Help for a new and terrified pre-vet student!

[DreamDVM]

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Hi Everyone!

I've been lurking on these forums for a couple months now and I finally succeeding in convincing myself to post and say hello. You all seem like a very helpful, generous group. I thought I'd post my story and see if you have all have any thoughts for me 🙂

My name is LeAnne and I'm 23 years old. I went to undergrad at Brown where I tried a bunch of different majors before settling on a dual degree with chemistry and english. I was pre-med for a long time, but something... was wrong about it. I stuck around for graduate school in planetary geochemistry because it was interesting and I had a nice offer for a PhD position. Sometime last November or so I got a little cockatiel at a pet store, who I dutifully took to the vet. It turned out she was sick with psitticosis... I spent a lot of money curing my little bird. In the meantime I started working at a rescue center for displaced parrots. A month in at this fabulous organization I knew I had it all wrong all the time... I wasn't supposed to be a people doctor, and I definitely wasn't supposed to be a geology doctor. Needless to say, my life has changed tremendously in the past few months. I left graduate school, for one thing, and I'm starting on the long road to DVM-hood by volunteering at my first veterinary clinic starting Monday. I'm now completely dedicated and excited to go to veterinary school.

I'm terrified because I've done my research and I KNOW what it takes to get into veterinary school. I had a mediocre college experience, and my grades and here and there. I did a chemistry major and got mostly A's... B in gen chem but A's in organic, B in advanced organic but A in graduate level organic. Three A's in intro biochem, biochem, and adv. biochem. An A in biology but a B in genetics. Big problem: C and a B in Physics 1 and 2, S C S S for four semesters of intro calc, multivariable calc, and linear algebra (S = satisfactory; the first one was mandatory, but after the C I wised up and took the rest S/NC too). My overall GPA I think is something like 3.5. I never took the GRE (oddly, its not required at Brown), but obviously I need to rock that. I'm missing a couple of key classes (like microbiology) so that's on the list. I've also got a big fat juicy ZERO for my number of veterinary experience hours ... my plan is to volunteer full time for the next two years or so to work up a competitive number of hours. I'm starting at a 3-vet small animal hospital on Monday working 3 days a week plus a wildlife clinic (staffed by a volunteer vet) 2 half-days a week.

So, what do you think? Do I have a chance? I'd love to hear thoughts in particular from anyone who decided to go to vet school late in life and managed to make it happen anyway. For the first few months I thought I was nuts and going to be slogging up a huge lonely mountain, being 23 and quitting grad school and all, but the more I talk to vets and pre-vets I've realized I'm downright normal 🙂 Still, I don't exactly have a stellar resume yet, so I want to know I've got a chance. I have a particular question: would it be useful to take physics and math again?

Thanks so much everyone for the help and advice in advance 🙂
LeAnne

 

[tpad40]

I'm sending you a PM 😉

 

[aspiringDVM]

Sounds like you're off to a great start! I wouldn't worry excessively about the C in physics -- look at the successful applicants thread and lots of people have gotten in with a C or two on their transcript. I would, however, double check on course "expiration dates" at the schools you're interested in, especially if you're planning on spending the next two years volunteering. For instance, one school I'm applying to requires organic chem to be taken within six calendar years, and it seems like you could be pushing the time limit if you don't apply for awhile. Just a thought!

 

[Caninerepro]

You may even want to look at a one year, non-thesis MS program. I just finished one today in fact. Hey, it got me into vet school. Here is a link to my program, but there are several out there. http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/bms/planB.htm

You can usually even take the few other undergrad classes you need as electives in within these programs. BTW, I would not worry about retaking your physical science courses, you sound far more qualified than any of us are in those areas! Cheers. 🙂

 

[Doggone DVM]

Take it from someone else with so-so grades in undergrad- you can do it! Focus on your vet/animal experiences- be sure to get a variety of them so you don't seem too "one-sided" (even though it looks like your application looks pretty awesome already). Also, a strong GRE will help. But, I've gotta say, your science GPA looks like it's pretty solid, and that is sometimes more important! Good luck!

 

[ckd816]

You may even want to look at a one year, non-thesis MS program. I just finished one today in fact. Hey, it got me into vet school. Here is a link to my program, but there are several out there. http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/bms/planB.htm

Thanks for posting this! 🙂 I have thought about doing a one year, non-thesis program but I haven't really done too much about looking into it... The program looks pretty cool though. I haven't applied to vet school yet but I think my science GPA might need something like this to help it out before I'll ever see a vet school acceptance.

 

[Truth74]

Well to the posting side!

Speaking as some one way older than you, it's never too late to apply. It's a good start to plan things out. Depending on the school you are going for, the two years is a good amount of hours of experience. Don't forget that you need animal experience, as well.

I think you should contact your schools of interest and see if they will accept an S if there is a grade option. It may be an issue, and you may have to take them over. If they say that they don't care, then don't bother retaking. I wouldn't bother with retaking a C class either, unless you have several of them. Progress to upper level courses and prereqs to prove that you are ready.

 

[No Imagination]

Also... You MAY be able to apply this next cycle. I wouldn't wait for MORE experience - you are getting some, if it lasts and you get a decent amount, and you can take your missing classes this year (this fall), you should be able to apply this fall for c/o 2014. Not saying you are a shoe in, but its worth the try (GRE is nothing to worry about, with your math background, you should be able to nail it with 1-2 weeks of solid study time). Don't just take the practice exams, read about HOW the test is developed... the questions are for the most part trick questions (I swear, for me understand WHAT they wanted was harder the getting the answer).

Good luck to you!

 

[DreamDVM]

Hi everyone - thanks for the fabulous responses! It's definitely heartening to read so much encouragement and advice.

One thing that is tough about this process is I can't really figure out if I should be freaking out or not. I've heard that 1500-2000 hours of experience are required for a competitive application, but then I know of someone who did a summer of volunteering and got in on the first try.

I'm definitely going to call my schools about the SN/C. Brown has this thing where you can take any class you want (ever...even classes like organic chemistry, etc) pass/fail. It's theoretically possible (and I think it's been done) to take every single class SN/C. I just took those math classes SN/C because I'd have gotten C's if I didn't 🙄. But if they convert them to C's anyway then what's the point?

also, tpad40 -- did you get my reply? I can't figure out why my sent messages folder says "0" even after I tried responding several times.

I'll keep posting on this board. Thanks again for the help everyone 🙂
LeAnne

 

[darren1228]

Welcome and all the best of luck to you! Regarding the animal experience it really depends on the school. I only had about 500 hours of small animal experience and I still got into a couple of schools. There is no specific cutoff saying "no, you will not get in unless you have at least a 3.6", "no, you will not get in unless you have 1000 hours of experience". I used to think about it this way.....the only way I don't get in 100% is if I didn't apply. In the end that strategy worked out 🙂 Best of luck!!!

 

[Angelo84]

I would check out the successful applicant threads for the past few years (although I think the 2011 one was called something different). They will give you an idea of the range of hours/expereinces that people have. But don't panic when you see some large numbers! There are also a good number of people with much fewer hours that get in. I would plan on getting a steady source of hours (lets say small animal as it is generally easiest to get) and then supplement with tastes of other options--large animal, zoo, research, field work etc. I would aim for 100-200 hours for the tastes if you can.

 

[Trilt]

Welcome and all the best of luck to you! Regarding the animal experience it really depends on the school. I only had about 500 hours of small animal experience and I still got into a couple of schools. There is no specific cutoff saying "no, you will not get in unless you have at least a 3.6", "no, you will not get in unless you have 1000 hours of experience". I used to think about it this way.....the only way I don't get in 100% is if I didn't apply. In the end that strategy worked out 🙂 Best of luck!!!

Technically, this may depend on the school... NCSU's website states that they require a minimum of 400 hours, though I'm not sure how strictly that is upheld. So check you school websites. 🙂

 

[philomycus]

Also... You MAY be able to apply this next cycle. I wouldn't wait for MORE experience -

Agreed. Why wait? Get your name in the applicant pool as fast as possible. Some schools will like to see the pesistence in applications. A 3.5 is good, and a good GRE score makes you even stronger.

3 years ago when I first applied, I only had 90 hours and working on micro too that fall. I got an itnerview at one school, waitlisted at another. I didn't get in until this year, but If I had waited one more year, I may not have gotten in this year. You've got nothing to lose.

 

[darren1228]

Technically, this may depend on the school... NCSU's website states that they require a minimum of 400 hours, though I'm not sure how strictly that is upheld. So check you school websites. 🙂

That's why I said it depends on the school. It's not like you'll fail to get into all vet schools unless you have x hours.

 

[Trilt]

That's why I said it depends on the school. It's not like you'll fail to get into all vet schools unless you have x hours.

Of course not. I was just saying that there are some schools that do have number cut offs, and... you won't get into those schools if you don't hit the pre-requisite amounts. So the OP needs to check for whatever school(s) they apply to. (No point in wasting application fees.)