Successful Applicant Class of 2013

[lunazzurra]

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26 year old female
1st time applicant (non-traditional applicant)

Interview: Tufts, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota,
Accepted: Wisconsin, Tufts, Michigan State
Waiting: University of Pennsylvannia, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota,
Rejected: VMRCVM

GPA: 3.84 (at time of application)
Last 45: 4.0
Science: 4.0
GRE: 1320 (610 V, 710 Q, 4.5 W)

Vet Experience:
~1300 hours at a small animal clinic and small animal shelter
~300 hrs research
~Job shadowing -80 hrs equine, 25 hrs zoo vet, 25 hrs large animal vet (to get an idea of the field in general and what I am interested in)

Animal Experience:
A ton of hours animal experience on a farm, dairy, school labs etc. A large variety of animals, including poultry, goats, sheep, equine, bovine, rodents, fish and invertebrates, dogs and cats.

Employment:
Graphic Designer

Honors and Awards:
A lot. Don't have the info on this computer. (I even mentioned stuff from high school 😛)

LOR:
Veterinarian from the shelter I volunteer at
Professor from the lab where I was a research assistant
Professor from a Biology class I took and had talked to about vet school a lot.

Hey Malhi, congrats from another non-trad! 😀 Btw what was your UG major and which (if any) school was your IS?

 

[twelvetigers]

2nd time applicant, 22 yo male, MD resident

Applied: Illinois, VA-MD, Ross
Interview: Illinois, VA-MD, Ross
Rejected: Illinois, VA-MD
Accepted: Ross

Degree: Bioengineering from Pitt
GPA: 3.50
Last 45: 3.76
Science GPA: 3.33

GRE: 520 Q, 750 V, 4 AW

Experience:
~550 hours of small animal tech experience
~150 volunteer hours of surgical experience
~40 hours of shadowing ultrasound vet
~150 hours of research experience with round/hook/giardia
~120 hours of research experience with biomaterials
~200 hours of orthopedic medical device design experience
~1000 hours of medical device regulatory experience (not on VMCAS application)

LOR
2 Vets from the small animal hospital I worked in
1 from Senior Design Professor

Is there a specific reason that you only applied to those three schools? Your stats are pretty good IMO and while Ross is a great school (no one here will argue with that, either) it seems like you could have had some luck with some other U.S. schools, so I was just wondering why you chose the schools you did. Curious! 🙂

 

[SmASurg]

VA-MD was in state. Illinois was were my dad went to vet school and I have family around there. I didn't think that I would have a very good chance at out of state schools/didn't want to be hugely in debt so I didn't apply to many. I know that Ross costs alot/ but I'm just not sure I feel like waiting anymore.

 

[twelvetigers]

There's nothing wrong with that! Just make sure you are fully aware of the debt and feel you can handle it - that's what's most important. If you did decide to apply again, you might consider a couple other schools that accept a good amount of OOS students. Also, a bit of LA experience would be great. BUT, like I just said, Ross is great and if you can afford it and you're up for the island lifestyle... go for it!!

 

[Malhi]

Hey Malhi, congrats from another non-trad! 😀 Btw what was your UG major and which (if any) school was your IS?

Thank u!!! Always glad to see another non-trad!!!😀

My undergraduate was in advertising and graphic design. I have been taking pre-reqs for the past 2 yrs and am glad it's finally over!!!😀😀😀😀

I am in Chicago and my IS is Illinois. I saw from the Illinois thread that u are in Chicago too. Good luck!!!

 

[WildZooVet]

I can finally post on here although I'm still waiting on some very important decisions. I really thought with my undergrad GPA that I would never even have made it this far.

Female, 25, first time applicant

Undergrad: UC Davis, B.S. in neuroscience, physiology and behavior

undergrad GPA: 3.22
masters GPA: (3.5 at time of application- will hopefully graduate with >3.8)
science GPA: 3.15 (about)
GRE: 680Q, 720V 4.5W

Applied: Tufts, Cornell (PhD/DVM program), Davis (PhD/DVM program), UF, UT, Missouri, University of Edinburgh, RVC in London and Western.

Rejected: Cornell. Tufts, UF, UT

Interviewed: Western, RVC, Missouri, Davis (but, just for the DVM)

Waiting:Missouri, Davis

Accepted: Edinburgh, RVC, Western

SOO many hours (40-60 hours/wk x 21months) of research (elephants and horses for my masters)
3 months working as a research assistant in an avian nutrition and immunology lab
7 months full time as a veterinary assistant in a small animal clinic
A couple years working at the Dog/Cat shelter for the colony pets at UC Davis
About 30 hours of zoo vet experience
Community service with a wildlife sanctuary and a homeless pet clinic

I played hard in undergrad, was unfocused and lacked direction. I spent six months backpacking through SE Asia and another year living and studying in New Zealand. It took me an extra year to graduate from undergrad. All that being said I wouldn't take back a minute of it.
I do feel that the past two years in grad school has given me a much better idea of specifically why I want to go to vet school and what I want to do afterward. It's been kind of a crash course in becoming an adult.

I still have my fingers crossed for Davis and I wish everyone else the best of luck! This is a crazy, wild ride (and w haven't even started yet!)

 

[lunazzurra]

Thank u!!! Always glad to see another non-trad!!!😀

My undergraduate was in advertising and graphic design. I have been taking pre-reqs for the past 2 yrs and am glad it's finally over!!!😀😀😀😀

I am in Chicago and my IS is Illinois. I saw from the Illinois thread that u are in Chicago too. Good luck!!!

hahaha. Our stats are actually kind of similar (except for the UG degree--mine's in medieval studies!!). I've been doing pre-reqs for 4.5 long friggin' years. Please let this be the end of night school!

 

[Malhi]

hahaha. Our stats are actually kind of similar (except for the UG degree--mine's in medieval studies!!). I've been doing pre-reqs for 4.5 long friggin' years. Please let this be the end of night school!

Lol... I know what u mean! Well, I don't want to hijack this thread but it's nice knowing someone in a similar situation with a similar background. 😀

Good luck with ur schools!!! I will be rooting for u!

 

[LadyHitokiri]

21 year old female
1st time applicant (traditional applicant)
Will receive BS in Animal Science w/ minor in Chemistry this spring

Applied: Iowa State, University of Illinois (IS)
Interview: Iowa State, University of Illinois
Accepted: University of Illinois
Waitlisted: Iowa State

GPA: 3.67 (at time of application)
Science: 3.46
GRE: 430 V, 650 Q, 5.5 W (Yay for writing, boo for verbal!)

Vet and Animal Experience:
Small Animal (feline/canine): ~75 hours total observing/assisting several vets at clinics, ~100 hours volunteering at a feline-only shelter, plus thousands of hours for pet ownership.
Bovine: ~45 hours total observing/assisting a local vet, assisted with bulls in Brazil, worked with dairy cattle for a course I took
Zoo/Exotics/Wildlife: ~40 hours total observing/assisting vets at a zoo and wild feline center in Brazil and observing a local exotics vet
Public Health: ~35 hours total observing/assisting the state public health vet with disease counts and current outbreak issues, mainly dealing with salmonella
Swine: ~200 hours working as an assistant at a swine reproductive research lab/farm
Equine: ~70 hours training weanling horses and watching over/taking care of pregnant mares/newly born foals for courses I took
Research: ~20 hours as an assistant with a salmonella/wild turtle research project (performed necropsy and parasite/organ collection, and helped create and present a poster for this project at U of I's New and Re-emerging Infectious Disease Conference)

(was not on my application: internship at the humane society I am currently doing, and working at poultry research farm doing egg-picking, chick sorting, etc.)

Non Vet/Animal-Related Work:
Worked at my school's dining hall services for 1 semester washing dishes, etc. (lol)

(was not on my application: any work I did in high school which included local paper route job and babysitting for 4 years)

Extracurricular:
University: adoption counselor at local humane society, church volunteer, pet club assistant, writing/self-publishing novels, sign language club, dance dance revolution club (officer), alumni group for high school vet mentor program (officer), intramural soccer team, and pre-veterinary club
High School: sign language club, dance dance revolution club (officer), vet mentor program, and cross country team

Honors and Awards:
University: Dean's List for 3 semesters, American Society of Animal Sciences Scholastic Achievement award/recognition in journal
High School: 4-year perfect attendance, various scholar/academic awards received, team sports medal

eLORs:
Veterinarian from the department of public health I volunteered at
Professor from the lab where I was a research assistant
Professor/Veterinarian from the veterinary mentors program that I was in


*My lower number of hours of experience was compensated by my diversity of experience, at least I like to think that. In my application, I stressed the fact that I am multi-racial and am seriously interested in public health/food safety. These things made me stand out as an applicant, I assume. I'm so glad that I can post here!*

 

[Trilt]

...dance dance revolution club (officer)...

I need one of these at my school. So bad. 🙂

 

[wakeboardpro4487]

So I've noticed that most people here who are worried are so because they have a low GPA instead of a low GRE. My story is the opposite. I have a high GPA and a low GRE. Is anyone here in the same boat as me? I apply this June. Please, what wisdom can you guys give me? What should i do? 🙂

Overall GPA: 3.989
Last 45: 4.0 so far
Science: 3.980
Non-Science: 4.0
GRE: 400 verbal, 670 quant, 4.0 writing

 

[tpad40]

Your GPA is certainly impressive! If you are applying this summer, you still have plenty of time to retake the GRE. I took mine for the first time on September 23rd...so you have a while! Try using some study guides and possibly taking a course to raise your score.

 

[3dogsand2cats]

With a GPA like that what school is gonna care about your GRE score. I know most schools don't use GRE scores to make you or break you UNLESS you are on the border line. A few schools I have talked to have told me that GRE scores are nice to look at but are rarely a deal breaker. If you are 3.99 GPA & you have good experience you should be fine.

 

[wakeboardpro4487]

That's encouraging! I'll have about 2500 hrs of small animal experience at the time of application. How can i improve that area of my resume?

 

[tpad40]

Hi again! I would suggest posting your questions on their own thread perhaps, or as part of the Class of 2014 thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=607430&highlight=2014

This thread is meant for people to post their statistics and it gets pretty long as it is 😉 That said, you have a great number of hours in SA, which is awesome, but you may want to consider trying to get experience in another field of vet med such as shadowing a farm animal vet, shadowing an equine vet, etc. The diversity of experience is jsut as important as the quantity!

 

[KittyRex]

With a GPA like that what school is gonna care about your GRE score. I know most schools don't use GRE scores to make you or break you UNLESS you are on the border line. A few schools I have talked to have told me that GRE scores are nice to look at but are rarely a deal breaker. If you are 3.99 GPA & you have good experience you should be fine.

But, keep in mind that some schools use a specific formula in which there is a certain number of points that can be awarded in each category (GPA, GRE, Experience, letters, interview etc). Certain schools, like UC Davis and I believe, Cornell, use a formula in which GPA and GRE carry EQUAL weight (ex. 25% of score based on GPA and 25% of score based on GRE).

I'll give my actual stats after I send in a deposit and accept an offer at a school, but I just wanted to say that I got a decent but not amazing score on the GRE (1310) but I knew I could have done better. However, I didn't retake it because I have a high GPA (not as high as yours, but above the average accepted for the schools I applied to). I figured that if I didn't get in on the first shot with that GRE score, I'd just take it again and re-apply. BUT knowing what I know now (how emotionally and financially taxing the whole application process is) I just THANK my lucky stars I won't have to ever ever go through it again. But even though I have had success in my applications, I sometimes wonder if retaking the GRE would have given me the extra push that I needed in certain circumstances (i.e. waitlisted at Cornell, rejected from Colorado, no interview offer at UPenn)

My point is (and this goes for anyone who is in a similar situation and applying next year): RETAKE the GRE. It's WAAAAAY less painful than re-applying. If you have a 3.99, chances are you can rock the GRE. You don't want that to be the thing that keeps you from getting accepted your 1st cycle or that keeps you from an acceptance at your dream school!

Ok. Sorry for being long-winded! Hope I helped. 😛

 

[Shanomong]

I got a decent but not amazing score on the GRE (1310) but I knew I could have done better. But even though I have had success in my applications, I sometimes wonder if retaking the GRE would have given me the extra push that I needed in certain circumstances (i.e. waitlisted at Cornell, rejected from Colorado, no interview offer at UPenn)

My point is (and this goes for anyone who is in a similar situation and applying next year): RETAKE the GRE. It's WAAAAAY less painful than re-applying.

Eh, I think it might depend on the score distribution? I had exactly the same score on the GRE (750Q, 560V). I didn't get in to UPenn last year (only school I applied to this year and last), and as an OOS student I went for the follow up. They specifically said my GRE was good and did not need to be retaken, it was a lack of upper-level sciences and the ranking of my undergrad institutions that had kept me out. I reapplied this cycle with the same GRE but with changes in other areas and was successful.

And don't give up on them yet, I'm pretty sure there's still one interview date they haven't invited for yet, isn't there?

ETA: I just saw the Penn thread... didn't realize the invites already went out b/c nobody posted it on the interview list... there's always the last minute phone call though.

 

[LVT2DVM]

With a GPA like that what school is gonna care about your GRE score.

Try all the schools Ive applied to. I have a high GPA and a low GRE. No vet school acceptances yet. I have over 25000 hrs of experience in SA, LA, Exotics, Speciality (basically everything but research). So, the GRE does matter.

DoctaJer I would definately retake the GRE. Get some study books and work on it steady for as long as it takes you to feel like you can make some improvement (I studied for 3 months, raised my score 80 pts, of course I still didnt break 1100 with that, so I'll probably take it again)

 

[bunnyslippers]

Try all the schools Ive applied to. I have a high GPA and a low GRE. No vet school acceptances yet. I have over 25000 hrs of experience in SA, LA, Exotics, Speciality (basically everything but research). So, the GRE does matter.

Ahhh!!! LVT2DVM, have they told you that their sole reason behind not accepting you is your GRE score? That is insane!

 

[DreamComeTrue09]

LVT2DVM, wow, 25,000 HOURS of experience and NO ACCEPTANCE?😱 I do think the magic number for the GRE is 1100 and up.
LVT2DVM, I have to give you credit for sticking it out for 7 application cycles. I couldn't imagine going through the whole application process for 7 years. I think next application cycle, round 3 for me, will be my final try for the states, after that Ross or St George here I come! Just think, each year we reapply we are missing out on another estimated 50K we could could be making as a veterinarian...Not to mention all of the money we put into re-taking classes, and the emotional stress this whole process causes. BTW, congrats on your interview invites, that is a good sign that they see potential in you. I think we're all crossing our fingers for you to receive an acceptance 🙂 I have alot of friends whom were accepted at the very last minute...I'm talking 1 week before classes started at PEI and Iowa due to students suddenly dropping out of the program. It may just come when you least expect it.😉 Goodluck

 

[LadyHitokiri]

I need one of these at my school. So bad. 🙂

It's a blessing to me, not only for the form of exercise, but also in the friends I've made through that club. Actually, we're having a tournament next weekend. Heh heh.

 

[LadyHitokiri]

LVT2DVM, I have to give you credit for sticking it out for 7 application cycles. I couldn't imagine going through the whole application process for 7 years.

I admire you too, T, and only hope for the best. You KNOW we are all rooting for you!

 

[flyhi]

And yes, did the kaplan, bought all the books, studied for 3 months straight and manage to raise my score 100 points....unfortunately that only got me a 1020🙁

Did you actually take the course or just study from the Kaplan books on your own? I only ask because i took the course and found it extremely helpful on HOW to take the test i.e. how to systematically approach the questions, how to best narrow down your answers, how to best answer a question if you haven't a clue, time management....etc. etc. I found the class to be extremely helpful in this regard. Plus, their software is amazing. It tells you exactly where your weaknesses are and you can take a ton of practice tests (which i feel is crucial).

The course is not inexpensive, but if it increases your score by several hundred points or more, i would think it would be worth it.

If you took the class, sorry cause i misinterpreted your post.

 

[WildlifeSaver]

Eh, I think it might depend on the score distribution? I had exactly the same score on the GRE (750Q, 560V). I didn't get in to UPenn last year (only school I applied to this year and last), and as an OOS student I went for the follow up. They specifically said my GRE was good and did not need to be retaken, it was a lack of upper-level sciences and the ranking of my undergrad institutions that had kept me out. I reapplied this cycle with the same GRE but with changes in other areas and was successful.

And don't give up on them yet, I'm pretty sure there's still one interview date they haven't invited for yet, isn't there?

ETA: I just saw the Penn thread... didn't realize the invites already went out b/c nobody posted it on the interview list... there's always the last minute phone call though.

They didn't think Drexal was high enough ranked? I thought that was a real good school..I think you said you went to Drexal if I can recall correctly.

 

[hopefulvet21]

I just saw the Penn thread... didn't realize the invites already went out b/c nobody posted it on the interview list... there's always the last minute phone call though.

I posted mine this week on that thread.

As for the GRE stuff, I only got a 1240 raw score which isn't that great. But it is the percentiles you should pay attention to. Raw scores cannot be compared as having the same value for each point. They need to be normalized, which the computer does when it generates your percentile score.

 

[runnerDC]

Some schools, when they see what they may perceive as a discrepancy between your GPA and your GRE scores, might look to where you did your degree/coursework and how many science courses you took at the same time when you got those grades. In the eyes of some, it will look better to have a degree from what is perceived as a more competitive/selective undergrad university, and it will certainly look better if you were able to maintain good grades in your science courses while taking a concurrent load of them.

So I've noticed that most people here who are worried are so because they have a low GPA instead of a low GRE. My story is the opposite. I have a high GPA and a low GRE. Is anyone here in the same boat as me? I apply this June. Please, what wisdom can you guys give me? What should i do? 🙂

Overall GPA: 3.989
Last 45: 4.0 so far
Science: 3.980
Non-Science: 4.0
GRE: 400 verbal, 670 quant, 4.0 writing

 

[tealamutt]

Some schools, when they see what they may perceive as a discrepancy between your GPA and your GRE scores, might look to where you did your degree/coursework and how many science courses you took at the same time when you got those grades.

some schools also average your GRE's so if you get a few low scores and then finally break 1100 or 1200 it doesn't help that much. Also, if your courses are pretty old and you haven't been in academics since graduation (eg. masters, PhD, working in research,etc.) they don't look on it too favorably. Interpret that for yourself as fair or unfair, it's just what the Dean of Admissions here has mentioned to me.

 

[rachroo]

Hi again! I would suggest posting your questions on their own thread perhaps, or as part of the Class of 2014 thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...highlight=2014

This thread is meant for people to post their statistics and it gets pretty long as it is

Agreed. As a whole, we don't mind help/advice, but this specific thread is for successful applicants to post their stats!

 

[lunazzurra]

27 y.o. female
1st time applicant (non-traditional)

Applied: University of Illinois (IS), Penn, VMRCVM
Interview: University of Illinois
Accepted: University of Illinois
Rejected w/o Interview: VMCRVM
Waiting (but likely rejected): Penn

UG Degree: DoubleA.B. in Medieval Studies and Italian Literature
GPA: 3.78
Science: 3.67
Last 45: 4.0
GRE: 750 V, 720 Q, 6.0 AW

Vet Experience:
- About 5,000 over 3 years as a SA tech
- ~1,000 as triage tech for wildlife rehab center
- 80 hrs. volunteer recovery tech at spay/neuter clinic

Animal Experience:
- 100s of hours wildlife rehabilitation
- 200 hrs. volunteering at feral cat sanctuary in Rome
- 100s of hours TNR'ing feral cats (I know, most wildlife people are strongly against this)

Other:
- Have worked for past 3 years in non-profit


Extracurricular:
- Painting, photography, writing, tutoring Italian. Nothing formal or organized, but I definitely have a number of things I keep myself busy with.

Honors and Awards:
Dean's List every quarter; Nat'l Merit Scholar; received full tuition scholarship (merit based) from my school 3rd year

eLORs:
1. Vet who owns the clinic I tech'd at
2. Director of wildlife rehab center
3. Current boss
4. O-Chem professor

My GPA and GRE scores were good, but my experience is on the thin side. I am still amazed that it all worked out.

 

[Malhi]

Way to go Luna!!!!!

 

[3dogsand2cats]

23 y.o. female
1st time applicant

Applied: Mississippi state University , VA-MD, NC State (IS)
Interview: MSU
Accepted: NC state
Rejected w/o Interview: VA-MD
Wait listed: MSU

East Carolina University: Dual degree: Biology & Health Education and Promotion (Concentration in pre-health occupations)
GPA: 3.58
Science: 3.4
Last 45: 3.7
GRE: 400 V, 570 Q, 4.0 AW

Vet Experience:
~small animal day practice 2350 hrs
~Humane Society 350 hrs
~Research ~350 hrs
~ Large animal ~ 50 hrs
~Emergency clinic ~700

Animal Experience:
~Pet Sitter 280 hrs
~ Volunteered with Humane Society 2700 hrs
~Private Estate care with 20 cats 500 hrs
~Worked with an organization that had FIV/FELV cats 100 hrs

Other:
Received certification in Laboratory Animal Handling & Experimental Surgery

Extracurricular:
- I volunteered with the Senior games ~200 hrs.

Honors and Awards:
Dean's List, Honor Student, Cum Laude

eLORs:
1. Vet who works at a clinic I use to work for
2. Director of Humane Society of Eastern Carolina
3. Vet who I shadowed for Research Experience

SO my GRE scores are laughable GPA is ok. I think my second degree, my work ethic (I worked a full time and a part time job while going to school full time), my experience, and my eLOR's are what helped me! I am so shocked!
I just want people to know that many people told me my grades were not good enough to get in and guess what I did anyway. So to those people 😛
To all those still waiting GOOD LUCK!

 

[hopefulvet21]

27 y.o. female
My GPA and GRE scores were good, but my experience is on the thin side. I am still amazed that it all worked out.

ummm I think you have a lot of experience. You have more than twice as many hours as me! How the heck did you get rejected anywhere? Those are almost as perfect as stats can get I think!

 

[karmapple]

Posting here is so amazing! I was sure my GPA would keep me out of vet school and I'm so glad I was wrong! 🙂

Female, First time applicant, 25 years old
B.A. in Biology
Minors in Chemistry and English
Graduated 12/2008

Applied: Texas A&M (in-state), Ohio, Kansas, Western
Texas A&M: Interviewed, Rejected
Ohio: Interviewed, Accepted 😍
Kansas: Interviewed, Waitlisted, Accepted
Western: Declined Interview Offer

According to my undergrad university, my cumulative GPA was higher (3.54), but that is with grade replacement for courses re-taken. I figure most vet schools don't employ this, so I'm listing my GPA the way Texas A&M calculated it on the TMDSAS.

Cumulative GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: 3.14
Last 45 hour GPA: 3.43

GRE: Q: 660 V: 540 A: 4.5

Veterinary Experience:
- 200 hours as a volunteer at a small animal/ equine mixed practice in high school
(Wasn't sure if high school stuff counted, so I put this in anyway.)
- 8 hours shadowing a veterinary toxicologist at a veterinary diagnostic laboratory
- 1,500 hours as a receptionist at Banfield
- 3,500 hours as a tech at a small animal/ exotics clinic
- 300 hours as a tech at a small animal emergency clinic
(At time of application, many more hours now since I still work there.)

Animal Experience:
- 150 hours as a volunteer at a therapeutic horsemanship program
- 200 hours as a volunteer with local Humane Society adoptions
- 200 hours as a volunteer zookeeper assistant

Research:
- 300 hours as a research assistant in aquatic ecology at my university.

Community/ Extracurriculars:
- Secretary of Pre-Veterinary Club at my university
- Helped with fundraisers for the local humane society
- Helped with fundraisers for the V-day movement for the local rape crisis center
- Horse riding lessons
- Agility/ Obedience with my dogs

Random Work Experience That Probably Does Me No Good:
- 320 hours as library aid
- 4,400 hours as a licensed cosmetologist (I'll pay off my vet school tuition with highlights and haircuts… )

Honors/ Awards:
- Graduated cum laude
- Dean's List 7 semesters
- A few academic scholarships

Recommendations:
- Two vets I worked for
- Biology Professor from the lab where I was a research assistant
- Pre-vet advisor who was also the faculty sponsor of the pre-vet club

I worked 25-40 hours a week while taking full time classes all through undergrad. I have been completely financially independent and living on my own since the beginning of my senior year of high school. I think my life story and evidence of work ethic helped, as well as knowledge about and passion for the profession demonstrated in the interview. Whatever worked, I'm so glad it did! 🙂

 

[Shanomong]

They didn't think Drexal was high enough ranked? I thought that was a real good school..I think you said you went to Drexal if I can recall correctly.

I took 3 classes at Drexel after I was rejected to improve my application 🙂

Sorry, no more hijacking the successful applicant thread 😛

 

[Shanomong]

ummm I think you have a lot of experience.

I second that, a hellalot 🙂

 

[lunazzurra]

ummm I think you have a lot of experience. You have more than twice as many hours as me! How the heck did you get rejected anywhere? Those are almost as perfect as stats can get I think!

Thanks! I just meant thin in terms of breadth. No LA or research. If I were an advisor counseling an applicant like myself, I would tell them to branch out a bit. Since this thread is a resource for those who have not yet or have not successfully applied, I figured I would mention it.

Congrats to everyone!!

 

[guppy73]

- 4,400 hours as a licensed cosmetologist (I’ll pay off my vet school tuition with highlights and haircuts… )

Maybe that's applicable somehow--I saw a Pit bull with a French manicure the other day....

Congrats!!!!

 

[karmapple]

Maybe that's applicable somehow--I saw a Pit bull with a French manicure the other day....

Congrats!!!!

I did a double take at that sentence. My brain automatically glazed over "pit bull" and inserted "small floofy dog breed here." That's hilarious!

Yeah, I have poodles and always am overconfident when undertaking home grooming. "Surely it's the same, right?" I think. I end up with funny looking poodles that my groomer chuckles at.

 

[InfiniVet]

Boy these profiles look really impressive. Everyone seems like they really worked hard, and it truly shows.

Congratulations everyone!!

 

[sumstorm]

29 y.o. female
1st time applicant (non-traditional)

Applied: University of Illinois, Penn, Cornell, Purdue, NCSU (IS)
Interview: none
Accepted: NCSU
Rejected w/o Interview: University of Illinois, Penn, Cornell, Purdue
Waiting (but likely rejected): Penn

UG Degree: Biology, summa cum laude with research honors (environmental/physiological toxicology bioindicators), concentration (minor) in environmental science.
GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.4
Last 45: 3.6
GRE: 670 V, 730 Q, 5.5 AW

Vet Experience:
- 954 Exotic (zoo/wildlife rehab)
- 274 Mixed Domestic Animal (farm + pets)
- 516 Small Animal (pocket, cat, dog)
- 36 Spay/Neuter Clinic (cat, dog, ferret)

Animal Experience:
- 987 Humane Society Officer
- 377 Search & Rescue Canine Handler (training only, not active search)
- 4430 Instructing in Dog Training (including Leader Dog Socialization and continueing education)
- 1370 Pet Store Employee
- 3580 Livestock (competition/slaughter/surgery)
- 6852 Live Animal Research Lab Assistant
- 6826 Zoo Curation (including continueing education, animal training and husbandry)
- 2040 Marine (including sea turtle, sea bird, and marine mammal necropsy)

Other:
- 2940 Certified Tutor & TA (Calc, Chem, O-chem, Physics, All bio)
- 1096 Welder
- 680 Paper Delivery
- 536 Waitress
- 1328 Farm Worker (Non-livestock)
- 420 Holiday Postal Handler
- 1644 CNA/Infirmary Attendant
- 2256 McDonald's Cashier

Extracurricular:
- Various Environmental Activities (including conference presentations)
- Sports & Fitness (organizer)
- Outdoor Recreation (organizer)
- SCUBA (rescue diver)
- Fine Arts (violinist, oil painting, fiber arts, scrapbooking)
- HS & College Sports
- Habitat for Humanity
- Gardening/Landscaping (permaculture, biointensive, instructor)
- Food Arts (sugar craft, vegan cooking, Asian cooking)
- Solar Car Club
- Business and Professional Women

Honors and Awards:
- Presidential Scholarship
- Illium Scholarship
- Dunn Fellowship
- McAllister Scholarship
- Excellence in Service (tutoring)
- summa cum laude
- Dean's List (repeatedly)
- Passport to Extinction (award winning exhibit/programming)
- 4-H Tenure
- Domestic Observer Training

eLORs:
1. Current Vet employer
2. Former Zoo vet (worked in conjunction with)
3. Former Honors PI
4. Former Honors External Examiner
5. Former Academic Mentor

Conclusion:
I did not have the finances to apply to vet school after undergrad, and I went on a TJ Watson Fellowship after graduation. My entire career, along with most of my leisure time, is focused on animals, often with a tendency towrads fundraising, education, and research. All of my animal/vet experience is well documented. I enjoy the challenge of management and complex organization, along with data analysis. My GPA was weak due to working FT+ while attending FT. I believe my research quality is defined by the college I attended AND the external examiner (a PI who stated that my honors work surpassed the majority of Master's projects that are completed at the university he works at.) My recent GPA is 3.9 (including 3 sciences.) Other hobbies/interests, as I explained in some admissions essays, are my method of handling stress. I did grow up on a farm, giving me extensive livestock experience under <18 yo, and my mother worked as a vet surgical tech when I was a youth, so I started kennel duty on holidays/sundays early on.

 

[bunnyslippers]

Sumstorm, I almost died of shock reading that those four schools didn't even extend an interview invitation to you with all that experience!

 

[sumstorm]

Sumstorm, I almost died of shock reading that those four schools didn't even extend an interview invitation to you with all that experience!

LOL. I have a reputation for never sitting still. I have also flipped 3 houses (and hoping to do so while in vet school as well.)

I just realized that I did NOT include the farm chore experience in my VMCAS, only the livestock competition, and the butchering/surgery days (which could be documented easily.)

 

[twelvetigers]

Sum, your stats make me want to vomit.

And I mean that in a nice way, believe me. 😉

I'm just glad you won't be MY competition... yeesh!

Now I'm trying to decide how I could make my PS exciting without elephants...

 

[IvyLynx]

20 y.o. female, 19 at time of application
1st time applicant

Applied: UC Davis, NCSU (IS)
Interview: none
Accepted: NCSU
Rejected w/o Interview: UC Davis
Waiting (but likely rejected): none

UG Degree: BS not obtained, working towards Zoology with Environmental Toxicology minor; applied Junior year
GPA: 3.89
Science: 3.78
Last 45: 3.93
GRE: 530 V, 630 Q, 4 AW

Vet Experience:
- 70 : Poultry/Research (HATED it, Pfizer)
- 452 : Aquatic/Wildlife/Zoo (NCSU CVM)
- 318 : Small Animal/Rehab (Rehab Clinic)
- 75 : Mixed Animal/Exotic/Wildlife (Museum of Natural Sciences)
- 250 : Lab animal/Research (NCSU CVM)


Animal Experience:
- 10 : Cheetah Conservation Fund (NCSU Namibia Study Abroad)
- 10: Intro to Small Mammal Rehabilitation (NCSU CVM)
- pet ownership 🙂

Extracurricular:
High School:
- cross country, track and field(highest ranked in the state in shot put!), cheerleading
- dance company
- LOTS of theatre productions, youth drama counselor
- french club vice president, art club, FIRST robotics, marching band, pep band, concert band, DYAO, brain game
- definitely forgetting something, lol

College:
- habitat for humanity retreat
- rugby
- herpetology club, zoology club
- pack promise peer mentor
- turtle rescue team
- students for change

Honors and Awards:
- Dean's List (every semester)
- pack promise scholarship
- chancellor's leadership scholarship
- a tab williams endowment
- CALS Honors
- nscs, phi kappa phi
- various study abroad scholarships, but I don't think I listed those
- other stuff that I don't remember

eLORs:
1. My mentor, a zoo/aquatics/wildlife and tox vet/researcher/professor
2. Rehab vet
3. Immunology/Lab animal vet/researcher

Hopefully my stats will give hope to someone applying. I definitely got a couple rude emails telling me I needed more experience when I first joined. GRE scores were crappy, but my GPA is good. I know I had excellent recs and I think I showed that gaining experience has helped me grow and fine-tune my interests. Young, but ambitious and determined!

 

[Shanomong]

Young, but ambitious and determined!

And successful 🙂, congrats!!!!

I think your stats are really impressive, GRE isn't so bad and as others have mentioned it's really your percentile that matters more than your score. Your GPA is fantastic and your experience looks like a lot to me (and obv to NCSU as well 😀). Especially the poultry research that you hated... it shows real commitment to put yourself through that for the greater good of getting in (and learning through experience what you don't want to do is as important as learning what you love). And considering that some students finish high school at 18, while you're applying to vet school at 19... like I said, very impressive!

 

[sumstorm]

Sum, your stats make me want to vomit.

And I mean that in a nice way, believe me. 😉

I'm just glad you won't be MY competition... yeesh!

Now I'm trying to decide how I could make my PS exciting without elephants...

And to think that I had so many people say 'it can't be the GPA, it has to be your personal statement...improve your personal statement.' I really kept thinking 'I can't mention the Elephant Sanctuary and Express again...it is too memorable and will suggest I didn't change much from 1 year to the next.'

I like narrative starts for PS's because they tend to attract the reader's attention, so if I needed to re-apply next year, I planned on using an experience with HBC at the clinic, or helping with sea turtle nesting in Australia, or even the bald eagle nest I am voluntarily observing for a researcher now.

Hard to top the elephants, though....either for my PS or for my life. Amazing experience. I have a feeling it is similar to how people feel about thier horses when they need to use horses for both pleasure and work.

 

[TaylorG520]

wow.. sumstorm you are mighty impressive. and ivylynx, I am also entering vet school after three years of undergrad (i'm graduating a year early) and you have had way more experience than I thought was possible for someone our age! i'm very impressed!!! 😉

 

[GenghisCohen]

I thought posting here might encourage people applying who don't have that much veterinary experience, because after reading last year's thread I went home and cried every night for a week. So here it goes...

24 y.o. female, 1st time applicant

Applied: Illinois (IS), Wisconsin, Tufts, Florida, Tennessee, Colorado, Washington
Interview: Illinois, Tufts, Tennessee
Accepted: Illinois, Tufts
Rejected w/o Interview: Tennessee, Colorado, Washington
Waitlisted: Wisconsin
Waiting: Tennessee (not yet interviewed)

UG Degree: BS in Biology with a minor in English and American Litterature
GPA: 3.49
Science: 3.22
Last 45: ~3.65
GRE: 800 V, 800 Q, 6 AW

Veterinary Experience:
-250 volunteering at an aquarium animal hosptial
-20 hours shadowing a SA vet
-10 hours shadowing a LA vet
-14 hours shadowing a wildlife vet

Research Experience:
-350 hours doing molecular systematics research
-200 hours doing morphological systematics research
-350 hours research in animal cognition

Public Health:
-700 hours doing West Nile Virus surveillance

Employment Experience:
-3500 hours working with herpetological collections in a museum setting, which is about half clerical, and half doing things like x-rays, dissections, scale counts, etc.
-Standardized test tutor
-Sunday school teacher

Extracurricular:
-Currently: Bowling league, kickball team
-In college: President of Culinary Arts Club (2 years), Big Sister
-Highschool: Synchornized swimmer

LORs
-Vet at the aquarium where I volunteer
-Curator at the museum who I've work with on research
-College advisor, who I took 4 classes with in ecology/ animal related subjects
-Russian Litterature professor, who just thinks I'm awesome

I still can't believe I got in anywhere! I made the decions to pursue a veterinary career later than most (after I'd already been out of school for a year), and I'd intended this cycle to be more of a test-run while I racked up some more experience. But, I think my good GRE scores helped, as well as all of my non-traditional experience.

Good luck to everyone still waiting or getting ready for next year!

 

[Caninerepro]

But, I think my good GRE scores helped, as well as all of my non-traditional experience.

Good luck to everyone still waiting or getting ready for next year!

Uh yeah, a PERFECT SCORE on the GRE. I think I might 🙂 not like you. 😛 Congrats.

Kai

 

[sumstorm]

I think your other experience compensated for limited vet experience. I know some schools lump research under PhD's in with vet. And you did get a breadth of experience.