What do you plan to do if you don't get in?

I'm in 3rd year right now so if I'm rejected this year I'll finish up my 4th year. Next year I'll apply to both vet and med school. If I'm rejected for both next year, I'll probably take a year off to volunteer/work. Then reapply to both vet and med again. If I still get into neither, I'd probably do a Master's. And then reapply to both after I finish my Master's.

There is literally nothing else I want to be aside from a vet or doctor .

I guess the first question would be, how important is money to you?

For me, I'm not as concerned with the money issue as much as I am concerned about will I enjoy the job or not. Because of that, "my backup plan" is going into a zoological career. Maybe something as simple as a zookeeper. I'm not saying they don't make a lot of money (starting ~$30,000) but it's definitely less than a veterinarian.

You could also go into research careers - either in the field or a lab setting. There's definitely a lot of options out there!

Keep your head up though, if veterinary school is meant to be for you, it will happen

jsp132 said:

im majoring in biology, and if I don't get into vet school.........Im really getting nervous about what the career path could be

just will be a lab tech? sigh....

should i just try to switch to something more specialized my microbiology or something

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Is there a career adviser at school you can talk to? They might be able to help you map out an alternate path. If I don't get in this year, I'll finish up my degree (I'm a 3rd year like SocialStigma) and get more experience since that's my weak spot, then if I'm still rejected the following year* I'll take the MCAT and apply to med school.

*Which is a terrifying thought and I don't even want to type it out...

Oh, I didn't even mention degrees!

What exactly are you interested in? There are many Master's programs out there that can help out. Some schools offer degrees in Veterinary Science. I know Florida has a Marine Animal Health (it may be called Aquatic Animal) program as well as a Wildlife Conservation program.

Coquette, back up plans are all terrifying! I know exactly how you feel. It's all so scary to have your whole life basically centered around getting into veterinary school then wondering all the what ifs.

This is my first round, so if I don't get in, I'll try again. My plan is to try the Caribbean route if the American schools I've applied to all give me the . If I'm rejected from Ross and SGU, I'll attempt a second round of applications (first in the states, then outside). If that fails, three rounds and done... I'm not getting any younger.

I am a Biology major (chosen primarily because it was a quick means of completing the prereqs), and, although I enjoy Bio, the past four years have made it pretty clear to me that it's not what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. Bio is interesting, but it's medicine that captivates me, you know? If nobody wants me by the third round... a part of me secretly wants to open a really fun, quirky, kid-friendly bakery and candy shop. And maybe illustrate children's books.

My parents? Will have a coronary.

I'm cool with that. I was reared amongst a herd of uber-successful Type A research chemists... I've been immersed in academia my entire life, and that game is so not me. I'm done. I do not want a master's or a doctorate. I want vet school... or I shall settle for playing with markers and frosting.

Zoo careers can bring in a lot of money. It just takes some time. I know one position I was looking at at the Georgia Aquarium paid around $16 starting - which is roughly $30,000. I also know people who work with me that make around $90,000+ a year.

I'm wanting to go into zoological medicine after veterinary school so I have researched a lot of things related to this. I also work at a zoo currently so if you have any questions regarding that, feel free to ask here or just PM me.

If you do find them, would you mind throwing up a link?

Sometimes I feel like the only pre-vetter that doesn't want to take the science or animals route if I don't get in.

It's not that I don't want to work with animals, it's just... I feel like doing so in anything other than a veterinary position would be too depressing. I'd still be active in TNR and probably volunteer at clinics and such... but I think that actually being employed in the field would leave me a miserable, unfulfilled old bat that spends every waking moment of her life thinking about what might have been.

(No, I haven't spent the past four years contemplating this in sheer terror every time some well-intentioned person* decides to inform me that vet school is darn near impossible to get into... why do you ask? )

(* And on that note, any of you prospective oral surgeons out there who happen to be lurking: this is not an appropriate- or appreciated- topic of conversation when a pre-vet patient comes in to have her wisdom teeth removed. And, you MDs? She doesn't want to hear about it while you're taking x-rays of her ankle, either. Just sayin'. )

It's the only thing I can imagine myself doing. So if I don't get in, I'll cry. Then apply again. And again. Until I go completely broke from VMCAS fees and scare the schools into letting me in.

I feel replaced!

Bahaha. I like the fun one too, though.

i'm going to stave off depression and apply again

Play nomad. Take a couple short term jobs/internships around the country. Try again.

Work as a ski lift operator out west. Then after ski season, I'm thinking I might attempt a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (or at least spend a couple of months on the trail).

Obviously I would apply again next fall, but in the meantime, I would try to enjoy having more time off as much as possible.

If I miss my first round...

I'm going to grow an intense Al Gore beard and disappear from civilization for about 3 months.
Maybe have some variety of Thoreau experience in the Smokey mountains, or try and walk the whole Appalachian trail.

Then it's back to improving the resume.

Ad infinitum.

This is my first time applying. If I don't get accepted this cycle, I'll continue to work at my current job (I've been at VMRCVM's equine hospital in Leesburg since November, working as a nurse for the inpatients and now also in the OR. Side note: I can't tell you how much I wish I started BEFORE VMCAS was due so VMRCVM's AdCom would know that! ). I'm getting great exposure and really enjoying it so I'm trying to remind myself that another year of working isn't the end of the world! I'm worried about having to retake classes if I don't get in, though. With the exception of Organic lab, none of my chemistry courses ever produced very pretty grades...

Time will tell, I suppose!

If I don't get in this cycle, I'm going to re-apply again. Though I can't decide if I will re-apply again in June 2011 or wait. I've already loaded up my course load for the Spring 2011 semester with advanced science courses to improve my next application.

For this cycle, in addition to vet schools, I've also applied to three Ph.D. programs, two in biology and one in forensic science (I'm doing a Masters in Forensic Science right now). (I want to go into forensic veterinary medicine and work with abused animals)

So if get into one of the Ph.D. programs but I don't get into vet school this cycle, I need to think seriously about what to do... either take a seat in one of the Ph.D. programs and re-apply to vet school after finishing the Ph.D. or turn down the Ph.D. and re-apply in 2011.

Ideally though, I will get in and won't have to make this decision

twelvetigers said:

I feel replaced!

Bahaha. I like the fun one too, though.

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I bumped that one. It owns.

Work and reapply. I'll be going for my LAt certification soon and I'll probably keep working in lab animal. May or may not take more classes or something. I've decided I don't want to apply to med school and I don't want to get a Masters or PhD.

.

hkt8646 said:

......
For this cycle, in addition to vet schools, I've also applied to three Ph.D. programs, two in biology and one in forensic science (I'm doing a Masters in Forensic Science right now). (I want to go into forensic veterinary medicine and work with abused animals)

........

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Forensic vet med sounds awesome. Actually, forensic med in general sounds awesome. Working on abuse cases would be heartbreaking, and yet....fascinating.

LivestockDoc said:

Forensic vet med sounds awesome. Actually, forensic med in general sounds awesome. Working on abuse cases would be heartbreaking, and yet....fascinating.

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It is really fascinating. Almost all of my volunteer experience has been with forensic vet med (for the past 4 years). We see such a broad range of problems, since the animals have been neglected or abused, which makes it often very challenging. With my graduate training in forensic science, i've been able to now help with some of the cases since i can bring in some information/knowledge the vets who deal with these cases don't have. For example, I recently was involved in an oven kitten case and helped determine that the animal was alive when it was placed in the oven and that it was in the oven for at least 60 minutes at a temperature of 500 degrees.

If I don't get into vet school and go with the Ph.D. now route, i'd continue with my current research, which deals with tracing stable isotopes in starved animals to determine the duration of the starvation event. I started this research 2.5 years ago, but there's still quite a bit of research needed in order to use it as a diagnostic tool acceptable in court.

It can be heartbreaking, but when you're working with the animals, there isn't time for emotions/feelings. And whenever people mention the heartbreaking aspect... I always tell them... I see how the animals come in but I also get to see the animals leave the hospital. There have been a few cases that have really gotten to me though and when I get home, I have to admit, I cry a little bit.

hkt8646 said:

......I recently was involved in an oven kitten case and helped determine that the animal was alive when it was placed in the oven and that it was in the oven for at least 60 minutes at a temperature of 500 degrees.

........

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OMG, that's horrifying! Stuff like that would burn me out very quickly, or turn me into a serial killer who would go after animal abusers. Hmm. That doesn't sound too bad actually.

LivestockDoc said:

OMG, that's horrifying! Stuff like that would burn me out very quickly, or turn me into a serial killer who would go after animal abusers. Hmm. That doesn't sound too bad actually.

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Sounds like a back up plan in the makinngggggg!

LivestockDoc said:

OMG, that's horrifying! Stuff like that would burn me out very quickly, or turn me into a serial killer who would go after animal abusers. Hmm. That doesn't sound too bad actually.

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Props to those who are able to do it, because I know I couldn't handle cases like that on a regular basis (even with the knowledge that I was helping bring the abusers to justice).

Dealing with the oven case alone would probably have me sitting in the corner and rocking. I don't know that I'd ever be able to stop thinking about what the last moments of that kitten's existence must have been like.

I've always been fascinated by forensics, but it only took a couple of weeks in a criminalistics course (and one late night with the- extremely graphic- text) for me to realize I'd never be able to hack it.

hkt8646 said:

For example, I recently was involved in an oven kitten case and helped determine that the animal was alive when it was placed in the oven and that it was in the oven for at least 60 minutes at a temperature of 500 degrees.

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I just read an article about this today and I was just heartbroken! Its terrible to think about that poor kitten...:cry:

Niteangel said:

I just read an article about this today and I was just heartbroken! Its terrible to think about that poor kitten...:cry:

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Was the case you read about in New York about a year or so ago? If it was, that was the case I worked on.

Luckily, the majority of the cases we get are live animals who make a full recovery and have a happy ending. But of course we do get DOA cases as well as live cases who don't make it. But so far, from my experience, we've had more successful outcomes than bad, at least at the places I have worked at.

I don't want to talk about this anymore! It makes me about want to wriggle out of my skin just thinking about it, it's so effing... TERRIBLE! Blearghhuhgggh! People! Blech!

I'll marry into money.

breenie said:

I'll marry into money.

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BAHAHA! This is still part of my plan even though I have gotten in somewhere

breenie said:

I'll marry into money.

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What a simple but, beautiful idea. Bravo.

Depending on why I didn't get in, either (a) take more classes, so that I could apply to more schools or (b) improve variety of experiences.

Not very original, I know. But hopefully none of us have to worry about it!

I'm currently enrolled in a Master of Public Health program. If I get into vet school and the school has a MPH program I'll transfer some of my credits to that. If the school doesn't have a MPH program then maybe I'll complete my degree after vet school. There are a lot of online options.

But if I don't get into vet school I'll complete my MPH degree. I'll probably continue to work at the big public shelter I work at now. Experience really isn't my problem (I have depth and breadth). I just need to continue getting As to bring up my GPA. I might take the GRE again. I rocked the math and AW but bombed the verbal section. I'd have to really look into that though because idk if I can do that well on the math again! I feel like it was a fluke.

I'm not sure how many times I'd apply to American schools before going the Caribbean route. At least two...maybe 3 times.

Chinola said:

I'm currently enrolled in a Master of Public Health program. If I get into vet school and the school has a MPH program I'll transfer some of my credits to that. If the school doesn't have a MPH program then maybe I'll complete my degree after vet school. There are a lot of online options.

But if I don't get into vet school I'll complete my MPH degree. I'll probably continue to work at the big public shelter I work at now. Experience really isn't my problem (I have depth and breadth). I just need to continue getting As to bring up my GPA. I might take the GRE again. I rocked the math and AW but bombed the verbal section. I'd have to really look into that though because idk if I can do that well on the math again! I feel like it was a fluke.

I'm not sure how many times I'd apply to American schools before going the Caribbean route. At least two...maybe 3 times.

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It's really funny. I've noticed on here that people usually either have really awesome objective scores (GPA/GRE) or really awesome experience, but rarely are people awesome in both. Just a thought.


If I don't get in, I'm going to get some more experience, definitely. Maybe do that wildlife rehab internship that I got but couldn't do because of illness. Maybe intern at a marine mammal stranding center. Try to get back in touch with the aquarium vet to get some hours there. Try try try to find a large animal vet in suburban New Jersey (having enough trouble hunting down an equine vet. Gah!) I only have limited vet hours (around 200 and I'll have about another 80-90 in the next couple of weeks. Though, I do have ~500+ in research which some schools may count as vet experience). I'm already applying to a lot of schools for this coming cycle (c/o 2916), but I'll probably add the two Caribbean schools my second go around. I may possibly move to gain residency, but I haven't decided. I'll cross that bridge if I need to

NStarz said:

It's really funny. I've noticed on here that people usually either have really awesome objective scores (GPA/GRE) or really awesome experience, but rarely are people awesome in both. Just a thought.

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I wish I had both! I have awesome experience but my objective scores aren't very good. My GPA is low and though I did well on the math I did poorly enough on the verbal that it kind of evens out my GRE score to average.

Chinola said:

I wish I had both! I have awesome experience but my objective scores aren't very good. My GPA is low and though I did well on the math I did poorly enough on the verbal that it kind of evens out my GRE score to average.

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I don't really understand why the GRE is viewed as such a predictor of future success. It doesn't strike me as terribly relevant in terms of the veterinary profession or the majority of skills utilized therein.

I'm not entirely sure where my scores put me. They're within or above the averages posted by the majority of programs I investigated, but I doubt they'd be considered standout material. I'm hoping they'll boost my application strength at Western (my post-rejection-by-CSU favorite), as my scores are a bit higher than their averages. (There are some pretty significant blemishes in my early academic record, though.)

Try, try again---get a more fun job!
I'd love to travel but pets make that more challenging
After two tries though--it's on to something else--probably back to my environmental policy career that I left for this whole vet school game

Step 1: Figure out what went wrong

Step 2: Fix it

Step 3: Get a job (even in chemical engineering if I have to)

Step 4: Reapply

Step 5: Repeat steps 1-4 if not accepted after that

I'm not sure how many times I would be up for reapplying though. I wouldn't mind working as an engineer for a while, but I couldn't do it forever... Who knows though.

I'll be applying for the first time next fall (if everything goes as currently planned, *knock on wood*) and if I don't get in... get more shadowing experience (or a paid position if I can get one somewhere), finish my animal science degree. If I don't get in a second time, I'll just keep working whatever job I have (if I'm still at PetSmart I'll start seeking a promotion lol) and getting more experience and figuring out how to make my application better, and applying a third time. And then... I might start trying to figure out what the heck one does with an animal science degree. Besides work at PetSmart (don't get me wrong, love my job and the discount it gets me but... not exactly what I had in mind as a career lol).

If I don't get in, I will be applying to a one year, non-thesis graduate program within our Animal Sciences department and reapply this year. I will also most like take the MCAT's too and apply to medical school. It just depends on what I was lacking on my application that I would need to work on.