Deferring Vet School Admission?

[catnips]

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Hey everyone-
I am new here, so if this has been asked before I am sorry, but I haven't seen it being asked for vet school.

I am planning to apply to vet schools next year. If I was to get in (fingers crossed) I was wondering if I can defer that for a year? I am not planning to apply to other places and see if I can get in somewhere better (anywhere I apply, if I get in, I'll go), but just for the purpose of starting a year later. (to stay with my boyfriend through his masters and wait for him to finish) because if not, he will have to apply a year after and lose a year...

So do you guys know if we can defer? I am especially interested in Tufts, Cornell, UPENN, Virginia Tech and Tuskegee.

Thank you!

 

[NStarz]

Why not just apply the year you are planning on attending?

 

[catnips]

Yeah, that was the original plan. But, I have a pretty well-paying job offer for when I graduate that I want to take. (saving money for vet school!) But I will take that only if I know that I am in vet school for the year after. Because the job is not veterinary related.

If not, I will keep on getting animal/veterinary experiences to make my application stronger...

 

[Frozenshades]

Depends on the school how strict they are, but many won't let you defer without a pretty important reason such as a medical or family emergency. Usually deferment is something that just happens, not planned for.

Sorry, but NStarz is right; you probably shouldn't apply with no intention to start that year.

 

[hellokitty89]

Apply the year that you are certain you will matriculate. Let someone who is ready to start school, take that seat next year.

 

[catnips]

Yeah, I think I better just go with that...
Thanks!

 

[Emiloo4]

Or have a long distance relationship for a year. A lot of people "leave" their husbands/wives for four years. Just another angle for you to think about.
Also, I worked 2 years before I applied at a non veterinary related position. Do you have a variety of hours already?

 

[StartingoverVet]

FWIW, it is really easy to defer at Penn (in fact they "recommended" it to me as an option to gain in-state residency).

You don't really need a good reason..

So, maybe you can try just Penn.

 

[LetItSnow]

Apply the year that you are certain you will matriculate. Let someone who is ready to start school, take that seat next year.

I don't think this is a really big deal. Schools aren't about to let a seat go unused, in general. Shoot, we had two people defer in the first week of school and both their seats were filled.

 

[canis13]

I got chewed out when I asked this question a couple years ago, basically insinuating that I was a terrible person for even considering it. But I've since come to find out that at Tufts at least, it's not a big deal. Although I wouldn't necessarily count on them letting you defer, either.

 

[cvanthof]

I got chewed out when I asked this question a couple years ago, basically insinuating that I was a terrible person for even considering it. But I've since come to find out that at Tufts at least, it's not a big deal. Although I wouldn't necessarily count on them letting you defer, either.

I had a similar experience when I asked this question a couple months ago. Having talked to Tufts, Cornell, and UF about it, I know that you can usually defer at Tufts (after some convincing), Cornell takes a lot more convincing but is doable, and UF is a big fat NO, unless you have medical or family issues.

 

[Emiloo4]

UF is a big fat NO, unless you have medical or family issues.

 

[hedgehogcatcher]

...

 

[MassDVMMPH]

Depends on the school how strict they are, but many won't let you defer without a pretty important reason such as a medical or family emergency. Usually deferment is something that just happens, not planned for.

Sorry, but NStarz is right; you probably shouldn't apply with no intention to start that year.

My cousin deferred medical school at UPenn for a year so he could spend that time playing hockey in Germany (he wanted to have one year of fun before buckling down for the rest of his life) and they didn't have a problem with it at all - I don't see why veterinary schools would think they were so different.

 

[that redhead]

What's the kind of timeline for asking to deferr? Can I do so a few months in advance to starting (May-ish) or what..?
I'm asking because I already applied for vet school for class of 2018 but now I realized financially and medically may need more than a few months to get back to 100% so I can do well in vet school...
I don't want to jeopardize my position/delay in case I'm good to go by fall, and I don't want to have to apply again if I'm not.

I would ask the school about it as soon as possible - are you sure they will permit you to defer at all?

 

[hedgehogcatcher]

...

 

[that redhead]

I don't know, but if they do allow it I would like to make it an option, and to make it as easy as possible. If they don't allow it I'll figure it out, depending on the situation.

The first thing you need to do is contact them immediately and ask if it is an option at all. If it is an option, then you have plenty of time to work out what needs to be done; if not, you'll have even more time to make a decision to reject the acceptance or get your ducks in a row and attend in the fall. In general, the more time you have, the easier it will be on everyone.

 

[LetItSnow]

Yeah, that was the original plan. But, I have a pretty well-paying job offer for when I graduate that I want to take. (saving money for vet school!) But I will take that only if I know that I am in vet school for the year after. Because the job is not veterinary related.

If not, I will keep on getting animal/veterinary experiences to make my application stronger...

If I were you, I'd take the better paying job. You can get more vet experience in other ways (shadowing, whatever). The more money you can make now the less impact loans has on your future.

Apply the year that you are certain you will matriculate. Let someone who is ready to start school, take that seat next year.

I get what you are saying, but believe me, the schools will fill their seats. Having someone apply, get accepted, and then defer is not going to keep someone else from getting that seat that year. Shoot, my class added someone a full week or week and a half after classes had started when someone ended up having to defer.