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What are my chances?

  • Great!

    Votes: 12 8.8%
  • Good, but some areas could be improved

    Votes: 28 20.6%
  • You're a pretty average candidate, so it could go either way

    Votes: 21 15.4%
  • Not great, but there's room for improvement

    Votes: 7 5.1%
  • Have you considered under water basket weaving?

    Votes: 68 50.0%

  • Total voters
    136
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What are your required course and last 45 hour GPAs? LSU only looks at those, they don't use your cumulative.
sGPA: 3.2ish
Last 45: 3.45

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I'm only applying to Davis this cycle for financial reasons. I'm disappointed with my GRE Quant score and I wanted to get some feedback on whether you guys think I'll be a competitive applicant.

California resident, female

Science GPA: 3.68
Last 45 units GPA: 4.00
Cumulative GPA: 3.76

GRE (Q/V/W):
156 (64th percentile) / 170 (99th) / 5.5 (98th)

Veterinary Experience: 1900+ hours, both paid and unpaid, mostly SA with some LA shadowing

Animal Experience: 4500+ hours, both paid and unpaid, mostly SA with some wildlife volunteering

LORs: Two vets I worked with as a veterinary assistant, a science professor, and a committee letter

Davis says their most important criteria for getting to the interview stage are science GPA, last 45 units GPA, and GRE quant. Last year their averages for admitted in-state students were: science 3.65; last 45 units 3.78; GRE quantitative 159. So as long as things don't change dramatically this year I'm in good shape GPA-wise, but I don't know how much my subpar Quant score will hurt me.

Thanks in advance!
 
I'd love some input as to which schools value my types of credentials. My apply list right now is TAMU, Ohio, UTK, and LSU
Hi, I can't speak for the other schools on your list, but I'm also a TX resident who went to LSU for undergrad and applied there last cycle. In addition to what WardenN7 said, one thing to know about LSU admissions process is that they only have 15 seats for OOS applicants--making it VERY competitive for us. I believe OOS applicants are initially ranked using only academic scores (sci GPA, last 45, GRE), meaning only the top X ranked students will move on to the next round for subjective evaluations (like experiences, LORs and interview).

My GPAs were really similar to yours (though your GRE is 10pts higher than mine), and I did not make it past that first cut. As I said, it's very competitive in the GPA department: for Class of 2019 out of state applicants, LSU's site lists average stats of 3.76 sGPA, 3.74 last 45, and 311 GRE. I'm not sure how exactly they weigh each of those categories so maybe your GRE score could help you out enough to make the cut, but because my stats were so similar to yours, I would personally suggest switching LSU out for a different school (one that will look at academics and experiences/subjectives at once, rather than with an initial academic ranking/cutoff). I did not really look in-depth into LSU's admission info before I applied...I applied because it was my undergrad, but if I'd known their method of evaluation, I would not have applied with my GPAs. :( It was a learning experience at least, and perhaps I will raise my GPAs high enough to reapply in future cycles, but for now I've put LSU on hold.

You seem to have an awesome variety of vet experiences, so definitely look for schools that evaluate holistically! Colorado State is one, but there are many others. Things like experiences and sometimes GRE can totally help you, depending on the school. I hope this helped, and that I made sense :p Good luck!
 
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sGPA: 3.2ish
Last 45: 3.45
Devastating pretty much said what I was going to - I would probably switch LSU out for another. They do their initial OOS evaluation based solely on GPA/GRE and only the top 150 applicants (out of ~900 I believe) make it to the next round for folder review - so all the subjective stuff plays no part in that first cut. GRE does factor in, but less so than GPA (GPA is 47%, GRE is only 18%). And like Devastating said, they only offer 15 OOS seats. I'm not saying you have no chance, but the thing about vet school applications is that they are crazy expensive, so you want to try and make sure you're spending money on schools where the applicant selection process plays to your strengths. For instance, my academics were very strong, but my experiences/extracurriculars weren't very diverse. So I was a good candidate for LSU (plus I was IS), but maybe wouldn't have been such a good applicant for, say, UTK.

All that said, I'm definitely not trying to discourage you! You have a good GRE and some really diverse, interesting experiences so I think you could be a strong candidate applying to the right schools. Do some research into schools that really look at the subjective stuff. Many schools post a breakdown on their website of how they select applicants. And good luck!!
 
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21 year old, Fl resident
Schools:

UF, Midwestern, University of Tennessee, Western(maybe), Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Purdue, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Tufts, Colorado, and Wisconsin.

I'm obviously going to narrow this list down. But these are all the schools I'm thinking of at the moment.

Degree: BS in Information Systems w/ a Business Admin minor

cGPA: 3.53
Sci GPA: 3.6
Last 45: 3.7

GRE: 150V/160Q

Vet Experience:
-Shadowing veterinary surgeons: 400 hrs
-Shadowing with a shelter veterinarian: 500 hrs
-Shadowing a general practice vet: 100 hrs

Animal Experience:
-Volunteering at humane society- 800 hrs
-Volunteered on a farm- 360 hrs
-Volunteered at my local zoo- 200 hrs

Other employment/volunteer/extracurriculars:
-Apple Genius - 3,000 hrs
-Volunteered at a hospital- 300 hrs
-Volunteered at a nursing home- 100 hrs
-Biology club
-Computer Science club

LORs:
-One of the vets I shadowed consistently
-One from my upper-level science professor
-One from my computer science professor

Concerns: My core GPA. I never actually worked in the veterinary field, but I have 1000ish hours shadowing veterinarians, is this bad? Also, I have no research experience and I don't know how badly that will hurt my application.
 
Hi, I can't speak for the other schools on your list, but I'm also a TX resident who went to LSU for undergrad and applied there last cycle. In addition to what WardenN7 said, one thing to know about LSU admissions process is that they only have 15 seats for OOS applicants--making it VERY competitive for us. I believe OOS applicants are initially ranked using only academic scores (sci GPA, last 45, GRE), meaning only the top X ranked students will move on to the next round for subjective evaluations (like experiences, LORs and interview).

My GPAs were really similar to yours (though your GRE is 10pts higher than mine), and I did not make it past that first cut. As I said, it's very competitive in the GPA department: for Class of 2019 out of state applicants, LSU's site lists average stats of 3.76 sGPA, 3.74 last 45, and 311 GRE. I'm not sure how exactly they weigh each of those categories so maybe your GRE score could help you out enough to make the cut, but because my stats were so similar to yours, I would personally suggest switching LSU out for a different school (one that will look at academics and experiences/subjectives at once, rather than with an initial academic ranking/cutoff). I did not really look in-depth into LSU's admission info before I applied...I applied because it was my undergrad, but if I'd known their method of evaluation, I would not have applied with my GPAs. :( It was a learning experience at least, and perhaps I will raise my GPAs high enough to reapply in future cycles, but for now I've put LSU on hold.

You seem to have an awesome variety of vet experiences, so definitely look for schools that evaluate holistically! Colorado State is one, but there are many others. Things like experiences and sometimes GRE can totally help you, depending on the school. I hope this helped, and that I made sense :p Good luck!

Devastating pretty much said what I was going to - I would probably switch LSU out for another. They do their initial OOS evaluation based solely on GPA/GRE and only the top 150 applicants (out of ~900 I believe) make it to the next round for folder review - so all the subjective stuff plays no part in that first cut. GRE does factor in, but less so than GPA (GPA is 47%, GRE is only 18%). And like Devastating said, they only offer 15 OOS seats. I'm not saying you have no chance, but the thing about vet school applications is that they are crazy expensive, so you want to try and make sure you're spending money on schools where the applications play to your strengths. For instance, my academics were very strong, but my experiences/extracurriculars weren't very diverse. So I was a good candidate for LSU (plus I was IS), but maybe wouldn't have been such a good applicant for, say, UTK.

All that said, I'm definitely not trying to discourage you! You have a good GRE and some really diverse, interesting experiences so I think you could be a strong candidate applying to the right schools. Do some research into schools that really look at the subjective stuff. Many schools post a breakdown on their website of how they select applicants. And good luck!!

LOL I thought you were saying Devastating about my grades not her name at first. I was like wow is it THAT awful?? But seriously thanks a lot for the advice guys :) What are some other options of schools looking more at the whole application? I know Colorado doesn't take a whole lot OOS also...
 
21 year old, Fl resident
Schools:

UF, Midwestern, University of Tennessee, Western(maybe), Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Purdue, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Tufts, Colorado, and Wisconsin.

I'm obviously going to narrow this list down. But these are all the schools I'm thinking of at the moment.

Degree: BS in Information Systems w/ a Business Admin minor

cGPA: 3.53
Sci GPA: 3.6
Last 45: 3.7

GRE: 150V/160Q

Vet Experience:
-Shadowing veterinary surgeons: 400 hrs
-Shadowing with a shelter veterinarian: 500 hrs
-Shadowing a general practice vet: 100 hrs

Animal Experience:
-Volunteering at humane society- 800 hrs
-Volunteered on a farm- 360 hrs
-Volunteered at my local zoo- 200 hrs

Other employment/volunteer/extracurriculars:
-Apple Genius - 3,000 hrs
-Volunteered at a hospital- 300 hrs
-Volunteered at a nursing home- 100 hrs
-Biology club
-Computer Science club

LORs:
-One of the vets I shadowed consistently
-One from my upper-level science professor
-One from my computer science professor

Concerns: My core GPA. I never actually worked in the veterinary field, but I have 1000ish hours shadowing veterinarians, is this bad? Also, I have no research experience and I don't know how badly that will hurt my application.
To make you feel better...

You could benefit from more experience. How high quality is the experience you already have? Shadowing is not as desirable as being an assistant or tech (you're a FL resident, so you can be a tech without a license), but it's certainly valuable in its own right. You say you have 1000 hours shadowing vets, but I only see you listing 600...can you clarify? Do you have any hands on experience? There are people who get in with no actual hands on experience, but since your grades don't stand out, hands-on experience can only help you.

Plenty of people apply with zero research experience and get in. It can only help you, but if you are only doing research related things for the sake of building a better application, don't bother. You'll have a heck of a time trying to get experience with that angle (but you could ask @WhtsThFrequency since she knows things).

Your grades are pretty average. Won't do any big things for you, but you'll likely pass the cutoffs for most schools and at least be considered for an interview.
 
To make you feel better...

You could benefit from more experience. How high quality is the experience you already have? Shadowing is not as desirable as being an assistant or tech (you're a FL resident, so you can be a tech without a license), but it's certainly valuable in its own right. You say you have 1000 hours shadowing vets, but I only see you listing 600...can you clarify? Do you have any hands on experience? There are people who get in with no actual hands on experience, but since your grades don't stand out, hands-on experience can only help you.

Plenty of people apply with zero research experience and get in. It can only help you, but if you are only doing research related things for the sake of building a better application, don't bother. You'll have a heck of a time trying to get experience with that angle (but you could ask @WhtsThFrequency since she knows things).

Your grades are pretty average. Won't do any big things for you, but you'll likely pass the cutoffs for most schools and at least be considered for an interview.
Under vet experience, there is another 400 hours shadowing a veterinary surgeon. I've been offered a job by the vets I have shadowed but I make much more through Apple and need to pay my bills. So instead I've been shadowing each one on and off for years. They let me help on basic stuff, like holding, monitoring the patient after surgery, and making sure they are warm. I'm in on all surgeries, I usually get to come in to the rooms with the doctors and assist. I'm basically an assistant without getting paid for it. When I apply will they see the word "shadowing" and think I have no hands on experience?
 
When I apply will they see the word "shadowing" and think I have no hands on experience?

Nope, just be sure to be clear what you were doing when explaining each shadowing experience on the application. That is where they are going to be able to see the breadth and depth of your experience, not just from your position title.
 
Under vet experience, there is another 400 hours shadowing a veterinary surgeon. I've been offered a job by the vets I have shadowed but I make much more through Apple and need to pay my bills. So instead I've been shadowing each one on and off for years. They let me help on basic stuff, like holding, monitoring the patient after surgery, and making sure they are warm. I'm in on all surgeries, I usually get to come in to the rooms with the doctors and assist. I'm basically an assistant without getting paid for it. When I apply will they see the word "shadowing" and think I have no hands on experience?
Oops, sorry, can't read! When you apply, you have a very limited number of characters (characters, not words) to describe your duties/experience at each 'job.' I want to say it was 500 when I applied, but it could have changed. You may not get to describe your experience as fully as you want to. It sounds like you were more of a volunteer based on what you're saying, but each clinic handles things differently. Just describe what you were doing to the best of your ability given that character limit. I would still recommend shooting for a lot more hours, though, and trying to get more hands on. 1000 hours is about the average for most applicants that I've seen. So all around, you're average and nothing really stands out.

You could try to write a particularly moving PS if you have the content, find an experience that is super unique, or make sure your letters of rec are really incredible to help offset the curse of average. It's not bad to be average, you're competitive enough. But honestly, your application will look the same as about 700 other people. That doesn't mean you won't be successful by any means, but finding a way to stand out would definitely be good for you. I was in a similar boat when I first applied, but my experience was more hands on. I didn't even get interviews. I applied a second time with a super unique experience that people would remember after reading 400 other applications, and I got into 2/3 schools I applied to.
 
Oops, sorry, can't read! When you apply, you have a very limited number of characters (characters, not words) to describe your duties/experience at each 'job.' I want to say it was 500 when I applied, but it could have changed. You may not get to describe your experience as fully as you want to. It sounds like you were more of a volunteer based on what you're saying, but each clinic handles things differently. Just describe what you were doing to the best of your ability given that character limit. I would still recommend shooting for a lot more hours, though, and trying to get more hands on. 1000 hours is about the average for most applicants that I've seen. So all around, you're average and nothing really stands out.

You could try to write a particularly moving PS if you have the content, find an experience that is super unique, or make sure your letters of rec are really incredible to help offset the curse of average. It's not bad to be average, you're competitive enough. But honestly, your application will look the same as about 700 other people. That doesn't mean you won't be successful by any means, but finding a way to stand out would definitely be good for you. I was in a similar boat when I first applied, but my experience was more hands on. I didn't even get interviews. I applied a second time with a super unique experience that people would remember after reading 400 other applications, and I got into 2/3 schools I applied to.
Thank you! I appreciate your response. I guess the only thing I can think of that stands out from other people is my major and job experience through Apple. I know technology inside and out and have a business minor so have a strong business background. I worked very hard to do a different major, minor than most people, still take all the pre-reqs and an almost full time job. But even these things aren't at all that different. What can I do to make myself stand out? I've been thinking about volunteering more with large animal and also in more human hospitals. I talked to one pre-vet advisor and they said they love human experience as well. It shows you know how to handle people. What do you think?
 
Whoever said shadowing isn't as good as working is incorrect, in my opinion.

Shadowing allows you to watch the vet without being distracted by cleaning kennels or learning technical skills, which aren't required for becoming a vet.

The best thing about working is getting paid while getting experience.

Most schools don't care as long as you get the experience hours.
 
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Thank you! I appreciate your response. I guess the only thing I can think of that stands out from other people is my major and job experience through Apple. I know technology inside and out and have a business minor so have a strong business background. I worked very hard to do a different major, minor than most people, still take all the pre-reqs and an almost full time job. But even these things aren't at all that different. What can I do to make myself stand out? I've been thinking about volunteering more with large animal and also in more human hospitals. I talked to one pre-vet advisor and they said they love human experience as well. It shows you know how to handle people. What do you think?

You don't need any more time in human hospitals. It is in no way a necessary part of an application. It can be a plus to show you've look at that side of medicine and considered it, but that's about it. I think your Apple genius job is a much better indicator of you knowing how to handle people. Customer service jobs can definitely help you.

I think you've got a good shot over all. Try not to stress too much. Just make sure you write a good personal statement that shows who you are and what you can bring to the class and profession. If you want to try to add anything, maybe try to get large animal or equine veterinary experience. Whether it really matters that you do that or not will depend on the individual schools and how much they care about diverse veterinary experience.

You look like a decent applicant with a good shot. Just do your best with the application and see how it goes. Good luck!
 
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@dvmcatdog Lack of research experience won't really hurt your app as long as the rest is solid. It can help with certain schools that have a heavy research focus, though. I think you experience in computing could actually be a unique thing that you could sell heavily. A lot of the logical thought process that you have to employ in IT or sysadmin or coding/dev fields is a great foundation for diagnostics.
 
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Another note about hands-on experience - in some states, you literally can't get any hands-on experience unless you are certified. I.e. shadowing versus "doing stuff" is really all that is available. Some people are inherently at a disadvantage because of this, and schools know this. I wasn't allowed to touch *anything* in the clinic I worked at. At most I could help restrain and clean kennels. Everything else (even blood draws), I was only allowed to watch.
 
Thank you! I appreciate your response. I guess the only thing I can think of that stands out from other people is my major and job experience through Apple. I know technology inside and out and have a business minor so have a strong business background. I worked very hard to do a different major, minor than most people, still take all the pre-reqs and an almost full time job. But even these things aren't at all that different. What can I do to make myself stand out? I've been thinking about volunteering more with large animal and also in more human hospitals. I talked to one pre-vet advisor and they said they love human experience as well. It shows you know how to handle people. What do you think?
Large animal experience is a great start. A good chunk of applicants have absolutely no large animal veterinary experience. Some haven't even touched a horse, cow, etc. (these opportunities are extremely limited if you live in a city). Human medical experience isn't necessary imo. You get plenty of human contact working as a receptionist or assistant in vet med. Some schools might even wonder why you have a random chunk of human med hours, but that could just be how I think of it.

A business major is great, but schools don't necessarily care about what major you picked, they care about the pre-reqs. I don't know if I would count on that as your stand-out feature, but you can definitely incorporate it into your PS in good ways. Vet med is hurting for good business people, although that is definitely improving it seems like. Apple tends to be a company name that stands out, but I don't know that it would necessarily carry you. I would definitely use that experience in your PS, though....that's a lot of human contact alone and will definitely benefit you in the retail/client aspect of vet med. It's such a big chunk of your career thus far that it'd be strange not to discuss it.

There are absolutely some schools that do care about whether you were a shadow/volunteer or an assistant, and I've been told by one you are looking at exactly that (and a few other schools not on your list). When in doubt, talk to the schools. Some shadows/volunteers do get to do things like restrain and assist in monitoring, others get no contact whatsoever (hence the term shadow). It's important to use the description space to the best of your ability in those situations. There is a difference in 1000 hours of watching and restraining and 1000 hours of assisting during surgery/sterile assistant, injections, and other more technical things that an assistant/tech may be able to do. If you feel you are doing the duties of a paid assistant/tech, then you should be competitive enough in the experience area.
 
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Whoever said shadowing isn't as good as working is incorrect, in my opinion.

Shadowing allows you to watch the vet without being distracted by cleaning kennels or learning technical skills, which aren't required for becoming a vet.

The best thing about working is getting paid while getting experience.

Most schools don't care as long as you get the experience hours.

There are absolutely some schools that do care about whether you were a shadow/volunteer or an assistant, and I've been told by one you are looking at exactly that (and a few other schools not on your list). When in doubt, talk to the schools. Some shadows/volunteers do get to do things like restrain and assist in monitoring, others get no contact whatsoever (hence the term shadow). It's important to use the description space to the best of your ability in those situations. There is a difference in 1000 hours of watching and restraining and 1000 hours of assisting during surgery/sterile assistant, injections, and other more technical things that an assistant/tech may be able to do. If you feel you are doing the duties of a paid assistant/tech, then you should be competitive enough in the experience area.

the 2 situations are not mutually exclusive if you look at the bolded words. I'd be curious what school told you that explicitly and if they would tell another student that this year.

However, you seem to be putting a lot of value on working as a tech. As an uncertified tech, it's unlikely that you will be scrubbing in to *many* surgeries, though it can happen. I certainly wouldn't expect it.

Shadows shouldn't be restraining - they should be watching. If they are restraining, they are doing the shadow thing wrong. I don't know why you think watching isn't beneficial. You need 0 (zero) technical skills to be a veterinarian. Watching and not working you get to see more of what the vet is doing and less of what the tech or assistant should be doing.
 
the 2 situations are not mutually exclusive if you look at the bolded words. I'd be curious what school told you that explicitly and if they would tell another student that this year.

However, you seem to be putting a lot of value on working as a tech. As an uncertified tech, it's unlikely that you will be scrubbing in to *many* surgeries, though it can happen. I certainly wouldn't expect it.

Shadows shouldn't be restraining - they should be watching. If they are restraining, they are doing the shadow thing wrong. I don't know why you think watching isn't beneficial. You need 0 (zero) technical skills to be a veterinarian. Watching and not working you get to see more of what the vet is doing and less of what the tech or assistant should be doing.
Well, the issue here could be that I never once said shadowing/volunteering isn't beneficial. If you read my original post, I actually specifically stated that it was.
 
Well, the issue here could be that I never once said shadowing/volunteering isn't beneficial. If you read my original post, I actually specifically stated that it was.
You keep saying it's less beneficial than working which is simply untrue for the majority of cases.
 
28 year old (male, if it matters), AL and/or MS resident (due to my duty station)

Applying to: Mississippi State University (MSU) and Auburn as an in state student (applying next year selection, 2017).

Degree:
- BS in Environmental Biology with a minor in Military Science
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) with concentration of Public Health Administration (Current – still working on it).

(My GPA / Recommended Avg)

Overall GPA= 3.09 / 3.61
Required math & science GPA = 3.43 / 3.5
Upper-level sciences GPA = 2.07 / 3.69
Last 45-semester hours = 2.72 / 3.7

Animal Experience:
06/23/2001 – 06/24/2001 Humane Society for 8hrs.
11/15/2014 – 11/29/2014 OG Mainz (Germany) via Schutzhund for 12hrs.
02/03/2013 – 07/25/2015 OG Schmalenbach-Lehrberg(Germany) via Schutzhund for 300hrs.
09/15/2015 – Current Florida Schutzhund club for >100hrs.

Vet Experience:
05/28/2016 – Current >2.5 hrs. (Working on this).

Employment Experience:
01/15/2012 – 05/13/2013 Flight School >3105hrs (253.8hrs of flight hours)
06/10/2013 – 08/04/2014 Assistance S-3 Operations Officer >3000hrs.
08/04/2014 – 08/15/2015 Component Repair Platoon Leader >2226hrs
08/20/2015 – Current Battalion S-4 Logistics Officer (OIC) 1640hrs.

Volunteer Experience:
04/10/2001 – 05/11/2007 Boy Scouts >700hrs.

Extracurricular:
- Red Cross: Bloodborne Pathogens Training (Current)
- Red Cross: Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterpark Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterfront Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)

Achievement
- Eagle Scout via Boy Scouts
- 2nd Place in the First LEGO league in 2002
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Pilot License for Rotorcraft Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter S-70
- 2nd Place in the military category via U.S Canine Biathlon (AMK9)
- Superior Cadet Decoration Award in 2009 (ROTC)
- Distinguished Military Student for the school year 2011.
- I have earned an assortment of Military Awards; they are listed on the VMCAS Application.

LOR:
- One from my Battalion Commander
- One from a Vet clinic (TBD)
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Germany
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Florida

Concerns: My current GPA is low at the moment, but my MPA Degree should easily adjust at or near completion. However, my science GPA will not change. Although, I am not competitive in my academics, what are my changes that my military leadership/professionalism would weight in between these two institutions? I am going to utilize my leave time to volunteer my service at nearby vet clinics to increase my vet experience/hours. Any recommendations in vet experience/exposure? And, any recommendations taking biochemistry and animal nutrition online?

Thank you.

V/R,
Graham.
 
28 year old (male, if it matters), AL and/or MS resident (due to my duty station)

Applying to: Mississippi State University (MSU) and Auburn as an in state student (applying next year selection, 2017).

Degree:
- BS in Environmental Biology with a minor in Military Science
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) with concentration of Public Health Administration (Current – still working on it).

(My GPA / Recommended Avg)

Overall GPA= 3.09 / 3.61
Required math & science GPA = 3.43 / 3.5
Upper-level sciences GPA = 2.07 / 3.69
Last 45-semester hours = 2.72 / 3.7

Animal Experience:
06/23/2001 – 06/24/2001 Humane Society for 8hrs.
11/15/2014 – 11/29/2014 OG Mainz (Germany) via Schutzhund for 12hrs.
02/03/2013 – 07/25/2015 OG Schmalenbach-Lehrberg(Germany) via Schutzhund for 300hrs.
09/15/2015 – Current Florida Schutzhund club for >100hrs.

Vet Experience:
05/28/2016 – Current >2.5 hrs. (Working on this).

Employment Experience:
01/15/2012 – 05/13/2013 Flight School >3105hrs (253.8hrs of flight hours)
06/10/2013 – 08/04/2014 Assistance S-3 Operations Officer >3000hrs.
08/04/2014 – 08/15/2015 Component Repair Platoon Leader >2226hrs
08/20/2015 – Current Battalion S-4 Logistics Officer (OIC) 1640hrs.

Volunteer Experience:
04/10/2001 – 05/11/2007 Boy Scouts >700hrs.

Extracurricular:
- Red Cross: Bloodborne Pathogens Training (Current)
- Red Cross: Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterpark Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterfront Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)

Achievement
- Eagle Scout via Boy Scouts
- 2nd Place in the First LEGO league in 2002
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Pilot License for Rotorcraft Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter S-70
- 2nd Place in the military category via U.S Canine Biathlon (AMK9)
- Superior Cadet Decoration Award in 2009 (ROTC)
- Distinguished Military Student for the school year 2011.
- I have earned an assortment of Military Awards; they are listed on the VMCAS Application.

LOR:
- One from my Battalion Commander
- One from a Vet clinic (TBD)
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Germany
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Florida

Concerns: My current GPA is low at the moment, but my MPA Degree should easily adjust at or near completion. However, my science GPA will not change. Although, I am not competitive in my academics, what are my changes that my military leadership/professionalism would weight in between these two institutions? I am going to utilize my leave time to volunteer my service at nearby vet clinics to increase my vet experience/hours. Any recommendations in vet experience/exposure? And, any recommendations taking biochemistry and animal nutrition online?

Thank you.

V/R,
Graham.
Being male makes almost no difference. The acceptance rates between male and female applicants are almost always the same.

Your GPA is the biggest concern. I think I would look into schools that put more weight on the last 45 hrs or that look at the entire applicant more than grades. Some places really won't like post-bacc work as much as others.

I know nothing about those 2 specific schools, but hopefully others will weigh in.
 
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28 year old (male, if it matters), AL and/or MS resident (due to my duty station)

Applying to: Mississippi State University (MSU) and Auburn as an in state student (applying next year selection, 2017).

Degree:
- BS in Environmental Biology with a minor in Military Science
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) with concentration of Public Health Administration (Current – still working on it).

(My GPA / Recommended Avg)

Overall GPA= 3.09 / 3.61
Required math & science GPA = 3.43 / 3.5
Upper-level sciences GPA = 2.07 / 3.69
Last 45-semester hours = 2.72 / 3.7

Animal Experience:
06/23/2001 – 06/24/2001 Humane Society for 8hrs.
11/15/2014 – 11/29/2014 OG Mainz (Germany) via Schutzhund for 12hrs.
02/03/2013 – 07/25/2015 OG Schmalenbach-Lehrberg(Germany) via Schutzhund for 300hrs.
09/15/2015 – Current Florida Schutzhund club for >100hrs.

Vet Experience:
05/28/2016 – Current >2.5 hrs. (Working on this).

Employment Experience:
01/15/2012 – 05/13/2013 Flight School >3105hrs (253.8hrs of flight hours)
06/10/2013 – 08/04/2014 Assistance S-3 Operations Officer >3000hrs.
08/04/2014 – 08/15/2015 Component Repair Platoon Leader >2226hrs
08/20/2015 – Current Battalion S-4 Logistics Officer (OIC) 1640hrs.

Volunteer Experience:
04/10/2001 – 05/11/2007 Boy Scouts >700hrs.

Extracurricular:
- Red Cross: Bloodborne Pathogens Training (Current)
- Red Cross: Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterpark Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterfront Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)

Achievement
- Eagle Scout via Boy Scouts
- 2nd Place in the First LEGO league in 2002
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Pilot License for Rotorcraft Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter S-70
- 2nd Place in the military category via U.S Canine Biathlon (AMK9)
- Superior Cadet Decoration Award in 2009 (ROTC)
- Distinguished Military Student for the school year 2011.
- I have earned an assortment of Military Awards; they are listed on the VMCAS Application.

LOR:
- One from my Battalion Commander
- One from a Vet clinic (TBD)
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Germany
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Florida

Concerns: My current GPA is low at the moment, but my MPA Degree should easily adjust at or near completion. However, my science GPA will not change. Although, I am not competitive in my academics, what are my changes that my military leadership/professionalism would weight in between these two institutions? I am going to utilize my leave time to volunteer my service at nearby vet clinics to increase my vet experience/hours. Any recommendations in vet experience/exposure? And, any recommendations taking biochemistry and animal nutrition online?

Thank you.

V/R,
Graham.

Are the GPA's you provide including the Master's? You may need to email MSU, as I believe a minimum of 2.8 is required for all GPA categories.
 
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28 year old (male, if it matters), AL and/or MS resident (due to my duty station)

Applying to: Mississippi State University (MSU) and Auburn as an in state student (applying next year selection, 2017).

Degree:
- BS in Environmental Biology with a minor in Military Science
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) with concentration of Public Health Administration (Current – still working on it).

(My GPA / Recommended Avg)

Overall GPA= 3.09 / 3.61
Required math & science GPA = 3.43 / 3.5
Upper-level sciences GPA = 2.07 / 3.69
Last 45-semester hours = 2.72 / 3.7

Animal Experience:
06/23/2001 – 06/24/2001 Humane Society for 8hrs.
11/15/2014 – 11/29/2014 OG Mainz (Germany) via Schutzhund for 12hrs.
02/03/2013 – 07/25/2015 OG Schmalenbach-Lehrberg(Germany) via Schutzhund for 300hrs.
09/15/2015 – Current Florida Schutzhund club for >100hrs.

Vet Experience:
05/28/2016 – Current >2.5 hrs. (Working on this).

Employment Experience:
01/15/2012 – 05/13/2013 Flight School >3105hrs (253.8hrs of flight hours)
06/10/2013 – 08/04/2014 Assistance S-3 Operations Officer >3000hrs.
08/04/2014 – 08/15/2015 Component Repair Platoon Leader >2226hrs
08/20/2015 – Current Battalion S-4 Logistics Officer (OIC) 1640hrs.

Volunteer Experience:
04/10/2001 – 05/11/2007 Boy Scouts >700hrs.

Extracurricular:
- Red Cross: Bloodborne Pathogens Training (Current)
- Red Cross: Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterpark Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)
- Red Cross: Waterfront Skills: Valid only with Lifeguarding / First Aid / CPR / AED (Current)

Achievement
- Eagle Scout via Boy Scouts
- 2nd Place in the First LEGO league in 2002
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Pilot License for Rotorcraft Helicopter; Instrument Helicopter S-70
- 2nd Place in the military category via U.S Canine Biathlon (AMK9)
- Superior Cadet Decoration Award in 2009 (ROTC)
- Distinguished Military Student for the school year 2011.
- I have earned an assortment of Military Awards; they are listed on the VMCAS Application.

LOR:
- One from my Battalion Commander
- One from a Vet clinic (TBD)
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Germany
- One from my Schutzhund Club in Florida

Concerns: My current GPA is low at the moment, but my MPA Degree should easily adjust at or near completion. However, my science GPA will not change. Although, I am not competitive in my academics, what are my changes that my military leadership/professionalism would weight in between these two institutions? I am going to utilize my leave time to volunteer my service at nearby vet clinics to increase my vet experience/hours. Any recommendations in vet experience/exposure? And, any recommendations taking biochemistry and animal nutrition online?

Thank you.

V/R,
Graham.
I think the military experience and varied background is definitely a feather in your cap, but... I don't think it's going to be enough to fully compensate for those GPAs. Like Rocky said, many schools have minimum GPA requirements to even apply; are you sure that you meet or exceed those? Either way, though, those GPAs are going to be a massive hurdle for you, sorry to say. It's one thing to have a lower cumulative GPA but have a pronounced upper trend later on (this was the case for me), but all of your GPAs, including that last 45 hours, are quite low.

As much as we like to talk on SDN about how GPA isn't everything (and it certainly isn't), it is important and I think that there's definitely a threshold that has to be reached before experiences/recommendations/etc. really start to make the applicant's case. Vet school adcomms do need to be reasonably assured that you can make it through their curriculum (after all, that's prime tuition $$) to take the risk on admitting you. Your GPAs are really hurting you in that respect, unfortunately. If your MPA truly will help your cumulative and last 45 hours GPA, then that will likely improve your chances at schools that weigh those highly. But, as you said, that doesn't do much for the science GPA which I would argue is almost more important. Vet school is intense science classes all day long and you need to be able to prove that you can handle that.

I think your plan to volunteer at vet clinics is a good one. Definitely try your best to get at least a few hundred hours of varied experience (perhaps see if there is a large animal or equine vet nearby who wouldn't mind someone to ride along with?); I get the feeling that really beefing up your experience is going to be something that makes or breaks you with the lower GPAs. Really try to knock out the GRE as well, when the time comes for you to take it. If you can apply with scores in the 75th+ %ile in both Quant and Verbal, that will also help your case out substantially.

The military experiences sound really neat, and I'd imagine that they'd make great talking points in your interviews and personal statement. But something has to be done about those GPAs or all the talking points in the world may not make a difference.

As someone who made it into vet school with a below average GPA... I wish you the best of luck!
 
Are the GPA's you provide including the Master's? You may need to email MSU, as I believe a minimum of 2.8 is required for all GPA categories.

Rockatiel,

No, this is my first class within that degree plan. I have talked to MSU previously; as of right now, they advise me that I have a fair chance. However, each year various on the quality of the applicants. I posted my concerns because the Army is interested in my professional experiences as I can add that into the Veterinary Corps. I would love to continue to pursue this route.

Thank you.

V/R
Graham.
 
I think the military experience and varied background is definitely a feather in your cap, but... I don't think it's going to be enough to fully compensate for those GPAs. Like Rocky said, many schools have minimum GPA requirements to even apply; are you sure that you meet or exceed those? Either way, though, those GPAs are going to be a massive hurdle for you, sorry to say. It's one thing to have a lower cumulative GPA but have a pronounced upper trend later on (this was the case for me), but all of your GPAs, including that last 45 hours, are quite low.

The military experiences sound really neat, and I'd imagine that they'd make great talking points in your interviews and personal statement. But something has to be done about those GPAs or all the talking points in the world may not make a difference.

As someone who made it into vet school with a below average GPA... I wish you the best of luck!

SandstormDVM,

I will agree. I took a noise dive during my Junior and Senior year of college. It's not an excuse, but I had to devote more time towards the military than anyone at my school while balancing those long science courses. Afterwards, I learned to redefined my study habits because flight school. My days were from 0400hrs thru 2100hrs filled with pages of verbatim information CH 5, 8, and 9s; Aeromedical, Airspace, Systems, and Tactics (to name a few); physical training; and personal time. I believe I can handle challenge and stress as I continue to do so know with equal dedications.

I will continue to better my MPA to improve my GPA(s) and re-take the GRE later on. The next challenge is to find a place who wants to take me for the vet hours and knock out two courses as a non correspondence.

Thank you.

V/R
Graham.
 
21 year old, Fl resident
Applying to:
UF, Midwestern, University of Tennessee, Western(maybe), Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Purdue, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Tufts, Colorado, and Wisconsin.
I'm obviously going to narrow this list down. But these are all the schools I'm thinking of at the moment. ALSO, I'm not sure why but my schools won't show up on the app. Try web browser or a computer. Thanks!

Degree: BS in Information Systems w/ a Business Admin minor

cGPA: 3.53
Sci GPA: 3.6
Last 45: 3.7

GRE: 150V/160Q

Vet Experience:
-Shadowing veterinary surgeons: 400 hrs
-Shadowing with a shelter veterinarian: 500 hrs
-Shadowing a general practice vet: 100 hrs

Animal Experience:
-Volunteering at humane society- 800 hrs
-Volunteered on a farm- 360 hrs
-Volunteered at my local zoo- 200 hrs

Other employment/volunteer/extracurriculars:
-Apple Genius - 3,000 hrs
-Volunteered at a hospital- 300 hrs
-Volunteered at a nursing home- 100 hrs
-Biology club
-Computer Science club

LORs:
-One of the vets I shadowed consistently
-One from my upper-level science professor
-One from my computer science professor

Concerns: My core GPA. I never actually worked in the veterinary field, but I have 1000ish hours shadowing veterinarians, is this bad? Also, I have no research experience and I don't know how badly that will hurt my application.

Your GPA isn't that bad and your veterinary experience seems adequate. The biggest weakness would be lack of large animal experience, at least in my opinion.
 
I'm only applying to Davis this cycle for financial reasons. I'm disappointed with my GRE Quant score and I wanted to get some feedback on whether you guys think I'll be a competitive applicant.

California resident, female

Science GPA: 3.68
Last 45 units GPA: 4.00
Cumulative GPA: 3.76

GRE (Q/V/W):
156 (64th percentile) / 170 (99th) / 5.5 (98th)

Veterinary Experience: 1900+ hours, both paid and unpaid, mostly SA with some LA shadowing

Animal Experience: 4500+ hours, both paid and unpaid, mostly SA with some wildlife volunteering

LORs: Two vets I worked with as a veterinary assistant, a science professor, and a committee letter

Davis says their most important criteria for getting to the interview stage are science GPA, last 45 units GPA, and GRE quant. Last year their averages for admitted in-state students were: science 3.65; last 45 units 3.78; GRE quantitative 159. So as long as things don't change dramatically this year I'm in good shape GPA-wise, but I don't know how much my subpar Quant score will hurt me.

Thanks in advance!
Just bc this was missed before, I think you are just fine. Generally speaking 1 bad section on the GREs, with a very solid set of GPAs and a solid amount of experience. Not saying you are 100% guaranteed to get in, but you would be a very competitive applicant.

And not to harp on the idea of shadowing vs. working too much, but just want to add one point in. A lot of schools are interested in the quality of the experience. However, I think it's a misconception that shadowing inherently is a lower quality of experience then working. There are situations where one may be higher quality and vice versa. Yes, there may be some schools they exist that prefer work experience, but I really do feel that most are looking for quality at the end of the day.
 
1st time applicant, 24 years old, non-traditional student in Ontario and these schools are my back-ups if I cannot get into my provincial school OVC (which is doubtful!!!): UCD, Edinburgh,Ross, Glasgow, can anyone suggest the more affordable US schools or US schools you see Canadians attend typically??

Bit of a background: Very unmotivated in undergrad because I set a barrier between myself and vet school, basically convinced myself it was a pipe dream and gave up (still kicking myself for having such low self esteem). Started a very successful tack store with family members in my second year of university that has grown into an internationally known online store. Realized anything is possible if you work your a** off and don't give up. I really need to express in my PS how motivated I am and how much the experience of starting a business has influenced me, changed me, and led me back to pursuing my childhood dreams of vet school.

Started in an Equine Science degree, switched out because the program was not well run/admired into BA and graduated, almost finished getting credits for Biological Sciences degree.

cGPA: 3.0
Last 45 GPA: 3.7 was my last semester (5 courses) but could go up if I can get higher grades in my fall semester- unsure of how the 45 credit system converts for canadians
GRE (Q/V/W): Writing June 30, planning to write it again in July/August depending on score.
**I am still getting pre-requisites this fall for my applications- anyone have experiences with this hindering their applications because the marks aren't in for them till January 2017????

Veterinary:
500 hrs employed at small animal practice- ongoing
12 hrs shadowing equine vet- ongoing so I will have more hours
Starting at orthopaedic surgery small animal clinic in July

Non-Animal Experience:
4500 hrs started a business with my mom and aunt, an equestrian tack store
400 hours Royal Winter Fair Horseshow- we have had a booth for our store for 3 years
200hrs consulting a business on web design and social media
Tons of part time jobs...

Animal Experience:
50 hrs Wildlife rescue centre volunteer
Lifetime of horseback riding and competing, observing vets/farriers, working in barns and helping at horseshows sporadically
125hrs worked at equestrian facility over my christmas holidays

Extracurriculars:
Commissioned equine portait painter
College dressage team
Equine Canada rider level 6

eLORS: SA vet I work for, CEO of compony I consulted for web design, PHD candidate who taught my animal welfare seminar course

Any advice or input would be GREATLY appreciated!! THANKS! :)
 
1st time applicant, 24 years old, non-traditional student in Ontario and these schools are my back-ups if I cannot get into my provincial school OVC (which is doubtful!!!): UCD, Edinburgh,Ross, Glasgow, can anyone suggest the more affordable US schools or US schools you see Canadians attend typically??

Bit of a background: Very unmotivated in undergrad because I set a barrier between myself and vet school, basically convinced myself it was a pipe dream and gave up (still kicking myself for having such low self esteem). Started a very successful tack store with family members in my second year of university that has grown into an internationally known online store. Realized anything is possible if you work your a** off and don't give up. I really need to express in my PS how motivated I am and how much the experience of starting a business has influenced me, changed me, and led me back to pursuing my childhood dreams of vet school.

Started in an Equine Science degree, switched out because the program was not well run/admired into BA and graduated, almost finished getting credits for Biological Sciences degree.

cGPA: 3.0
Last 45 GPA: 3.7 was my last semester (5 courses) but could go up if I can get higher grades in my fall semester- unsure of how the 45 credit system converts for canadians
GRE (Q/V/W): Writing June 30, planning to write it again in July/August depending on score.
**I am still getting pre-requisites this fall for my applications- anyone have experiences with this hindering their applications because the marks aren't in for them till January 2017????

Veterinary:
500 hrs employed at small animal practice- ongoing
12 hrs shadowing equine vet- ongoing so I will have more hours
Starting at orthopaedic surgery small animal clinic in July

Non-Animal Experience:
4500 hrs started a business with my mom and aunt, an equestrian tack store
400 hours Royal Winter Fair Horseshow- we have had a booth for our store for 3 years
200hrs consulting a business on web design and social media
Tons of part time jobs...

Animal Experience:
50 hrs Wildlife rescue centre volunteer
Lifetime of horseback riding and competing, observing vets/farriers, working in barns and helping at horseshows sporadically
125hrs worked at equestrian facility over my christmas holidays

Extracurriculars:
Commissioned equine portait painter
College dressage team
Equine Canada rider level 6

eLORS: SA vet I work for, CEO of compony I consulted for web design, PHD candidate who taught my animal welfare seminar course

Any advice or input would be GREATLY appreciated!! THANKS! :)
Not quite sure on ones that Canadians apply to, but the cheapest ones for OOS are typically the ones where you can change your residency, which I am not sure (but don't think?) you can do from outside the country [in order from cheapest to most expensive]:
NC-State
Mizzou
UCD (this one is less guaranteed than the others to get residency, from what I have heard)
Ohio

Wisconsin used to be a very inexpensive vet school for OOS, but they are in the process of raising their tuition by 5k each year, for a 4-5 yr period (with the first year already done). It might work out to still being cheaper than most other OOS, if you are applying this upcoming cycle.

Other than that, I haven't stayed too up to date on vet school prices, so I am not sure on what the next few best schools would be from a price perspective
 
Just bc this was missed before, I think you are just fine. Generally speaking 1 bad section on the GREs, with a very solid set of GPAs and a solid amount of experience. Not saying you are 100% guaranteed to get in, but you would be a very competitive applicant.

And not to harp on the idea of shadowing vs. working too much, but just want to add one point in. A lot of schools are interested in the quality of the experience. However, I think it's a misconception that shadowing inherently is a lower quality of experience then working. There are situations where one may be higher quality and vice versa. Yes, there may be some schools they exist that prefer work experience, but I really do feel that most are looking for quality at the end of the day.

Thank you very much for your feedback!
 
Wisconsin used to be a very inexpensive vet school for OOS, but they are in the process of raising their tuition by 5k each year, for a 4-5 yr period (with the first year already done). It might work out to still being cheaper than most other OOS, if you are applying this upcoming cycle.

Will tuition be fixed for current students? Or will everyone's tuition go up each year they're there?
 
1st time applicant, 24 years old, non-traditional student in Ontario and these schools are my back-ups if I cannot get into my provincial school OVC (which is doubtful!!!): UCD, Edinburgh,Ross, Glasgow, can anyone suggest the more affordable US schools or US schools you see Canadians attend typically??
AVC ( Canada) accepts international students. According to the website, international tuition is between $58-66k depending on the year.
 
AVC ( Canada) accepts international students. According to the website, international tuition is between $58-66k depending on the year.

MarieKL, thanks! I have looked into AVC, but I am not allowed to apply as an Ontario resident unfortunately, I can't even apply as international as far as I know. I would have to move there for a year and gain residency first. I inquired about paying international fees and this is only for non-canadian applicants, at least the last I heard. I see your from Newfoundland, have heard of Ontario students paying international fees to attend?
 
20 yr old IL resident (undergraduate in FL but retaining IL residency)
Degree: Biology with a Chemistry minor

GPA: 3.61
Sci GPA: 3.5
Last 45: around 3.8
GRE1: 150V/150Q
GRE2: 150V/151Q
GRE3: 154V/153Q

Vet experience:
SA paid tech 1500hrs+
LA shadowing 40hrs
SA shadowing 150hrs

Animal experience:
Dog kennel 2000hrs
(was part of a large property with chickens,goats, peacocks, ducks etc I only really helped with feeding/watering)
Horseback riding 40 hrs (long time ago)
Volunteering at shelters 100hrs

Extracurriculars:
Division 2 cross country and track fresh/soph years
Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC)
Sigma chi fraternity Risk management and Vice president (tons and tons of volunteer hrs)
Leadership programs through the fraternity
Pre veterinary club

Employment:
All team staffing (concessions in college)
Lifeguard (college breaks and HS)
Swim lessons (college breaks and HS)
Manager at pizzeria (college breaks and HS)
LORs:
LA vet from IL
SA vet that I work for in FL
Committee letter
Previous employer from kennel in IL

Applying to:
U of I, UF, Auburn, Colorado state, Iowa state, Kansas state, Midwestern, Lincoln memorial, Mississippi state, Oklahoma state, NC state, Virginia-Maryland, Washington state, Ross and St. Georges. (trying to narrow it down)

Misc: I really got motivated after my sophomore year. I took 2 summer classes, stopped sports and packed my Junior year and graduated a YEAR early. I finished with a 4.0 my last semester taking 18 credits (helped my GPA a lot!). I am applying for the fall 2017 cycle and I am trying to use my year off to get more experience in different fields. I am also taking the pre-reqs for UF and a few other schools. Is this a good idea? Will this year off help or hurt my application? Should I take the GRE one more time? I am really busy with 3 summer classes and work. I'd be afraid to go back down.

What are my chances??:shrug:
Thank you for any and all input/advice!
 
20 yr old IL resident (undergraduate in FL but retaining IL residency)
Degree: Biology with a Chemistry minor

GPA: 3.61
Sci GPA: 3.5
Last 45: around 3.8
GRE1: 150V/150Q
GRE2: 150V/151Q
GRE3: 154V/153Q

Vet experience:
SA paid tech 1500hrs+
LA shadowing 40hrs
SA shadowing 150hrs

Animal experience:
Dog kennel 2000hrs
(was part of a large property with chickens,goats, peacocks, ducks etc I only really helped with feeding/watering)
Horseback riding 40 hrs (long time ago)
Volunteering at shelters 100hrs

Extracurriculars:
Division 2 cross country and track fresh/soph years
Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC)
Sigma chi fraternity Risk management and Vice president (tons and tons of volunteer hrs)
Leadership programs through the fraternity
Pre veterinary club

Employment:
All team staffing (concessions in college)
Lifeguard (college breaks and HS)
Swim lessons (college breaks and HS)
Manager at pizzeria (college breaks and HS)
LORs:
LA vet from IL
SA vet that I work for in FL
Committee letter
Previous employer from kennel in IL

Applying to:
U of I, UF, Auburn, Colorado state, Iowa state, Kansas state, Midwestern, Lincoln memorial, Mississippi state, Oklahoma state, NC state, Virginia-Maryland, Washington state, Ross and St. Georges. (trying to narrow it down)

Misc: I really got motivated after my sophomore year. I took 2 summer classes, stopped sports and packed my Junior year and graduated a YEAR early. I finished with a 4.0 my last semester taking 18 credits (helped my GPA a lot!). I am applying for the fall 2017 cycle and I am trying to use my year off to get more experience in different fields. I am also taking the pre-reqs for UF and a few other schools. Is this a good idea? Will this year off help or hurt my application? Should I take the GRE one more time? I am really busy with 3 summer classes and work. I'd be afraid to go back down.

What are my chances??:shrug:
Thank you for any and all input/advice!
Your stats look good! I would focus on getting some large animal and equine experience in there just to make yourself a bit more well rounded, but you look like you should be set up pretty well :)
 
MarieKL, thanks! I have looked into AVC, but I am not allowed to apply as an Ontario resident unfortunately, I can't even apply as international as far as I know. I would have to move there for a year and gain residency first. I inquired about paying international fees and this is only for non-canadian applicants, at least the last I heard. I see your from Newfoundland, have heard of Ontario students paying international fees to attend?


Sorry about that, I somehow missed the part where you said you were from Ontario!
I start my first year in August so I'm not sure about Canadians paying international fees. It's something I questioned too especially since this year they increased the number of international seats but not domestic.

I do know that quite a few people do move to establish residency and then apply (and are successful). It would be definitely be a less financial strain if you went that route versus international student fees.
 
MarieKL, thanks! I have looked into AVC, but I am not allowed to apply as an Ontario resident unfortunately, I can't even apply as international as far as I know. I would have to move there for a year and gain residency first. I inquired about paying international fees and this is only for non-canadian applicants, at least the last I heard. I see your from Newfoundland, have heard of Ontario students paying international fees to attend?


why not move there for a year and then apply? If you have the opportunity to pay $12k a year for tuition vs $50k+ for international schools...
 
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I'm only applying to Davis this cycle for financial reasons. I'm disappointed with my GRE Quant score and I wanted to get some feedback on whether you guys think I'll be a competitive applicant.

California resident, female

Science GPA: 3.68
Last 45 units GPA: 4.00
Cumulative GPA: 3.76

GRE (Q/V/W):
156 (64th percentile) / 170 (99th) / 5.5 (98th)

Veterinary Experience: 1900+ hours, both paid and unpaid, mostly SA with some LA shadowing

Animal Experience: 4500+ hours, both paid and unpaid, mostly SA with some wildlife volunteering

LORs: Two vets I worked with as a veterinary assistant, a science professor, and a committee letter

Davis says their most important criteria for getting to the interview stage are science GPA, last 45 units GPA, and GRE quant. Last year their averages for admitted in-state students were: science 3.65; last 45 units 3.78; GRE quantitative 159. So as long as things don't change dramatically this year I'm in good shape GPA-wise, but I don't know how much my subpar Quant score will hurt me.

Thanks in advance!

Your quant score is higher than mine and I got into 3/4 schools I applied to. The rest of your app looks fine, so I wouldn't worry about it.

LOL I thought you were saying Devastating about my grades not her name at first. I was like wow is it THAT awful?? But seriously thanks a lot for the advice guys :) What are some other options of schools looking more at the whole application? I know Colorado doesn't take a whole lot OOS also...
Not sure where you're getting that for Colorado. Most schools don't have many seats for OOS students admissions-wise, but even then CO generally accepts ~40 OOS students, and that's not including WICHE students and OOS students accepted to their combined programs.

1st time applicant, 24 years old, non-traditional student in Ontario and these schools are my back-ups if I cannot get into my provincial school OVC (which is doubtful!!!): UCD, Edinburgh,Ross, Glasgow, can anyone suggest the more affordable US schools or US schools you see Canadians attend typically??

Bit of a background: Very unmotivated in undergrad because I set a barrier between myself and vet school, basically convinced myself it was a pipe dream and gave up (still kicking myself for having such low self esteem). Started a very successful tack store with family members in my second year of university that has grown into an internationally known online store. Realized anything is possible if you work your a** off and don't give up. I really need to express in my PS how motivated I am and how much the experience of starting a business has influenced me, changed me, and led me back to pursuing my childhood dreams of vet school.

Started in an Equine Science degree, switched out because the program was not well run/admired into BA and graduated, almost finished getting credits for Biological Sciences degree.

cGPA: 3.0
Last 45 GPA: 3.7 was my last semester (5 courses) but could go up if I can get higher grades in my fall semester- unsure of how the 45 credit system converts for canadians
GRE (Q/V/W): Writing June 30, planning to write it again in July/August depending on score.
**I am still getting pre-requisites this fall for my applications- anyone have experiences with this hindering their applications because the marks aren't in for them till January 2017????

Veterinary:
500 hrs employed at small animal practice- ongoing
12 hrs shadowing equine vet- ongoing so I will have more hours
Starting at orthopaedic surgery small animal clinic in July

Non-Animal Experience:
4500 hrs started a business with my mom and aunt, an equestrian tack store
400 hours Royal Winter Fair Horseshow- we have had a booth for our store for 3 years
200hrs consulting a business on web design and social media
Tons of part time jobs...

Animal Experience:
50 hrs Wildlife rescue centre volunteer
Lifetime of horseback riding and competing, observing vets/farriers, working in barns and helping at horseshows sporadically
125hrs worked at equestrian facility over my christmas holidays

Extracurriculars:
Commissioned equine portait painter
College dressage team
Equine Canada rider level 6

eLORS: SA vet I work for, CEO of compony I consulted for web design, PHD candidate who taught my animal welfare seminar course

Any advice or input would be GREATLY appreciated!! THANKS! :)

Not sure about where Canadians tend to apply - I know things can get strange for you all since you can only apply to the school in your province, rather than to every school in Canada. I believe @Trilt is Canadian and went to NC State, but I don't know if she was a resident of Canada at the time she applied.
 
Not sure about where Canadians tend to apply - I know things can get strange for you all since you can only apply to the school in your province, rather than to every school in Canada. I believe @Trilt is Canadian and went to NC State, but I don't know if she was a resident of Canada at the time she applied.
Yeah I'm a poser Canadian who was a US permanent resident for a while, so I followed US rules. I think we actually want @Caia for this one. :)
 
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1st time applicant, 24 years old, non-traditional student in Ontario and these schools are my back-ups if I cannot get into my provincial school OVC (which is doubtful!!!): UCD, Edinburgh,Ross, Glasgow, can anyone suggest the more affordable US schools or US schools you see Canadians attend typically??

Bit of a background: Very unmotivated in undergrad because I set a barrier between myself and vet school, basically convinced myself it was a pipe dream and gave up (still kicking myself for having such low self esteem). Started a very successful tack store with family members in my second year of university that has grown into an internationally known online store. Realized anything is possible if you work your a** off and don't give up. I really need to express in my PS how motivated I am and how much the experience of starting a business has influenced me, changed me, and led me back to pursuing my childhood dreams of vet school.

Started in an Equine Science degree, switched out because the program was not well run/admired into BA and graduated, almost finished getting credits for Biological Sciences degree.

cGPA: 3.0
Last 45 GPA: 3.7 was my last semester (5 courses) but could go up if I can get higher grades in my fall semester- unsure of how the 45 credit system converts for canadians
GRE (Q/V/W): Writing June 30, planning to write it again in July/August depending on score.
**I am still getting pre-requisites this fall for my applications- anyone have experiences with this hindering their applications because the marks aren't in for them till January 2017????

Veterinary:
500 hrs employed at small animal practice- ongoing
12 hrs shadowing equine vet- ongoing so I will have more hours
Starting at orthopaedic surgery small animal clinic in July

Non-Animal Experience:
4500 hrs started a business with my mom and aunt, an equestrian tack store
400 hours Royal Winter Fair Horseshow- we have had a booth for our store for 3 years
200hrs consulting a business on web design and social media
Tons of part time jobs...

Animal Experience:
50 hrs Wildlife rescue centre volunteer
Lifetime of horseback riding and competing, observing vets/farriers, working in barns and helping at horseshows sporadically
125hrs worked at equestrian facility over my christmas holidays

Extracurriculars:
Commissioned equine portait painter
College dressage team
Equine Canada rider level 6

eLORS: SA vet I work for, CEO of compony I consulted for web design, PHD candidate who taught my animal welfare seminar course

Any advice or input would be GREATLY appreciated!! THANKS! :)

There are some US schools that won't accept international students (Mizzou and NC State, not sure if there are others) and you will be paying OOS tuition for any school as a Canadian as you can't establish residency. So I would look at tuition costs to compare schools as well as how many OOS seats they offer.

Send me a PM if you want to chat about applying to American schools.

Honestly, I would look at moving provinces as a backup plan unless you're independently wealthy because our loans won't cover international costs.

Anyway, happy to talk with you about what I did as a Canadian that applied to the US and Canada if you're interested.
 
Hello! This is my first time around these here forums. I'm a Pennsylvania resident. The schools on my "to apply to" list are currently UPenn, Ohio, Virginia-Maryland, Cornell, Washington State, University of Guelph, and Ross, but I'm not married to the list yet and need to do deeper research to make sure I have everything I need to qualify.

BS in Psychology, GPA 3.629
BS in Biology in progress, current GPA 3.41 (working on raising it after a bad first semester)

cGPA (both schools) - 3.59
Science GPA - 3.05
Last 45 GPA - 3.54

GRE Scores (new test) - 163 V, 157 Q, 5.5 AW

Vet Experience:
~2,150 hours volunteering and then working as an assistant at a mixed animal practice (my job is primarily with SA though LA is sometimes thrown in)
~130 hours hands-on volunteering at SA/exotics vet

Animal Experience
~25 hours volunteering w/ cats at shelters
~25 hours taking riding lessons (I'm on my school's equestrian team)
~40 hours conducting animal behavior research with deer mice

Other Activities
~7 years in 4-H (an Agricultural/Misc. club, a Vet Science club, and a Home Ec. club; held varying offices over time, including President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer, and Photographer)
Intern at the Arc working in a day program with adults with developmental disabilities
Intern in a mental hospital, helped design/run group therapy sessions and worked one-on-one with a specific patient

Non-Vet Work Experience
3 years as a server at a catering company
2 years as a cashier at WalMart

My main concern is my grades. When I started college initially, I did very poorly, as I didn't know how to study or anything (high school had been a breeze and I wasn't prepared for a real challenge). Unfortunately, I took some of my science prereqs then, before losing faith in myself and temporarily abandoning the idea of being a vet. Once I started getting the hang of things again, I came back to my dream and started trying to tackle my biology degree. My first semester at the new school, I broke my foot and missed a bunch of classes. I also loaded up on way more hours of work than I was prepared for. Because of that, I got a 3.06 GPA for the semester. The following semester, healed and determined, I got a 3.78. I'm hoping that, if my second year at this school continues like this, as it should, I'll redeem myself to some degree, but still, my GPA's not impressive. I'm also concerned about my non-veterinary animal experience. I'm doing more volunteer work and will be taking more riding lessons this year upcoming, but it takes a while to build up an impressive number of hours.

What do you guys think?
 
My main concern is my grades. When I started college initially, I did very poorly, as I didn't know how to study or anything (high school had been a breeze and I wasn't prepared for a real challenge). Unfortunately, I took some of my science prereqs then, before losing faith in myself and temporarily abandoning the idea of being a vet. Once I started getting the hang of things again, I came back to my dream and started trying to tackle my biology degree. My first semester at the new school, I broke my foot and missed a bunch of classes. I also loaded up on way more hours of work than I was prepared for. Because of that, I got a 3.06 GPA for the semester. The following semester, healed and determined, I got a 3.78. I'm hoping that, if my second year at this school continues like this, as it should, I'll redeem myself to some degree, but still, my GPA's not impressive. I'm also concerned about my non-veterinary animal experience. I'm doing more volunteer work and will be taking more riding lessons this year upcoming, but it takes a while to build up an impressive number of hours.

What do you guys think?

As long as you continue to work hard and show that the rough semester was an anomaly, I think you can be successful. I wouldn't worry too much about non-veterinary animal experience hours as your vet hours are good (and at least somewhat varied) and you have some solid extra-curriculars. As for school selection, I'm a bit rusty on details but you might consider schools like Kansas and Minnesota who like strong last 45. Might ditch VMRCVM as they are very heavy into grades.
 
Might ditch VMRCVM as they are very heavy into grades.

Are they really? They accepted someone I know this past cycle with a 2.8, and she had sub-par veterinary experience as well. Not sure about too many other of her details, though. It seemed to me like one of the schools that accepts lower GPAs, also based on some other accepted stats from last cycle. If they really are heavy on grades though, I'd probably take them off my own list...
 
I'm waiting to post all of my stats until after I take the GRE, but I was curious about experience hours. Reading these posts makes me a bit nervous, as I see most applicants have vet experience in the 1000+ hour range. I've calculated mine to end up in more of the 500 range by the end of the summer. Could this potentially be a problem? I have numerous experiences not directly under a veterinarian such as volunteering at several spay/neuter clinics at the vet school, volunteering on the medical team administering meds at a kitten rescue, and shadowing vets/vet students at the equine hospital for ~20 hours. I'm also working part-time at the zoo this summer as an assistant zookeeper in the children's zoo working with goats and sheep (also occasionally assisting with primates). I've maintained a 4.0 GPA thus far so I'm hoping that will hold me up in areas that are lacking.
 
I'm waiting to post all of my stats until after I take the GRE, but I was curious about experience hours. Reading these posts makes me a bit nervous, as I see most applicants have vet experience in the 1000+ hour range. I've calculated mine to end up in more of the 500 range by the end of the summer. Could this potentially be a problem? I have numerous experiences not directly under a veterinarian such as volunteering at several spay/neuter clinics at the vet school, volunteering on the medical team administering meds at a kitten rescue, and shadowing vets/vet students at the equine hospital for ~20 hours. I'm also working part-time at the zoo this summer as an assistant zookeeper in the children's zoo working with goats and sheep (also occasionally assisting with primates). I've maintained a 4.0 GPA thus far so I'm hoping that will hold me up in areas that are lacking.

are the 500 hours varied across different areas in veterinary medicine? If so, with a 4.0 and what looks to be a good deal of varied animal experience you should probably be fine with what you have. I think it also depends what those 500 hours are. From reading and talking to students/schools, it seems like admissions people would rather see someone with 500 hours with hands on experience with a variety of different types of vets over someone with 1000+ hours with no real hands on experience shadowing just a small animal vet.

If you have just gotten all of your hours from one vet, maybe try to get some other types of experience (large animal, exotics, emergency, etc). Doesn't have to be a ton of hours, but it shows you have looked into many different types of veterinary medicine.
 
are the 500 hours varied across different areas in veterinary medicine? If so, with a 4.0 and what looks to be a good deal of varied animal experience you should probably be fine with what you have. I think it also depends what those 500 hours are. From reading and talking to students/schools, it seems like admissions people would rather see someone with 500 hours with hands on experience with a variety of different types of vets over someone with 1000+ hours with no real hands on experience shadowing just a small animal vet.

If you have just gotten all of your hours from one vet, maybe try to get some other types of experience (large animal, exotics, emergency, etc). Doesn't have to be a ton of hours, but it shows you have looked into many different types of veterinary medicine.
The 500 hours are with one small animal vet. The veterinarian was really great in the aspect that she allowed me to get valuable hands on experience rather than just watching. Thank you for the advice! I will definitely start looking for some other vets in different areas. Emergency particularly interests me.
 
Are they really? They accepted someone I know this past cycle with a 2.8, and she had sub-par veterinary experience as well. Not sure about too many other of her details, though. It seemed to me like one of the schools that accepts lower GPAs, also based on some other accepted stats from last cycle. If they really are heavy on grades though, I'd probably take them off my own list...

I tend to think of VMRCVM as pretty grade heavy.
 
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