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.
