Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum and have recently decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and am looking for some advice.
Here is my background. Unfortunately my undergrad did not have the best policies in place to assist students with pursuing their career of choice. Our school actually forces students to decide a major during sophmore year. If we didn't, we weren't allowed to register for the next quarter. This results in many student changing their major...about an average of 8 times during the course of their undergrad career. Lame right?
Anyway, I graduated in 2005 with a BA in English. English wasn't my first choice but my credits only allowed me to apply to the English department. Anyway, I wavered between various career field - dental, medical, economics, journalism, and law. I took several science courses in undergrad: biology, gen chemistry, ochem, biology, and physics. I never completed the full year's worth of the course series for each...I mostly took 2 out of the 3 classes in a series. Made grades were an average of 3.1...not that great but I did work about 3 jobs concurrently throughout my undergrad career. I was also very active in my sorority and in the community - not animal related though.
I graduated with the intention of applying to law school. I have been working at a law firm for the past 3 years...I definitely enjoy the work but have found that most attorneys are dissatisfied and my interest in the field diminished.
I've always had a passion to work with animals and have started the reserach for a career change (not that I currently have a real carreer). I started volunteering at the local animal shelter for companion animals and plan to volunteer at the local zoo and another shelter up north that takes in wildlife and companion animals. I plan to continue to work at my law firm to generate enough of a savings to pay for a post-bacc program. Before I start my post bacc program I also intend to either pick up a second job or quit my current job to work at an emergency animal clinic in the area.
By the time I apply to Veterinary school...likely in 4 years, due to their policy, I have to retake my science classes.
Does anyone have recommendations for post-bacc schools? It looks like I can't get into most of the programs in UC schools because they only accept CA resident (which I'm not). Does it matter which school I go to - how rigourous their science program is? What are the top schools for science programs? I'm having a hard time finding rankign online. I'll probably to go a book store to find those answers. UPenn seems to have a great post bacc but I'm not sure I can get in. My grades were mediocre in my opinion - 3.33.
Aside from getting my general pre reqs done at the post-bacc...does anyone know if they allow students to take upper level classes? I'm intersted in taking histology, anatomy, nutrition, and possibly pathology. I realize this will extend the amout of time I'm in undergrad but I think it's totally worth it.
Also, how do vet schools looks at/weigh first undergrad science grades as opposed to post bacc science grades? I have to admit, I wasn't the most serious student in undergrad but now that I have a real goal and desire to pursue a career I'm passionate about I KNOW I will work my butt of to do well in the post bacc program.
One more question...is it okay to ask admissions counselor at vet schools for assistance? How helpful are most admissions counselors to people not part of their school? I'm planning to visit the schools I'm intersted in later this year and will make appointments with advisors when the time comes.
Any other advice people have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much!
Here is my background. Unfortunately my undergrad did not have the best policies in place to assist students with pursuing their career of choice. Our school actually forces students to decide a major during sophmore year. If we didn't, we weren't allowed to register for the next quarter. This results in many student changing their major...about an average of 8 times during the course of their undergrad career. Lame right?
Anyway, I graduated in 2005 with a BA in English. English wasn't my first choice but my credits only allowed me to apply to the English department. Anyway, I wavered between various career field - dental, medical, economics, journalism, and law. I took several science courses in undergrad: biology, gen chemistry, ochem, biology, and physics. I never completed the full year's worth of the course series for each...I mostly took 2 out of the 3 classes in a series. Made grades were an average of 3.1...not that great but I did work about 3 jobs concurrently throughout my undergrad career. I was also very active in my sorority and in the community - not animal related though.
I graduated with the intention of applying to law school. I have been working at a law firm for the past 3 years...I definitely enjoy the work but have found that most attorneys are dissatisfied and my interest in the field diminished.
I've always had a passion to work with animals and have started the reserach for a career change (not that I currently have a real carreer). I started volunteering at the local animal shelter for companion animals and plan to volunteer at the local zoo and another shelter up north that takes in wildlife and companion animals. I plan to continue to work at my law firm to generate enough of a savings to pay for a post-bacc program. Before I start my post bacc program I also intend to either pick up a second job or quit my current job to work at an emergency animal clinic in the area.
By the time I apply to Veterinary school...likely in 4 years, due to their policy, I have to retake my science classes.
Does anyone have recommendations for post-bacc schools? It looks like I can't get into most of the programs in UC schools because they only accept CA resident (which I'm not). Does it matter which school I go to - how rigourous their science program is? What are the top schools for science programs? I'm having a hard time finding rankign online. I'll probably to go a book store to find those answers. UPenn seems to have a great post bacc but I'm not sure I can get in. My grades were mediocre in my opinion - 3.33.
Aside from getting my general pre reqs done at the post-bacc...does anyone know if they allow students to take upper level classes? I'm intersted in taking histology, anatomy, nutrition, and possibly pathology. I realize this will extend the amout of time I'm in undergrad but I think it's totally worth it.
Also, how do vet schools looks at/weigh first undergrad science grades as opposed to post bacc science grades? I have to admit, I wasn't the most serious student in undergrad but now that I have a real goal and desire to pursue a career I'm passionate about I KNOW I will work my butt of to do well in the post bacc program.
One more question...is it okay to ask admissions counselor at vet schools for assistance? How helpful are most admissions counselors to people not part of their school? I'm planning to visit the schools I'm intersted in later this year and will make appointments with advisors when the time comes.
Any other advice people have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks very much!