Hi,
Wondering if I should take a gap year between undergrad and vet school to get more clinic experience/make money? I heard if I graduate then apply to vet school -- and in the event I don't get accepted, if I've already graduated, apparently I can't take more classes to raise my GPA.
So I guess I have two questions here:
1. Is taking a gap year between college and vet school to get experience/work a good plan?
2. If you graduate already, you cannot take additional classes at your undergrad to raise your GPA, right?
I took 3 years off between undergrad and vet school. I had wanted to go to vet school since I was a child, but when I got into undergrad and didn't do well in organic chemistry, I thought I wouldn't be able to get in. I originally was going to try to work in the equine breeding industry, but instead worked for 3 years as a small animal "technician" (Not licensed, but I performed all the tasks a tech would). I also took a few remaining prerequisites at local community colleges (to save money) and worked full time.
For me, this was the best thing I could have done. Not only did it reinforce my decision to become a vet, but I have more experience than most of my peers (and even some of the upper classmen). Having just completed my first year, my experience afforded me a great deal of confidence and allowed me to reason through some concepts/questions on exams. Additionally, I believe my wide range of experiences did help me get into vet school even with a mediocre/lower GPA (3.36). At interviews I had vast array of lessons/experiences/knowledge to share, even garnering a few wow's and awestruck looks from those who were interviewing me.
I can't speak as much for the earning money aspect. I lived away from home, and worked for about $10-12/hour so after paying rent and such, there wasn't much left. Plus planning a wedding and getting married probably didn't help much either.
😍 But different circumstances can make saving easier.
Each school varies about letting you take classes after you graduate. My undergrad allowed alums to take classes through the Extension program for a small discount if you part of the alumni assoc, but community colleges were still MUCH cheaper. You should probably just check with your school.
Hope that helps a bit. Everyone is different. For me, those three years btwn undergrad and vet school were probably the BEST thing I could have done. I came to vet school with a renewed determination, ready to seize the opportunities before me, and prove that I was better than my undergrad GPA. Plus, working for 3 years made my applicaiton stronger than it was when I graduated, so I only had to apply one cycle and got 4 acceptances. For others, the thought of taking a break in btwn school is the worst thing imaginable. It really depends on your situation and whether taking time off will enhance your application and if you can find a job.
