Backup Plan? Other Options....

[Robdude]

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I'm just curious what other people's thoughts are...

What is your backup plan if you can't get into vet school? Would you keep applying perpetually? How many years would you keep trying before you considered something else. And what else?

Med school? Pharmacy school? Nursing school? Become a Vet Tech? Get a Masters in some Animal-type field?

This is going to be my fourth attempt; I guess my stats are pretty sucky (3.34 GPA / 1120 GRE / Lots and lots of good work experience with animals).

I know people say it's harder to get into Vet school, but is that just the ratio of applicants to acceptances, or are the standards lower (IE - do I have a shot at med school with my stats?).

 

[david594]

This is going to be my fourth attempt; I guess my stats are pretty sucky (3.34 GPA / 1120 GRE / Lots and lots of good work experience with animals).

I know people say it's harder to get into Vet school, but is that just the ratio of applicants to acceptances, or are the standards lower (IE - do I have a shot at med school with my stats?).

Your stats aren't that bad that you shouldn't be getting in(based on the little you told us).

I think applying intelligently makes the biggest difference for someone in your place. Where did you apply in the past?

 

[nyanko]

For med school you would have to take the MCAT, so nobody knows what your chances there would be either.

What have you been doing the past 3 years that you've been applying for vet school? Maybe you're applying to the wrong schools? Have you done file reviews? Your stats aren't like, amazing, but there are people here who have gotten in with similar and lower numbers for sure.

As far as backup stuff, what area of vet med are you interested in? I would think that you would really know by now what else you would enjoy doing...

 

[Robdude]

Your stats aren't that bad that you shouldn't be getting in(based on the little you told us).

I think applying intelligently makes the biggest difference for someone in your place. Where did you apply in the past?

I totally agree; I think it's probably my own fault.

I'm from IL originally, but I really wanted to go to CSU. So, I transfered there and finished my undergraduate work (majored in Equine Sciences).

My first year, I applied to CSU only. I didn't get in.

I did an internship at a horse farm near CSU and that turned into full time work (and really, by full-time I mean like 60 hours a week for minimum wage - OUCH!). But I thought all the work experience would get me next year. Also, I really did a bad job at my interview (I was so nervous!) I figured the 2nd year I was golden.

But I applied to CSU my second year....and I didn't get in.

I went to the review session and they told me my app was 'pretty good' and my experience was 'pretty good'. The lady suggested I take more science classes. So I did.

Then I ran into more trouble....my boss still wanted me working non-stop...but they are my letters of recommendation so I was afraid to quit/cut back my hours. I took more classes but only had like a 3.5 for the year 🙁

My third attempt; I was like, 'Okay, I need to suck it up and apply to other schools'. I went with CSU, Iowa and Missouri. And I got rejected by all three 🙁

I don't know if this is a factor or not, but I did spend about a year of my undergraduate work studying abroad in Ireland.

This year, my plan is to apply to....
Auburn,
Washington,
Iowa,
Ohio
Colorado,
Missouri,
Michigan,
Dublin

I've been considering Ross and the other 'affiliate' schools or whatever they call them too. I looked at the average GPA/GRE and things like location and whether or not my fiancee would be able to find work in the area (obviously, moving to Dublin introduces a lot of potential problems, so that's kind of my last choice).

I'm taking classes now, hopefully getting all A's (but it doesn't impact my GPA much at this point) and I'm doing more work with small animals (since I have so much large animal/horse) to try and fill in any gaps.

But I'm also trying to figure out what I'm going to do if I don't get in anywhere. 🙁

 

[jtom]

What kind of vet experience do you have? You just have equine mentioned.

 

[Robdude]

Personally, unless you have really good reasons for all of those schools, I would reconsider some of them.

What about Kansas and Mississippi? They both take relatively high numbers of OOS.

Michigan is very numbers based, honestly, I doubt you'd even get to fill out their supplemental, let alone be accepted. I'm someone can give you their formula, but my GPA was 3.26ish and I had a 1220 GRE and I didn't even get to fill out the supplemental, so don't pin all your hopes on them.

Missouri (in my experience) was also very numbers based. I was rejected from them about a week after I turned in the supplemental.

ETA: Also, are you sure that CSU is classifying you as IS? Usually if you moved for school and took classes, it's much harder to gain residency. Not sure about their specific requirements, but generally you have to work full time for 12 months without taking any classes.

I went to all the US schools and tried to put together an Excel spreadsheet with whatever information they gave about # of applicants/total accepted...but then I also considered things like location and job market (for my finance).

So yeah - Michigan had the highest average GRE of any of the schools on my list (and the 2nd highest) average GPA, but it made the list because it's very near where my fiancée grew up. I really doubt I'd get in there.

Auburn had the lowest GPA/GRE combination - which is why I added it. But they only accepted 2.7% of the OOS applications they received. Pullman was next, in terms of GPA/GRE (3.54 / 1149) but had a much higher out of state acceptance rate (7.13%).

I put Dublin on the list because I thought, since I'd spent time there before, maybe that would help.

Colorado is obvious, since it's my ISS.

Iowa/Ohio/Missouri are kind of toss-ups, to be perfectly honest.

Missouri made the list because they had the highest OOS acceptance rate (at least, according to the numbers I pulled off the websites - 7.73%). But their GPA/GRE rank is second only to Michigan.

Ohio had a low GPA, but a higher GRE; and a good OOS rate.

I'll take a closer look at Mississippi and Kansas though. I don't remember why I didn't include them.

EDIT: And yeah, I'm 100% in-state student at CSU.

 

[chordy4]

Michigan is very numbers based, honestly, I doubt you'd even get to fill out their supplemental, let alone be accepted. I'm someone can give you their formula, but my GPA was 3.26ish and I had a 1220 GRE and I didn't even get to fill out the supplemental, so don't pin all your hopes on them.

While this is true, and the formula was posted at some point in last year's thread (although I'm not sure if they will change their cut-off point for this year). I didn't necessarily have the greatest stats applying (3.31 cGPA, and a pretty low science GPA which def counts in their formula, 1330? GRE)...I got invited for the supplemental, and ended up getting accepted from pretty high up on their waitlist, so I think it all just depends.

I'll try to find the formula...

 

[chordy4]

here's the link talking about MSU's formula for last year:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=674405&highlight=michigan+2014

and here is the formula re-copied:

Also, to calculate your SIS score...
take your overall gpa, divide by 4, and then multiply that by 270
take your science gpa, divide by 4, and multiply that by 320
take your last 3 semesters gpa, divide by 4, and multiply by 200
take your GRE score, divide by 1600, and multiply by 210.

Add it all up and you get your SIS score. it's out of 1000 points. I have no idea what the SIS score for admitted applicants is, but I know that to be "academically competitive" and receive a supplemental application, you have to have above a 790


Again, I don't know if that '790' cut-off will have changed this year or not..

 

[Robdude]

Maybe this is incorrect - but I took Kansas off my list because they say...

All required science courses (chemistry, physics, biology, and genetics) must have been taken within six years of the date of enrollment in the professional program.

I started college seven years ago (OMG I'm old 🙁 ) so I think that means my classes from Freshman year no longer count 🙁

 

[Robdude]

here's the link talking about MSU's formula for last year:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=674405&highlight=michigan+2014

and here is the formula re-copied:

Also, to calculate your SIS score...
take your overall gpa, divide by 4, and then multiply that by 270
take your science gpa, divide by 4, and multiply that by 320
take your last 3 semesters gpa, divide by 4, and multiply by 200
take your GRE score, divide by 1600, and multiply by 210.

Add it all up and you get your SIS score. it's out of 1000 points. I have no idea what the SIS score for admitted applicants is, but I know that to be "academically competitive" and receive a supplemental application, you have to have above a 790


Again, I don't know if that '790' cut-off will have changed this year or not..

That helps a ton. I'm under 790 by a good margin 🙁 As much as I liked the location, there is no sense wasting money on an app when I know I can't get in.

It looks like I'll drop Michigan and add Mississippi.

 

[sumstorm]

hmmm...you mention horse experience. do you have adequate vet experience? some schools also expect diversity in experience.

 

[Robdude]

hmmm...you mention horse experience. do you have adequate vet experience? some schools also expect diversity in experience.

The majority of my hours are with horses (my full-time for nearly three years); but I've also done small animals as well. I am still trying to diversify though - I'm volunteering at a spay and neuter clinic right now. Before that I've worked at a wildlife rehabilitation center and a local vet's office.

 

[futurecowvet]

Wow, its been a while since I have been on/posted. Like someone had mentioned in a previous post maybe you should consider other schools where you are closer to the average of what they accept. My stats were kind of similar to yours and I had a vast array of experience (tons and tons of SA, LA Surgery and Emergency). My first year of applying I only applied to a few schools and when I didn't get in I did a Masters. I was recently accepted to Tuskegee and I am sooo happy. I didn't know about them until my friend told me. I would add them to the list (their application isnt on the VMCAS btw), and like others have said I would add OK State, MS State, and Kansas State. Also have you thought about Western? Good luck!

 

[gone2dogs]

Maybe this is incorrect - but I took Kansas off my list because they say...

All required science courses (chemistry, physics, biology, and genetics) must have been taken within six years of the date of enrollment in the professional program.

I started college seven years ago (OMG I'm old 🙁 ) so I think that means my classes from Freshman year no longer count 🙁

I don't really have much of anything to add here (seeing as how I've been rejected from CSU twice now myself), but you might try e-mailing KSU. I have always gotten very quick responses from them and they are willing to negotiate on the time limit (at least in my case) since I work in relevant field and have taken some upper level classes more recently. I started college 16 years ago and most of my pre-reqs were taken around that time frame. So if you are otherwise interested in the school, I would definitely e-mail them! They are on my list🙂.

I'm also applying more places this year (considering 8 schools!), but hey, maybe we'll be classmates at CSU next year anyway!

Oh, and to answer your original question, I really don't know what I will do if I never get in!