If you didn't get in on your first try, what did you do?

[fauna]

Hi all, apologies if a thread like this already exists, I am pretty new to the site!

I am wondering how people improved their applications if they got rejected on their first (or second or third etc.) time applying and got into vet school in a later attempt. What did you change? How did you improve?

I just got my first rejection, still waiting to hear back from quite a few other schools (fingers crossed). The reality is hitting me that I need to make a plan to improve greatly, considering the VMCAS is soon to open all over again, and I would have about 10 months to bulk up my application packet before things are due in September 2024.

I feel that my largest hindrance is my GPA. I just know that this is why I am being rejected. I have a 3.45 (possible that I could get it up to 3.5 by the end of this semester but it'll be a stretch). I graduate in December for context, so I was planning to go full-time at the clinic I work at, but I just worry that I need to be doing more.

If you felt that GPA was part of the reason you got denied in earlier cycles, did you retake classes? Did you pursue other graduate studies? (does that change your overall GPA for applying?) Or, did you bulk up your application in other regards, such as getting lots of experience and/or more unique/impressive experience? I just don't know what I should do. I fear that retaking classes is a lot of money for such a small shift in my GPA. I never failed a class, I simply just got a decent number of C's that drag the GPA down. Not to mention, my C classes are ones that I feel doubtful I could get an A in-- there's a reason I got the C in O chem, Physics, etc., I barely passed to begin with lol!

Anyway, sorry for the rant, I just need some advice. Please share your stories on how you handled this type of situation.

edit: I realize that a packet review will definitely help me. Although, for UF, my original top choice (IS), I am unable to receive a review, because they only offer them to those offered an interview. Maybe some of my OOS options would offer me one?

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[finnickthedog]

My GPA was a weak spot but, I actually did not worry much about improving it for exactly the reason you pointed out--anything I did would have made such a small shift even if I got As (which wouldn't be a guarantee) that it didn't seem worth it. So the only changes to my GPA were from the few remaining classes I had already enrolled in to finish my degree.

I improved my hours and used feedback from my file review--get those if you can--to improve my supplemental essays. I did get the opportunity to participate in a prevetetinary summer program at my school which was a significant change in my application but not necessarily something that others can replicate (and the program I did doesn't exist in the same form anymore).

 

[eleanor713]

When I got denied last cycle I was already working a full time job in lab/ large animal, so I was able to include a full years worth of vet experience on my application which it looks like you’ll be able to do working at the clinic.
I also took full weeks off of my normal job to shadow at other veterinary fields for a week at a time to get a sense of the average day to day in that field (I did ortho, neuro, internal, and urgent care)
I also coach high school and club field hockey outside of vet med which is able to show admissions committees I can balance my work and also that I have a life outside of animals.
Honestly the biggest thing I did was get multiple people to read every essay I wrote and made sure my LORs were from people that could really demonstrate that I had traits to be a successful vet.
Obviously I haven’t gotten in yet this cycle but I know the frantic feeling of trying to plan a years worth of adding to your application for next cycle.
Another big tip I got was never stop improving your application. You should always find more experiences even after the VMCAS deadline which could help in interviews later down the cycle or help get hours in for next year.

 

[olsonvet]

I agree with all the above. My first cycle was basically a dry-run for me. I had very little experience due to the pandemic (very few clinic let clients in, let alone a student). I worked at a small animal vet clinic for that summer. My 2nd application was better but I was still waitlisted. I'm not exactly sure the why. Take the time to check all your essays. Even simple grammar errors will put you further down a list. Make sure your LOR are saying all the right things about you; not generic things like "you are a good student." I do know that I did not find this forum soon enough. I have learned a huge amount from all the different threads. I wished I had found it sooner; I would had applied to a bunch more schools. I have learned that IS waitlists do not move much, if at all. OOS waitlist move a ton! Iowa State pulled 130+ students from their waitlist. Make sure you do a deep dive into schools. Some are more holistic than others, such as Iowa State and LMU. They look at all aspects of the prospective student, not just the GPA or experience hours. This was my 3rd cycle and I have been accepted to LMUs spring cohort. I am so excited to start my journey.

 

[fauna]

I agree with all the above. My first cycle was basically a dry-run for me. I had very little experience due to the pandemic (very few clinic let clients in, let alone a student). I worked at a small animal vet clinic for that summer. My 2nd application was better but I was still waitlisted. I'm not exactly sure the why. Take the time to check all your essays. Even simple grammar errors will put you further down a list. Make sure your LOR are saying all the right things about you; not generic things like "you are a good student." I do know that I did not find this forum soon enough. I have learned a huge amount from all the different threads. I wished I had found it sooner; I would had applied to a bunch more schools. I have learned that IS waitlists do not move much, if at all. OOS waitlist move a ton! Iowa State pulled 130+ students from their waitlist. Make sure you do a deep dive into schools. Some are more holistic than others, such as Iowa State and LMU. They look at all aspects of the prospective student, not just the GPA or experience hours. This was my 3rd cycle and I have been accepted to LMUs spring cohort. I am so excited to start my journey.

First of all, congrats! Second of all, thank you for taking the time to write this out for me. Your response is super relatable to me. I wish I found this website sooner, I would have been more tactful about the schools I applied to. I applied to 9 but honestly, aside from the first 3 or 4 choices, it was a shot in the dark of just trying to increase my odds by applying to more places. I didn't apply to LMU or Iowa, definitely regretting that, but you learn! This whole first application cycle has come with a lot of surprises.

The LORs were definitely the dark horse of this whole process lmao. I knew my GPA was going to be a big hurdle, but honestly my plan for LORs fell apart this cycle. One person straight up denied me, saying it was against company policy (I was an intern and did 500 hours of unpaid labor, all in the hopes of a really good letter). Another person agreed and then never submitted anything, despite me reminding her on a regular basis (I did research in her lab). I ended up being able to get 3 letters, but, 2 of them were last-minute.

I still have 8 schools to hear back from, so, maybe something will work out this time! If not, I learned a lot from this process.

 

[fauna]

When I got denied last cycle I was already working a full time job in lab/ large animal, so I was able to include a full years worth of vet experience on my application which it looks like you’ll be able to do working at the clinic.
I also took full weeks off of my normal job to shadow at other veterinary fields for a week at a time to get a sense of the average day to day in that field (I did ortho, neuro, internal, and urgent care)
I also coach high school and club field hockey outside of vet med which is able to show admissions committees I can balance my work and also that I have a life outside of animals.
Honestly the biggest thing I did was get multiple people to read every essay I wrote and made sure my LORs were from people that could really demonstrate that I had traits to be a successful vet.
Obviously I haven’t gotten in yet this cycle but I know the frantic feeling of trying to plan a years worth of adding to your application for next cycle.
Another big tip I got was never stop improving your application. You should always find more experiences even after the VMCAS deadline which could help in interviews later down the cycle or help get hours in for next year.

Thank you for your response! I am rooting for you!! Honestly, your approach sounds like something I could definitely manage and something I think I will aspire to. I plan on keeping the full-time clinic job and doing a couple externships with more specialized things, like you described. Finding a non-animal experience is not something I thought of, but I think that is brilliant! I am not a sports kind of person, so I will have to come up with something else, haha.

My personal statement essay definitely had a lot of eyes on it and I am really proud of it, but I will say, the supplemental essays were a bit rushed because I was not anticipating so. many. So, that's definitely a way to improve!

 

[fauna]

My GPA was a weak spot but, I actually did not worry much about improving it for exactly the reason you pointed out--anything I did would have made such a small shift even if I got As (which wouldn't be a guarantee) that it didn't seem worth it. So the only changes to my GPA were from the few remaining classes I had already enrolled in to finish my degree.

I improved my hours and used feedback from my file review--get those if you can--to improve my supplemental essays. I did get the opportunity to participate in a prevetetinary summer program at my school which was a significant change in my application but not necessarily something that others can replicate (and the program I did doesn't exist in the same form anymore).

Thank you! Honestly, it's comforting to hear someone else say that they were able to get through things. It all feels a bit more manageable now, haha!

 

[supershorty]

I had a rough go my first application cycle, mainly because I was just very average. My GPA was fine, my hours were fine, my letters were fine, but nothing stood out, if that makes sense. I did file reviews with the programs I planned to apply to again and ended up retaking a couple of courses, but most of my gap year was spent working in research both due to my interest in it and because that was an area where I knew I could make myself a little different.

I ended up working in research for a few years before I reapplied - working for the PI I later did my PhD with - and then when I reapplied, I targeted my application to DVM/PhD programs at schools where my application might be the strongest (minus Davis. I still don't know why I applied to Davis that time around, I guess I just had some money burning a hole in my pocket and wanted to throw it away.). It ended up being about half the number of schools that I had applied to in my first attempt and had better outcomes.

File reviews are extremely helpful, if you're able to do them.

 

[EB73674]

Here is my successful applicant post: Successful Applicants c/o 2025

I had a pretty weak science (2.95) & last-45/36 (3.3) GPA my first time applying, along with zero research experience & not much else to make me stand out on an application. I knew I couldn't raise my cumulative GPA much, as I had nearly 2 full B.A.'s worth of credits accumulated. But I knew I had worked hard on some more recent pre-reqs & that I had some poor grades that would drop from my last-45 that would help raise those - they went up to 3.1 and 3.7, respectively. I also was able to enter myself as a first author on a research review, and I specifically spoke to the dean of admissions for a file review at my single interview school from my first round. He gave me great information on how to improve my essays to showcase my individual strengths & diversity. I also designed my continuing pre-req courses to allow me to apply to a larger group of schools.

And my biggest piece of advice is DO NOT tie yourself to a single set of schools - evaluate EACH school that is covered under VMCAS for what they value & respond best to in applicants, decide if the cost of attendance for those programs is worth it to you (Student Debt Center Covid Banner), and then pick the number of applications you can afford to apply to. I only reapplied to 4 out of 10 schools my second round, but others I branched out in my choices to promote my application to schools that would favor my profile. I prioritized schools that are more holistic in their evaluation of experience vs. academics/research, ones who value last-45 GPA higher or equally to science/cumulative, and ones that specifically promoted their commitment to diversity. My first round I had one interview & was waitlisted, and my second round I was accepted to 4 schools (with one recruitment scholarship) and high-waitlisted at an additional 2.

 

[Kodiak-Bear]

My first round was last year and I had a very rough go of it. 13 outright rejections and one waitlist where I was placed so high up it was essentially a rejection too. My plan was like yours, I wanted to graduate and go full time at the clinic I was working at, but after multiple file reviews, I knew that wasn't my best option. My gpas were all around average or a bit below average, but my experiences were pretty good (in my opinion). I knew my science gpa was probably the real reason I didn't get in, so I retook some science courses that I didn't do well in during undergrad and I started a Master's degree in a science field to keep improving my science gpa. While I haven't gotten in to anywhere this cycle, it is going much better for me as I already have had some interviews which is a huge step up from last year. Also I applied smarter this cycle- Don't apply to places like UC Davis or Cornell if you have an average gpa. I think its just a waste of money at that point. I hope some of this helps!