Is there anything I can do to become a serious applicant?

[hvr12]

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I graduated from college 8 years ago with a BA in art history. I went to a great school but for a number of reasons I did not do well. Lack of direction, immaturity the list goes on.
I have the desire to go back to school and become a vet. I understand the requirements and how competitive admissions are, I know it is harder than med school to get in etc. I have been involved with animals my whole life in a variety of settings and I am really passionate about them.
I would like to know if I went back and took the required classes (and did extremely well), got a lot of experience, and did well on a gre would I have a reasonable chance of getting into vet school?
I would have to take most if not all of the science reqs now (and even if I rock every one I don't know how much my college gpa will improve) and before I go do all of this I would like opinions as to whether or not I would have a shot. Regardless of what I do now I cannot change my college career, the only good thing is that I studied a non science related major
Would stellar performance at this point (I am 28) make up for my crappy unrelated undergrad career? Or is this a pipe dream?

 

[moosenanny]

There are many successful non-traditional students out there, so of course you have a chance!!! There is a whole thread on this board dedicated to non-trads. The oldest person in my class is 40 years old, and she fits in just fine 🙂 Some schools (Mizzou comes to mind) have grade forgiveness programs if grades are a certain age old.

You nailed it on the head: if you get good pre-req grades, have good vet experiences, and rock the GRE, you'll be more than fine. Don't forget good letters of recommendation too, at least one of which must come from a vet.

ETA: I'm as traditional a student as they come (turned 23 two weeks ago, straight out of undergrad, so I'll leave my advice short and sweet and generic and allow others with similar circumstances to you to respond more specifically).

Edited further: You said you are really passionate about animals, which is great. But make sure that your passion is for being a vet, and that it couldn't be channeled into some other non-medical animal-related job, or to simply being an awesome life-long pet owner and zoo patron. Make sure you really want to invest the time (and money - often 250K!!!) into becoming a vet. A love of animals is most pre-vets' foundation, but it takes a lot more than just a love of animals to be a member of this field!

 

[hvr12]

I didn't want to go overboard with my info but my passion for animals far extends just having them in my life, although if nothing else works out I will be happy just to have them around. I actively participate in a variety of dog/horse activities and because of my experience with pure bred dogs I have become very interested in the study of genetic diseases. The bottom line is I have spent the last four years of my life learning everything I can about dogs (I am also a rider and would possibly be interested in equine but I am 90% sure small animals would be my thing).

I understand the financial aspects and before I go spend another 30K + just to be eligible for admission I want peoples thoughts about the cold hard reality. As much as I want to believe anything is possible if you work hard enough reading through this board has not been encouraging.

In spite of my poor college performance I know I could do well enough now (i was very young when I went to college, 16 and just overall couldn't handle it) but I don't want to make a huge financial investment if my past will prevent me from having a real chance. I also would prefer not to have to get another 4 year degree and was hoping that stellar performance on the req sciences could prove my ability. Aside from the gre etc.

The other issue is that I am running a successful business which would have to be set aside/slowed down to get everything done in a reasonable time frame. Unfortunately for me the only school in driving distance is Penn (i know, now it sounds like I really have my head in the clouds) and if I went anywhere else I would have to uproot both myself and my spouse. Since that is a very strong likelihood I would potentially be taking myself out of employment for the next six years.

I don't want to wake up when I am 50 wishing I tried but I will feel a lot worse spending a lot of money and not being able to go anywhere in the US. Going to canada or the carribean is not an option.

Thanks for the info moosenanny I can appreciate what you're saying about the level of commitment that is necessary please do not think that I feel just loving my pets is enough to qualify anyone to do what you are doing!

 

[LetItSnow]

Regardless of what I do now I cannot change my college career, the only good thing is that I studied a non science related major
Would stellar performance at this point (I am 28) make up for my crappy unrelated undergrad career? Or is this a pipe dream?

No, it absolutely can be done. I got kicked out of college twice, so you can imagine my earlier GPA. I did, however, accept nothing less than A's when I went back for my B.A. (and for my vet pre-reqs). There is a spot on the application to explain anything ugly.

The schools all have their own take on GPAs. Some look at your entire history, some look at recent grades, some look at pre-requisite grades, some do a few different calculations, etc. No matter what, you'll need to do well with the pre-reqs, but assuming you do, there are plenty of schools that will be interested in you and that will look past your earlier academic performance. As far as I can tell, this is one of the single most common questions.

Along with a good recent track record academically, you'll need a fair bit of veterinary experience (not just the horse/dog experience you mention). A lot of people seem to get it through a job. I didn't really have that option, so I accumulated it all by shadowing and volunteering. Check the 'successful applicant' thread to get an idea of numbers and types of activities. You'll need those hours both because the schools seem to want lots of them (and the other candidates will have them) and because you'll want to foster a relationship with a vet who can write you a recommendation. Or multiple vets.

As much as I want to believe anything is possible if you work hard enough reading through this board has not been encouraging.

I have to admit I'm surprised to hear that. There are a large number of us here who have ... checkered pasts.

Best of luck, and welcome to SDN.

 

[hvr12]

This board is only discouraging in that so many of the applicants and individuals in vet school are so ridiculously qualified and it makes one feel that you have to be a bit of a super star to even try🙂

letitsnow, did you start over completely with a new BS or pick up where you left off once you buckled down?

I also have a couple of good connections to vets who I can shadow in a couple different fields (again mostly small animal and equine) Again i assume I would be doing this for free and I actually was planning to work for free in a vet clinic this summer to try things out. But before I kill myself and give up my business I guess I wanted to hear from people like you who have made this happen.

 

[Dsmoody23]

I have to admit I'm surprised to hear that. There are a large number of us here who have ... checkered pasts.

Best of luck, and welcome to SDN.

Yep.

3 bad ( 1.5 -2.0 GPA ) semesters here, back in 2001-2002.

Went back to school almost 10 years later. Worked my ass off, shadowed, volunteered, did faculty research, yadda yadda.

Now I'm holding down a 3.75, got some great recommendations lined up and I'd be willing to go toe to toe with pretty much any applicant.

BUT. It's hard work, and it's stressful. You don't have room to blow a few tests, just pass a class, or screw up for a semester. As mentioned above, you pretty much need A's from here on out to draw the distinction between old-you and new-you.

That's my moral support for the evening. Get 30 A's.

 

[Ricegrad]

That's my moral support for the evening. Get 30 A's.

🤣

 

[LetItSnow]

letitsnow, did you start over completely with a new BS or pick up where you left off once you buckled down?

It's a long story, but to summarize: I failed out twice from a private college around the 1990's. I also took a couple classes at the state university and got F's. Awesome transcripts to turn in with my vet application, I tell ya. It's embarrassing when you turn in a transcript with a gpa of 0.0 on it from the very school to which you are applying. 😳

I went back to school at a private university in 2000 and got a B.A. in theology (awesome beer drinking). And tutored statistics along the way, just for fun.

After I finished that, I reflected on life and realized that I could actually do what I always wanted, which was vet school. So I went back to school once more (this time at a community college) to pick up the science pre-reqs that, obviously, my B.A. didn't include. While doing that I started busting my butt volunteering (wildlife rehab, canine rehab) and shadowing. And kept working full time, and kept making kids, etc. I never did a B.S., my academic background is my B.A. plus the required pre-reqs for vet school.

Hope that helps.

 

[Tator17]

I was 29 when I decided to do exactly what you're doing. I was a marketing major in my previous life so I had to take all of the science pre-reqs before I applied. I did not get a second degree, just took the pre-reqs. My undergrad wasn't terrible (3.1) but it wasn't competitive.

I kept my job while I was taking my pre-reqs and it took me 4 years to complete them all. I think age and experience is a plus, not a minus 🙂

Do the best that you can in your particular situation, and then apply. Make your application the best that you can. You most definitely have a shot. Do not count yourself out. There are several of us who are living proof that it can be done.

 

[StartingoverVet]

The other issue is that I am running a successful business which would have to be set aside/slowed down to get everything done in a reasonable time frame. Unfortunately for me the only school in driving distance is Penn (i know, now it sounds like I really have my head in the clouds)

Actually Penn is not such a bad place for you. Penn is not a strictly by the numbers school to begin with, they really search out a diverse class and look for individuals who stand out in some way or another. I believe we have a larger % of non-traditionals than typical. (I entered my first year well over 40🙁, and it took me 3 years to work through all the pre-reqs while I kept my job.....I didn't add a degree or anything, just took them at the University near where I lived).

If you do as you plan, you definitely have a shot. You seem to know what you need to do, so just go do it!

 

[heylodeb]

It sounds like you are on the right track - love that you have already set up an opportunity to shadow/volunteer.

In 4 years, you'll be 32. Do you want to be 32 and doing what you are doing right now or do you want to be 32 and know that youhave poured your heart and soul into something that means a lot to you and was worth the effort in the end? I don't think at this point that you have disqualified yourself. Do REALLY well in your classes. Don't be afraid to start every semester with a tutor lined up for every class. This is not because you aren't academically qualified but because it is just so much more important for you to show academic excellence. (as a side note - don't be afraid to get a couple B's on your pre-req's...I just wouldn't recommend getting ALL B's...)

Take a study skills class - a science related one if your university has it. Your brain needs to shift into a different gear since you've never had to take heavy science courses and have been out of school for quite some time. Use every tool in the box!

Take several difficult classes together but don't overdo it your first semester. (Back to the shifting gears thing - it might take you some time to figure out where your clutch is!)

Lastly, do some research on your IS school: Buy the VMSAR book and look at what they deem important. Call and make an appointment with someone from the admissions staff. They will give you more valuble information then we can.

Sounds like you've done your research - keep us updated on what you decide to do. 🙂

 

[breenie]

I'd be willing to go toe to toe with pretty much any applicant.

Come at me, bro!

 

[LetItSnow]

Come at me, bro!

 

[hvr12]

Thank you all so much. I have literally been agonizing for the past six months as to whether or not I should start taking classes in the fall. I am thrilled to hear from everyone especially those that have done what I am trying to do. Looks like September will be back to school time!

 

[Cautionary Tail]

This board is only discouraging in that so many of the applicants and individuals in vet school are so ridiculously qualified and it makes one feel that you have to be a bit of a super star to even try🙂

My first five years of college were a complete and total bust. I ended up withdrawing from and/or flunking out of most everything I took. When I realized I was serious about wanting to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, it felt like my life was over. I confessed my aspirations to an advisor, and was laughed out of his office and basically told, point blank, that I was delusional.

I took some time off, addressed what I'd done wrong the first time around, and started over. I was accepted into my first choice program this April, nine years to the day after my Big-Scary-Horror-Inducing-Vet-School-Epiphany. (My second attempt GPA was not a 4.0, and my LA experience consists of "took riding lessons and bottle-fed a few calves one summer when I was nine".) I applied to five schools, received some measure of interest from four of them, and interviewed at two. I'm 28.

A rough start may not be ideal, but it's definitely not insurmountable. 👍

And, just for the record... I used to find the accepted stats threads totally demoralizing and panic-inducing. 😉 Don't let them deter you.

 

[that redhead]

There are a lot of us here who are not perfect candidates for whatever reason, myself among them. People have been encouraging because it can be done with areas of weakness in your application.

I would give you slightly different advice than the others, though. You say "assuming I get good grades, good GRE, solid eLORs, good experience, etc" but this is A LOT to assume. I would advise you to take it one step at a time. You say you have a business - I would be careful about throwing yourself 100% at vet med from the very start. You were an arts major (which is fine!) but it sounds as though you have yet to be truly exposed to the hard sciences. I think your first step should be to see how you fare in the science classes. Are you struggling to make Cs or can you work hard and get the A? Do you enjoy them? And so on. See what it's like working with a vet (lifestyle, atmopshere) and see how it measures up to what you pictured. And so on.

I think you should aim towards a career in vet med if that's what you want but remember to self-evaluate along the way to make sure you aren't throwing it all away for something that wasn't quite what you were expecting. Good luck! 🙂

 

[heylodeb]

there are a lot of us here who are not perfect candidates for whatever reason, myself among them. People have been encouraging because it can be done with areas of weakness in your application.

I would give you slightly different advice than the others, though. You say "assuming i get good grades, good gre, solid elors, good experience, etc" but this is a lot to assume. I would advise you to take it one step at a time. You say you have a business - i would be careful about throwing yourself 100% at vet med from the very start. You were an arts major (which is fine!) but it sounds as though you have yet to be truly exposed to the hard sciences. I think your first step should be to see how you fare in the science classes. Are you struggling to make cs or can you work hard and get the a? Do you enjoy them? And so on. See what it's like working with a vet (lifestyle, atmopshere) and see how it measures up to what you pictured. And so on.

I think you should aim towards a career in vet med if that's what you want but remember to self-evaluate along the way to make sure you aren't throwing it all away for something that wasn't quite what you were expecting. Good luck! 🙂

+1

 

[lareinesoleil]

There are a lot of us here who are not perfect candidates for whatever reason, myself among them. People have been encouraging because it can be done with areas of weakness in your application.

I would give you slightly different advice than the others, though. You say "assuming I get good grades, good GRE, solid eLORs, good experience, etc" but this is A LOT to assume. I would advise you to take it one step at a time. You say you have a business - I would be careful about throwing yourself 100% at vet med from the very start. You were an arts major (which is fine!) but it sounds as though you have yet to be truly exposed to the hard sciences. I think your first step should be to see how you fare in the science classes. Are you struggling to make Cs or can you work hard and get the A? Do you enjoy them? And so on. See what it's like working with a vet (lifestyle, atmopshere) and see how it measures up to what you pictured. And so on.

I think you should aim towards a career in vet med if that's what you want but remember to self-evaluate along the way to make sure you aren't throwing it all away for something that wasn't quite what you were expecting. Good luck! 🙂

Definitely work with a vet before you do anything else. See if it's what you think it is. I'd think you could get a pretty clear picture in a few short months. THEN, if you like it, throw yourself into it.

I'll be 30 when I graduate. I'm not that much younger than you, and I bet I won't be the oldest in my class. 4 years will pass one way or another - whether you follow your dreams or not.

8 years is a long time ago - which might work to your advantage, because you might just be able to start over. Then you wouldn't be fighting with a less than stellar GPA from years and years ago. I know someone who did that and it worked out really, really well for that exact reason - he was very motivated and did well, and didn't have to account for grades he got when he had different priorities. It would take some of the pressure off, I think, to have a clean slate. You might have to research some different vet schools - I'm not sure if they all have the same time limit on how far back they look.

Good luck! It's totally an achievable goal 🙂

 

[Cautionary Tail]

8 years is a long time ago - which might work to your advantage, because you might just be able to start over. Then you wouldn't be fighting with a less than stellar GPA from years and years ago. I know someone who did that and it worked out really, really well for that exact reason - he was very motivated and did well, and didn't have to account for grades he got when he had different priorities. It would take some of the pressure off, I think, to have a clean slate. You might have to research some different vet schools - I'm not sure if they all have the same time limit on how far back they look.

Good luck! It's totally an achievable goal 🙂

I definitely think it was to my benefit that my really ugly mistakes were older. Even if schools were pretty open about not being very forgiving on the GPA front, there was a very clear delineation between "then" and "now" on my transcripts, and I think it was pretty obvious to the outside observer that things had changed, I'd matured, and I wasn't likely to revert back to old habits. I also hadn't taken many hard science courses during the years of fail, and that might have worked to my advantage, too. Some programs average retakes with the originals when calculating various GPAs. Because I (like you) hadn't taken many of my prerequisites beforehand, the lousy grades weren't as damaging as they could have been. I also took a number of higher-level science electives to prove that I could handle the material... and (unlike my PS), I spent a lot of time on my explanation statement.

 

[hvr12]

that redhead I understand what your saying, I plan to shadow this summer and take a few classes this fall, and if with total dedication i can do well in those classes I will continue.

I have no delusions, I do not think that desire will trump any shortcomings however I posted the question because based on some of the info I gleaned off of the internet if you didn't know you wanted to be a vet in utero you should forget it 😉

I didn't even want to start the process if there wasn't a snowballs chance in hell of being considered.