Pre-Vet applying to UGA?

[AniSci]

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I'm a animal science/pre-vet student, set to graduate in December of 2015 (I'm behind because I entered the pre-vet game a little late), so if it all goes well, I'll be entering the 2016 Vet School cycle (whoo!!).

I'm going to apply to: Cornell, UGA, and UTK (my own university at the moment).

Cornell & UGA are my top picks; I don't really like what UTK has to offer, even if it is in-state and supposedly a "good school". I just don't feel like it fits what I'm looking for.

I'd apply to NCSU (my absolute first choice), but it doesn't accept my animal science department's genetics course, and I refuse to take the biology department's genetics. I've gone through organic and am going through physics now, and I'm taking micro next fall, but I draw the line at genetics haha.

ANYWAY, I'm wondering what UGA is like? What has been your experience with it? Any blessings or regrets about applying/getting accepted??
What's its structure, what does it have to offer? What's the environment like, the people, and the city? I've heard some good and bad things about Athens, so I'm looking for some more personal input.

 

[WildZoo]

Just out of curiosity, what is it about UTK that you don't like?

And since you are out of state for UGA, I think it is probably important to note that they only take a very select few OOS students per year, especially compared to other schools.

 

[DVMDream]

Another question: Why do you have to constantly post new threads and in every thread state the EXACT same thing about yourself... we get. We all know your major and that you are lazy and don't want to take any additional courses or go through interviews.. but why repeat it every time?

 

[Doktor Timo]

I would be curious to know why you don't prefer UT as well. In my book, a school has to have a lot of big negatives to even out the significantly lower debt you end up with after graduating from an in-state school.

 

[Jamr0ckin]

Are you interested in dairy or poultry? If not, then you should get more than enough exposure to your interest at UTK. You have some weird grudge against it, and that is clouding your judgement.

But honestly, with your attitude, we wouldn't want you here just as much as you don't want to come here. Don't bother applying if you don't want to come here. This is an AMAZING school with plenty to offer.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

UTK is not "supposedly" a good school. It IS a good school. One of my co-residents was a UTK grad and extremely well educated and competent.

Not sure why the hell you would consider taking on tens and tens of thousands more in debt just because your in-state doesn't quite "fit" with you. Like Timo said, there would have to be a huge excess of negatives for the decision to go OOS to be a smart one in terms of debt IMO. What do you mean that you don't like "what it has to offer"? It offers the pretty much the exact same education and exact same degree as any other vet school.

And even then, you're not applying to your "dream school" because you have to take ONE fracking class that you don't want to take? One measly genetics class is chasing you away from your top school? Yet 50-100k more debt is not scary enough to make you pick UTK over two OOS choices assuming you got into all 3? Seriously?

It's just hard to take you seriously with stuff like this. Your priorities are all over the place.

 

[KCgophervet]

I think that's one of the problems of people who apply during undergrad (at least it definitely would have been one of mine if I had applied that early). Things like "having a good fit" and "not wanting to take X class" (this one I totally relate to since I refused to take public speaking in college after my nightmare of a speech class in HS) seem really important when you're sitting in a classroom having never experienced life outside of school.

Once you graduate and have to start paying back loans you realize what a horrible horrible mistake it was to go to a private undergraduate college wracking up $40,000 in debt BEFORE vet school... but I digress.

It's hard to realize what priorities you should be focusing on, and I totally get that. You don't want to be miserable for 4 years in vet school, but in all honesty I don't believe the different schools really differ that greatly (there are a few that stand out for slight curriculum differences of course, but overall I think they're more the same than they are different). The reason so many people say to go to the cheapest school is because, while 4 years in vet school might seem like a long time to not be at your "super dream awesome-tastic school", you'll be paying off loans for far far longer than that (unless you happen to be independently wealthy, in which case, I hate you. Not really, but kinda really).

Also, going off what others have said about the likelihood of getting in OOS for some of the choices, is it more important for you to go to a school off your short list or to start vet school as soon as possible? Typically IS students have a better shot of getting into their IS school. Just something to consider.

 

[GAH-47D]

A lot of these students and professionals are giving you a reality check. I had some myself and they're tough but help in the long run.

So - Here's the "FYI" on Cornell OOS -

I'll be blunt -

It's ridiculous to get into OOS and I'm speaking as someone who, because of what I've done with my life for the past 10 years, stood out against the throngs of applicants. First, if you're coming right out of college, you had better stand out like the grandest superstar that ever lived - this is regarding GPA, GRE, extracurriculars, you name it. Second, you had better have been published in a well-known research/scientific journal as a primary author. Third, your mother, father, brother, sister, or grandparent had better be an alumni. Fourth, can you pay cash, and if so, do they know this? Fifth, do you currently attend an ivy-league school? Get where I'm going with this? It's not impossible to get in OOS, but for that school, name and appearance on paper are everything. They don't conduct interviews - personally, I view this as a major flaw.

Now that I think about it, neither NC-State nor UGA has interviews either. Dude....really? I really hope you're not basing your top 3 choices on the fact that they don't conduct interviews.

As I already stated, I see that as a gigantic red flag in a school. For an institution that's teaching future professionals to avoid the chance for a face-to-face meeting with applicants is not a good sign. It makes me think that they're hiding something. Would you work for a company that you'd never spoken with, or visited their headquarters in order to assess the "feel" of the population to ensure it would fit with your personality?

Oh - and take genetics again. You need get used to adjusting your own expectations to fit the world in which you live!

 

[lei325]

I'm so confused. Why are you so against taking a genetics course? It's not like it's quantum mechanics. Take it and be done with it.

Also, it's extremely hard to get into vet school. You go where they take you. Some people are fabulous and get in the first time to multiple schools and can pick and choose, but don't assume that will be you. Never assume. Admissions boards are fickle creatures. And truthfully, all vet schools are good schools. Half of it is the teaching aspect, but the other half is what you do with what you're given. If you're lazy and don't study, or if you don't go out of your way to make sure your education is as complete as possible (externships, getting involved in research), that's your own fault.

Also also, debt. It's been mentioned before, but you should know that you'll walk out of vet school with $150,000-$300,000 in student loans debt. Less if you go to an in-state school and more if you go OOS or internationally. Sooo...if you're an instate at UTK, swallow your ego/pride and apply. You might as well, because it's not guaranteed that they'll accept you.

 

[vetneuroperson]

Why on earth would you refuse to take 1 class and let it keep you out of your #1 choice for a vet school? That is ridiculous. For F's sake just go to UTK the school is tremendous (I went to UGA for the record).

 

[AniSci]

Why on earth would you refuse to take 1 class and let it keep you out of your #1 choice for a vet school? That is ridiculous. For F's sake just go to UTK the school is tremendous (I went to UGA for the record).

Because I know my limitations; I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and the difference between "working hard" and "can't". There are things that I struggle with, that I have to work hard at in order to be good at. And then there are things that, no matter how hard I try or how much work I put into it, simply can not be. This is one of them.

 

[dyachei]

Because I know my limitations; I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and the difference between "working hard" and "can't". There are things that I struggle with, that I have to work hard at in order to be good at. And then there are things that, no matter how hard I try or how much work I put into it, simply can not be. This is one of them.

you're going to have to be more specific or it just looks like you have a grudge against the school.

 

[vetneuroperson]

Because I know my limitations; I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and the difference between "working hard" and "can't". There are things that I struggle with, that I have to work hard at in order to be good at. And then there are things that, no matter how hard I try or how much work I put into it, simply can not be. This is one of them.

It's a freaking undergrad genetics course. If you can't deal with that then you shouldn't be seriously considering going to vet school.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

It's a freaking undergrad genetics course. If you can't deal with that then you shouldn't be seriously considering going to vet school.

 

[DVMDream]

It's a freaking undergrad genetics course. If you can't deal with that then you shouldn't be seriously considering going to vet school.

I already like you. 🙂

 

[GAH-47D]

Because I know my limitations; I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and the difference between "working hard" and "can't". There are things that I struggle with, that I have to work hard at in order to be good at. And then there are things that, no matter how hard I try or how much work I put into it, simply can not be. This is one of them.

Kiddo, I know my own strengths and weaknesses as well, but the difference is that my weaknesses don't stop me from doing anything......literally! It's a cliche but there truly is no such thing as "can't" - there's only "won't". For instance, I could say that I "can't jump out of a plane to go skydiving" but the truth is that I "won't jump out of a plane to go skydiving" because I fly things, I don't jump out of them. When someone tells me I "can't" do something, an angry fervor (yes fervor, not fever) burns inside and I'm driven to succeed.

There are plenty of things that I utterly and abominably stink at doing that I too have to work extraordinarily hard at; but working hard and doing "ok" is still better than not trying at all. I know for a fact that during vet school, there are going to be subjects that are going to make me cry, bleed, and sweat; and no matter how hard I study, read, or review, I'm just not going to be good at them. But I'm going to keep studying, keep practicing, and continue pushing through it. It's not a choice, it's not an option - in order to succeed you must DO.

What's concerning is that you've already given up on your first choice because you say that you "can't do genetics". What are you going to do when you have a patient who needs a complicated procedure that involves multiple drugs, dosings, interactions, courses of treatment, plus all the research you'll have to do into possible courses of action to follow if what you've done hasn't been working? It's hard, there's genetics involved because it's a pure-bred canine..."I'll just quit b/c I can't do genetics." You're planning on telling the owner that you have to refer them to who? What specialist? You won't know because you decided that "I can't do genetics."

If you're this adamant about NOT taking ONE course in order to fulfill pre-requisites for a school that you're saying is your absolute #1 choice, then you really do need to rethink whether or not you need to be attending veterinary school at this time in your life. Take a few years off from school. Experience life for a while, rearrange your priorities, (save some cash!!!!), then revisit this idea in about 5 years. Based off of your typed responses, the Veterinarians, Veterinary students, and Pre-Vet students have all seen the same traits expressed.....

....that you're clearly not ready for this.

If you are ready, then you'll take that genetics course.

 

[LetItSnow]

Because I know my limitations; I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and the difference between "working hard" and "can't". There are things that I struggle with, that I have to work hard at in order to be good at. And then there are things that, no matter how hard I try or how much work I put into it, simply can not be. This is one of them.

Most vet schools have a genetics course in the curriculum. How are you planning to pass it?

 

[Doktor Timo]

The irony here is that UTK will take your Animal Science genetics course and they don't have their own genetics course in the curriculum. So unless you're just bound and determined to not have to interview for some reason, they probably are the best fit for you.

But really, I went to UTK for undergrad as well and the main campus genetics is not the end of the world. It's certainly not worse than second-semester organic or biochem, both of which you have to take to qualify for vet school anyway.

 

[irishkat]

Because I know my limitations; I know my strengths, my weaknesses, and the difference between "working hard" and "can't". There are things that I struggle with, that I have to work hard at in order to be good at. And then there are things that, no matter how hard I try or how much work I put into it, simply can not be. This is one of them.

Then vet school is not for you.