Advice to get into Tufts DVM Program

[Aliwishes]

Hi!

I am new here and have read many of your postings and they've been extremely helpful.

I have a more specific question so thought I can start a new thread.

I want to ask the current people who have been accepted to Tufts (Congratulations!!!) , what their qualifications were, such as GPA, GRE scores and how much experience with animals did they have. Does Tufts have a set number of in-state and out-of-state acceptances? How many students do they accept per year? thanks.

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[kate_g]

To start you off, here are the stats Tufts published for the past couple classes: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/admissions/profiles.html It says how many MA residents were in each class, but not whether they reserved a specific number of seats.

 

[eaglemeag]

I want to ask the current people who have been accepted to Tufts (Congratulations!!!) , what their qualifications were, such as GPA, GRE scores and how much experience with animals did they have

I was just selected a few weeks ago from the out-of-state alternate list. I was a long-shot to begin with (my stats are low compared to past classes) so I think I'm really lucky!

I just graduated from a small public liberal arts college with a b.s. in biology, 3.5 GPA, 1290 GRE (+5.5 analytical). I had over 1200 hours of experience (during summers) in a practice that saw small animals, exotics, and wildlife. I volunteered several summers ago at an emergency clinic. I also went down to Slidell, LA after Katrina and worked as a convergent volunteer for Noah's Wish... then in February became a trained volunteer for them. I was a Resident Assistant during the past two school years, a member of Beta Beta Beta (bio honors society), and a member of a school club whose focus was to educate on animal rescue.

If I had to do over again, I would've gotten more large animal experience (I had NONE! Learn from my mistake!), done more shelter work, and done some more specifically exotic and/or wildlife work. I also wish I'd been more involved in research at my school, because now I'm learning that it would've helped me a lot.

For what it's worth, I thought I had killer cool essays for my application and a really great interview. One of my interviewers even whipped out one of my essays, quoted a passage, complimented me on it, and then asked me to elaborate. I don't know how much those aspects are weighed compared to objective stats, but obviously they can really help your admission status.

Also... they don't advertise this, but I found out right before I got in that applicants are allowed to submit extra qualifications after all is said and done. Meaning that if you do something really cool after your interview or after you've been wait-listed, you can tell them about it for extra consideration during the admissions process. A few days before the April 15 deadline, I learned this and sent an email about my Noah's Wish training and attendance in a class on body condition scoring (in terms of animal abuse/negligence). I was picked from the first round of alternate selection a week later, so it definitely helped.

Good luck!

 

[Brighton]

I applied to Tufts twice before I got in. I applied to seven or so schools this time around and only was accepted there.

I had a GPA of 3.34, 1340 on GRE (they really stress this if your GPA isn't stellar and I increased it 150 points after my first rejection), a summer in a small animal clinic (less than 10 hrs per week) and about 200 arduous hours with a large animal vet riding around the state. I've also been a Junior Zookeeper, volunteered a with a feral spay program for two weekend days, have ridden for 15 years, and took a dairy cow immersion class for my last two semesters at UNH. After being rejected I took a job at Mass General Hospital working as a lab animal tech (basically cleaning cages and doing health stuff). Two of my recommendations were from Tufts alumni and I attended their Adventures in Veterinary Medicine program twice.

I personally recommend going to their rejection interview on campus if you don't get in. They said once that they will not consider you "serious" if you don't do this. It's really nice and laid back, not scary at ALL. I also made my essay a little different, too, on the advice of a girl who's a 4th year right now. I made it a story of where I'd be 10 years after graduating (a typical day of Mary on the road as a large animal vet in KY). They REALLY liked the change from the typical "I wanna be a vet because I'm so awesome and this is why." My other essay stressed my experience with all the facets and possibilities of veterinary medicine.

Also, a woman who used to do interviews for a living told me to be super cheery and friendly when interviewing to make yourself stand out. They do give you blurbs on your interviewers before you go in. I had already met one of mine at AVM. It is an AMAZING program that will really give you a boost if you can do it at some point.

Good luck and don't get downhearted if you don't get in the first or second time! I thought for sure I wasn't getting in and here I am, V'10!

(Just a little publicity for my favorite hotel in the area- The Westborough Inn is FABULOUS if you're looking for a place to stay overnight while visiting. They remembered me an entire year later! They have a DVD library with living room and full kitchen with FOOD that's open all the time. It's really quiet, too.)

 

[holdencaulfield]

I'm starting at Tufts this fall... I got in with a 3.96 gpa and 1400 GRE. I've worked as a tech in a small animal hospital for the past 3 years and had 1 season of foal sitting to give me some large animal experience. I also did a short program with marine mammals at Sea World because that's something I'm interested in pursuing...I didn't think it was a big deal but my one interviewer at Tufts was really interested in it. My interview was okay-- they really try to emphasize that is is laid-back. I also did the AVM program, which made me really fall in love with Tufts. I included a letter in my application explaining why Tufts was my first choice. Tufts is really proud of its signature programs and I think if you can emphasize an interest in some of those (of course, don't fake/force it- that'll be obvious) that's a good step.

 

[PAThbrd]

I was accepted at Tufts this time around... my stats:

GPA: 4.0
Major: Equine Science (BS) with minors in Biology and Chemistry, graduated last weekend
GRE: 560V 780Q 5.5A (was not happy with my verbal but didn't take it again because my other scores turned out very well)
Vet Experience: 800 hours as a tech at a large equine-exclusive hospital (including two foaling seasons), 400 hours as summer manager of a small animal (non-emergency) clinic
Other Animal Experience: ~1600 hours raising Seeing Eye puppies, ~6000 hours working at various horse farms, ~600 hours driving horse-drawn carriages, and there may have been some other misc. hours in there
Research: Equine palatability trial comparing feed topdressed with hemp seed oil versus rice bran oil

The interview was super super laid back, the interviewers talked more about themselves than I did. It was like "Oh, I see you like to ski" (interviewer), "Yes, Im actually going skiing over spring break in a couple weeks" (me), "Let me tell you about this time my brother and I went skiing...20 minute story" (interviewer) and that was pretty much my interview... lol!

For their application, they allow you to attach stuff thats not included on the application. I wrote out all my extracurriculars with an explanation and every single honor/award since high school and attached it (I pretty much just copied it from the VMCAS and made it prettier). I included explanations of things that were just listed on their application form, too. I also included bits and pieces of my research proposal, because the research was ongoing at that time. Basically anything you've done, even if it may seem insignificant, include it! It cant hurt you (same goes for VMCAS apps).

I think they accept 40 in-state and 40 out-of-state students, Im not sure.

I turned my acceptance down (actually decided I wasn't going to go there even before I was accepted) because I was not impressed with the large and small animal hospitals and the lack of clients that were there when I visited. Also, I have heard that they have been having difficulty building a big enough caseload to support their equine sports medicine program. That could be wrong but with the option of attending UPenn with their gigantic LA caseload out at the New Bolton Center, it was a no-brainer for me. It's a nice school, though, just not the one for me!

Best of luck!

 

[Miranda]

Tufts accepts 40 Mass residents, and 40 out-of-staters. There are limited contracts, I think maybe 1 with Maine, and 1 with New Jersey.

I was waitlisted twice at Tufts before being accepted on my third try. I am a Mass resident.

My application was:
640V, 780Q, 5.5 writing GRE
3.12 GPA (obviously my application limiting factor, but it was from a highly ranked liberal arts college, and Tufts said they take that into account)
4 years working as a zookeeper for Zoo New England, who runs Masschusett's two AZA accredited zoos.
1 year working as a technician in AAHA accredited small animal hospital
I also took relevant courses at Harvard and through UMass over the years since graduating, and had a 4.0 for that work.
I also have a *load* of animal care/veterinary internships while I was an undergrad (wildlife rehab in FL, marine mammal work in HI, research and rehab internships at New England Aquarium)
I went overboard with letters of recommendation (they accumulate through the years) including one from one of the Anatomy professors who is a friend of my father's.

If I could do it again.... I would have gained more research experienc as an undergrad. I would have done an MPH in the years in between, or I would have gotten a master's in field biology as that is my other passion.

They are super nice at Tufts admissions, give them a call and ask about your application. I was certainly against the odds with my low GPA, but I made it! Just be persistent!! (And, I also managed to get myself into Kansas, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Murdoch, and Massey)

Good luck!!
Miranda

 

[Aliwishes]

Thank you all for all your quick responses and great advice. Tufts is one of my top choices and I wanted all the tips and advice I can get to getting accepted. Everyone has been extremely helpful, thanks a lot. There are many things I gotta start working on but i am sure that it will work out. thanks again.

~Aliwishes