Applying without LA experience

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cedriccj3

cedriccj3

NCSU CVM c/o 2014
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So after a year of bothering every LA vet within a 2 hour radius, I still have zero LA experience. I plan on applying this October, and I will continue to try and get atleast some LA experience before then, but I still don't know if it will happen...especially with classes starting back up next week. I will have about 350 hours small animal, 400 hours research, 8 hours exotics, 20 hours with a neurologist, and 40 hours working with wildlife rehab by application time, so I have somewhat diverse experiences. So, should I be really worried about my lack of LA experience? Is it unheard of for people to get accepted without any LA?
 
Would it be possible for you to volunteer at an equine rescue or handicap riding facility?

While you wouldn't have large animal veterinary experience, it would help demonstrate that you have an interest in learning how to handle/be comfortable around some larger animals.
 
Yeah I know how you feel I have very few where Im around too. Im thinking about taking up some horse riding soon. But Its best to be with shelters, Ive done alot of shelter work around my area.
 
I don't know how common or uncommon it is but I didn't have any LA experience. You could start a poll or look through the successful applicants thread.

cedriccj3 said:
Is it unheard of for people to get accepted without any LA?
Click to expand...
 
Have you thought about contacting local farms or hobby farms? They might think you are crazy wanting to help out on their farm but if you offer to do it for free and explain why you want to come out they might be willing.

I have tons of equine experience but not much else. One of my horse friends has a hobby farm/petting zoo so I asked her if I could come out and help her clean, take care of animals and work on vaccination/hoof trim day. She thought I was absolutely crazy but farms can almost always use an extra hand especially when it is free 🙂 But be prepared, the work is exhausting.

It wont be vet experience but it will help you learn how to handle yourself around larger animals.
 
Well I can tell you that on both my post-mortems, they wanted me to have more LA experience.

However, I'm a kind of sub-par candidate. 3.4 GPA, 1200 GRE. And with little LA experience I came within 0.268 points of wait list, and 4.291 (out of 300, so 1.2%) points of acceptance last application cycle.

So it's doable, it just doesn't work in your favor.
 
HopefulAg said:
Well I can tell you that on both my post-mortems, they wanted me to have more LA experience.

However, I'm a kind of sub-par candidate. 3.4 GPA, 1200 GRE. And with little LA experience I came within 0.268 points of wait list, and 4.291 (out of 300, so 1.2%) points of acceptance last application cycle.

So it's doable, it just doesn't work in your favor.
Click to expand...

Where were you applying that you got these scores? Texas?
 
HopefulAg said:
However, I'm a kind of sub-par candidate. 3.4 GPA, 1200 GRE. And with little LA experience I came within 0.268 points of wait list, and 4.291 (out of 300, so 1.2%) points of acceptance last application cycle.
Click to expand...

i have heard of a points system at various schools, but i have no idea what these values mean. 🙁 out of 300 - 300 applicants or points? did they tell you how many points you needed to be wait-listed or accepted? i have only heard about the points but haven't actually seen values, so i'm trying to figure out how to interpret these values. 🙂
 
My only LA experience was from when I was a kid (until I was about 14) riding horses. And that was animal experience, not vet experience.
But I was applying to a city school versus a more agricultural-based school so that may have been a factor.
 
I've definitely noticed (on the Successful Applicants thread) that plenty of people get accepted without LA experience!

I had no LA vet experience at application - just animal experience.
 
i have heard of a points system at various schools, but i have no idea what these values mean. 🙁 out of 300 - 300 applicants or points? did they tell you how many points you needed to be wait-listed or accepted? i have only heard about the points but haven't actually seen values, so i'm trying to figure out how to interpret these values. 🙂
Click to expand...

Yes, out of 300 total points. So 0.268 points short of wait list out of 300 points (In other words, I was the very next person to be wait listed) and 4 points short of acceptance.

And they did give me my point value, but the cut off numbers change every year.


And yes this was at A&M.
 
I did fine without any LA experience, its always something that helps...but people understand that its not always easy to come by. Most schools teach you everything including LA so its ok if you dont know that much going in.
 
HandD42 said:
Have you thought about contacting local farms or hobby farms? They might think you are crazy wanting to help out on their farm but if you offer to do it for free and explain why you want to come out they might be willing.
Click to expand...

This is what I did. I just showed up on the doorstep of a local organic sheep farm one day, told them I was applying to vet school and needed LA experience and could I help. The owner was more than happy to teach me and even paid me a little bit. This is a great way to go. Don't worry about learning veterinary stuff specifically, that's what school's for. Most of the time, just being comfortable with handling and husbandry goes a LONG way.
 
HopefulAg said:
Yes, out of 300 total points. So 0.268 points short of wait list out of 300 points (In other words, I was the very next person to be wait listed) and 4 points short of acceptance.

And they did give me my point value, but the cut off numbers change every year.
Click to expand...

I wish some other schools would take A&M's example and make it more transparent like this.
 
I know the pains of not having large animal experience. My experience is mainly in small animal with some lab animal. No LA at all as I did not know of a LA vet in my area (mostly suburban). The lack of experience I think hurt my chances to get into OSU. I recently moved to Columbus to attain residency and was going to try to volunteer at the LA hospital at the school, but they don't take volunteers and so the next best thing is one day of shadowing. I may also try volunteering a wildlife hospital.
 
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