Lurkers, don't be shy!

[primatevetjess]

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Thanks for your warm welcome, jjohnston!

I'm glad that you're enjoying your internship at UCLA! With which species are you currently working? I'm sure that UCLA has a gigantic animal care and use program, given the scope of the research that occurs at the institution. I'm very familiar with the UC system- completed my graduate work at UC Irvine 🙂 I definitely spent some quality time up in LA during my California years.

How has your experience been at Davis? I hear that it's a fantastic school. Davis is one of the four veterinary schools to which I intend to apply next year. My chances of acceptance are slim to nill given my out of state residency (I'm currently a resident of Utah), but I figured I'd throw my hat in the ring all the same. Never hurts to try. And....SOMEBODY has to get one of those single digit out of state slots 😉

Speaking of Davis, what are the opportunities to get involved with lab animal medicine during your vet school years? As you mentioned, this isn't a traditional path for folks to enter, so I'm curious as to any experience in this realm open to veterinary students during their training years.

Great to make contact with you! Hope to see you here on SDN in the future.

I sent you a PM so as to not derail the thread too much 🙂

 

[vethopeful15]

Hi everyone!!

I have been a lurker for over a year, and absolutely love this community!! I haven't found anything else like it--a bunch of people who all want to live their dream, and are incredibly supportive and understanding of each other.

I am currently 22 (it feels sooo weird to say i'm 22 already!), and this is my 2nd time applying. I completed my BS in Biology from a small liberal arts school in Rochester, NY just a few months ago, and am taking the year off (due to lack of admission to vet school in the 1st cycle) to get more experience.

So far, I have about 400 hours of small animal exp. at the small clinic where I take my dog (“Kandea,” the one in my avatar!!), and about 90 hours of equine/food animal exp. at a large-animal exclusive practice so far this summer. I am from/live in a rural town, in the middle of nowhere, in a NY county where there are more cows than people, and I love it!!! haha. I am interested in small animal and large animal med, not really sure which (or both?) yet though. I was hoping to get more large animal experience than I have so far this summer, but plans I made to shadow (my main priority this summer!) and work in Rochester (where I had an apartment and was living for the past 2 years) fell through, so I ended up moving back home. It's so weird living at home now!!

Well, that's enough babbling about myself...

Good luck to everyone applying in this year’s admissions cycle!!!! 🙂

 

[PppermintTwist]

Hey, I've been lurking for a couple of months. Guess I'll say hello 🙂

Im 26 and a veterinary technician. My plan was originally to go to vet school but I ended up doing some stuff in between and getting to know myself better. I've done an exchange in Belgium, have my associates degree in vet tech, and a BS in animal science.

After the BS... I got a job as a vet tech and have been working there for the past year and half or so. ( and love it )

I have to finish one pre-req (physics)...

I have a cat, and some goats, used to have rats, and volunteer with guiding eyes raising puppies. On that note, I'd really like to become a small ruminant vet. Id like to mostly work with dogs, cats, pocket pets, and goats. No big farms, just people's family animals. Any other goat lovers out there?

🙂

 

[heylodeb]

Alright, ya'll have seen the complainin' in the "Rant Here" thread - time to make yourself known so we can celebrate with you when you get all those interviews and acceptances you're waiting for!! 🙂

 

[spoondiggity]

Hey everyone,

I have been a lurker here for a few months now... I wish I found out about SDN earlier in my application process. It would have been a huge help for me.

I'm 22, this is my first application cycle... I applied to 10 schools (so glad I'm done applying!) I'm in my 5th year of undergrad now and currently working as a vet technician/receptionist at a small clinic. Other than small animal experience (we also see some exotics), I've also volunteered in Australia working with wildlife.

I live in a beautiful apartment (which I am going to be very sad to leave if I get into vet school) with my two cats and my turtle 🙂 I grew up in a small farming town and lived with my mom until I was 21, even now I live only 10 minutes away... Living anywhere else would be a huge culture shock for me, but I am praying I get an interview invite/acceptance letter and I am so excited for what the future brings!

 

[thealohaspirit]

Hi everyone! I introduced myself in the rant thread, but thought I would do it in the proper thread as well. I've been creeping in the shadows for a while now, and have found this site to be incredibly helpful. This is my first time going through the application cycle, and I've applied to 4 schools. My primary interest is in equine medicine. I'm currently in grad school, finishing up my Masters (I defend tomorrow!), after which the only thing I'll have to do is wait to hear from schools and stalk this forum!

 

[flyhi]

Hi everyone! I introduced myself in the rant thread, but thought I would do it in the proper thread as well. I've been creeping in the shadows for a while now, and have found this site to be incredibly helpful. This is my first time going through the application cycle, and I've applied to 4 schools. My primary interest is in equine medicine. I'm currently in grad school, finishing up my Masters (I defend tomorrow!), after which the only thing I'll have to do is wait to hear from schools and stalk this forum!

Good Luck on your defense!!

 

[jemappellejane]

Hi everyone!!

I have been a lurker for over a year, and absolutely love this community!! I haven't found anything else like it--a bunch of people who all want to live their dream, and are incredibly supportive and understanding of each other.

I am currently 22 (it feels sooo weird to say i'm 22 already!), and this is my 2nd time applying. I completed my BS in Biology from a small liberal arts school in Rochester, NY just a few months ago, and am taking the year off (due to lack of admission to vet school in the 1st cycle) to get more experience.

So far, I have about 400 hours of small animal exp. at the small clinic where I take my dog (“Kandea,” the one in my avatar!!), and about 90 hours of equine/food animal exp. at a large-animal exclusive practice so far this summer. I am from/live in a rural town, in the middle of nowhere, in a NY county where there are more cows than people, and I love it!!! haha. I am interested in small animal and large animal med, not really sure which (or both?) yet though. I was hoping to get more large animal experience than I have so far this summer, but plans I made to shadow (my main priority this summer!) and work in Rochester (where I had an apartment and was living for the past 2 years) fell through, so I ended up moving back home. It's so weird living at home now!!

Well, that's enough babbling about myself...

Good luck to everyone applying in this year’s admissions cycle!!!! 🙂

I'm from Rochester and went to U of R! Where did you go?

 

[avalanche7]

Hi everyone! Didn't know this thread exists, but I'm glad!

I'm 21 and this is my first application cycle...applying to 7 schools (Illinois is my IS)! I'm interested in being a mixed animal vet. Good luck to everyone!!!

 

[oxyjen]

Hey everyone! So.... I admit, I've been lurking for some bit and finally joined (as mentioned in the Ohio thread.. sorry!!)

It's my first time applying... and I am a non-traditional student who was in school and then went back to school. Good luck to everyone this admissions cycle! I am trying so hard not to have anxiety. I wish I said something sooner - I could use the support throughout this whole process. 😳

 

[macita183]

Hi everyone, I've decided to be more than a lurker!

I'm 28 and a non-traditional applicant. I spent several years after completing my undergrad working in HR. I wanted something much more fulfilling for a career so about four years ago I began taking classes so that I could apply to vet school. It's been a slow process since I typically can only take one course at a time since I work full time and it's expensive. Perhaps I should have just gone back and got another degree!

This is my second go around. Last year I did receive an interview invite from Minnesota but had to decline since I received a "D" in O Chem that fall semester (still had to do biochem). I re-took O Chem and got a "B" but I'm freaked out that the damage is done and no vet school will have me. I'm crossing my fingers history will repeat itself and Minnesota will give me another shot to interview.

I also applied to Kansas (still not interview invite, little hope left there) and Wisconsin (IS).

Good luck to all of you applying and hopefully (cross fingers, toes, eyes) some of us will be in school together next fall!!

 

[Cypress]

Welcome macita183! Happy to see another non trad! I'm 29 and applying third time (second serious application). Congrats on making it this far!

 

[ky261682]

I'm not technically a lurker, but since the majority of my posts have been in the AVC thread I've decided it is time to branch out.

I'm a 24 year old non-trad first-time applicant from Canada. I have a degree in psychology, applied to clinical psych grad programs, decided I really didn't like psych, when back to school to take science courses, shadowed a vet and loved it so here I am 🙂

I am so happy I found this forum. Tons of useful information, great stories, and support.

 

[thepidog]

Hello there,

I've been lurking for a couple years actually...I hope that doesn't seem creepy! I'm 21 and this is my first year applying (Michigan State, Illinois, and Mississippi), and I'm about ready for the waiting game to be over already...

I work as a vet assistant at a vet's office in my hometown, and I love it. I've recently been given more opportunity to do more "techy" things and I'm so excited to do and learn more! I also had a horse for ten years and did a lot of showing in high school and college. We don't have her anymore, but she's currently doing a great job as a therapeutic riding horse.

I live with my fiance and our pug (my picture). I'm getting married next labor day, which is probably the craziest decision I've ever made, given I may be a week into vet school...oh well, let's just throw that in there too. 🙂

I hope I'll be able to post on the acceptance or interview thread here pretty soon, and thanks for all the advice the non-lurkers have given me over the past couple years. 🙂

 

[missdarjeeling]

Hi everyone! 🙂 I'm a 25 year old non-trad seriously considering jumping into vet med. I originally found SDN when I was considering human medicine, but the more I looked into it, the more I started to feel like it might not be the right fit. A year ago, I was able to volunteer at the local animal shelter, and my interests took a turn. I've been looking into vet med ever since.

The biggest challenge now is finding a way to gain experience and exposure to the field so I know what I'm getting myself into. My BA and MA are in a field in the humanities, so I have to go back for my science requirements. I work at a university but am finding it impossible to fit in courses with my full-time, set schedule. 🙁

I'm very glad I stumbled across SDN. There's so much information here, and I'm very thankful that people continue to take the time to share what they know. Best of luck to everyone applying this cycle!

 

[T_Rose]

Hello everyone. I was lurking around on this site last year, and finally decided to start watching this site this year. I am 20 years old and applied to 6 schools this year. I think this site is wonderful to keep updated on everything and will give me an idea about when to expect notifications of interviews and when the schools send out acceptance letters. It's also nice to have a support group. 🙂

I have experience with a variety of animals and settings including small, large, zoo, and international veterinary experience. The one area I'm lacking in is research experience which is where my interests lie, but I also only decided to pursue research recently.

 

[nyanko]

I have experience with a variety of animals and settings including small, large, zoo, and international veterinary experience. The one area I'm lacking in is research experience which is where my interests lie, but I also only decided to pursue research recently.

My only advice for you (not knowing anything else about your app obviously!) is that if you are declaring that your interests are in research and you don't have much experience in it, do make sure that you are able to "justify" it to the adcoms at an interview. Definitely not saying this is the case with you, but there are people who will lie about interests to make their applications look better and you want to be able to distinguish yourself from them!

 

[WelshCob]

I guess I'll introduce myself to everyone as to not be one of those people who just post about interviews and such. =)

I'm 22 and from Florida. Last year I applied to 4 schools and didnt get a single interview invite except for being waitlisted for and interview at my instate. So that makes me a second time applicant. I applied to 8 schools this year and just received my first official interview invite at Kansas and am absolutely ecstatic

I worked my butt off and improved my GPA, GRE score and have been a slave in a small animal clinic since March. My main interest is equine sport horse medicine but I have experience in dairy and would have no issues palpating dairy cattle for the rest of my life.

I have 2 cats and prior to the first kitty I really didn't like cats. Its true they are like potato chips you can not have just one. People who don't like cats just haven't found the right one. I also have a Welsh Cob and we do dressage. He is a loon but I love him.

The quote I live by is

Look back on our struggle for freedom,
Trace our present day's strength to its source;
And you'll find that man's pathway to glory
Is strewn with the bones of a horse.

Which for me is heart wrenching I lost my first horse who sparked my interest into equine sport medicine to lymphosarcoma at an extremely young age. He is my push and the source of my drive to get where I am going.

That is probably way more then you needed to know. 😀

 

[ky261682]

I have 2 cats and prior to the first kitty I really didn't like cats.

Me too! I used to strongly dislike cats but my building did not allow dogs and I was lonely so I adopted a cat. Now I have 2 cats, I am a cat care attendant at my local SPCA, and own tons of cat merchandise (e.g. t-shirts, mugs, bags, etc.). Pretty much a complete turnaround haha.

 

[WelshCob]

Me too! I used to strongly dislike cats but my building did not allow dogs and I was lonely so I adopted a cat. Now I have 2 cats, I am a cat care attendant at my local SPCA, and own tons of cat merchandise (e.g. t-shirts, mugs, bags, etc.). Pretty much a complete turnaround haha.

Boo as she is affectionately called is first kitty. She showed up on our door step after out neightbors moved out we were just putting food outside for her but then winter came and we decided to let her in after an FIV/Felv test and vaccines. The first time I picked her up she let out a jab and a hook that left me with claw marks down both sides of my face. She now is a phenom cuddler and lets me shave her (supper fluffy) and clip her nails by myself. My avatar is Boo's first time meeting second kitty who I have named Peeka. So I have Peeka and Boo get it? =)

 

[T_Rose]

My only advice for you (not knowing anything else about your app obviously!) is that if you are declaring that your interests are in research and you don't have much experience in it, do make sure that you are able to "justify" it to the adcoms at an interview. Definitely not saying this is the case with you, but there are people who will lie about interests to make their applications look better and you want to be able to distinguish yourself from them!

Thanks for the advice. 🙂 I've already got that taken care of. 😛 By deciding "recently" I mean over a year ago, but I consider it recent because it's a big change from the type of veterinarian I had been wanting to be from a young age. I know I should have aimed to gain some type of experience the past year, but it hasn't worked into my schedule yet. My closest experience thus far is an honors lab project still in progress in which I studied chickens. I've talked my decision over with an admission counselor from one of the veterinary schools, and he told me I shouldn't be too concerned over my lack of experience in that area. I do know it puts me at a disadvantage, though.

 

[cvilleresler]

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking since early October when I submitted my application. I'm 20 and this is my first time applying. I only have veterinary experience in an equine hospital and have spent the last 4 summers there. I applied to 5 schools and interviewed with Ohio a few weeks ago.

All of you guys here at SDN are a big help. This site is truly awesome.

 

[Coquette22]

Welcome!

And YAY! Another Pens fan! 😀

 

[moocow1987]

Hi,

I suppose I am a lurker too. Not proud. So this is my official de-lurkification. I am a non-traditional applicant. I completed my post bac year this spring and am planning to take microbio and immunology spring 2012 whilst biting my nails and waiting patiently for interview invites/rejections/ANSWERS to come in!

I am currently working as a vet tech at a local small animal hospital which has been such an amazing experience and key part of my preparation. I don't have too much large animal experience, so that's the part I'm most worried about on my application. ANYWAY I just wanted to officially introduce myself and say that you are all a wonderfully helpful (and intimidating) crowd! Good luck to everyoneeeeee

 

[futurevet7]

Hi! I've been a lurker for a couple years, I'm 23, this is my third time applying, I applied to 10 schools this year...hopefully I make it this year! I had interviews the last two years, never even got on the waitlist and I've had one at Iowa this year already. I grew up on a farm, and have tons of animal and vet experience, have my bachelor's in animal science, and will have a Master's in Veterinary Microbiology this spring, so I'm hoping that will help me alot!!

 

[watchntv]

I have posted a bit on this forum and just found this thread

Im 33 now, but when I was graduating high school I had gotten into a 6 yr MD/BA program. So, no premed classes and no MCATS! Yes, I worked my ass off in high school/during the summers, but I was on the road to a MD at 24.

Half way through medical school, I was a passenger in a jeep that rolled. The indian DD drove some of us home in his jeep had gone around a curve too fast, rolling the jeep.
Ejecting a passenger(who was fine) and leaving the drive and me in comas.

He had his Frontal lobe(mostly) injury and me with my mostly Brain stem injury.
I had to be on a mattress that was able to regulate my temperature,
ventilator, GI tube for about 3-4 weeks.

My friends, fraternity, medical school, all showed me great support,
candle light vigil, the whole nine yards(so I was told) I ended up
being transferred to Barnes Hospital in st louis, then to St Johns
Mercy Coma stimulation program, where I started waking up.


I moved back to school and lived with friends ~7months after waking up.
Since then I've gone back to med school but had to leave 2x due to requiring myectomies making the muscles equal in strength.
I have a brainstem injury, so I have problems breathing while I talk, a sort of dysarthria, and a spastic gait. A catch-22 has been healing, I have continued to regain phyisical abilities as time passes, but this means I never get used to how I am and I always have hope that I'll be what I was before the coma.
This is what finally led me to leave medical school. When else would I have time to attempt to increase my quality of life so much?
After a few years of pure therapy, going around to different places for therapy, buying a Neurotherapy machine and a hyperbaric chamber, I wanted to get back to doing something I can brag about and not just spinning my wheels to slowly make gains, if at all.

My medical school had told me to return, I must apply to their 4 year program, which means I need to do all the pre-reqs I had worked hard to avoid and take the MCAT which I had also had circumvented by getting into the 6 yrd MD/BA program.

So, now I've done the prereqs and now I am going to take the MCATs on 3-24-12

It really sucks ass; I have no friends, as my old "friends" are all MDs and throughout the country, everyone has kids, families, careers, someone special in their lives, while I am trying to just get into medical school.

I've gotten to do a ton of rehab to work on my speech, how I walk, I still can't run properly or jump at all. I wear prism glasses when I get tired and my eye muscles can't compensate for being weak and the world goes double.

I never made any friends in the pre-reqs, because I am disabled and talk/walk differently , so it was hard to get kids, 19-21 to talk to me much plus I had no desire to go and "party". As I did the classes I had avoided before, at the same time I was also doing rehab; remember thats why I left medical school. So, I didnt have time for the few friends/acquaintances I had made. I have a couple of ex-gfs,(none who are in college, or college educated, but its odd to talk to married chicks,...yeah, now they're married and were really just me degrading myself to even associate with them, but I had/have lost most self-esteem. Telling chicks, "oh I was in a coma and I spent years working on walking again, not that you can tell!" doesnt get you laid...often

So I live alone now and I study and workout, still trying to walk correctly, as I can, but I want to walk correctly without thinking, "heel/toe" and I want to talk correctly, still, without having to think about using words that arent multisyllabic so I won't stutter/slur and I can discretely breath to finish my thoughts without sounding like "Stevie" off Malcom in the Middle.

Ive done a lot of stuff to make friends, bring some degree of happiness into my life; irrelevant to list them.

One of the worst parts of all this, besides the obvious downgrade in life, or losing my 20s, the prime of life, etc it's the change in how I'm viewed by others. In [SIZE=-1] the world that judges all of us so harshly that doesn't look for inner beauty, without inspection, I have gone from the far right of the Bell-curve to the middle/left as I get judged on how I walk and talk. Hope is also a bad thing. Had I never had hope to get substantial improvement, I would have never left medical school.
But I did and if I want to go back to medical school, I need a good score on the MCATs.

[/SIZE]I'm near the start of SN2ed's 4-month program and [SIZE=-1]so I'm gonna kick ass, but that doesnt mean I wont think about the meaning of life, a variance of that, or just break down and hate everyone/everything from time to time; it just means I can only do that crap on my break days.
[/SIZE]

 

[Chebanse]

Hi everyone, I have been lurking since October. I found this forum as I was finishing my applications. I have been stalking the forums a lot in the last couple days as the application waiting game anxiety has been mounting. I decided it was time to actually make a post!

I am 25, I have a BFA from Columbia College, and I have been finishing my prerequisites as a post-baccalaureate at Benedictine University and the University of Colorado Denver. I just applied for my first time this year to Colorado State, Western, and Minnesota. I have worked with several equine practices including racetrack and a surgical center/referral center, a small animal clinic, and I am currently volunteering with the small ruminant comparative orthopaedics lab at CSU. My other animal experience includes horse training, volunteering with a greyhound rescue, reptile rehab and rescue, and a behavioral research project with exotic hoofed stock as a volunteer at Brookfield Zoo. I own 2 thoroughbreds, a greyhound, a cat, and an Egyptian uromastyx.

During the rest of my freetime (ha! freetime ) I practice and teach western martial arts (swordsmanship, dagger, wrestling), mounted combat (wrestling, sword, and spear from horseback), sewing, costuming, and other strange esoteric hobbies.

Anyway, I look forward to getting to know everyone better and hope :::fingers crossed!::: to meet some of you in the fall!

 

[Minnerbelle]

During the rest of my freetime (ha! freetime ) I practice and teach western martial arts (swordsmanship, dagger, wrestling), mounted combat (wrestling, sword, and spear from horseback), sewing, costuming, and other strange esoteric hobbies.

Please do start your PS with an anecdote of the "spear from horseback" and possibly "dagger" things, and share that opening with us!

It would be even better if you went into your interviews, and with direct non-averting eye contact and deep monotone voice, listed those activities when your interviewers ask you what hobbies you have. Pause a little, and then add "...and sewing and costuming." That would leave an impression to say the least 🙂

 

[Minnerbelle]

I have posted a bit on this forum and just found this thread][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]

Hi watchntv

Thanks for sharing your experience, and I'm sorry to hear about what's happened to you. Just in case you haven't noticed, I wanted to let you know that you're posting in a thread in the pre-veterinary forum. You're more than welcome to contribute here as much as you'd like (cause heck, we have a ton of non-trads here from very diverse backgrounds and we love having their input on things, veterinary or not). But I just wanted to make sure that you were aware of this, so that you weren't expecting a readership of pre-meds. Best of luck to you with the MCAT and I hope you continue to progress on your recovery.

 

[watchntv]

Hi watchntv

Thanks for sharing your experience, and I'm sorry to hear about what's happened to you. Just in case you haven't noticed, I wanted to let you know that you're posting in a thread in the pre-veterinary forum. You're more than welcome to contribute here as much as you'd like (cause heck, we have a ton of non-trads here from very diverse backgrounds and we love having their input on things, veterinary or not). But I just wanted to make sure that you were aware of this, so that you weren't expecting a readership of pre-meds. Best of luck to you with the MCAT and I hope you continue to progress on your recovery.

I did a search for something MCAT related and I came to this thread, I think
I laughed after reading your post. sheeesh.
interestingly enough, I still communicate with my medical school physiologist, who is also a VMD
small world

 

[JazzTuck]

Hey all! Thought I'd post in this thread since I've been lurking around here for about a year now but definitely plan on contributing more regularly from now on!

I'm 22 and I just graduated from a small liberal arts college in Colorado this past May. I've since moved back home to CT and have been working for my riding instructor all summer/fall. I've been riding/competing LOTS for basically free (due to all the work hours I've put in at the barn) since graduation and it's been absolutely amazing! I just landed my first veterinary job as an assistant at a SA emergency practice. I have tons and tons of animal experience (riding horses for 10+ years, working for my trainer for the past 2 years, pet sitting, etc.) but as of now I only have a few hours of shadowing as vet experience (including shadowing 4th years at Tufts on their rotations as part of the Tufts Adventures in Vet Med program - so amazing 😍) so I can't wait to see cool cases, learn lots of new things, and rack up the experience hours! I'm also finishing up pre reqs at a local university (taking Biochem this semester) that I didn't take during undergrad since I didn't make the decision to apply to vet school until halfway through my senior year. I've always been a huge science/animal lover, but it took me quite a while to realize that vet med is my true calling (after many years of waffling).

I must say that SDN was HUGELY influential in my final decision to pursue a career path as a veterinarian. I allowed enough people to talk me out of it that I was pretty dead set against becoming a vet last fall. I felt so lost all fall semester last year and people kept asking me the dreaded "what are you going to do next year?" question. I honestly had no freaking idea what I wanted to do with my life. Grad school was a definite no since I have ZERO interest in research (me + lab work = disaster!) and I've never had any desire to go into human medicine. I was also, as I mentioned above, dead set against being a vet despite always having it in the back of my mind as a potential career. So what is a biology major to do? I was doing research on becoming a vet tech when I stumbled upon this site. It may sound a bit silly, but when I came on SDN I was honestly expecting to read through some of the topics and think "oh man, I'm sooo glad I don't want to be a vet! Sounds like a job I'd never want!" but the funny thing was, the more I read about vet med and vet school and saw how awesome and supportive all you guys are, the more I kept thinking "hmm that actually doesn't sound that bad." I tried so hard to find reasons to not become a vet but I couldn't find any! I have learned sooooo much about the whole application process, vet school itself, and the realities of being a veterinarian and despite all of the negatives of the profession (awful debt:income ratio, stressful job, difficult clients, long hours, often underappreciated, etc.) I am pretty darn sure this is what I want to do with my life, and I become more and more confident with my decision each day. I am unbelievably grateful that I found this website last year; it's literally changed my life!! Sooo anyways I owe a huge thanks to SDN, and I am looking forward to contributing here a lot more in the future, especially since I'm hoping to apply for this upcoming cycle (c/o 2017)!! I still have a long, hard road ahead of me before I become a DVM but I'm looking forward to every single day, good and bad 🙂. I am so incredibly lucky that I have the chance to follow my dream!!

Phew, that's my story for now. Kudos to anyone that read it lol! Now back to my biochem homework that I should have been doing instead of writing a novel of a post...🙄

 

[MarikaAnime]

I didn't lurk for very long. I think I joined 20 min after finding this site. Anyway I am mainly posting to bump the thread. And it's true, post! Misery and happiness both love company. (and so do people who are avoiding studying at all costs!)

 

[saki117]

I just recently joined but I've been lurking since last year. I'm 23 with a Bachelors in Biology and now going for my Masters. I applied to 9 schools this year and this is my third time I've applied so I figured I'd broaden the pool of places to apply to. I got an interview last year and this year at Iowa but nothing otherwise. My family was in the military so I've lived all over the country and in other countries. I've been getting animal experiences from working at a dog kennel, research lab, and shadowing vets. Hopefully I'll get an acceptance this year!! 😀

 

[Warmom]

I am guilty of Lurking, so here goes. I have two more years of undergrad before I will be applying but have found this site sooo helpful and aspiring. It has made me reflect and really think about what direction I want to be heading on this veterinary journey. O by the way did I mention that I am a non-traditional student, 40 to be exact, mom, wife and full time employee at a mixed practice. I must say good-night, it is finals week and unlike my younger classmates I cannot stay up to weeehours in the am and function the next day. I look forward to making new friends.

 

[degenkamp]

Hey everyone! I've been lurking on here for a little over a year, figured I should start posting now that I have actually applied this cycle. I'm 22, didn't decide till my senior of undergrad that I wanted to go to vet school so I don't have a lot of vet experience(working on getting more) but I have a decent amount of research experience. Applied to 6 schools, hoping I will get in somewhere but won't be too bummed if I don't this year since I don't have much experience. Good luck to everyone else applying though!

 

[Misssc]

Another longtime Lurker here!

A little about me.... I'm 31 and decided to give this cycle a go. I applied to one school this time, so I'll most likely be trying again next year.

I finished my B.S. in Animal and Poultry Sciences in May of this year, something I didn't think I would ever achieve. I enjoy fiber crafts and have a small flock of sheep and alpacas to feed the addiction. I can't really think of anything else to say... I guess I'm pretty boring overall

 

[Foxhunter]

I joined this summer when I was working on applications, but somehow joined with my whole real name which was awkward and creeped me out when I discovered it after a few posts. I finally got the name thing changed and have made a few post recently. So... about me:
- Twenty-one year old senior at Wake Forest University (pretty sure I'm the only one from my school applying this cycle). Will graduate in May with a B.S. in Biophysics. I'm really into research and horses. My current research focuses on various NOs and their reactions with iron-bound proteins. With that in mind I applied to 4 dual DVM/PhD programs:
- UPenn (obvi- who doesn't want a free ride)
- NCSU- ironically I think I have a better chance at UPenn
- Colorado State (just got an email for an interview- *insert happy dancing* *possibly naked*)
- Cornell (really don't think I'll get in)

I also applied to TAMU (I'm from Texas, and yes I am one of those annoying Texans who loves her state more than anything and thinks its the greatest place ever....). TAMU is driving me bat**** though, I just got a letter saying that they cannot prove that I have taken a general biology credit, I also have two published papers, and am working on a senior thesis but they won't exempt me from the technical writing requirement. Finally, I applied to VMRCVM. I'm hoping to get asked to apply to the dual program- we'll see.
As previously stated- I'm super into horses. Yes, I did grow up foxhunting. I'm captain of the dressage team here and we're currently tied for first in our division!
That's it for a little introduction.

 

[jemappellejane]

welcome!

And yay! Another pens fan!

yesssss!!!!!!!!!! Go pens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Megascops Asio]

Alrighty, I just joined yesterday and don't want to be a lurker. So here goes!

I'm 27 (will be 28 by the time I apply for my first time next year). I graduated with a degree in Studio Art in 2006 after bouncing between a few different majors as an undergrad. Its rather odd that I ended up with an art degree considering I never took an art class since I had finished elementary school. But life can be weird like that.

I returned to school in 2009, not really sure what I wanted to do. I just knew I wanted to pursue a degree in something more specialized. I looked into engineering for almost a year, but decided against it. Becoming a vet was something a friend suggested to me back in 2007, but I never took it seriously. After nixing engineering, the idea was presented to me again, so I decided I'd do some volunteering and see what I thought. I was lucky to find a local vet who decided to take a risk on me, and I've been there ever since. But what really sealed the deal was the first time I held an Eastern Screech Owl at a local wildlife center I volunteered at. I've been determined to become a vet ever since.

I've found the most difficult part of the whole preparing process to be trying to decide which schools I want to apply to. I originally thought that keeping up a decent GPA would be the difficult part for me (having not taken a science class in awhile), but I've been doing very well (knock on wood).

Since I live here in NC, I'd love to get into NCSU, but I'm also seriously looking into UPenn, UC Davis, Tufts (although I don't know who I'd get those required academic LORs from), Minnesota, UGA.... It seems that the more I research different places, the more my list changes. Oy!

 

[bigkittinteef]

I'm not sure if I'm a legitimate lurker, but I do want to get to know more people on SDN. So here goes!
I am a 22 year from Norcal finishing my last year of undergrad at Cal Poly Pomona (in Socal, urgh...) with a degree in Animal Science (no surprise there...). I applied for my first time to Glasgow, Edinburgh, RVC, and Massey. I really always wanted to study abroad and travel so international schools just made sense!

I have experience with large animals like swine, bovine, ovine, equine, (I lived and worked on a farm my sophomore year), worked in a Petsmart for longer than I'd care to remember (shudders), worked in shelters (even more shudders), and now work in a small animal and exotics hospital; we also treat wildlife for free so we see some amazing animals like owls, foxes, hawks, etc. My favorites are the mischievous baby raccoons we have running around playing with the hospital cats.

I ride horses (pleasure riding and English), play soccer, rock climb, and I can't wait to try Polo in the UK! I'm an absolute goofball thanks to my mom getting me involved in musical theater at a young and impressionable age. lol Thanks Mom!

Good luck to everyone that is waiting for responses from schools! I hope for the very best for all of you ex-lurkers!

 

[equine2be]

Lurker for a while here. Applied to 7 schools this year, a non-trad student (don't even ask me how old!) and hoping to get into my home school (Michigan State). Hi everyone!

 

[Honeypot1]

After a long time lurking,I have decided to step step out from the shadows.

I am an architect in my late 30’s with 12 years of unsatisfying work behind me and began to become interested in a second career in veterinary medicine over 3 years ago. Since then I have completed all of my prerequisites (except biochemistry) plus a few additional science courses, taken the GRE, shadowed several veterinarians,obtained 2 internships at a zoo, volunteered for 6 months at a local human hospital, 9 months with a spay/neuter clinic for feral cats, and was accepted into a summer research fellowship at a local medical school. My plan was to apply this cycle, but I panicked when thinking about the commitment, both time and money and “convinced” myself that I would just carry-on, unfulfilled, in my current profession. After getting a position in an architecture office again, I know I need to make this change.

For now, I am looking into volunteering at a wildlife rescue or a local veterinary hospital as I energize myself for the next application cycle.

 

[Virginger]

I wouldnt say Im a "lurker" but I have browed this site multiple times over the years without joining.

In a panic at the end of last week because of several rejections 🙁 and really wanted to find people to talk about the application process who was going through the same thing.

Im from Sterling, Virginia (right next door to DC). I have been working in the field since the beginning of high school. I love to work, but I just plain suck at taking tests, thus school (im sure I have had my brain melt and dribble out of my ear while taking some exams).

I graduated from Michigan State last spring. This is my first application cycle (I could have applied to schools with requirements like VT for a coupe years before but didnt feel ready/competitive enough).

I really have enjoyed participating on the SDN the last few days. I am so happy to see that there is comradery amongst the applicants and it has helped with my anxiety 🙂

 

[StartingoverVet]

bump

Time for the rest of you lurkers to come out of the shadows.