How do I start schooling?

[679995]

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for this being a potentially long-winded post, but..

Back story: I need advice on all aspects of school at this point. I just turned 21, and it's been almost three years since I graduated high school. I haven't done anything with my education since then.

With that being said, becoming a veterinarian was something I knew I wanted to do since grade school.

I didn't start college immediately after high school due to an incredibly abusive home life. Like, sleeping on the basement floor, food under lock and key, a few visits to the hospital abusive. Not that that's relevant, but it started affecting my performance in high school, somewhere around the time where all of my belongings were moved to the backyard-- including all of my school supplies-- and it rained. Everything had to be tossed out, and at that point I was feeling something awful.

So of course, my grades slipped. For a while, I didn't even care, but then I realized that if I didn't graduate, I'd be stuck for another year. So I ended up graduating with a 2.8. I scored 1650 on the SAT, and I didn't even know I was scheduled to take the test.

I moved out before graduation, and got myself somewhat stable.

I had a lot of experience working in animal shelters and vet clinics, so I moved myself down to Florida, where I could be an unlicensed veterinary technician. I did that for about 8 months, and quit when they went on a euthanasia frenzy. Now I'm grooming.

About me as a student: Got everything right, all the time. Straight A's, all AP classes. Good student, borderline teacher's pet. Proud overachiever. I was getting B's on college papers in middle school.

About me as a person: I've been a vegetarian for eight years. I've always known I wanted to be a veterinarian, and my end goal is to work with exotic animals. I want to work closely with conservation efforts worldwide, and open low-cost clinics. I really just want to center my career around helping others.

I don't want to settle for vet tech because it's not very satisfying for me, it's just following orders. Which is fine, but it's really difficult when the organization you're working for doesn't line up with your morals. If I was told I had to euthanize a litter of newborn kittens because we didn't have time for them, despite calling ourselves a no-kill shelter, then I had to euthanize that litter.

I opened a fortune cookie and it said "bring up something from the back burner." As lame as that sounds, it was true. I know that I'll never be able to live out my dreams without starting school now.

Why I didn't start school on my own: As left-field as my mother tended to be, she told me that she'd pay for my college education. I was accepted to a school, we sent in all the deposits and everything. I picked my clubs and whatnot, and just needed to go up for orientation. Then at graduation, she told me I had to figure out how to do it on my own.

I couldn't qualify for financial aid, because both of them make six figures, and I'm not considered independent until 24 years old. I went and talked to a few schools in the community, but they all want proof of the situation. Apparently, a lot of students would claim independence to get financial aid, when in reality their parents were really paying for it. I didn't know anything about student loans at the time, and didn't want anything to do with them if I didn't have to.

Truthfully, I'm almost glad it's going this way. Had I started school back then, I probably wouldn't do as well as I would now. But because it's something I want now, I'm sure it'll be much better.

Where I'm stuck: As stated above, I graduated high school with an unfortunate 2.8, and 1650 SAT. I'm definitely ready to get back into school, but now I have other responsibilities (car, apartment, job, cat) that I can't drop for full time schooling. I'm not sure how to go to school without working. On top of that, I don't know if my grades are worth being accepted anywhere. And by anywhere, I mean anywhere worth getting me into a vet school.

Closing Comments

• I've made pretty good friends with some of the veterinarians that I worked under, and would have no problem getting letters of recommendation.
• Ideally, I'd like to go to a decent university and live off campus.
• My boyfriend and I live together, and he's willing to move for my schooling. He's already out of college and is an accountant, so living off campus would be easier, knowing that he'd be helping out.
• I read something about people getting into vet school with only two years of undergrad instead of four, and some Caribbean schools having trimesters, so finishing vet school in three years instead of four. I also read that the Caribbean schools are less expensive, and easier to get into. I'm willing to move anywhere to get through schooling. With that said, I still want a quality education and want to put forth the effort.
  
• All of my monthly expenses add up to about $1,100, not including food and rent. I don't think dropping my job is reasonable. What I'm hoping to do, is stick it out at the salon for a little bit more, build up a clientele, then when I start school, groom on the side. This is why I took the grooming job, to have a skill I could use.
• I don't have any proof of anything that happened during high school, except for maybe the records of a ER visit and the police report, but I'd have one heck of a time trying to find it from four years ago in a different state. Whenever I had a problem, I'd tell someone at the school. So by default, since I was still a minor, they'd call my mom, and she'd give them some other response. I'm not sure how she got away with changing the passcode to keep me out of the house, but nonetheless, the school was deemed useless to me.
• I couldn't really go to my family, because we were originally from Cleveland, and moved to DC. So everyone I knew was in Cleveland. I spent three years in DC.

Finally... My Questions.
1. Would you recommend community college?
2. Is anything online an option?
3. Would colleges be understanding/more lenient with admissions if I explained the situation to them?
4. FL residents, are there any schools that you recommend?
5. Any recommendations on how to juggle, well, everything?
6. How do I afford everything? Student loans?
7. What is the quickest way to get done?
8. Are my grades very discouraging?
9. Should I retake the SAT or take the ACT before undergrad?

EDIT: 10. Should I drop everything to go to school full-time?

Any other advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated. Also, please don't hesitate to ask any other questions. Thanks for reading!

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[Gwenevre]

1) Community college is a perfectly acceptable option. Do some research into vet schools you'd like to apply to in the future, and as you're progressing through your undergrad, make sure that you're tracking your pre-requisites for those schools. Some vet schools require that higher level classes be taken at a 4yr college, so be mindful of that.
2) Vet schools will accept some online classes. Again, check with potential schools.
3) I think this depends on your schools. Right now, focus on getting into undergrad schools, and succeeding in those classes. Vet schools will be focusing on your college experiences, not so much your high school. Once you apply to vet school, you can talk about your experiences in your Personal Statement, and how they've shaped you into the person you are today.
4) Indiana resident here, so no suggestions. But a general suggestion will be to make your UG (undergrad) as cheap as possible. Vet school is expensive, so trying to keep your UG as cheap as possible is the best route to go.
5) Don't try to overthink or stress yourself out about getting into vet school, or school in general. You'll need to find your best method of stress relief, and find your own personal comfort.
6) I did student loans, though considering you're only 21, I believe you're still officially a dependent. When you file your FAFSA (Federal Application for Student Aid, it's how the govt decides how much money to give you), they'll want your parent's information since you'll be starting a bachelor's degree. Since you said that your parents make 6 figures and area unwilling to support you, that might be a roadblock. BUT I'm not an expert, so you'll need to talk to someone in the financial aid department of the UG schools you're going to apply to, they will help you find the best financial package for your situation. If/when you get to vet school, you will be an independent because you are pursuing a professional degree. Then vet school will (most likely) be funded by loans in your name.
7) The quickest way to get done is to focus on your prerequisites in your UG institution. Most vet schools don't mind if you don't have a degree when you apply (I know two current students that don't have bachelors, and there's plenty others here on this forum).
8) Again, your high school grades are only going to affect your ability to get into an UG school. Vet schools don't bother looking at high school grades.
9) I got into Purdue with an SAT of 1550.

I would focus on getting into a community college first, to start your biology and chemistry classes first. Get a good feel for academics. Since you've been out of high school for a few years, you need a readjustment period for getting back into the swing of studying again. And you'll need to re-learn your best method for studying, whether it's actively re-writing things down, or just reading the book, or working through problems. Completing your pre-requisites for vet school can be a very intensive process. Additionally, you need to consider getting some more vet hours, whether it's through part-time working at your clinic, or volunteering a day a week at a different hospital. This is going to be a longer process than you might be anticipating right now, and it might take longer than two or three years to get to where you want.

And a note about the Caribbean schools, since these schools are accredited by the AVMA, they are just as competitive and give a quality education comparable or beyond that of the stateside schools. Some of the Caribb schools are cheaper, some aren't. Here's a link for "general" costs of each school to help you see what I mean: http://www.vinfoundation.org/AppUti...833&objecttypeid=10&redirectFromMiscDefault=1

 

[catnips]

Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for this being a potentially long-winded post, but..

Back story: I need advice on all aspects of school at this point. I just turned 21, and it's been almost three years since I graduated high school. I haven't done anything with my education since then.

With that being said, becoming a veterinarian was something I knew I wanted to do since grade school.

I didn't start college immediately after high school due to an incredibly abusive home life. Like, sleeping on the basement floor, food under lock and key, a few visits to the hospital abusive. Not that that's relevant, but it started affecting my performance in high school, somewhere around the time where all of my belongings were moved to the backyard-- including all of my school supplies-- and it rained. Everything had to be tossed out, and at that point I was feeling something awful.

So of course, my grades slipped. For a while, I didn't even care, but then I realized that if I didn't graduate, I'd be stuck for another year. So I ended up graduating with a 2.8. I scored 1650 on the SAT, and I didn't even know I was scheduled to take the test.

I moved out before graduation, and got myself somewhat stable.

I had a lot of experience working in animal shelters and vet clinics, so I moved myself down to Florida, where I could be an unlicensed veterinary technician. I did that for about 8 months, and quit when they went on a euthanasia frenzy. Now I'm grooming.

About me as a student: Got everything right, all the time. Straight A's, all AP classes. Good student, borderline teacher's pet. Proud overachiever. I was getting B's on college papers in middle school.

About me as a person: I've been a vegetarian for eight years. I've always known I wanted to be a veterinarian, and my end goal is to work with exotic animals. I want to work closely with conservation efforts worldwide, and open low-cost clinics. I really just want to center my career around helping others.

I don't want to settle for vet tech because it's not very satisfying for me, it's just following orders. Which is fine, but it's really difficult when the organization you're working for doesn't line up with your morals. If I was told I had to euthanize a litter of newborn kittens because we didn't have time for them, despite calling ourselves a no-kill shelter, then I had to euthanize that litter.

I opened a fortune cookie and it said "bring up something from the back burner." As lame as that sounds, it was true. I know that I'll never be able to live out my dreams without starting school now.

Why I didn't start school on my own: As left-field as my mother tended to be, she told me that she'd pay for my college education. I was accepted to a school, we sent in all the deposits and everything. I picked my clubs and whatnot, and just needed to go up for orientation. Then at graduation, she told me I had to figure out how to do it on my own.

I couldn't qualify for financial aid, because both of them make six figures, and I'm not considered independent until 24 years old. I went and talked to a few schools in the community, but they all want proof of the situation. Apparently, a lot of students would claim independence to get financial aid, when in reality their parents were really paying for it. I didn't know anything about student loans at the time, and didn't want anything to do with them if I didn't have to.

Truthfully, I'm almost glad it's going this way. Had I started school back then, I probably wouldn't do as well as I would now. But because it's something I want now, I'm sure it'll be much better.

Where I'm stuck: As stated above, I graduated high school with an unfortunate 2.8, and 1650 SAT. I'm definitely ready to get back into school, but now I have other responsibilities (car, apartment, job, cat) that I can't drop for full time schooling. I'm not sure how to go to school without working. On top of that, I don't know if my grades are worth being accepted anywhere. And by anywhere, I mean anywhere worth getting me into a vet school.

Closing Comments

• I've made pretty good friends with some of the veterinarians that I worked under, and would have no problem getting letters of recommendation.
• Ideally, I'd like to go to a decent university and live off campus.
• My boyfriend and I live together, and he's willing to move for my schooling. He's already out of college and is an accountant, so living off campus would be easier, knowing that he'd be helping out.
• I read something about people getting into vet school with only two years of undergrad instead of four, and some Caribbean schools having trimesters, so finishing vet school in three years instead of four. I also read that the Caribbean schools are less expensive, and easier to get into. I'm willing to move anywhere to get through schooling. With that said, I still want a quality education and want to put forth the effort.
  
• All of my monthly expenses add up to about $1,100, not including food and rent. I don't think dropping my job is reasonable. What I'm hoping to do, is stick it out at the salon for a little bit more, build up a clientele, then when I start school, groom on the side. This is why I took the grooming job, to have a skill I could use.
• I don't have any proof of anything that happened during high school, except for maybe the records of a ER visit and the police report, but I'd have one heck of a time trying to find it from four years ago in a different state. Whenever I had a problem, I'd tell someone at the school. So by default, since I was still a minor, they'd call my mom, and she'd give them some other response. I'm not sure how she got away with changing the passcode to keep me out of the house, but nonetheless, the school was deemed useless to me.
• I couldn't really go to my family, because we were originally from Cleveland, and moved to DC. So everyone I knew was in Cleveland. I spent three years in DC.

Finally... My Questions.
1. Would you recommend community college?
2. Is anything online an option?
3. Would colleges be understanding/more lenient with admissions if I explained the situation to them?
4. FL residents, are there any schools that you recommend?
5. Any recommendations on how to juggle, well, everything?
6. How do I afford everything? Student loans?
7. What is the quickest way to get done?
8. Are my grades very discouraging?
9. Should I retake the SAT or take the ACT before undergrad?

Any other advice that you can give would be greatly appreciated. Also, please don't hesitate to ask any other questions. Thanks for reading!

Hi!

First of all, so sorry for all you've been through. It's nice to see you're moving forward

My main advice here is, don't worry about where you will go to college. If I were you, I would start with community college. Take basic sciences there. Then go to a four year college, take upper level sciences there. Email schools that you want to apply in the future to see if they accept community school classes (I believe most do for intro science pre-reqs). Go to the cheapest school possible. Take out as little amount of loans possible. Keep the financial aspect in mind, but don't let it stop you. I went to a cheap, unknown school and got in (despite having lower than average grades). They look at your GPA, not to your school name.

I personally have not finished my bachelors. I just took pre-reqs (after taking bunch of liberal arts classes in my undecided years... but anyways) and applied. Most schools were fine with this. So I haven't finished college. Figured I would save some more money that way. I did my pre-reqs in 3 years, applying to vet schools in that 3rd year, so that's doable. However, I wasn't working. But I have read about a lot of people who were working and studying at the same time here. If you have enough veterinary experiences (sounds like you do) it's a pro that you can just focus on work and school and not getting more hours. (I got most of my hours in summer) You may want to still shadow here and there, of course. Try getting different kinds of experiences - large animal, exotics etc. Again, I did most of my vet experiences in summers and it has been enough for some schools. Since you have some vet tech experience, try maybe shadowing a vet that works in a different area in summer. I think schools like seeing that you have seen at least a couple different areas of vet med.

I have taken some online classes, however, ask schools if they accept. Most were fine with me taking biochemistry, organic chem 2 and physics 2 online but this is not the case for all schools. Ok State wasn't ok with it, Minnesota, Illinois and Midwestern was. Make sure you ask.

I wouldn't worry too much about college admissions - I would start with community college and go from there. And your grades from high school won't matter AT ALL when you are applying to veterinary schools.

Best of luck!

 

[679995]

1) Community college is a perfectly acceptable option. Do some research into vet schools you'd like to apply to in the future, and as you're progressing through your undergrad, make sure that you're tracking your pre-requisites for those schools. Some vet schools require that higher level classes be taken at a 4yr college, so be mindful of that.
2) Vet schools will accept some online classes. Again, check with potential schools.
3) I think this depends on your schools. Right now, focus on getting into undergrad schools, and succeeding in those classes. Vet schools will be focusing on your college experiences, not so much your high school. Once you apply to vet school, you can talk about your experiences in your Personal Statement, and how they've shaped you into the person you are today.
4) Indiana resident here, so no suggestions. But a general suggestion will be to make your UG (undergrad) as cheap as possible. Vet school is expensive, so trying to keep your UG as cheap as possible is the best route to go.
5) Don't try to overthink or stress yourself out about getting into vet school, or school in general. You'll need to find your best method of stress relief, and find your own personal comfort.
6) I did student loans, though considering you're only 21, I believe you're still officially a dependent. When you file your FAFSA (Federal Application for Student Aid, it's how the govt decides how much money to give you), they'll want your parent's information since you'll be starting a bachelor's degree. Since you said that your parents make 6 figures and area unwilling to support you, that might be a roadblock. BUT I'm not an expert, so you'll need to talk to someone in the financial aid department of the UG schools you're going to apply to, they will help you find the best financial package for your situation. If/when you get to vet school, you will be an independent because you are pursuing a professional degree. Then vet school will (most likely) be funded by loans in your name.
7) The quickest way to get done is to focus on your prerequisites in your UG institution. Most vet schools don't mind if you don't have a degree when you apply (I know two current students that don't have bachelors, and there's plenty others here on this forum).
8) Again, your high school grades are only going to affect your ability to get into an UG school. Vet schools don't bother looking at high school grades.
9) I got into Purdue with an SAT of 1550.

I would focus on getting into a community college first, to start your biology and chemistry classes first. Get a good feel for academics. Since you've been out of high school for a few years, you need a readjustment period for getting back into the swing of studying again. And you'll need to re-learn your best method for studying, whether it's actively re-writing things down, or just reading the book, or working through problems. Completing your pre-requisites for vet school can be a very intensive process. Additionally, you need to consider getting some more vet hours, whether it's through part-time working at your clinic, or volunteering a day a week at a different hospital. This is going to be a longer process than you might be anticipating right now, and it might take longer than two or three years to get to where you want.

And a note about the Caribbean schools, since these schools are accredited by the AVMA, they are just as competitive and give a quality education comparable or beyond that of the stateside schools. Some of the Caribb schools are cheaper, some aren't. Here's a link for "general" costs of each school to help you see what I mean: http://www.vinfoundation.org/AppUti...833&objecttypeid=10&redirectFromMiscDefault=1

Thanks so much. That app is incredibly helpful, and surprisingly, the Caribbean school that I was told was the cheapest, is actually one of the most expensive! Ha.

 

[679995]

Hi!

First of all, so sorry for all you've been through. It's nice to see you're moving forward

My main advice here is, don't worry about where you will go to college. If I were you, I would start with community college. Take basic sciences there. Then go to a four year college, take upper level sciences there. Email schools that you want to apply in the future to see if they accept community school classes (I believe most do for intro science pre-reqs). Go to the cheapest school possible. Take out as little amount of loans possible. Keep the financial aspect in mind, but don't let it stop you. I went to a cheap, unknown school and got in (despite having lower than average grades). They look at your GPA, not to your school name.

I personally have not finished my bachelors. I just took pre-reqs (after taking bunch of liberal arts classes in my undecided years... but anyways) and applied. Most schools were fine with this. So I haven't finished college. Figured I would save some more money that way. I did my pre-reqs in 3 years, applying to vet schools in that 3rd year, so that's doable. However, I wasn't working. But I have read about a lot of people who were working and studying at the same time here. If you have enough veterinary experiences (sounds like you do) it's a pro that you can just focus on work and school and not getting more hours. (I got most of my hours in summer) You may want to still shadow here and there, of course. Try getting different kinds of experiences - large animal, exotics etc. Again, I did most of my vet experiences in summers and it has been enough for some schools. Since you have some vet tech experience, try maybe shadowing a vet that works in a different area in summer. I think schools like seeing that you have seen at least a couple different areas of vet med.

I have taken some online classes, however, ask schools if they accept. Most were fine with me taking biochemistry, organic chem 2 and physics 2 online but this is not the case for all schools. Ok State wasn't ok with it, Minnesota, Illinois and Midwestern was. Make sure you ask.

I wouldn't worry too much about college admissions - I would start with community college and go from there. And your grades from high school won't matter AT ALL when you are applying to veterinary schools.

Best of luck!

Thanks for your response. This thread is really helping me piece together what my next steps will be.

 

[Gwenevre]

Thanks so much. That app is incredibly helpful, and surprisingly, the Caribbean school that I was told was the cheapest, is actually one of the most expensive! Ha.

Yeah, it's pretty helpful. Though I don't know how updated the information is, since it doesn't list all the schools that grant IS status after the first year. But it's a general overlook. For the most updated info, the school websites should have that information.

 

[Felixor90]

Everyone else has answered everything so I'll just add something for #9. You can get into most community colleges with low SAT/ACT scores. If you're in south Florida, you can attend Miami Dade College for your first 2 years and transfer to ANY Florida public university no matter your scores. At that point I would recommend transferring to UF since that's where the vet school is and they give brownie points to their own students when it comes to vet school applications. I decided to stay in south Florida since that's where my family is so I could save on housing.

 

[Gemgrrrl]

@BreonaB - I had a very similar start. I ended up leaving home at 15 and dropping out of school. I eventually got my GED, but ran into the same problems with financial aid. Fast forward to now - and I just got accepted into vet school. So it is possible to get there from where you are right now.

1. Would you recommend community college? Yes, definitely. It's less expensive, and the class schedules (night classes, online classes) tend to be easier to manage for those of us who also work a regular job. I did my first 2 years of undergrad at a CC.

2. Is anything online an option? Yes. Some schools will want your science pre-requisites (especially the labs) to be classroom, so you might want to check with your intended schools. But there are a lot of non-science gen-eds that you can take online. Since I have kids and was working full time while in school, I really liked that online classes allowed me to self pace. If I had a free weekend I could knock out several weeks of assignments in a few hours.

3. Would colleges be understanding/more lenient with admissions if I explained the situation to them? Yes and no. Everyone has to meet the minimum GPA and GRE score requirements of the school. Once you get over that hurdle, then they might give you some credit for life experiences. For example, if they're comparing you and another more traditional candidate with the same academic scores, you might get credit for how much you had to overcome to get to the same place academically. But I definitely would not count on that happening. Do the best you can, and make yourself stand out in lots of other ways. A good rule of thumb is that people love come-back stories, but they hate sob stories. Make sure your story is the former.

4. FL residents, are there any schools that you recommend? If you're asking about undergrad, I wouldn't focus on what school as much as I would the grades. Especially with your situation, you will want to take on as little debt as possible during your undergrad. If you're asking about vet schools, UF is the in-state vet school in Florida. Look at their admissions site and really get to know what your goals need to be if you want to get in.

5. Any recommendations on how to juggle, well, everything? My biggest recommendation is to make a really good plan. Break it down into small, manageable steps, and then follow the plan. I say this because sometimes, especially with what we have to overcome, the whole thing can just seem impossible. Or you will start to feel like you're not doing enough, because you've read about other pre-vets who live on a farm and started riding horses in the womb, have five million experience hours, 5.0 GPA's and have spent every summer in Madagascar helping scientists identify emerging zoonotic diseases. Or you'll feel like it's taking you way too long because you can't go to school full time. And a million other things. But if you have a good plan, you'll be able to see the progress you're making (and hopefully allow yourself to celebrate what you're achieving every once and a while).

My other recommendation is to keep your perspective. Like I said in another thread, time is going to pass no matter how you choose to spend it. You could spend it getting to a place you've always wanted to be, or doing something that sucks but pays the bills. You're probably going to be working your butt off either way.

6. How do I afford everything? Student loans? This is a personal choice, but I decided it was better to wait until I could qualify as independent. Pell grants will usually pay for 100% of your tuition and books at CC. Apply for scholarships, do work-study, etc. There is a lot of aid available to those who look for it, and are willing to take the time to apply. Buy used books, or rent them, or borrow them from a friend. In general, try to take on as little debt as possible during your undergrad.

Also, be wary of the CC's that encourage you to finish your Associates before going to a 4 year. This is totally unnecessary, and will just cost you more time and money in the long run. Meet with an advisor at the 4 year you want to go to, get a curriculum sheet, and find out which classes you can take at the CC. They won't always accept the transfer credit, so make sure you know which ones they will take and which ones they won't. Don't take it unless it will transfer.

7. What is the quickest way to get done? Don't go for quickest - go for best. The only thing you have to worry about time-wise is that you're pre-req's have to be less than 10 years old.

8. Are my grades very discouraging? Not at all. Vet schools won't even look at your high school grades. As far as getting into a 4 year program after CC, most CC's have an guaranteed admission agreement with 4-yr institutions. So if you do well there, you don't have to worry about transferring.

9. Should I retake the SAT or take the ACT before undergrad? I don't see why you would need to.

10. Should I drop everything to go to school full-time? This is a completely personal decision. I ended up waiting until I was much older to go back to school. It was a financial decision at first because I couldn't qualify for aid. I had some issues that caused me to have to withdraw a couple of semesters, and I finally just decided I needed to wait until I was in a more stable situation. By the time I reached that age, I had worked really hard to move up the ladder at work and I didn't want to give up the security and stability I had built for myself. As you know, that's a lot harder to do when the only safety net you have is yourself. Looking back, I don't regret my decision or the life experiences I had between then and when I did finally go back to school. But I do sometimes wish I would have done it when I was younger and didn't have the responsibilities of a family. And when I had the energy and mental agility I had in my twenties. You have to decide for yourself what's right for your situation.

The other advice that I would give you is to find a mentor, and develop a good support network. This can be hard to do when you grow up feeling like the only person you can count on is yourself. But there are people out there who will have your back, who will encourage you to be your best, and who will give you good advice. Learn to recognize who they are. Feel free to send me a PM if you want to talk more.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

About me as a person: I've been a vegetarian for eight years. I've always known I wanted to be a veterinarian, and my end goal is to work with exotic animals. I want to work closely with conservation efforts worldwide, and open low-cost clinics. I really just want to center my career around helping others.

What the **** does being a vegetarian for 8 years have to do with demonstrating commitment to veterinary medicine?

 

[DVMDream]

What the **** does being a vegetarian for 8 years have to do with demonstrating commitment to veterinary medicine?

The can of worms, it has been opened....


(I was seriously wondering the same thing though)

 

[Gwenevre]

I think the vegetarian thing was edited in after the fact. I was wondering what the heck you and WTF were talking about.

 

[k80rigs]

I had a lot of experience working in animal shelters and vet clinics, so I moved myself down to Florida, where I could be an unlicensed veterinary technician. I did that for about 8 months, and quit when they went on a euthanasia frenzy. Now I'm grooming.

I'm not sure what your situation was at your old clinic, but gonna just point out the obvious and say that euthanasia's are (unfortunately) a very real part of veterinary practice. Doing them is absolutely necessary, and I think it is detrimental to go into the practice assuming euthanasia's are not mandatory. Developing a backbone for that sort of thing (I see euth as a better option for most, if not all, patients that have been euthanized in most clinics) is a must if you are going to succeed in vetmed.
Not to say you can't be upset over particularly sad cases, but ....you get the point.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

About me as a student: Got everything right, all the time. Straight A's, all AP classes. Good student, borderline teacher's pet. Proud overachiever. I was getting B's on college papers in middle school.

I think you need to learn some humility before anything else, kid.

You're coming off as a SJW with a dash of superiority complex. Tighten up on them reins.

 

[WildZoo]

I am super confused about the "About me as a student" portion (straight A's etc) in the context of the low high school GPA. That plain doesn't make sense.

 

[LetItSnow]

I am super confused about the "About me as a student" portion (straight A's etc) in the context of the low high school GPA. That plain doesn't make sense.

Yeah, me too. I started to reply to the OP but then I decided if I couldn't figure out what was going on .... I would just shut up. It sounded like she was saying she had a low GPA at the same time as saying she was a great student. Made no sense to me.

 

[LetItSnow]

@BreonaB - I had a very similar start. I ended up leaving home at 15 and dropping out of school. I eventually got my GED, but ran into the same problems with financial aid. Fast forward to now - and I just got accepted into vet school. So it is possible to get there from where you are right now.

1. Would you recommend community college? Yes, definitely. It's less expensive, and the class schedules (night classes, online classes) tend to be easier to manage for those of us who also work a regular job. I did my first 2 years of undergrad at a CC.

2. Is anything online an option? Yes. Some schools will want your science pre-requisites (especially the labs) to be classroom, so you might want to check with your intended schools. But there are a lot of non-science gen-eds that you can take online. Since I have kids and was working full time while in school, I really liked that online classes allowed me to self pace. If I had a free weekend I could knock out several weeks of assignments in a few hours.

3. Would colleges be understanding/more lenient with admissions if I explained the situation to them? Yes and no. Everyone has to meet the minimum GPA and GRE score requirements of the school. Once you get over that hurdle, then they might give you some credit for life experiences. For example, if they're comparing you and another more traditional candidate with the same academic scores, you might get credit for how much you had to overcome to get to the same place academically. But I definitely would not count on that happening. Do the best you can, and make yourself stand out in lots of other ways. A good rule of thumb is that people love come-back stories, but they hate sob stories. Make sure your story is the former.

4. FL residents, are there any schools that you recommend? If you're asking about undergrad, I wouldn't focus on what school as much as I would the grades. Especially with your situation, you will want to take on as little debt as possible during your undergrad. If you're asking about vet schools, UF is the in-state vet school in Florida. Look at their admissions site and really get to know what your goals need to be if you want to get in.

5. Any recommendations on how to juggle, well, everything? My biggest recommendation is to make a really good plan. Break it down into small, manageable steps, and then follow the plan. I say this because sometimes, especially with what we have to overcome, the whole thing can just seem impossible. Or you will start to feel like you're not doing enough, because you've read about other pre-vets who live on a farm and started riding horses in the womb, have five million experience hours, 5.0 GPA's and have spent every summer in Madagascar helping scientists identify emerging zoonotic diseases. Or you'll feel like it's taking you way too long because you can't go to school full time. And a million other things. But if you have a good plan, you'll be able to see the progress you're making (and hopefully allow yourself to celebrate what you're achieving every once and a while).

My other recommendation is to keep your perspective. Like I said in another thread, time is going to pass no matter how you choose to spend it. You could spend it getting to a place you've always wanted to be, or doing something that sucks but pays the bills. You're probably going to be working your butt off either way.

6. How do I afford everything? Student loans? This is a personal choice, but I decided it was better to wait until I could qualify as independent. Pell grants will usually pay for 100% of your tuition and books at CC. Apply for scholarships, do work-study, etc. There is a lot of aid available to those who look for it, and are willing to take the time to apply. Buy used books, or rent them, or borrow them from a friend. In general, try to take on as little debt as possible during your undergrad.

Also, be wary of the CC's that encourage you to finish your Associates before going to a 4 year. This is totally unnecessary, and will just cost you more time and money in the long run. Meet with an advisor at the 4 year you want to go to, get a curriculum sheet, and find out which classes you can take at the CC. They won't always accept the transfer credit, so make sure you know which ones they will take and which ones they won't. Don't take it unless it will transfer.

7. What is the quickest way to get done? Don't go for quickest - go for best. The only thing you have to worry about time-wise is that you're pre-req's have to be less than 10 years old.

8. Are my grades very discouraging? Not at all. Vet schools won't even look at your high school grades. As far as getting into a 4 year program after CC, most CC's have an guaranteed admission agreement with 4-yr institutions. So if you do well there, you don't have to worry about transferring.

9. Should I retake the SAT or take the ACT before undergrad? I don't see why you would need to.

10. Should I drop everything to go to school full-time? This is a completely personal decision. I ended up waiting until I was much older to go back to school. It was a financial decision at first because I couldn't qualify for aid. I had some issues that caused me to have to withdraw a couple of semesters, and I finally just decided I needed to wait until I was in a more stable situation. By the time I reached that age, I had worked really hard to move up the ladder at work and I didn't want to give up the security and stability I had built for myself. As you know, that's a lot harder to do when the only safety net you have is yourself. Looking back, I don't regret my decision or the life experiences I had between then and when I did finally go back to school. But I do sometimes wish I would have done it when I was younger and didn't have the responsibilities of a family. And when I had the energy and mental agility I had in my twenties. You have to decide for yourself what's right for your situation.

The other advice that I would give you is to find a mentor, and develop a good support network. This can be hard to do when you grow up feeling like the only person you can count on is yourself. But there are people out there who will have your back, who will encourage you to be your best, and who will give you good advice. Learn to recognize who they are. Feel free to send me a PM if you want to talk more.

Some pretty decent advice in there. I would add that in addition breaking it down into manageable chunks and making a long-term plan - take the time to celebrate accomplishing steps along the way. Helps you not get burned out when you have a longer road than other people.

 

[679995]

Okay, this goes for everyone:

First, being a vegetarian doesn't necessarily have anything to do with veterinary medicine. Anyone can be a vegetarian, and anyone can be a veterinarian. It's more there to show my dedication to animals. Not a hard connection to make, considering.

Second, I know that euthanasia is mandatory, in some cases, and I'm not saying that it's not. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't have taken the technician job. All I'm saying is that I don't particularly agree with the euthanasia of a perfectly healthy cat, solely because there's 'no space.' That has nothing to do with medicine, but instead, a crummy shelter.

Third; I guess I could have broken down my high school life a little better. Starting out, I was a straight A student. The last two years is when home life got especially rough and my grades plummeted.

Fourth, anyone with anything rude to say can eat ****. Thanks guys

 

[679995]

I think you need to learn some humility before anything else, kid.

You're coming off as a SJW with a dash of superiority complex. Tighten up on them reins.

Hmm, thanks for your input. If I thought I was better than everyone else, I would have said so. Clearly I'm not if I'm looking for advice.

You however, come off as incredibly arrogant. Maybe you should take your own advice. Do me a favor, and if you don't have anything relevant, helpful, or positive to post, keep quiet, huh?

 

[DVMDream]

Please help me, but if you dare say anything negative I'll tell you to eat ****. Yeah, good luck with anyone helping you out now. Maybe learn to be respectful when people help and give advice even if it isn't what you want to hear.

 

[DVMDream]

Okay, this goes for everyone:

First, being a vegetarian doesn't necessarily have anything to do with veterinary medicine. Anyone can be a vegetarian, and anyone can be a veterinarian. It's more there to show my dedication to animals. Not a hard connection to make, considering.

Second, I know that euthanasia is mandatory, in some cases, and I'm not saying that it's not. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't have taken the technician job. All I'm saying is that I don't particularly agree with the euthanasia of a perfectly healthy cat, solely because there's 'no space.' That has nothing to do with medicine, but instead, a crummy shelter.

Third; I guess I could have broken down my high school life a little better. Starting out, I was a straight A student. The last two years is when home life got especially rough and my grades plummeted.

Fourth, anyone with anything negative to say can eat ****. Thanks guys

Even the best shelters in the US euthanize animals because there is no space, this is the reality of pet overpopulation.

 

[679995]

.

I'm only referring to a few completely irrelevant comments I've received. Asking for advice is taking both the negative and positive aspects of the situation, but if someone is blatantly disrespectful, then it's only fair if they get what they give. I guess 'rude' would have been a better word choice in place of negative. I'll be sure to change that.

My post was simply telling a story and asking for advice to better the situation, and if someone decides to be nasty, completely unprovoked, how respectful is that?

 

[679995]

tion.

I know, but some could at least act like they cared. :/ I feel like it should be a last resort type thing. I had a manager come up to a vet and ask if we could euthanize a cat because she rolled in her poop. She was completely serious! And the cat ended up being euthanized. It's things like that that get me. I wouldn't have minded scraping the crap off of that cat every day until she was adopted. But that's just me.

 

[orca2011]

Okay, this goes for everyone:

First, being a vegetarian doesn't necessarily have anything to do with veterinary medicine. Anyone can be a vegetarian, and anyone can be a veterinarian. It's more there to show my dedication to animals. Not a hard connection to make, considering.

Just selected this portion because I'd use caution with this statement in showing your dedication. Not being a vegetarian, doesn't make someone any less dedicated to animals. Many people aren't and work very closely with the food animal industry to constantly try to improve animal welfare and make sure our food animals are treated appropriately. I'm only mentioning it because people in the past on here and some I've met in life, have actually used it as a point to show they're more dedicated or more deserving of the profession, etc. It can most definitely rub people the wrong way. I'm pretty sure this is more of what WTF was trying to get at with her first comment.

 

[679995]

I'm not sure what your situation was at your old clinic, but gonna just point out the obvious and say that euthanasia's are (unfortunately) a very real part of veterinary practice. Doing them is absolutely necessary, and I think it is detrimental to go into the practice assuming euthanasia's are not mandatory. Developing a backbone for that sort of thing (I see euth as a better option for most, if not all, patients that have been euthanized in most clinics) is a must if you are going to succeed in vetmed.
Not to say you can't be upset over particularly sad cases, but ....you get the point.

I get what you're saying. For the most part, I think it's a better option when a slow, painful death is eminent. I'm not saying that I hate it at all, I just think that the clinic that I worked with started to kneel before the almighty dollar. They euthanized a kitten because she rolled in her poop. Their motto was "all for the animals" but they kinda just started to pick and choose which ones they could turn over the fastest for adoptions. They ended up being more about numbers than anything, and it was really sad.

 

[679995]

Just selected this portion because I'd use caution with this statement in showing your dedication. Not being a vegetarian, doesn't make someone any less dedicated to animals. Many people are aren't and work very closely with the food animal industry to constantly try to improve animal welfare and make sure our food animals are treated appropriately. I'm only mentioning it because people in the past on here and some I've met in life, have actually used it as a point to show they're more dedicated or more deserving on the profession, etc. It can most definitely rub people the wrong way. I'm pretty sure this is more of what WTF was trying to get at with her first comment.

Ah. I see your point. When I said the thing about being vegetarian, it was more a general statement. Obviously having a diet based off rabbit food and seed sticks wouldn't change nearly as much as someone that works in the industry. I should have elaborated. I guess it just spills over into my personal life, emotionally? Something like that. It just makes me feel better, for me. Outside of that, I'm working with the County to get all the puppy stores shut down, because they buy their puppies from puppy mills and don't get them the proper vet care once they're here. I spent maybe a week or so at one, just to scope it out. Turns out, a puppy that was there died of parvo, and they didn't know it hard parvo until it died at the vet. That puppy was sitting with families for a week, and most of those families had other pets.

Either way, I didn't want to upset anyone with that comment. Everyone has their giveback, and that happens to be one of mine. I knew a lady that kept 27 dogs as her giveback. She claimed to be adopting them out.. Lol. I won't say much about that topic though, because I've already opened my cat lady starter pack.

But thanks for your feedback.

 

[679995]

Everyone else has answered everything so I'll just add something for #9. You can get into most community colleges with low SAT/ACT scores. If you're in south Florida, you can attend Miami Dade College for your first 2 years and transfer to ANY Florida public university no matter your scores. At that point I would recommend transferring to UF since that's where the vet school is and they give brownie points to their own students when it comes to vet school applications. I decided to stay in south Florida since that's where my family is so I could save on housing.

That's another route I was thinking of. I'm in WPB, so I was either thinking of Palm Beach State, or going South to Miami, or somewhere north, near Orlando. But I was looking at PBS, and it seems like they have a lot of courses in their catalog that they're not offering, either because there's not enough interest, or there's no instructor. Unfortunately, most seem to be the courses that I need, lol. Do you know anything about this school? And how is Miami Dade? I feel like I'm going to have to relocate no matter what, so I'm trying to choose very wisely.

 

[dyachei]

This is your official keep it civil in here warning or I will close the thread or give out warnings. Please read SDN's terms of service for any questions about appropriate behavior

 

[LetItSnow]

This is your official keep it civil in here warning or I will close the thread or give out warnings. Please read SDN's terms of service for any questions about appropriate behavior

RUN! MOM'S COMING!

 

[Felixor90]

That's another route I was thinking of. I'm in WPB, so I was either thinking of Palm Beach State, or going South to Miami, or somewhere north, near Orlando. But I was looking at PBS, and it seems like they have a lot of courses in their catalog that they're not offering, either because there's not enough interest, or there's no instructor. Unfortunately, most seem to be the courses that I need, lol. Do you know anything about this school? And how is Miami Dade? I feel like I'm going to have to relocate no matter what, so I'm trying to choose very wisely.

I don't know anything about the other schools, but Miami Dade is great. I recommend taking as many prerequisites as you can there because the professors are great and they have way more time for you because they're only job is to teach (no research labs). I have heard that it's easier to wait to take the 2 years of chemistry at a university, though, because the chemistry professors at MDC are a bit evil. Definitely try your best to stay up there, though. Miami isn't cheap to live in.

 

[Gemgrrrl]

@BreonaB - given some of the things you've said on this thread, I am wondering if vet med is right for you. Why is it that you want to be a veterinarian?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

First, being a vegetarian doesn't necessarily have anything to do with veterinary medicine. Anyone can be a vegetarian, and anyone can be a veterinarian. It's more there to show my dedication to animals. Not a hard connection to make, considering.

So by that logic, someone who isn't a vegetarian is showing less dedication to animals. Right.

Hmm, thanks for your input. If I thought I was better than everyone else, I would have said so. Clearly I'm not if I'm looking for advice.

You however, come off as incredibly arrogant. Maybe you should take your own advice. Do me a favor, and if you don't have anything relevant, helpful, or positive to post, keep quiet, huh?

What I said was relevant and helpful regarding how you should deal with your attitude; you are obviously choosing not to accept it. I'm sorry if you can't see that. Maybe in a few years when more people have called you out on it.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

How did you get B's on college papers in middle school? Maybe I'm interpreting that incorrectly....but don't you write middle school papers in middle school?

Also, it's not necessary to lash out at people that are raising an eyebrow to a few things you've said. Clarifying what you intended to say is much better than telling someone to eat ****.

Most of your questions have already been covered, but as for getting into vet school with just pre-reqs done....it might be a bit harder. It depends on how you look at it. If you only perform at an average level in your science courses, you won't have any extra classes to potentially boost your cGPA or last 45. I don't think it's possible for someone to predict that they will ace every science course they take. I appreciated any other courses I had to take for my degree, as they boosted my GPA. Also, some schools do 'prefer' students with degrees. Michigan actually gives students with degrees more points on their app. Not a huge amount, but the bonus exists.

 

[k80rigs]

I get what you're saying. For the most part, I think it's a better option when a slow, painful death is eminent. I'm not saying that I hate it at all, I just think that the clinic that I worked with started to kneel before the almighty dollar. They euthanized a kitten because she rolled in her poop. Their motto was "all for the animals" but they kinda just started to pick and choose which ones they could turn over the fastest for adoptions. They ended up being more about numbers than anything, and it was really sad.

I'm a little confused why you had a post to everyone then replied to everyone....but anyways.
It sounded like you worked with a shelter medicine situation, not a hospital? Correct me if I'm wrong? I am not super familiar with shelter medicine, but they do a fair bit of euth's and I think it is important not to look at necessarily the presenting complaint at this situation, but rather the condition and future health of the animal.
Enough said.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

I get what you're saying. For the most part, I think it's a better option when a slow, painful death is eminent. I'm not saying that I hate it at all, I just think that the clinic that I worked with started to kneel before the almighty dollar. They euthanized a kitten because she rolled in her poop. Their motto was "all for the animals" but they kinda just started to pick and choose which ones they could turn over the fastest for adoptions. They ended up being more about numbers than anything, and it was really sad.

Unfortunately, money is the bottom line for probably...well...everything in this world. I'm certainly not saying that it's okay to euthanize a kitten because she rolled in poop. Without having been in the shelter/clinic you were in, I can't make accurate judgements. Just remember that, in reality, that's what shelters do. Try to turn over animals as quickly as possible so they can create empty space for another animal. In my opinion, without having worked in a shelter environment, I think it would be the most difficult area of vet med to work in. You are surrounded by death, sad stories, sick animals, and animals that you just can't always help. Those same things occur in GP, but are a daily thing in shelter medicine. I can't tell you how many times people have told me they've watched friends develop addictions in order to cope with the stress/depression.

How old/heavy was the kitten? Most shelters in my area automatically euthanize kittens and puppies under 2lbs. I'm just brainstorming to see if there was a more logical reason behind the euthanasia other than the kitten was poopy.

 

[Felixor90]

Second, I know that euthanasia is mandatory, in some cases, and I'm not saying that it's not. If I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't have taken the technician job. All I'm saying is that I don't particularly agree with the euthanasia of a perfectly healthy cat, solely because there's 'no space.' That has nothing to do with medicine, but instead, a crummy shelter.

This shows that you have precisely 0.00 experience with shelters. So you'd rather the animals be stacked on top of each other, making it super easy for the spreading of diseases, which ultimately ends with even more animals having to be euthanized. Grow the **** up!

Also,

 

[twelvetigers]

You however, come off as incredibly arrogant. Maybe you should take your own advice. Do me a favor, and if you don't have anything relevant, helpful, or positive to post, keep quiet, huh?

I love when the new kid comes in and gets mad at our board-certified veterinarian.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I love when the new kid comes in and gets mad at our board-certified veterinarian.

 

[LetItSnow]

Grow the **** up!

So.... I can be among the snarkiest of the snarky here on SDN pre-vet. But based on this previous post from a mod...

This is your official keep it civil in here warning or I will close the thread or give out warnings. Please read SDN's terms of service for any questions about appropriate behavior

.... I'd maybe consider editing your post. Just lookin' out for ya.

 

[dyachei]

i can has?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

i can has?

Only if you agree to be my Terminator guardian.

 

[dyachei]

Only if you agree to be my Terminator guardian.

sure, why not.

 

[twelvetigers]

Guuuuuuurl. You know what I meant.

 

[679995]

So by that logic, someone who isn't a vegetarian is showing less dedication to animals. Right.



What I said was relevant and helpful regarding how you should deal with your attitude; you are obviously choosing not to accept it. I'm sorry if you can't see that. Maybe in a few years when more people have called you out on it.

Here's the thing though. You chose to pass judgement when you know nothing about me, other than what I've written here. And thanks for trying to sugar coat this comment, but unfortunately, your original, once again, nasty comment, went to my email. So did you ever think that my 'crap attitude' had something to do with you being rude straight from the beginning? You don't know enough about me to determine whether or not I have an attitude. Did I take your rude comments personally? Yes. It's not what you say, it's how you say it, and if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. My post may have come across and patchy, and maybe even a little crotchety, because I was throwing out thoughts as they came to me. Other people that had a problem with this, asked, without being so offensive.

And sorry, but I still can't find your comments relevant. I didn't ask if I suck as a person. If I did, you might be on to something. But again, you have to meet someone to pass that kind of judgement. As offended as I have been by some of the things you said, that's still not enough for me to say anything about you as a person.

Also, I know I said it elsewhere, but I'll say it again. Me being a vegetarian is my own personal giveback. It doesn't make anyone else's any greater, or any less. I already know that working in the field does more justice, but it's something I do for myself, personally. To each their own.

 

[679995]

This shows that you have precisely 0.00 experience with shelters. So you'd rather the animals be stacked on top of each other, making it super easy for the spreading of diseases, which ultimately ends with even more animals having to be euthanized. Grow the **** up!

Also,

No, I'm not saying that at all. But maybe the shelter should change their advertising. It was just definitely a place that didn't practice what they preach. A man dropped off his dog and said that if there were any problems, to call him, and he'd come back for her. They euthanized the dog without telling him, and then when he showed up to check up on her, they gave him an 'Ooops, my bad.'

Or maybe stop taking in animals. I could understand if they were the only shelter in the area, but that's not the case. There's a handful, not including all the clinics and foster programs nearby. There are plenty of options around, but people thought that this shelter was the best option because of their advertising.

And, I'm not sure what that has to do with growing up, but okay. Keep calm, sheesh.

 

[679995]

Unfortunately, money is the bottom line for probably...well...everything in this world. I'm certainly not saying that it's okay to euthanize a kitten because she rolled in poop. Without having been in the shelter/clinic you were in, I can't make accurate judgements. Just remember that, in reality, that's what shelters do. Try to turn over animals as quickly as possible so they can create empty space for another animal. In my opinion, without having worked in a shelter environment, I think it would be the most difficult area of vet med to work in. You are surrounded by death, sad stories, sick animals, and animals that you just can't always help. Those same things occur in GP, but are a daily thing in shelter medicine. I can't tell you how many times people have told me they've watched friends develop addictions in order to cope with the stress/depression.

How old/heavy was the kitten? Most shelters in my area automatically euthanize kittens and puppies under 2lbs. I'm just brainstorming to see if there was a more logical reason behind the euthanasia other than the kitten was poopy.

She was around 6 months, maybe 4 pounds. I'm thinking she didn't have anything detrimentally wrong with her, other than her aversion to cleanliness haha. But if there was anything else wrong, the employee that suggested she be euthanized didn't know it. I'm hoping that there was something hidden in her file that swayed the doctor's opinion.
Her only concern was getting the cat out of the shelter because she was a burden. That woman was a manager, and the fact that she thought it was okay to ask a question like that, for that reason, just didn't sit well with me.

I know that we kept puppies under 2 pounds, but kittens were a 50/50, because we always had foster's available for puppies, but we had maybe 400 cats out to foster.

Some cases of euthanasia, I can understand. There was one kitten, 8 months old (and I still feel bad for it.) Mauled me out of nowhere, and got away laughing. APPARENTLY, said creation was under an unmarked quarantine, because she was being watched for rabies. No one could handle this cat, so it hadn't been vaccinated yet, but no one thought it'd be a good idea to put notes in the computer after she had bitten someone else prior to biting me. So I had to get glued up, and an unfortunate series of rabies shots, and they found the cat a week later, hiding in the ceiling. She had to be put down, of course, and sent out for testing. I'm sure she would've come around with some TLC, but....

 

[dyachei]

No, I'm not saying that at all. But maybe the shelter should change their advertising. It was just definitely a place that didn't practice what they preach. A man dropped off his dog and said that if there were any problems, to call him, and he'd come back for her. They euthanized the dog without telling him, and then when he showed up to check up on her, they gave him an 'Ooops, my bad.'

Or maybe stop taking in animals. I could understand if they were the only shelter in the area, but that's not the case. There's a handful, not including all the clinics and foster programs nearby. There are plenty of options around, but people thought that this shelter was the best option because of their advertising.

And, I'm not sure what that has to do with growing up, but okay. Keep calm, sheesh.

The maturity level in the tone of your posts is why some posters feel that growing up is relevant.

Shelters do what they can with the funds that they can. There are a couple shelters that are really fronts for groups like PeTA and HSUS that actually euthanize more animals. While it may seem aberrant to you, they may be compassion fatigued because they don't have the space they need. In parts of the south, all shelters are hugely overburdened. No-kill shelters can actually add to that problem.

Here's the thing though. You chose to pass judgement when you know nothing about me, other than what I've written here. And thanks for trying to sugar coat this comment, but unfortunately, your original, once again, nasty comment, went to my email. So did you ever think that my 'crap attitude' had something to do with you being rude straight from the beginning? You don't know enough about me to determine whether or not I have an attitude. Did I take your rude comments personally? Yes. It's not what you say, it's how you say it, and if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything. My post may have come across and patchy, and maybe even a little crotchety, because I was throwing out thoughts as they came to me. Other people that had a problem with this, asked, without being so offensive.

the way YOUR tone came across was that not being a vegetarian makes you less dedicated to animals. Which is complete and utter BS. And when you were challenged on it, you didn't really change or elaborate in a way that made any sense. It's a highly sensitive subject.

 

[stephrp]

1. Would you recommend community college?

Without adding to the current conversation, I want to suggest being very careful about which courses you take at community college. I spent three years at a community college and will be graduating in May, but when I transfer to my state university I will be considered a freshman. This is because I wasn't careful enough making sure my classes lined up with what was accepted at the state university. Part of the reason was because I didn't know what my future plans were going to be and was more focused on just making sure I went to college. But I would HIGHLY recommend figuring out where you want to finish your Bachelors before you even start at a community college and work with your adviser and an adviser at the college to make sure everything will transfer over. Otherwise you may end up doing 2+ years at a community college and retaking some of the courses at university anyway.

In my case, I took Inorganic Chem 1 & 2, but that won't transfer because my state university doesn't equate it to General Chem 1 & 2 which is required for my major. Microbiology won't transfer because at CC it's a 200 level course and at IS it's considered 400 level. Biology I won't transfer because it's 4 credits at CC and 5 credits at IS. Overall I have five courses that they will make me retake (most are four credits) and something like 30 credits that aren't needed for the major and are essentially "wasted".

It may not seem like a big deal and really won't be "that much more" expensive but it would just be better in my opinion to really plan ahead so you don't have to retake courses.

 

[LetItSnow]

if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything.

The irony... it burns....

 

[LetItSnow]

P.S. What the hell is a 'giveback'?

 

[679995]

P.S. What the hell is a 'giveback'?

Well, my spell-checker recognized it, so I went with it.

But, the woman that I was talking about with 27 foster failures got me using the word. It's kinda just your personal way of giving back. Yours could be donating your hair. It just depends on the person and what makes them happy. For her, it was cartwheeling down the stairs because someone didn't make it outside in time.