Should i take a year off school?

[silymnd]

Hey SDNers,
I have applied to WCVM this year and got invited for an interview (after my 2nd year in undergrad).
I was just thinking, if I don't get accepted, it's probably because of my experience or interview. If I get an interview my marks are probably "good enough".
So, if I don't get in, should I take a year off school and move to Alberta (from BC)? I can work, work, work to get more experience, then next cycle, I can apply to WCVM for 20 seats and UCVM for 30 seats. Compared to right now I'm "competing" for 19 WCVM alloted for BC.
What do you guy's think? Is it worth considering? What would the universities think if they saw that I took a year off? I mean, if I go back for a 3rd year in undergrad, I'm merely just "passing the time so I can apply again". What are the chances that I'll get *better* marks in 3rd year. Is it worth risking my GPA dropping?
Thank you very much for your help!!!!

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[VeganSoprano]

I can't speak for WCVM in particular, but the majority of students who are accepted into US and Canadian schools have baccalaureate degrees by the time they begin vet school. Furthermore, acceptance next year is far from guaranteed no matter how close you come this year. Finishing your undergrad degree is making wise preparations for a future that might or might not include a DVM. This is the sort of thing an adcom would want to see. I don't think an adcom would be impressed by your dropping out of college, which is essentially what you'd be doing. GPA is important, but it's far from the only thing!

 

[August24]

I would consider your GPA. Could you possibly raise it at all? Or strengthen it by taking more science classes and maintaining it? The first thing I would do in your situation is wait. Hopefully you get in! And then you have no need of worrying...And if you don't give them a call and ask if it was the interview/experience or what. What would THEY like you to improve. And, perhaps the GPA could still make a difference-I'm not sure if at the schools you're thinking of ranking "starts over" after the interview-at least at AVC GPA is used to get to the interview and then interviewees are reranked on everything again-including GPA-to see who gets in. If you think your GPA has a chance of going down next year (AKA perfect scores only), move and work. If you think you can maintain/raise what you've got, take a few classes and also work/shadow/volunteer to get experience.

 

[silymnd]

Thank you for the comments. I agree it's odd to take a year off... If I skip a year, can I come back to the university, or do i have to reapply? And there is always room for improvement aka not all perfect scores!
Thanks again! =))
Really hope I get in so I don't have to worry about this =))

 

[DVMDream]

I would recommend not taking a year off from school especially since you do not have a bachelor's yet. As someone mentioned earlier most US and Canadian schools take people with at least a bachelors yes sometimes they take people without one but not very often. I would recommend getting a bachelors it is a good idea should vet school not work out you will always have a degree to fall back on without having to go back to school. I was seriously considering applying early as well so I could skip my senior but changed my mind in order to get my bachelor's although I would have had a much higher GPA had I gone ahead and applied back then, oh well I do not regret it.

As far as going back to undergrad after taking a year off, you will have to check with the school. I think my school gives you 1 year in which you can come back without having to re-apply but I would double-check with the school you go to just to be sure.

Good Luck with your application!! Hopefully you get in.

 

[Kylana]

Hey! I am from BC too and plan to apply to WCVM this fall. Though I haven't applied yet, I do know that your GPA is still very much factored into your "score" for admissions even after the interview. You get the interview based on GPA alone. However, after the interview, the school doesn't just accept whoever did best on the interview. It is whoever did well on the interview combined with a good GPA (I think weighted 50/50). So if your GPA is just good enough to get you an interview, it doesn't necessarily mean it cannot be improved, or that improving it will be of no use.

On a side note, the associate dean from WCVM came and gave a presentation at my school and he said that he actually likes it when people apply after only 2 years of undergrad! So congrats to you! I am in my fourth year of undergrad and still haven't applied lol, but I was/am having way too much fun at undergrad to leave quite yet, and received enough scholarship money to make it worth it. Ya I am a bit of a weird one...

Good luck to you! I hope you get in this year! And if you don't get in this year, you can join me starting September 2011 provided we both get it then!

 

[rhinocerotidae]

Hi silymnd

I'm from AB, I haven't applied yet but will be in the next year or so.
In my option I don't think taking a year is a bad choice. (I took a few years off after high school before university). I do think you should consider when you would take the year off. A few friends of mine who have gotten in to WCVM after establishing residency, took a year off after they finished their undergrad degree. Most Albertans establish residency in SK since it seems to be easier to get into WCVM from there.

Again, in my option I would finish your undergrad and keep applying every year until your done it, cause you never know, if you don't get in this year you could always get in the next. And if you still don't get into WCVM by time your done your degree, then establish residency.

Another thing to consider is where you would want to establish residency, sure if you came to AB you could apply at UCVM and WCVM, but AB is still a pretty competitive province (for both schools). UCVM interviews were this past weekend and a little over 100 people were interviewed for 30 spots.
Whereas (from what I hear) SK and Manitoba are less competitive. Another fun fact to put things into perspective this past year (WCVM class of 2012) about 5 of the 20 SK spots where filled with Albertans who established residency!

 

[silymnd]

Thank you very much for all the help! I think my "resolution" now would be hope for the best to get in this year. If not, go back to 3rd year and enjoy it with my friends =))

 

[silymnd]

Oh wow, just revisiting the stats, it's EVEN MORE competitive in Alberta!
http://explore.usask.ca/programs/nondirect/vm/
Thank you very much for the heads up, rhinocerotidae! That really changes how I approach my situation!

 

[Kylana]

Oh wow, just revisiting the stats, it's EVEN MORE competitive in Alberta!
http://explore.usask.ca/programs/nondirect/vm/
Thank you very much for the heads up, rhinocerotidae! That really changes how I approach my situation!

Haha wow, I had never seen the statistics before! That is really interesting. It is not so bad getting in from BC after all! 19/81...not too shabby. Good thing Alberta has their own vet school as they seem to have an awful lot of applicants! I knew a girl who applied to WCVM a couple years ago from Alberta - she had an 87% average and didn't get an interview! And I know someone else who had an average in the low 70's in Saskatchewan and he made it in!

 

[Electrophile]

I agree, finish your bachelors before dropping out of college to take a year off. Undergrad is not simply about getting those prereqs out of the way. Enjoy yourself and take some interesting classes that you may not be able to take again. If you're an animal science major, take some more biology/zoology. If you're a biology/zoology major, take some more animal science classes. Take a foreign language that may be useful to you. Take some business classes, particularly if you're interested in owning your own practice. Pick up a minor in something complementary to vet med, or heck, try something completely different just for fun. Study abroad if you have the money. Be stronger your first year of vet school by taking an undergrad class in anatomy or histology or animal physiology (OMG, I wish I had done this). Point is, if you get in, you can gain enough technical experience in school and the first few years out. But you'll likely never to be able to take a business class or interesting history class or music or whatever class as easily ever again.

 

[that redhead]

If I were on an admissions committee and saw something like that in an applicant, I might assume that they did not have realistic expectations about their future and career. In your case, undergrad isn't only about getting your pre-reqs done, it's about developing yourself, both academically and socially (joining clubs, participating in events, what have you). Just because you got close this year does not at all mean that you will be in the same boat next year. I think it's wise to finish your degree (while maintaining a good GPA) in case you do not get into vet school, find something else, whatever.

 

[purplesaurus]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. I had to put my first bachelor's on hold (for reasons different from yours), and I felt that it was just more difficult to finish my classes.

You should definitely finish it if you are not accepted this year. Focus on taking interesting classes and on making yourself a strong student. You may not get into vet school (just by sheer amount of competition), and a bachelor's would give you a good base to build on your alternate career path.

However, good luck for getting in this year!