Going for pre-vet after first bachelor's

[wyattsmommy]

Hi, I am new to this site but have found so many of these posts interesting and helpful. I am looking for some advice and comments on my personal situation. I graduate this May with my bachelor's degree in business administration. I have wanted to be a veterinarian my entire life and recently just decided I need to pursue what I really have a passion and adoration for, vet med. So, I have decided to transfer to a different university and get my next bachelor's in Equine Science with the pre-vet emphasis. Will my gpa from my business degree hurt my chances at getting in to vet school (gpa of 2.8)? I have had some life changing things happen to me during my undergrad such as getting married, my husband being deployed to Iraq for 22 months, buying a house, and having a baby. I plan on doing whatever it takes to get high grades in the next two years with my second bachelor's. Do I have a chance with my situation? Any advice! Also, I just got into a vet clinic for experience. Is there anything I should do now to better my chances when I apply to vet schools in two years?

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[Ben and Me]

Yes, your grades from your 1st degree will count, but vet schools also tend to emphasize your pre-req grades and your last 45 hour grades, so if you really shine in those two areas, you can make up for a lot...and another 2 years gives you some time to pull up your overall GPA as well.

I think having a business degree would be a huge asset to a vet--I'd really make sure to emphasize your business expertise during interviews and in your personal statement to help you stand out and show that you know that successful vets are those that know how to run a business, not necessarily those that practice the best medicine (obviously you want to do that too!)

Also try to get diverse, in depth experience in a variety of fields (small, large, equine, zoo, research, etc).

 

[nyanko]

Your grades from your first degree will count towards your cumulative GPA, but if you can get a high average in the prerequisite courses and take some others along with them (you don't necessarily NEED to get a second bachelors, as long as you get all the prereqs for the schools you're interested in) for the last 45 hours GPA, schools will definitely notice that as well. Getting a well above average score on your GRE will also help.

 

[david594]

. I plan on doing whatever it takes to get high grades in the next two years with my second bachelor's. Do I have a chance with my situation? Any advice! Also, I just got into a vet clinic for experience. Is there anything I should do now to better my chances when I apply to vet schools in two years?

You should start registering for summer classes and applying to become a second bachelors student.

I was pretty much in your shoes 2 years ago. I graduated in 07 with a degree in computer science and a 2.98 cumulative GPA. Assuming you didn't do any of your major pre-reqs during your undergrad, you could easily be looking at another 5 semesters to finish up your pre-reqs. And for the sake of GPA recovery you will need a good 45+ credits to bring your gpa up out of the "Do not pass go, do not read, straight to paper shredder pile" for most schools.

For specific advice we would really need to know what science and math classes you have taken, and what your GPA has been like on a semester by semester basis.