Should I settle or wait for acceptance to dream vet school??

[drbd]

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The CVM at the University of Georgia is my dream school! However, my undergrad GPA is less than competitive for an OOS applicant at UGA, but I do have a lot of varied experience and decent LORs.

Anyway, I was accepted at Western University and have accepted the offer. I've been having doubts lately because I would be so incredibly happy at UGA for many different reasons.

I know that a DVM is a DVM regardless of where it's from in the U.S. (or other U.S.-accredited schools). I was just wondering if I could get some feedback from someone else in a similar situation.. should I settle… or apply again to my dream school and risk the chance of not getting in and have to wait another year or even more to start vet school

Thank you so much!

 

[jmo1012]

3 things:

If you're not thrilled about Western, I'd be tempted to back out based on the MASSIVE price tag that comes with that education.

Are you willing to accept the chance that you may never get into UGA? It's not unreasonable to think it could perhaps be years or never before you were accepted to UGA's program. A file review with the school may help you figure out what your future chances are.

As someone who has spent the last 3 years listening to people whine and moan about how much they don't like their vet school, if you choose to attend Western, PLEASE do not be that whiny person. Vet school is a privilege and a choice haha

 

[BlackDog17]

I guess it's a matter of why you're having doubts about Western. Is it just that you've always envisioned yourself at UGA and you're having trouble letting go of that? Or is it a problem with location or price or opportunities offered or some other aspect? And then there's the matter of UGA itself. Were you waitlisted or rejected? Is it possible to find out what ranking you were at UGA or to do a file review and determine whether it's feasible to improve? Ultimately you're the only one who can make the decision, but these are all things you should consider, and maybe share your thoughts on if you want more specific feedback.

I will say that I am one who gave up on her dream school. I always saw myself at Tufts but due to a computer SNAFU on the day the applications were due, I never even got to apply. I got accepted to AVC, and I went. Tufts is a very competitive school and I knew I was not a competitive applicant. I would most likely have been rejected anyway, but it sucked that I never got the chance to find out for sure. In the end, as much as I wish I could be closer to home, I know I'm getting a comparable education at AVC and I would probably be much more distracted at Tufts anyway. I would be lying if I said that I'd never toyed with the idea of trying to transfer, but the reality is that it's only four years and I'm doing just fine at AVC. Unless you have specific requirements that you're unwilling to compromise on, the experience from one vet school to another is likely to be pretty similar.

 

[KCgophervet]

In my personal opinion, go where you got in. You applied to a variety of schools for a reason, because its hard to get in, and Western was on your list for a reason, because at some level you were okay with the idea of attending there. At least for me I went through the list of schools with a fine tooth comb before choosing the few I was going to send applications to (did I have the pre-reqs for it, is the location somewhere I could see myself living, is the tuition acceptable, is there an okay likelihood of them accepting me, etc and so on).

However, if your heart is set on UGA, and you mentioned you were OOS, then I'd move to Georgia and work on obtaining residency, then apply again. You want to live there anyway so get a jump start and boost your likelihood of being accepted there (and maybe even start networking with vets in the area etc).

It's all up to you, obviously, but personally I wouldn't turn down an acceptance.

 

[jmo1012]

i missed the OOS bit - regardless of how competitive you are, you are probably extremely foolish to place your eggs in a basket that was 502 qualified applicants and 13 accepted. you have some serious life decisions ahead of you if you turn down Western. like kcoughli said above, you need to move to GA and establish residency to increase your odds significantly. thats at least another gap year before you can apply in state. looking at the stats for UGA, the in state people actually had slightly more competitive everything. if you don't feel like you can compete in that pool, you need to look into retaking classes to boost yourself.

i think its worth repeating - if you turn down Western now, theres a chance (and maybe a a good chance) that it may take YEARS for you to get into UGA, and theres a chance you may never get in if they don't think you are a good fit for their program for some reason (this happens!!). Western is a major financial burden to stomach at this point. you've got some really tough decisions to make. good luck!

 

[DVMDream]

I know everyone is emphasizing that you may not get into GA for years or even ever, which is a point to make. But, if there is some reason for why you do not want to attend Western and you feel as though you won't enjoy yourself, then don't go. Everyone says it is only 4 years, it is only 4 years, but 4 years while in vet school to be in a place that you are miserable at, can be soul sucking. It isn't worth it, in my opinion. So, if the only thing keeping you from wanting to go to Western is that GA was your dream school and you want to try again, you might want to really weigh out the pros and cons of declining vs. accepting Western. It may be better to just accept Western, as like others have said, you may not ever get into GA.

If there are other reasons for wanting to decline Western as in location, cost, curriculum, etc... then really think upon it. Because the last thing you want is to be in a place that is making you miserable for 4 years.

So make some pro/cons lists and then decide from there what is the right decision for you.

 

[allygator13]

I love this thread because this is exactly what I'm going through now. Accepted at SGU and Ross, put a deposit down at SGU, and waitlisted at VMRCVM (IS), Auburn, and LSU. Auburn is my dream school and I can't decide if I should go to SGU or apply again this next cycle...

 

[BlackDog17]

I love this thread because this is exactly what I'm going through now. Accepted at SGU and Ross, put a deposit down at SGU, and waitlisted at VMRCVM (IS), Auburn, and LSU. Auburn is my dream school and I can't decide if I should go to SGU or apply again this next cycle...

Can you find out your ranking at Auburn? The thing about being waitlisted rather than flat out rejected is that at least you know you have qualities that the school is interested in. If you're high on the waitlist it might be worth considering applying again, but then the applicant pool is different every year so there's no guarantee. You could be waitlisted one year and then rejected the next. It all depends on how much you're willing to gamble.

Another thing that no one has mentioned yet is that at most (all?) schools, tuition costs go up every year. So the longer you wait to enroll somewhere, the more you're likely to end up paying in the long run. Definitely something to think about, especially if your dream school happens to be on the more expensive end of the spectrum to begin with.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Hmm, this is an interesting thread.

For med schools, declining an acceptance (even at a school you decide you really don't want to go to) and reapplying next year is seen as a major red flag. Strange that for vet school it seems perfectly ok.

 

[dyachei]

Hmm, this is an interesting thread.

For med schools, declining an acceptance (even at a school you decide you really don't want to go to) and reapplying next year is seen as a major red flag. Strange that for vet school it seems perfectly ok.

its not really. From what i've heard schools will ask about it

 

[allygator13]

Can you find out your ranking at Auburn? The thing about being waitlisted rather than flat out rejected is that at least you know you have qualities that the school is interested in. If you're high on the waitlist it might be worth considering applying again, but then the applicant pool is different every year so there's no guarantee. You could be waitlisted one year and then rejected the next. It all depends on how much you're willing to gamble.

Another thing that no one has mentioned yet is that at most (all?) schools, tuition costs go up every year. So the longer you wait to enroll somewhere, the more you're likely to end up paying in the long run. Definitely something to think about, especially if your dream school happens to be on the more expensive end of the spectrum to begin with.

Unfortunately Auburn does not tell you your waitlist ranking. I did a file review at UF where I didn't even get an interview and they told me the biggest thing I needed to work on was getting more diverse experience which is what I expected. I've been working on that already in case I do decide to try again this next cycle so maybe I'd have better luck.

 

[allygator13]

its not really. From what i've heard schools will ask about it

I didn't know that, but how would they know?

 

[dyachei]

I didn't know that, but how would they know?

It used to be a question on VMCAS

 

[allygator13]

It used to be a question on VMCAS

Gotcha. Right now I can't remember if it was or not this past cycle since I was a first-time applicant. It definitely could be.

 

[dyachei]

to the op: understand that if you decline this acceptance you may never get into vet school again.

 

[drbd]

I guess it's a matter of why you're having doubts about Western. Is it just that you've always envisioned yourself at UGA and you're having trouble letting go of that? Or is it a problem with location or price or opportunities offered or some other aspect? And then there's the matter of UGA itself. Were you waitlisted or rejected? Is it possible to find out what ranking you were at UGA or to do a file review and determine whether it's feasible to improve? Ultimately you're the only one who can make the decision, but these are all things you should consider, and maybe share your thoughts on if you want more specific feedback.

I will say that I am one who gave up on her dream school. I always saw myself at Tufts but due to a computer SNAFU on the day the applications were due, I never even got to apply. I got accepted to AVC, and I went. Tufts is a very competitive school and I knew I was not a competitive applicant. I would most likely have been rejected anyway, but it sucked that I never got the chance to find out for sure. In the end, as much as I wish I could be closer to home, I know I'm getting a comparable education at AVC and I would probably be much more distracted at Tufts anyway. I would be lying if I said that I'd never toyed with the idea of trying to transfer, but the reality is that it's only four years and I'm doing just fine at AVC. Unless you have specific requirements that you're unwilling to compromise on, the experience from one vet school to another is likely to be pretty similar.

It's mostly that I have always envisioned myself at UGA and the people at UGA are more like me… as opposed to people in LA, although I suppose people from all over the country will be attending so that point may be invalid. I applied to UGA last year, but missed the deadline for the secondary app because I had so much going on in my personal/family life at the time, so I wasn't even considered. I wish I could have even been rejected so that I could do a file review and better weigh my chances.

Thank you so much for your insight, it seems that you were in a very similar situation as I am. I'm also worried about the quality of the education and my ability to obtain a job due to the conflicts about accreditation. I'm not too sure where that stands as of now, but I remember reading a lot about it even just a year or two ago.

 

[drbd]

i missed the OOS bit - regardless of how competitive you are, you are probably extremely foolish to place your eggs in a basket that was 502 qualified applicants and 13 accepted. you have some serious life decisions ahead of you if you turn down Western. like kcoughli said above, you need to move to GA and establish residency to increase your odds significantly. thats at least another gap year before you can apply in state. looking at the stats for UGA, the in state people actually had slightly more competitive everything. if you don't feel like you can compete in that pool, you need to look into retaking classes to boost yourself.

i think its worth repeating - if you turn down Western now, theres a chance (and maybe a a good chance) that it may take YEARS for you to get into UGA, and theres a chance you may never get in if they don't think you are a good fit for their program for some reason (this happens!!). Western is a major financial burden to stomach at this point. you've got some really tough decisions to make. good luck!

I didn't even consider the possibility of never getting in again! Scary thought.. thank you so much!

 

[Hotfillyky]

Let me just add my 0.02 and take it with a grain of salt. As a non-trad that has been working toward this end for 15 years and has fought through 4 (yes 4!!) application cycles, you should go. All good advice from everyone else but.....I had decided that this would be my final application for MANY reasons but most center around my family.

Have a back up plan should you decide to aim for your dream school. Be sure, and I mean ABSOLUTELY sure, that you would be okay with possibly never getting in again should you give up your seat at Western.

Vet school will be what you make of it! Personally, I am gonna go in with determination, kick a$$ to the best of my ability, and come out a DVM no matter what?!?!?! I will bust my butt to be successful in school, in preceptorships, internships, etc.... Because this is MY dream FINALLY coming to life! I am looking at possibly doing an avian specialty so I have a road ahead of me.

My advice is look to your future and decide what your long term plan is. Good luck!


(I am not a gunner but I DO wish to do well for me!!)

 

[drbd]

Let me just add my 0.02 and take it with a grain of salt. As a non-trad that has been working toward this end for 15 years and has fought through 4 (yes 4!!) application cycles, you should go. All good advice from everyone else but.....I had decided that this would be my final application for MANY reasons but most center around my family.

Have a back up plan should you decide to aim for your dream school. Be sure, and I mean ABSOLUTELY sure, that you would be okay with possibly never getting in again should you give up your seat at Western.

Vet school will be what you make of it! Personally, I am gonna go in with determination, kick a$$ to the best of my ability, and come out a DVM no matter what?!?!?! I will bust my butt to be successful in school, in preceptorships, internships, etc.... Because this is MY dream FINALLY coming to life! I am looking at possibly doing an avian specialty so I have a road ahead of me.

My advice is look to your future and decide what your long term plan is. Good luck!


(I am not a gunner but I DO wish to do well for me!!)

You're so right! I would in now way be okay with never getting in again, which is definitely a possibility. my dream for my life vs my dream for four years?? I'll choose the dream I have for my life. Thanks so much!

 

[Hotfillyky]

Good for you, drbd!

 

[CanHardlyWait]

Well, I'm late to the party but just to chime in anyway....
I applied to UGA as a contract South Carolina applicant (for which there are only about 15 seats), with a really high GPA and was waitlisted, never to be called off. When I applied (for 2012 matriculation) UGA was only accepting 5 OOS students , I believe.
Moral of the story, very few seats and very stiff competition. Take your place at Western and be greatful. Good luck!

 

[dalmatiandoc17]

I am looking at possibly doing an avian specialty so I have a road ahead of me.

What up! Everyone I meet seems to hate birds, and I love seeing people on SDN who love them! Birds are my favorite! (if a bird and puppy clinic was a thing I would totally kill to work there 😉)

And to be somewhat on topic: I didn't get into the school I thought I would be at (all signs pointed to me getting in because it was my IS and I got into a few OOS) and I was a tad crushed at first. But ultimately I will be a vet and I would honestly go anywhere to do that! However, I am very excited about my school I am attending and I think I will fit in well. So consider everything from needing to be sane where you are for 4 years to knowing you may never get in anywhere next year/ever.

 

[yogapony]

First of all...Pomona is NOT LA. Not even close. Second...this is exactly why you apply to multiple schools, right? Because if you don't get into your number one, then maybe you'll get in somewhere else and still get the chance to be a vet. If you really, honestly and truly, can't go there because of tuition costs or location or whatever, then don't. But I think we're all assuming that you knew those factors when you applied there, and you shouldn't be applying to schools that you couldn't honestly see yourself attending - for situations just like this.

Maybe it's not your dream school. But if you applied and interviewed, then you at least were willing to consider yourself as a student. I waited 3 rounds of applications for my dream school (well, for any school, but it happens to be my dream school), so my advice is to go for it.

 

[deleted498041]

As someone who goes to WesternU and deals with a lot of students who didn't get into Davis, but didn't want to be out of California... don't be that person. If you're going to hate the school and spend the entire 4 years complaining about the cost, the curriculum, the rotations, whatever... don't come here. Vet school is a privilege, not a right, and people who get in are damn lucky and should realize that more often. It drives me absolutely insane to hear people talk about how they hate the school or how Davis does it like this, or NCSU does it like that.

 

[BlackDog17]

I don't think it's fair to assume that "LA people" aren't like you. Unless you've met every potential vet student from LA and decided that you hate them, I don't think that's a reasonable point for turning down an acceptance. It would be one thing if you were going international and you were worried about handling the culture shock, but you're going to find people from all different backgrounds at any vet school. Plus, at some point in your life you're going to have to learn how to work with other people who are different from you.

I will say that Canadians are not at all like me - more so than I realized before I started living here. And I sometimes take crap for being an American. But I still get along with almost all of my classmates, and my core group of friends is mostly Canadian. Just because they're not like you doesn't mean you won't like them.

As for the accreditation stuff, if you're referring to the recent accreditation probation situation (lol so much alliteration) at Western, it sounds like it is not a big deal at all. It should be cleared up without any problems. In the highly unlikely event that they were to lose their accreditation during the time that you were a student, it would not affect you at all and you would still graduate with an accredited degree. So I wouldn't worry about that too much.

 

[DVMDream]

First of all...Pomona is NOT LA. Not even close. Second...this is exactly why you apply to multiple schools, right? Because if you don't get into your number one, then maybe you'll get in somewhere else and still get the chance to be a vet. If you really, honestly and truly, can't go there because of tuition costs or location or whatever, then don't. But I think we're all assuming that you knew those factors when you applied there, and you shouldn't be applying to schools that you couldn't honestly see yourself attending - for situations just like this.

Maybe it's not your dream school. But if you applied and interviewed, then you at least were willing to consider yourself as a student. I waited 3 rounds of applications for my dream school (well, for any school, but it happens to be my dream school), so my advice is to go for it.

Researching a school to apply and actually going to a school and seeing it for yourself are two very different things. Sure, a school might look amazing to you by reading their website, etc, etc, but the websites are designed to do that. Western is located in a strip mall in an area of California that isn't known for being super friendly and is basically the ghetto (some areas are nicer, but there are some really bad areas around and close to the school). (Nothing at all against Western it is just a fact and the school does have security on campus to walk with you if you need, at least they said they did at my interviews). It is hard to know from reading their website that they are in a strip mall. And while you can research Pomona and surrounding areas, actually seeing what the area looks like is completely different. Do those things bother me? No. I applied to Western two years in a row. Could that bother someone else that applied to their school but did not realize this until they went for their interview? Yes.

So, while I agree you should be thankful and happy for any acceptance that you get, I agree you have to weigh in the fact that you may never get accepted to vet school again; I also strongly believe that you should not force yourself to go live in a place for 4 years that you will hate. If you had a bad feeling about it at the interview, then you will most likely still have that feeling while attending (this doesn't seem to be the OP's problem), but it is something that if anyone else is in this situation needs to consider. Vet school is hard, soul-sucking and frustrating (It is amazing at times too), but the amount of stress that it does cause, you don't also want to add in being stressed and unhappy about your living environment to that.

While you definitely should know all factors about a vet school when you apply, it is difficult to get an accurate representation of a school just via their website. I do know of people who interviewed at Western because they liked the curriculum, etc, etc, but when they got to the school and actually saw the location in person, that is when they became uncomfortable. So they decided if they were accepted they weren't going to go... not a wrong decision at all.

 

[deleted498041]

As for the accreditation stuff, if you're referring to the recent accreditation probation situation (lol so much alliteration) at Western, it sounds like it is not a big deal at all. It should be cleared up without any problems. In the highly unlikely event that they were to lose their accreditation during the time that you were a student, it would not affect you at all and you would still graduate with an accredited degree. So I wouldn't worry about that too much.

There have been a couple meetings with faculty about this, and you're totally right. It's not a big deal. Part of the reason it seems so scary is because the terminology surrounding accreditation was recently changed. Instead of "Accredited with minor/major deficiencies," the term is now "probational accreditation." The school had already been working to change what we were told to fix, so it wasn't anything totally shocking that the school wasn't prepared for. And yes, anyone admitted while the school has any form of accreditation will graduate as an accredited DVM.

 

[drbd]

As someone who goes to WesternU and deals with a lot of students who didn't get into Davis, but didn't want to be out of California... don't be that person. If you're going to hate the school and spend the entire 4 years complaining about the cost, the curriculum, the rotations, whatever... don't come here. Vet school is a privilege, not a right, and people who get in are damn lucky and should realize that more often. It drives me absolutely insane to hear people talk about how they hate the school or how Davis does it like this, or NCSU does it like that.

I actually really like the school. I had certain prejudices about the school based on things I had heard, but after I attended preview day I felt completely different! I do feel very lucky and still can't even believe that I was one of the 100 or so applicants chosen. I'm excited to learn everything I can and appreciative of the opportunity, so I will definitely not be "one of those people." It would drive me insane to hear someone talk like that too!!

 

[pooter]

the people at UGA are more like me… as opposed to people in LA

Even if it were true that Western students are all from SoCal (which it's obviously not), that is a bad reason not to go. Your whole career will be about dealing with people who aren't like you (colleagues, employees, clients). Turning down an acceptance because you might have to deal with people who are different from you just makes you looked closed-minded, IMO.

 

[LetItSnow]

What up! Everyone I meet seems to hate birds,

That's because birds are creepy. True story. 😉

 

[Hotfillyky]

^lol......that's okay, everything needs love. I can't give it to the snakes though......eeeeekkkkkkk

 

[that redhead]

The CVM at the University of Georgia is my dream school! However, my undergrad GPA is less than competitive for an OOS applicant at UGA, but I do have a lot of varied experience and decent LORs.

Anyway, I was accepted at Western University and have accepted the offer. I've been having doubts lately because I would be so incredibly happy at UGA for many different reasons.

I know that a DVM is a DVM regardless of where it's from in the U.S. (or other U.S.-accredited schools). I was just wondering if I could get some feedback from someone else in a similar situation.. should I settle… or apply again to my dream school and risk the chance of not getting in and have to wait another year or even more to start vet school

Thank you so much!

I was in your position when I applied a few years ago. I was only accepted to one school (in Canada no less) and was looking at being really far away from home/my loved ones and even more debt than most OOS schools. I strongly considered declining my acceptance and re-applying the next cycle but ultimately decided to take the acceptance I had and go with it.

The biggest factor to me was that there is absolutely zero guarantee that you will be accepted at any other school the next time around - even if you were interviewed there, waitlisted, improved your application, whatever. The cycle depends on the applicants, and it seems that they get more competitive each year. You may apply to all the same schools next year and get no acceptances, even at Western. Then you're looking at another cycle with no guarantees, etc. I opted to get started on my veterinary career with the one chance I was given and I am so glad I did (I'm starting fourth year now instead of third, second or even first year).

Another big consideration is just how competitive UGA is for OOS students. It'd be one thing if you were pining for a school that was more generous with OOS seats, but you're essentially looking at a very narrow chance. Factoring that into the above, I would absolutely go to Western and make the most of it.

 

[drbd]

I was in your position when I applied a few years ago. I was only accepted to one school (in Canada no less) and was looking at being really far away from home/my loved ones and even more debt than most OOS schools. I strongly considered declining my acceptance and re-applying the next cycle but ultimately decided to take the acceptance I had and go with it.

The biggest factor to me was that there is absolutely zero guarantee that you will be accepted at any other school the next time around - even if you were interviewed there, waitlisted, improved your application, whatever. The cycle depends on the applicants, and it seems that they get more competitive each year. You may apply to all the same schools next year and get no acceptances, even at Western. Then you're looking at another cycle with no guarantees, etc. I opted to get started on my veterinary career with the one chance I was given and I am so glad I did (I'm starting fourth year now instead of third, second or even first year).

Another big consideration is just how competitive UGA is for OOS students. It'd be one thing if you were pining for a school that was more generous with OOS seats, but you're essentially looking at a very narrow chance. Factoring that into the above, I would absolutely go to Western and make the most of it.

Thank you🙂

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

^lol......that's okay, everything needs love. I can't give it to the snakes though......eeeeekkkkkkk

Even in tiny hats?

I need to make a tiny hat for my ball python, Snakerton.

Yes, his name is Snakerton. I took too long to figure out what to name him when I got him, and the old man just kept calling him Snakey McSnakerton, so by the time I settled on something else I had been also calling him Snakerton for too long to mentally make the switch.

 

[Hotfillyky]

Okay...that one isn't bad....lol I had a bad encounter when I was a kid. Snake "ran" across my bare foot and I did a Fred Flintstone. 😱

 

[Gluffalo]

Even in tiny hats?

I need to make a tiny hat for my ball python, Snakerton.

Yes, his name is Snakerton. I took too long to figure out what to name him when I got him, and the old man just kept calling him Snakey McSnakerton, so by the time I settled on something else I had been also calling him Snakerton for too long to mentally make the switch.

I exploded.

 

[Rabbit Riot]

How many people are actually pulled off of waitlists at this point? (What is it, three weeks past the VMCAS acceptance deadline?)

I'm not a firm believer of "go wherever you've been accepted." As others have said, vet school is a privilege - and a huge burden- but always a choice.

I always figured if I were to find myself in a similar situation, I would decline with the knowledge that I would not be applying to that school in the future. That's the price. It might be a small price or it might be huge regret down the line.

... but, if you've managed to get admitted, a feat many people did not accomplish this year, I would think you have a pretty good chance of being accepted somewhere else in the future - though it still may not be your desired school and that's a bridge you'll have to cross when you come to it.

 

[DVMDream]

... but, if you've managed to get admitted, a feat many people did not accomplish this year, I would think you have a pretty good chance of being accepted somewhere else in the future - though it still may not be your desired school and that's a bridge you'll have to cross when you come to it.

This is not necessarily the case. Just because one school liked you/your application and decided to admit you does not mean that another school will. Also, the application pool changes each year. So you could have been interviewed and watilisted one year at a school and the next year rejected without interview at that same school.

This is definitely not something I would be telling people. There is absolutely no guarantee that just because you were accepted one year that you will be accepted the following year. Not to mention that the vet school application might even ask if you have been accepted previously (I can't recall now if it did nor not), but you will have to have a very good reason for why you declined that previous acceptance.

 

[orca2011]

Seconding the part the DVM bolded.

I was a two type applicant and the first time I applied I got wait listed at all but one school. While I wasn't accepted and ultimately had to apply again I still wouldn't try to have any expectations based on how you did a previous year. The following year I applied, I was rejected without interview from one of the schools I was wait listed at and then rejected post-interview from the one where I was #2 on the wait list.

And I'm pretty sure there is a spot on VMCAS that asks if you've been accepted and declined the acceptance.

And people get pulled off at varying points. There is no way to predict it because it varies year to year. I know of someone in the V'18 class who is deciding to defer to gain IS status. I personally got into Penn around this time, if not later and I know of people in my class or even V'17 who got called in later. We actually had like 3 brand new people at orientation that didn't have any name tags/papers etc because they had just been called off in the past couple of weeks.

 

[DVMDream]

Seconding the part the DVM bolded.

I was a two type applicant and the first time I applied I got wait listed at all but one school. While I wasn't accepted and ultimately had to apply again I still wouldn't try to have any expectations based on how you did a previous year. The following year I applied I was rejected without interview from one of the schools I was wait listed at and then rejected post-interview from the one I where I was #2 on the wait list.

And I'm pretty sure there is a spot on VMCAS that asks if you've been accepted and declined the acceptance.

And people get pulled off at varying points. There is no way to predict it because it varies year by year. I know of someone in the V'18 class who is deciding to defer to gain IS status. Probably not as common, but it happens. I personally got into Penn around this time, if not later and I know of people in my class or even V'17 who got called in later. We actually had like 3 brand new people at orientation that didn't have any name tags/papers etc because they had just been called off in the past couple of weeks.

Yup. I also was interviewed and waitlisted at one school, then interviewed and rejected the following year. At another school I was interviewed and waitlisted and the following year I was rejected without interview. The only thing predictable about the process, is that it is unpredictable.

 

[allygator13]

All this stuff is pretty much exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks @DVMDream and @orca2011 !

 

[that redhead]

I'm not a firm believer of "go wherever you've been accepted." As others have said, vet school is a privilege - and a huge burden- but always a choice.

I always figured if I were to find myself in a similar situation, I would decline with the knowledge that I would not be applying to that school in the future. That's the price. It might be a small price or it might be huge regret down the line.

If you haven't been in this scenario, it's a lot easier to say, "I will decline my acceptance because I can always just apply again!" But when the reality is that you have one acceptance in hand and you really consider the fact of no future guarantee, that this might be your one and only shot, it's a different ballgame.

 

[Rabbit Riot]

I would respectfully disagree, DVMDream.

If getting into vet school was a random lottery, sure, it might not happen again, but it's not a random process. At least one school found her to be a competitive applicant based on her grades, experiences, and test scores (possibly an interview too). While the formula may vary among schools, the likelihood of at least one future success seems pretty high. The OP might not get in the next year or the year after that, but "never" getting into another school seems statistically unlikely if she's already jumped that hurdle once and is eager to push on. Plus, with more time typically comes more experience and possibly more education - both factors that improve a student's standing with admissions. That seems like a pretty hopeful situation that deserves whatever encouragements are offered to other repeat applicants.

From what I remember of the VMCAS, they ask what undergraduate institutions you were accepted to and they ask about previous cycles, but they do not ask about previous acceptances to previously applied to veterinary schools (it could be a privacy thing or, as I would expect, there just aren't many people who turn down an acceptance and then reapply, so why ask). I suppose the VMCAS could change in the future, but currently, from my recollections of the past two cycles, that is not something an applicant should worry about.

I think the real issue is that the OP is contemplating breaking a taboo held among pre-vet students. Some people would do anything for an acceptance so some may find it offensive and ungrateful to say "no" and reapply. That doesn't make it wrong and it doesn't mean that admissions people find it to be inappropriate. There are a myriad of reasons for a person to be in that situation.

 

[deleted498041]

How many people are actually pulled off of waitlists at this point? (What is it, three weeks past the VMCAS acceptance deadline?)

People were pulled off the wait list during orientation for my class.

I always figured if I were to find myself in a similar situation, I would decline with the knowledge that I would not be applying to that school in the future. That's the price. It might be a small price or it might be huge regret down the line.

Then why apply to the school in the first place? Why apply to a school that you would turn down if they accepted you? In my opinion that's unfair and that's wasting everyone's times. If you were never going to go there, you took someone else's interview seat and you made the admissions committee waste time on you.

Yup. I also was interviewed and waitlisted at one school, then interviewed and rejected the following year. At another school I was interviewed and waitlisted and the following year I was rejected without interview. The only thing predictable about the process, is that it is unpredictable.

100x yes. I know an amazing applicant that puts me to shame. If one person that I know, including myself, should be a vet... it's him. He's applied to a lot of schools and ultimately cannot get in. He got an interview to UF the first year and I believe was waitlisted. The next year? Interview, no waitlist. This year, didn't even get an interview. Nothing has changed except him becoming more competitive, and he's expanded the schools he's applying to and he still can't get in. Just because you get in somewhere one year, don't assume you'll get in somewhere next year.

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

I would respectfully disagree, DVMDream.

If getting into vet school was a random lottery, sure, it might not happen again, but it's not a random process. At least one school found her to be a competitive applicant based on her grades, experiences, and test scores (possibly an interview too). While the formula may vary among schools, the likelihood of at least one future success seems pretty high. The OP might not get in the next year or the year after that, but "never" getting into another school seems statistically unlikely if she's already jumped that hurdle once and is eager to push on. Plus, with more time typically comes more experience and possibly more education - both factors that improve a student's standing with admissions. That seems like a pretty hopeful situation that deserves whatever encouragements are offered to other repeat applicants.

I think the real issue is that the OP is contemplating breaking a taboo held among pre-vet students. Some people would do anything for an acceptance so some may find it offensive and ungrateful to say "no" and reapply. That doesn't make it wrong and it doesn't mean that admissions people find it to be inappropriate. There are a myriad of reasons for a person to be in that situation.

That assumes the applicant pool stays the same each year. But I'm sure it's the with vet school as med school: each year more people apply, have more experience, and get higher scores. And as you've seen from first-hand responses above, a waitlist at a school one year could become a pre-interview rejection the next. I imagine the likelihood of getting in with repeated attempts is somewhat of an exponential decay. Yes, there are the people that get in after 3 or 4 tries, but not a huge amount.

And with regards to the second point, if an adcom were to find out about a declined acceptance, I imagine they would question it heavily. "Did this person have a really good reason for not going to School X? Did they think they didn't "fit"? Did they think they were "too good" for that school? What does that say about their professionalism and true desire to be a vet?"

 

[Chillbo Baggins]

Then why apply to the school in the first place? Why apply to a school that you would turn down if they accepted you? In my opinion that's unfair and that's wasting everyone's times. If you were never going to go there, you took someone else's interview seat and you made the admissions committee waste time on you.

I will say, it's tough to get an idea of a school before you go. Before I started interviews, one of the schools was at the top of my list and I thought I was gonna love it. But, once I did get there and see how it really was, it actually dropped to the bottom of my list. However, if that was the only school I got accepted to, I would have gladly sucked it up, knowing I'd be a doctor at the end.

 

[WillowLeaf]

I would respectfully disagree, DVMDream.

If getting into vet school was a random lottery, sure, it might not happen again, but it's not a random process. At least one school found her to be a competitive applicant based on her grades, experiences, and test scores (possibly an interview too). While the formula may vary among schools, the likelihood of at least one future success seems pretty high. The OP might not get in the next year or the year after that, but "never" getting into another school seems statistically unlikely if she's already jumped that hurdle once and is eager to push on. Plus, with more time typically comes more experience and possibly more education - both factors that improve a student's standing with admissions. That seems like a pretty hopeful situation that deserves whatever encouragements are offered to other repeat applicants.

From what I remember of the VMCAS, they ask what undergraduate institutions you were accepted to and they ask about previous cycles, but they do not ask about previous acceptances to previously applied to veterinary schools (it could be a privacy thing or, as I would expect, there just aren't many people who turn down an acceptance and then reapply, so why ask). I suppose the VMCAS could change in the future, but currently, from my recollections of the past two cycles, that is not something an applicant should worry about.

I think the real issue is that the OP is contemplating breaking a taboo held among pre-vet students. Some people would do anything for an acceptance so some may find it offensive and ungrateful to say "no" and reapply. That doesn't make it wrong and it doesn't mean that admissions people find it to be inappropriate. There are a myriad of reasons for a person to be in that situation.

In response to your last point, I don't think it's an issue of people thinking it's offensive to say no. If I was on the ad com at UGA, I would be fine with seeing a declined acceptance, knowing that the reason was that the applicant really wanted to be at UGA. But if I was on the ad com at another school, I would consider it a red flag for a couple reasons: 1) Does this applicant really want to be a vet? Why did she not take the opportunity to start vet school earlier? 2) If she wants to get into UGA that badly, why should we offer her a seat if she might decline this seat too? Maybe she could explain it really well and it wouldn't be a problem, but she might be less likely to get into schools other than UGA, and UGA is pretty competitive for OOS (according to other posters here - I don't know anything about UGA myself).

 

[DVMDream]

I would respectfully disagree, DVMDream.

If getting into vet school was a random lottery, sure, it might not happen again, but it's not a random process.

I never once stated that vet school acceptance was random, I said it was UNPREDICTABLE. Two very different words with two very different meanings.

At least one school found her to be a competitive applicant based on her grades, experiences, and test scores (possibly an interview too).

So what? Western found her a competitive applicant. Western does NOT equal UGA... does it? Just because one school finds you a good applicant does not mean that another school will. Especially if you also factor in that UGA accepts maybe 2 OOS students into their class every year, the OP's chances are slim at best, regardless of their acceptance this cycle.

The OP might not get in the next year or the year after that, but "never" getting into another school seems statistically unlikely if she's already jumped that hurdle once and is eager to push on. Plus, with more time typically comes more experience and possibly more education - both factors that improve a student's standing with admissions. That seems like a pretty hopeful situation that deserves whatever encouragements are offered to other repeat applicants.

So the OP should just reapply year after year after year to their one dream school until finally some magic happens? That is a waste of both time and money. And yes, there is a good chance that they will NEVER get in. It happens. Also, your competition changes each year, so even if you do improve your application between each cycle, there could be 20-30 other applicants that still have better stats than you do.

From what I remember of the VMCAS, they ask what undergraduate institutions you were accepted to and they ask about previous cycles, but they do not ask about previous acceptances to previously applied to veterinary schools (it could be a privacy thing or, as I would expect, there just aren't many people who turn down an acceptance and then reapply, so why ask). I suppose the VMCAS could change in the future, but currently, from my recollections of the past two cycles, that is not something an applicant should worry about.

I don't honestly remember some of the exact VMCAS questions, but I do know they bring up previous application cycles in interviews. Whether or not they have a way to see if you have been accepted before or not, I haven't a clue, but I can guarantee if they ask and you lie, you will be in a world of trouble. Also, if they do find out, how can they be so certain of your commitment to vet med? You already declined one acceptance, why did you decline? They have no info on why... it is all speculation in their mind and it may harm you in future applications whether it should or not.

I think the real issue is that the OP is contemplating breaking a taboo held among pre-vet students. Some people would do anything for an acceptance so some may find it offensive and ungrateful to say "no" and reapply. That doesn't make it wrong and it doesn't mean that admissions people find it to be inappropriate. There are a myriad of reasons for a person to be in that situation.

No, there is no "taboo" that you should not decline an offer. I don't really care if you do or not. I even stated some very good reasons as to why someone might apply to a school and then later decline that acceptance. The real issue though is to be 100% certain that you know what you are doing when you do decline that acceptance. An acceptance one year does not guarantee an acceptance in a later year especially at a different school and maybe even at the same school. Look at all the people saying that their waitlists one year turned into denials the following year. Each year the applicant pool gets larger and more competitive and you only have so much time between one application cycle and the next to improve things especially if you weren't able to continue working on improving your application from the time you submitted.

What is the real issue here is you not realizing how unpredictable the application process can be and trying to state that everything will be fine and that if the OP just keeps on applying then she will eventually get in. There is no guarantee that you will even end up on the same waitlist you were on in the previous year, let alone an acceptance at a completely different school predicting your future success at other schools. That is similar to predicting that you will get an A on your physics exam because you aced your organic chemistry exam.

 

[drbd]

If you haven't been in this scenario, it's a lot easier to say, "I will decline my acceptance because I can always just apply again!" But when the reality is that you have one acceptance in hand and you really consider the fact of no future guarantee, that this might be your one and only shot, it's a different ballgame.

I was just thinking this! I remember saying exactly that while I was still in college, but now that the opportunity is right in front of me, and after receiving so much stellar advice... the choice seems so clear!

 

[Rabbit Riot]

So what? Western found her a competitive applicant. Western does NOT equal UGA... does it? Just because one school finds you a good applicant does not mean that another school will.

Sure, she may never get into UGA, I never said she would, but she might still find another school she likes better than Western if she reapplies. Why should she settle for Western if she really doesn't want to go there?

Getting a previous acceptance may not guarantee other acceptances, but by the mere virtue of being accepted, there is strong information to suggest that the application submitted was competitive to a certain level and there is no reason to believe that such a person could not meet the criteria of other schools and be successful again, especially after multiple cycles (I don't care if that acceptance was at one school or another). There may be occasional upsets, but the overall process is not as unpredictable as you make it sound.

Show me someone who was accepted, declined his/her offer, and was never able to get another acceptance, despite trying.

So the OP should just reapply year after year after year to their one dream school until finally some magic happens? That is a waste of both time and money. And yes, there is a good chance that they will NEVER get in. It happens. Also, your competition changes each year, so even if you do improve your application between each cycle, there could be 20-30 other applicants that still have better stats than you do.

Do you really think it's magic? When did I suggest that she only apply to UGA and only be content with a UGA acceptance?

Really, it's not your time or money. It’s not your effort. Why are you so convinced it will take her so long to get another acceptance or even an acceptance at her dream school? You believe that admissions are unpredictable.

Whether or not they have a way to see if you have been accepted before or not, I haven't a clue, but I can guarantee if they ask and you lie, you will be in a world of trouble. Also, if they do find out, how can they be so certain of your commitment to vet med? You already declined one acceptance, why did you decline? They have no info on why... it is all speculation in their mind and it may harm you in future applications whether it should or not.

For what conceivable purpose would an admissions committee seek out that knowledge and then ask about previous acceptances to other veterinary schools?

They won't. You are being paranoid.

If they want to know about your commitment to vet med, they can choose to ask you questions about your commitment to vet med - like in an interview.

For the record, nothing pertaining to vet school acceptances has appeared on the VMCAS for the last two cycles, of that I am 100% sure. I can even check to see if anything will show up for this upcoming cycle (at least on the test system), but I have the feeling that will not change because it is irrelevant information.

No, there is no "taboo" that you should not decline an offer.

I wish that were true, but I've seen this come up multiple times on these boards and in discussions with other pre-vet students at my own institution. People have very strong reactions to this topic and it's because there are those who feel it is inappropriate and that people should "be grateful" for any acceptance. It is unthinkable to many that someone would say "no" and throw themselves back into an application cycle. Even you seem wary of it, DVMDream, why else would you be so worried of admissions people finding out and punishing someone? It's not an action specifically prohibited by any school, the AVMA, or any other organizations that cater to veterinary students. Why would you worry?

The real issue though is to be 100% certain that you know what you are doing when you do decline that acceptance. An acceptance one year does not guarantee an acceptance in a later year especially at a different school and maybe even at the same school.

I agree that people need to understand there are consequences in turning down an acceptance like this and you might not get in on the rebound, but I don't agree with some of the consequences you're suggesting and I certainly don't believe that someone who wants to go to vet school is really wasting their money or time applying again and again.