise this GPA (and it probably will go up realistically to a 3.35 or something above that)
Experience/hours: roughly 800 hours

I'm working two different vet internships this summer and working at a pet hotel and i'm not sure if that really looks good or bad or just neutral to hours. I'm studying for the GRE now but have no idea how I'm going to do well, but I have faith that I probably will.
I've had amazing quarters and then I've had terrible quarters so I'm not sure where I stand.

Am I even a worthy candidate for ANY accredited vet school?

*Also I don't mind cold hard truth… please be straightforward with me and no sugarcoating.
**Also Hi! New here!

 

[WulfpackChica]

Soooo…… I'm pretty terrified about applying for Vet School as I here about all this experience and work I need and I feel I don't really qualify.
I didn't really get my act together until Junior year of college (my past year) and so I'm very worried about where I stand and if I should even Apply

CURRENT ACADEMICS:
CGPA: 3.25
Science GPA: 3.24

*of course I plan to raise this GPA (and it probably will go up realistically to a 3.35 or something above that)
Experience/hours: roughly 800 hours

I'm working two different vet internships this summer and working at a pet hotel and i'm not sure if that really looks good or bad or just neutral to hours. I'm studying for the GRE now but have no idea how I'm going to do well, but I have faith that I probably will.
I've had amazing quarters and then I've had terrible quarters so I'm not sure where I stand.

Am I even a worthy candidate for ANY accredited vet school?

*Also I don't mind cold hard truth… please be straightforward with me and no sugarcoating.
**Also Hi! New here!

My GPA was around yours (maybe a little lower). I took the time to scope all the schools to see what they weigh the heaviest. I went on tor receive my Masters and did really well in all if my classes (I got my Masters as my Plan B, not to look good for the adcoms), so I showed an upward trend.

You are not completely out of the running. You jut have to look at what schools look at and do well on the GRE. Also, diversity of hours will also help, even if it just 50-100. It shows that you took an effort to explore.

 

[travelingfuturevet]

.

 

[deleted606433]

Ack, I'm so nervous to post here, but I plan on applying for the c/o 2020 cycle and I want to see where I stand in terms of stats as I've been doubting myself a lot lately. I guess I just want to be sure that I'm on the right track, really. Any advice is definitely appreciated!

Missouri resident
Traditional applicant, will be 23 years old at time of application.
I plan on applying to Mizzou (IS) and Kansas State. I'm also considering Iowa State.

Academics
- B.S. in Biology, minor in Chemistry at a state university
- cGPA: 3.2
- Last 45 GPA: 3.7
- Science GPA: 3.4
- GRE: 156V (71%), 154Q (57%), 4.5AW (80%) <--- definitely retaking ASAP

Veterinary Experience
- 144 shadowing hours at a small animal general practice
- 420 hours volunteering as a veterinary assistant at another small animal practice (this is a rough approximation, and I am still at this clinic currently; I should have about 800 hours by application time if things go as planned)
- 9 hours shadowing a zoo veterinarian

I am in the process of arranging time for me to shadow a large animal veterinarian back home over winter break; I'm aiming to attain at least 100 hours or so, just to help diversify my experience a bit. I'm definitely leaning towards small animal practice, but I'm trying to keep an open mind and expose myself to different areas of veterinary medicine.

Animal Experience
- 235 hours volunteering at local animal shelter - mostly dog socialization, walking, and kennel clean-up
- 16 hours volunteering at annual low-cost rabies vaccination clinic, 2013 and 2014 (I suppose I could technically file this one under Veterinary Experience, as there was a veterinarian on staff, but the particular work I was doing was more along the lines of paperwork than anything else...)
- 6 hours aging White-Tailed Deer w/ Biology Club in cooperation with a meat-processing company and the MO Department of Conservation
- 5 hours undergoing hands-on course on sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica during a sponsored high school trip (most of our volunteer work during the trip was more human-oriented, so this was the best I could do at the time)
- ~200 hours pet-sitting and fostering during high school

I realize that many of these experiences are pretty low in terms of hours (especially the deer aging and sea turtle course), and I wonder if listing them on the application is even worth it. I guess it can't hurt, and if the adcomms really don't like those lower numbers, they can ignore them; nonetheless, I was wondering what those of you who have been accepted to veterinary school already have to say about the matter.

Research Experience
None outside of a couple of in-class Genetics projects and, from what I've seen, there are definitely conflicting opinions on whether or not that sort of thing qualifies as "Research" under VMCAS. I plan on omitting it, at least for now.

Employment Experience (all estimates)
- ~4000 hours as a customer service/general manager at a Mexican restaurant during most of my undergrad... random, yes, but it helped me develop people skills more than probably any another job I've had.
- ~500 hours working as a cashier at yet another Mexican restaurant back home during one of my summers

Starting this upcoming semester, I will be working on-campus at the university as a Biology and Comparative Anatomy tutor.

Extracurricular/Awards
- Member and officer of Biology Club
- Member of Spanish Club
- One of 60 incoming 2011 freshmen to win "Emerging Leader" award
- Nominated and interviewed for a selective Peer Mentor position
- Dean's List a few semesters
- Random scholarships and grants

So what I'm gathering from peeking at this thread is that I am a very run-of-the-mill, average (if not below average) vet school applicant. My cGPA is so low due to a rough start in undergrad; when I first started college, I had no idea what direction I wanted to go in. I just sort of arbitrarily chose to major in Spanish and minor in Japanese because I didn't really think I had the aptitude to succeed in anything else. Lo and behold, I discovered after taking an advanced composition course that I absolutely despised it. That's when I remembered just how much I adored biology in high school and changed my focus. I didn't settle on vet med, however, until I had my first shadowing experience and fell in love with the field. There is certainly a lot of hardship in vet med, but I loved the emotional gains of helping animals and their owners. I'm also glad that I took my first jobs in the food service industry, as well, as it really, really helped me in terms of dealing with customer service issues and sharpened my communication abilities.

Now, unfortunately, while I was waffling around freshman year, I did receive some low grades: two Ds, actually, as well as couple of Cs. But the thing is, neither of the classes with the Ds are required for vet school admission; on the contrary, I've done pretty consistently well in vet school pre-reqs (all As and Bs with the exception of one random, stupid C in Gen Chem II that I'm still kicking myself for... bleh). No, my Ds are in a history and Spanish course, of all things. I was a lazy student, and I'm not afraid to beat myself up about it. I was unmotivated at the time and waffling around with no earthly idea of what I wanted to pursue as a career. I feel that I have since matured as both a student and a person, and that those Ds are behind me. I've considered retaking them to boost my cGPA a bit, but since they're not vet school pre-reqs, I've been having doubts as to whether or not it's worth the time and extra money to just barely make a dent in my GPA. It's a bit frustrating that, having done so well in my pre-vet courses, a couple random grades from fall 2011 are holding me back, but that's life. Thankfully, I do have a few more semesters to go, so I'm hoping that straight As from now on might be enough to salvage me.

I do plan on touching on this a bit in the Explanation Statement, but from the angle of sucking it up, admitting that I was in the wrong and am fully responsible for my poor performance that year, and making sure to make a point of how I have made lifestyle and habit changes to ensure that it doesn't happen again. I feel like addressing it more than that may actually be detrimental to my application, so I plan on keeping it short and sweet.

I don't know... I guess I feel like I'm a hopeless case and that I'm already out of the running before I even apply. Meh. In any case, though, I want to say thanks in advance, and that I'm very appreciative of any opinions and advice you all can provide.

 

[dyachei]

I think your grades are ok, would rather see better gre and more experience, especially if there's an upward trend in grades.

 

[AmnityEffect]

I won’t be starting my application for a couple years, so I hope this isn’t the wrong place to post this. I just really could use some advice regarding whether or not I have a chance at vet med and, if so, how to go about it at this point in the game. Some background:

I took two years at a community college because I didn’t have a plan immediately out of highschool and saving money was a priority. I finished with a 3.0 with a significant upward trend and will be starting at a state university this Fall. While my GPA so far is rather weak, I have 3 years of undergrad left to pull it up and feel like I can do that now that I have a strong sense of purpose and discovered passion for the field.

My ECs are also very weak right now. I just started a job at a SA clinic as boarding staff and will be working every weekend during undergrand for the foreseeable future. Beyond that, I have about 30 hours of shadowing SA vets and no research or clinic experience.


With all that said, do I have a chance or did I mess up too much? What would you do in this situation to become a strong applicant? I am willing to apply myself because I really do want it! I just feel overwhelmed and doubtful given my history and need to know if it’s a realistic goal still.

(I don't know if it matters, but I am a 21-year-old white male from Minnesota.)

 

[bakedjps]

I took two years at a community college because I didn’t have a plan immediately out of highschool and saving money was a priority. I finished with a 3.0 with a significant upward trend and will be starting at a state university this Fall. While my GPA so far is rather weak, I have 3 years of undergrad left to pull it up and feel like I can do that now that I have a strong sense of purpose and discovered passion for the field.

My ECs are also very weak right now. I just started a job at a SA clinic as boarding staff and will be working every weekend during undergrand for the foreseeable future. Beyond that, I have about 30 hours of shadowing SA vets and no research or clinic experience.

3 years of undergrad is a lot of time to boost up your gpa and get more clinical/research experience. If you focus on your academics once you start state university, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to raise your cumulative to 3.4-3.6, along with having a very competitive last 45 hour gpa. Also I would start planning exactly what you hope to accomplish and how in terms of EC by time you apply. Get into a research project that's interesting or start diversifying/deepening your clinical experiences. 3 years is definitely plenty of time for improvement!

 

[Violetvet]

Ooh, ooh! Now me! Someone critique me!!

Academics
cGPA: 3.72
science/ last 45: 3.91
GRE: 162 Verbal, 150 Quant.

I'm only applying to CSU and the advisor said she thought my GRE scores should be good enough, so no plan to retake.

Veterinary:
3000 hrs arthritis research associate supervised by a veterinary pathologist
180 volunteering at small animal shelter
100 shadowing equine vet
24 shadowing SA vets

This includes what I will have completed by the time I apply, not much time to add more at this point.

Animal:
3000 hrs dog walking/ cat sitting in NYC
2000 hrs animal care for lab rats/ mice
Grew up on a farm that was just for fun, not profit.

Extra:
I'm a 34 year old non-trad, have worked in the non-profit, translation (Chinese), and teaching worlds.
I also have scads of random work experience: barista, caring for a kid with autism, worked at a dinner
theater.

I'm worried my veterinary experience is too one-sided: tons of research and not enough SA or LA. Also wonder if I have enough UD science courses, I will have 7 with all As (fingers crossed) by the time I apply, but CSU prevet advisor said most applicants have 8 or 9.

Thank you thank you in advance and good luck to everyone!!

 

[dyachei]

Ooh, ooh! Now me! Someone critique me!!

Academics
cGPA: 3.72
science/ last 45: 3.91
GRE: 162 Verbal, 150 Quant.

I'm only applying to CSU and the advisor said she thought my GRE scores should be good enough, so no plan to retake.

Veterinary:
3000 hrs arthritis research associate supervised by a veterinary pathologist
180 volunteering at small animal shelter
100 shadowing equine vet
24 shadowing SA vets

This includes what I will have completed by the time I apply, not much time to add more at this point.

Animal:
3000 hrs dog walking/ cat sitting in NYC
2000 hrs animal care for lab rats/ mice
Grew up on a farm that was just for fun, not profit.

Extra:
I'm a 34 year old non-trad, have worked in the non-profit, translation (Chinese), and teaching worlds.
I also have scads of random work experience: barista, caring for a kid with autism, worked at a dinner
theater.

I'm worried my veterinary experience is too one-sided: tons of research and not enough SA or LA. Also wonder if I have enough UD science courses, I will have 7 with all As (fingers crossed) by the time I apply, but CSU prevet advisor said most applicants have 8 or 9.

Thank you thank you in advance and good luck to everyone!!

Not sure what CSU requires for experience, it would be something I look up. You may need more breadth of experience. Those GRE scores - the quant is low but if they are telling you they are ok, I guess they are.

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

Guys. While I appreciate all these posting I must remind you that all applicants are unique. What fits for one success story does not fit all. You will know your chances of getting into vet school by doing your research on qualifications. Please do not rely on the comparison to your competitors. 6700 of you will submit applications for around 3000 seats. The best resources for you are pre-vet / pre- health advisors and the admissions officers at schools you are interested in applying to. Just my two cents.

 

[dyachei]

Guys. While I appreciate all these posting I must remind you that all applicants are unique. What fits for one success story does not fit all. You will know your chances of getting into vet school by doing your research on qualifications. Please do not rely on the comparison to your competitors. 6700 of you will submit applications for around 3000 seats. The best resources for you are pre-vet / pre- health advisors and the admissions officers at schools you are interested in applying to. Just my two cents.

If you looked at the responses to these posts, you'd see that it is a common theme that makes into most posts. Nobody is saying that they can predict what admissions will do. However, sometimes it helps to have an outsider look at your stats.

 

[deleted606433]

I think your grades are ok, would rather see better gre and more experience, especially if there's an upward trend in grades.

Thanks a ton for the input!

Yeah, after getting everything stats-wise down onto paper, that's the same general impression I got: the upward trend is good, but it needs to be complemented. I've still got at least a year left before applying, so I'm hoping that that's enough time to not only keep my grades up and retake the GRE, but also to get a better quantity (and quality) of experience.

 

[LetItSnow]

Guys. While I appreciate all these posting I must remind you that all applicants are unique. What fits for one success story does not fit all. You will know your chances of getting into vet school by doing your research on qualifications. Please do not rely on the comparison to your competitors. 6700 of you will submit applications for around 3000 seats. The best resources for you are pre-vet / pre- health advisors and the admissions officers at schools you are interested in applying to. Just my two cents.

Bum advice.

First, repeated observation of what pre-health advisers are telling undergraduate students has made it clear that the majority of them have absolutely no useful insight into what makes for a good pre-VET plan, or how to best approach the application. Time and time again we hear stories of what pre-health advisors are telling people and it's just plain baffling BAD. Perhaps advisers who are specifically tasked with advising pre-vet students are slightly better, but even then, in my experience it's tacked onto their job because they happen to be the pre-med advisor or something, and they really don't have any expert knowledge about the field.

Second, many people find some degree of comfort in comparing themselves because they can look at it and say "Ok. I'm at least in the ballpark - I should have a reasonable shot" or "Woah..... I'm not even CLOSE to this, I should probably devote some time to bumping up this stat or that stat." And there is nothing wrong with that.

Third, nobody on SDN has ever said "Post here, we can tell you exactly what to do to get in." Everyone has always been crystal clear about sharing what they think makes for a good application, what has worked for them, and what their personal experience has taught them.

I wasn't aware that VMCAS was in the business of doing anything but processing applications; I didn't realize it had taken on the role of application consultant, as well.

 

[WildZoo]

First, repeated observation of what pre-health advisers are telling undergraduate students has made it clear that the majority of them have absolutely no useful insight into what makes for a good pre-VET plan, or how to best approach the application. Time and time again we hear stories of what pre-health advisors are telling people and it's just plain baffling BAD. Perhaps advisers who are specifically tasked with advising pre-vet students are slightly better, but even then, in my experience it's tacked onto their job because they happen to be the pre-med advisor or something, and they really don't have any expert knowledge about the field.

I second this. I have found much more useful information from this and other threads, and received more useful advice from posting my stats here, than I ever got from any of the advisers at my school. Not to mention the non-trad students and others who are no longer in school and would not have the access to advisers in the first place.

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

All good feedback thanks.

 

[pirateslayme]

Hey guys-

So I am freaking out a bit. I am applying to vet school this year and seriously want to run away screaming but can't really considering I have asked for most of my LORs already.
The reason for my freak out is that I took the gre today for the first time and my scores were atrocious (V-151, Q-147). This is after studying for about 6 months and taking a Kaplan Prep course. The reason why I am even saying what my scores are is that I really want some honest advice as to whether I have a shot this cycle. I did schedule to take the exam again but am afraid I won't be able to do much better. I have a history of really bad testing anxiety on standardized tests. I could study really hard for the exam and than when I have to take it completely blank out on everything. I know vet school will obviously be full of tests but I do ok on tests for school it is just these big standardized tests that make me nervous.
I do know that some schools don't put a lot of emphasis on GRE scores but I am afraid because my GPA isn;t super great either. My cum (undergrad+postbac) is about a 3.05 and my prereq science is about a 3.2 right now. I know that this is not great. The reason why my cum is so low is that I had some health issues in undergrad that I have since mostly overcome.
While my GPA and GRE are not the greatest I do have diverse experiences and a lot of hours. I have worked almost the past three years as a vet assistant in a small animal/exotic practice and also volunteer at the zoo with a lead veterinarian. I believe my LORs will be pretty good.
Can someone please give me their honest advice as to whether I have a shot this cycle? Please do not sugar coat. I am intending to apply to a lot of schools to expand my horizons (Davis, CO, VMRVC, AVC, Ross, Western, Illinois, Tennessee, Kansas). The list may change a little but this is what I have for now.
Also, if you have any advice on how I can improve for this cycle please let me know. I am going to put 110% in doing well in the fall term but I know not all schools consider fall grades in the admissions process. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[orca2011]

I second this. I have found much more useful information from this and other threads, and received more useful advice from posting my stats here, than I ever got from any of the advisers at my school. Not to mention the non-trad students and others who are no longer in school and would not have the access to advisers in the first place.

Agreed. I was going to post something along the same lines earlier but I was at work and didn't have time. I stopped using my pre-health advisor for advice once I found out he knew nothing about the application process (thought it was rolling and told me I should have applied before the application was even open). He really only knew about the pre-med side of things. I found other professors and this site more helpful as well as my own research.