Illinois 2024-2025 (c/o 2029 hopefuls)

[supershorty]

This thread is for discussing applications to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine in the 2024-2025 (class of 2029) cycle.

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[eleanor713]

Hi everyone! I know every year applicants are always wondering when they will hear back from schools. This past cycle we heard if we moved past phase 1 on 11/29. Interviews were offered on 1/19, interviews were through zoom in February, and offers were extended by email on 2/26! Obviously no guarantee that the timeline will stay the same but hopefully it will give you somewhat of an idea🙂

 

[battie]

Class of 21 grad. Probably wouldn't be the best person in regards specific details like clubs any more. Even some of the curriculum has changed I think? But otherwise willing to lend support 😊

 

[SkiOtter]

Class of 21 grad. Probably wouldn't be the best person in regards specific details like clubs any more. Even some of the curriculum has changed I think? But otherwise willing to lend support 😊

I second this but c/o 22 😂

 

[Penny$29]

Hi all! Potentially applying this cycle, I know there have been GPA cut-offs in the past. Do those vary from year to year, or will it be the same as last year? I understand that only the phase II and phase III scores are considered, so if my veterinary experience hours are on the lower side is it worth applying (will probably have 1,140 hours of experience by the time I apply)?

 

[SkiOtter]

Hi all! Potentially applying this cycle, I know there have been GPA cut-offs in the past. Do those vary from year to year, or will it be the same as last year? I understand that only the phase II and phase III scores are considered, so if my veterinary experience hours are on the lower side is it worth applying (will probably have 1,140 hours of experience by the time I apply)?

They have a hard cut off of 3.0 where they won’t look at your app at all if you’re under that. For making it past phase 1, the gpa each year varies based on the applicant pool.

 

[eleanor713]

Hi all! Potentially applying this cycle, I know there have been GPA cut-offs in the past. Do those vary from year to year, or will it be the same as last year? I understand that only the phase II and phase III scores are considered, so if my veterinary experience hours are on the lower side is it worth applying (will probably have 1,140 hours of experience by the time I apply)?

Definitely worth applying! As long as the hours are diverse, that’s not that low of a number. I’ve heard of people getting in with only a couple hundred.

 

[Penny$29]

Definitely worth applying! As long as the hours are diverse, that’s not that low of a number. I’ve heard of people getting in with only a couple hundred.

What if they're not diverse...only have about 14 hours of equine shadowing, the rest are all from 3 different small animal practices.

 

[gmiranda164]

What if they're not diverse...only have about 14 hours of equine shadowing, the rest are all from 3 different small animal practices.

hi!! i had 1000+ hours in just small animal practices and just like 40 hours in exotics. it’s definitely possible!

 

[Cowsrcool]

Hi all! Potentially applying this cycle, I know there have been GPA cut-offs in the past. Do those vary from year to year, or will it be the same as last year? I understand that only the phase II and phase III scores are considered, so if my veterinary experience hours are on the lower side is it worth applying (will probably have 1,140 hours of experience by the time I apply)?

I think the oos gpa cut off this past yr for going past phase 1 was like a 3.8+ but don’t quote me I heard that from one person!

 

[battie]

I think the oos gpa cut off this past yr for going past phase 1 was like a 3.8+ but don’t quote me I heard that from one person!

Also anecdotal and now pretty old. But I was accepted with a 3.3 cGPA and a 3.0 sGPA. One of my vet med besties was accepted with a 2.8 or 2.75 (though 4.0 junior and senior years).

 

[spiane]

They have a hard cut off of 3.0 where they won’t look at your app at all if you’re under that. For making it past phase 1, the gpa each year varies based on the applicant pool.

This past year was one of the most competitive with the accepted class having an average gpa of 3.87

What if they're not diverse...only have about 14 hours of equine shadowing, the rest are all from 3 different small animal practices.

People always harped on the diversity thing when I applied and I definitely think it adds strength but so many people in my class have 0 large animal or equine experience. I had about 100 equine and 900 small animal but 0 large.

 

[spiane]

Hi all! Potentially applying this cycle, I know there have been GPA cut-offs in the past. Do those vary from year to year, or will it be the same as last year? I understand that only the phase II and phase III scores are considered, so if my veterinary experience hours are on the lower side is it worth applying (will probably have 1,140 hours of experience by the time I apply)?

I wouldn’t let the gpa stat from c/o 2028 scare you though because it’s an average so there were plenty of people below a 3.87. Gpa isn’t the only thing weighted either and each applicant pool is different. Also 1,100 hours is NOT a low number!

 

[futuredogtor614]

Current third year. I don't remember what the GPA average for my class was, but I know I was below it at 3.3. I had 0 large animal and equine experience when accepted, but a large number of hours (over 5K) split across 4 small animal clinics between GP and ER. I also had worked at a pet store for a few years and included that under my animal experience since I had to handle/medicate the animals in the store.

 

[futureponydr]

Hi current students! I'm just hopping on to see if anyone has been involved in their graduate programs and had success getting accepted? I was part of the Graduate Certificate program and have now moved to be completing an MVS with Illinois! Not sure if it will specifically help with their admissions process but I know it won't hurt!

 

[Catmom08]

Hi current students! I'm just hopping on to see if anyone has been involved in their graduate programs and had success getting accepted? I was part of the Graduate Certificate program and have now moved to be completing an MVS with Illinois! Not sure if it will specifically help with their admissions process but I know it won't hurt!

I’m currently in their MVS program but in case you haven’t heard, Dr. Byrd is hosting virtual meetings to go over your apps and how to ensure you’re submitting your strongest application and the advisor told me that usually they’ll write really good LORs if you build a relationship with them.

 

[mb421]

They have a hard cut off of 3.0 where they won’t look at your app at all if you’re under that. For making it past phase 1, the gpa each year varies based on the applicant pool.

I’m 2.99 and still applied 🙁 I didn’t realize until after I submitted and paid all the fees. I should have double checked before so I didn’t have to pay. I doubt they will even consider me because of the cut off damn

 

[mb421]

I’m 2.99 and still applied 🙁 I didn’t realize until after I submitted and paid all the fees. I should have double checked before so I didn’t have to pay. I doubt they will even consider me because of the cut off damn

But my last 45 is 3.6. I explained why my overall is lower but they won’t consider that first they will unfortunately just see the lower cumulative.

 

[roseaggies99]

Did anyone get a confirmation email that their application had been received? I have no emails from them.

 

[Gina Lawson]

Did anyone get a confirmation email that their application had been received? I have no emails from them.

Nothing yet

 

[SkiOtter]

Did anyone get a confirmation email that their application had been received? I have no emails from them.

You generally don’t hear anything from illinois until December when they send out if you passed through phase 1 or not.

 

[roseaggies99]

You generally don’t hear anything from illinois until December when they send out if you passed through phase 1 or not.

Thank you!

 

[SkiOtter]

Can any current or past students give some insight into their oncology department and cancer research programs?

I don’t know tons about the cancer research but I know that they do always have multiple clinical trials going on (so much so that they have a veterinary intern that is strictly just doing trials). Their onco department has multiple boarded faculty and multiple residents and they have a new (in the last handful of years) linear accelerator for radiation therapy and are one of the few in the country (or previously were one of the few when I was a student at least). Multiple patients daily there for chemo injections (one technician is assigned solely to chemo and does that day in and day out). I believe that onco is also currently in the process of getting an entire brand new wing from a bunch of donor money.

Here’s what they currently have for clinical trials at UIUC (onco has a lot): Clinical Trials - Veterinary Medicine at Illinois

 

[VeggieTrex]

Can any current or past students give some insight into their oncology department and cancer research programs?

Big new cancer center coming, groundbreaking happened a few days ago. Cancer research generally is big at Illinois, so there is no shortage of opportunities.

 

[battie]

The oncology department was great when I was in that rotation. I loved them and the medicine. If I could have justified it to myself, they would have convinced me to try for oncology

 

[prevetstudent22]

Check your emails everyone! I just received notice that I was not selected for phase 2. Best of luck to everyone who was!

 

[mb421]

Check your emails everyone! I just received notice that I was not selected for phase 2. Best of luck to everyone who was!

Me too 🙁 my first rejection and it sucks but I knew I’d be rejected from this school for academic reasons. I shouldn’t have applied but realized after applying so it was too late

 

[nikidvm]

OOS rejection

 

[hoofnheart]

OOS rejection

 

[PhosphodiesterBond]

OOS rejection

 

[cierra.layton]

rejected oos 😊

 

[catsandsnakes]

OOS made it onto phase II!

 

[ilovecats44]

OOS made it onto phase II!

same!!!! yay!!

 

[ghosty]

OOS moving to phase 2

 

[kelizolson]

IS made it to phase II!!

 

[channie]

Also an OOS rejection- is Illinois the school that generates a GPA cut off for phase 2 based on applications received?

 

[pp9]

Also an OOS rejection- is Illinois the school that generates a GPA cut off for phase 2 based on applications received?

Illinois no longer considers academics after phase 1. Going forward, only the rest of your application and the interview are considered, with more weight on the non-academic parts of your VMCAS

 

[turtle36]

Rejected oos, not sad though this was literally my last choice. Good luck to yall!

 

[Futureveterinarian29]

OOS moving onto Phase II! I was curious if anyone new how many people were considered when moving into phase II? Does anyone also know how heavy they weigh the GPA? I feel that Illinois is tough on GPA's, so was just curious!

 

[toastiesimba]

OOS moving onto phase 2 🙂 good luck everyone ahhh I'm so excited <3

 

[pp9]

Illinois doesn’t consider last [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]] unit GPA like most other schools, right?

LOL what happened here

 

[turtle36]

LOL what happened here

I’ve seen them have this comment a few times. They must be copy and pasting something

 

[Tamjammy]

Anyone who was out of state and got moved to phase 2 can you share your stats. I just want to know if they weighed it heavily on GPA

 

[nicoledoesvetstuff]

In-state and moved to phase 2!!

 

[streptomyces]

OOS moved to Phase II!!

 

[channie]

Illinois no longer considers academics after phase 1. Going forward, only the rest of your application and the interview are considered, with more weight on the non-academic parts of your VMCAS

Sorry, I meant for Phase 1, as far as moving people on to phase 2. I thought I had read somewhere in this thread that in Phase 1 they generate a GPA cutoff based on applicants stats and whoever meets those requirements gets sent to Phase 2.

 

[bearbear2001]

OOS rejection- they said it was related to GPA but I am currently standing at a 4.0 with my Masters program. :/

 

[channie]

OOS rejection- they said it was related to GPA but I am currently standing at a 4.0 with my Masters program. :/

I don’t believe Illinois considers post-graduate GPA/course work. I also have a 4.0 in my Masters, it is very frustrating for sure!!!!

 

[Team_Purple]

I got rejected due to not meeting prerequisite requirements even though I am almost 100% certain I have the correct prereqs? I'm wondering if the same thing is happening to anyone else. I used the professional transcript entry because one of my institutions used quarter hours and I didn't want to mess that up, but maybe something was converted incorrectly? The only other thing I can think of is that my Biology labs did not need to be taken concurrently with their associated courses, and so maybe something is being flagged there as they appear somewhat out of order.

Does anyone have any experience with this or had any luck getting similar issues resolved? I've already called/emailed but have yet to hear back.

 

[pp9]

OOS rejection- they said it was related to GPA but I am currently standing at a 4.0 with my Masters program. :/

Did you read the admissions section on graduate coursework to see if your Master's courses would even be considered, and how it would affect your stats?

I don’t believe Illinois considers post-graduate GPA/course work. I also have a 4.0 in my Masters, it is very frustrating for sure!!!!

They do. You all should be making sure to read everything the schools have to say about their admissions process. The info each school publishes will often help you determine which schools you would be most competitive at.