Seeking Advice for enhance application

[sssww]

Hello! I’m a current applicant for the 28 cycle
Since my current work concludes next month, I hope to receive some advice. I've applied to several schools in this application cycle, but just in case I don't get accepted, I want to start planning my next step, but I'm not quite sure how to enhance my application.

I'm aware that my GPA is not very high, and I also lack experience with large animals. I just want some advice on which type of work I should focus on. I hope to focus on wildlife or research, but I'm not ruling out exotic animals. Should I concentrate on gaining veterinary experience (such as in a vet clinic) or experience with large farm animals?

Additionally, I would like to hear recommendations for schools if I decide to apply in the next cycle.

Overall GPA: 3.54
Graduate school GPA: 3.83
Pre-req GPA: 3.48-3.66 depending on the schools
Last 45 GPA: 3.82

Veterinary Experience:
1000+ hours zoo /exotic animals

Animal Experience:
450 hours internship at a zoo/small mammals
500+ hours volunteering at an animal shelter and a horse rescue farm
400+ hours pet sitting

Research:
4 years of scientific research + one published paper as the 2nd author


Other Experiences:
2 years of consulting work at a biotech company
200 hours volunteer at a science museum and a non-profit organization for homeless children
Average extracurricular activities/sports/clubs during undergrad

This cycle's applications:
WSU & OSU (rejected)
Western & VMCVM (interview)
Tufts & UPenn

Thank you!

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[JaynaAli]

What stands out to me more than your lack of large animal hours is your lack of hours in small animal general or specialty/ER practice. I’m sure you may be a wonderful zoo/exotics vet in the future, but the simple fact is, many people want to do exotics medicine and training spots and jobs in that field are often limited. The number of students who say they want to do exotics med on day 1 of vet school is much higher than the number who do that after graduation. I don’t say that to discourage you at all but to make sure you know what often happens. Would you still want to be a vet and would you be happy living out a plan B of working in small animal GP (where you could see pet exotics but dogs/cats may be the bulk of your patients) in case you don’t get a zoo med residency? If I was on an admission committee I’d want to see that you’ve really explored the field and know what the different fields are like, not just one small segment of it. Would large animal experience be nice? Sure…but I think you’ll be better served by getting small animal GP hours I think.

 

[sssww]

What stands out to me more than your lack of large animal hours is your lack of hours in small animal general or specialty/ER practice. I’m sure you may be a wonderful zoo/exotics vet in the future, but the simple fact is, many people want to do exotics medicine and training spots and jobs in that field are often limited. The number of students who say they want to do exotics med on day 1 of vet school is much higher than the number who do that after graduation. I don’t say that to discourage you at all but to make sure you know what often happens. Would you still want to be a vet and would you be happy living out a plan B of working in small animal GP (where you could see pet exotics but dogs/cats may be the bulk of your patients) in case you don’t get a zoo med residency? If I was on an admission committee I’d want to see that you’ve really explored the field and know what the different fields are like, not just one small segment of it. Would large animal experience be nice? Sure…but I think you’ll be better served by getting small animal GP hours I think.

Thank you so much for the feedback!!! I'm already looking into jobs at small animal practice

 

[Mr.Smile12]

When you say "Graduate GPA", what type of program was it, and is your last 45 hours basically your graduate coursework? What was your trend in finishing off undergrad?

State residency may also help a little.