part-time undergrad?

[karmapple]

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Hi! I was wondering if there was anyone here who ever did their undergraduate classes part-time. Does it hurt your chances of getting in to vet school?
I've already done four years (eight semesters) of full time classes (~15 hours a semester) while working about 30 hours a week. The only reason I need to go part-time my last two semesters is for financial reasons. Oddly enough, my financial aid will cover my tuition if I go part-time, but not if I go full-time. Truthfully, I also would love to only take 6-8 hours a semester because then I might actually have some time for volunteer activities or to get some research experience. I plan on applying next year.
So are those previous eight semesters enough to prove I can handle being a full-time student, or are vet schools going to frown on going part-time at all? I plan on applying to Texas A&M (I'm a Texas resident) and Western, if anyone knows how much emphasis those schools place on this. Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[dyachei]

Hi! I was wondering if there was anyone here who ever did their undergraduate classes part-time. Does it hurt your chances of getting in to vet school?
I've already done four years (eight semesters) of full time classes (~15 hours a semester) while working about 30 hours a week. The only reason I need to go part-time my last two semesters is for financial reasons. Oddly enough, my financial aid will cover my tuition if I go part-time, but not if I go full-time. Truthfully, I also would love to only take 6-8 hours a semester because then I might actually have some time for volunteer activities or to get some research experience. I plan on applying next year.
So are those previous eight semesters enough to prove I can handle being a full-time student, or are vet schools going to frown on going part-time at all? I plan on applying to Texas A&M (I'm a Texas resident) and Western, if anyone knows how much emphasis those schools place on this. Thanks for any help you can give me!

I did part time my last semester and was accepted into UTK. As long as you can show that you weren't slacking off those last semesters, I don't think it will be a problem to get in. And volunteering and working are proof that you aren't taking it easy.

 

[sofficat]

part time for 2 semesters should be fine, especially if you work and volunteer a lot. that's impt to vet schools, too. plus- i would apply to more then just 2 vet schools. just my 2 cents

 

[kate_g]

Vet school is - from what I hear anyway - a "more than full time" proposition. That is, you'll spend more than 40 hours/week at it, which is why they want to know that you can handle it. You've already done that with 30 hours of work plus 15 hours of class (plus study time), so you want to make it clear in your application that you did those two things simultaneously.

Second, I'd agree that finishing up your pre-reqs part time is not a big deal. After undergrad I took a couple classes (3-6 hours/week) while working full-time. Nobody commented that I wasn't taking a full course load. Again, if you make it obvious that your entire schedule - with work, volunteering, etc. - still has you going at "more than full time" pace, then the light course load itself shouldn't hurt your chances.

 

[jfitzpatri8]

I agree with Kate. I did a lot of lower-division as a part-time student at a JC (working 3/4 time). Then I transferred to university and carried a double-time load (working 18 hours a week). Then I took off 2 quarters for medical reasons. Then I added a minor to my last year. My PS was full of justifications for these twists and turns. I thought I was sunk after the medical probs, but, here I am! Just have good grades, do well on the GRE, and have a shining personality. "Just".... isn't that a great word for trivializing hugely important things with!

Jenn

 

[pressmom]

I went full time worked part time as a freshman, then took 3 semesters off for medical reasons then came back, finished up in 5 semesters working part time for the first 3 and full time for the last two. Then when I went back to school I started post-bacc and took 2-3 classes and worked 3/4 time then I went back full time for 2 semesters and worked 1/2 time. I got asked about it in the interviews but as long as you can explain your reasons, it shouldn't be a problem. BTW, I got in to three schools with all this.