Plugging up holes in the application

[breenie]

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Hey y'all.

I feel a little silly starting a new thread for this, because I feel like this is something that I could probably put somewhere else but am not quite sure where.

So, I'm applying this cycle. I'll be a junior this fall, so I'm applying a year "early" (I won't have my bachelors when I matriculate). That's probably a bit of a disadvantage, but my goal by the time of the application deadline is to minimize the disadvantages.

Here are my details... I've got good grades (3.9 cGPA, 4.0 sGPA, 3.95ish? last 45). I've worked ~10hrs/week in a SA vet clinic as an assistant for the past 1.5 years. I've had horses most of my life and done training, grooming, showing, etc. Last summer I did an internship on an organic goat dairy, and they hired me this summer to milk the herd 2x/week. I worked for my school's dairy teaching herd for 4 months milking/caring for about ~80 cows/heifers. This summer I'm working 20-30 hrs/week in the research lab of a veterinarian on milk quality/mastitis research. I try to shadow local food animal vets as much as I can, but I probably only have about 20-30 hrs from them right now. They're sort of hard to pin down, but I recently found one a bit further away who is great about helping out vet hopefuls.

So... I want to maximize my chances, even if this cycle just counts as a practice round for me. I have some options for things that are available. I can shadow at an emergency SA practice here in town some more (I've only gone once and it was a huge snooze fest), I can help with a low cost spay & neuter program, I can volunteer at a shelter, etc.

What do y'all think would help most? I have NO equine vet experience... which might look kind of weird, given the depth and time I've spent with horses. I am interested in equine, but I think I really want to go into small ruminants and/or dairy, ultimately. One of the food animal vets I ride with also sees horses, so maybe I can count that...

Suggestions? Where are the holes in my app?

ETA: My GRE was a 600v 700q, but I took it in a less than great state of mind, so I don't know if it's worth taking again?

 

[BlacKAT33]

Honestly, looks like you don't really have any holes. I mean, you dont have equine vet experience which is what you said you had an interest in, but that is really specific. You DO have LA experience which most people are missing. You also have research which most people are missing. And then you still have SA. and your GPA is awesome. I mean, as long as you have good eLORs and PS i think you are kind of a shoe in. Dont become over confident, but i really think you have great stats and experience so far, so w/e you decide to do this summer won't matter much. The biggest things to watch out for are all personal+written parts of the application and the interview. Also, if you have avg GREs or above that would be great, but even if you had a low GRE your GPA is so high I don't think it would matter too much.

 

[breenie]

Thanks for the imput, BlacKat!

I totally spaced on GRE, my bad! I took it this spring and got a 600v 700q, but I also had my alarm fail to go off (woke up 15min before the test) and I panicked and was sobbing in the lobby of the testing center (not one of my better moments, ahaha ). I was thinking about retaking it to see if I can get a little bump up? Not sure how much it's worth it.

I'm definitely worried about writing the PS and making sure I do myself justice on the application. It's hard to write something that sums up such a huge part of your life in a limited amount of characters, and make it as compelling as you feel it is. I suppose that's the point, though.

 

[choroid88plexus]

Where do you think you will you be applying? Do you have some solid recommendations in line?

 

[breenie]

I'll be applying to my in state (Wisconsin), likely Illinois, and Missouri, maybe Minnesota (I'm still a little lost in terms of out of state schools to apply to). Since I'm applying as a junior, I don't have a ton of time to pack in the extra courses like physiology and speech like some schools require.

I think my letters will be pretty good. I haven't confirmed them all yet, though.

 

[HopefulAg]

I was thinking about retaking it to see if I can get a little bump up? Not sure how much it's worth it.

It's not. You have a 1300, which is good by any standard, and extremely high GPAs. The GRE is generally to compensate for low GPAs (or vice versa) and you've got both high, so I wouldn't waste the time and money.

 

[twelvetigers]

Nah. I have a 1290 and would never retake if it weren't for my GPA, which is... um... NOT a 3.9, anyway.

You seem like a great applicant. Work hard on the PS and app, and I think you've got some good game there.

 

[moosenanny]

As far as Mizzou goes, they break up vet experience into categories and tally your points for each category (100 quality hours with a vet in SA, LA, equine, lab animal/research, and zoo/exotics earns you maximum points). As you said, you're lacking in equine, as well as exotics/zoo. I'd try to get equine vet experience this summer (perhaps with that food animal vet - having some hours is definitely better than none!). Or, if that doesn't come through, I wouldn't write your entire PS about wanting to be a horse vet. You said you're interested in dairy anyway, so as long as you stay consistent and emphasize that as your passion and potential career, you seem all set and ready to apply 🙂 Good luck!

 

[choroid88plexus]

Who requires speech? Ack- hopefully none of my schools!

 

[breenie]

As far as Mizzou goes, they break up vet experience into categories and tally your points for each category (100 quality hours with a vet in SA, LA, equine, lab animal/research, and zoo/exotics earns you maximum points). As you said, you're lacking in equine, as well as exotics/zoo. I'd try to get equine vet experience this summer (perhaps with that food animal vet - having some hours is definitely better than none!). Or, if that doesn't come through, I wouldn't write your entire PS about wanting to be a horse vet. You said you're interested in dairy anyway, so as long as you stay consistent and emphasize that as your passion and potential career, you seem all set and ready to apply 🙂 Good luck!

Thanks a bunch! That's super helpful. 🙂 I didn't know that's how they did their scoring.

 

[HopefulAg]

Who requires speech? Ack- hopefully none of my schools!

A&M does, and Western too I believe. Not real sure on Western but they seemed to have every class req under the sun on their application and I'm fairly certain a speech class was one of them.

 

[choroid88plexus]

A&M does, and Western too I believe. Not real sure on Western but they seemed to have every class req under the sun on their application and I'm fairly certain a speech class was one of them.

Oh, okay. Phew!

 

[breenie]

Maybe Iowa? I think there is another school that does...

 

[Nechochwen]

Maybe Iowa? I think there is another school that does...

LSU does.

 

[Lissarae06]

Kansas State requires speech and OkSU requires either speech or a eng. lit. class.

 

[twelvetigers]

I have speech and tech writing, and they both fill some prereq here at OKSU...

 

[teatime]

Sorry to change the subject, but what exactly is KSU's "expository writing 1 and 2" requirement? I took the AP english tests my junior and senior years of highschool and got 4's on both, so I didn't need to take first year english during undergrad. Will my AP scores suffice?

Taking an additional speech class was kind of a pain in the butt, but yes it's necessary for some schools unfortunately...

 

[skittles12]

So, I'm applying this cycle. I'll be a junior this fall, so I'm applying a year "early" (I won't have my bachelors when I matriculate). That's probably a bit of a disadvantage, but my goal by the time of the application deadline is to minimize the disadvantages.

I was in the same situation during the last application cycle! Your application stats sound very similar to my own. I don't think you have many holes in your application that can be filled. Like others have said, practice on your personal statement and make sure it is read by anyone who will look at it! Mine was rewritten about 4 or 5 times.

Also, polish up on your interview skills. Practice interviewing as much as you can, because that is often where the final decision of acceptance is made. Good luck!