What are my chances?

[shoobydoo]

This thread is amazing. I hope that I might be able to get a little feedback as well and not get bogged down in the thick of it. Here goes:

First time applying
29 y/o Florida resident
cGPA: 3.15
Last 45: 3.46
Degree: Bachelors Biology in May of 2016
Vet Experience:~250 hrs shadowing various large and small animal vets, currently work at an animal hospital with ~500 hrs and counting (the vets show me things when I'm on the clock and let me shadow when I'm not, so these hours will go up by the time the application cycle opens)
Animal Experience: Farm life (cows, horses, dogs, chickens, pigs, goats, ostriches, emus, llamas, and one zebra) vaccinating and worming and feeding and the like.
Volunteering at animal shelters: ~350 hours
Letters of Recommendation: 2 vets and the head of the math department
GRE: 152 quant, 155 verb, 4.0 w
Applying to: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Lincoln Memorial, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Tuskegee, Colorado State

I don't think I'm even going to attempt my state school (Florida) mainly because I don't want to waste the money. So what are my chances? Thanks!

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[TheNerdiestRedneck]

Hi there!
Just a couple of general questions. How do schools feel about pre-reqs taken at a community college? And how do they feel about online classes?
Also, does anyone know if the Maddie's Shelter Medicine programs are any good?

My goal is to get into either University of Tennessee or VA/MD, so I guess more specifically how do they generally look at those.

 

[psuforever390]

Hi there!
Just a couple of general questions. How do schools feel about pre-reqs taken at a community college? And how do they feel about online classes?
Also, does anyone know if the Maddie's Shelter Medicine programs are any good?

My goal is to get into either University of Tennessee or VA/MD, so I guess more specifically how do they generally look at those.

I've spoken with an admissions counselor at VAMD about taking prereqs at a community college and he said that was no problem. Just make sure to take upper level science classes at a 4yr university (ex: immunology, pathology, anatomy, etc). This generally goes for other vet schools but I would double check and contact other schools you're interested in to make sure.

 

[dyachei]

Hi there!
Just a couple of general questions. How do schools feel about pre-reqs taken at a community college? And how do they feel about online classes?
Also, does anyone know if the Maddie's Shelter Medicine programs are any good?

My goal is to get into either University of Tennessee or VA/MD, so I guess more specifically how do they generally look at those.

I took 2 online classes for UTK. I made sure they were what they wanted for pre-reqs. They do give some points for academic rigor but generally not a problem to take some of those classes at CC.

 

[katashark]

So I'm a vet student hopeful, I will graduating next fall( hopefully) with a bachelors in Biology. I would like to apply next summer. However I'm really weary about even applying. My GPA isn't strong, I can improve by the end of my undergrad but I won't be anywhere near ~3.6, if all goes well i d be near 3.0. I've taken many classes over, and I even left my colleges vet tech program to be bio. By the time I apply I would have approx 3 years as a vet assistant, and hopefully some volunteer work in south Africa on a wildlife preserve. I will be taking the GRE next year as well.

Seeing all of the high gpas worry me that my application will not even be looked at, is this only a pipe dream for me? Should I look into other career choices?

Midwestern, although definitely expensive, has a minimum GPA of 2.75. Try seeing what they want in their students and apply there. Good luck! GPA isn't everything.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

Okay, I need some opinions...

I'm applying this coming cycle. While I have spent my of my life around horses and have worked in several barns (I've also owned horses, but I'm not including any kind of ownership on my application...I figure most prevets have animals!), my actual equine veterinary experience is pretty minimal. I have some hours scribing for vets at endurance rides and assisting the vet I work for with equine acupuncture/shockwave cases. Basically, I have thousands and thousands of hours to file under "animal experience" for equine but probably only about 50 hours of equine for veterinary experience.

That being said, this summer I have been given the opportunity to work at a private equine clinic under a boarded veterinarian. Which, really, is an awesome opportunity. The problem is I'm having a hard time really being excited about it. I don't want to be an equine veterinarian (love horses, but that branch of vet med is just not where I see myself) and I already have two great assistant jobs working at a small animal general practice and a rehab practice. Both of them are paid. This gig at the equine clinic would be an incredible learning experience and pretty hands on, but its unpaid.

The veterinarian I already work for is my number one supporter and I'm sure she would be disappointed if I didn't work this summer (though she would understand)...in a lot of ways I'll be sad if I don't work this summer, I love my job!

2 months without pay right before vet school applications are due makes me cringe, as well. BUT I want to be the best applicant I can be...

Thoughts?

Some extra details about me if it helps...GPA is north of 3.8, research experience with transition dairy cows, pretty good extracurricular involvement, no GRE scores until I take it for the first time next month. I'm OOS for everything with two contract schools. Ohio State is my #1.

 

[TheNerdiestRedneck]

Ok, thanks guys! My main worry is for Physics and Calculus, since I plan on taking those at a local community college. All of my chemistries and bios have/will be taken at my 4yr college. And I was asking about the online stuff because my college doesn't offer any animal-related classes other than Medical and Veterinary Entomology (Which I got an A in!) and Marine Biology (which I'll be taking next year). So my main option is to take a few animal science classes online, although I recently discovered that VCU has some animal science classes so I may take some there. I plan on taking 3 or 4 years off after undergrad, so I have plenty of time to add on some animal science classes!

 

[bcc0627]

Hi everyone! I am new to this, so please bear with me. I am thinking of applying to vet school this upcoming summer ('16) and I am curious about my chances. Right now, I am afraid I am just a little too "average" and I know that I am definitelylacking diversity within my experiences. I just kind of wanted to know what you guys think! I am a florida resident, so I'm keeping my eye on UF. i was always planning on taking a gap year, (i am a junior currently), but for some reason this semester, I realized that I didn't want to take a gap year and i feel like i am scrambling and behind where i should be in order to be a competitive applicant. any input from anyone is greatly valued and appreciated!!

Overall GPA: 3.8
Science: 3.8
Last 45: 3.82
GRE: taking it sometime this spring!

Vet:
250 hours volunteering at the UF small animal hospital in various departments (ICU, PCW, Radiology)
150 shadowing the vet from my hometown
100 SAH i just got a job at (I am a technician)
*I am hoping to get my veterinary hours to about 1,000 by the time i actually have to apply

Animal:
350 hours at a dog grooming place as a bather
250 hours at a vet's office (i worked in the kennel)
8 hours grooming retired horses

Non-animal employment:
I worked for 5 years as a gymnastics coach

Research:
80 hours working with rodents studying activity based anorexia (i attended lab meetings, assisted with general maintenance, observed and noted their food intake post injections and performed an ovariectomy on a rat)
*it wasn't that in-depth, but it was good insight into research based positions, and i learned it wasn't my thing really

Extracirriculars:
Flute choir for 2 years
orchestra for a semester
Alpha Zeta Honors Fraternity
*i found it really hard to become involved in things in college, i found myself becoming really shy and wanting to avoid activities with a lot of people as bad as that sounds

 

[stealthoscope]

Okay, I need some opinions...

I'm applying this coming cycle. While I have spent my of my life around horses and have worked in several barns (I've also owned horses, but I'm not including any kind of ownership on my application...I figure most prevets have animals!), my actual equine veterinary experience is pretty minimal. I have some hours scribing for vets at endurance rides and assisting the vet I work for with equine acupuncture/shockwave cases. Basically, I have thousands and thousands of hours to file under "animal experience" for equine but probably only about 50 hours of equine for veterinary experience.

That being said, this summer I have been given the opportunity to work at a private equine clinic under a boarded veterinarian. Which, really, is an awesome opportunity. The problem is I'm having a hard time really being excited about it. I don't want to be an equine veterinarian (love horses, but that branch of vet med is just not where I see myself) and I already have two great assistant jobs working at a small animal general practice and a rehab practice. Both of them are paid. This gig at the equine clinic would be an incredible learning experience and pretty hands on, but its unpaid.

The veterinarian I already work for is my number one supporter and I'm sure she would be disappointed if I didn't work this summer (though she would understand)...in a lot of ways I'll be sad if I don't work this summer, I love my job!

2 months without pay right before vet school applications are due makes me cringe, as well. BUT I want to be the best applicant I can be...

Thoughts?

Some extra details about me if it helps...GPA is north of 3.8, research experience with transition dairy cows, pretty good extracurricular involvement, no GRE scores until I take it for the first time next month. I'm OOS for everything with two contract schools. Ohio State is my #1.

From an applications standpoint, I'm not sure that it really matters which you do, provided that your small animal vet would understand if you chose to get the extra horse vet experience and still write you a great letter, which if she's so supportive of you, I'm sure she would - so it comes down to whether you think you a) need another letter, from the horse vet, b) aren't totally sure you don't want to do equine medicine and might want to see more of what it's like, or c) won't be doing equine medicine in the future and thus want the chance to experience it now. I think all are good reasons to choose the equine internship. On the other hand, since you have so much horse experience, I doubt anyone would fault you for not taking an unpaid internship when you already know you don't want to work in that area. Either way, I think you should think about what will make you happy, because I don't think it will impact your applications much (unless of course, for some reason, you aren't happy with your choice and you end up not making a good impression, which I suspect could only happen with the equine vet since your other job knows you well). Another thought is, if you want to do the equine internship but not for the hours or letter, maybe you can set something up for next summer, when you'll already be accepted to vet school.

 

[mawgs]

Hi guys, I'm considering applying this upcoming cycle or maybe the next year, depending on how much vet experience I can accumulate in the next 8ish months. I'm from a state with no vet school and I'm graduating in May and willing to move pretty much anywhere, so I'm considering looking for a good fit school and then moving to that state to establish residency before I apply.

A.B. in Biology from a small liberal arts college

Overall GPA: 3.55 (I have an upward trend, got a 2.8 second semester of freshman year due to a brain injury, got a 3.8 last semester)
Science: Maybe around a 3.0? It's pretty weak (I got a C+ in gen chem II and a B- in Biochem and Orgo II)
Last 45: should be around a 3.8 if this semester goes well
GRE (Q/V/W) : 165 (90%) / 169 (99%) / 5.5 (98%)

Vet: I just recently decided to apply to vet school, so I know I need MUCH more experience before I apply. The plan is to get a full time job in a vet clinic after graduation and start accumulating some hours
~100 hours shadowing/assisting a large animal vet
~20 hours shadowing small animal clinic
~20 hours volunteering in a shelter hospital

Animal:
Horseback riding, working in my undergrad's barn, owned/bred/showed cattle and sheep, showed dogs, volunteered at marine mammal rehab, barn/dogsitting business

Non-animal employment:
RA
Camp counselor at a farm camp
Intern at local conservation group


Extracurriculars/other:
Women in Business
EMT squad
Studied abroad

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sheltermed]

I'll leave my stats here in case anyone has any feedback

Female, 22, NY state resident, first time applying this upcoming cycle
A.S. in Natural Sciences and Mathematics from SUNY Orange County Community College
Working on B.S. in Animal Science at Cornell University

GPA: 3.4 (putting into account both colleges I've attended, which I believe is how VMCAS calculates it?)
Pre-Req GPA: currently 3.2, 3.4 next semester provided I get an A in biochem... >_<
science GPA: 3.1-3.2
Last 45 GPA: don't have it yet

GRE : TBA, taking it in a week and half, will have time to take it 1-2 times more

Veterinary Experience:
SA clinic #1: 3000 hours
SA clinic #2: 2000 hours
Shadowing LA vet: ~200 hours so far, still working with her
Wildlife Clinic: ~20 hours so far, still working there too

Animal Experience:
Shelter: ~100 hours
Horseback riding lessons: ~800 hours
Pet sitting business: ~1000 hours
Pet ownership


Research:
Experience #1 at Cornell CVM: 3 credits for 1.5 semesters which is ~180 hours
Current paid job as a technician, lab in Cornell animal science dept: ~1000 hours


Extra-Curriculars:
President of Biology Club at SUNY Orange
Cornell Pre-vet club
Mentor for Cornell Pre-Veterinary Peer Mentoring Program
some other stuff I can't think of


Employment:
Peer Advisor in SUNY Orange office of academic advising
Coordinator of Cornell Leadership Program for Veterinary Students for one summer

LoRs lined up:
2 SA vets
LA vet
Wildlife vet
PI of current lab
Co-director of Cornell Leadership Program
Biology professor at SUNY Orange
---I know this goes over 6, but Cornell supplemental asks for letters for each experience you list - which will be all the vets plus my PI

So my GPA ruins everything! What do you think? Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[xTineTH]

I'll leave my stats here in case anyone has any feedback would be appreciated!

So my GPA ruins everything! What do you think? Any feedback is appreciated!

I would recommend that you study hard for the GRE and get a good score on that, since that will help you to balance your GPA.
You have lots of great hours and experiences, and if you know your letters are strong too, then I don't think you have anything to worry about! Don't think that your GPA will ruin you.

That's what I totally thought would happen to me. All my GPA calcs are around 3.2 and I was convinced that I wouldn't get anything, but I have 3 interviews to go to and one acceptance already. Knowing that your GPA is low, you just have to apply smart, since certain schools will discount you right off the bat because of it (like Davis.)

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you want more details.

 

[cowgirla]

I'll leave my stats here in case anyone has any feedback

Female, 22, NY state resident, first time applying this upcoming cycle
A.S. in Natural Sciences and Mathematics from SUNY Orange County Community College
Working on B.S. in Animal Science at Cornell University

GPA: 3.4 (putting into account both colleges I've attended, which I believe is how VMCAS calculates it?)
Pre-Req GPA: currently 3.2, 3.4 next semester provided I get an A in biochem... >_<
science GPA: 3.1-3.2
Last 45 GPA: don't have it yet

GRE : TBA, taking it in a week and half, will have time to take it 1-2 times more

Veterinary Experience:
SA clinic #1: 3000 hours
SA clinic #2: 2000 hours
Shadowing LA vet: ~200 hours so far, still working with her
Wildlife Clinic: ~20 hours so far, still working there too

Animal Experience:
Shelter: ~100 hours
Horseback riding lessons: ~800 hours
Pet sitting business: ~1000 hours
Pet ownership


Research:
Experience #1 at Cornell CVM: 3 credits for 1.5 semesters which is ~180 hours
Current paid job as a technician, lab in Cornell animal science dept: ~1000 hours


Extra-Curriculars:
President of Biology Club at SUNY Orange
Cornell Pre-vet club
Mentor for Cornell Pre-Veterinary Peer Mentoring Program
some other stuff I can't think of


Employment:
Peer Advisor in SUNY Orange office of academic advising
Coordinator of Cornell Leadership Program for Veterinary Students for one summer

LoRs lined up:
2 SA vets
LA vet
Wildlife vet
PI of current lab
Co-director of Cornell Leadership Program
Biology professor at SUNY Orange
---I know this goes over 6, but Cornell supplemental asks for letters for each experience you list - which will be all the vets plus my PI

So my GPA ruins everything! What do you think? Any feedback is appreciated!

Not saying you are exaggerating, just want to clarify, but I'd be careful with estimating your hours. >8000 hours is excellent, but that's the equivalent of years of full time work, on top of being a student? You have plenty of hours even with conservative estimates.

 

[sheltermed]

Not saying you are exaggerating, just want to clarify, but I'd be careful with estimating your hours. >8000 hours is excellent, but that's the equivalent of years of full time work, on top of being a student? You have plenty of hours even with conservative estimates.

Those are actually fairly conservative estimates, believe it or not. I worked part time at the first SA hospital starting in my sophomore year of high school. After graduating high school, I worked full time (and then some, so probably like 60 hour weeks) at that same hospital. I was there for 4 years. The second SA hospital estimate is the number my manager gave me for 2 years of work - she checked with the paycheck company for how many hours they paid me. I have taken a little bit extra time to complete my UG degree, which gave me more time for experience. The pet sitting hours are throughout high school, the 1 year I took off, and 2 years of community college. I've been riding horses for ~15 years, but I only included the hours at one particular barn - about 4 hours per week, and spent 5 years there. Hope that clarifies.

 

[cowgirla]

Those are actually conservative estimates, believe it or not. I worked part time at the first SA hospital starting in my sophomore year of high school. After graduating high school, I worked full time (and then some, so probably like 60 hour weeks) at that same hospital. I was there for almost exactly 4 years. The second SA hospital is the number my manager gave me for 2 years of work - she checked with the paycheck company for how many hours they paid me. I have taken some extra time to complete my UG degree, which gave me more time for experience.

Gotcha, just wanted to make sure since a lot of people who use ~xXXX are being overly generous ( or doing math wrong )

 

[vetmedgirl]

hey guys i have a really random question.. i didn't know which thread to put it under. if i drop this awful interim class that i'm in which would still keep me at full time for the fall semester....would that negatively affect the admission process currently??? would i just have to call the schools and inform them of this??? thanks.

 

[Soon2bedogtor]

Hello all! As you can see I am lacking a lot. I plan to retake the GRE once I've actually studied harder. I have one semester left to pull up my GPA as much as possible. I took winter courses and it looks like I made A's in both of those. So slowly I'm bringing it up. I plan to apply to numerous schools, but with looking at my stats, which ones do you think I would have a better chance with? Thanks!

Overall GPA: 2.94
I took DE classes in high school, when I suffered major depression issues, and this caused my grades to go down. I have shown an upward trend though, and made Deans list this semester taking 19 credits. This semesters GPA was not included in the overall.
Science: 3.08
I made D's in both Biology's in high school, retook them and made A's. Also made A's in Ochem and Biochem.
Last 45: 3.375* a little higher than this, because I calculated B+ instead of A- for some of the grades
GRE: 147 v/150q/4.0w

Vet:
140 Small Animal ICU tech
1750 Vet Assistant at first vet I worked
1712 at the current vet I work, which is still building up.

Animal:
1120 hours working with an animal rescue
220 Pet Care Associate at PetSmart (didn't count all my hours worked, just an estimate of how many hours was spent with animals)
200 Zoo Internship

Non-animal employment:
CNA for 4 years

Research:
102 Weanling Growth Study on 12 weanling horses.

I also created a T-shirt design and managed the fundraiser for an animal rescue, that raised over $3,000. Don't know where to include that, or if it's even relevant.

*Would also like to mention I work full time as a CNA while going to school full time. Don't know if that matters either..

 

[Soon2bedogtor]

Hello all! As you can see I am lacking a lot. I plan to retake the GRE once I've actually studied harder. I have one semester left to pull up my GPA as much as possible. I took winter courses and it looks like I made A's in both of those. So slowly I'm bringing it up. I plan to apply to numerous schools, but with looking at my stats, which ones do you think I would have a better chance with? Thanks!

Overall GPA: 2.94
I took DE classes in high school, when I suffered major depression issues, and this caused my grades to go down. I have shown an upward trend though, and made Deans list this semester taking 19 credits. This semesters GPA was not included in the overall.
Science: 3.08
I made D's in both Biology's in high school, retook them and made A's. Also made A's in Ochem and Biochem.
Last 45: 3.375* a little higher than this, because I calculated B+ instead of A- for some of the grades
GRE: 147 v/150q/4.0w

Vet:
140 Small Animal ICU tech
1750 Vet Assistant at first vet I worked
1712 at the current vet I work, which is still building up.

Animal:
1120 hours working with an animal rescue
220 Pet Care Associate at PetSmart (didn't count all my hours worked, just an estimate of how many hours was spent with animals)
200 Zoo Internship

Non-animal employment:
CNA for 4 years

Research:
102 Weanling Growth Study on 12 weanling horses.

I also created a T-shirt design and managed the fundraiser for an animal rescue, that raised over $3,000. Don't know where to include that, or if it's even relevant.

*Would also like to mention I work full time as a CNA while going to school full time. Don't know if that matters either..

Oh, I'm also on the Equestrian Team.

 

[Gwenevre]

hey guys i have a really random question.. i didn't know which thread to put it under. if i drop this awful interim class that i'm in which would still keep me at full time for the fall semester....would that negatively affect the admission process currently??? would i just have to call the schools and inform them of this??? thanks.

Are you technically still in a fall semester?
If it's not a prerequisite, I wouldn't fret about it tbh.

 

[ktjc216]

This thread is amazing. I hope that I might be able to get a little feedback as well and not get bogged down in the thick of it. Here goes:

First time applying
29 y/o Florida resident
cGPA: 3.15
Last 45: 3.46
Degree: Bachelors Biology in May of 2016
Vet Experience:~250 hrs shadowing various large and small animal vets, currently work at an animal hospital with ~500 hrs and counting (the vets show me things when I'm on the clock and let me shadow when I'm not, so these hours will go up by the time the application cycle opens)
Animal Experience: Farm life (cows, horses, dogs, chickens, pigs, goats, ostriches, emus, llamas, and one zebra) vaccinating and worming and feeding and the like.
Volunteering at animal shelters: ~350 hours
Letters of Recommendation: 2 vets and the head of the math department
GRE: 152 quant, 155 verb, 4.0 w
Applying to: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Lincoln Memorial, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Tuskegee, Colorado State

I don't think I'm even going to attempt my state school (Florida) mainly because I don't want to waste the money. So what are my chances? Thanks!

Don't be afraid to apply to UF! It will be one of the smallest applicant pools for you, UF has to accept around 80% of instate students and the instate pool is much smaller than the out of state pool. I am a current first year at UF and can say that our class has a wide variety of backgrounds with a wide variety of gpa's and level/variety of experiences. One of my classmates had around the same GPA as you do, so don't just write it off unless you really don't like the program, because paying instate tuition is a lot better than paying out of state. I would recommend trying to bring up your GRE scores and just to keep getting more hours and more variety of experience. Good luck!

 

[WildZoo]

Don't be afraid to apply to UF! It will be one of the smallest applicant pools for you, UF has to accept around 80% of instate students and the instate pool is much smaller than the out of state pool. I am a current first year at UF and can say that our class has a wide variety of backgrounds with a wide variety of gpa's and level/variety of experiences. One of my classmates had around the same GPA as you do, so don't just write it off unless you really don't like the program, because paying instate tuition is a lot better than paying out of state. I would recommend trying to bring up your GRE scores and just to keep getting more hours and more variety of experience. Good luck!

The way you worded that is a little confusing. They don't accept 80% of instate students - that would be insane. About 80% of the class each year is in state and yes the pool is smaller than out of state but still only 28% of the in state applicants are offered seats.

That being said - I would still encourage any Florida resident to apply to UF, even if you're afraid you won't get in, because in state tuition is worth it! @shoobydoo really take a look at the other schools you're applying to and make sure they are good fits both for your application and for your finances. I can tell you that a couple of those schools are really expensive for an out of state students and it is going to be more worth it to retake the GRE and try to tailor you application to your in state than it is to apply to those schools and end up in way more debt if you end up attending.

 

[ktjc216]

The way you worded that is a little confusing. They don't accept 80% of instate students - that would be insane. About 80% of the class each year is in state and yes the pool is smaller than out of state but still only 28% of the in state applicants are offered seats.

That being said - I would still encourage any Florida resident to apply to UF, even if you're afraid you won't get in, because in state tuition is worth it! @shoobydoo really take a look at the other schools you're applying to and make sure they are good fits both for your application and for your finances. I can tell you that a couple of those schools are really expensive for an out of state students and it is going to be more worth it to retake the GRE and try to tailor you application to your in state than it is to apply to those schools and end up in way more debt if you end up attending.

Sorry I see how that is confusing, I meant that the makeup of each class has to be around 80% because of Florida Law and it being a public university. If would be amazing if they accepted 80% of instate applicants lol

 

[coffeelauren]

ugh I live in Florida. Planning to apply, but I do fear I won't get it. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the school but the in state tuition though....

 

[cheathac]

Hi! Planning to take the GRE this summer or even spring. I will be applying this coming fall. My IS is Purdue. Thinking about applying to Wisconsin, NC State, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio State, Missouri, and Illinois.
Cum. GPA: 3.74 Sci GPA. 3.62? I'm in my 3rd semester but getting my bachelor's degree after my 6th semester.

Vet Experience
Farm vets - 70
Purdue LA VTH Volunteer - 150
Purdue VTH Oncology - 60
SA clinic - 225 (continuing)
Purdue VTH Radiation Assistant - 50 (continuing)
Foal Watch - 50
St. Francis Pet Hospital 2015 spring break - 25
Purdue ANSC LA Vet Camp - 15
Boiler Vet camp - 20

Animal Experience
Leader Dog - 350
Morgan County Humane Society-50
Purdue Small Animal Animal Caretaker - 60 (continuing)
4-H beef cattle - 200
4-H horses - 200
4-H swine - 125
Farm Cattle - 400
4-H Dog - 350
ANSC 245 animal management class - 50
Purdue Horse Science Workshop - 15
Lab Animal Caretaker - 170 (continuing)

Other Employment
Subway - 360
ADDL Histo lab - 510 (continuing)

Class Experiences
Haiti study abroad

Research
120 - gait analysis (continuing)

Extracurriculars
4-H - 10 year member, numerous awards, started beef club, various leadership positions, loads of community service
FFA - President, reporter, beef proficiency went to nationals, community service
Heifer International - Club Fundraiser officer
Indiana Faith basketball community service
Pre-vet club member

Plan for Summer 2016
Shadow pathologist at histo lab, volunteer at emergency clinic, help on research project at animal research facility I currently work at

Any advice and criticism helps!

 

[ktjc216]

ugh I live in Florida. Planning to apply, but I do fear I won't get it. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the school but the in state tuition though....

I was the same way, and was actually considering going to Tufts instead, but the actual program and all the people associated with it really won me over. Its a very supportive and "safe to fail" environment with some really amazing faculty. But it's still weird for me to consider myself a gator lol

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Hi! Planning to take the GRE this summer or even spring. I will be applying this coming fall. My IS is Purdue. Thinking about applying to Wisconsin, NC State, Florida, Tennessee, Ohio State, Missouri, and Illinois.
Cum. GPA: 3.74 Sci GPA. 3.62? I'm in my 3rd semester but getting my bachelor's degree after my 6th semester.

If you are accepted into the class of 2021 you would matriculate without your bachelor's degree. (If I'm reading this correctly - you will graduate undergrad in fall 2017, right?)

 

[stealthoscope]

If you are accepted into the class of 2021 you would matriculate without your bachelor's degree. (If I'm reading this correctly - you will graduate undergrad in fall 2017, right?)

Depends on whether the 3rd semester mentioned refers to Fall 2015 or Spring 2016. If spring, then yes, 6th semester would be Fall 2017 and thus OP, you can't apply next cycle if you want to get your bachelor's first.

Your stats look good to me, I just wonder if you have any extracurriculars that aren't animal-related? Sports or music or anything? Not really necessary I suppose, but drawing transferable skills from non-animal-related activities can add some color.

 

[cheathac]

I will get my bachelor's degree in spring of 2017 and would start vet school if I got in Fall of 2017. So I would have my bachelor's before. I did play sports in high school. And I've played piano, flute, and guitar during my childhood and high school. Would I be able to add it?

 

[stealthoscope]

I will get my bachelor's degree in spring of 2017 and would start vet school if I got in Fall of 2017. So I would have my bachelor's before. I did play sports in high school. And I've played piano, flute, and guitar during my childhood and high school. Would I be able to add it?

Yes, you should definitely mention those hours of hobbies / extracurriculars - there is a spot to record non-animal hours but I think it's even more important to make sure to mention your hobbies and how they give you skills that will help you on the way to being a great doctor. It doesn't have to be very extensive if you are running out of room in your PS and want to focus on other stuff - but some schools have supplementals and you might be able to talk about hobbies for some of those prompts as well. I think it's important because not only do they want to see that you're well-rounded / have a stress-relief activity for when things get tough, your music / sports / dance / etc can say a lot about you as a person

 

[JC21]

Hey all!

I graduated from undergrad with a degree in journalism in 2013, and after two years I'm on my third job and realizing the instability of the degree. I have an orientation soon at a community college to start taking classes, and I just had some questions about the process.

My undergrad GPA was not good (2.6) mostly due to laziness (almost no science-related classes). Will that have any implication on my application if I do really well on the pre-vet type courses?

What is normally the first term for vet students? (Fall, Spring, or rolling?)

I have a rough outline of classes, ending in Spring 2019 (Also working full-time at the moment, so can't really take a large course load). Should I worry about finishing all of my classes before the application deadlines?

Apart from working at a vet's office or volunteering at a shelter, what type of experience should I be looking for?

Should I take upper-level classes at a university instead of a community college?

And I'm about to be considered in-state for North Carolina. How difficult is it to get into NC State as an in-state resident?

I appreciate any help you all can provide! Thanks

 

[Trilt]

Go to NCSU's website and look at the requirements page. Cumulative gpa is absolutely something that is evaluated, so you will have a bit of an uphill battle raising your gpa to a competitive level. On their website you can find admission averages for the past couple cycles - these are goals for you to aim for, not just the absolute minimums.

The website also has the answers to most of your other questions (starting date, pre-reqs, experience requirements, etc).

 

[mht2k3]

Hey all!

I graduated from undergrad with a degree in journalism in 2013, and after two years I'm on my third job and realizing the instability of the degree. I have an orientation soon at a community college to start taking classes, and I just had some questions about the process.

My undergrad GPA was not good (2.6) mostly due to laziness (almost no science-related classes). Will that have any implication on my application if I do really well on the pre-vet type courses?

What is normally the first term for vet students? (Fall, Spring, or rolling?)

I have a rough outline of classes, ending in Spring 2019 (Also working full-time at the moment, so can't really take a large course load). Should I worry about finishing all of my classes before the application deadlines?

Apart from working at a vet's office or volunteering at a shelter, what type of experience should I be looking for?

Should I take upper-level classes at a university instead of a community college?

And I'm about to be considered in-state for North Carolina. How difficult is it to get into NC State as an in-state resident?

I appreciate any help you all can provide! Thanks

NC state has a cutoff where they wont accept anyone (in-state) with lower than 3.0 cGPA, so depending on how many credits you have from undergrad you will need to determine how many credits you need to take in postbac courses to raise your total GPA above a 3.0.

 

[JC21]

NC state has a cutoff where they wont accept anyone (in-state) with lower than 3.0 cGPA, so depending on how many credits you have from undergrad you will need to determine how many credits you need to take in postbac courses to raise your total GPA above a 3.0.

Luckily, most of my undergrad courses aren't science related, but I'm not sure how that would factor into the equation. I have about 60 credit hours of pre reqs to take before I'm eligible to apply for vet school. Just wanted to make sure I am on the right path or that I'm considering all the variables involved. Thanks for the reply!

 

[thinkpawsitive]

Luckily, most of my undergrad courses aren't science related, but I'm not sure how that would factor into the equation. I have about 60 credit hours of pre reqs to take before I'm eligible to apply for vet school. Just wanted to make sure I am on the right path or that I'm considering all the variables involved. Thanks for the reply!

The NCSU website covers it in detail as Trilt said above! But the biggest battle you will have are the 3 GPA categories. Your last 45 credits GPA and required GPA should be high provided you do well in those 60 credits of prereqs. The cumulative GPA however includes every college level class you have taken ever, including those from your first degree or previous, regardless of the course subjects. That's where you'll have the most struggle. Doing well in these upcoming 60 credits should hopefully bring you up to the requirement but that is something to keep in mind! Other than that, focus on getting a variety of vet related experience as NCSU likes to see experience in several fields. Good luck!

 

[orca2011]

Luckily, most of my undergrad courses aren't science related, but I'm not sure how that would factor into the equation. I have about 60 credit hours of pre reqs to take before I'm eligible to apply for vet school. Just wanted to make sure I am on the right path or that I'm considering all the variables involved. Thanks for the reply!

Non science classes are considered at basically all of the schools. If I recall, NCSU looks at Cumulative and Science for the cut off points.

 

[Soon2bedogtor]

Does anyone know which schools average retake grade and original? and then which schools just replace? Or can someone point me to the forum with these answers? Gracias.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

Yeah, for a variety of reasons but this is my main logic:

Everywhere except for tufts: good large animal programs and are in cities that my wife is interested in living in for 4 years.

Tufts/Michigan State: Tufts is close to my wife's family and Michigan State is close to my family. We have a 1 year old daughter so it would be really beneficial to have some family support.

UPENN/Cornell: these are the schools where the vets I've been shadowing went, and they have been talking them up a lot.

Wisconsin: the above reasons, plus its one of the cheapest for OOS tuition.

You could always still apply to the schools you mentioned above because you never know what will happen! By the way, any Veterinary School will give you a great education no matter where you go. If you are looking into being a large animal Veterinarian, you should look into applying to Kansas (someone mentioned this already), as well as Ohio State. Ohio has a truly amazing school and honestly a program for everyone. A TON of their students are mixed animal, and they have three on-site teaching hospitals (small animal, large animal, and equine). I just got back from my interview there, and I was truly blown away by the school. They do look at cGPA, but with your stats I think you still would get an interview at least. Do you have a bachelors and master's degree by any chance? You can message me for more info. if you'd like!

 

[VetMedVetMed]

Has anyone done a post-bac program, either a structured one like Drexel University or just retook classes? If you retook classes, was it at the college you graduated from?

You could retake them as a non-degree seeking student at a four year university, and even take them online.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

Okay, I need some opinions...

I'm applying this coming cycle. While I have spent my of my life around horses and have worked in several barns (I've also owned horses, but I'm not including any kind of ownership on my application...I figure most prevets have animals!), my actual equine veterinary experience is pretty minimal. I have some hours scribing for vets at endurance rides and assisting the vet I work for with equine acupuncture/shockwave cases. Basically, I have thousands and thousands of hours to file under "animal experience" for equine but probably only about 50 hours of equine for veterinary experience.

That being said, this summer I have been given the opportunity to work at a private equine clinic under a boarded veterinarian. Which, really, is an awesome opportunity. The problem is I'm having a hard time really being excited about it. I don't want to be an equine veterinarian (love horses, but that branch of vet med is just not where I see myself) and I already have two great assistant jobs working at a small animal general practice and a rehab practice. Both of them are paid. This gig at the equine clinic would be an incredible learning experience and pretty hands on, but its unpaid.

The veterinarian I already work for is my number one supporter and I'm sure she would be disappointed if I didn't work this summer (though she would understand)...in a lot of ways I'll be sad if I don't work this summer, I love my job!

2 months without pay right before vet school applications are due makes me cringe, as well. BUT I want to be the best applicant I can be...

Thoughts?

Some extra details about me if it helps...GPA is north of 3.8, research experience with transition dairy cows, pretty good extracurricular involvement, no GRE scores until I take it for the first time next month. I'm OOS for everything with two contract schools. Ohio State is my #1.

Do you have large animal experience? Exotics? Wildlife? I ask because since OSU (Ohio) is your #1 choice, they like to see diverse experience. I think continuing to work at your current SA job this summer would be good, and maybe volunteer at a few places to get other experiences (like wildlife, exotic, avian, large animal). The equine experience you have does not have to be under a Veterinarian, so if you have a lot of equine experience already, there isn't necessarily a "need" to get Vet experience. If you do want equine Vet experience, you could always ask and see if you can volunteer once a week instead..or see if another place will allow you to. That way you do get some! Have you taken the gre yet?

 

[coffeelauren]

I was the same way, and was actually considering going to Tufts instead, but the actual program and all the people associated with it really won me over. Its a very supportive and "safe to fail" environment with some really amazing faculty. But it's still weird for me to consider myself a gator lol

Haha same, I'm from Tallahassee and my dad has worked at FSU for 10 years. I have this unintentional distrust of UF because of where I grew up lol

 

[mmmdreamerz]

Do you have large animal experience? Exotics? Wildlife? I ask because since OSU (Ohio) is your #1 choice, they like to see diverse experience. I think continuing to work at your current SA job this summer would be good, and maybe volunteer at a few places to get other experiences (like wildlife, exotic, avian, large animal). The equine experience you have does not have to be under a Veterinarian, so if you have a lot of equine experience already, there isn't necessarily a "need" to get Vet experience. If you do want equine Vet experience, you could always ask and see if you can volunteer once a week instead..or see if another place will allow you to. That way you do get some! Have you taken the gre yet?

I've spent the last two semesters working on a project dealing transition dairy cows. After I posted this, I was actually offered a spot in a paid summer program to continue this research. *I think* my plan is to spend the first month of summer at my SA jobs and then spend the rest of the summer doing research.

I also riding with an equine vet this semester.

I'm trying to cover my bases haha!

I'm taking the GRE next month. I'll publish my full stats once I do

 

[VetMedVetMed]

I've spent a little bit of time in large animal at OSU, and have had a weekend job at a horse/alpaca farm for the last year and also have experience raising chickens, but my most significant (non-equine) farm/large animal experience is research. I've spent the last two semesters working on a project dealing with insulin resistance in transition dairy cows. After I posted this, I was actually offered a spot in a paid summer program to continue this research. *I think* my plan is to spend the first month of summer at my SA jobs and then spend the rest of the summer doing research.

I also managed to ask the vet I used for my horses if I could ride with her one day a week this semester...

I'm trying to cover my bases haha!

I'm taking the GRE Feb 20th. I'll publish my full stats once I do

Good luck on the GRE! Eat beforehand, drink water beforehand, and use the bathroom beforehand because they don't allow you during the test and it's 3.5 hours long! Also bring a sweater in case it's cold (my room was freezing). Practice timed tests because they cut you off and you can't go back once you finish a section. I wish I had more timed practice tests before taking the gre.

 

[mht2k3]

Good luck on the GRE! Eat beforehand, drink water beforehand, and use the bathroom beforehand because they don't allow you during the test and it's 3.5 hours long! Also bring a sweater in case it's cold (my room was freezing). Practice timed tests because they cut you off and you can't go back once you finish a section. I wish I had more timed practice tests before taking the gre.

FWIW I was given a 10 minute break halfway through the GRE where I could go eat a snack, go to the bathroom, etc.

 

[mht2k3]

You could always still apply to the schools you mentioned above because you never know what will happen! By the way, any Veterinary School will give you a great education no matter where you go. If you are looking into being a large animal Veterinarian, you should look into applying to Kansas (someone mentioned this already), as well as Ohio State. Ohio has a truly amazing school and honestly a program for everyone. A TON of their students are mixed animal, and they have three on-site teaching hospitals (small animal, large animal, and equine). I just got back from my interview there, and I was truly blown away by the school. They do look at cGPA, but with your stats I think you still would get an interview at least. Do you have a bachelors and master's degree by any chance? You can message me for more info. if you'd like!

I'm interested in Ohio State, but honestly I was shying away because they require both Physiology and Public Speaking (none of the other schools do) and I just dont want to take anymore classes / spend anymore money on postbac classes.

 

[flameshock]

I'm interested in Ohio State, but honestly I was shying away because they require both Physiology and Public Speaking (none of the other schools do) and I just dont want to take anymore classes / spend anymore money on postbac classes.

I didn't realize that Ohio required the Public Speaking class until I already applied. However, the person I spoke to said that community college classes were perfectly acceptable. You might look into that? It's so much cheaper.

 

[b3gintw1ntig]

Hey everyone,

Graduated from UW-Madison May 2015 with a degree in Biology with a Neurobiology option (no dedicated Neuro major)
GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.5
Upward trend, first two semesters were a little rough as I hadn't developed study skills

Experience
~150 hours in a small animal clinic, continuing
~20 hours with a large animal vet, continuing
~50 hours at a shelter, continuing
>3000 hours in an animal care position in a primate research lab (feeding, cleaning, assisting on blood draws, monitoring health and behavior, assisting with surgical procedures, monitoring recovery after surgeries)
Also hopefully getting a job at a doggie daycare within the month.

GRE
164 verbal
160 quant.
4.5 writing

I was pre-med until senior year of college so that's why my shadowing hours are low, trying to get those up as high as possible for when i apply. Wisconsin is in state and by far my #1 choice but also thinking about applying to Iowa St, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan St., Ohio St.

Just wondering if I have a decent chance at getting in with these numbers. Thanks!

 

[katashark]

Hey everyone,

Graduated from UW-Madison May 2015 with a degree in Biology with a Neurobiology option (no dedicated Neuro major)
GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.5
Upward trend, first two semesters were a little rough as I hadn't developed study skills

Experience
~150 hours in a small animal clinic, continuing
~20 hours with a large animal vet, continuing
~50 hours at a shelter, continuing
>3000 hours in an animal care position in a primate research lab (feeding, cleaning, assisting on blood draws, monitoring health and behavior, assisting with surgical procedures, monitoring recovery after surgeries)
Also hopefully getting a job at a doggie daycare within the month.

GRE
164 verbal
160 quant.
4.5 writing

I was pre-med until senior year of college so that's why my shadowing hours are low, trying to get those up as high as possible for when i apply. Wisconsin is in state and by far my #1 choice but also thinking about applying to Iowa St, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan St., Ohio St.

Just wondering if I have a decent chance at getting in with these numbers. Thanks!

Yeah, your numbers look good. Just bring your veterinary hours up. Your GPA (with upward trend) and GRE are stellar. Good luck!

 

[jcc3sa]

Hey everyone,

Graduated from UW-Madison May 2015 with a degree in Biology with a Neurobiology option (no dedicated Neuro major)
GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.5
Upward trend, first two semesters were a little rough as I hadn't developed study skills

Experience
~150 hours in a small animal clinic, continuing
~20 hours with a large animal vet, continuing
~50 hours at a shelter, continuing
>3000 hours in an animal care position in a primate research lab (feeding, cleaning, assisting on blood draws, monitoring health and behavior, assisting with surgical procedures, monitoring recovery after surgeries)
Also hopefully getting a job at a doggie daycare within the month.

GRE
164 verbal
160 quant.
4.5 writing

I was pre-med until senior year of college so that's why my shadowing hours are low, trying to get those up as high as possible for when i apply. Wisconsin is in state and by far my #1 choice but also thinking about applying to Iowa St, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan St., Ohio St.

Just wondering if I have a decent chance at getting in with these numbers. Thanks!

You have literally the same trio of GRE scores as me. I'd like to think they're serving me well this app cycle GPA and grade trends are also remarkably similar

 

[b3gintw1ntig]

You have literally the same trio of GRE scores as me. I'd like to think they're serving me well this app cycle GPA and grade trends are also remarkably similar

Haha thats good to hear!

 

[Osudairy]

Hey everyone,

Graduated from UW-Madison May 2015 with a degree in Biology with a Neurobiology option (no dedicated Neuro major)
GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.5
Upward trend, first two semesters were a little rough as I hadn't developed study skills

Experience
~150 hours in a small animal clinic, continuing
~20 hours with a large animal vet, continuing
~50 hours at a shelter, continuing
>3000 hours in an animal care position in a primate research lab (feeding, cleaning, assisting on blood draws, monitoring health and behavior, assisting with surgical procedures, monitoring recovery after surgeries)
Also hopefully getting a job at a doggie daycare within the month.

GRE
164 verbal
160 quant.
4.5 writing

I was pre-med until senior year of college so that's why my shadowing hours are low, trying to get those up as high as possible for when i apply. Wisconsin is in state and by far my #1 choice but also thinking about applying to Iowa St, Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan St., Ohio St.

Just wondering if I have a decent chance at getting in with these numbers. Thanks!

Wow, I wish I was as good a standardized test taker as you! However, I concur that keep up the good work to show a upward GPA trend and get those veterinary hours up and you should have a pretty solid application (from what I've learned from admissions committee members). Also, try to get involved in some student organizations and clubs to show off your leadership and communication skills (I did not see this in your post, but I assume you are in some EC activities). Keep it up!