I am afraid I will not make it

[Erudite Kitty]

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Lately, I’ve been heavily concerned about my future and have been pondering on it a lot since I have obviously a lot of problems keeping me from getting a great degree or some future dream job.

First of all, I failed all my classes up to this year and I am in remedial classes. I am in Math 2 and English 12 with extra assistance – the other 6 blocks they have agreed to let me volunteer for the humane society in my local area since they are all electives and that is all I have left until graduation. It is my academic background that worries me – I have not read a single book, magazine or even a scintilla of writing until this year and even though I have been trying to read a book or two a day, I know that I am still at a strong disadvantage not just in English, but in every other aspect of education.

I guess my bad education is due to my dad’s untimely death and that we had everything robbed around that point too. I was aspergic so I often was bullied and threatened with my life from bullies. My aspergers was so bad that I had panic attacks often, because even teachers made fun of me and told me I was stupid and unworthy, and with a life like that; my life was pointed out to be useless. Of course, now that I know that is a naïve thought – I want to make something of my self for my sake and my family’s sake whom all have never had a great job. It is because of this depression that I failed school and that I am in the position I am now.

I am working on getting my driver’s license and working on getting 30 teeth that have cavities fixed – they say my teeth are hereditary defected and even though I brush and brush, mouthwash and floss, they still decay rapidly which is another problem that I fear for expenses and another reason I need a great job. But besides that, I really have wanted to be a veterinarian or a veterinary technician, and if not that, at least an animal control officer or a computer job. I do not know how any of that would be possible with not even an algebraic understanding or even a great comprehension of science and English. It seems very daunting and if not somewhat humanly impossible to make up all that knowledge before going to college.

What do you all think? Is it sill possible to be a veterinarian? I have a lot of struggles, getting a driver’s license when my mom can’t even drive which will be hard. Dealing with the bullies and teachers right now is killing me but I am sure I can make it though. The teeth problem is a simple misfortunate on my part but I will live with it. My family only makes $18,000 a year (decreased house rent and we get food stamps but not very much). I do also not see myself affording college, a car or even an apartment at that rate. For the most part, I am passing my classes but often I feel they are just handing me the grades because they made it so my classes are so easy – it is appalling because I am not graded on my upmost skill and because of that, I feel that I am lacking.

I guess I am being palpably overtaken by all these struggles at once, but what I am worried about most is that I might not be smart enough to qualify for veterinarian school. I hear everyone saying that there is always hope but is there always a possible way? I mean, I want everything to be a veterinarian and such but is there anyway to go from a almost obscure comprehension of math, English, science and medicine to a high comprehension in college – and in that respect, gain the knowledge to go to veterinarian school after a four year college? I know I am pessimistic but I am desperately searching for answers on how this would be possible. I am afraid of college most, will they still put me in remedial classes and will my math skills and science ever suffice - I mean don't vets have to be really, innately smart?

 

[Doc Payne]

From what I've heard, vet school is harder to get into than most other graduate schools. But that shouldn't deter you. Don't let your high school grades force you into thinking that college will be worse, because it won't. You get a fresh start there, and vet schools don't care what you did in high school.

 

[the duck]

You should look into community college systems, that will give you a way to start fresh grade wise, and they have lower level classes that will allow you to start where you are at. You CAN accomplish your dreams, it'll just take time (forget getting a degree in 4-years, very few people do anyway) and a lot of hard work on your part!

 

[Richardh]

i would recommend you to first find the opportunity to volunteer at a veterinary clinic/hospital. if you enjoy the atmosphere and the interaction with the staffs and the patients that you would be looking over then great 👍 there, you will also have the chance to talk to the doctors or other staff members how you can achieve your dream. get advice and further assistance which junior/community college would be best suited for you 😀 if you're highly motivated and determined to pursue your dreams then you can achieve it. once you gain admission to college i think your confidence level will be high and you will start believing in yourself 🙂

 

[shedara2008]

No one has the right to to tell you that you are worthless!! Don't get so discouraged now. You have a long way to go. So much growth, development, and attainment of skills and learning more about how you learn and study can occur, between now and undergrad, as well as professional school. Do not allow someone else's hurtful words to make you hopeless!!!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

You might want to post in the veterinary forums here...we could give you some more detailed advice 🙂

You sound like a person that has a lot of grit, and I admire you for that. I'm not trying to discourage you at all (just offering sage advice), but know that the various jobs you listed have very different requirements.

If you like the technical aspect of the job, with more emphasis being places on patient care and handling, like anesthesia monitoring, dentistry, surgical assisting, placing catheters, followup care, etc...then a vet tech might be a better option. Licensed techs are the workhorses of a practice - we couldn't do it without them. Unlike veterinarians,which generally requires a 4 year college degree before even starting vet school (or at least 3 years to get all the pre-reqs done), veterinary technicians can enter tech school right out of high school if you credentials are strong enough - or you could do extra work at a community college etc to strengthen your record, plus work as an assistant at a hospital. Vet tech school still is very scientific-based, anatomy, physiology, etc, but they focus a little more on the physical tasks.

Unless you are willing to take hardcore anatomy, immunology, bacti/parasit/virology, biochemistry, physiology, neurology etc....veterinary school may not be for you. I'm talking 20-25 credits a semester, up to 8 hours of class and lab a day for 3 years, plus hours of study time afterwards, then a full year (ie no summer) of clinical rotations where you're going to have days running on 36+ hours of no sleep taking emergencies (anything from 1300 lb camel to a 1 lb bird). It's extremely hard. I'm not at all saying you can't, you have a long way to go - I am just saying be cognizant of that.

Drop by the forums though. We have a lot of good people in all stages of their education who may be able to help you out.

 

[IwantPharmD]

I think you should be a nurse. Way less schooling and more forgiving. There are so many nursing positions and you will be able to work as many hours as you need to take care of your family. Much more doable. Vet school is terrible hard to get into and you might as well just go get a job now (in anything) if you wanna be a vet tech since they make hardly anything.

 

[moonshyne]

I find your username interesting, "I want PharmD". Did you want to go to pharmacy school then later changed your mind. I loved reading your story, you've got a lot of good things going for yourself. You

1. Your life story, is rich and evoke a lot of emotion. That is a plus, you have something that most people with 3.8 + gpa rarely have a great life story.
2. You are a good writer.

The key is to use this story as your source of motivation.
As for teacher, and people laughing at you, think of it this way. Just as you see names of street which later will have no signifance, these people can be likened to streets just get pass them and you wont have to deal with them ever again.

Sometimes the key to success is living a modest life, right now focus on school the car and license will come at the right time, perhaps use the summer time to work on this goal

Also remember it doesn't matter where you start in life, it only matter where you end up.
Starting with poor grades, is not the end of the world, learn from your mistakes and struture your life You alone know why you get poor grades, common causes are sometimes, procrastination, lack of goals ( small goals that get you to the big one), not celebrating your successes, and number 1 T.V.
You are your own best best teacher, learn to trust and believe in you, if you
dont , who will.
Also time is on your self. if you have to do community college, make sure you make the transition to a 4yr college at some point. Also get to know professors @ colleges, seek help use their office hours, you pay their salaries w/ ur tuition so make good use of it. It will be a great investment when it comes time to apply to graduate school. They will be good sources of recommendation.

The sky is the limit,
Remember always aim for the best schools, if ur not acceppted get the degree . when i say that i mean get the degree from a school which is accredited and have graduates practing in the country you reside.

when its time to apply to profession consider all school US schools, Caribbean school, European, watever as along as it is accredited and accepted in the region you plan to practice.

1. If a person is bleeding and comes to the ER, do they ask the attending physician where did you get your degree from?
or in your case if a pet is injured does the owner ask " show me your test scores, before helping my dying poddle?"

the answer is no. Just makes sure you become the best.... people who become great clincian aren't necessarily A students from elementary school... some are , some aren't...but for those who arent... there is a moment where they decided this path is where i want to be and they get their act together...

if you reside in the U.S money should never be the reason you can't go to school there is alway financial Aid fasfa.ed.gov

So in short, i can see you becoming that great clincian you want to be, but at some point, you got to turn things around, there is a lot of hard work ahead no one can study for you or will get you answers, you got to put in the time.

There is no such thing as luck...make your luck by studying hard, and religion is also good, to encourage through the hard time.

Go get 'em..Doc 🙂

 

[avatarftw]

I don't know about this: I've seem figures saying that the acceptance rate for vet schools is the same as MD schools (~44%) while other figures have shown it to be ~40%.

However, if I am correct, not all vet schools require the VCAT; some let you take the GRE. The GRE, though difficult, is nowhere as hard as the MCAT, VCAT, DAT, etc.

To the original poster, you can overcome your problems and since you're only in high school you have your whole life ahead of you. Plenty of people struggle. The odds are heavily against you, but use it as inspiration to improve.

30 teeth with cavities!!! Including your wisdom teeth you have 32...sorry to hear about that. Are you brushing right after meals and avoiding pop and orange juice? When you floss do you make a "C" to get the food scraps out?

From what I've heard, vet school is harder to get into than most other graduate schools. But that shouldn't deter you. Don't let your high school grades force you into thinking that college will be worse, because it won't. You get a fresh start there, and vet schools don't care what you did in high school.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Yup, the VCAT is not in use anymore....got to be considered outdated. The GRE is the only standardized test required as of right now for US students. The acceptance rates tend to vary from 33% in 2005 to higher percentages nowadays with bigger class sizes, but they are about the same with med school.

It's certainly not 'harder in terms of smarts - in terms of GPAs, class ranks, scores, etc the two applying groups are the same statistically - however, the typical veterinary applicant is expected to have a larger number of hours of clinical experience (and varied experience at that) in order to be competitive. There are only 28 schools in the States, compared to 150 or so MD or DO schools...so the average vet applicant tends to need to acquire more practical hours than med in order to be competitive. No one is smarter, we just generally have to have more out-of-school veterinary experience (no offense to anyone of course, not trying to start a debate...we're all the same in terms of smarts). The number of people applying is the same, the grades are the same, its just the average vet applicant will be required to have more clinical hours, and in a large variety of settings, than the average med applicant (and I'm speaking in generalities only). It's just a problem of school scarcity, so significantly beefing up on other parts of your application becomes an absolute necessity.

Vet school (and med school) is definitely miles above graduate school though, in terms of difficulty to get in... I think that is what Doc Payne was talking about.

 

[UVMMedHopeful]

Once you get to college, realize your high school grades won't matter. And to be honest, a lot of people don't always end up doing what they went to school for anyways or they go back into a different field. As another poster said, it doesn't matter when you start, or how long, just as long as you try for your goals/dreams. Plus, you may find something even more intriguing once you get to college that you like more than becoming a veterinarian. I was like you in that regard; I wanted to be a vet for a very long time. I took as many science/math in high school as I could and got into a really good Animal Science/Pre Vet program. I graduated with a degree in Animal science and have had some jobs relating to the field, but I find myself not thoroughly enjoying it as much as I would have liked. Now I'm looking to go back to school so I can become a physician. I'm not saying you shouldn't try for the field, just be open to what else this world has to offer 🙂

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

be open to what else this world has to offer 🙂

Another sounds word of advice. Things change a lot in college. I always thought I'd be in biomedical engineering or biochemistry....and here I am in vet med. Things do change. Keep working, get to college and explore. You're a survivor.

 

[Erudite Kitty]

Well the teeth are hereditary I am sure, my mom, her mom, her dad and her relative all have close to no teeth and they brush and floss 3 times every day, and drink almost no soda. I do not know if that is a bad luck thing or what.

In regards to my school, thank you all for posting to me, I really appreciate the effort you all gave into helping me. I might find another field and I have though about selling my veterinary books that I have gotten from a friend and keeping the money for whatever I find in college that might be for me. I am having severe problems in math at the moment so it probably won't get much better.

The again... there is always being an animal control office, not a high paying job but all the time here I see animal control officers cussing at animals and making rude comments. I would like to change that in this corrupted town or perhaps move to a bigger town. Then again, there is working in a humane society or going for a computer job.

I will continue looking. In truth I have always wanted to be an animal control officer always, I've hand fed kittens that was abused and such and animal control did not help so I took matters into my own hands so that they would not die - but sometime aspiring to be one sounds almost weird to friends because it is not a high notch, high end job.

I will continue looking... reading... and studying till college - much may change.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

If you're interested in helping and treating, then humane society or vet clinic work might be better. Animal control is generally not involved with aftercare of the animals...most of your work is collecting strays and dropping them off at the pound, restraining and capturing aggressive animals, etc...it's not a very fun job. You do get to rescue animals from abusive situations sometimes, which is very heartening, but overall it is a very sad job. However, if you can handle it, go for it - I don't think I could do it...have seen too many abuse cases and aggressive dogs in my life already.

What about an assistant at a vet clinic? They are not licensed techs, but they help out doing everything and are very involved in patient care, even if they do not to the fancy stuff. It doesn't require much initial training - most assistants I knew were high school folk or college people over the summer.

 

[Erudite Kitty]

Maybe. I will consider it along with animal control. I might go to the college field trip to the technical college, the only classes I got a good grade in was web page one and two and I got an A in both - besides that every other class was bad. I can type 130 words per minute so that might help. The job category is very huge when deciding for a job, it is very daunting to me to make up my mind and know I will be happy. I have considered computer repair, webpage and computer analyst in the computer type job...but afraid they might require math - but I guess it would be worth getting a tutor for that.

I just hope I can find something I will be good at eventually. Maybe this college visit will enlighten me some. If not, I have another one to John Woods college Friday also so I can look there also. Maybe... Medical transcription if that is a possible job, I am good with medical terms but the math is what kills my chances somewhat for veterinarian job. I wonder if there would be any computer jobs having to do with animals.

 

[UVMMedHopeful]

For one, no one said you had to figure out the rest of your life right now. You're still in high school and young, you have all the time in the world to figure things out. And as I said before, you may change your mind down the road and that is perfectly ok! I had a woman in one of my organic chemistry classes during college who was at least 45 maybe even 50 and she was hoping to go to med school!

As some others have said on here, if you're really into the vet field, try working for one, even if it's only volunteering. Most clinics will allow you to volunteer, especially if you seem really interested in the field. Plus, volunteering will look great on any college application you fill out! Admissions are always looking for those kinds of activities. You might want to also try volunteering a shelter/humane society, they're ALWAYS looking for volunteers. By actually putting yourself in the atmosphere, you'll either find yourself wanting to be in the field more than ever or you may find that it's not a good fit for you.

Oh and for the math bit. I didn't take much math for my animal science degree if that helps at all. It was mostly bio, chem, and all the animal science classes. Plus a lot of colleges will have some kind of tutoring service as well, sometimes it's even free! (was at my school!) So you might want to look into that as well when you're viewing colleges. There are many ways to succeed out there, so don't get bummed out now just because you've had a few slip ups in high school, because in the end of everything, none of that will matter. Look at the people who are veterinarians, physicians, lawyers, etc. You don't see their GPAs on their CVs/resumes, it just states their degree. In the end that's what really counts. However, you should definitely still shoot for doing the absolute best you can, but realize as long as you get through it and get the degree you want, than that is what will matter! 🙂

 

[WorkaholicsAnon]

My question to you is why are you so bent on being a veterinarian? Being any sort of doctor comes with being tied to your work pretty much 24/7 and it really is hard work. I suspect you probably like animals, etc, which is why you suggested other options to be animal control, vet tech, etc.

Maybe you ought to consider other career paths. There are TONS of great fields out there that are decent money and not as intense, and dont require as much education and training. If you like animals you could look into running or participating in a nonprofit (like the Humane Society like someone suggested) or getting a business degree and opening an animal-related business. Heck you dont even really need a business degree to do that--check out all the self-made businesspeople.

p.s. re: the nursing suggestion--nursing is NOT an easy job!! very physically demanding and you need to have a sharp mind (and thick skin emotionally!!).

 

[Erudite Kitty]

I really love animals and it is one reason why I want to be a veterinarian but besides that, I want to be a veterinarian because I've always liked studying medicine and such. But, I have never though about running a business. Is that even possible? I remember taking a Finance class off the side of school for no reason, and I got a %103 in it (was required for me to do something I wanted to do in school) but I don't suppose opening a business would be cheap or easy… to be honest, how would I even earn the money? Also, if I haven't stated it yet… I volunteer four hours at the humane society during school for credits. And what business whould I open, another humane society? I know the one here is not all that great, and another one would be really useful.


Well... we have no pet shops but wouldn't that be bad to open one? And how would I even begin :S?
I have one year of humane society experience. I also have a picture of me holding a commercial check for $500 being donated from my school's HSUS club to the humane society and I am one of the people holding the check (there were only four), so I wonder if that would be much helpful at all. I was in the HSUS club all year to help with making bird feeders, lemonande stands for profits to the humane society and so on.

 

[UVMMedHopeful]

I really love animals and it is one reason why I want to be a veterinarian but besides that, I want to be a veterinarian because I’ve always liked studying medicine and such. But, I have never though about running a business. Is that even possible? I remember taking a Finance class off the side of school for no reason, and I got a %103 in it (was required for me to do something I wanted to do in school) but I don’t suppose opening a business would be cheap or easy… to be honest, how would I even earn the money? Also, if I haven’t stated it yet… I volunteer four hours at the humane society during school for credits. And what business whould I open, another humane society? I know the one here is not all that great, and another one would be really useful.


Well... we have no pet shops but wouldn't that be bad to open one? And how would I even begin :S?
I have one year of humane society experience. I also have a picture of me holding a commercial check for $500 being donated from my school’s HSUS club to the humane society and I am one of the people holding the check (there were only four), so I wonder if that would be much helpful at all. I was in the HSUS club all year to help with making bird feeders, lemonande stands for profits to the humane society and so on.

Well if you're at all interested in starting your own non profit business, like a Humane Society, or something similar, then you should take some business courses in college, it will help you understand the dynamics of operating your own business and how to get started. And if you're already volunteering at a Humane Society, then ask one of the staff members about it, they might be able to give you some details.

If I were you though, I would focus on solely getting good grades, volunteering, and applying to college. Once you're actually IN college you can see what kind of programs there are and figure it out as you go. If you're are unsure of what you'd want to major in, a lot of colleges will allow you to go in undecided and just take some general requirement classes until you figure out what you'd like, usually by sophomore/junior year of college you'll have to declare a major, but depends on the school.

If you're worried about college finances, don't be. The FAFSA is an application you fill out when you're applying to college and it will determine the amount of aid you'll receive. If your family is low income, you could get a lot of aid, especially in grants. Depending on what the FAFSA determines, you could be also eligible for work study. Work study is an amount of money that the government tells your college you can earn in a given year. So for example if you earned a $1,600 work study award, you can work at the school and earn the $1,600 during the year. It's not taxed and can go right into a savings/checking account. It's not a lot of money, but it can help. I lived off work study alone for all 4 years of college to help pay for the little personal stuff like shampoo, books, toothpaste, etc. Hope this helps!

 

[WorkaholicsAnon]

I really love animals and it is one reason why I want to be a veterinarian but besides that, I want to be a veterinarian because I’ve always liked studying medicine and such. But, I have never though about running a business. Is that even possible? I remember taking a Finance class off the side of school for no reason, and I got a %103 in it (was required for me to do something I wanted to do in school) but I don’t suppose opening a business would be cheap or easy… to be honest, how would I even earn the money? Also, if I haven’t stated it yet… I volunteer four hours at the humane society during school for credits. And what business whould I open, another humane society? I know the one here is not all that great, and another one would be really useful.


Well... we have no pet shops but wouldn't that be bad to open one? And how would I even begin :S?
I have one year of humane society experience. I also have a picture of me holding a commercial check for $500 being donated from my school’s HSUS club to the humane society and I am one of the people holding the check (there were only four), so I wonder if that would be much helpful at all. I was in the HSUS club all year to help with making bird feeders, lemonande stands for profits to the humane society and so on.

Well, you know, follow your passions. If you really enjoy studying medicine that's one thing. My point is that being a veterinarian isn't the only career you can have that involves love for animals.

Sounds like you could be cut out for business though!! Wow 103% in finance??? How to set up and run a business or nonprofit is something you would learn in business school. To be honest, I know absolutely nothing about that stuff. Here I am, having finished med school and residency, but still wanting to go to business school to figure out how to open my own clinic. Otherwise i am stuck slaving away for other people, even with all this education.

 

[hippocampus208]

I really love animals and it is one reason why I want to be a veterinarian but besides that, I want to be a veterinarian because I’ve always liked studying medicine and such. But, I have never though about running a business. Is that even possible? I remember taking a Finance class off the side of school for no reason, and I got a %103 in it (was required for me to do something I wanted to do in school) but I don’t suppose opening a business would be cheap or easy… to be honest, how would I even earn the money? Also, if I haven’t stated it yet… I volunteer four hours at the humane society during school for credits. And what business whould I open, another humane society? I know the one here is not all that great, and another one would be really useful.


Well... we have no pet shops but wouldn't that be bad to open one? And how would I even begin :S?
I have one year of humane society experience. I also have a picture of me holding a commercial check for $500 being donated from my school’s HSUS club to the humane society and I am one of the people holding the check (there were only four), so I wonder if that would be much helpful at all. I was in the HSUS club all year to help with making bird feeders, lemonande stands for profits to the humane society and so on.

Dear,
Below are some step to begin with a pet shop ( though seems theoretically, it really can help, as long as you have enough courage and belief 😀)

1.Seek employment at your local pet store. Get proficient at all the jobs, including feeding and caring for the animals as well as customer service. Gain experience with all the positions, and learn procedures from when you open the store to when you close it.
2.Work your way to management after you gain experience running a pet store. You want to learn financial management and marketing. You also want to learn how to manage pet store employees.
3. Get to know the majority of your customers. Know what backgrounds they're from, their education levels and their professions. Start by having them fill out forms that asks for background information. You want to get as much pet store customer details as you can.
4.Start attending college courses on business management. Pay particular attention to accounting and finance. Learn how to open and close financial records and books.
5.Contact your local chambers of commerce and small-business development group. Attend the classes they offer for people starting their businesses. Start reflecting on the people that visited the pet store you worked for. Use the data you've collected on your customers to target your marketing efforts.
6.Market your business before you open. As a small business owner, your best bet is to start your efforts with a freelance copywriter and graphics artist. Understand that there's a difference between a graphic artist and a copywriter. One specializes in pictures that catch attention and the other uses words to hold that attention. Their contributions must work together.

Good luck



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