No holds barred chances...

[Olddodger]

Hi all,

While I'm going to press on and see what happens, I am curious about if anyone has any opinions...and I need folks to be brutally honest...

Here's the deal:

39, male. 1 1/2 years ago took leave from work to help out ill parent and took the time to go back to school in my spare time. I became very interested in vet med due to ex-spouse.

I have a BS in MechE with a horrible GPA ~ 2.5 . I have a MS in an unrelated field with a 4.0.

I took the UF pre-req list as a template and enrolled in a local U (not a CC) with a pre-health professions biology degree. Did damage control for Gen Chem 1/2 and physics 2 (all A's, up from Cs). All of the other pre-recs were new to me: Bio1/2 (w/lab), Genetics (w/lab), MicroBio (w/lab), Organic chem 1/2 (w/lab), Stats, and took a 400 level immunology course. End result was about 50 credits and a 4.0 GPA and numerous deans lists. I've done publishable chemistry research and TA'ed chemistry (gen and organic) for 4 semesters.

I got two more semesters to go to finish all of the pre-recs (cell and molec & biochemistry), plus one more damage control class (calc I) and 2 more to meet the requirements for the bio degree (2 semesters of Anat and Phys w/lab) minus the animal nutrition. I should wind up with 60+ credits, hopefully with a 4.0

1280 on the GRE.

No hard and fast animal experience yet, I was waiting to see how school turned out (if it didn't go well, vet experience wouldn't have mattered), but I have multiple opportunities locally.

UF is my first choice due to in-state tuition...I simply cannot afford 200k this late in life. Minnesota or Michigan are possibly alternatives for in-state (with some delay) due to work opportunity allowing residential status.

There are attractive doctoral possibilies as a plan B, but you shouldn't take you eye off the prize if you are serious.

But with 88 people a year, and my somewhat checkered academic past (even if it's 20 years ago), do I even have a remote shot? I'd be curious what people think...

Thanks in advance....

Oldie

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[critterfixer]

I'd recommend talking to the Dean at UF and ask him how you can make your application any stronger. Lots of animal experience with many different species will definitely help. If I were you, I'd get marine animal experience in addition to wildlife/zoo, and both large and small animal. I would NOT recommend, however, ONLY applying to your state school. There are out of state schools with reasonable tuition.

Don't worry about the age thing. I'm 41 and starting at UTK this fall. I don't think my age came up at all.

Your academics look strong to me, if you can use your personal statement to explain your early grades and what made you so motivated to enter the veterinary profession that you re-took all those classes.

Best of luck!

 

[RazorDoc2010]

I don't see any reason why it can't be done. With your engr background, I'd raise that GRE score (you should be able to crush the Q section). It's already good, but probably worth a try to make it better (dependent, of course, on UF's policy on the GRE...whether they average all attempts, take most recent, or take highest)

I just got my bs in ChemE, and vet schools seem to really like the engineering perspective (not just based on my experience, but on others I've talked to). Don't be worried about coming from a non-trad field.

Best of luck!

 

[kate_g]

Hey oldie, you've been around this forum longer than I have... What are you doing asking *us* for advice?!

I know nothing about UF, so I can't offer any specific advice, but I would agree that talking to the dean there would be an easy way to find out what they're looking for and get specific ideas for what you need to work on.

I'd guess your chances of getting in *somewhere* are good enough that you should start in on the experience as soon as possible, so you've got as much as possible by the time you apply. I dunno about all the stress on a super-wide variety of species. If it's going to be obvious that you have no idea what you want to do within vet med, then sure, showing that you've given a try to just about everything is a good plan. But if you have a definite focus, then really broad experience might not be necessary. I got in with no large animal experience whatsoever, for instance, but my entire application made it obvious that my focus is research. I was only asked about large animals once, and just simply said I had no experience beyond a half-dozen trail rides and the petting zoo, but I was eager to get the chance to work with them - which is true. I made a point of saying I wasn't scared of large animals or disgusted by the food industry or anything, I just hadn't had an opportunity to do any work with them as of yet.

Assuming around 120 credits for your first degree at 2.5 and the 60 new credits at 4.0, you've got exactly a 3.0 cumulative right now. Since I probably didn't guess your first batch of credits exactly right, and that number is *right* on the cutoff fence for schools with hard cutoffs, it would be a good idea to calculate what your actual cumulative GPA will be, to see if you need to worry about that.

All things considered, it seems like you're probably going to fall into the "I got in with those stats, so you can too" group. Being a non-trad is actually probably a great boost in your case - I've gotten the impression in interviews and whatnot that schools are actually very interested in attracting the more mature applicant with some significant life experience. If you can sincerely claim an interest in academics or research (you mentioned PhD programs as an alternative) I think focusing your application on that would provide another boost.

I seriously thought you were a student at UF. So... Good luck! Kick ass and get yourself in there already!

 

[philomycus]

I only had ~ 100 vet tech hours when I applied, but hundreds with volunteer work. My GRE sucked, 1030. I have master's degree in bio from UCF. My overall gpa is 3.4ish

I got an interview my 1st year applying at UF and am waitlisted at OK state.

At UF it's very very VERY hard to get in if it's your 1st year applying. I have heard this and seen this.

So if you want UF, be prepared to apply at least 2 years before you get in. You may fair better than most, but be ready to apply twice.

BTW, I'm 33.

 

[Olddodger]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to keep at it.

I actually already have a specific field in mind, and that's to specialize in feline medicine. The lab section of the 2 semester A&P course that I am taking is essentially all cat, so that should lend an interesting tidbit.

Thanks again all!

Oldie

 

[msmrtrthnyllb]

The best thing you can do is make an appointment to call or visit Dean Thompson at UF. He's a really nice guy, and will help you out a lot, I think. He'll tell you exactly what you need to do to be a strong(er) candidate.
But like Philo said, it's hard to get in. I have a 3.93 GPA, GRE in the 1300s, thousands of hours of experience, etc., but didn't get in.

 

[2011vet]

I think it all depends on the person. I had a 3.75 GPA, 1400 gre, and MAYBE 1000 hours of combined animal and vet experience, mostly volunteer. I was waitlisted for an interview at UF, then I got the interview and must have wowed them because now I'm waitlisted for c/o 2011. Just be honest, definatly get vet experience, and get close to vets and/or professors so you can get good LORs. If you're in g'ville, there are tons of places to get all sorts of experience. Good luck!!!

 

[bakaduin]

Im a UF undergrad and have talked to Dean Thompson so I have one thing to add. A lot of people say get a varied amount of vet experience but at UF this really isnt that true. Dean said that you should just focus on what you want to do in vet school because they can teach you the rest. (I.E if you want to do small animal get your hours in that because they will show you how to handle cows and horses.)

 

[Spartanvet4cows]

Since you mentioned Michigan, I'll get my piece in really quick. We have quite a few nontrads in 2010. One of them is a 40 something ER nurse that has a farm up in Northern Michigan. When it comes to experience, you will need at least 240 hours under the supervision of a veterinarian to be considered. (Of course they recommend getting much more than that, and if you're getting animal experience with another sort of professional such as a PhD that counts too) One thing to consider here is that the economy is in the crapper (I had a great job with the Michigan Department of Agriculture for the summer and it got canceled because of lack of funding). Tuition may rise again this year because the Governor will be cutting education funding yet again.

I will say MSU is a great school, and you get 1.5 years in clinics rather than the typical one year. It's a beautiful campus, and if you can handle snow, it should definitely be a consideration. If you're really serious about getting in next year, apply to multiple schools. MSU weighs your latest credits heavier than your early ones, so that will be a big help for you. I'm sure the MS will help too.

Anyway, that's my piece on things. Good luck!

 

[mkata]

Actually, beginning this last application cycle, there are no requirements for hours. They just want diversity of experience and of course, quality.