reality check...getting into vet school?

Started by liv615
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liv615

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Hi,

I'm am entering into my 3rd year at UCSD and the question that constantly been directed towards me is, "what do you want to do when you graduate?". Luckily, I have 2 more years to figure it all out (since, I plan on taking a year off between undergrad and grad school).

However, I really am considering the veterinary path because I love animals and I think the medicine field is completely awesome. I am currently studying Ecology, Behavior and Evolution so that I can hopefully work with animals or in some type of animal research. But I would love to be a Vet!

I'm just worried about my grades. I know that grades aren't everything--and that experience and a good personal statement are also necessities in applying for any type of grad school. It's just that I have 8 C's. Yes 8. It's a lot and far too many. But I do have B's and a few A's. My gpa is only at a 2.9 right now, and I know it is very low and too low to apply for ANY grad school, especially vet. I do have 2 more years though.

One thing that I do have to explain my grades is that I have chronic back pain that began early freshman year of college due to prolonged injury. For the past two years I have been switched on and off of medications that made me drowsy and would make me sleep for hours. Ultimately they affected my ability to function in school but, I was desperate for medication because I couldn't even sit in a 50 min. lecture without radiating pain down my leg & along my lower back. Working made it even worse, but financially I had no choice, so everything just got worse by mid sophomore year--in which I ended up in the emergency room because I was unable to get out of bed for 4 days.

Avoiding surgery (at least for now), I've been going to physical therapy for a year and now things are starting to improve with monthly epidural procedures. My grades last quarter were better, I even got 2 A's in gen. biology (physiology) and in physics lab.

However, I don't want to be pitied and use my health issues as a way to completely defend my 8 C's, but chronic pain definitely contributed to my lack of success in college thus far. I plan on continuing to work hard and to improve my health and hope that all pays off in my favor. My question therefor is this: If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?

Sorry for the long post. I would truly appreciate any of your honest opinions and ADVICE. 🙂
 
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If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?

Sure, if you also have good GRE scores and excellent experience. It may take a couple of application cycles, but I wouldn't say definitely no. Obviously As will help your case more than Bs will.

I'm sorry you've had to deal with chronic pain.
 
My question therefor is this: If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?

Sorry for the long post. I would truly appreciate any of your honest opinions and advice. 🙂

Yes, if you get only A's and B's for your next two years of college you will have a chance of vet school. But you really ought to change that to "all A's" or at least "almost all A's". It's hard to pull a GPA up.

The real question you want to consider is: what sort of career would I be looking for, and will my back allow me to accomplish it?
 
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Yes, if you get only A's and B's for your next two years of college you will have a chance of vet school. But you really ought to change that to "all A's" or at least "almost all A's". It's hard to pull a GPA up.

The real question you want to consider is: what sort of career would I be looking for, and will my back allow me to accomplish it?



I want to get all A's, but I know that will be a challenge, and I might end up with a few B's. And I am looking into a science/animal type field of work--which is why I am considering the veterinarian route. You are right about my back, but I have let it hold me back for 2 years now and it's improving now. I can't and won't let chronic pain define my future, not now--I am 19. It's better for me to think of what I want to be and if I can get there--rather than if my back will let me get there because my health is always going to be something to question.

Thanks for the honest response. 🙂
 
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