What are my chances?

[dyachei]

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.

it might count for SMU...but they aren't accredited.

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[futurehealervet]

@Finnick: if you have time to get some LA vet experience before apps, I'd try to do that. See if you can find average GRE scores for the school you are applying to and compare yours. I'd say since you have a GPA on the lower side, you'd want your GRE score to be at least at their average. Your animal experiences are awesome and diverse, so if you could manage to squeeze in some LA vet experience, I think that could make up for a lower GPA to some extent. Not sure how heavily Michigan weighs academics vs. other aspects of the app so I'd consider that as well. Hope that helps a bit

 

[Kore13]

While I totally agree that you will need animal experience, I don't agree with human medical experience being written off as "oh cool". I volunteer with my town's ambulance corps, and that came up in all of my interviews. The interviewers were very interested in that experience and how it helped me deal with stressful emergency medical situations and concerned family members. Also the captain wrote me a glowing recommendation about how good I was at dealing with people and my compassion, which is something admissions really wants to see, as dealing with clients/owners tactfully is a huge deal. So those kind of experiences can definitely strengthen your application. But you definitely still need a good amount of animal experience.

 

[LetItSnow]

While I totally agree that you will need animal experience, I don't agree with human medical experience being written off as "oh cool". I volunteer with my town's ambulance corps, and that came up in all of my interviews. The interviewers were very interested in that experience and how it helped me deal with stressful emergency medical situations and concerned family members. Also the captain wrote me a glowing recommendation about how good I was at dealing with people and my compassion, which is something admissions really wants to see, as dealing with clients/owners tactfully is a huge deal. So those kind of experiences can definitely strengthen your application. But you definitely still need a good amount of animal experience.

Eh. They weren't interested in it as "medical" experience, though. They were interested because it's community service/volunteerism, because of the communication component, and the work-under-pressure aspect.

Having human medical experience will likely get written off as "oh cool" in the sense of it contributing MEDICAL experience (as opposed to veterinary medical experience).

 

[Teepster87]

28 y/o male, 1st time applicant, non-traditional
California resident, B.S. Animal Science, A.S. Chemistry

Applying: UC Davis (IS), CSU, Michigan State, NCSU, and Virginia-Maryland

Academics
Cum GPA: 3.88
Science GPA: ~3.9
Last-45 Hours GPA: 3.95
GRE: 158 Verbal, 154 Quant, Writing TBD

Veterinary Experience
- 200 hours SA clinic shadow
- ~250 hours LA (dairy calves)
- ~100 hours lab animal vet shadow
- 400ish (ongoing experience) animal technician with USDA. Has been mostly LA thus far, but will be getting to do a bunch of stuff with poultry this summer.

Animal Experience
- 7000 hours training, maintaining, and utilizing Military Working Dogs
- 400 hours rodent colony management
- 100 hours shelter volunteering

Research
- 100 hours doing sample preparation, making whole mounts of mammary glands and quantifying structures with a microscope.
- 200 hours in sample preparation of human hair and imaging under scanning electron microscope to determine if ethnicity and hair diameter are linked.
- 100 hours with obese rats to determine how obesity effects kidney disease.

Employment
- 5000 hours of law enforcement in the United States Marine Corps. Got a lot of skills for client communication doing this.
- 1500 hours of construction work.
- 80 hours as a group tutor for general chemistry.

Extracurricular/Community Service
- 40 hours doing K-9 demonstrations in the community
- 50 hours providing security for annual Air Shows on base.
(This is probably my weakest area. I’ve got 2 kids and a wife that works so I don’t have much time to myself.)

Awards
- Department Citation when graduating
- Dean's List / President’s List f0r most semesters
- Scholarship for being in top 4% of entering class at university
- Chemistry Student of the year (2012) at my community college.

eLORs
- Veterinarian supervisor from USDA job.
- Professor I had for 2 classes and an internship in his lab.
- Staff researcher/PI that I worked a full year for during undergrad.
- Lab animal vet I was shadowing that I developed a very strong relationship with.


I know I really did mediocrely (autocorrect didn’t flag this. I’m glad it’s a word) on quantitative GRE. I took it early enough in the summer to allow myself enough time to take it again if need be.

 

[WildZoo]

28 y/o male, 1st time applicant, non-traditional
California resident, B.S. Animal Science, A.S. Chemistry

Applying: UC Davis (IS), CSU, Michigan State, NCSU, and Virginia-Maryland

Academics
Cum GPA: 3.88
Science GPA: ~3.9
Last-45 Hours GPA: 3.95
GRE: 158 Verbal, 154 Quant, Writing TBD

Veterinary Experience
- 200 hours SA clinic shadow
- ~250 hours LA (dairy calves)
- ~100 hours lab animal vet shadow
- 400ish (ongoing experience) animal technician with USDA. Has been mostly LA thus far, but will be getting to do a bunch of stuff with poultry this summer.

Animal Experience
- 7000 hours training, maintaining, and utilizing Military Working Dogs
- 400 hours rodent colony management
- 100 hours shelter volunteering

Research
- 100 hours doing sample preparation, making whole mounts of mammary glands and quantifying structures with a microscope.
- 200 hours in sample preparation of human hair and imaging under scanning electron microscope to determine if ethnicity and hair diameter are linked.
- 100 hours with obese rats to determine how obesity effects kidney disease.

Employment
- 5000 hours of law enforcement in the United States Marine Corps. Got a lot of skills for client communication doing this.
- 1500 hours of construction work.
- 80 hours as a group tutor for general chemistry.

Extracurricular/Community Service
- 40 hours doing K-9 demonstrations in the community
- 50 hours providing security for annual Air Shows on base.
(This is probably my weakest area. I’ve got 2 kids and a wife that works so I don’t have much time to myself.)

Awards
- Department Citation when graduating
- Dean's List / President’s List f0r most semesters
- Scholarship for being in top 4% of entering class at university
- Chemistry Student of the year (2012) at my community college.

eLORs
- Veterinarian supervisor from USDA job.
- Professor I had for 2 classes and an internship in his lab.
- Staff researcher/PI that I worked a full year for during undergrad.
- Lab animal vet I was shadowing that I developed a very strong relationship with.


I know I really did mediocrely (autocorrect didn’t flag this. I’m glad it’s a word) on quantitative GRE. I took it early enough in the summer to allow myself enough time to take it again if need be.

I don't think you need to worry about retaking the GRE. Your scores are solidly in the "good" category and with the rest of your application, a couple extra points probably won't matter. Your GPA is great, your experiences are pretty varied...I would be surprised if you didn't get in somewhere. Just make sure your personal statement is awesome

 

[DVMDream]

Eh. They weren't interested in it as "medical" experience, though. They were interested because it's community service/volunteerism, because of the communication component, and the work-under-pressure aspect.

Having human medical experience will likely get written off as "oh cool" in the sense of it contributing MEDICAL experience (as opposed to veterinary medical experience).

This.

Human medical experience doesn't make up for or fill in the space for veterinary experience. Any vet school that does consider it a "replacement", I'd be very wary about.

It'll still count as volunteer experience but veterinary school applicants need to have vet experience. There isn't anything that will replace that requirement.

 

[TheNerdiestRedneck]

Hey there guys! so I posted this a while ago:

"Hi guys! I'm currently a sophomore in college, and am planning on going to vet school once I'm finished here. However, I have a pretty low GPA right now (probably 2.74 after this semester), and although I'm working on it as best I can, I think the best I'll be able to get by the time I graduate is a 3.0. I have shadowed vets several times, did 4-H for 5 years (including being president of my club), earned the 4-H All-Star award (essentially the Eagle Scout of 4-H), and I just got a job at a local veterinarian. I'm only working about 20 hours a week right now, but during the summer it'll probably be closer to 40. I also plan on doing internships for my next two January terms, and plan to do research with one of the professors starting next year.
I live in Virginia and don't really want to travel far, so right now the only colleges I'm seriously looking at for vet school are LMU, UT, NC State, U Penn, Cornell, and Virginia Tech. What do you think is the likelihood that I'll make it into any of those the first time applying? I have no interest in being a vet tech, so that's not a fallback option for me, but I would be fine with taking off a year or two to work more if I didn't get in the first time. Also, do you think it would be better if I go ahead and apply out of college, and go from there, or go right into working for a year and then apply?
I'm just an anxiety ridden mess that I won't get in."
​

I've been thinking more about my options since I posted that, and I honestly don't think that I'll be able to get in to vet school right after undergrad, regardless of which one I apply to, plus I'm pretty sure I won't really be able to afford it yet. So, I've been looking at other options for what I could do. I was mainly considering either getting my tech license first (which is way less expensive), or trying to get into a Laboratory Animal Science Master's program at Eastern VA Medical School (which costs almost as much as vet school). In addition, I'm going to take a year off immediately following my undergrad graduation so that I have time to get some more varied work experience. I have also become increasingly interested in wildlife biology, so I'm going to try and get an internship at a wildlife rescue, or at least volunteer at one. Another question I had it that I plan on doing an internship or my school's J-term, and I was wondering if you all thought I should do a equine vet, livestock vet, or a wildlife center.
Thanks!

 

[SNTech]

Thanks for the help

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

I was wondering if someone could give me a critique as well?

24 yr. old/ Male/ Texas resident

Degree: B.A. in Biology and Philosophy, University of the Incarnate Word
cGPA: 3.47

Animal Experience:
500 hours as a Store-Team Member at Pet Supplies Plus; taking care and handling of various small and exotic animals
Lifetime experience of working on family game-ranch in Blanco, TX- feeding, taking care of exotic African/Indian game such as: Zebras, Lechwe, Addax, Orok, Blackbuck, and others
7 months of working alongside military working dogs, also providing care to them when needed

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal: 10 hours (still working on getting hours)
Large Animal: N/A
Live-tissue training in the United States Marine Corps: 5 hours of live-tissue training on pigs; used to practice combat-trauma skills

Professional Summary
Served in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman from Mar. 2011/ Jun. 2014

This is a pretty rough-skeleton. I am working on accruing more veterinary-hours, but other than that, what should I do to make my resume more competitive? There are a few awards I can post but I don't think that's necessary for now because I only wanted to relay the "meat" of the resume. Let me know what you all think!

 

[FeenyFee]

"Live-tissue training in the United States Marine Corps: 5 hours of live-tissue training on pigs; used to practice combat-trauma skills"

What exactly is this? I've never heard of it

 

[Applesauce123]

Just took my GRE today...
Verbal 152 Quant 150 ... I think writing went well.. Hopefully higher than a 4.
Some other stats: GPA 3.55 , many many hours of animal experience.. Large and small animal, lab research, zoo, and shelter volunteering. 3 good letters from vets and one from academic advisor.
I'm not sure if I should still apply this summer, if I should retake the GRE in a month and apply, or just apply with my current score. Would just like some opinions. Thanks in advance attachFull193842

 

[epivetlove]

I'm going to offer my advice to both of y'all since I'm assuming A&M is your top choice, since it's IS. I'm a 2VM and absolutely love it here, so if you have any additional questions about the program, school, whatever, please don't hesitate to contact me!

What are my chances:

24 yr old, Female, Texas resident
B.S. in Animal Science, West Texas A&M University

I would highly, highly recommend getting some veterinary experience in a field other than small animal. A&M LOVES to see large animal/equine veterinary experience. I know you have animal experience, but it's just not the same. Also, for purposes of applying, A&M only counts 100 hours max for ownership. Unless things have changed this year. Otherwise, your grades are good to decent. Yes, your sciGPA could be better and yes, you will need to retake O-Chem 1. TMDSAS counts a lot of obscure things as science, but it will definitely count O-Chem. My sciGPA was similar to yours (a little lower, actually, I think) and made it in on my first attempt. I had many thousands of hours of very varied experience, however. Just keep chugging along and finish your undergrad studies as strong as possible!

I was wondering if someone could give me a critique as well?

24 yr. old/ Male/ Texas resident

Degree: B.A. in Biology and Philosophy, University of the Incarnate Word
cGPA: 3.47

What are your other grades? Your last 45, sciGPA, GREs? A&M is very academics focused, so it'll be easier to give you a better critique with all that info, if you have it. Your military experience will help you to stand out, but your veterinary experience is severely lacking for A&M's standards. They mention a 50-hour minimum, but I only know of 1 classmate that had a number that low (and it was around 150 hours), but they had perfect grades, too. As I mentioned to SNTech, A&M really likes to see variety, as do other schools. They love to see large animal/equine experience, but if you can get exotics, emergency, research, etc., that could really help you out! I will also mention that, again, unless things have changed, you will receive an extra point for each clinic/experience you have at least 100 hours at, up to 4 extra points. That may not seem like much, but even 0.25 points can be the difference between an interview invite and a rejection. Keep your grades up, rock the GRE (mid-150s and higher in each, but definitely focus on Quant and Writing), and keep getting experience!

Good luck to both of you!

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

"Live-tissue training in the United States Marine Corps: 5 hours of live-tissue training on pigs; used to practice combat-trauma skills"

What exactly is this? I've never heard of it

It was recently shut down because PETA caught wind of it. Essentially it was hosted by a group of USAF PJ's (Special Forces Combat Medics) where pigs were taken, sedated, and then intentionally injured (shot by bullets) and we were responsible with providing immediate combat-trauma care to the pigs in order to keep them alive. It was used to give us experience for combat-injuries we might see in Afghanistan, i.e. sucking chest wounds, amputations, arterial bleeds. It was a wonderful experience... granted I am a bit more sensitive to animal welfare than what was done... We had one Marine who came up while we were huddled around the sedated pigs and he's like, "YAH, let's repair some pigs!" and then he saw them under sedation and he's like, "ohh...." Yah, to be honest I'm not very fussy that PETA got a hold of it...

 

[VetADMIN]

28 y/o male, 1st time applicant, non-traditional
California resident, B.S. Animal Science, A.S. Chemistry

Applying: UC Davis (IS), CSU, Michigan State, NCSU, and Virginia-Maryland

Academics
Cum GPA: 3.88
Science GPA: ~3.9
Last-45 Hours GPA: 3.95
GRE: 158 Verbal, 154 Quant, Writing TBD

Veterinary Experience
- 200 hours SA clinic shadow
- ~250 hours LA (dairy calves)
- ~100 hours lab animal vet shadow
- 400ish (ongoing experience) animal technician with USDA. Has been mostly LA thus far, but will be getting to do a bunch of stuff with poultry this summer.

Animal Experience
- 7000 hours training, maintaining, and utilizing Military Working Dogs
- 400 hours rodent colony management
- 100 hours shelter volunteering

Research
- 100 hours doing sample preparation, making whole mounts of mammary glands and quantifying structures with a microscope.
- 200 hours in sample preparation of human hair and imaging under scanning electron microscope to determine if ethnicity and hair diameter are linked.
- 100 hours with obese rats to determine how obesity effects kidney disease.

Employment
- 5000 hours of law enforcement in the United States Marine Corps. Got a lot of skills for client communication doing this.
- 1500 hours of construction work.
- 80 hours as a group tutor for general chemistry.

Extracurricular/Community Service
- 40 hours doing K-9 demonstrations in the community
- 50 hours providing security for annual Air Shows on base.
(This is probably my weakest area. I’ve got 2 kids and a wife that works so I don’t have much time to myself.)

Awards
- Department Citation when graduating
- Dean's List / President’s List f0r most semesters
- Scholarship for being in top 4% of entering class at university
- Chemistry Student of the year (2012) at my community college.

eLORs
- Veterinarian supervisor from USDA job.
- Professor I had for 2 classes and an internship in his lab.
- Staff researcher/PI that I worked a full year for during undergrad.
- Lab animal vet I was shadowing that I developed a very strong relationship with.


I know I really did mediocrely (autocorrect didn’t flag this. I’m glad it’s a word) on quantitative GRE. I took it early enough in the summer to allow myself enough time to take it again if need be.

I think that you have excellent credentials and we look forward to your application at UC Davis

 

[pinkpuppy9]

It was recently shut down because PETA caught wind of it. Essentially it was hosted by a group of USAF PJ's (Special Forces Combat Medics) where pigs were taken, sedated, and then intentionally injured (shot by bullets) and we were responsible with providing immediate combat-trauma care to the pigs in order to keep them alive. It was used to give us experience for combat-injuries we might see in Afghanistan, i.e. sucking chest wounds, amputations, arterial bleeds. It was a wonderful experience... granted I am a bit more sensitive to animal welfare than what was done... We had one Marine who came up while we were huddled around the sedated pigs and he's like, "YAH, let's repair some pigs!" and then he saw them under sedation and he's like, "ohh...." Yah, to be honest I'm not very fussy that PETA got a hold of it...

Curiosity: Were they euthanized after?

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

Curiosity: Were they euthanized after?

Yep, they were to my knowledge. The pigs stayed under sedation as we worked on them and tried to keep them alive. If they managed to stay alive (while under sedation) then they were euthanized.

 

[anonymousx333]

So I am a very non-traditional applicant. 24 year old female, California resident.
During college and the past year my app was built for MD.

Master's in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University: GPA 3.6
no GRE
no LOR for vet school (6 for med school, if that matters)

undergrad UC San Diego:
B.S. in Human Biology
B.A. in Psychology
overall GPA: 3.2
can't remember science and non-science gpa (working on a computer that doesn't have all of my stats currently): but if you look at my undergrad gpa you can get an idea of how bad it was.
Don't know how to calculate last 45 since I have a Master's now, that was a little over 33 credits.
undergrad - paid lab assistant + part time researcher for 4 years

Over 600 hours of clinical experience: hospital volunteer, hospital intern, shadowed 4 physicians
Volunteered in an animal shelter for 4 years, but that was in high school

I am working on shadowing a vet and possibly working in a vet clinic.

Sorry if this is a little weird, but I would like some feedback. Thank you. (I am not applying this cycle/year, most likely next cycle at the earliest.)

 

[LetItSnow]

So I am a very non-traditional applicant. 24 year old female, California resident.

Pure curiosity, but why do you describe yourself as a "very non-traditional applicant"? No snark intended; you just look pretty traditional to my eyes. Young 20s, degreed, reasonable experience... all seems kinda traditional.

Anyway. I like the interesting degrees. I dunno that vet schools care about them, but I like them. Overall GPA may be low and may require some 'selective' applying. Ditto if the pre-reqs share that GPA.

You will almost certainly need at least one LOR from a veterinarian. And obviously, will have to take the GRE.

Schools will like the research background.

Experience hours are pretty cool, but unfortunately they aren't veterinary - you will need to build up veterinary hours (which you're doing).

Essentially, you're on track. Get a vet LOR, take the GRE when appropriate, and build up as much vet experience as you can. Can't do anything about the GPA now, so look closely at how each school evaluates candidates and target your applications to schools that you fit best with. With your other interesting background material, you can likely overcome the modestly low (it's not awful....) GPA.

 

[Tonkspaws]

Advise Please.
This is my second time applying and I really want to get in. ( last year I got an interview at michigan and I am wait listed at tufts) I want to go to school sooo bad its my dream and I know I am cut out for it. But I am really worried I won't get in.
My GPA is 3.39 which I'm a aware is low but I don't think too low in my opinion. I went through some stuff my last semester which kind of hit my application hard since they really focus on your last 3 semesters. I write about it in my explanation statement but I don't think they really pay to much attention to.
MY GRE is 155 for both sections and 4 for writing. I do plan on studying my ass off for the month of August and improving my score. I can hopefully get it up a point or two.
Experience hours- well over 2000 hours. Pretty varied hospitals, shelters, exotics, zoos, and international work. I'm really only lacking on farm but did do 4h when I was younger.
I think my personal statement and recommendations are good.
What do guys think? Can I get in? Any recommendations of schools I should apply to (My IS in Davis which kind of sucks for me since its harder to get into). I really don't want to go to Ross, I don't think living on an island sounds great to me also its soooo expensive there. But at the same time I could probably get in there....but idk if its worth it to go since I won't like the environment which I believe will play a huge role in how well one can do.
ANY thoughts would be great thanks.

 

[dyachei]

Did you do file reviews with the schools you applied to last time? So you know what they think was lacking?

 

[thecatastrophist]

Advise Please.
This is my second time applying and I really want to get in. ( last year I got an interview at michigan and I am wait listed at tufts) I want to go to school sooo bad its my dream and I know I am cut out for it. But I am really worried I won't get in.
My GPA is 3.39 which I'm a aware is low but I don't think too low in my opinion. I went through some stuff my last semester which kind of hit my application hard since they really focus on your last 3 semesters. I write about it in my explanation statement but I don't think they really pay to much attention to.
MY GRE is 155 for both sections and 4 for writing. I do plan on studying my ass off for the month of August and improving my score. I can hopefully get it up a point or two.
Experience hours- well over 2000 hours. Pretty varied hospitals, shelters, exotics, zoos, and international work. I'm really only lacking on farm but did do 4h when I was younger.
I think my personal statement and recommendations are good.
What do guys think? Can I get in? Any recommendations of schools I should apply to (My IS in Davis which kind of sucks for me since its harder to get into). I really don't want to go to Ross, I don't think living on an island sounds great to me also its soooo expensive there. But at the same time I could probably get in there....but idk if its worth it to go since I won't like the environment which I believe will play a huge role in how well one can do.
ANY thoughts would be great thanks.

Go get a file review if you haven't already. That'll help target any weak points you might not have identified.

With that said, consider taking a very thorough look at schools and strategically choosingng where you apply. Many schools, but not all, focus on the last 45 credit hour GPA. Even within that, there's some variation on how they calculate it and how important that is in their final decision. If your last 45 credit hours is weak, apply somewhere that doesn't use it as a huge decision factor.

Your GRE looks decent, and while your GPA might be slightly lower than average I don't think it's low enough that it'd be impossible to get in. Honestly, I wouldn't even retake the GRE unless the places you applied at say that doing so would benefit you during yur file review.

As suggestions of where specifically to apply, I can at least say for certain that Illinois doesn't look at your last 45 at all. They care about your cumulative and science GPA's. And, they have a system where your GPA is only used in their decision to offer an interview. Once that interview is offered, the only thing they use in their final decision is your non-academic qualifications and interview. For someone who has a slightly lower GPA but decent amount of experience, that approach might be of benefit.

 

[Lab Vet]

I was wondering if someone could give me a critique as well?

24 yr. old/ Male/ Texas resident

Degree: B.A. in Biology and Philosophy, University of the Incarnate Word
cGPA: 3.47

Animal Experience:
500 hours as a Store-Team Member at Pet Supplies Plus; taking care and handling of various small and exotic animals
Lifetime experience of working on family game-ranch in Blanco, TX- feeding, taking care of exotic African/Indian game such as: Zebras, Lechwe, Addax, Orok, Blackbuck, and others
7 months of working alongside military working dogs, also providing care to them when needed

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal: 10 hours (still working on getting hours)
Large Animal: N/A
Live-tissue training in the United States Marine Corps: 5 hours of live-tissue training on pigs; used to practice combat-trauma skills

Professional Summary
Served in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman from Mar. 2011/ Jun. 2014

This is a pretty rough-skeleton. I am working on accruing more veterinary-hours, but other than that, what should I do to make my resume more competitive? There are a few awards I can post but I don't think that's necessary for now because I only wanted to relay the "meat" of the resume. Let me know what you all think!

Hi CombatVeteranVeterinarian!

Your military experience is unique and diverse. I have a few classmates who are ex-active duty (honorably discharged), and at least one who is currently active-reserves. It's really awesome to talk to them about all the stuff they've done and places they've traveled. Military folks typically have excellent leadership experience, and tend to shine under pressure. If I were reviewing applications, I'd view military experience as a huge plus in favor of an applicant's acceptance.

Swine and small ruminants are still used in trauma training, not only at military establishments, but also at human trauma centers (large hospitals) throughout the country. I've assisted on a few of these exercises, and they're incredibly valuable as a training exercise. For those I've participated in, the animals were deeply anesthetized, and euthanized humanely once the exercise was completed. It was a very humane process, and invaluable for all parties involved. I learned a ton.

Cool stuff with the captive African wildlife. I volunteered at a zoo for three years prior to applying, but mostly interacted with small, tropical species. I have no experience with large African hoofstock, and would have loved that.

You're working on exactly what you need to do prior to applying- racking up your clinical hours. As much as you can, try to diversify here as well. Some schools really like to see a 'balanced' experience portfolio. Try hard to bank some large animal clinical hours (either equine, food animal- or even better, both!) and continue to accrue small animal hours. Once you've satisfied those two sweeping requirements, you can try going after more 'exotic' experience (exotic animals, zoo animals, lab animals). I would class these as 'icing on the cake,' and should be pursued as secondary goals after small and large animal experience. My experience portfolio was very lab animal heavy (small animal practice was actually my lowest category of accrued hour), but this isn't typical.
If you have a specific interest area in mind, be sure that your experience portfolio reflects dominance in that area, and that you recount the connection between the two in your PS. For example, if you're set on being an equine vet, be sure that your application reflects a boat load of equine experience, and talk about it in your PS (while also discussing the value of diversifying your remaining experience). It's best if applicants present a 'compelling narrative,' tying together events/elements in logical succession, like a story. An admissions counselor shouldn't have to guess how your interest in equine medicine (for example) developed, if you don't have any horse experience.

Hope this is helpful! Good luck on your applications. Leverage your military experience to your advantage- you earned it, and your school/classmates/future clients would benefit from your background.

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

Hi CombatVeteranVeterinarian!

Your military experience is unique and diverse. I have a few classmates who are ex-active duty (honorably discharged), and at least one who is currently active-reserves. It's really awesome to talk to them about all the stuff they've done and places they've traveled. Military folks typically have excellent leadership experience, and tend to shine under pressure. If I were reviewing applications, I'd view military experience as a huge plus in favor of an applicant's acceptance.

Swine and small ruminants are still used in trauma training, not only at military establishments, but also at human trauma centers (large hospitals) throughout the country. I've assisted on a few of these exercises, and they're incredibly valuable as a training exercise. For those I've participated in, the animals were deeply anesthetized, and euthanized humanely once the exercise was completed. It was a very humane process, and invaluable for all parties involved. I learned a ton.

Cool stuff with the captive African wildlife. I volunteered at a zoo for three years prior to applying, but mostly interacted with small, tropical species. I have no experience with large African hoofstock, and would have loved that.

You're working on exactly what you need to do prior to applying- racking up your clinical hours. As much as you can, try to diversify here as well. Some schools really like to see a 'balanced' experience portfolio. Try hard to bank some large animal clinical hours (either equine, food animal- or even better, both!) and continue to accrue small animal hours. Once you've satisfied those two sweeping requirements, you can try going after more 'exotic' experience (exotic animals, zoo animals, lab animals). I would class these as 'icing on the cake,' and should be pursued as secondary goals after small and large animal experience. My experience portfolio was very lab animal heavy (small animal practice was actually my lowest category of accrued hour), but this isn't typical.
If you have a specific interest area in mind, be sure that your experience portfolio reflects dominance in that area, and that you recount the connection between the two in your PS. For example, if you're set on being an equine vet, be sure that your application reflects a boat load of equine experience, and talk about it in your PS (while also discussing the value of diversifying your remaining experience). It's best if applicants present a 'compelling narrative,' tying together events/elements in logical succession, like a story. An admissions counselor shouldn't have to guess how your interest in equine medicine (for example) developed, if you don't have any horse experience.

Hope this is helpful! Good luck on your applications. Leverage your military experience to your advantage- you earned it, and your school/classmates/future clients would benefit from your background.

This is very, very, very helpful! Thank you so much!

This helps solidify some thoughts I had about small animal and large animal clinical hours. Which is much appreciated! Of course I have not taken my GRE yet (that is in the works), and my Science GPA is at about a 3.5 so that will be updated further. From what it looks like I am in good standing academically, just need to improve parts of my resume!

Thank you for the excellent critique!

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

Btw, how would a B.A in Biology and a B.A. in Philosophy add to the application process? Is that something that you think would peak their interest more than just a single degree?

 

[thecatastrophist]

Btw, how would a B.A in Biology and a B.A. in Philosophy add to the application process? Is that something that you think would peak their interest more than just a single degree?

I cany say for certain, but if I ventured a guess it would be "depends, but not much". If you earned both at the same time, then the larger course load might reflect positively on you. But, just having two bachelors degrees alone probably isn't somethong thatll factor heavily in admissions decisions. That said, having two degrees certainly won't hurt you either. I'm just not sure how much schools will look at it. All schools have slightly different admissions procedures so it's possible that it'll look good at one school but another won't find it too important.

 

[Tonkspaws]

Go get a file review if you haven't already. That'll help target any weak points you might not have identified.

With that said, consider taking a very thorough look at schools and strategically choosingng where you apply. Many schools, but not all, focus on the last 45 credit hour GPA. Even within that, there's some variation on how they calculate it and how important that is in their final decision. If your last 45 credit hours is weak, apply somewhere that doesn't use it as a huge decision factor.

Your GRE looks decent, and while your GPA might be slightly lower than average I don't think it's low enough that it'd be impossible to get in. Honestly, I wouldn't even retake the GRE unless the places you applied at say that doing so would benefit you during yur file review.

As suggestions of where specifically to apply, I can at least say for certain that Illinois doesn't look at your last 45 at all. They care about your cumulative and science GPA's. And, they have a system where your GPA is only used in their decision to offer an interview. Once that interview is offered, the only thing they use in their final decision is your non-academic qualifications and interview. For someone who has a slightly lower GPA but decent amount of experience, that approach might be of benefit.

I got some file reviews and they did say to retake the GRE- other than the money I see no harm in re-taking it. I only got like three hours of sleep the night before so I imagine I can do better.

I was looking at Illinois, but honestly their essay is really deterring me. I don't know if I have the time to write a research paper on top of everything else.

 

[finnickthedog]

I thought I was on a different thread.
Paying attention--I do it.

 

[thecatastrophist]

I got some file reviews and they did say to retake the GRE- other than the money I see no harm in re-taking it. I only got like three hours of sleep the night before so I imagine I can do better.

I was looking at Illinois, but honestly their essay is really deterring me. I don't know if I have the time to write a research paper on top of everything else.

Then definitely retake it, especially since it sounds like you could potentially do a lot better.

The essay honestly isn't that bad. It IS a bit of work, but it only has to be a page so it isn't that scary. They just want to see that you understand veterinary medicine well enough to respond to important topics concisely. Try not to let it scare you too much. If it's of any consolation, I spent easily twice as long on my PS than on Illinois' supplemental and writing that essay was, honestly, fun for me because I felt like I got something out of the experience by reading some primary literature published by vets.

 

[SNTech]

I'm going to offer my advice to both of y'all since I'm assuming A&M is your top choice, since it's IS. I'm a 2VM and absolutely love it here, so if you have any additional questions about the program, school, whatever, please don't hesitate to contact me!

I would highly, highly recommend getting some veterinary experience in a field other than small animal. A&M LOVES to see large animal/equine veterinary experience. I know you have animal experience, but it's just not the same. Also, for purposes of applying, A&M only counts 100 hours max for ownership. Unless things have changed this year. Otherwise, your grades are good to decent. Yes, your sciGPA could be better and yes, you will need to retake O-Chem 1. TMDSAS counts a lot of obscure things as science, but it will definitely count O-Chem. My sciGPA was similar to yours (a little lower, actually, I think) and made it in on my first attempt. I had many thousands of hours of very varied experience, however. Just keep chugging along and finish your undergrad studies as strong as possible!

A&M is my top choice. I'll definitely look in to equine clinics, they just seem to be harder to find a job at in my area (and being 24 I do have to be making some money). There is one job at an equine clinic in this area that I'm going to submit a resume to, and hopefully I get the job there. If not I might at least get the chance to ask them about shadowing.

I didn't include classes like Plant Science, Animal Science, Food Science, Meat Science... Etc, anything ag related in my science GPA. So if they count those types of classes it is much higher.

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

I cany say for certain, but if I ventured a guess it would be "depends, but not much". If you earned both at the same time, then the larger course load might reflect positively on you. But, just having two bachelors degrees alone probably isn't somethong thatll factor heavily in admissions decisions. That said, having two degrees certainly won't hurt you either. I'm just not sure how much schools will look at it. All schools have slightly different admissions procedures so it's possible that it'll look good at one school but another won't find it too important.

Fair enough. Thank you.

 

[HopefulAg]

What are my chances:

24 yr old, Female, Texas resident
B.S. in Animal Science, West Texas A&M University

CUM GPA: 3.63
Science GPA: 3.2 (a little low - I took Organic 1 once and got a D, so I need to retake Organic and then take organic 2 and biochem. Also I wasn't sure exactly which classes calculated in to this, it could be a lot higher if I left out some)
Last 45 hours: 3.85 (I did better as the years went on apparently, my junior and senior level classes I did really well)
GRE:
Verbal: 165
Quant: 152
Analytical: 4

Veterinary experience:
Small Animal: 1120
I'm a veterinary technician at a low cost spay/neuter clinic so I spend 8 hours a day sedating/prepping animals for surgery and monitoring recovery. There's a little set up/check in/clean up time but not much. At the moment I plan to continue working here while I take my remaining prerequisites. It may not be very diverse but it is definitely unique.

Animal Experience:
SA: 960 (boarding kennel)
LA: 770 (varsity equestrian team, and volunteer experience at an equine assisted therapy facility)

Other:
400 hours teaching zoology lab as an undergraduate. I doubt that counts for anything but it feels like it should, there was a lot of dissection involved.

That isn't counting any years of pet/horse ownership.

I feel pretty good about my overall GPA, but obviously my science GPA needs some work and I need to actually finish my science courses. I'm enrolled for the fall at a local community college for Organic 1 (and introduction to psychology, not worried about that). Of course I had to go looking at vet school requirements for schools other than A&M tonight and about had a panic attack when I saw Oklahoma requires all prerequisites be taken at a four year university. I then blindly submitted applications (to the tune of $$ application fees for each one) to the nearest four year universities (not really near at all, unfortunately) so that I can get on the waiting list for their organic 1 classes this fall. But I didn't notice that on any of the other websites I looked at, so I'm definitely maintaining my enrollment at the CC in case I don't get in to a class at the four years around me.

It's a little late to be panicking I think, most of my college work is done, but it took me a long time to decide this really is what I want to do. So late night panicking for the next year is in store.

As mentioned before, large animal experience will help you, even if it's just a bit. I didn't have a lot when I applied (~40 hours) but I did have a couple classes in large animal work (though not veterinary work) so that may have helped offset the deficit a bit. My GPAs were similar to yours when I applied. IIRC my Cumulative was 3.45, Science was 3.3ish, and Last45 was 3.6. I'd say it's definitely worth a shot (or three...).

 

[pinkpuppy9]

I got some file reviews and they did say to retake the GRE- other than the money I see no harm in re-taking it. I only got like three hours of sleep the night before so I imagine I can do better.

I was looking at Illinois, but honestly their essay is really deterring me. I don't know if I have the time to write a research paper on top of everything else.

The Illinois essay seems daunting at first, but really, it's about a page in length. It doesn't have to be a full blown research paper, but enough to show that you looked into the topic, read about it, and formed your own opinions. And that you are able to eloquently discuss your take on the subject. I think I used 5 or 6 sources in the essay I was accepted with. Honestly, out of all of the essays I had to write, talking about something other than myself was refreshing haha.

 

[Tonkspaws]

I'm still considering it....I just have to move next week find a job and retake the gre by the end of august so it just seems like a lot.
I know I could do it I just have to decide if I really want to apply there.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I'm still considering it....I just have to move next week find a job and retake the gre by the end of august so it just seems like a lot.
I know I could do it I just have to decide if I really want to apply there.

Well... If you *really* want to get into vet school, you wouldn't let a one page paper get in your way. And the hassle of writing
one stupid paper would be a heck of a lot less effort than applying again another year.

 

[Despoina]

Hi! It is my first time on this forum and I would like some opinions on what my chances would be:

26 yr old, Female, NYC resident
B.S. in General biology, Clarkson University
A.A.S in Veterinary Science Technology, SUNY Delhi

CUM GPA (Clarkson): 2.73
CUM GPA (Delhi): 3.62
Last 45 hours: ~3.6
GRE: Taking it next week

5 eLors:
- 2 from clinical veterinarians who I work with at the facility
- 1 from the assistant director, also a DVM, of veterinary services at the facility
- 2 from professors from my veterinary technology school

Veterinary experience:
I am a licensed veterinary technician working at a research facility, taking care of the animals ranging from NHP to small lab animals. September would be my 1 year anniversary there. I also have ~1200 hours of specialized clinical experience in oncology and neurology from my externship at a large animal ER specialty hospital. While I was in school at SUNY Delhi, I had different projects including NHP data organization, laboratory mentoring, and maintaining a breeding colony. I also recently obtained my Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician certification and will be taking my Laboratory Animal Technician certification in ~2 months as well.

I know my GPA is pretty low from my first college and my semester GPA fluctuated a lot. But my second degree, a year or two later, was solid across the board. I graduated Cum laude and won numerous awards, one from Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharm. as well. I took all the veterinary courses that was offered at my school and I have a huge desire to become a veterinarian in the laboratory animal field. I'm just wondering how much my GPA from my first college would affect me.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Tonkspaws]

Worked my ass of this week and finished the rest of my essays so I decided to apply to Illinois. You guys are right I shouldn't let just a little extra work deter me from applying. Just had a bitch and moan week. lol thanks guys!

 

[FromagesFrancais]

Hello all,

for the 2016 matriculation, (you may base your info off of the 2015 mate.) ...does anyone know the top 10 schools that have the highest OOS acceptance rates (plz include #s if possible)?

thanks so much!! just looking to increase my chances/odds of acceptance with sub-par grades & gps.

 

[NStarz]

You would find your application process goes a lot smoother if you did a bit of the legwork yourself These numbers are all available off of the schools' websites.

 

[LegacyElite84]

Hello Everyone,

I have come to play the game of "What Are My Chances", and I would greatly appreciate any feedback.

20 Yr. Old. Male. NY Suburbia Resident.
Finishing up my BS in Pre Veterinary Sciences at UMass Amherst and in the midst of VMCAS.
My BS will be completed in three years, and not the typical four.
Planned Career: Production Animals with my own practice.
Schools selected: Eleven schools including schools located in the Caribbean. Cornell is on my list as well due to residency.

Cumulative GPA: 3.228
Last 45 Hours: ~3.163
GRE: (V)- 150, (Q)- 162, (A)- 4.5

4 eLoRs: One from a production animal veterinarian, one from a volunteer coordinator at a trout hatchery, one from a higher up (I do not know the exact title yet) for the feline section of a shelter, and one from my academic advisor/professor.

Service Hours (Total): ~650 by the time of VMCAS submissions.
Service Hours (Food Animal): ~345 under a DVM, ~50 on campus.
Service Hours (Small Animal): ~20 under a local DVM, ~ 175 for shelter work.
Service Hours (Conservation): ~60 at a hatchery.

Approximately 440 of those hours were performed this summer alone.

For some more in depth look, my experience with the large animal veterinarian was very in-depth and rewarding. Between calls, including surgeries, clinic maintenance, and working on a goat dairy with him left us with a very full day's work. The service hours at my school were rather varied, but included overnight observations and goat work.

For the small animal aspect, it solely feline work at the shelter and a majority of canines under the local DVM. For the local DVM, I had the opportunity to observe some routine surgeries. At the shelter, I was more or less bound to feline work because of the low number of volunteers for cat side. This included two spay/neuter clinics, weekly clinics under another DVM to assess the general health of select felines, and general facility work.

The hatchery work contained general facility maintenance, movement of fish from different portions of the facility, and supervising their fishing program.

Outside of the animal fields, I have been a community manager for a video game studio for the past year.

This portion I would really appreciate if anyone could offer advice. The previous summer, I was incapacitated due to the need for shoulder surgery, and had prevented me from obtaining any service hours for the summer and I feel it had at least partially affected my GPA for that fall semester (Term GPA: 2.924). I am considering making a note of this for the disadvantaged/additional information statements, as to me a summer of no service hours followed my a dip in GPA needs explanation. If I were to make a note, how should I approach it?

Anyhow, I await anyone's replies and I offer my thanks in advance. Please ask if you have any questions.

 

[KitCat]

@ LegacyElite84 I had similar academic stats (except I had a lower quantitative GRE score) and interviewed at Western, Tuskegee, SGU, Lincoln and Midwestern (so I would suggest looking into these schools). Just be aware of their costs and only apply to them if you would go to them if you are accepted. Unfortunately, I think there are some people that apply to these as "backup" schools. Consider even retaking a few courses. I retook some that I had below a B-. Keyword "some", I didn't feel that retaking physics would be beneficial. Keep gaining experience and strive for hands-on experience. Put anything on the application that makes you stand out in a positive way, even if it is not veterinary/animal related. Personally, I didn't list reasons for some of my lower grades because I felt I didn't have legitimate reasons (death in family, surgery etc.). For you, I think you should list it. As to how to word it maybe someone else can lend some words of advice?

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

So I'm bumming out right now, but I probably shouldn't be. In all my calculations, my cGPA came out to 3.795, but the VMCAS GPA (I'm all done applying) has me at 3.73. I guess it has to do with the "quality points" or whatever they use to calculate it?

I was just multiplying credit hours by grade (4=A, 3=B, etc), then adding everything up and averaging it out. Either way, my last 45 is 4.0, so I just hope this little bit lower cGPA won't hurt my chances.

 

[finnickthedog]

So I'm bumming out right now, but I probably shouldn't be. In all my calculations, my cGPA came out to 3.795, but the VMCAS GPA (I'm all done applying) has me at 3.73. I guess it has to do with the "quality points" or whatever they use to calculate it?

I was just multiplying credit hours by grade (4=A, 3=B, etc), then adding everything up and averaging it out. Either way, my last 45 is 4.0, so I just hope this little bit lower cGPA won't hurt my chances.

Did you retake any classes? I believe VMCAS won't average or replace your grade in their GPA calculation which could account for the discrepancy. If that's not it then I don't know.

 

[WildZoo]

So I'm bumming out right now, but I probably shouldn't be. In all my calculations, my cGPA came out to 3.795, but the VMCAS GPA (I'm all done applying) has me at 3.73. I guess it has to do with the "quality points" or whatever they use to calculate it?

I was just multiplying credit hours by grade (4=A, 3=B, etc), then adding everything up and averaging it out. Either way, my last 45 is 4.0, so I just hope this little bit lower cGPA won't hurt my chances.

I wouldn't worry about it much. Most of the schools do their own GPA calculations anyway. 3.7+ is a good spot to be in either way, especially with your last 45.

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

Did you retake any classes? I believe VMCAS won't average or replace your grade in their GPA calculation which could account for the discrepancy. If that's not it then I don't know.

I wouldn't worry about it much. Most of the schools do their own GPA calculations anyway. 3.7+ is a good spot to be in either way, especially with your last 45.

Holy moly, I'm tripping balls. If you go back to my original thread I posted I listed my cGPA as 3.73. It must be all the GRE quant I'm practicing, it's making me delirious.

 

[dyachei]

Holy moly, I'm tripping balls. If you go back to my original thread I posted I listed my cGPA as 3.73. It must be all the GRE quant I'm practicing, it's making me delirious.

You have nothing to worry about. Either way it's an excellent gpa

 

[wheelin2vetmed]

This portion I would really appreciate if anyone could offer advice. The previous summer, I was incapacitated due to the need for shoulder surgery, and had prevented me from obtaining any service hours for the summer and I feel it had at least partially affected my GPA for that fall semester (Term GPA: 2.924). I am considering making a note of this for the disadvantaged/additional information statements, as to me a summer of no service hours followed my a dip in GPA needs explanation. If I were to make a note, how should I approach it?

Anyhow, I await anyone's replies and I offer my thanks in advance. Please ask if you have any questions.

So I used my Explanation Statement to touch on those issues.

Rather than narrative form, I made short headers and under each used bullet points to briefly highlight lapses in schooling, lower grades, etc. I feel the committees are busy enough and don't want to disect another essay to clarify academic performance.

Let your spirit shine through in your personal statement but keep your explanation statement easy, short, and use ample white space so they can find what they want, quickly.

 

[hazelmoo]

Hi! I am new to SDN and would like little input about what you guys think about my application.

21 year old Texas resident
I graduate in May 2016 with a B.S. in Zoology

My overall GPA is 3.45
Science GPA is 3.32 (3.23 for Texas A&M)
Last 45 hours: 3.4
GRE: 157 on verbal, 151 on math, 4.5 on essays

Only 3 Letters of Recommendation for Texas, 2 from veterinarians and one from my research PI. For the application sent through VMCAS, I have an extra letter from my mentor at the wildlife rehab center I intern/volunteer in.

Experiences:
Small Animal- Veterinary Technician at AAHA clinic for 2 years, roughly 1800 hours
Small Animal- Veterinary Assistant at AAHA clinic for one summer, 100 hours
Large Animal- Veterinary Technician for independent equine veterinarian, 10 hours
Exotic Animal- Zookeeper intern one summer, 480 hours. I also listed 20 hours vet supervised when I got to shadow the zoo vet.
Wildlife- Wildlife rehab intern one semester, 120 hours. I have continued volunteering with roughly 300 hours since my internship.
Research- Research assistant with the Smithsonian, roughly 60 hours. I got a lot of lab technique experience here, and we did field work catching specimens.
Research- Undergraduate Research Scholar, roughly 60 hours. This is my current job, and I am working on my own project with reptiles and their ecology.
Volunteer- State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 15 hours.
Volunteer- Dog Rescue, 10 hours.
(I have about 100 more volunteer hours in TX animal shelters, but there were no sign-in sheets or ways to log hours, and the staff would not know me, so I didn't put these hours on my application since they couldn't be proven)

I applied to 5 schools: Texas A&M, UF, Auburn, Colorado State, and Midwestern University.

I know my GPA is kind of low, which is probably what I am most worried about. I also understand that my GRE scores are pretty bad, not including my essay scores (which, to my knowledge, isn't very weighted by admissions). I have been working almost full time since graduating high school to be able to pay for college. My first two years of college were attended at a community college, and then I transferred to a university where I will have attended 3 years by the time of graduation.
I am very passionate about vetmed (as I am sure most people reading this are), but I am also passionate about environmental conservation, recycling, and public education. I have wanted to be a vet since I was 4 years old, but have always been concerned with environmental issues as well. While working at the zoo, I led zoo classes for kids and taught them about species preservation and what they can do to help. I also helped put together events to fund-raise for conservation. When I worked as a vet tech for 2 years, I instilled a recycling program and petitioned for a water dispenser for clients instead of plastic water bottles. I wrote a lot about this in my essays, as well as my passion for public education and the importance of preventative care. I feel like my experiences will help my application a lot, but I worry that I don't have enough large animal experience. I helped a vet go on house calls for a day (only 10 hours), and plan on going more often when she is in town and needing help. I am also taking horsemanship classes with an experienced horse mentor to try and help increase my knowledge on large animals, but that is not in my application. I have really good people skills, and I make people laugh. I am really good under pressure, and thanks to my background in wildlife rehab and emergency medicine, I can think clearly quickly (which has been useful in emergency situations). I feel like I know a lot about animals and have soaked up a lot of veterinary skills and knowledge while working at a vet hospital... I make it my main goal to learn as much as I can now so that I have that under my belt in vet school. The veterinarians I work with always consult with me about any reptile, bird, or exotic animal cases because I know a lot about these animals. Sometimes I get called in to help restrain exotic animals or talk to clients about them. This stuff can be portrayed in an interview, but I am worried that admissions will see my GRE and GPA and automatically put me in the reject pile.
What do you think my chances are for getting into vet school this cycle? Thank you so much for your time and input! It is much appreciated!

 

[CombatVeteranVeterinarian]

Hazelmoo... the combination of Pembroke Welsh Corgi + Texas Bluebonnets (I assume) = Beautiful picture

 

[hazelmoo]

Hazelmoo... the combination of Pembroke Welsh Corgi + Texas Bluebonnets (I assume) = Beautiful picture

Thank you, that's my baby Hazel! Her nickname is Moo... Hence my screen name