Interested in going pre vet- not elligible for my school's Pre Vet program

[theinhtun]

I am currently a 2nd year student at Cal Poly Pomona(which is known for its animal science programs) and I've taken an interest in becoming a Veterinarian. Problem is that my school's animal science major is extremely impacted and you need a rather high gpa (3.5) to transfer into the program. However, I've heard that there are people who go the pre med route(taking Biology or chemistry) but still manage to get into Veterinarian school. I'm just wondering if that's a viable alternative; what I'm the most worried about is getting the experience with working with a large variety of animals mainly because the animal science majors at my school get to work with the various farm animals on campus.

So any tips for me? Also, how are the Carribean Vet schools?

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[Frozenshades]

Your major doesn't really matter as long as you complete the required prerequisite courses. That is a slight disadvantage that you'll miss out on that farm experience, but reach out and look for other opportunities to work with animals and maybe contact local veterinarians to see if you can shadow. Pre-vet and other animal related clubs at your school can be a good place to look for such opportunities (such a club once led me to a shadowing experience which then led to a job). If you have trouble finding opportunities during school (can sometimes happen in areas saturated with pre-vet and vet students) just try your best and really hit it hard during breaks when you're back home and have more time. If you get a job or volunteer/shadow a lot over summer you can easily get a few hundred hours; combine that with whatever you can do during school and you should be able to build a good amount of experience in time to apply since you're only a second year. And keep a journal of all your experience! Everything you do, when, where, with who. Write it all down immediately after and you'll hug yourself with all the trouble you've saved yourself when it comes time to fill out the VMCAS. However, lots of animal/vet experience isn't a substitute for a strong GPA which is a major factor for admissions. Don't spend all of your time working on getting animal and vet experience and sacrifice performing well in your classes. Give yourself adequate time to prepare for and take the GRE also, it would suck to get caught in a bind with that last minute with a score you're not satisfied with. I only just applied for the first time, so I'm sure others with more experience have better advice to give, but I hope that's useful.

 

[dvmdreamer]

I. Problem is that my school's animal science major is extremely impacted and you need a rather high gpa (3.5) to transfer into the program. However, I've heard that there are people who go the pre med route(taking Biology or chemistry) but still manage to get into Veterinarian school.

The biology/chemistry route is not an alternative route- it is THE route. Most schools do not accept animal science courses as pre-requisite courses. They require biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry. Some schools have additional requirements (such as animal nutrition, communications, statistics) which vary by school. You can certainly be an animal science major and take these additional courses, but you can also be any other major as well. I would recommend you check out the application requirements of the schools you are looking at first. All schools have a list of prerequisite and recommended courses on their website.

A rather high GPA is needed to go to vet school- most schools average accepted class GPA is a 3.5 or above. As Frozenshades said, I would make improving your GPA your first priority and try to get animal experience over the summers. I am assuming you are not currently in the sciences. Vet schools like to see that you can handle multiple science classes at once, so make sure you do a semester where you are taking a heavy STEM courseload.

Finally, look within your research departments at school. Labs often need help, and this also looks good for you and may have hands on animal opportunities. Also, you may be able to get credit or get paid, and can offer networking opportunities and recommendation letter sources.

 

[PetPony]

There is no one THE route. You can have any major as long as you also take the prerequisites. There are courses in the bio path that aren't counted as pre requisites just because they aren't required. They count as science courses but you don't have to have them. So it's perfectly fine to have animal science as your major. Or bio. Or art. Do something that interests you and ad the pre requisites and do good in all of them.

 

[dvmdreamer]

There is no one THE route. You can have any major as long as you also take the prerequisites. There are courses in the bio path that aren't counted as pre requisites just because they aren't required. They count as science courses but you don't have to have them. So it's perfectly fine to have animal science as your major. Or bio. Or art. Do something that interests you and ad the pre requisites and do good in all of them.

I did say that you could be any major... by THE route I meant that the biology/chemistry courses were required, not the majors, to clarify.

But yes, do something you enjoy and will be successful at 😀

 

[twelvetigers]

You could just as easily be an English major and get into vet school, as long as you take the required courses, which generally include (but are not limited to):

general chemistry I and II
physics I (maybe II)
organic chemistry I and II
biology (usually a couple classes' worth)
microbiology
biochemistry
genetics
trig or calculus
basic, general education classes

Some schools also want animal nutrition, maybe some want physiology, etc. so you should be scouring the webpages of schools you know you will be interested in.

 

[PetPony]

I did say that you could be any major... by THE route I meant that the biology/chemistry courses were required, not the majors, to clarify.

But yes, do something you enjoy and will be successful at 😀

I didn't mean to make your post look bad if that's what you were wondering. Sorry about that. 🙂

But most of those classes are also required for an animal science major, do it wouldn't be too different to get the prerequisites.

 

[jmo1012]

I am currently a 2nd year student at Cal Poly Pomona(which is known for its animal science programs) and I've taken an interest in becoming a Veterinarian. Problem is that my school's animal science major is extremely impacted and you need a rather high gpa (3.5) to transfer into the program. However, I've heard that there are people who go the pre med route(taking Biology or chemistry) but still manage to get into Veterinarian school. I'm just wondering if that's a viable alternative; what I'm the most worried about is getting the experience with working with a large variety of animals mainly because the animal science majors at my school get to work with the various farm animals on campus.

So any tips for me? Also, how are the Carribean Vet schools?

I might be a tad biased, but it's 85 and sunny out right now in beautiful Grenada 😉 I went reef snorkeling yesterday too and saw an eel. Oh and school wise we're on par with everyone else of course Also, we have quite a few Cal Poly people here. In my class alone, we have at least 4 that I can think of off the top of my head (a fifth who transferred to NCSU) and quite a few others in the various terms.

 

[wolfspeaker]

You could also do NO major and just take the pre-requisite courses. 😎 Or is that only after a certain age? (I'm older so never really looked into it)

 

[Foxhunter]

You could also do NO major and just take the pre-requisite courses. 😎 Or is that only after a certain age? (I'm older so never really looked into it)

No you can totally do this, but if you're younger you better kill those grades. I think most schools frown upon the 21 year old, did all my pre-reqs in 2 or 3 years, didn't actually get a degree thing. I think it makes you look less well-balanced... I think they'd rather see you lived your life some...

 

[Museum Nerd]

The biology/chemistry route is not an alternative route- it is THE route. Most schools do not accept animal science courses as pre-requisite courses. They require biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry. Some schools have additional requirements (such as animal nutrition, communications, statistics) which vary by school. You can certainly be an animal science major and take these additional courses, but you can also be any other major as well. I would recommend you check out the application requirements of the schools you are looking at first. All schools have a list of prerequisite and recommended courses on their website.

A rather high GPA is needed to go to vet school- most schools average accepted class GPA is a 3.5 or above. As Frozenshades said, I would make improving your GPA your first priority and try to get animal experience over the summers. I am assuming you are not currently in the sciences. Vet schools like to see that you can handle multiple science classes at once, so make sure you do a semester where you are taking a heavy STEM courseload.

Finally, look within your research departments at school. Labs often need help, and this also looks good for you and may have hands on animal opportunities. Also, you may be able to get credit or get paid, and can offer networking opportunities and recommendation letter sources.

not sure what you mean by being an animal science major and taking the "additional courses"......biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, microbiology, calculus, statistics are all required for a degree just as they are in biology in addition to the animal nutrion and comminications course many schools require. Biochem was considered one of my choices for an elective in a required science choice so if you weren't pre vet or pre-med you could take an advanced biology or other animal science course but i did not have to take any additional classes to satisfy the pre reqs for any of the schools i was looking at.

 

[twelvetigers]

The degree is gonna depend on the school. Our ansci degree had two semesters of animal nutrition, a separate genetics, some breeding courses, some herd management or handling. There was a shorter, simpler physics that many schools would not accept, as well as a combined organic chemistry that was the same way. So it didn't all overlap completely. I think basic biology or zoology had the most overlap here, but it all just depends.

 

[Angelus9]

I am currently a 2nd year student at Cal Poly Pomona(which is known for its animal science programs) and I've taken an interest in becoming a Veterinarian. Problem is that my school's animal science major is extremely impacted and you need a rather high gpa (3.5) to transfer into the program.

As long as you meet the pre-reqs with good grades it doesn't matter so much what your declared major is. IMHO you seem to have the mistaken (though not uncommon) idea that you need to major in Animal Science to become a vet. This is utterly not true, and sometimes the AnSci students have it a little harder than the pre-med students getting accepted. As others have said, you're going to be a doctor; you need hard sciences. Not sure what an "impacted" major is, although it sounds painful.

Also, generally speaking you should count on having at least a 3.5 to get into vet school. Yes, there are lots with lower, but there are thousands with much higher, too. Help yourself get in and keep that GPA high.

However, I've heard that there are people who go the pre med route(taking Biology or chemistry) but still manage to get into Veterinarian school. I'm just wondering if that's a viable alternative; what I'm the most worried about is getting the experience with working with a large variety of animals mainly because the animal science majors at my school get to work with the various farm animals on campus.

It's your first sentence here. "Still manage" to get in? Pre-med is pre-med, whether human or veterinarian. The students in "pre-med" or I've also heard it called "professional biology" (as opposed to a Biology major that others take, "professional" meaning you intend to go on to either a veterinary or human medical school and not say, work as a field biologist or teach Biology). Pre-med programs are an excellent way to prepare for vet school - you get the knowledge you need plus experience with a rigorous program.

Veterinary school will teach you how to handle animals. You don't need to learn that in college. Yes, you need animal experience, but "how to handle" farm animals? Totally not needed at the undergraduate level.

Good luck and much success to you!

 

[Frozenshades]

The degree is gonna depend on the school. Our ansci degree had two semesters of animal nutrition, a separate genetics, some breeding courses, some herd management or handling. There was a shorter, simpler physics that many schools would not accept, as well as a combined organic chemistry that was the same way. So it didn't all overlap completely. I think basic biology or zoology had the most overlap here, but it all just depends.

Yeah it varies. My university has an animal science program that meets all the requirements, physics, bio, ochem, biochem, etc. I think they actually divide it up so there's animal science which is the heavy science based one, and then animal science- animal production/industry which has a bit more focus on the business side of agriculture as well as basic animal science. The biomedical science program seems to be what most pre-vet and pre-med students do here though; meets all the prerequisites and has a healthy dose of additional science courses on top of those.

 

[Bettina]

I might be a tad biased, but it's 85 and sunny out right now in beautiful Grenada 😉 I went reef snorkeling yesterday too and saw an eel. Oh and school wise we're on par with everyone else of course Also, we have quite a few Cal Poly people here. In my class alone, we have at least 4 that I can think of off the top of my head (a fifth who transferred to NCSU) and quite a few others in the various terms.

Hey, do you know anything about the pre-vet programme at sgu? I've just sent in my application and LORs etc for the pre-vet year 3, and waiting for allison enoch to get back to me(it's been about a week😕).

What are their admission requirements? From the website it just states passes for certain examinations etc, but are there any specific grades they're looking for?

 

[theinhtun]

As long as you meet the pre-reqs with good grades it doesn't matter so much what your declared major is. IMHO you seem to have the mistaken (though not uncommon) idea that you need to major in Animal Science to become a vet. This is utterly not true, and sometimes the AnSci students have it a little harder than the pre-med students getting accepted. As others have said, you're going to be a doctor; you need hard sciences. Not sure what an "impacted" major is, although it sounds painful.

Also, generally speaking you should count on having at least a 3.5 to get into vet school. Yes, there are lots with lower, but there are thousands with much higher, too. Help yourself get in and keep that GPA high.



It's your first sentence here. "Still manage" to get in? Pre-med is pre-med, whether human or veterinarian. The students in "pre-med" or I've also heard it called "professional biology" (as opposed to a Biology major that others take, "professional" meaning you intend to go on to either a veterinary or human medical school and not say, work as a field biologist or teach Biology). Pre-med programs are an excellent way to prepare for vet school - you get the knowledge you need plus experience with a rigorous program.

Veterinary school will teach you how to handle animals. You don't need to learn that in college. Yes, you need animal experience, but "how to handle" farm animals? Totally not needed at the undergraduate level.

Good luck and much success to you!

Impacted major is a term that CSU's use for somewhat more "hard to get in" majors of which actually depends on the school; also it's not necessarily hard to get into as there are different levels of impaction. For example in my school(Cal Poly Pomona), animal science is hard to get into as its highly impacted, but at the same time, Biology, which is also impacted, isn't(just go talk to the adviser, they'll calculate your gpa with your SAT score and if its pass the requirement, you get into while for Animal science or engineering you need to have completed 2 years of school in order to even apply). Also the majors that are impacted differ by campus; for example, at SJSU, computer science is impacted at the higher ranking Cal Poly Pomona, it isn't.

 

[Loptometriste]

My degree is Languages and International Studies. I took all the pre-req's for Optometry school. I am applying now. I am putting it forward as a strength because not only can I do sciences, but I can do humanities as well. I have been told it makes me a more rounded individual.

 

[equineconstant]

My degree is Languages and International Studies. I took all the pre-req's for Optometry school. I am applying now. I am putting it forward as a strength because not only can I do sciences, but I can do humanities as well. I have been told it makes me a more rounded individual.

👍 That's my angle. Psych major here. Did you know psychology is going to be on the new version of the MCAT? I put that in some of my supplementals as a way to show how I can connect my major with vet med. 😀

 

[Emiloo4]

👍 That's my angle. Psych major here. Did you know psychology is going to be on the new version of the MCAT? I put that in some of my supplementals as a way to show how I can connect my major with vet med. 😀

If you're planning on doing companion animals, psych is a great way to prepare you for owners 🙄

 

[Frozenshades]

If you're planning on doing companion animals, psych is a great way to prepare you for owners 🙄

👍

 

[equineconstant]

If you're planning on doing companion animals, psych is a great way to prepare you for owners 🙄

👍 Talked about that in my mock interview, too.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Impacted major is a term that CSU's use for somewhat more "hard to get in" majors of which actually depends on the school; also it's not necessarily hard to get into as there are different levels of impaction. For example in my school(Cal Poly Pomona), animal science is hard to get into as its highly impacted, but at the same time, Biology, which is also impacted, isn't(just go talk to the adviser, they'll calculate your gpa with your SAT score and if its pass the requirement, you get into while for Animal science or engineering you need to have completed 2 years of school in order to even apply). Also the majors that are impacted differ by campus; for example, at SJSU, computer science is impacted at the higher ranking Cal Poly Pomona, it isn't.

I know that it seems like a big deal to you at the moment, but your major isn't going to change your chances much at all between animal science and something like biology, no matter how much more impacted/difficult one is to get accepted into than the other. I highly doubt that any school other than UC Davis would even know[/B ]about the difference in impaction of the different majors at your school. Even if they know, I doubt they care.