Older student - Career indecision?!

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
eep29

eep29

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2007
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
Members do not see this ad.
Hey Everyone,
I need some encouragement, and a healthy dose of reality 🙂 I'm currently 28, and I considered vet met about 4 years ago, and decided not to go that path.... but here I am again, seriously contemplating it.

I don't want to say "what if?" but I know if I choose to try for vet school, I have a very long and tough road ahead of me. I currently am enrolled in a masters of public administration program, and have about another year before I finish it. I definately want to finish it, and then start my prereq's - which I have to take all of them. That I'm thinking would take me a solid 2 years because I can't go full time as I work full time. That puts me at... applying when I'm 31, 3 years from now.

Also, my GPA sucks because of my poor attitude in college, and I'll have to nail all A's from here on out, if I have a hope of being considered. (I think my gpa currently is a 2.5 or so)

I have no experience yet with animals but I've conacted a few places, and one vets office said they couldn'tt let me volunteer, but after seeing my resume, she let me know that they were hiring for vet assistants and she hoped that was something I would be interested in. I also heard back from a wildlife rehab hospital who said I could work with one of their rehabbers. So I've gotten positive experience on that front.

All this to say, am I absolutely out of my mind?! I really feel like it!! Do I even stand a chance? Part of me thinks everything is stacked against me, and yet, I have to pick the most difficult course to take. Or it's like being in a department store - I invariably always pick the most expensive thing on the shelf!

Can someone who is currently in my situation or been there please reply? I'm the type to be very intense when deciding on something so big - it's all I can focus on right now- and I just think hearing from others would help.

Thanks a lot.
 
there are several of us applying in our 30s (i'm 32). when i was 22, i finished with a b.s. in biology (organismal), ran a petstore for year, worked at a consulting firm for another year, and then a path/micro/tox lab for four. because i didn't want to get stuck in a lab forever, i went and earned an m.a. in english (a subject i excel at). when i excelled a lot, i went and enrolled in a ph.d. program at purdue. i'm writing my dissertation at present, while taking first-year veterinary classes at purdue. some of the vet schools refuse to take me seriously because of my 'liberal arts' background (and liberal is a dirty word in the midwest to begin with). but i'm fighting my way in. and so can you. along with my ph.d. classes, i took biochem and organic 2 before working my way into vet neuroscience, neuroanatomy, histology, and pharmacology. if you really want to do it, you can do it. you just need to find a school that will allow you to continue to be the diverse person that you are 😛

update as of five minutes ago: for me, i guess it's western!
 
I absolutely agree with twosoakers. I'm 36 (gulp) and will be starting at CO this fall. In some ways I was even further behind than you. At 19 I dropped out of college after a year (with around a 2.7 GPA and a D in biology - my only science course). At 33 I decided I was tired of doing something I was good at but didn't enjoy - I had been working as a paralegal for years. I basically started from scratch. Retook biology first with an A and the rest is history as they say. Start building that experience and concentrate on building up that GPA. An MPA can only help as a unique quality. Your going to be 31 either way. Why not be 31 and entering a field you find fulfilling, rather than working in a field that it sounds like it is a second choice.
 
eep, i'm not in your shoes, but maybe just hearing other people thinking out loud will help you?

if its going to take you three years before you can even apply, you have plenty of time to think about it. definitely take those experiences you mentioned and they will also help you decide. vary the experiences each year, and if you find you love each one more than the last, then you're definitely on the right track! if after several animal jobs and science courses you find yourself burning out and falling out of love with it, then you'll know it ain't worth it. you'll have "wasted" a couple years in random jobs and extra course work but in exchange for never having to wonder "what if?" it's win/win 🙂

and print out the last sentence of 4theanimals' post, blow it up to poster size, and put one in every room of your home.
 
There are certainly many people who go to a post-bac program to take their required courses. Worth noting: At some schools you can actually petition to have grades from x number of years ago not considered, for example at Illinois. Seek out these schools, get good grades on your pre-reqs, gain some varied experience, and you're in 🙂
 
I think what everybody said here is great. Of course in the end its up to you and what you are physically up for. Of course you are going to have to take courses and or possibly do a masters program or a post-bac program (only becasue a lot of schools dont look at science courses older then 6 yrs, which can be a benefit sometimes.) While doing that you will be working some place wonderful, its sounds like there are lots of people willing to give you a shot with animal occupations which is always enjoyable and great!

I say go through the courses, build up your GPA and get as much experience as possible in a variety of things that interest you.

My story is, I'm 25 (not as old as some and not as young as others). I graduate undergrad with a 2.73 (and some bad first year science grades). I worked for a year in lab animal and took some courses, then went off to get a masters which I am currently completing this may. I wouldnt have made it through the masters and performed well in the courses is I hadnt taken that year off. Sometimes time is what we need in order to realize what we really want is worth the effort. (I know thats what I needed. I knew that if I went to vet school right after undergrad I probably would have failed out.) So now for the good part, after all the work and effort, I am going to vet school next year and that makes all the difference.

I would say if this is what you know you will enjoy doing then its worth the time and effort and sanity, but only you can make yourself do the work and put the time in. The age isnt an issue, no you arent crazy they will still take you because you have a real desire to be in the field, the new GPA, and new fresh experience. Also, its very personal choice for everybody, especially those who want to start a family or already have kids, but thats for another forum that's already in motion. By the way, what state are you from? I suggest applying to multiple schools and pick them wisely. All you need is one school, just one to say I want that person to come here next year.

Good luck with your decision and your new career goals. I hope you get in.
 
Everyone has given great advice, thank you all so much! The person that said you'll be 31 either way is right.

I'm very interested to know which schools don't look at grades after a certain number of years.. I graduated in '01 and wouldn't be applying til...'09 so that would be helpful if I could cx some of those early grades to boost my GPA.

Does it say on websites? Or is that a question to ask the school directly?

Also...
twosoakers said:
. if you really want to do it, you can do it. you just need to find a school that will allow you to continue to be the diverse person that you are 😛

update as of five minutes ago: for me, i guess it's western!
Click to expand...

That's fantastic!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS 🙂
 
eep29 said:
I'm very interested to know which schools don't look at grades after a certain number of years.. I graduated in '01 and wouldn't be applying til...'09 so that would be helpful if I could cx some of those early grades to boost my GPA.

Does it say on websites? Or is that a question to ask the school directly?
/QUOTE]

From Illinois's admissions brochure:

http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/cvm/asa/brochure/03.html

Petition to Ignore Academic Record Completed over six years ago (Optional)

The Admissions Advisory Committee recognizes that an academic record completed over six years ago may not appropriately reflect the current academic abilities of the applicant. Applicants who completed a BS/BA degree (or higher) prior to the Fall 2000 Semester may petition to have all course work completed prior to that time ignored in the admission decision process. To be eligible for consideration for admission, the applicant must meet or exceed the requirements of Plan B. You must provide an explanation for why the course work completed prior to Fall 2000 Semester should be ignored.

If you wish to petition the Admission Advisory Committee to ignore all course work completed prior to six years ago, you will have to complete a form in the Supplemental Application that the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine requires for the admission application process.

Please contact our office if you have any questions regarding this information by e-mailing us at [email protected].


So by the time you apply it will be over 6 years, so just give an explanation for why you had poor grades and they won't even consider them 🙂 I remember there actually being a section for this on their supplemental application, so you don't even have to ask.
Click to expand...
 
OSU does it after 10 years, so thats not really applicable to you I suppose. I would call around, though some may not post it they will tell you if you call/ask the admissions person for the school.
 
ri23 said:
OSU does it after 10 years, so thats not really applicable to you I suppose. I would call around, though some may not post it they will tell you if you call/ask the admissions person for the school.
Click to expand...

That's helpful - it will pertain to me by the time I apply. My freshman year of classes was 97-98 so by the time I apply it will be '09. I'll call around for sure.

Thanks!
 
i'm also 28 just going into vet school. before, i lived the glamorous life of a hollywood screenwriter, but it wasn't for me. in my experience, your varied background only makes you more interesting to adcoms in the long run. my practical advice: ease in the to pre-reqs and spend a lot of time working in the field at the vet asst position and rehabber you mentioned to make sure the "work" is what you really want to do and not just a field you're attracted to. then you can dive in real hard to the pre-reqs and extra experience once you're sure it's definitely for you. if you're very motivated, your pre-req GPA will help cover up the old GPA and they'll know that you are serious about wanting to go into vet med.
 
I agree with the folks who posted previously - take the prereqs, get the experience, and then you'll know if it's the right path for you. 31 is NOT old (and I'm not just saying that because I'm about to turn 33 next month 😉 ) If you look at different schools' websites, a lot of them have 1st-year class data and you'll see the mean age is usually mid-20's with the oldest student often in their 40's!
 
another older student chiming in.... i agree with everything said above. just to add, don't worry about your age at all! what else would you be doing with your 30's instead? look at it as the beginning of the rest of your life. what i say to myself when i start focusing on being 10 years "behind" in the process - "just stay healthy enough to live 10 years longer than expected!"

best of luck!! 🙂
 
From someone who is going to be turning 36 and is a second year vet student, don't let fear and age hamper you from doing what you want. I have several friends who are in the 30s and 40s and IN VET SCHOOL. It can be done.

Great advices from the posts. Expose yourself to the veterinary field. Work with veterinarians and see what the day in and out is like. I had to clean a lot of cages in the beginning, but I was where the action was.

And as some of my profs tell me, they like older students. We are more sane and see the world in a less frazzled state of mind. :laugh:
 
agree with everyone's posts. I'm 35 (does that mean I'm officially mid-30's?😛). At 33 I quit a lucrative 10+ yr marketing career because I realized the best hours of my week were spent volunteering at my local spca.

So, I went back to school for 2 yrs to fulfill prereqs, talked to as many schools as I could (ask for their opinions, I have found generally that folks really want to help and can steer in the right direction) beefed up the old old transcripts, work at an emergency hospital as a tech, volunteered at my local spca, wildlife rehab hospital (any animal health nonprofit would be great as long as you can get time with a vet for the important recco), etc. etc.

I was accepted this year into vet school, I won't graduate until I'm almost 40. And I couldn't be happier. My smile will just have a few more wrinkles. :laugh: If you want it, try it. I wish you the best of luck!
 
Definitely go for it. Work on getting the grades and veterinary experience. You can apply before you have all of your prerequisites, but each school is different regarding the number of classes that you can have outstanding. Plus, from what I have read (and it makes sense), the more classes you have under you belt when you apply, the better.

I just turned 36 and have wanted to be a vet all my life, it just didn't work out that way. I haved tons of rescue/volunteer experience, quite a bit of horse experience, although most of it not under the supervision of a vet. Most of my really good horse experience was when I was younger. Now it is more personal pet experience (horse and 2 dogs), which is counted differently from veterinary experience on the applications. Actually, I don't think you are supposed to include personal pet experience, but I am not sure as I haven't filled out an application yet.

I have a lucrative career in the computer field, but it isn't fulfilling. I want to pursue my dream. Everyone things I am crazy to quit a job and go back to school full-time to come out probably $200k in debt and making far less than I do now, but hey, you have to love what you do, right? My compromise - I am keeping the job for now because I have bills to pay and am trying to keep loans to a minimum for now, knowing I will incur enough in vet school. I am taking my science courses at night. I am trying to figure out if I can get enough done to apply this fall without killing myself, but I may need to wait another year to apply. I would love to quit my job right now, but I have a mortgage, etc and am doing this on my own.

I am also shadowing at a local SA hospital and will look to shadow somewhere else (in addition to the SA hospital) this summer. I am going to try to shadow at an emergency clinic and with a LA vet. This way I can get the veterinary experience hours in while still working ft and going to school. My GPA is 3.9+ (BSIT) but I still have quite a few sciences to take. I plan on taking the GREs this summer...hopefully before the format change.

I will get there - hopefully sooner rather than later. You will, too, if that is what you really want.
 
Sorry - my response posted twice so I am deleting this one.
 
horselvr,
I'm in the same boat as eep29. Even though it can get discouraging at times, I think you should follow your heart. (I know that sounds corny). It might take us older kids awhile to get where we want to be, but at least you will be happy.
 
thomphea said:
horselvr,
I'm in the same boat as eep29. Even though it can get discouraging at times, I think you should follow your heart. (I know that sounds corny). It might take us older kids awhile to get where we want to be, but at least you will be happy.
Click to expand...


Hey, at least we finally know what we want to be when we grow up, right? 😀
 
I agree with you 100%!! I'm 37 and I will be starting Vet-med in the fall. It's never too late to fulfull your dreams!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
how to get a career in biomedical research
Replies
8
Views
344
PrincessButterCup
PrincessButterCup
K
Student Loans
Replies
30
Views
2K
DVM882029
D
BigBang1234
Tuition Loans for International Student
Replies
7
Views
627
BigBang1234
BigBang1234
M
  • Locked
Why do you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine?
Replies
3
Views
858
ThunderMuffin
T
J
Student Loans & Department of Education Changes
Replies
2
Views
633
DVM882029
D
Top