Has anyone contracted 'Pre Vet Advising' (Joe Piekunka) for app assistance?

[Lab Vet]

Hi folks,

Just curious if anyone here on SDN has contracted Joseph Piekunka (CEO of 'Pre Vet Advising [http://www.prevetadvising.com/,]' former Director of Admissions for Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine) for assistance with their applications?

I actually met Joe Piekunka half an age ago while I was an undergraduate at Rutgers University, Cook College (now the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences). He was very knowledgeable, and very helpful regarding the admissions process, and what folks on the committee are generally looking for in an applicant.

I'm considering contracting Piekunka for next year's admissions cycle, and was curious if any of you had feedback (positive or negative) on his services? I highly recommend his book 'Get into Veterinary School: Insight by an Admissions Expert.(LuLu press, 2007)' He gives good advice for the full spectrum of veterinary school applicants (trad and non-trad, even high school), and doesn't mince words regarding the selection process and competition. I'm all for honesty.

Thanks for your feedback! I'm lovin' SDN

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[WhtsThFrequency]

Seems a wee bit pricey for me. You could probably glean almost equivalent info from looking through many of the threads of this board for free, TBH.

 

[Dsmoody23]

I did read his book and wasn't especially impressed. It seemed like it was written to inform pre-vets how to gain admission to the Joseph Piekunka School of Vet. Med... but wouldn't really help you get in anywhere else.

Then I looked at his 1995 website and decided that our relationship was doomed from the start.

The information on this site is more current, better organized and infinitely more useful than anything I found in his material.

And it's free.

 

[Alhazred]

Who makes a website in 8 point font?

 

[breenie]

Then I looked at his 1995 website and decided that our relationship was doomed from the start

I'd date it as more like early 2001!

 

[Minnerbelle]

It seemed like it was written to inform pre-vets how to gain admission to the Joseph Piekunka School of Vet. Med... but wouldn't really help you get in anywhere else.

Now I'm curious, so how does one get into Joseph Piekunka School of Vet Med?

 

[LetItSnow]

Now I'm curious, so how does one get into Joseph Piekunka School of Vet Med?

I would SO pay to go to a school with "Piekunka" in the title. I mean, c'mon. That's rock star material. How do you pronounce that, anyway?

I checked out the website. The guy may be awesome, I don't know, but the website left me with a greasy used car salesman feeling... I think because pretty much every page that was actually completed just pushed people to buy the book, and the rest just had "under construction" placeholders.

 

[scb44f]

I checked out the website. The guy may be awesome, I don't know, but the website left me with a greasy used car salesman feeling... I think because pretty much every page that was actually completed just pushed people to buy the book, and the rest just had "under construction" placeholders.

Hahah I know what you mean. I bought and read the book a while back, when I was just starting to think about veterinary medicine. I found it helpful then just because I was totally clueless. I'll second what WTF said, though, that SDN can be just as great of a resource.

 

[HelloNello]

I read the book and felt like it was the same info you'd get if you called a school and asked them what it would take to get into vet school: get a great gpa, gre scores, as much varied experience as possible, have good LORs, write a good essay...but c'mon who needs a book to tell them that. I didn't find it valuable and it kinda made my life H-E- double hockey sticks for awhile cuz my dad got ahold of it and started worrying I wouldn't be a great candidate. IDK. Not worth it in my opinion. SDN is much more useful.