What are my chances?

[bakedjps]

I think you should apply broadly as well. Your cGPA and sGPA are on the low end, but your last 45 and your GRE scores are really good. Your research experience is good as well. It looks to me like there's some kind of story there - obviously you're capable. What happened to kill your overall and science GPA's? I think the way you present that is going to be really important to your application.

Thanks! Is it bad that I dont have a story behind my poor grades...? I basically didnt know what I wanted to do and didnt care much my first few years of college, I was just going to put that briefly in the explanation section...what would you recommend in terms of presenting myself?

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[Lulu19]

I just finished my freshman year in pre-vet. I've had 600 animal experience hours through 4-H by showing horses, cattle, and pigs. I trained a leader dog for the blind. My GPA is 3.7. I'm looking to apply to vet school after my 3rd year (3+1 program). I'm working at a gait analysis lab and histopathology lab this summer. I've gotten about 100 hours at the school's large animal hospital. I was also on the foal team so I have a handful of large vet experience there. I'm volunteering in the vet Oncology department this summer. I'm also employed as an animal caretaker at my school. I'm in the process of volunteering at a clinic on a regular basis, I've had such a hard time getting in somewhere. I'm going to Haiti this winter for a livestock service learning trip. I'm planning on getting an internship at the local zoo for some exotic experience. Hopefully I can make some time volunteering at the humane society too. I have before, just not many hours. Anything I can do more of? I'm also the fundraising chairman of my club and held every office in 4-H and FFA..even started a club in 4-H. Haven't taken the GRE yet. Just wanted other opinions on how I'm doing to get accepted.

Hey! Your animal experience sounds quite extensive and impressive! It sounds like you're on the right track and you have plenty of time to rack up more experience hours. The diversity of your experience is also great. Definitely try to get more veterinary experience. Shadowing with a doctor is always excellent because you A- get that experience and B- it shows potential schools that you are aware of what this industry is all about firsthand and you won't pull a "omg this isn't what I expected." Vet professionals are very protective of their industry and don't want people who they think will quit. So having firsthand experience eliminates that. It's definitely hard to get in with a clinic, but be persistent and upfront about your goals and intentions. A good relationship with a doctor will get you awesome experience and a super crucial letter of recommendation. LORs are one of the most important parts of your application. You might also want to try volunteering to get shadowing experience. I worked as a kennel kid and reception for a long time in a clinic trying to move up to tech, but had a lot of difficulties getting the opportunity. So I volunteered my time shadowing and pretty much training as a tech for free so by time they needed a tech, I was ready to go. You sound pretty busy as is, but vet schools love some well-rounded diversity and leadership. If you have time to pick up a hobby that shows you're not just one-note, it always helps you stand out. Plus, giving back to the community or showing leadership roles in experiences is always loved by admission boards.

Your GPA is good! What is your science gpa? If you can stay in the 3.7-4.0 range, I think that's definitely competitive. You'll have a little more leeway if you have an in-state school (depending on the school). For the GRE, schools weight it differently. Some don't care too much about it while others won't consider your app with a low/average score. The safest bet is to get a great score ideally in 65+ percentile to be competitive (easier said than done, right?). That being said, if you don't do great on the GRE, don't throw in the towel and rule yourself out like I did (heh...). I did about average on the GRE and I still got accepted.

Which leads me to my next point...the great thing about vet school applications is that so many aspects are taken into consideration. If you're lacking a little in one department, you can make up for it with something else that's really strong. Like for me, I had unimpressive GRE scores, but a high GPA and thousands of experience hours most likely made up for that. But you have some time before you apply to really strengthen your application, so take advantage of that! It sounds like you're on the right track and at first glance, you sound super impressive and definiteely on the right track. Wow, sorry for talking your ear (eyes?) off! Overall, I would suggest getting some good shadowing/clinical veterinary experience, keeping your GPA up and doing well on the GRE when you take it. Best of luck!!

 

[cheathac]

Lulu19 thank you so much for the response!!!! I actually just called a clinic today and they are supposed to call me back soon to set up on volunteering/shadowing there. I've had sporatic volunteering at clinics but I want to make a relationship with a vet in the industry. Hopefully I can get started with that this summer and during school as well. As far as a hobby I'm not so sure what I would do.. I do have a lot of leadership from 4-H and FFA in high school as well as community service. I'm not the fundraiser chairman of my club at school so I can work with that. I just looked and my science GPA is a 3.6. I do in fact have an in-state school... this is where I worked in the large animal and oncology departments. I love it. I will start working on the GRE now.. I'm not so good when it comes to standardized testing. Thank you so much for the encouragement! It's something I've always dreamed of doing.

 

[Lulu19]

Lulu19 thank you so much for the response!!!! I actually just called a clinic today and they are supposed to call me back soon to set up on volunteering/shadowing there. I've had sporatic volunteering at clinics but I want to make a relationship with a vet in the industry. Hopefully I can get started with that this summer and during school as well. As far as a hobby I'm not so sure what I would do.. I do have a lot of leadership from 4-H and FFA in high school as well as community service. I'm not the fundraiser chairman of my club at school so I can work with that. I just looked and my science GPA is a 3.6. I do in fact have an in-state school... this is where I worked in the large animal and oncology departments. I love it. I will start working on the GRE now.. I'm not so good when it comes to standardized testing. Thank you so much for the encouragement! It's something I've always dreamed of doing.

Anytime! Don't give up on the dream. It's totally reachable as long as you know that it's a competitive and difficult road. If you don't get in the first time, it's not the end of the world and definitely something not to take personally. If you can raise that science GPA, definitely try. It's not bad by any means, but the higher the better because those are the classes that show your scientific proficiency. And congratulations on securing a shadowing opp! That's going to be very valuable. Enjoy it!

Also, I had purchased a groupon for a GRE course by BenchPrep. It's an online/ app compatible GRE prep course that I bought in case I had to take the GRE again. Now that I got accepted, I don't need it. If you are interested, the groupon code is yours Just msg me.

 

[Mavs88]

Asking for my girlfriend:

Recently took the GRE and scored 157 on Verbal and 151 on Quant. I believe that's 74 and 44 percentiles, respectively. Everything else on application is at least up to par, but the question is if these scores, especially quant will hold her back? Mostly, is it worth retaking?

Target schools are Florida, Colorado State, and A&M. Open to others as well...

 

[DVMDream]

Asking for my girlfriend:

Recently took the GRE and scored 157 on Verbal and 151 on Quant. I believe that's 74 and 44 percentiles, respectively. Everything else on application is at least up to par, but the question is if these scores, especially quant will hold her back? Mostly, is it worth retaking?

Target schools are Florida, Colorado State, and A&M. Open to others as well...

It is really hard to answer this without knowing other information about her application. How is her last 45 hours, cumulative and science GPA? How is her experience hours? Etc...

I will say that a 44 percentile, especially in the Quant section, is very low. I would consider retaking it.

 

[Lulu19]

Asking for my girlfriend:

Recently took the GRE and scored 157 on Verbal and 151 on Quant. I believe that's 74 and 44 percentiles, respectively. Everything else on application is at least up to par, but the question is if these scores, especially quant will hold her back? Mostly, is it worth retaking?

Target schools are Florida, Colorado State, and A&M. Open to others as well...

I got accepted to Florida with a 152 Q and 150 V...pretty ugly. Granted, FL was my in-state and my other stats made up for it significantly. She should definitely re-take if she can, but tell her not to lose hope

 

[Gemgrrrl]

Thanks! Is it bad that I dont have a story behind my poor grades...? I basically didnt know what I wanted to do and didnt care much my first few years of college, I was just going to put that briefly in the explanation section...what would you recommend in terms of presenting myself?

I would link it to lessons about maturity versus "I finally know what I want to do with my life". Even though you've decided that this is something you want to do, there are still going to be a lot of things that you have to do that you don't care about or find pointless. Classes that you'll have to take, etc. Doing the things you have to versus the things you want takes maturity that, frankly, a lot of people just don't have when they first start college. (Which is why I am a big fan of the gap year... but off topic.) On the flip side, there are lots of people think they know what they want to do, yet still don't have the ability to apply themselves and do what it will take to get there.

Also, nothing is ever exactly what we thought it would be. You want to be a vet based on what you think it will be like. What if halfway through vet school you decide that it isn't what you thought it was going to be, and then stop applying yourself? I'm not saying that would happen - but going with the "now I know I want to be a vet" perspective can give rise to those kinds of questions.

So I think the story is more how you've matured and why, versus having an epiphany about wanting to be a vet. What was it that happened in your life that changed how you deal with challenges and obstacles? That's what I would talk about. Could possibly make for a very interesting personal statement.

 

[Gemgrrrl]

Asking for my girlfriend:

Recently took the GRE and scored 157 on Verbal and 151 on Quant. I believe that's 74 and 44 percentiles, respectively. Everything else on application is at least up to par, but the question is if these scores, especially quant will hold her back? Mostly, is it worth retaking?

Target schools are Florida, Colorado State, and A&M. Open to others as well...

I got a 151 on the Q the first time I took it, and a 153 the second time, and I got in to my IS first cycle. But that score was a low point on my overall application, and I had a lot of other strengths. Like DVMDream said, it's just one of many things they look at. So if she's strong in other areas it won't matter as much.

 

[connos1]

Hey all. First time applicant, 25yo male. Appreciate any feedback and recommendations on schools. First choice is UC Davis – wondering if I should retake the GRE. I am confident I could raise the quantitative score by a few points. Also, include things like fostering experience and non-vet club experience?

Applying to:
VMRCVM (in-state), UC Davis, Cornell, Tufts, Oregon, considering others

Academics:
BS Biomedical Engineering, MS Mechanical Engineering (Top 25 engineering school, if that matters)
UNDERGRADUATE: sGPA - 3.51 cGPA - 3.60
GRADUATE: sGPA - 3.63 cGPA - 3.63
LAST45: sGPA - 3.73 cGPA - 3.73
GRE: V – 162, Q – 160
MCAT: V – 11, B – 11, P – 11 --> Total – 33 (91st Percentile)

Experience:
- 2500 hrs vet tech at large city shelter (primarily SA, with occasional avian/exotic/farm)
- 100 hrs vet tech volunteer at same shelter
- 100 hrs equine vet externship
- I foster pitties?

Other:
- Research during undergrad developing device to assist surgeons during total knee arthroplasty
- Over 200 hrs volunteering in emergency room of local hospital
- Teaching assistant for senior-level engineering class
- Climbing leader of school outing club
- Camp counselor at YMCA for a summer
- Over 1000 hrs working as an assistant real estate appraiser
- Extensive involvement in school outing, ski, and cycling clubs?

eLORs:
- Vet from shelter I worked at. Have a great relationship with her and expect an excellent letter.
- Vet from equine practice I had externship with. Have a great relationship with her and expect an excellent letter.
- Animal Care Supervisor from shelter I worked at. Again, have a great relationship with her and expect an excellent letter.
- Professor from one of my grad school courses. I am generally not one to get to know my professors very well, but I think I have a pretty good relationship with him. Expect a good letter.

Thanks guys!

 

[Mrow123]

Hey all. First time applicant, 25yo male. Appreciate any feedback and recommendations on schools. First choice is UC Davis – wondering if I should retake the GRE. I am confident I could raise the quantitative score by a few points. Also, include things like fostering experience and non-vet club experience?

Applying to:
VMRCVM (in-state), UC Davis, Cornell, Tufts, Oregon, considering others

Academics:
BS Biomedical Engineering, MS Mechanical Engineering (Top 25 engineering school, if that matters)
UNDERGRADUATE: sGPA - 3.51 cGPA - 3.60
GRADUATE: sGPA - 3.63 cGPA - 3.63
LAST45: sGPA - 3.73 cGPA - 3.73
GRE: V – 162, Q – 160
MCAT: V – 11, B – 11, P – 11 --> Total – 33 (91st Percentile)

Experience:
- 2500 hrs vet tech at large city shelter (primarily SA, with occasional avian/exotic/farm)
- 100 hrs vet tech volunteer at same shelter
- 100 hrs equine vet externship
- I foster pitties?

Other:
- Research during undergrad developing device to assist surgeons during total knee arthroplasty
- Over 200 hrs volunteering in emergency room of local hospital
- Teaching assistant for senior-level engineering class
- Climbing leader of school outing club
- Camp counselor at YMCA for a summer
- Over 1000 hrs working as an assistant real estate appraiser
- Extensive involvement in school outing, ski, and cycling clubs?

eLORs:
- Vet from shelter I worked at. Have a great relationship with her and expect an excellent letter.
- Vet from equine practice I had externship with. Have a great relationship with her and expect an excellent letter.
- Animal Care Supervisor from shelter I worked at. Again, have a great relationship with her and expect an excellent letter.
- Professor from one of my grad school courses. I am generally not one to get to know my professors very well, but I think I have a pretty good relationship with him. Expect a good letter.

Thanks guys!

I think you have a great profile and will likely be accepted somewhere. However, I wouldn't put all my eggs in the UC Davis basket. I know you had a rough major, but schools that make cuts based on GPA might not invite you to interview, especially OOS. Nothing you can do about it - but just don't get your hopes up!

I think your GRE is fine. Definitely don't have to take it again unless you really think you can raise one of them 3 or 4 points.

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

Hey everyone. Totally non-trad student here (28 y/o male) and am interested in your thoughts. I started my VMCAS and was hoping for some feedback.


Academic:

Degree: B.Sc Nutritional Sciences w/ Biochemistry Minor (Graduate this fall)

Overall GPA (3 different schools): 3.73

Last 45+ GPA: 4.0

GRE: Studying now and will take in August before application submission

Experience:

-- Beginning to shadow a vet in surgeries in the next 2 weeks. Otherwise, none since I was a wee lad

-- ~500 hours research in cancer biology lab (Radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction)

-- ~100 hours training and instruction with service dog organization

eLORs:

-- Head of the lab I volunteer at

-- Animal Sciences Anatomy & Physiology Professor (had 100% overall grade in the class for both semesters)

-- The vet I’ll be shadowing (plan on hitting him up after about a month of volunteering ***WHAT’S BEST WAY TO APPROACH THIS?***)


Without going into exhaustive detail of my story, my path towards vet school is (I believe) the epitome of non-traditional. I’m curious how much admissions committees look at an individual and their story vs simply statistics. I wanted to be a vet when I was a little kid and volunteered throughout my young life, but that dream eventually fell by the wayside. Out of high school (2005) I started college and left after 2 weeks because the rock band I was in got some amazing exposure. Toured the country for 2 years, then returned to school in a different state (2007). Was the sole caregiver for my father in another state battling cancer, constantly traveled back and forth, and then took a leave of absence to nurse him until he passed away (2009). Returned to school but wasn’t mentally fit to study, traveled the world and became a professional skydiver. Was fast tracking towards the US Army Golden Knights, working in the sport, and taking a few classes to progress my degree (2010). I was planning to finish my degree on the GI Bill once I was out of the military. 2 weeks before entering the Army, prior to a skydiving competition, I impacted the ground and was paralyzed immediately (2012). I spent 2012-2013 in surgeries, healing, rehabilitating, and adapting to a new life. In January 2014 I returned to school in a different state, once again, and will be graduating this December. I’ve pushed hard to maintain the last 45+ 4.0 and still deal with various medical issues that knock me down for extended periods of time, but I don’t let that stop me.

I realize my experience is quite low compared to others that have been on the vet sci path their whole lives. Rekindling this dream was a very recent decision, and I haven’t had much time (in all honesty) to get experience. Do you think I stand a chance this application cycle with potentially ~100 hours of experience under a vet (I start in 2 weeks)? Will a school like UC Davis throw my application out immediately? I really have no clue where I want to apply; I’m not gung ho about any particular school.

I’ve been trying to find a veterinarian in a wheelchair that I could contact, but my searches have been fruitless.

I’m glad I found this forum. Thank you in advance for any and all guidance.

 

[RedWall]

Hey everyone. Totally non-trad student here (28 y/o male) and am interested in your thoughts. I started my VMCAS and was hoping for some feedback.


Academic:

Degree: B.Sc Nutritional Sciences w/ Biochemistry Minor (Graduate this fall)

Overall GPA (3 different schools): 3.73

Last 45+ GPA: 4.0

GRE: Studying now and will take in August before application submission

Experience:

-- Beginning to shadow a vet in surgeries in the next 2 weeks. Otherwise, none since I was a wee lad

-- ~500 hours research in cancer biology lab (Radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction)

-- ~100 hours training and instruction with service dog organization

eLORs:

-- Head of the lab I volunteer at

-- Animal Sciences Anatomy & Physiology Professor (had 100% overall grade in the class for both semesters)

-- The vet I’ll be shadowing (plan on hitting him up after about a month of volunteering ***WHAT’S BEST WAY TO APPROACH THIS?***)


Without going into exhaustive detail of my story, my path towards vet school is (I believe) the epitome of non-traditional. I’m curious how much admissions committees look at an individual and their story vs simply statistics. I wanted to be a vet when I was a little kid and volunteered throughout my young life, but that dream eventually fell by the wayside. Out of high school (2005) I started college and left after 2 weeks because the rock band I was in got some amazing exposure. Toured the country for 2 years, then returned to school in a different state (2007). Was the sole caregiver for my father in another state battling cancer, constantly traveled back and forth, and then took a leave of absence to nurse him until he passed away (2009). Returned to school but wasn’t mentally fit to study, traveled the world and became a professional skydiver. Was fast tracking towards the US Army Golden Knights, working in the sport, and taking a few classes to progress my degree (2010). I was planning to finish my degree on the GI Bill once I was out of the military. 2 weeks before entering the Army, prior to a skydiving competition, I impacted the ground and was paralyzed immediately (2012). I spent 2012-2013 in surgeries, healing, rehabilitating, and adapting to a new life. In January 2014 I returned to school in a different state, once again, and will be graduating this December. I’ve pushed hard to maintain the last 45+ 4.0 and still deal with various medical issues that knock me down for extended periods of time, but I don’t let that stop me.

I realize my experience is quite low compared to others that have been on the vet sci path their whole lives. Rekindling this dream was a very recent decision, and I haven’t had much time (in all honesty) to get experience. Do you think I stand a chance this application cycle with potentially ~100 hours of experience under a vet (I start in 2 weeks)? Will a school like UC Davis throw my application out immediately? I really have no clue where I want to apply; I’m not gung ho about any particular school.

I’ve been trying to find a veterinarian in a wheelchair that I could contact, but my searches have been fruitless.

I’m glad I found this forum. Thank you in advance for any and all guidance.

i can't help that much since i'm also applying right now, but i do know that you dont need thousands of hours to get in davis! theyve changed their admission process so that they look at your gpa/gre (90%) and ppi scores (10%). As long as you have i think 180 hours or something, you stand a great chance of getting an interview! all interviewees start with a clean slate and they rank applicants based on the interview score. check out their website for more info

 

[Sunny908]

Hey everyone, I have a question. I am really lacking in large animal experience. I have pretty much all the experience you could possible want with small animals/small exotics/shelter medicine/large exotics and aquatic species/research...but I have ZERO large animal experience as of right now. I go to school in Washington D.C, so its been difficult for me to find anything out of the city since I didn't have a car. I was fortunate enough to get an internship with a horse breeder/veterinarian starting late august for the semester, so I will have large animal experience soon. Is this too late? I know I can post the experience on VMCAS when I start the internship, but before the deadline I will probably only get about 50-60 hours in. Is this going to look bad? I'm going to write in the description box, "During my internship this semester," and the experience will be listed as ongoing, but I was just wondering if this was sufficient. Thanks guys!

 

[WildZoo]

Hey everyone, I have a question. I am really lacking in large animal experience. I have pretty much all the experience you could possible want with small animals/small exotics/shelter medicine/large exotics and aquatic species/research...but I have ZERO large animal experience as of right now. I go to school in Washington D.C, so its been difficult for me to find anything out of the city since I didn't have a car. I was fortunate enough to get an internship with a horse breeder/veterinarian starting late august for the semester, so I will have large animal experience soon. Is this too late? I know I can post the experience on VMCAS when I start the internship, but before the deadline I will probably only get about 50-60 hours in. Is this going to look bad? I'm going to write in the description box, "During my internship this semester," and the experience will be listed as ongoing, but I was just wondering if this was sufficient. Thanks guys!

You will probably be fine. Of course it depends on the rest of your application, but the rest of your experience is very diverse, and even just 50-60 hours will help, especially since the schools will be able to see that the experience is ongoing. I wouldn't worry about it. Some of us have gotten in without any LA experience at all.

 

[prevetstudent1234]

Hello all, I'm brand new to these forums. Technically I just finished up my first year as a "pre-vet" student and I'm looking for suggestions on how to plan out the remainder of my undergrad.
Even though I'm finishing up my first year I've been taking 20 credit hours or so loads and I'm taking classes during the summer - that being said, I'll be able to apply to most vet schools at the end of next year (2016 - completing all of the required science and misc. courses). Currently I'm at a community college - not to come off as pretentious but I could have gone to a multiple of 4-year schools I just don't see the sense in spending quadruple in tuition for the same credits. In my family there are 6 veterinarians and 4 practices that are owned amongst them, while this is a fantastic resource how do vet schools look at somehow who is applying who has primarily worked at a family owned practice?

Basically here is what I'm looking to have answered:
What can I do to make my application more competitive?
Does finishing ~80% of the required pre-reqs for vet school at a community college effect my chances of getting in? (All the credits will be accepted, already checked with the vet schools).

Pursuing :
B.S. Biochemistry

I've finished the first year of biology (micro + genetics included), general chemistry, physics and calculus
sGPA: 4.0
cGPA: 4.0 ~80 credits
GRE: taking next summer

Experience:
~1,000 hours at a SA clinic
~40 hours volunteering for a county fair




That's all I've got so far (not overly impressive - I'm aware)! I know that diversity is key so perhaps I should look to gain some experience in something other than SA? Maybe pick up some volunteer hours to gain some more animal experience? Any suggestions would be helpful!

Edit: I do plan on applying at the end of next year and I will not have completed my 4 year degree. What are my chances of getting in without a 4-year degree? This stems more out of curiosity, I'm already planning on not getting in and simply applying to see what the process is like. After that first application the following year I'll have completed the 4-year. I also know exactly where I will be working after veterinary school as well as probably taking over the practice when the time comes, is this something that vet schools will favor?

 

[battie]

Technically I just finished up my first year as a "pre-vet" student and I'm looking for suggestions on how to plan out the remainder of my undergrad.
Even though I'm finishing up my first year I've been taking 20 credit hours or so loads and I'm taking classes during the summer - that being said, I'll be able to apply to most vet schools at the end of next year (2016 - completing all of the required science and misc. courses). Currently I'm at a community college - not to come off as pretentious but I could have gone to a multiple of 4-year schools I just don't see the sense in spending quadruple in tuition for the same credits. In my family there are 6 veterinarians and 4 practices that are owned amongst them, while this is a fantastic resource how do vet schools look at somehow who is applying who has primarily worked at a family owned practice?

Basically here is what I'm looking to have answered:
What can I do to make my application more competitive?
Does finishing ~80% of the required pre-reqs for vet school at a community college effect my chances of getting in? (All the credits will be accepted, already checked with the vet schools).

Pursuing :
B.S. Biochemistry

I've finished the first year of biology (micro + genetics included), general chemistry, physics and calculus
sGPA: 4.0
cGPA: 4.0 ~80 credits
GRE: taking next summer

Experience:
~1,000 hours at a SA clinic
~40 hours volunteering for a county fair

Edit: I do plan on applying at the end of next year and I will not have completed my 4 year degree. What are my chances of getting in without a 4-year degree? This stems more out of curiosity, I'm already planning on not getting in and simply applying to see what the process is like. After that first application the following year I'll have completed the 4-year. I also know exactly where I will be working after veterinary school as well as probably taking over the practice when the time comes, is this something that vet schools will favor?

A couple of questions cause I am confused. You mention in the pink line that you just finished up your first year and took an average of 20 credits/semester. Logically that leads me to think 40 credits total. But under cGPA, that lists you at 80 credits. Where are the extra 40 credits coming from?

My second question is, why do you have only 1,000 hours of vet experience? If your family owns multiple clinics, I would assume you would have a lot more than that. My family owns our own business and I have a good 5,000 hours logged there just working on breaks during middle school, high school, and college, with working in them in a very extremely limited capacity for the last three years. Is there a particular reason you don't have more hours?

As far as being more competitive, make yourself stand out. Get more experience doing anything (vet most important, but animal experience, volunteering at food banks, work experience, etc), keep going strong taking whatever prereqs you have left. As far as the community college credits, it really depends on the school. If the schools you're aiming at accept them, then you'll be fine. They wouldn't accept them if they thought community college wasn't up to par.

Also want to point out that, while entering vet school early could be beneficial, it could also be detrimental. When you're applying, I would keep your maturity level in mind (the honest answer on how mature you are) because you'll be, what, 20, 21 going in? I had the same plan as you and I am very glad I didn't follow it. Had I entered at that age, I would not have been mature enough to handle it or really even know what I was getting into. As a person, I am far more prepared now than I was then because I have become a completely different person. Do what you do, but keep that in mind.

 

[prevetstudent1234]

A couple of questions cause I am confused. You mention in the pink line that you just finished up your first year and took an average of 20 credits/semester. Logically that leads me to think 40 credits total. But under cGPA, that lists you at 80 credits. Where are the extra 40 credits coming from?

My second question is, why do you have only 1,000 hours of vet experience? If your family owns multiple clinics, I would assume you would have a lot more than that. My family owns our own business and I have a good 5,000 hours logged there just working on breaks during middle school, high school, and college, with working in them in a very extremely limited capacity for the last three years. Is there a particular reason you don't have more hours?

As far as being more competitive, make yourself stand out. Get more experience doing anything (vet most important, but animal experience, volunteering at food banks, work experience, etc), keep going strong taking whatever prereqs you have left. As far as the community college credits, it really depends on the school. If the schools you're aiming at accept them, then you'll be fine. They wouldn't accept them if they thought community college wasn't up to par.

Also want to point out that, while entering vet school early could be beneficial, it could also be detrimental. When you're applying, I would keep your maturity level in mind (the honest answer on how mature you are) because you'll be, what, 20, 21 going in? I had the same plan as you and I am very glad I didn't follow it. Had I entered at that age, I would not have been mature enough to handle it or really even know what I was getting into. As a person, I am far more prepared now than I was then because I have become a completely different person. Do what you do, but keep that in mind.

Thanks for the response! Long story short - I've always wanted to be a veterinarian, my family is really influential/supportive and I'd be lying if I said I wanted to be a part of this solely because I love animals. I love the relationship they have all built with their clients and I'm striving to earn the same level of mutual respect. However, I did not do well in high school (3.4ish gpa) which kind of made me question "do I even have what it takes"? So I gave up on that route and took a year off of school after high school. I came back thinking I could make a good career out of IT and found it to be dreadfully boring. Started working at one our practices and drew a spark again. The IT bit is where the 40 odd credits came from. I've been working as close to full time as I can (32ish hours a week) along with the full class loads and I'm enjoying the full schedule. As well as excelling in the science classes! Which I was intimidated by after about 3 years of no science classes. So actually i'll be 24 when I first apply as far as maturity goes. Hopefully that clears up any confusion - I can see why it would be. I don't necessarily regret "giving up", I learned some valuable computer savvy skills that I think can be applied to any line of work as far as awareness of security and literacy.

 

[vetspet]

Don't freak out about hours! Lol. It's often said that if you need to diversify, say add LA experience, then just shadowing an LA vet for a week does wonders! Just get yourself exposed. Paid positions are something you should always go with given the chance. I work for a mixed practice that pays me well and let me tell you, I'm sticking to it! I think aquarium and zoo would be great as well.

Thank you for your help. I recently completed the first part of organic chemistry and received a B but am still trying to gain hours of experience when possible. Does this ruin everything? My dad basically made it sound like you get an A in o chem or give up...

 

[WildZoo]

Thank you for your help. I recently completed the first part of organic chemistry and received a B but am still trying to gain hours of experience when possible. Does this ruin everything? My dad basically made it sound like you get an A in o chem or give up...

Haha. No. I got a B+ in ochem 1, and a C in ochem 2. Got a couple other C's as well. You certainly want to strive for A's, but a B is not the end of the world. Don't beat yourself up about it.

 

[vetspet]

Haha. No. I got a B+ in ochem 1, and a C in ochem 2. Got a couple other C's as well. You certainly want to strive for A's, but a B is not the end of the world. Don't beat yourself up about it.

Okay. Thank you for your response!

 

[Doodlesss]

Hey I'm new to this forum but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice/recommendations for me being an extremely non-traditional applicant.

I'm 21 years old, I just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and earned both a Masters and a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics. I also got two minors, in Sustainability and Joint Military Studies. While doing this I also completed ROTC and just commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. I took a total of 173 credits and finished with a GPA of 3.84.

What I'm most concerned about is my lack of pre-requisites and prior experience. Though I've been around animals and pets my whole life I was never really able to get any official experience over the past four years because I was so busy, mostly with army stuff (over the summers I went to study in China, Airborne School, teaching/humanitarian work in Burundi, a leadership course, etc.). I took bio, cell bio, organic chemistry 1, physics 1 & 2, and chem 1 & 2 while at RPI but that's it as far as pre-reqs go.

Also my GRE scores are 164 verbal, 168 math, and 5 for writing.

I'm applying this summer for Fall 2016 matriculation. Over this next year I'm planning on hiking the Appalachian trail (3-4 months) and then attending the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course (EBOLC) in Missouri (5 months).

Basically I'm hoping more for an acceptance based on my extra curriculars :/ ...

What do you guys think? Should I even bother applying without all the necessary pre-reqs? Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

 

[Lupin21]

Hey I'm new to this forum but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice/recommendations for me being an extremely non-traditional applicant.

I'm 21 years old, I just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and earned both a Masters and a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics. I also got two minors, in Sustainability and Joint Military Studies. While doing all this I also completed ROTC and just commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. I took a total of 173 credits and finished with a GPA of 3.84.

What I'm most concerned about is my lack of pre-requisites and prior experience. Though I've been around animals and pets my whole life I was never really able to get any official experience over the past four years because I was so busy, mostly with army stuff (over the summers I went to study in China, Airborne School, teach English in Burundi, a leadership course, etc.). I took bio, cell bio, and organic chemistry 1 while at RPI but that's it as far as pre-reqs go.

I'm applying this summer for Fall 2016 matriculation. Over this next year I'm planning on hiking the Appalachian trail (3-4 months) and then attending the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course (EBOLC) in Missouri (5 months).

Basically I'm hoping for an acceptance based on my extra curriculars :/ ...

What do you guys think? Any advice is helpful. Should I even bother applying without the necessary pre-reqs? Thanks!

You will not be looked at without pre-reqs. You will also not be looked at without at least 180 hours experience directly with a veterinarian. There is absolutely no reason to apply unless you feel like giving schools and VMCAS money.

 

[seaturtlelady]

Hello, all, this is my first post!!

My summer A class grade came out today and I'm really concerned at this point.

Major: Marine Biology
Year: starting my junior year in the fall
GPA: 2.8

My science an math grades have been terrible.

The first time I took o chem I got a C- and this time I got an F? I feel like there is something wrong with my grade, granted it was a 6 week course but I felt like I understood the material a lot better. So I will definitely meet with my teacher for this tomorrow.

This isn't the only time it has happened. I failed pre- calculus my first semester, and the second I got a D. On my third try I managed a B.

I don't know if vet school is going to be very realistic for me.

I have yet to get an A in a science course.
Bio: B
Bio II: C
Chem: B
Chem II: C
Physics I: B-

I have two years left. If somehow I turned my grades around, and got an insane amount of experience would I still have a chance?

I realized I wanted to be a vet last year. So my animal experience is lacking, but right now I am interning at a wildlife rehabilitation center where I help with husbandry but my favorite part has been the medical side of it all. I know this is what I want to do but my grades are terrible.

I have a small amount of experience in other things.

-Site Leader for a trip to Puerto Rico to volunteer at a dog shelter
-volunteering at an animal shelter/ shelter events
-volunteered at a children's hospital for my first year of college
-MARS training for wildlife rescue

In the fall I will be taking classes in Alaska (I'm from Florida) and I will be interning with US Fish and Wildlife helping with sea otter strandings. When I come back I expect to get a lot more vet experience. I also plan on taking a year off to accrue more vet experience.

Can I still do this? I don't want to get a master's. I don't want to go to the Caribbean. I want to specialize with wildlife. Can I still get in? I know that even if I do, with my study habits, it does not seem all that promising. But if I were to change my study habits, show now that I changed them, would it make a difference?

 

[WildZoo]

My summer A class grade came out today and I'm really concerned at this point.

Major: Marine Biology
Year: starting my junior year in the fall
GPA: 2.8

My science an math grades have been terrible.

The first time I took o chem I got a C- and this time I got an F? I feel like there is something wrong with my grade, granted it was a 6 week course but I felt like I understood the material a lot better. So I will definitely meet with my teacher for this tomorrow.

This isn't the only time it has happened. I failed pre- calculus my first semester, and the second I got a D. On my third try I managed a B.

I don't know if vet school is going to be very realistic for me.

I have yet to get an A in a science course.
Bio: B
Bio II: C
Chem: B
Chem II: C
Physics I: B-

I have two years left. If somehow I turned my grades around, and got an insane amount of experience would I still have a chance?

I realized I wanted to be a vet last year. So my animal experience is lacking, but right now I am interning at a wildlife rehabilitation center where I help with husbandry but my favorite part has been the medical side of it all. I know this is what I want to do but my grades are terrible.

I have a small amount of experience in other things.

-Site Leader for a trip to Puerto Rico to volunteer at a dog shelter
-volunteering at an animal shelter/ shelter events
-volunteered at a children's hospital for my first year of college
-MARS training for wildlife rescue

In the fall I will be taking classes in Alaska (I'm from Florida) and I will be interning with US Fish and Wildlife helping with sea otter strandings. When I come back I expect to get a lot more vet experience. I also plan on taking a year off to accrue more vet experience.

Can I still do this? I don't want to get a master's. I don't want to go to the Caribbean. I want to specialize with wildlife. Can I still get in? I know that even if I do, with my study habits, it does not seem all that promising. But if I were to change them, show now that I changed them would it make a difference?

If you turn your grades around, retake anything that you got lower than a C in (you can limit this to prereqs but it might help to retake other classes too), show that you can do well (meaning get A's) in higher level science classes, and apply to schools that do grade replacement, you will probably be in an ok spot as far as grades go. Schools like an upward trend. You need to prove to them that you can handle the academic rigor of a veterinary curriculum. Also, you definitely need to get a significant amount of veterinary experience as well, in a variety of fields (small animal, large animal, exotics, etc). You need to be working with a veterinarian in order for it to count as veterinary experience. Perhaps more than others with higher academic stats, you really need to get those hours in. Depending on how particular schools do evaluations, it can help to be really strong in the other parts of the application if you're relatively weak in one.

 

[sorasea]

Hey I'm new to this forum but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice/recommendations for me being an extremely non-traditional applicant.

I'm 21 years old, I just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and earned both a Masters and a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics. I also got two minors, in Sustainability and Joint Military Studies. While doing all this I also completed ROTC and just commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. I took a total of 173 credits and finished with a GPA of 3.84.

What I'm most concerned about is my lack of pre-requisites and prior experience. Though I've been around animals and pets my whole life I was never really able to get any official experience over the past four years because I was so busy, mostly with army stuff (over the summers I went to study in China, Airborne School, teach English in Burundi, a leadership course, etc.). I took bio, cell bio, organic chemistry 1, physics 1 & 2, and chem 1 & 2 while at RPI but that's it as far as pre-reqs go.

Also my GRE scores are 164 verbal, 168 math, and 5 for writing.

I'm applying this summer for Fall 2016 matriculation. Over this next year I'm planning on hiking the Appalachian trail (3-4 months) and then attending the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course (EBOLC) in Missouri (5 months).

Basically I'm hoping for an acceptance based on my extra curriculars :/ ...

What do you guys think? Should I even bother applying without the necessary pre-reqs? Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

How do you know you want to be a veterinarian if you've yet to shadow/work with one?

 

[Doodlesss]

How do you know you want to be a veterinarian if you've yet to shadow/work with one?

I've always wanted to be one, since before I was five years old; there's nothing that I want to do more in life than be a veterinarian. I don't think shadowing/working with one could possibly turn me off of it.

I just made the 'stupid' decision my senior year of high school to try a very non-traditional approach to broaden my experiences. Only recently did I realize that may not have been the best decision for my veterinary future. I kind of just got wrapped up in other things while at RPI and put veterinary school to the side, just assuming I'd get in because I've done well with everything else.

 

[Gwenevre]

I've always wanted to be one, since before I was five years old; there's nothing that I want to do more in life than be a veterinarian. I don't think shadowing/working with one could possibly turn me off of it.

I just made the 'stupid' decision my senior year of high school to try a very non-traditional approach to broaden my experiences. Only recently did I realize that may not have been the best decision for my veterinary future. I kind of just got wrapped up in other things while at RPI and put veterinary school to the side, just assuming I'd get in because I've done well with everything else.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but literally everyone who applies to vet school has wanted to be one since they were X years old, myself included. Still doesn't change the fact that you have to shadow and gain actual experience with a vet or in a clinic before finalizing your decision. The field isn't all rainbows and sunshine, and the last thing we want you to be while trying to pursue this field is be disillusioned because "I love animals and I'd do anything for them." Trust me.

 

[Ashgirl]

Hey I'm new to this forum but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice/recommendations for me being an extremely non-traditional applicant.

I'm 21 years old, I just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and earned both a Masters and a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics. I also got two minors, in Sustainability and Joint Military Studies. While doing all this I also completed ROTC and just commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. I took a total of 173 credits and finished with a GPA of 3.84.

What I'm most concerned about is my lack of pre-requisites and prior experience. Though I've been around animals and pets my whole life I was never really able to get any official experience over the past four years because I was so busy, mostly with army stuff (over the summers I went to study in China, Airborne School, teach English in Burundi, a leadership course, etc.). I took bio, cell bio, organic chemistry 1, physics 1 & 2, and chem 1 & 2 while at RPI but that's it as far as pre-reqs go.

Also my GRE scores are 164 verbal, 168 math, and 5 for writing.

I'm applying this summer for Fall 2016 matriculation. Over this next year I'm planning on hiking the Appalachian trail (3-4 months) and then attending the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course (EBOLC) in Missouri (5 months).

Basically I'm hoping more for an acceptance based on my extra curriculars :/ ...

What do you guys think? Should I even bother applying without all the necessary pre-reqs? Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

You have a good GPA and GRE, but unfortunately you will not get in without any vet experience, especially since most (if not all) schools require one of your LORs to be from a vet. I once met a 4.o 168 V 168Q application that got straight rejected from all 10 schools she applied to because she only had 50 hours of vet experience. This is one part of your application that can make or break their decision, so I would highly recommend you calling around and seeing if you could shadow a vet or two.

Also, if you don't have all of your pre-reqs required for that particular school, the schools will not look at your file. Period.

Honestly, I wouldn't apply this year. I would suggest finishing your pre-reqs, shadowing some vets, and then come back the next year or so and kick the application's butt.

 

[KCgophervet]

Hey I'm new to this forum but I was wondering if anyone here had any advice/recommendations for me being an extremely non-traditional applicant.

I'm 21 years old, I just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and earned both a Masters and a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics. I also got two minors, in Sustainability and Joint Military Studies. While doing all this I also completed ROTC and just commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army. I took a total of 173 credits and finished with a GPA of 3.84.

What I'm most concerned about is my lack of pre-requisites and prior experience. Though I've been around animals and pets my whole life I was never really able to get any official experience over the past four years because I was so busy, mostly with army stuff (over the summers I went to study in China, Airborne School, teach English in Burundi, a leadership course, etc.). I took bio, cell bio, organic chemistry 1, physics 1 & 2, and chem 1 & 2 while at RPI but that's it as far as pre-reqs go.

Also my GRE scores are 164 verbal, 168 math, and 5 for writing.

I'm applying this summer for Fall 2016 matriculation. Over this next year I'm planning on hiking the Appalachian trail (3-4 months) and then attending the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course (EBOLC) in Missouri (5 months).

Basically I'm hoping more for an acceptance based on my extra curriculars :/ ...

What do you guys think? Should I even bother applying without all the necessary pre-reqs? Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

Basically along with what everyone else has been saying, you need to do a lot more research into the field. It sounds like you're pretty unfamiliar with the application process to vet school and potentially the other realities of vet med in general, but you're here and you're seeking guidance which is a good baby step

My recommendation for you would be to read around this forum a lot and do some research, as well as the following:

1) Look into vet schools (on their websites first). Find out what they're looking for (GPA, experience, classes), make a list of schools you'd consider attending and find out what their specific pre-requisite courses are. Also make note of the tuition and make sure you really would attend that school if you managed to get an acceptance there.
2) Make a chart (or find some online - I think the AVMA website has one), see how many pre-reqs overlap, and start planning on taking the ones you're missing (and by planning I'd suggest finding out where you can take them, when they offer the class, and consider registering for them right now if you can start this fall).
3) The veterinary field as a whole, specifically the debt:income horrors. I won't shock you with the details here, but you should definitely be aware of it before blindly jumping in.

Most importantly, start getting vet experience. Call some clinics (maybe the one you take your own pets to) and see if you can shadow there, maybe see if there's an Army vet near you you can follow around for a bit? You don't have to be scrubbing into surgeries or working in a clinic but you need to get actual veterinary experience to be taken seriously. Also, like someone else mentioned, make sure the vet(s) you shadow like you because you'll likely need a letter of recommendation from (at least) one of them.

Theoretically, if you put a ton of effort into it you could possibly still apply this summer. You'd have to write a kick butt personal statement, have stellar letters of recommendation, have a couple hundred hours of vet experience done, have a plan for when to take your missing pre-reqs, and apply smart to schools who would accept the low numbers of vet experience hours and would accept lots of late pre-reqs. A school like this that exists and you would still want to attend (or be able to afford to attend) may not exist, but you'll have to do a lot of digging to find out.

Good luck

 

[CloudlessNights]

Okay. Thank you for your response!

Agreed, I had three C+s, and one C on my transcript (gen chem I/II, orgo II, and genetics) and was eventually accepted off of three waitlists on my first application.

 

[Carae]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. Thought I would post some of my stats and get some advice/opinions on narrowing down where to apply! I'm in state for UC Davis and will for sure be applying there and also a few other schools. Right now I am considering these schools (definitely need to narrow it down): U of Penn, Michigan State, Cornell, Auburn, NC State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas A&M. Anyway, any advice is appreciated.

21 year old female, first time applicant.

Academics:
Major: Animal Science (currently a fourth year).
Overall GPA: 3.835
Science GPA: 3.840
Last 45 units (approximately): 3.851
GRE Scores: Verbal=159 (81st percentile) Quantitative=166 (92nd percentile) Analytical=4.5 (80th percentile)

Experience:
-Fostered kittens and walked dogs at a shelter for 7 years. (over 1,500 hours).
-Volunteered in the clinic by assisting during surgery at a shelter. 30 hours.
-Have worked at a veterinary clinic (small animal) for 4 years. Should be around 2,000 hours.
-Worked at a cat research breeding facility (cleaned cages, in charge of feeding and medication, etc.). 250 hours.
-Shadowed an equine vet for a few days. 15 hours.

eLORs:
-Veterinarian that I have been employed by for 4 years.
-Professor who I had for two quarters and did very well in his class (top 3%).
-Instructor (does not have PhD) who knows me very well because I always attended office hours, etc. Also had for two quarters.

I am also wondering about the part where you can explain anything you want on the application and how many people actually write stuff there. I had a particularly difficult last quarter due to personal/family issues and am wondering if I should explain this or if it just looks like I am making excuses. Thanks!

 

[LetItSnow]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. Thought I would post some of my stats and get some advice/opinions on narrowing down where to apply! I'm in state for UC Davis and will for sure be applying there and also a few other schools. Right now I am considering these schools (definitely need to narrow it down): U of Penn, Michigan State, Cornell, Auburn, NC State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas A&M. Anyway, any advice is appreciated.

21 year old female, first time applicant.

Academics:
Major: Animal Science (currently a fourth year).
Overall GPA: 3.835
Science GPA: 3.840
Last 45 units (approximately): 3.851
GRE Scores: Verbal=159 (81st percentile) Quantitative=166 (92nd percentile) Analytical=4.5 (80th percentile)

Experience:
-Fostered kittens and walked dogs at a shelter for 7 years. (over 1,500 hours).
-Volunteered in the clinic by assisting during surgery at a shelter. 30 hours.
-Have worked at a veterinary clinic (small animal) for 4 years. Should be around 2,000 hours.
-Worked at a cat research breeding facility (cleaned cages, in charge of feeding and medication, etc.). 250 hours.
-Shadowed an equine vet for a few days. 15 hours.

eLORs:
-Veterinarian that I have been employed by for 4 years.
-Professor who I had for two quarters and did very well in his class (top 3%).
-Instructor (does not have PhD) who knows me very well because I always attended office hours, etc. Also had for two quarters.

I am also wondering about the part where you can explain anything you want on the application and how many people actually write stuff there. I had a particularly difficult last quarter due to personal/family issues and am wondering if I should explain this or if it just looks like I am making excuses. Thanks!

With a 3.8 gpa I personally think that writing an explanation would make you sound high strung. I'd read that and wonder why you felt a need to "explain" an already excellent gpa, yanno? Everybody goes through personal/family "stuff".

 

[seaturtlelady]

If you turn your grades around, retake anything that you got lower than a C in (you can limit this to prereqs but it might help to retake other classes too), show that you can do well (meaning get A's) in higher level science classes, and apply to schools that do grade replacement, you will probably be in an ok spot as far as grades go. Schools like an upward trend. You need to prove to them that you can handle the academic rigor of a veterinary curriculum. Also, you definitely need to get a significant amount of veterinary experience as well, in a variety of fields (small animal, large animal, exotics, etc). You need to be working with a veterinarian in order for it to count as veterinary experience. Perhaps more than others with higher academic stats, you really need to get those hours in. Depending on how particular schools do evaluations, it can help to be really strong in the other parts of the application if you're relatively weak in one.

i will definitely do those things, get my grades up, get a killer GRE score and tons of experience. thanks a lot for the input!

 

[Carae]

With a 3.8 gpa I personally think that writing an explanation would make you sound high strung. I'd read that and wonder why you felt a need to "explain" an already excellent gpa, yanno? Everybody goes through personal/family "stuff".

Yeah that's why I wasn't sure. Last quarter was noticeably different than the rest of my quarter grades and dragged my GPA down a bit, otherwise I would have had a 3.9 or higher for science and last 45 units, so that's why I was debating explaining.

 

[FeenyFee]

Hello everyone!

This is my first time posting on the forum so I am sorry if it is in the wrong place attachFull193328

I am a 22 y/o hispanic female and have just graduated from the University of South Florida with a major in biomedical sciences and a minor in psychology. I basically spent those 4 years trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I always wanted to be a vet but because of family pressure and lack of confidence, I did not pursue it. I bounced around from PT, PA, dentistry, etc. but I hated it all.

Well long story short, I finally grew some balls and decided to pursue vet. I feel so good.

I started volunteering in a vet clinic and have an interview set up for a position as a vet assistant and I also just got a job as a pet care technician and pet sitter. I also volunteer in a microbiology lab at school.

My question is: should I give a shot at applying to vet school for the 2015-2016 cycle or wait?

GPA: overall 3.85
GRE: V150, Q147, 4.0 (My Q is in the 28% percentile..............)
Experience:
100 hrs in chemistry lab
52 hours volunteering at American Cancer Society
Member of Phi Eta Sigma Academic Fraternity

LOR's are from the vet I am volunteering for, research professor and a dog behaviorist that owns the company that I am going to be working for the canine camp/pet sitting.

All the rest of my experience will be completed before applying... I estimate about 100 hours of volunteering in the vet clinic and 100 hours of working in the vets office as well as about 100 hours of pet sitting/canine camp counselor.

I obviously have to retake the GRE because the percentiles are nowhere near UF's recommended (only school I am applying to...).

My worries: not enough experience for a decent personal statement, not enough experience in general, very low GRE scores

On one hand I feel like I have nothing to lose... and on the other hand I feel like I have a lot of money to lose.

 

[sorasea]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. Thought I would post some of my stats and get some advice/opinions on narrowing down where to apply! I'm in state for UC Davis and will for sure be applying there and also a few other schools. Right now I am considering these schools (definitely need to narrow it down): U of Penn, Michigan State, Cornell, Auburn, NC State, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Texas A&M. Anyway, any advice is appreciated.

21 year old female, first time applicant.

Academics:
Major: Animal Science (currently a fourth year).
Overall GPA: 3.835
Science GPA: 3.840
Last 45 units (approximately): 3.851
GRE Scores: Verbal=159 (81st percentile) Quantitative=166 (92nd percentile) Analytical=4.5 (80th percentile)

Experience:
-Fostered kittens and walked dogs at a shelter for 7 years. (over 1,500 hours).
-Volunteered in the clinic by assisting during surgery at a shelter. 30 hours.
-Have worked at a veterinary clinic (small animal) for 4 years. Should be around 2,000 hours.
-Worked at a cat research breeding facility (cleaned cages, in charge of feeding and medication, etc.). 250 hours.
-Shadowed an equine vet for a few days. 15 hours.

eLORs:
-Veterinarian that I have been employed by for 4 years.
-Professor who I had for two quarters and did very well in his class (top 3%).
-Instructor (does not have PhD) who knows me very well because I always attended office hours, etc. Also had for two quarters.

I am also wondering about the part where you can explain anything you want on the application and how many people actually write stuff there. I had a particularly difficult last quarter due to personal/family issues and am wondering if I should explain this or if it just looks like I am making excuses. Thanks!

This comes up every year. Explanation statements are generally reserved for more serious red flags (e.g. taking a semester off) and clarifications (e.g. I used mine to explain my undergrad's unusual credit and pass-fail system). Vast majority of successful applicants have some B's and C's. Unless you have an entire semester of failing grades because your three infant triplets came down with pertussis in rapid succession, I wouldn't bother. Blank explanation statements are okay, too. If you decide to write one, be extremely factual/objective and try not to sound like you're making excuses or shifting blame.

With your scores, you will definitely get an interview at UC Davis, so just focus on prepping for the MMI! Some of the schools on your list (NCSU for sure) value diverse experiences. It looks like all of your veterinary experience is small animal, with 15 hrs of equine. That may end up being your weakest point, but it will not matter to your in-state and other schools that are numbers-focused. Your application looks very competitive to me.

 

[WillowLeaf]

Hello everyone!

This is my first time posting on the forum so I am sorry if it is in the wrong place attachFull193328

I am a 22 y/o hispanic female and have just graduated from the University of South Florida with a major in biomedical sciences and a minor in psychology. I basically spent those 4 years trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I always wanted to be a vet but because of family pressure and lack of confidence, I did not pursue it. I bounced around from PT, PA, dentistry, etc. but I hated it all.

Well long story short, I finally grew some balls and decided to pursue vet. I feel so good.

I started volunteering in a vet clinic and have an interview set up for a position as a vet assistant and I also just got a job as a pet care technician and pet sitter. I also volunteer in a microbiology lab at school.

My question is: should I give a shot at applying to vet school for the 2015-2016 cycle or wait?

GPA: overall 3.85
GRE: V150, Q147, 4.0 (My Q is in the 28% percentile..............)
Experience:
100 hrs in chemistry lab
52 hours volunteering at American Cancer Society
Member of Phi Eta Sigma Academic Fraternity

LOR's are from the vet I am volunteering for, research professor and a dog behaviorist that owns the company that I am going to be working for the canine camp/pet sitting.

All the rest of my experience will be completed before applying... I estimate about 100 hours of volunteering in the vet clinic and 100 hours of working in the vets office as well as about 100 hours of pet sitting/canine camp counselor.

I obviously have to retake the GRE because the percentiles are nowhere near UF's recommended (only school I am applying to...).

My worries: not enough experience for a decent personal statement, not enough experience in general, very low GRE scores

On one hand I feel like I have nothing to lose... and on the other hand I feel like I have a lot of money to lose.

If you just recently switched to pre-vet, I think it might be a good idea to wait and get more experience and apply next year. Not only because admissions committees usually want to see more hours than that, but also to make sure you understand the field and know that you really do want to be a vet. It sounds like you've just started volunteering at a clinic, and have only gotten experience at one small animal clinic so far. Personally I wouldn't feel confident that I knew a field without more experience than that, and wouldn't want to spend the time and money applying without a better idea of what being a vet involves. It would be a bummer to apply and then realize after spending more time in vet clinics that you don't really like it after all.

 

[LetItSnow]

What do you guys think? Should I even bother applying without all the necessary pre-reqs? Any advice is helpful. Thanks!

Unless you can finish the pre-reqs within the deadline established by the schools to which you want to apply, why would you? They aren't optional.

Yeah that's why I wasn't sure. Last quarter was noticeably different than the rest of my quarter grades and dragged my GPA down a bit, otherwise I would have had a 3.9 or higher for science and last 45 units, so that's why I was debating explaining.

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I just think that it looks more 'important' to you than it will to them. They'll say "She's got a great GPA, what's the fuss all about" and it will raise red flags unnecessarily. Unless you got Cs and Ds in particularly important classes, I'd just move on and not look back and be happy that your GPA speaks for itself. The advice I usually give about 'explanation' statements is to make it positive: Spend 25% of the space 'explaining' the negative, and 75% of the space detailing the evidence (i.e. not just assurances/claims) to show you managed/recovered well from whatever 'it' was.

GPA: overall 3.85
GRE: V150, Q147, 4.0 (My Q is in the 28% percentile..............)
Experience:
100 hrs in chemistry lab
52 hours volunteering at American Cancer Society
Member of Phi Eta Sigma Academic Fraternity

I think you fall more into the "why not" category than the "probably shouldn't" category. Your GPA is excellent, which should help offset the GRE quite a bit. If you re-take the GRE and do significantly better, that would alleviate that concern. If you really try hard and find opportunities, you have time between now and the deadline to crank out a fair bit of 'experience' to get those numbers up.

That said, I'm not personally familiar with UF's requirements, so if that's the only place you intend to apply you should look specifically at how they evaluate candidates and make a decision about how competitive you think you would be. I wouldn't hesitate to give them a call and talk to the admissions people and ask to talk to them about it. As well, there are UF students here on SDN that would have more specific insight.

One thing I wouldn't worry about is enough experience for the personal statement. You can craft that any way you like. Frankly, my personal statement focused mostly on things unrelated to or outside of vet medicine because I wanted to highlight personal characteristics that were best evidenced by things I had done in other aspects of life.

The biggest issue you have is experience, not the GRE and not the personal statement. If you can find a solution to that between now and the deadline - I would go for it. If you can't, then there's not much harm in waiting a year and really building a fair bit of experience.

 

[FeenyFee]

Unless you can finish the pre-reqs within the deadline established by the schools to which you want to apply, why would you? They aren't optional.



Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I just think that it looks more 'important' to you than it will to them. They'll say "She's got a great GPA, what's the fuss all about" and it will raise red flags unnecessarily. Unless you got Cs and Ds in particularly important classes, I'd just move on and not look back and be happy that your GPA speaks for itself. The advice I usually give about 'explanation' statements is to make it positive: Spend 25% of the space 'explaining' the negative, and 75% of the space detailing the evidence (i.e. not just assurances/claims) to show you managed/recovered well from whatever 'it' was.



I think you fall more into the "why not" category than the "probably shouldn't" category. Your GPA is excellent, which should help offset the GRE quite a bit. If you re-take the GRE and do significantly better, that would alleviate that concern. If you really try hard and find opportunities, you have time between now and the deadline to crank out a fair bit of 'experience' to get those numbers up.

That said, I'm not personally familiar with UF's requirements, so if that's the only place you intend to apply you should look specifically at how they evaluate candidates and make a decision about how competitive you think you would be. I wouldn't hesitate to give them a call and talk to the admissions people and ask to talk to them about it. As well, there are UF students here on SDN that would have more specific insight.

One thing I wouldn't worry about is enough experience for the personal statement. You can craft that any way you like. Frankly, my personal statement focused mostly on things unrelated to or outside of vet medicine because I wanted to highlight personal characteristics that were best evidenced by things I had done in other aspects of life.

The biggest issue you have is experience, not the GRE and not the personal statement. If you can find a solution to that between now and the deadline - I would go for it. If you can't, then there's not much harm in waiting a year and really building a fair bit of experience.

I worked at two stables for about 2 and a half years in exchange for lessons and just to be around the horses. I probably got close to 5000 hours of experience riding/caring for the horses. This was when I was 12-14ish though..... Is it worth putting on my application?

 

[LetItSnow]

I worked at two stables for about 2 and a half years in exchange for lessons and just to be around the horses. I probably got close to 5000 hours of experience riding/caring for the horses. This was when I was 12-14ish though..... Is it worth putting on my application?

Yes, but it's animal experience and not veterinary experience. And you need the latter.

 

[katashark]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to be an aquatic/exotic vet. I'm applying to a lot of schools so that I hopefully get accepted. Fingers crossed!

Undergraduate Institution: Cornell University
Major: Science of Earth Systems
Concentration: Ocean Sciences
Minor: Marine Biology
Minor: Natural Resources

Post-Baccalaureate Institution: Arizona State University
Pre-Veterinary

Cumulative GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: 3.5
Last 45 Hours: 3.8

GRE: Quantitative 159, Verbal 161, Writing 5.5

Animal Experience:
Horses: 2200 hours
Great White Sharks: 720 hours
Endangered Penguins: 40 hours
Marine Invertebrates: 480 hours
Endangered tortoises: 4360 hours
Endangered desert pupfish: 4360 hours
Pet Sitting: 122 hours
Birds: 80 hours
Turtles: 76 hours
Invasive Fish: 180 hours
Total: 12,618 hours

Veterinary Supervised:
Small Animal Clinic: 450 hours
Aquarium Head Vet: 80 hours
Endangered maring sea turtles: 40 hours
Total: 570 hours

I also have research and field work experience, and am a published scientist. I made Dean's List in my last semester at Cornell, and graduated Cum Laude in Research.

And advice on how to strengthen my application? What are my chances as an applicant? Any help is much appreciated! I know my GPA is pretty low.

 

[Lupin21]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking to be an aquatic/exotic vet. I'm applying to a lot of schools so that I hopefully get accepted. Fingers crossed!

Undergraduate Institution: Cornell University
Major: Science of Earth Systems
Concentration: Ocean Sciences
Minor: Marine Biology
Minor: Natural Resources

Post-Baccalaureate Institution: Arizona State University
Pre-Veterinary

Cumulative GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: 3.5
Last 45 Hours: 3.8

GRE: Quantitative 159, Verbal 161, Writing 5.5

Animal Experience:
Horses: 2200 hours
Great White Sharks: 720 hours
Endangered Penguins: 40 hours
Marine Invertebrates: 480 hours
Endangered tortoises: 4360 hours
Endangered desert pupfish: 4360 hours
Pet Sitting: 122 hours
Birds: 80 hours
Turtles: 76 hours
Invasive Fish: 180 hours
Total: 12,618 hours

Veterinary Supervised:
Small Animal Clinic: 450 hours
Aquarium Head Vet: 80 hours
Endangered maring sea turtles: 40 hours
Total: 570 hours

I also have research and field work experience, and am a published scientist. I made Dean's List in my last semester at Cornell, and graduated Cum Laude in Research.

And advice on how to strengthen my application? What are my chances as an applicant? Any help is much appreciated!

This all looks pretty solid. Make sure you LORs are coming from people who know how to write great things about you, make sure your PS is kick arse, and just make sure to present yourself, your accomplishments and what you can bring to the profession in an intelligent and unique way and I would think your chances are very good.

 

[doe_eyes]

Hi everyone.

I am applying for the first time this coming cycle. I'm a 22yr old, CA resident.

Undergrad: UC Davis
Major: Animal Science
Cum GPA: 3.374
Last 45 semester GPA: ~3.517
Science GPA: 3.086

GRE: I'm retaking them in August....

Experience:
SA vet: 146 hours
LA (Dairy Facility): 60 hours
Speciality practice (integrative medicine): 40+ (current)
Shelter: 24 hours
Davis VetMed Teaching Hospital (various departments): 160
Research (animal biology/behavior): 193+ (current)
Overall Total: ~623

LORs:
2 small animal vets + research supervisor
OR 1 small animal vet + 1 science professor + research supervisor
I'm asking 4 people just in case someone backs out/depending on different school requirements; I'm confident all will write a strong letter.

So being from California and having attended UC Davis for my undergrad, I would love to be accepted to their VetMed program. However, realistically, I don't have a high chance because my GPAs are not up to their standards for admission. I'm still gonna apply and see how it works out. I don't really have a chance to improve my GPA, and I'm studying really hard for the GRE this summer. So far, I'm planning on applying to Davis, Western, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Tufts, Michigan, Missouri, and Minnesota. Depending on money/prerequisites/supplemental apps, I may not apply to all these schools, but those are the ones I'm planning on as of right now. I'm not sure if my experiences are "good" enough, especially with my lackluster GPAs. It's just I want to keep my options open.... I also know that some of those schools will view my application more harshly because of my academics, but I guess I just don't want to have the "what ifs" of not applying because I'm scared of rejection.

So far, I'm getting excited about Western and Tufts just by hearing people's past experiences and learning more about their curriculum. Still would love to attend Davis though, for many reasons including: close to my home/family, I already know many faculty members there from internships, and I'm kind of biased cause I just love the school and area.... However, I'm not setting my hopes to high on getting accepted, even though it's my IS school (I heard that being a CA resident is NOT an advantage for getting accepted, simply because so many CA residents apply).

I am starting to feel very stressed just by reading everyone else's stats and it's hard not to compare myself to them.... Any advice, opinions, comments about my stats, schools I'm planning on applying to, and just any other related topics would be much appreciated! Thanks

 

[wallydo]

Hello all. I am a 25 y.o. applying to Michigan State University (IS) for c/o 2020. I just finished an A.S. in Pre-Medical Studies from my community college and will be beginning my studies at junior standing at MSU this fall to obtain a B.S. in Animal Science. I will not graduate prior to matriculation, however I'm fully prepared to complete this degree prior to next application cycle if not accepted this time around. I would greatly appreciate any insight, especially from any MSU CVMer's.

cGPA: 3.01 (It hurts to write... thankful my IS is MSU...)
sGPA: 3.33
Last 36 GPA: 3.59
GRE: Taking in August. Studying vocab daily. Taking Calc I this summer which has been a great Algebra refresher.

Veterinary:
10,320 hrs -- small animal practice working as a veterinary technician, ongoing
200 hrs -- surgical assistant at local animal shelter
100 hrs -- surgical assistant for cat rescue TNR program
24 hrs -- observing emergency referral practice
30 hrs -- observing orthopedic procedures at MSU and Ohio State with board certified surgeon
20 hrs -- observing internal medicine specialist
42 hrs -- CE lectures, attended Michigan Veterinary Conference 2014 and 2015
40 hrs -- pending -- will be completing week long surgical externship at Ohio State CVM this August with previously mentioned boarded DVM/my mentor I've worked closely with for years regarding my own pets/cases at my practice

Animal:
200 hrs -- volunteering at local animal shelter (fostering special needs cases, vaccine clinics, currently working to implement children's reading program)
240 hrs -- equine experience (lived/worked on a horse farm for four months)
200 hrs -- foster for the Michigan English Setter Club
432 hrs -- working for boarding facility owner by two DVM's, caring for many species (felines, canines, exotics, water fowl), ongoing
16 hrs -- animal behavior seminars
28 hrs -- animal training courses with my own pets, including Canine Good Citizen
85 hrs -- horse back riding lessons

Research:
60 hrs -- assisted PhD student who was tracking white tailed deer via DNA to study their social structure (by use of PCR), most of this was field work

eLORS:
2 DVM's from my small animal practice
DVM from OSU CVM
Organic Chemistry Lab Professor (developed a great relationship with him, 4.0 in course)

 

[SMUVETMED2017]

I don't know much about St. Matthews specifically, except that it is not accredited by the AVMA. But in general, even if they don't require any animal experience, this is not a field you jump into without any experience at all. How do you even know you want to be a vet if you have no experience with animals, let alone any experience in a veterinary setting? Just my two cents.

I am applying to st. matthews with no experience with animals. I was planning on going med school but changed to vet. I have over 70 hours with physicians, undergraduate research, 3.2 cgpa, 3.0 sgpa. 310 on gre. What are my chances?

I am a current SMU Vet student and would love to be able to answer your questions. While animal experience is def. a plus, having medical experience is helpful and any vet school will do their best to prepare you for clinics. At SMU, we have clinical skills courses that allow for hands-on experience as well as other opportunities to ensure our graduate competent in knowledge base as well as practical skills.

 

[Coquette22]

I am a current SMU Vet student and would love to be able to answer your questions. While animal experience is def. a plus, having medical experience is helpful and any vet school will do their best to prepare you for clinics. At SMU, we have clinical skills courses that allow for hands-on experience as well as other opportunities to ensure our graduate competent in knowledge base as well as practical skills.

Apologies if I'm reading too much into your post, but I think WildZoo's point is that it's 100% necessary to get experience BEFORE starting vet school. This isn't about preparing for clinics, it's about knowing that you actually want to get into the field and having a better idea of what it's like before you spend thousands of dollars on tuition.

 

[finnickthedog]

Okay, so I'm posting again because I now have my summer grades in and my GRE scores. So this is just to present a more complete picture than I had when I posted before. My experience hours are also a little more sorted out now than they were before.

21 year old female. First time applicant. Michigan resident.
Graduating with Bachelor's in Biology Fall 2015 (Chemistry Minor).

overallGPA: 3.08
scienceGPA: 3.00
last3GPA: 3.40

GRE: 167 Verbal, 158 Quant, 3.5 Writing

(Note: As far as I can tell, the overall GPA and the GRE writing score will be irrelevant to Michigan State. Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Veterinary Experience (Total = 210)
~ 200 hours shadowing small animal vet
~ 10 hours additional shadowing of small animal surgery

Animal Experience (Total = 10,840)
~ 8000 hours dog breeding/kennel work
~ 2500 hours dog show handling (this number and above are estimates, probably underestimates)
~ 100 hours dog training (obedience + rally type stuff)
~ 100 hours pet sitting (dogs, cats + some exotics)
~ 50 hours volunteer at wildlife bird rehab center
~ 40 hours nursing a sick cockatoo
~ 20 hours of sheep herding training
~ 20 hours horseback riding lessons
~ 10 hours volunteering at dog rescue

Other
- Semi active pre-vet club member
- A handful of non-animal related volunteer experiences

So, from the responses I got last time I've decided that it is worth the money to apply IS this year and see what happens. If you disagree please let me know and why... because I don't like to totally throw my money away for no good reason.

I'm have plans to improve my veterinary hours before the next cycle so that I'm ready if I need to apply again... but as to this cycle: what are my chances?

 

[SMUVETMED2017]

Apologies if I'm reading too much into your post, but I think WildZoo's point is that it's 100% necessary to get experience BEFORE starting vet school. This isn't about preparing for clinics, it's about knowing that you actually want to get into the field and having a better idea of what it's like before you spend thousands of dollars on tuition.

Yes, experience is important and yes I def. recommend the more the better. But I wouldn't say a lack of experience (ex. hundreds of hours in every area of vet med) is going to automatically get your application in the trash. Personally, my undergrad stressed having experience to the point I felt I didn't have a chance without at least 200 hrs in each area. Before I took time off to be at home with my daughter, I was at a state school and was surprised that people (more than 1) had minimal experience overall (IMO) or no experience at all in a certain area and were still accepted and successful in vet school. Like you said, experience 1) allows you to know if this is a profession you really want to be in 2) vet schools tend to take you more seriously/passionate about this career. BUT, they also value that students don't always come straight out of undergrad with a cookie cutter application, so human medical experience will count for something as well as work experience outside vet med (military, other career)

 

[DVMDream]

Yes, experience is important and yes I def. recommend the more the better. But I wouldn't say a lack of experience (ex. hundreds of hours in every area of vet med) is going to automatically get your application in the trash. Personally, my undergrad stressed having experience to the point I felt I didn't have a chance without at least 200 hrs in each area. Before I took time off to be at home with my daughter, I was at a state school and was surprised that people (more than 1) had minimal experience overall (IMO) or no experience at all in a certain area and were still accepted and successful in vet school. Like you said, experience 1) allows you to know if this is a profession you really want to be in 2) vet schools tend to take you more seriously/passionate about this career. BUT, they also value that students don't always come straight out of undergrad with a cookie cutter application, so human medical experience will count for something as well as work experience outside vet med (military, other career)

Human medical experience won't count for much to be honest. I mean, it is something else you can add on to your application similar to volunteering at some random place, but it really isn't going to do much more than a "Oh, cool". And actually some vet schools might start to ask, "Did this person want to be a MD at some point? And if so, why do they now want to be a vet?" And they are going to look for reasons in that application for why the change occurred as well as look for veterinary experience. It is necessary to obtain veterinary experience before vet school. Medical experience isn't going to mean jack **** in comparison. No one is arguing that you need 1,000s of hours or even hundreds of hours in every animal species, but you do need to have some experience in vet med. And I would say it is probably more important for someone who is going to place medical experience on their application to show they do have that veterinary experience.