Introduce Yourself Here...

[DVMDream]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

So I have noticed there are quite a few new people on here, some people who have been here for a few months and some "oldies but goodies" 😉. I thought it would be a good idea if we could have one thread where everyone can introduce themselves so that those who have been here for a while can get to know the newbies and the newbies can get to know the older members.

I will start:

I am currently on my second round of applications. I have a Bachelor's in Biology and a minor in Chemistry received in May 2010. I am currently not taking any classes, but I am working full time and overtime at a small animal veterinary clinic as an unlicensed tech.

As far as stats go:

GPA: 3.49 (depends on who is calculating it)
GRE: 1140
Veterinary Hours: Well over 5,000 hours (includes SA, pet exotics, and pot-belly pigs)
Animal Experience: Over 1,000 hours (this is being conservative I voluntereed at an animal shelter every weekend from the ages of 12 to 15). This also includes volunteering with a zoo, various animal shelters, and most recently with horses.

This is a little about me. Feel free to jump on in and introduce yourself! It is nice to get to know everyone and see what everyone is currently doing. And to get to know those who are in the roller coaster of applying to vet school with you! 🙂😀

 

[psilovethomas]

I am an Animal Science junior and will graduate next Spring. I applied to vet school for the first time last Fall and was accepted to Michigan State for the class of 2016 (early accept). 3.69, 1200, 4 yrs SA vet assistant, various species experience, hopeful LA/ public health vet. I work at my vet assistant job during breaks and in the summer and work as a desk receptionist during school. I spend most of my free time napping, spending time with friends, and researching topics of current interest. I drive an hour every weekend to visit my SO and I am hoping that he will move to East Lansing when I start vet school.

Oh, and if you are a regular on this forum, feel free to add me on facebook (link under contact info). Just let me know who you are. 🙂

 

[kaydubs]

I'm on my first round of vet school apps. I will graduate this May with a Bachelor's in Biology & Philosophy and a minor in English Lit. I work part-time (unfortunately un-animal related...)

For stats:

GPA: 3.69
GRE: 1270
Veterinary Hours: not much - a little over 200 (includes SA & LA😀) - dunno if I should've included my research since I did it with a PhD....oh well.
Animal Experience: Over 1,000 hours (raised dogs, spent time at a deer farm, sea anemone research included here on my app, volunteered at a wildlife sanctuary, Philly Zoo internship, and shelter volunteering over the summer)

If you ever want to chat, feel free to message me!🙂

 

[nohika]

I'm on my first round of vet school apps. I will graduate this May with a Bachelor's in Biology & Philosophy and a minor in English Lit. I work part-time (unfortunately un-animal related...)

For stats:

GPA: 3.69
GRE: 1270
Veterinary Hours: not much - a little over 200 (includes SA & LA😀) - dunno if I should've included my research since I did it with a PhD....oh well.
Animal Experience: Over 1,000 hours (raised dogs, spent time at a deer farm, sea anemone research included here on my app, volunteered at a wildlife sanctuary, Philly Zoo internship, and shelter volunteering over the summer)

If you ever want to chat, feel free to message me!🙂

I believe research done under a PhD is considered vet experience. 🙂

 

[twelvetigers]

Errrr... I think I'll pass on posting all my stats. That's what the 'successful applicants' thread is for.

In other words, I'm not embarrassing myself unless I get in.

 

[bee83]

Hi everyone.
I will be a first time applicant this October.
I have a bachelors in fine arts with a concentration in photography received in May 2008. I'm working on my last 27 credit hours of pre-reqs. My cum GPA is somewhere around 3.3 I think.
I work almost full time painting and restoring old houses inside and out. When I'm not working or at school I volunteer for a TNR program and I shadow vets. I'm starting my zoo internship in two weeks!

When I'm not working or studying or volunteering or shadowing, I like to hike, read for fun, garden, play piano, draw, work out, do yoga, attend music concerts, and sleep as much as I can. I'm a huge movie watcher and I love independent film. I also have three frisky, energetic and affectionate cats who demand a lot of my attention. It's a busy life but I wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[scb44f]

.

 

[DVMDream]

Errrr... I think I'll pass on posting all my stats. That's what the 'successful applicants' thread is for.

In other words, I'm not embarrassing myself unless I get in.

That's ok, TT, you are AMAZING!!! And if you don't get in this year every school you applied to will have an angry mob of SDNers on their front door with pitchforks ready to riot.

 

[fromthebox]

I am on my first round of applications, I graduated June 2009 with a BS in Microbiology. I only applied to 6 schools this time, so if I need a next time I may go whole-hog. I work at the campus police department as a graveyards dispatcher for police, EMS and fire. It isn't animal related but it pays enough to keep me afloat in sunny California rather than slinking back to my parents in the midwest. I pretty much threw together what I could for this cycle, if I have to re-apply I will have to put more time into experience and maybe try to raise the GPA.

Stats-
GPA: 3.15 cumulative, science/pre-reqs is higher.
GRE: 1400 (I like tests)
Vet experience: 300-some hours SA/Mixed/surgery shadow, 250 hours dissecting gophers and collecting their parasites for a study.
Animal experience: Lots of time with a diabetic pet and volunteer time at the local shelter, but not enough to be competitive.

Random fact: I like DVMDream for many reasons, but the Toothless avatar makes me like you more. I was discussing how avatars affect the way I feel about forum posters with a friend and yours came up as an example of positive effects.

 

[squibby]

I'm gonna repost about myself, not my stats.

 

[vetme]

I'm new on SDN. I wish I would have found this site years ago. It would have been so much help!
I am currently a junior @ KSU majoring in animal science with the pre-vet option. You know just in case I don't get into vet school (knock on wood). I applied for the first time this past Oct. What a PROCESS! I bet a lot of ppl are weeded out of this competition by that terrible application!👎
I'm considered a non-traditional student.

Stats:
GPA-3.4 cum; 3.9 science

GRE-haven't taken it(not required @ KSU if you do all your pre-reqs there)

Veterinary exp.-not much 320hrs

Animal exp.- ~3000 hrs(working as a farm hand and at a greyhound farm)

I plan to do more vet work if I don't get in and maybe beef up that experience to help me in future applications.🙂

 

[Cautionary Tail]

I'm a 28 y/o non-trad first time applicant. Applied for graduation last month (Bachelor's in Biology with a minor in Chem). On a brief hiatus from work... waiting to see how the apps pan out. I realized I wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine in my late teens, shortly after completely bombing out of college. (Great timing, eh?)

A former coworker ended up scoring me a job at the clinic she was working in, and I loved it. I finally worked up the cojones to admit to my advisor that I was considering vet med. Was laughed out of the office. Dropped out. Continued working in clinics. Trapped the "temporary arrangement" in my avatar. Agreed to attempt socialization for a relative. Cat socialized beautifully, ended up being unadoptable. (FIV, early-onset diabetes, epilepsy, HCM, neurogenic urinary issues.) Couldn't bear to euthanize. Kept the cat. (He's kind of awesome.) Started spending a lot of time on the other end of the exam table. Became acquainted with just about every specialist in the state. Realized I had to do this, or I'd spend the rest of my life regretting it. Went back to school. Learned to study. Started getting decent grades (especially towards the end- I much prefer the upper-level sciences to the more generalized stuff). Applied to five schools last fall... one rejection (CSU), one interview waitlist (VMRCVM), one interview (Minnesota 👍), still waiting on two of them.

Stats: 🙂eek:! I can't believe I am posting these, haha.)
GRE - 1300 (650/650)
GPA - second attempt - 3.597 (last 45 is a 3.6-something, science GPA is probably pretty similar, as I saved most of that for the end.)
cumulative - barely a 3 (I think), can't remember exactly. Pretty sure CSU put me just under, but they let me sneak into the "normal pool".
Veterinary Hours - 3000+ if you count time spent working as a kennel attendant in veterinary hospitals. Small animal exclusive (dogs, cats, rabbits).
Animal Experience - 4 months in a city shelter (can't recall exact hours, VMCAS stuff is at parentals'), TNR on a small scale since 2002, riding lessons when I was 9 (hey, VMCAS said they wanted everything ).
Research - a few months of cell culture... was fun, but had to drop it because the classes I took at the end were too time-consuming.

 

[futurevet3000]

Cautionarytail - that was a wonderful vet fairytale, i quite enjoyed reading about your journey to get here. it's so interesting to see how diverse the playing field is in veterinary medicine. looks like the only commonality is we all truly want to be vets... i love this.

for me, i always just knew that i was going to be a vet. got sidetracked a bit in college (even though i got BS in biology). tried to double major with art and biology, near impossible to do. i went abroad to australia, thought maybe i wanted to do research or work in wildlife rehab for a bit (which i did as an internship after graduation). somehow slipped by with my degree without taking gen chem or biochem, took those both this summer and fall. finally done with the prereqs and now starting to make a decision about where i want to go. accepted at royal (dick) university of vet studies in edinburgh. so is the boyfriend. its all very exciting since we share the same dream 😍
anywho... enough of the mushy stuff, here are the facts:
GRE - 1210 (was a dramatic improvement from first test)
GPA - 3.69 at my undergrad, for remaining prereqs, i think around 3.8 or so (can't quite remember, just had to pass, right?)
Vet experience - lots! i never wanted to get a job doing anything else. all throughout high school worked at a clinic, starting out as a kennel worker then got to shadow and help techs. now i work as a vet assistant (vet tech without the schooling...). also volunteered with a few LA vets through college.
Animal experience - wildlife rehab internship for a summer, equestrian team at college, and riding for as long as i can remember.
Fun fact - i own a pet portrait business where i draw pets for owners and turn a nice little profit. its fun and i refuse to let art take a backseat to my vet career, so this is a happy medium 😀

its nice to meet you all!

 

[PendantWorld]

I'm in my 5th year studying Chemical Engineering. It's funny the looks I get from professors when I say what I want to do. Fortunately, I will be finished with this degree in May.

Yay! I'm not the only Chemical Engineer on the forum!!! I totally understand about getting funny looks.

To introduce myself further, I just graduated this past December. I have a GPA of 3.66, a GRE of 1380, and 550 hrs of vet experience. I have scattered animal experience from volunteering in animal shelters, but I really shine with research. I have thousands of hours in various different fields: protein engineering, fuel cells, and bioimaging with silicon nanoparticles (my favorite, and also animal-related!).

Any other engineers on the forum?

 

[Bacci]

Hey ya'll! I'm on my first round of applications this year. I graduated December '09 with a bachelors in psychology (animal behavior focus). I've spent the last year getting as many varied experiences as possible in both large and small animal medicine. I am currently enrolled in a graduate program in animal science (biomed/nutrition research in a swine lab) with full disclosure that if I get into veterinary school I will leave. I also work weekends at a small animal emergency clinic as a veterinary assistant. I also volunteer once/week at the humane society in their ringworm treatment annex.

Stats:
GRE - somewhere around 1100 I don't remember haha
GPA - 3.75 cumulative, 3.5 science
Veterinary Hours - ?? Not going to bother adding it all up, ha. 🙂

 

[DVMDream]

Random fact: I like DVMDream for many reasons, but the Toothless avatar makes me like you more. I was discussing how avatars affect the way I feel about forum posters with a friend and yours came up as an example of positive effects.

Thanks fromthebox. I have actually been thinking about changing my avatar recently because I have had that same one for so long but I think I will just keep it now. I love your avatar too it makes me laugh everytime I see it.

 

[scb44f]

Yay! I'm not the only Chemical Engineer on the forum!!! I totally understand about getting funny looks.

To introduce myself further, I just graduated this past December. I have a GPA of 3.66, a GRE of 1380, and 550 hrs of vet experience. I have scattered animal experience from volunteering in animal shelters, but I really shine with research. I have thousands of hours in various different fields: protein engineering, fuel cells, and bioimaging with silicon nanoparticles (my favorite, and also animal-related!).

Any other engineers on the forum?

Your research sounds interesting! I tried some biomedical research a few years ago... Nafion infused membranes to detect blood glucose levels. But I shortly found that research is not for me.

As for other engineers, I believe Quantized studied engineering. My SO also studied chemical engineering and he's now in med school so there are definitely a few of us around.

 

[Packen]

Great idea - I love getting to "hear" some of your stories. Futurevet - very cool that you and your BF are both going to vet school - and the same one! How great it must be to have someone who really understands all the ups and downs of applying to vet school.

As for me, I am becoming a professional vet school applier. After undergrad I applied two years in a row, and after the second rejection gave up on my dream. Went back to get graduate degree part time while working at a SA surgical practice, but it only made me realize that I want to be a vet and the MS was not really following my dream. Started applying to vet school AGAIN few years ago (3x total), but would only apply to my IS. I was under the notion that if my IS wouldn't accept me, no where else would. Then I found this site and realized how wrong I really was

Fast forward to this Fall: Quit work all together and went back to school full time to do research and retake some "trouble courses" on my application (um, lookin' at you Orgo). Applied to 5 schools, one interview waitlist, one acceptance and 3 in limbo. So for all those that are thinking they have reached their limit - don't give up...6th (or could honestly be 7th, I am losing count) time is the charm!!

 

[futurevet3000]

i wish there was a like button for this forum similar to that found on facebook.

i would be liking your post Packen! 👍 kudos to you for never giving up!

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Third time applicant, 25 y/o. Will graduate this May with a double major in Animal Science and Biology, and a minor in Chemistry. I'm back finishing my degree after 2.5 years off after a horse related injury and subsequent medical issues. I'm hoping my efforts to finish the degree will look good to the Adcoms.

GPA: 3.14 total, unsure of science
GRE: 1100
Vet hours: 30,000 + (SA, LA, exotics/zoo - including primates and big cats)
Animal experience: 5000 + (research with horses, sheep)

 

[Robdude]

Sure - why not.

I'm 27 and work full-time as a software developer here in Fort Collins. I'm also working on my Masters in Computer Science at CSU. It's my fiancée that's actually trying to get into vet school; but I thought it would be easier to post in the first-person rather than explain the situation.

Anyway; this is our fourth round of applications (yikes!). So far, it's not looking too good; we applied to nine school and have had four rejections so far. Have an interview at SGU and Mississippi; haven't heard anything from Auburn, Tennessee, or Dublin.

I'm just really, really, really hoping we get into a US school. I don't have anything against Dublin or Saint George; but it'll cause all sorts of problems for me as far as work goes.

Oh well. I've got my fingers crossed for Mississippi....

 

[idahoequestrian]

Hi everyone, so nice to meet all of you! I'm 21, a senior at a small liberal arts school in Washington State, and a Biology major/English minor. I'm about to graduate in May 2011. This is my first application cycle.
Stats:
GPA:3.31
GRE: 1220
Veterinary Hours:1100 (Equine/SA)
Animal Hours: 2300 (Equine/SA)
Research Experience: Equine temperament testing to determine differences between companion and therapy horses.
I plan on becoming an equine vet, hopefully with a specialty in either equine medicine or surgery!
Good luck to everyone this year, and best wishes to those who are or will be veterinary students!😍

 

[squibby]

hi everyone, so nice to meet all of you! I'm 21, a senior at a small liberal arts school in washington state

ups?

 

[Must Love Dogs]

Hello everyone!! Nice to meet you all.
I am a junior, 20 years old majoring in biology with a minor in psychology. Will be graduating in May 2012, and this will be my first time applying this October, and hopefully getting into Ohio State!
I am currently working (and have worked for about 3 years) as a vet assistant at a SA clinic. LOVE my job😀

Some Stats:
GPA: Cumulative-3.58 Science- somewhere around a 3.5
GRE: well...lets just say that I'm working on that and leave it at that...
Vet Hours: ~2500 hours SA...working on the LA, and hope to shadow a dairy vet (if there were one anywhere near my house!)
Animal Experience: ~3000 hours SA (mostly) with some equine and exotics mixed in

Any advice is gladly accepted...message me with any questions. Best of luck to everyone

 

[bbeventer]

So I have been around for a few months, SDN has been a godsend for me!

I am 22 years old, first time applicant, majoring in Zoology with a minor in chemistry. I should be graduating this May but as it appears I did not get into both the vet schools I applied to this cycle so I will probably stay in for an extra year and see about boosting the old GPA.

Stats 😳

GPA: 3.3
GRE: too embarrassing to post (defiantly going to be raising this for next cycle!)
Vet hours: 2,000+ (SA and exotics as UL vet tech)
Animal Experience: 7,000 Equine, 60 Wildlife, 1,000+ Research with parasites and marsupials.

 

[TongaPup]

Vet hours: 30,000 +

Seriously? Maybe this is why you haven't gotten in, maybe they think you're exaggerating or lying. I certainly do, but that's just me.

Let's see: 30,000 hours of veterinary experience. Let's be generous and say you work an average of 10 hours per day. So you've worked 3,000 10 hour shifts in your life. Let's again be generous and say you've had the ability to work 5 days a week, 10 hours each day.

That means you've worked 600 work weeks. Wow! Let's be generous yet again and say you've done 5 10 hour shifts a week every week a year - no holidays, ever, 52 weeks straight.

That means that you've been working 50+ hours a week, every week, for 11 and a half years. That means you started working full time before you turned 14. And this isn't even factoring in how you would be a full time student during any of this...

I dearly hope that's a typo, otherwise it's no wonder the adcoms don't take you seriously.

 

[chyactnate]

Hey Everyone!
So I have been on SDN for a while, but usually I just lurk. I am 25 years old, first time applicant, majoring in Biology with a minor in chemistry. I will be graduating in May 201🙂 I would like to specialize in equine and eventually be board certified in surgery or some other speciality.

Stats:
GPA: 3.5
GRE: 1140
Vet hours: ~300 hours between SA and Equine
Animal experience: 10,000+ hours (SA/LA/ Equine, Exotics) most of my hours are with equine.
Research: ~ 150 hours I also do research on organometallics, we are currently making catalyst, and then studying those effects on organic transformations.

Hopefully I will be getting in this cycle!!!

 

[Coquette22]

I'm a 23 year old 3rd year BSc student from Nova Scotia, doing a double major in Biology and Microbiology. I took kind of a round about route to the vet game. Started off in a Bachelor of Journalism. Realized that was a career dead end and left after freshman year. Took a year off, upgraded some high school credits, did a 1 year vet assistant course. I only seriously considered being a vet when I applied to my vet to do my practicum work for that course and my vet said, "I don't get it. Why aren't you going to vet school instead?" And that set it in my mind. Went back to university, changed my program and my majors and I'm set to graduate in May 2012.

I'm applying to AVC for the second time. I interviewed and got rejected due to not measuring up in the experience category last year. But they changed their rules for this year and this year I was able to put my vet assistant course down as vet experience (they're allowing "academic vet experience" for the first time this year). Hobbies outside of school include horseback riding (my lease horse is my avatar and screen name), Japanese culture and anything geeky. ETA: And how could I forget, I'm a shameless hockey addict. Go Pens!

Stats:
GPA: 3.67
GRE: 1230
Vet hours: 300 (equine/SA) if not including academic, 2800 with academic
Animal experience: 1300 (mostly equine, some farm animal through 4-H)

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Seriously? Maybe this is why you haven't gotten in, maybe they think you're exaggerating or lying. I certainly do, but that's just me.

Let's see: 30,000 hours of veterinary experience. Let's be generous and say you work an average of 10 hours per day. So you've worked 3,000 10 hour shifts in your life. Let's again be generous and say you've had the ability to work 5 days a week, 10 hours each day.

That means you've worked 600 work weeks. Wow! Let's be generous yet again and say you've done 5 10 hour shifts a week every week a year - no holidays, ever, 52 weeks straight.

That means that you've been working 50+ hours a week, every week, for 11 and a half years. That means you started working full time before you turned 14. And this isn't even factoring in how you would be a full time student during any of this...

I dearly hope that's a typo, otherwise it's no wonder the adcoms don't take you seriously.

Well you certainly get the award for math today. I've worked/volunteered at a veterinary hospital since I was 13. That's 12 years as I am 25. I've worked 50+ hour work weeks as well as being the on-call technician for 7 years, fielding ALL hospital emergency calls, which occur after said 10-hour work day. That sure adds up to a lot of hours.

I concur that that is a lot of hours to claim, but I've worked those, I promise. I appreciate your concern for my application and how the adcoms view my hours, but I'm not by any means lying or exaggerating.

 

[alexmack]

Hello all, I am 28 years old first time applicant. I have a Bachelors in animal science and working to complete the thesis for my Masters in Biochemistry almost done!!! It's funny because I always imagined myself to be a small animal vet and worked at one right after college and realized it wasn't for me. I then got a job at a large pharmaceutical company doing exactly what I thought I would hate when I was in college. Couldn't be more the opposite. 4+ years later I'm still there. Fell in love with research, went on to met my masters, then halfway through realized the goal was to be a lab animal vet and here I am. I accidently stumbled upon this website when googling something about vet schools. I thought it was the best thing, but now I realize that it can drive you mad when you see all of the acceptances and interviews going up and you are still waiting for anything. It's actually gotten to a point where my bf has designated special "SDN" hours to limit the obsessing..not working! Well glad to meet everyone and good luck to all!!

 

[vetme]

Well you certainly get the award for math today. I've worked/volunteered at a veterinary hospital since I was 13. That's 12 years as I am 25. I've worked 50+ hour work weeks as well as being the on-call technician for 7 years, fielding ALL hospital emergency calls, which occur after said 10-hour work day. That sure adds up to a lot of hours.

I concur that that is a lot of hours to claim, but I've worked those, I promise. I appreciate your concern for my application and how the adcoms view my hours, but I'm not by any means lying or exaggerating.

oh snap!

 

[SocialStigma]

I'm 20, 1st time applicant. Only applying to OVC this year. I'm in my 3rd year of a BHSc program, minoring in psych.

cGPA: 3.85
prereq GPA: 3.99
last 2 sem GPA: 3.95
MCAT: 32Q (no GRE since OVC requires MCAT from Canadians)
Vet experience: ~300 SA and small exotics (rats, rabbits, birds, etc)
Animal experience: ~500 SA, 50 equine, 5 zoo

My vet/animal experience stats are so embarrassing 🙁. I only have time for it during summers though, the closest vet clinic to my university is a 30 min bus ride (and involves a transfer) away and I just don't have time for that on top of school + ECs during the school year.

 

[Alhazred]

22 year old biology major, first time applicant to NCSU, Auburn, UT.

Overall GPA: 3.70
Pre-req GPA: 3.72
Last 45 hours: 3.93 (I was a terrible student until junior year)
GRE: 800 Q / 700 V / 4.5 AW
Vet experience: 1800 hours small animal / exotic
Research experience: 1200 hours (not animal related, all protein interaction stuff)

 

[AuRevoirFinance]

22 year old biology major, first time applicant to NCSU, Auburn, UT.

Overall GPA: 3.70
Pre-req GPA: 3.72
Last 45 hours: 3.93 (I was a terrible student until junior year)

Couldn't have been THAT terrible.

You want terrible, I'll show you my computer science grades that detonated my cumulative GPA early in my college career. Would have been nice if someone had said "Dear ARF, you suck at this. Please stop taking computer science classes."

 

[168135]

I don't think I'm allowed to post here until someone tells me how to convert my Canadian GPA into American GPA 🙄

 

[Coquette22]

Eh, I just posted the Canadian GPA. I figure that I'm not competing with the Americans, just with other Nova Scotians. 😳

 

[squirrelsrule]

Hello everyone!! Nice to meet you all.
I am a junior, 20 years old majoring in biology with a minor in psychology. Will be graduating in May 2012, and this will be my first time applying this October, and hopefully getting into Ohio State!
I am currently working (and have worked for about 3 years) as a vet assistant at a SA clinic. LOVE my job😀

Some Stats:
GPA: Cumulative-3.58 Science- somewhere around a 3.5
GRE: well...lets just say that I'm working on that and leave it at that...
Vet Hours: ~2500 hours SA...working on the LA, and hope to shadow a dairy vet (if there were one anywhere near my house!)
Animal Experience: ~3000 hours SA (mostly) with some equine and exotics mixed in

Any advice is gladly accepted...message me with any questions. Best of luck to everyone

Hopefully we will be future classmates This October will also be my first time applying.

I am 24. Graduated from a small college in 2005 (at the age of 18- I did the post secondary option) with a bachelors of science degree majoring in Biology.

Some Stats:
GPA: 3.99 Science 4.0
GRE: 1280 (550 Verbal 730 quantitative)
Vet Experience: Currently only 42, but I found a local shelter with a vet that I can hopefully get lots of hours there. My goal is to have 300-400 by the time I apply. I know that stinks, but better than the 150 I could get driving half an hour one way to the vet I am currently shadowing with
Animal Experience: Over 7,000 hours total. I am a wildlife rehabilitator and the director of my own non-profit wildlife rescue and have roughly 6,000 hours of experience (that is a low estimate, I take in about 150 animals a year and spend at least 6 hours a day in the spring through fall caring for babies- I have been a rehabber for 8 years) for wildlife rehab- includes an internship at a wildlife center too. About 800 hours volunteering at a local petting zoo caring for all kinds of animals horses, camels, kangaroo, emus, bobcat, serval cats, rabbits, goats, sheep, prairie dogs, etc. for two summers when I was in college before I started rehabbing. 200 hours working at a kennel over winter break one year.


I would LOVE to be a wildlife vet working at a wildlife center, but realistically plan to be a small animal vet and see wildlife on the side 🙂.

Ohio State is my in state and first choice. I will likely also apply to Michigan and Cornell.

 

[Evie1923]

Hello! I'm one the lurkers who have only recently started to post. I'm 24 years old. I graduated with a B.S in Biology and minor in Chemistry from a small college in Philadelphia in 2008. I'll be finishing my M.P.H. in Veterinary Public Health from OSU in June. This was my second time applying to vet school. I applied the first time in 2007. After interviewing at OSU during my first application, I really fell in love with the school and moved here to complete my master's degree. I put all my eggs in one basket this year by only applying to OSU (now my IS) and got in!

Here are my stats:
GPA: 3.66 (Science: 3.91 if only counting undergrad, 3.86 is counting undergrad and grad)
GRE: 1280 (520 Verbal 760 quantitative)
Vet Experience:~2200 (100 at a large animal hospital, 2000 at a small animal/exotic animal hospital, 100 through an animal response team led by a veterinarian)
Animal Experience:~1175 (24 foreign animal disease training/equine/large animal emergency response training, 200 as an animal care intern at the Philadelphia Zoo, 950 at a kennel)
Research:~260 at the ODA's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory that culminated in my master's thesis

 

[168135]

I'm 21 (22 at the end of the month). 4th year BSc in Biology with honours. From Nova Scotia, Canada. First time applying to AVC this year.

I don't think I'm going to share my stats yet. The requirements for Canadian vet schools are quite different from other schools and... I donno... I just want to see how the process goes. My stats are horrible compared to everyone elses, but oddly enough, I think mine are good enough (or will be good enough after this semester) to get an interview. If someone with a 77 average can get in... and someone with 80 hours of veterinary experience and high grades can get in, than anything is possible.

Vet experience: 360 hours (volunteer at a mixed practice and SA practice, VIDA trip)
Animal experience: 155 hours (volunteer at two shelters, worked with wildlife in two courses)
Research: 130 hours (can probably quadruple that when my honours is complete)
Extracurriculars + Other work experience: 4600 (over 10 activities... 10 was the max allowed on my application)

Other than that... I'm currently interested in small animal medicine but I'm keeping an open mind. In my spare time, well I spend most of my time working on my thesis! I like being outdoors, spending time with my friends and boyfriend, checking out creepy abandoned buildings, exploring new places and taking pictures.

I can clover my tongue. I'm not afraid to shoot any kind of liquor. I like falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof. I LOVE Disney movies. I wish I could meet Hawkeye from M*A*S*H.

I love my 3 gerbil dudes and my kitteh.

 

[gone2dogs]

Hmmm... when I saw the thread title I was expecting something more like a "I enjoy walks on the beach, snuggling by the fire..." type posts.

I'll post stats in the successful applicant thread later, but I will introduce myself a little here too😉. I'm a 34 year old career changer (this will be my third real career), with my current career being a high school teacher. Previously I worked for the computer industry doing materials analysis type stuff. In between those two careers was a MS in physical chemistry. After three application rounds (thanks everyone who has stood by me for all of them! I guess I've been hanging around here for a while now...), I will be attending vet school in the fall! I informally resigned from my current job a few weeks ago, but formally resigned today (effective in June)... it felt great... and terrifying!

Nice to meet all the new folks!

 

[Shadow23]

I concur - we need a "like" button for this forum 😍

I am 22 and just graduated from NU in Boston with a BS in Biology. I am a first time applicant and applied to Cornell, Michigan, UPenn, Colorado, Florida, and Washington. I also stumbled onto SDN researching something during the application process, and now I am completely addicted and my fiance threatens to smash my laptop on a daily basis now . I hope to eventually go into aquatics after working in small animal medicine for a while, but despite Florida's marine opportunities, I do not have a first choice school and could see myself at all of the schools I applied to.

GPA: 3.897 Cumulative, 3.909 Science, I think last 45 hour was like 3.9 or so, I've been pretty consistent (re: huge nerd that's not good at much else except doing well in science classes and *I hope* anything vet related; I really admire anyone with musical or artistic ability and especially those that majored in something other than biology or science and are pre-vet)
GRE: 1270 (590 Verbal, 680 Quantitative) I know I can do better, but I was honestly too lazy to take it again before applying.
Vet Experience: Maybe 3000-4000 hours? I have worked as a vet tech at an SA clinic (dogs and cats) throughout college, part-time during school and full-time during breaks, summers, and co-op (6 month full-time rotations offered by my school), and now work there full-time since graduating. I also have some experience shadowing vets at the NY Humane Society as a HS senior.
Animal Experience: A little more than a year's experience volunteering and then interning at the New England Aquarium's Giant Ocean Tank, diving and taking care of the 625+ inhabitants (fish, turtles, sharks) and also a day's experience at their Rescue and Rehab center, rehabilitating cold-stunned turtles. I am present and often help during turtle and shark exams and other times that the aquarium vets need to work on the tank's inhabitants (I've seen them take xrays of eels and draw blood from turtles, etc), but since it isn't technically shadowing I didn't list it as vet experience. I also have some lab animal experience - took care of NU lab animals during a work-study position freshman year. I dunno what all that amounts to - maybe 1000 hours or so.
Research: NONE. I really regret this and have no excuse for it.

Outside of the animal world, I don't really have many hobbies other than hanging out with friends and shopping . My life is pretty much consumed by animals and vet med. Oh, and getting married this year, but that has been sadly pushed to the back burner right now due to all this application craziness. I should probably have a dress by now...eh it'll work out 🙄.

 

[EllieGirl89]

Okay I'll play =) I'm 21 years old, and a 4th year undergraduate at The Ohio State University. I graduated in 2009 from a small community college with an A.S. and an A.A. and then transferred to OSU, where I'll be graduating this June with a B.S. in Agriculture with a major in Animal Science and a minor in Life Science. I currently live in Columbus with my girlfriend, our roommate who is a friend from high school, and our Boxer named Cassius.

I'm on the Ohio State Pre-Vet Club Executive Board and am a competitive member of the Ohio State Hunt Seat Equestrian Team. Back home at my parents' place in Northeast Ohio I have another dog, a Golden Retriever named Scout, five cats, Deuce, Bear, Satchell, Frankie, and Fiona, and two horses, a Quarter Horse named Lady and a Paint Horse named Ellie.

This was my first time applying to vet school, I applied only to Ohio State, and was accepted in December. My stats are already on the successful applicants thread so I won't repost them here. If anyone has any questions about applying at Ohio State or whatever, I'm more than happy to help!

 

[PendantWorld]

my fiance threatens to smash my laptop on a daily basis now

My boyfriend is growing to dislike this forum.... We'll be hanging out and I'll try to sneak a peek at my laptop... He's taken to reminding me to get my fix while he's on his way over to visit 🙂

 

[heylodeb]

Hey folks, heylodeb here - I'm a starbuckaholic! 😉

I'd like to encourage future posters to leave out their stats...Quite honestly, your grades tell us NOTHING about who you really are!!

I'm a horse girl. I own a beautiful and insane 20 yr old appendix mare. (Only 1/8 quarter horse though - and unfortunately that part of the genetics didn't seem to affect her sanity in the LEAST!) I have dreams of competing in 3 day but once I finally got a horse, found a great trainer, got the money to show - she decided to become chronically lame. 😉 and oh how I love my ginormous waste of money. 😍

After finishing vet school, I really hope to become a board certified surgeon and work in a referral hospital. However, if that all goes awry I'd also be quite content working in a private small animal clinic getting to build relationships with my clients and patients for years on end!

I work full time as a tech at a local vet hospital here in California, I've been married for 2.5 years and also recently acquired a little chihuahua. I graduated with my BS in Biology in 2009 and have been spending my time working towards becoming a DVM!

As for odd facts: I was raised in South Africa, I have medically certified limited depth perception, I was born with 12 toes, I have an extremely rational fear of spiders and an extremely irrational fear of flying. 🙄

 

[Jakesmom]

Hi there SDN! I'm a 31 year-old non-trad. I graduated from Ohio University with a BA in Integrated Mathematics (fancy name for "high school math teacher.") After teaching in the lovely California desert for 5 years, I came to the realization that I didn't want to teach for the rest of my life and headed down the path towards vet med. I moved back home to Ohio and began taking my science pre-req's while working at a SA clinic. This was my first application and was accepted at Ohio State🙂 My stats are over in the Successful Applicant's thread if you want to see them. I have 2 dogs and a cat who are my kids, even if my family thinks I'm nuts and refuses to acknowledge them as proper family members!

 

[NStarz]

I'm a senior in a small university in New Jersey, majoring in biology with some marine biology thrown in there in the form of a concentration. I have two dogs (wheaten terriers), a beautiful tuxedo kitty that I bottle-fed and couldn't give back, and a bird who loves to mimic the sound of silverware scraping against plates.

I never wanted to be a vet. My mom was always pushing it on me and I always pushed back in the other direction. I had some health problems my freshmen year that became chronic and I had a hard time looking past the 'here and now.' Once that got relatively under control, I was able to think about my future. I love wildlife and conservation, wanted to be a dolphin trainer when I was a kid. I was an adoption counselor at a shelter for two years. I am a sub-permittee for a wildlife rehabber.

I want to be a small animal vet that sees wildlife on the side. I love aquatics and would consider volunteering my expertise at a marine mammal stranding center in the future. I want to become involved with animal rescue teams that go out to disasters and help the animals that are hurt, sick, or abandoned due to circumstance. I definitely want to specialize (GP is really boring to me 🙁 ) in either emergency/CC, behavior, or shelter med. I think working at Best Friends in Utah would be the most awesome job ever. It is my life's mission to advocate for pitties and TNR and positive reinforcement training methods.

...I once finished a musical (with singing and dancing) with a foot broken in six places. I love seeing Broadway shows. My favorite movie is Meet the Robinsons (don't judge!). I sing alto and love to tap dance. 😀

 

[Zany Tiger]

Hmmm... when I saw the thread title I was expecting something more like a "I enjoy walks on the beach, snuggling by the fire..." type posts.

I'll post stats in the successful applicant thread later, but I will introduce myself a little here too😉. I'm a 34 year old career changer (this will be my third real career), with my current career being a high school teacher. Previously I worked for the computer industry doing materials analysis type stuff. In between those two careers was a MS in physical chemistry. After three application rounds (thanks everyone who has stood by me for all of them! I guess I've been hanging around here for a while now...), I will be attending vet school in the fall! I informally resigned from my current job a few weeks ago, but formally resigned today (effective in June)... it felt great... and terrifying!

Nice to meet all the new folks!

Neat I'm a 34 year old career changer also. I've been in the hospitality industry for about 15 years, mostly the food and beverage end. I've been attending college since 2004 with maybe 2 years till I acquire a vet sci or micro biology undergrad degree. I know it seems like a long time but It's tough putting yourself through college on your own budget without some sort of financial aid. I'm currently gearing towards getting a job in a nice small animal clinic. I too am terrified, hospitality is all I know but its time for a change and change is healthy.

Lets see Hmm
GPA: 3.49
GRE: havn't taken yet
Vet Experience: 40+ hours

Whoopsies forgot to say that I also have two wonderful pups, Merlin and Sophie. Merlin is my goof ball, smarter than he pretends to be golden retiever and Sophie is my smarter than a whip american eskimo, both are very loved and know it 😛. Lol I also have a love for classical music. 😀

 

[TongaPup]

Thanks for the clarification.

Forgive me if my view of on call is incorrect, but the vets I know, when they're on-call, are on call (let's say) for maybe 3 days straight, yet they may never get called in or have to deal with any cases. Conversely, if they do deal with cases, it's often over the phone and not actively in a clinic. Much of the time they are sleeping, shopping, doing personal stuff. So would you have counted all 72 hours as "veterinary hours"? Or just hours you were called in? Because that would certainly add up, but that does not mean they were truthful veterinary hours.

And while I certainly don't have the right to call you a liar or exaggerator as I don't know you, it still seems impossible that while you were in junior high you were working 50+ hour weeks. (And let's say you didn't start working 50+ hour weeks until you were out of high school, say 17 - that would mean you had to have worked 60+ or 70+ hour weeks every year thereafter...)

I just know of many people who would see 30,000 hours of vet experience on top of 5,000 hours of animal experience written in an application would immediately leap to "PADDING!" (or some other form of serious doubt). I hope you've informed your references as to exactly how many hours you logged for their experiences in case adcoms choose to verify.

However since you did work those hours I'm sure you've left adcoms in no doubt about your hours and they will see you for the go-getter you are.

Maybe those antibiotics you prescribed yourself for a illness you tested yourself for gave you superhuman strength.

 

[heylodeb]

Thanks for the clarification.

Forgive me if my view of on call is incorrect, but the vets I know, when they're on-call, are on call (let's say) for maybe 3 days straight, yet they may never get called in or have to deal with any cases. Conversely, if they do deal with cases, it's often over the phone and not actively in a clinic. Much of the time they are sleeping, shopping, doing personal stuff. So would you have counted all 72 hours as "veterinary hours"? Or just hours you were called in? Because that would certainly add up, but that does not mean they were truthful veterinary hours.

And while I certainly don't have the right to call you a liar or exaggerator as I don't know you, it still seems impossible that while you were in junior high you were working 50+ hour weeks. (And let's say you didn't start working 50+ hour weeks until you were out of high school, say 17 - that would mean you had to have worked 60+ or 70+ hour weeks every year thereafter...)

I just know of many people who would see 30,000 hours of vet experience on top of 5,000 hours of animal experience written in an application would immediately leap to "PADDING!" (or some other form of serious doubt). I hope you've informed your references as to exactly how many hours you logged for their experiences in case adcoms choose to verify.

However since you did work those hours I'm sure you've left adcoms in no doubt about your hours and they will see you for the go-getter you are.

Maybe those antibiotics you prescribed yourself for a illness you tested yourself for gave you superhuman strength.

I think you may have posted this in the wrong thread?

EDIT: never mind...I'm blind apparently.... let's keep it campy, folks! 🙂

 

[bbeventer]

I have dreams of competing in 3 day but once I finally got a horse, found a great trainer, got the money to show - she decided to become chronically lame. 😉 and oh how I love my ginormous waste of money. 😍

Sorry about your horse! Horses seem to have a habit of becoming lame when we have all the plans in the world for them!