Sciences

[Okilani]

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Hey guys.. Im new to this forum - was recommended by a girl I work with who just got accepted to multiple vet schools!

I was wondering how far along you are in your sciences to begin applications for VMCAs? I want to apply for the Fall 2011 - I switched professions, went from 4.0 in Masters program and now I decided that veterinary medicine is my calling. I've been doing about a year of sciences now and will begin the upper levels starting Fall 2010 (hopefully complete them by Summer 2011)... or should I wait for admissions to US schools 2012? Since I am a postbach student, my school finds me somewhat unimportant, so its really difficult to get anyone to pay attention to what I have to say... 🙁

 

[Minnerbelle]

Hey guys.. Im new to this forum - was recommended by a girl I work with who just got accepted to multiple vet schools!

I was wondering how far along you are in your sciences to begin applications for VMCAs? I want to apply for the Fall 2011 - I switched professions, went from 4.0 in Masters program and now I decided that veterinary medicine is my calling. I've been doing about a year of sciences now and will begin the upper levels starting Fall 2010 (hopefully complete them by Summer 2011)... or should I wait for admissions to US schools 2012? Since I am a postbach student, my school finds me somewhat unimportant, so its really difficult to get anyone to pay attention to what I have to say... 🙁

unfortunately, this is going to be one of those "check out each school's website individually" type of deals. Some schools don't mind as long as you can get the pre-reqs done before you matriculate, and others have very strict requirements about what needs to be done before you apply. Also, it really depends on how many and which science courses you've already finished. Most places like to see what your grades are in at least some upper level science courses. So... I'd say if all you have left = 2nd semester orgo and 2nd semester physics or something like that, you're probably fine. I guess it also depends on what your Master's program was in too. If it was science related, they might be a bit more forgiving since you did have that 4.0.

seriously, i think the best advice people have given on here is to call up the individual schools. they're not scary or anything. in fact, they'll chat with you forever and are super helpful about telling you exactly what they think you need to do. if they tell you over and over that maybe you should wait... that's what k would do.

 

[Okilani]

I appreciate your help! I will definitely call the schools I am interested in. Unfortunately my Masters was sort of irrelevant to these sciences (it was a social science). I am finished with physics this semester. I am finishing Chem this summer. But I havent done orgo yet or anything - I know I am sort of rushing things haha, I can't help it... I feel like I've waited SO long to finally figure everything out.

I guess from some advice I have recieved, 2011 seemed like a good year.. but maybe I should wait? Waiting makes me anxious and worrisome - in all aspects of pre-vet stuff! Thank you SO much

 

[parietal]

I've been doing about a year of sciences now and will begin the upper levels starting Fall 2010 (hopefully complete them by Summer 2011)

Unfortunately, many (maybe even most?) schools require to finish all your prereqs by the end of spring semester before matriculation.

Here's a list of vet school websites and the prereqs for some schools to get you started with your research.

 

[ColoradoDVM]

I appreciate your help! I will definitely call the schools I am interested in. Unfortunately my Masters was sort of irrelevant to these sciences (it was a social science). I am finished with physics this semester. I am finishing Chem this summer. But I havent done orgo yet or anything - I know I am sort of rushing things haha, I can't help it... I feel like I've waited SO long to finally figure everything out.

I guess from some advice I have recieved, 2011 seemed like a good year.. but maybe I should wait? Waiting makes me anxious and worrisome - in all aspects of pre-vet stuff! Thank you SO much

Consider the strength of your application relative to the 1000 or so others that are applying. Imagine how an applicant who has not completed the majority pre-req's might be viewed by ad-coms. If there are other aspects of your application are truly outstanding (relative to the other 1000 or so), it might be worth applying. Without a background in the sciences where they could access your abilities to do well in upper division sciences, I would expect they would want to see most of your pre-req grades and a few other upper division science courses also. It may be a year too soon for you to apply 🙁

 

[Tiktaalik]

The white papers about each school at the AAVMC website also typically give you each school's minimum level of prereq completion at application time, so you can survey these for a "round one rule-out" of any schools that would be impossible to be ready for in time. It's usually in the paragraph before the table of prereqs. Obviously don't only do this, but if you do this first, it might save you some phone calls.

A good rule of thumb I found was roughly 80% completion of all prereqs. This sounds like a lot, but don't forget that "prereqs" also includes your required English class, Math, Social Science, etc. So, for example, when I applied I had only just finished organic chem, and still had biochem I, physics II, genetics, microbio, cell bio and nutrition to go.

Also, while a lot of schools do require you to finish all your prereqs by the end of spring, I know that Michigan State gives you until August, so there are a few that will give you an extra summer.

Edit: The AAVMC link I gave you is the same one that parietal gave, I just realized, but be sure to read every inch of those papers, because they have a lot of good info.

 

[HopefulAg]

Consider the strength of your application relative to the 1000 or so others that are applying. Imagine how an applicant who has not completed the majority pre-req's might be viewed by ad-coms.

I don't know if this means anything, but when I applied my first time I still had 4 pre-reqs to finish in the spring. They weren't science pre-reqs (other than Biochem II), more of technical writing and what not, but I still didn't get accepted. I'd imagine an applicant who was done with all their pre-reqs and didn't have a chance of failing them before matriculation would indeed be a more attractive option. And given two equal applications, probably the deal maker.

However, that said I think the experience of applying that first time was invaluable, but THAT said, I didn't find SDN til after I had applied. Could've saved a lot of frustration had I done so, so you're a lot better off than I was.

 

[Tiktaalik]

I don't know if this means anything, but when I applied my first time I still had 4 pre-reqs to finish in the spring. They weren't science pre-reqs (other than Biochem II), more of technical writing and what not, but I still didn't get accepted. I'd imagine an applicant who was done with all their pre-reqs and didn't have a chance of failing them before matriculation would indeed be a more attractive option. And given two equal applications, probably the deal maker.

However, that said I think the experience of applying that first time was invaluable, but THAT said, I didn't find SDN til after I had applied. Could've saved a lot of frustration had I done so, so you're a lot better off than I was.

Who wanted biochem II?

 

[HopefulAg]

A&M. Biochem II isn't an explicit requirement but they require 5 hours of Biochem, and Biochem I is just 3 hours, and labs don't count.

 

[Tiktaalik]

A&M. Biochem II isn't an explicit requirement but they require 5 hours of Biochem, and Biochem I is just 3 hours, and labs don't count.

Gotchya. Too bad you didn't take biochem I at my school, they count the lecture as 5 hours for some reason.

 

[purplesaurus]

Consider the strength of your application relative to the 1000 or so others that are applying. Imagine how an applicant who has not completed the majority pre-req's might be viewed by ad-coms. If there are other aspects of your application are truly outstanding (relative to the other 1000 or so), it might be worth applying. Without a background in the sciences where they could access your abilities to do well in upper division sciences, I would expect they would want to see most of your pre-req grades and a few other upper division science courses also. It may be a year too soon for you to apply 🙁

I would second this. When I first began planning to apply, I had one or two pre-reqs, and was planning on getting them done in a year (one very busy year!). However, a pre-vet advisor pointed out to me that this would mean I would be a very uncompetitive applicant. I wouldn't have anything to show that I could do well in upper-division science classes. She also mentioned that admissions committees like to see, in general, 4-5 upper-division sciences (with good grades!) on your transcript when you apply. Remember: most (all?) schools will not see your fall transcript before they decide if they want you.

So I put applying back a year and took most of my pre-reqs, plus a few other upper-div sciences. It was so hard because once I decide I want to do something, it's like, Let's do it now! But I'm really glad I waited. I am on a wait list now, and while that's never anyone's goal, I have no doubt that this is way better than I would have done by applying last year. Plus, and maybe this is the nerd in me, I got to take a few really cool non-pre-req classes that I really enjoyed!

Here's another reason to wait until you are fully prepared: I applied to six schools, and it cost me around $1300! Yikes! And to interview at one cost another $700 (and that was with cheap plane tickets and staying with family half the weekend)! If I applied last year, that would just be money down the drain.

I'm not saying applying for you right now would definitely be a waste (I certainly don't know your exact situation, but like CSU said, you might have something that would stand out). However, I want to urge you to be the strongest applicant you can be. If waiting a year is not a big deal for you, then I would recommend you wait and build up your classes. I don't know how your experience is, but this might also be a good time to get some animal experience, if you need more.