Are minors useful when applying to vet school?

[Caterpillar]

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Hi! I'm considering pursuing a minor with just two years left in my college career. I'm just wondering if it would be worth it-- aka, do minors matter to admissions committees? I don't want to be seen as purely just a science student, so I was going to pursue a minor in something like sociology, ethics, or women's studies. If I don't pursue a minor, I'm just going to take a variety of non-science classes I think I will benefit from or enjoy-- most likely a mix of sociology, ethics, and women's studies courses, as well as a personal finance course. Will an admissions committee just think I'm just another science student if I don't pursue a minor?

 

[BlackDog17]

I don't think it's necessary to have a minor, but if you intend to take a bunch of non-science classes anyway you might as well go for it. It's hard to say whether it will make much of a difference though. Some schools really prefer well rounded applicants (Tufts is definitely one, I'm sure there are others) so it might help you a little on those cases. But it won't make or break your application either way.

FWIW, I have two minors - English and Dairy Management - and I got accepted to vet school. I also got rejected from a lot of schools, so take that with a grain of salt. In reality, your other stats are way more important than what your major or minor is in.

 

[kakurubird]

I'd say just take whatever you want to take and will do well in and find interesting and if you happen to get a minor in something, then great, bit it's not something worth stressing yourself out over to get that one last class for the minor that you are actually only mildly interested in when you could be taking a different class that you are excited for.

Personally, I was a few classes away from anthropology and government minors but the other classes I'd need, I didn't find as exciting, so I didn't take them and took things I would rather take instead.

 

[Caterpillar]

I also would like to take another upper-level science class or two... But if I do, I will likely not be able to complete a minor. I suppose that I might as well just enjoy the occasional non-science course and not drive myself absolutely crazy over picking a minor before next semester.

 

[boilermaker713]

I only needed one extra class to obtain a Bio minor through my pre-vet program, so I went ahead and took it. I figured if anything, it might set my application a little apart from the hundreds of other Animal Science Bachelor Degrees 🙄 However, like BlackDog, I had both acceptances and rejections, so I don't think it had a huge weight either way.

I feel like the extra upper-level science courses would be a better choice between the two, at least in my opinion. I took some in hopes that it would prove to the committees that I could do well in graduate-level science courses.

 

[T_Rose]

I minored in a foreign language, and I also took a bunch of non-science courses of interest to me. If anything, it most likely just set me apart from other applicants and made me into more of a well-rounded applicant.

I know that if employers are down to a small group of applicants with similar qualifications for a job, something extra such as international experience can persuade them to hire one person over all the others (I've heard this straight from an employer once). I would assume it happens with vet school admissions too. A minor may just be that thing that puts you above other applicants. However, taking additional upper level courses can help as well, but they will be most helpful if you've completed the course before applying (if you are taking them to prove your ability to handle tough courses). Even if you don't pursue a minor, those non-science classes will still be visible on your transcript.

 

[equineconstant]

I don't think minors matter much. If what you're interested in is being a well rounded applicant, I think it would be more useful to take classes you want to take rather than worrying about filling your minor checklist. Thats why I didn't complete the chem minor I was one class away from (also, that would've been my second minir, which there isn't even a space for on VMCAS).

 

[StartingoverVet]

Your major doesn't matter. I doubt your minor will matter either.