Successful Applicant Stats - Class of 2020

[katashark]

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"I'm really not that cool, but I have lived in some of the most interesting places on the planet, worked with sharks, raptors, and tortoises, founded a super interesting club at my large school, and have guest lectured on super interesting topics"

Get outta here!

Lol. But I'm just a giant nerd!!

 

[hazelmoo]

"I'm really not that cool, but I have lived in some of the most interesting places on the planet, worked with sharks, raptors, and tortoises, founded a super interesting club at my large school, and have guest lectured on super interesting topics"

Get outta here!

She's just being modest 😛 I can attest to katashark being the coolest person ever!

 

[WildZoo]

Hahaha I'm really not that cool. I just like sharks....a LOT. lol. I have been a resident of AZ my whole life, so I graduated in 2014 from Cornell, then moved to Cali, then moved to South Africa, then came back to Phoenix for my post bacc. Now, I'm in Florida chilling until vet school starts. 😀

Hey we're in the same state! Wait, did I know the already and forget?

 

[katashark]

Hey we're in the same state! Wait, did I know the already and forget?

I just moved here a couple weeks ago. I posted in the rave thread, but you might have missed it. 🙂 no worries!

 

[vetmedhead]

Hahaha I'm really not that cool. I just like sharks....a LOT. lol. I have been a resident of AZ my whole life, so I graduated in 2014 from Cornell, then moved to Cali, then moved to South Africa, then came back to Phoenix for my post bacc. Now, I'm in Florida chilling until vet school starts. 😀

Too cool to even admit it 😛

 

[mpc2wv]

25 y/o male, VA resident, 1st time applicant

Applied: UPenn, Va-Md, Tufts, Iowa, UF, Minnesota, Mich St.
Interview Offers: UPenn, Va-Md, Tufts (cancelled), Iowa (cancelled), Minnesota (declined), Mich St (declined), Edit: was actually just offered an interview at UF (2/1, declined); officially been offered an interview at every school to which I applied!
Interview Alternate/Waitlist: None
Rejected: None
Waitlist: None
Accepted: UPenn (with scholarship; now = lowest tuition!)
Attending: almost certainly UPenn

Overall GPA: ~3.4
Science GPA: ~3.6
Last 45: 3.81

GRE (Q/V/W): 160/164/4.5

Degree: B.S. Biology, B.A. Environmental Science, both from the University of Virginia (double major)

Veterinary Experience:
~500 hours (at time of application) split b/w shelter med, emergency med, specialty med (internal, orthopedic surgery, cardiology, derm), and wildlife med

Animal Experience:
1000+ working with reptiles and amphibians, raptors, and large cats in zoological setting

Research Experience:
~4000 b/w the following: Rickettsia and Borrelia vector analysis, sequencing, RFLP development, and fieldwork; studying Mycobacteriosis in striped bass in terms of extent of pathology and ecological conditions contributing to exacerbation of disease in the Ches Bay; investigation of the role of cytoplasmic dynein in the retrograde transport of axon cargo in hippocampal and cortical rat and murine neurons (this is my current research position; salaried, working full time); studying the dynamics and evolutionary ramifications of sexual selection in Anolis lizards via respirometry, xrays to track rate of osteogenesis, and tracking of hormone levels (primarily testosterone)

Non-Vet Employment Experience:
~2000 b/w dishwashing, prep chef, butcher's apprentice, and some construction (all during high school and early college)

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
Club Rugby at UVA, weightlifting (significant hobby for quite awhile), outdoor club at UVA, running (competed in Army Ten-Miler), departmental journal clubs (discussions of primary literature within the field [primarily cell bio])

Volunteer/Non-vet Internship Experience:
Some homeless shelter volunteering and other odds and ends

LORs:
SPCA head vet/medical director, veterinary surgeon (DACVS), Lab PI (Assoc. Prof of Cell Biology), Lab PI and former cell/molec and biological imaging prof (Assoc. Prof of Biology)

Personal Statement:
Discussed my enduring interest in science and nature (originally leaned towards paleontology and herpetology), how that molded me into someone who wanted to pursue a PhD, and how my hunger to more intimately understand the way that animals function and how their health is intimately tied to our moral and physical well-being drove me to pursue a career that would allow development and cultivation of field, clinical, and laboratory skills/knowledge (the culmination of which = vet med). Mentioned the diversity of settings and experiences that I've been exposed to, and how it's obvious yet under-appreciated that there are many functions in society that would benefit from the skill set of trained veterinary doctors. Stated that my ultimate goal is to pursue the study of disease in a capacity that allows me to respond to outbreaks (particularly when confronted with newly emerging zoonoses) and eventually contribute to development of scientific tools and policies that enhance future management and response.

Congrats!! Not to be a creep and destroy the anonymity, but I noticed that our screen names have something in common..can't wait to meet you at Penn next year! Wahoowa 😛

 

[jcc3sa]

Congrats!! Not to be a creep and destroy the anonymity, but I noticed that our screen names have something in common..can't wait to meet you at Penn next year! Wahoowa 😛

Nice catch if you went entirely off the uva username! Which class were you? Technically I'm still waiting to hear back from Va-Md, but since Penn is my top choice I'm not thinking I'll end up in blacksburg haha. My wife just got into uva med, so she'll have the distinct privilege of being a double wahoo! That's also the main reason that I'm keeping VMCVM open as a potential option.

 

[mpc2wv]

Nice catch if you went entirely off the uva username! Which class were you? Technically I'm still waiting to hear back from Va-Md, but since Penn is my top choice I'm not thinking I'll end up in blacksburg haha. My wife just got into uva med, so she'll have the distinct privilege of being a double wahoo! That's also the main reason that I'm keeping VMCVM open as a potential option.

I had my suspicions that were confirmed when I read your mini bio. I was a BME 2014, what year were you?
Ah I see, congrats to your wife as well! Hm I could see the appeal of VMCVM in that case. Well good luck whatever you choose, though I agree, I'm not sure Blacksburg could ever compare!

 

[jcc3sa]

I had my suspicions that were confirmed when I read your mini bio. I was a BME 2014, what year were you?
Ah I see, congrats to your wife as well! Hm I could see the appeal of VMCVM in that case. Well good luck whatever you choose, though I agree, I'm not sure Blacksburg could ever compare!

CLAS 2012! Vet med was a late realization for me, so I'll be an "old" student.

 

[esrb22]

Female 1st time applicant 26y.o NY resident hope to give some hope to those with low gpas!! I didnt think I had a chance
ALL IT TAKES IS ONE!

Applied Cornell, Ohio, Illinois, , Colorado, Missouri, Minnesota, Ross, VA-MD
Interviews: Ohio, Illinois, Ross, Va-Md
Declined Interview:Illinois
Rejected: Missouri, Colorado, Cornell, Minnesota
Accepted: Ohio, Ross
Attending: Pretty much decided on Ohio , waiting to hear from VA-MD

Degrees: B.S. in Biology
Overall GPA: 3.18 from undergrad and like 3.2 with pre reqs i took the last 3 semesters ( seemed impossible!)
science: 3.11
last 45: not sure

GRE (Q/V/W): 155 (67%) /151 (45%)/4.5 (56%)

Veterinary Experience:
Vet tech small animal/exotics ( a third clinic): 8500 and counting
Vet Assistant small animal/exotics ( 2 diff clinics) : 430

Research Experience:
undergrad 3 semesters: 150

Animal Experience:
volunteered seaside 4 therapeutic riding/ vetport stables(equine):600
Bronx zoo volunteer: 170

Non-Animal Employment:
gym front desk
retail
pharmacy
stone design company
online shoe store

Extracurriculars / Etc:
hall government ( student representative)
resident student representative
deans list a couple of semesters
blood drive
habitat for humanity
leadership program
taught spanish to kindergarden class
beta beta beta biology honor society
high school honors
there may be more but i dont remember

LORs:
Research Advisor
2 Small animal vet I worked with for 4 years
Zoo keeper i volunteered for
biochemistry professor i did really well in that class


Personal Statement:
I wrote about basically my lack of focus in undergrad and how once i found it i did everything possible to show why i am ready to attend vet school with all the experiences and what i learned from the experiences including the reasons why i wanted to become a vet. How my diverse background and being bilingual will help me be the vet i would like to be.

 

[CynicKitten]

First time applicant, applied IS.

Applied: Colorado State
Accepted: Colorado State
Attending: Colorado State

Overall GPA: 3.64 (3.66 at time of application)
Science GPA: 3.54 (I mostly was taking science classes)
Last 45 credits: 3.7

Degree: Graduated this past fall with a degree in Zoology.

GRE (Q/V/W): 151 (45%) / 163 (92%) /5.5 (98%)
Note: CSU does not look at writing scores at all, so they never knew what I got there!

Veterinary Experience:
Vet Tech Assistant at a low cost spay/neuter clinic: 180 --> dogs/cats
Vet Tech at an animal clinic: 182 --> dogs/cats/reptiles/pocket pets
ICU Foal Care team member at CSU vet hospital: 25 --> horses
Shadowed Jr Small Animal Surgery class at CSU: 4

Research Experience:
Senior honors thesis - lit review on how gonadectomy affects cancer rates in dogs: 75

Animal Experience:
Pet sitting: 147 --> dogs/cats/llamas/pocket pets
Large animal rescue: 882 --> horses/ponies/llamas/goats/sheep/etc
Rodent caretaker at raptor rescue: 65 --> pocket
Cat rescue: 40 --> cats
4-H summer intern: 533 --> farm animals
Lab animal socialization: 4 --> rabbits

Non-Animal Employment:
Engineering Aide at an environmental engineering firm
Student assistant at my university for a department

Extracurriculars / Etc:
Violin, painting, soccer coach, NHS, Animal Welfare Club, Honors Program, some other small volunteering things
Dean's List, Work study award, high school academic awards, scholarships

LORs:
Honors Ecology professor/professor that acted as my honors thesis advisor
4-H Agent that I worked for full time this past summer
Husband+Wife vet team (small animal and exotics) wrote one together for me (worked with them for 2 summers)

Personal Statement:
Talked about how my financial hardships will make me a problem solving and empathetic vet, plus some other stuff.

 

[vetmedhead]

First time applicant, applied IS.

Applied: Colorado State
Accepted: Colorado State
Attending: Colorado State

Overall GPA: 3.64 (3.66 at time of application)
Science GPA: 3.54 (I mostly was taking science classes)
Last 45 credits: 3.7

GRE (Q/V/W): 151 (45%) / 163 (92%) /5.5 (98%)
Note: CSU does not look at writing scores at all, so they never knew what I got there!

Veterinary Experience:
Vet Tech Assistant at a low cost spay/neuter clinic: 180 --> dogs/cats
Vet Tech at an animal clinic: 182 --> dogs/cats/reptiles/pocket pets
ICU Foal Care team member at CSU vet hospital: 25 --> horses
Shadowed Jr Small Animal Surgery class at CSU: 4

Research Experience:
Senior honors thesis - lit review on how gonadectomy affects cancer rates in dogs: 75

Animal Experience:
Pet sitting: 147 --> dogs/cats/llamas/pocket pets
Large animal rescue: 882 --> horses/ponies/llamas/goats/sheep/etc
Rodent caretaker at raptor rescue: 65 --> pocket
Cat rescue: 40 --> cats
4-H summer intern: 533 --> farm animals
Lab animal socialization: 4 --> rabbits

Non-Animal Employment:
Engineering Aide at an environmental engineering firm
Student assistant at my university for a department

Extracurriculars / Etc:
Violin, painting, soccer coach, NHS, Animal Welfare Club, Honors Program, some other small volunteering things
Dean's List, Work study award, high school academic awards, scholarships

LORs:
Honors Ecology professor/professor that acted as my honors thesis advisor
4-H Agent that I worked for full time this past summer
Husband+Wife vet team (small animal and exotics) wrote one together for me (worked with them for 2 summers)

Personal Statement:
Talked about how my financial hardships will make me a problem solving and empathetic vet, plus some other stuff.

Do you go to Colorado State right now for your undergrad? If so there's a small chance we've met before.

 

[CynicKitten]

I did indeed. 🙂

 

[CynicKitten]

Do you go to Colorado State right now for your undergrad? If so there's a small chance we've met before.

Did you have Salkeld spring semester by any chance?

 

[vetmedhead]

Did you have Salkeld spring semester by any chance?

Unfortunately no! I took a ton of anatomy classes and some other stuff like genetics. If you went to any Pre-Vet Club meetings you probably saw me, I'm an officer.

 

[CynicKitten]

Unfortunately no! I took a ton of anatomy classes and some other stuff like genetics. If you went to any Pre-Vet Club meetings you probably saw me, I'm an officer.

I wasn't in the pre-vet club, actually. 🙂 What was your major? We probably DID see each other! But looking at the Officers page, I definitely recognize most. Talked to a couple.

 

[vetmedhead]

I wasn't in the pre-vet club, actually. 🙂 What was your major? We probably DID see each other!

Zoology with a minor in Biomedical Sciences 🙂

 

[fredandcessna]

LOW GPA ALERT! There is HOPE!!!

21 year old female, IA resident, 1st time applicant!

Applied: Washington State, Minnesota, Kansas State, Illinois, Iowa State
Rejected: Washington State, Minnesota
Interviews: Kansas State, Iowa State, Illinois (declined)
Accepted: Kansas State, Iowa State
Attending: IOWA STATE

Overall GPA: 3.36
Science GPA: 3.33
Last 45 credits: 3.39

Degree: I will be graduating this Spring with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology.

GRE (Q/V/W): 157 (68%) /154 (63%)/4.5 (80%)

Veterinary Experience:
Vet assistant at Small Animal Hospital ~ 80 hours
Intern at Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic ~ 100 hours

Research Experience:
None

Animal Experience:
Volunteer at Animal Rescue League - 150 hours
Volunteer at Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic for 3 years ~ 200 hours

Non-Animal Employment:
Forever 21 Sales Associate (2 summers part time)
Jimmy John's (1 1/2 years part time)

Extracurriculars / Etc:
Figure Skating - 15 years
Bowling - 8 years
Gamma Phi Beta sorority
House Manager of my sorority for 1 year
Meals from the Heartland volunteer

LORs:
Small Animal vet I worked for
Wildlife vet I interned for
Volunteer coordinator at Animal Shelter
Undergrad Professor

Personal Statement:
Wrote about what inspired me to go into the field, how the experiences I've had have impacted my path to vet med, some various leadership experiences I've had, and what I think makes a good vet.

I was lazy filling this out and didn't include everything, but I wanted to give hope to others with less-than-stellar GPAs. It's not just about grades! Congrats Class of 2020!

 

[MutterButter]

First time applicant who only applied to my IS school

Applied: Iowa State
Interviews: Iowa State
Rejected: none
Waitlisted: none
Accepted: Iowa State!!!
Attending: Iowa State!!!

Degrees: I will be graduating this spring with a Bachelors in Biology and a minor in Animal Science

Overall GPA: 3.86
Science GPA: 3.75
Last 45 Credit GPA: 3.89

GRE (Q/V/W): 161/157/3.5

Veterinary Experience:
Worked in a veterinary clinic/kennel/doggie daycare from the summer of my junior year in high school until I left for college, then again the summer after my freshman year - ~1800 hours
Officially shadowed the veterinarians I worked with in the clinic I worked in- ~25 hours

Research Experience:
Worked in a research laboratory with canines as an undergraduate research assistant for both credit and as a job (two separate positions) ~700 hours
Freshman research with mice in a nutrition lab ~100 hours

Animal Experience:
Volunteering at an equine therapy (horse riding for people with disabilities): ~30 hours
Walked dogs at a shelter: ~20 hours
Volunteered at various spay/neuter clinics- ~30 hours
Interned in the Aviary /miscellaneous chores at a zoo - ~90 hours
Non-Vet Employment:
Waitress at Village Inn (I highly recommend getting a "people-type" experience if you want to be a companion animal vet. It has prepared me SO MUCH for dealing with clients in a fast-paced environment) ~500 hours
Biology Tutor through my university ~70 hours
Clerk at my hometown ice cream shop ~100 hours

Extracurriculars / Etc:
Pre-Vet Club from Sophomore to Senior Year - I held an officer/committee position each of the three years and got heavily involved (you don't have to be president to make a difference)
Biological Sciences Club - Freshman Year
DJ on my school radio station - Senior Year


LORs:
Veterinarian (exotic, companion) who I shadowed in high school, worked with for 2 years, and shadowed at both a zoo and the clinic
Veterinarian (companion) who I worked with for 2 years, I also shadowed him - he was impressed that I worked as a waitress to get more people skills
PhD/Veterinarian, Graduate Genetics Program Professor who was my professor, boss, and is now my honors capstone project advisor
Professor/MD who taught my histology class (which I worked extremely hard in to earn an A)
Academic Advisor - I talked to him a lot during the year before I applied

Personal Statement:
I talked about how my initial passion was anatomy and physiology in high school, which lead to an interest in medicine. I talked about how my job in a veterinary clinic and experiences in a hospital rotation class showed me different possibilities in the health professions and how I felt much happier when surrounded by animals rather than being in a hospital. I talked about my personal growth and how my experiences as a tutor and a teaching assistant helped me to understand material that I had previously breezed over in my classes. I emphasized how I admired the alumni that I had met from Iowa State, and how passionate they were about their careers and how inspiring that was.

Overall, I was genuine about who I was and what I wanted to get out of a career in veterinary medicine. While I worked very hard over the years, I never took on more than I could handle (though I definitely pushed past my comfort zone). My heart goes out to all of the out of state students who apply for veterinary schools, because I know the competition is so rough (it's one of the many reasons why I didn't apply to out-of-state schools).

 

[rockatiel]

Non-Vet Employment:
Waitress at Village Inn (I highly recommend getting a "people-type" experience if you want to be a companion animal vet. It has prepared me SO MUCH for dealing with clients in a fast-paced environment) ~500 hours

This is SO important. I worked as a hostess at a very busy chain restaurant that would see 4 hour waits on the weekends. Prepared me so much for dealing with difficult people!

 

[deleted676737]

- - -

 

[CheeseheadYankee]

We are still waiting to hear from one more school, but given that my wife will definitely be going _somewhere_ for veterinary school next year, I am posting her stats (with her permission).


40 year old Female, Connecticut (originally from Michigan - moved for grad school and never left), 1st time applicant

Applied: Florida, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Mississippi State, Iowa State, Kansas State, Tufts, Missouri
Interview Offers: Florida, Michigan State, Iowa State, Tufts, Kansas State, University of Pennsylvania, Mississippi State
Rejected: Missouri, Cornell
Withdrew Application After Visit/Interview: Tufts
Accepted: Florida, Michigan State, University of Pennsylvania, Kansas State, Mississippi State, Iowa State, Wisconsin
Attending: ??? This is going to be a tough decision...

Undergraduate GPA: 3.98
Undergraduate Science GPA: 3.99
Graduate GPA for 1st Masters: 3.77
GPA for PhD (Including 2 Non-Terminal Masters): University used Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail instead of standard grades.
GRE (Q/V/W): 155/163/5.5

Degrees: B.S. Biochemistry
M.S. Civil Engineering
M.S. Engineering and Applied Science
M.Phil. Engineering and Applied Science
Ph.D. Engineering and Applied Science

Veterinary Experience:
1200 hrs as a vet tech at a cats-only practice
75 hrs shadowing at a dog/cat general practice
75 hrs shadowing at a high-volume dog and cat spay/neuter clinic
600 hrs (approx.) shelter medicine experience, involving direct medical care of sick and injured outdoor cats
32 hrs shadowing an equine veterinarian

Animal Experience:
4500+ hrs: Direct animal work in nonprofit trap-neuter-return (TNR) cat organization we founded together (including trapping 900 cats and coordinating spay/neuter for 200 cats owned by low-income families)
2500+ hrs: Other volunteer activities (e.g. adoption events, adoption counseling, volunteer training, fundraising activities) for our TNR group
900+ hrs: Direct animal work for other cat welfare organizations before we founded our group.
100+ hrs: Grant writing for high-volume dog and cat spay/neuter clinic that is based on the Humane Alliance model
Lots of time caring for our cats, dogs, and backyard chickens (only listed chickens in VMCAS as a hobby)

Research Experience:
Extensive biochemistry research as an undergraduate
Participated in two National Science Foundation Summer Research Experiences for undergraduates
Six-month student research program at Argonne National Laboratory
Ph.D. dissertation in environmental engineering. In her doctoral research and career as a university research scientist (before making the switch to pursuing a veterinary career), she co-authored 17 peer-reviewed publications in journals that include Science Advances and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
Extensive high school/undergraduate club involvement (mostly science, community service, or honors organizations), with most having leadership roles
Significant scholarships and awards, including two-time recipient of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, and recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

Non-Animal/Non-Research Work Experience
Taught English and Calculus in Beijing for a year, and worked in an environmental consultancy in Beijing for a year.

LORs:
Undergraduate research and thesis advisor
Two veterinarians who supervised her shelter medicine volunteer work
Director of the spay/neuter clinic where she shadowed and volunteered as a grant writer
Research scientist colleague
Industry colleague familiar with her research

Personal Statement:
Discussed the path that brought her to veterinary medicine, with an emphasis on the gritty and grueling shelter medicine and TNR work she has done.

 

[pugl0ver]

So excited to finally be able to post here!!

21yrs, female, Virginia resident, 1st time applicant!

Applied: PennVet, UGA, VMCVM
Interview Offers: VMCVM
Rejected: PennVet, UGA
Accepted: VMCVM
Attending: VMCVM 😀!

Undergraduate GPA: 3.60
Undergraduate Science GPA: 3.58
GRE (Q/V/W): 153/163/5.0

Degrees: Anticipated (May 2016) B.S. in Biology, w/ minor in Health Communication

Veterinary Experience:
- Veterinary Assistant in private practice: ~1700hrs
- Intern at Virginia Department of Agriculture: ~130hrs

Animal Experience:
- SPCA Shelter Technician: ~250 hrs
- SPCA Volunteer: ~200 hrs

Research Experience:
- Undergraduate researcher: ~400hrs (Currently completing Honors Thesis on effect of IL-3 protein on malarial infection in mice)

Extracurricular Activities:
- Social Media Coordinator for Pre-Vet Society x 1 yr
- Vice President for Pre-Vet Society x 1 yr
- Martial Artist x 8 yr

Non-Animal/Non-Research Work Experience
- Laboratory Prep Staff (university employment): ~400 hrs

Awards:
- President's List x 1
- Dean's List x 3
- AP Scholar with Distinction
- Merit / Achievement Scholarship
- First-Dan Black Belt

LORs:
- Research Adviser (PhD, LVT)
- Lap Prep Supervisor (PhD)
- Department of Ag. Necropsy veterinarian (DVM, MPH)
- Department of Ag. Poultry veterinarian (DVM, MVSc, PhD, DACVM, DACPV)
- Private practice veterinarian (DVM)

Personal Statement:
Didn't really turn out that great, if I'm honest. I was all over the place. I talked about how my interest in veterinary medicine stemmed from my interest in being in a continuously-evolving profession as well as my passion for educating and serving others. I discussed my experience as a military dependent growing up abroad in Japan and how it's lead me to want to serve as an Army vet. Also talked about my research experience pushing me more toward a public/corporate career track, possibly with laboratory animals. Concluded with my beliefs on the balance between human needs and animal welfare. Overall... not my best writing, but it covered all aspects of the prompt we were given.

 

[Caiter92]

23 years old, female, first-time applicant, WA resident

Applied/Interviewed/Accepted/Attending: WSU

Degree: BS in Biology with a focus on Ecology and Evolution, minor in Quantitative Science

Cumulative GPA: 3.67
Science GPA: 3.42-3.55 (depending on if just looking at prereqs (3.42) or all science)
Last 45 Hours GPA: 3.72

GRE: 159 V (81%)/164 Q (88%)/4.5 A (80%)

All hours are at time of application
Veterinary Experience:
-1200 hours SA working at a clinic as a VA
-40 hours volunteering at a spay and neuter clinic
Both were on going

Animal Experience:
-40 hours LA volunteering at a sanctuary (ongoing)
-200 hours wildlife volunteering and interning
-300 hours at a ferret shelter

Research Experience:
- 400 hours undergraduate research
I worked directly under the PI planning and executing my own experiments with conifers. I wrote about this quite a bit in my personal statement

Extracurricular/Community Service:
-a bunch of non-vet related things that were Ecology based. I also listed long term experiences from HS (Girl Scouts, Relay for Life Youth Chair, etc.). Anything I felt was some how meaningful I listed here, even from HS.

Awards:
-Dean's List
-Honor Roll from HS

eLORs:
-Vet I work for
-PI from my lab
-Ecology professor

Personal Statement: I started with a quick little story about how I used to pretend to be a dentist with my childhood cat (I'm serious! haha). Followed up with my path from and then back to vetmed. I was focused on preparing for Ecology grad programs in college, so I tried to show how even though my experiences weren't typical for a prevet student, they had still helped prepare me for professional school in the "unique experiences" section of the PS prompt. I ended it with discussing what the role of the veterinarian is to me, and what my current interests are, but that I was hoping to explore them more during school.

 

[heyyimhayley]

I've been waiting so long to post here, but I'm really excited because I've finally heard back from every school!!

21 year old female, Connecticut resident, 1st time applicant

Applied: Tufts, Penn, Cornell, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri
Interviews: Penn, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Tufts, (declined Minnesota)
Rejected: None
Waitlisted: Cornell
Accepted: Michigan, Penn, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Tufts, Cornell (off waitlist)
Attending: Penn 😀

(My GPAs were higher after fall semester, but not every school updated them, so I’ll post both.)
Overall GPA: 3.78/3.81
Science GPA: 3.60 to 3.75 depending on the school
Last 45: 3.83/3.89

GRE (Q/V/W): 159/157/5.5 (75%, 75%, 98%)

Degree: Northeastern University BS in Biology, minor in Psychology, class of 2016

Veterinary Experience:
Small animal clinic veterinary technician: 1000 hours
Surgical veterinary assistant at 24 hour ER/referral hospital: 1000 hours
Internship at the aquarium (veterinarian supervised): 500 hours
Shadowed a large animal veterinarian: 10 hours
Cornell Summer College, Tufts AVM, SGU Med/Vet (high school programs): 200 hours total
Shadowed 2 different vets in high school: 50 hours

Animal Experience:
Doggie Daycare Handler: 300 hours
Therapeutic riding center volunteer (equine): 32 hours
Bronx Zoo teen internship/petting zoo volunteer (high school): 90 hours

Research Experience:
Research at an avian cognition laboratory, worked with African Grey parrots: 300 hours

Non-Vet Employment:
Math tutor at the Boys & Girls Club for 2 semesters: 60 hours

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
Pre-Veterinary Club President
Choral Society and Chamber Singers, on a music scholarship, had multiple solos
Dual enrolled in a non-degree program at New England Conservatory where I take private voice lessons
(Every interviewer mentioned my music background!)

LORs:
2 small animal clinic veterinarians
Veterinarian from the aquarium (director of animal health)
My PI from the avian laboratory
Animal behavior professor (did not really know me, but I got an A)
Cornell only: My manager, an LVT, from the hospital where I worked in surgery
Tufts only: Biochemistry professor (again did not know me, but I got an A)


Personal Statement:
Pretty typical: I went through each major experience (vet tech-ing, aquarium, research) and explained how each of them showed me why I wanted to be a veterinarian. I told a funny story about how one of the parrots from the lab would throw nuts at my face when he was mad, and I think that helped make it memorable (a lot of my interviewers brought it up!)

 

[rockatiel]

I've been waiting so long to post here, but I'm really excited because I've finally heard back from every school!!

21 year old female, Connecticut resident, 1st time applicant

Applied: Tufts, Penn, Cornell, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri
Interviews: Penn, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Tufts, (declined Minnesota)
Rejected: None
Waitlisted: Cornell
Accepted: Michigan, Penn, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio, Tufts
Attending: Undecided, but most likely Penn 😀

(My GPAs were higher after fall semester, but not every school updated them, so I’ll post both.)
Overall GPA: 3.78/3.81
Science GPA: 3.60 to 3.75 depending on the school
Last 45: 3.83/3.89

GRE (Q/V/W): 159/157/5.5 (75%, 75%, 98%)

Degree: Northeastern University BS in Biology, minor in Psychology, class of 2016

Veterinary Experience:
Small animal clinic veterinary technician: 1000 hours
Surgical veterinary assistant at 24 hour ER/referral hospital: 1000 hours
Internship at the aquarium (veterinarian supervised): 500 hours
Shadowed a large animal veterinarian: 10 hours
Cornell Summer College, Tufts AVM, SGU Med/Vet (high school programs): 200 hours total
Shadowed 2 different vets in high school: 50 hours

Animal Experience:
Doggie Daycare Handler: 300 hours
Therapeutic riding center volunteer (equine): 32 hours
Bronx Zoo teen internship/petting zoo volunteer (high school): 90 hours

Research Experience:
Research at an avian cognition laboratory, worked with African Grey parrots: 300 hours

Non-Vet Employment:
Math tutor at the Boys & Girls Club for 2 semesters: 60 hours

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
Pre-Veterinary Club President
Choral Society and Chamber Singers, on a music scholarship, had multiple solos
Dual enrolled in a non-degree program at New England Conservatory where I take private voice lessons
(Every interviewer mentioned my music background!)

LORs:
2 small animal clinic veterinarians
Veterinarian from the aquarium (director of animal health)
My PI from the avian laboratory
Animal behavior professor (did not really know me, but I got an A)
Cornell only: My manager, an LVT, from the hospital where I worked in surgery
Tufts only: Biochemistry professor (again did not know me, but I got an A)


Personal Statement:
Pretty typical: I went through each major experience (vet tech-ing, aquarium, research) and explained how each of them showed me why I wanted to be a veterinarian. I told a funny story about how one of the parrots from the lab would throw nuts at my face when he was mad, and I think that helped make it memorable (a lot of my interviewers brought it up!)

How was working with Greys? I'm so fascinated with those birds!! My parents had one as a pet growing up and he was so mindblowingly intelligent.

 

[heyyimhayley]

How was working with Greys? I'm so fascinated with those birds!! My parents had one as a pet growing up and he was so mindblowingly intelligent.

I love working with the greys. They're so smart, I tend to think of them more like coworkers or colleagues than "lab animals". They're so smart it can be frustrating though. They are very opinionated and stubborn haha. The story from my personal statement was about the first time I was closing alone, the birds get a nut every night before bed. The bird was saying "want nut," but every time I gave it to him, he would throw it at me instead of eating it.

 

[rockatiel]

I love working with the greys. They're so smart, I tend to think of them more like coworkers or colleagues than "lab animals". They're so smart it can be frustrating though. They are very opinionated and stubborn haha. The story from my personal statement was about the first time I was closing alone, the birds get a nut every night before bed. The bird was saying "want nut," but every time I gave it to him, he would throw it at me instead of eating it.

They can have some additiudes for sure. I really think the grey my mom had was so close with her, he saw me as competition. He absolutely hated me. Everytime I walked by the cage he would throw food at me. His cage was by the spot where'd I have to do homework and he would scream as loud as he could when I sat there. If I told him to stop, he knew my laugh down pat and he would sit there and imitate me. When I was really young (like 7) and didn't know better, he lured me to his cage acting like he wanted me to pet him, and of course he bit me. He took most of the skin off of one of my fingers. We had him for a pretty long time but ended up rehoming him to an old lady who had retired and had more time for him. We pretty much had a part of every stage of his development, including hand feeding. As much as he dislike me, I thought he was the coolest!

 

[Cephal0pod]

Research Experience:
Research at an avian cognition laboratory, worked with African Grey parrots: 300 hours

I told a funny story about how one of the parrots from the lab would throw nuts at my face when he was mad, and I think that helped make it memorable (a lot of my interviewers brought it up!)

PSITTACINE COGNITION 😍😍 That is fantastic. 😀

Congrats again! 🙂

 

[shevet12]

Hey guys!!! I'm so excited I can actually post that I have vet school plans for the future so here goes!

1st time applicant, 21 year old female
Applied: Mississippi State, UGA (1st choice), Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, NC State
Interviews: Mississippi State, Auburn, Tennessee (went to all three)
Rejected: Florida (asked for a file review and was told my vet hours were inadequate to be competitive, LEARN FROM ME), and NC State
Waitlist: Auburn, Tennessee
Accepted: UGA (oos), Mississippi State (oos)
Attending: UGA (Go DAWGS!!!)

Overall GPA: 3.85
Science GPA: 3.74
Last 45: 3.89
GRE: 311: 156 (Q), 155 (V), 4.0 on writing

Vet Experience: 800 hours shadowing at a small vet clinic, 10 hours shadowing an equine vet

Animal Experience: 10 hours volunteering at a raptor center, 300 hours as a vet tech assistant at the same vet clinic I shadowed at

Research Experience: for one credit hour I did research for my ecology professor about census changes in my state and my theories on why there are significant declines and rises in populations

Extracurriculars:
· Member of a sorority
Served as a day chair for recruitment, then as MVP of Design for recruitment, and also served as merchandise chair
· Member of Freshman Honor Society (Alpha Lambda Delta)
· Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars
· Member of Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Med Honor Society)
· In the PR committee for the Carolina/Clemson Blood Drive
· Student Instructor for Psychology 101
· Volunteered on the oncology floor of the hospital in my city (300 hours)
· Volunteered in a free clinic for the last two summers (350 hours)
· Shadowed an array of medical doctors (about 200 hours) ~ did this because I originally thought I wanted to be a medical doctor but realized my passion was for animal welfare, I included this in my application to indicate that the reason I did not have more vet hours is because I realized later than most that my calling was in Veterinary Medicine (didn't decide until going into my junior year)

LoR:
3 vets that I worked with
1 from the professor of whom I was the student instructor for her psyc class
1 from the ecology professor I did the census work for

Personal Statement:
Talked about when I decided I wanted to be a vet (which included a personal story), also talked about my psychology minor and what kind of specialty care I wanted to do and why I think I would be fantastic at it.

 

[themountainsarecalling]

21 year old female, Texas resident, first time applicant

I was told by an adcom person it's best to not include anything from high school, but since I decided to pursue vetmed after my freshman year in college, I didn't really have much from high school to begin with. These numbers represent three years of really hard work, so just a reminder that you don't need crazy 6,000+ hours to get admitted...adcoms just look for a very thorough understanding of the profession, a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone, decent grades, and quality experiences.

Applied: Texas, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin & Georgia
Interviews: Texas, Ohio & Michigan (declined)
Rejected: Georgia
Accepted: Ohio, Texas
Waitlisted: Wisconsin
Attending: Ohio State University!!!

Degree: B.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences, minor in Animal Science

Overall GPA: 3.76
Science GPA: 3.73
Last 45 credits: 3.92

GRE (Q/V/W): 157/161/3.5
lol at my writing...took it with a 101 fever so I had no idea what I was saying

Animal Experience:
Animal husbandry at a wildcat sanctuary (exotics & SA): 28
Animal husbandry for local science museum (exotics): 120
Tour guide for local dairy farm (LA): 42
Foster for a service dog in training (SA): 126

Research Experience:
Senior thesis was a proposal for a new drug delivery formulation in dogs: 400

Was able to attend a conference with experts in animal drug delivery systems and it was incredible!​

Studied relationship between behavior and infection in gorillas: 160

Presented at two undergraduate forums​

Veterinary Experience:
SA clinic volunteer: 66
SA ICU care assistant: 44
Wildlife center rehabilitation hospital intern: 204

Non-Animal Employment:
Sales associate in retail: 490
Student affairs office assistant: 760

Volunteer:
Teaching assistant, animal physiology: 28

Guest lecturer​

Extracurriculars / Etc:
General member, pre-vet club: 56
President & founder of a student organization that helps pair up veterans with rescued shelter dogs: 364
Student advisory group member: 56
Rock climbing trip leader: 56

***these are the hours I applied with...I continued to engage in most of these experiences throughout fall semester and have racked up a little less than 3,000 hours total. Just a reminder that the application process does not end until you get your acceptance, so continue to stay involved while you're waiting!!!***

Achievements:
Dean's list throughout college
$2,000 scholarship to attend the conference I had mentioned in research
Honors student (took several honors science courses too, not just GE's)

LORs:
SA vet who first introduced me to my interest in veterinary medicine
Research advisor who first introduced me to research
Advisor for the student organization I founded


Personal Statement:
Wrote about how my unique experiences have taught me the pros and cons of vetmed. Discussed starting a new student organization and stepping outside of my comfort zone when I took my first research position in an area of study I had no background in. Elaborated on how key experiences shaped my view of vetmed and led me to a growing interest in research.

Additionally wanted to add my two cents: vetmed has so many opportunities outside of practice...be sure to explore those and see if any of them interest you. There are still a lot of applicants that want to go into private practice, so if you can stand out and say "I might be interested in research" or "I might be interested in food safety" etc. they WILL take notice. Another thing is don't feel like you have to study the typical major...as long as you get your prereqs done, you can study whatever you want. Most applicants study biology or animal science, so if you are from a different major, you'll have different experiences that can relate to vetmed and stand out from the crowd. For example, I was able to offer insight into drug action because of my background in the pharmaceutical sciences. That being said, there's nothing wrong with wanting to go into private practice and studying animal science, but IMO, you're going to have to try a lot harder to show an adcom why you should enter their program compared to the other few hundred students who also share those characteristics.

 

[WildAnimal]

24 year old female from Arizona, 1st time applicant.

Applied: Midwestern
Accepted: Midwestern
Attending: Midwestern

I could only attend my IS due to my kids' father unwilling to move. I am happy to attend Midwestern though and love AZ.

Overall GPA: 3.6
Science GPA: 3.45
Last 45 credits: 3.66

GRE (Q/V/W): 153 (52%) /151 (50%)/4.0 (56%)

Degree: Agribusiness Science (Pre-Veterinary Medicine)

^^There are basically various Agribusiness majors you can choose from, each with a different focus.

Veterinary Experience:
Emergency Animal Hospital: 1200
Mobile Preventative Health Clinic: 1100
Phoenix Zoo Volunteer Veterinary Assistant: 800
Shadowed Dairy Vet: 8
Shadowed Sea World Vet: 4
Shadowed Equine Vet: 8
Shadowed Emergency Clinic: 100
Exotics Hospital: 1800

Research Experience:
Not really any. I assisted with some conservation or research projects that the vets were involved with at the zoo, but I wasn't involved with any of the actual research.

Animal Experience:
ZooTeen Phoenix Zoo: 150
Zoo Trail Host: 300
Zoo Behavioral Observation Team: 80
Liberty Wildlife Hotline: 80
Liberty Wildlife Orphan Care: 125
Desert Cry Wildlife: 60 hours at app but ongoing
Animal Shelter: 50 hours

Achievements/Honors:
National Honor Society
Dean's list
Magna Cum laude
Provost Scholarship
Secretary/Public Relations Officer of Pre-Vet club for 3 years

Other Employment:
Thrift Store: 500

Extracurriculars/Volunteer/Etc:
Member/Officer of ASU Pre-Veterinary Medical Association
Dance
Choir
Pom Team
German

LORs:
Wildlife rehabilitator and vet tech that runs Desert Cry Wildlife
Phoenix Zoo Veterinarian
Manager of mobile clinic, he loved the improvements I made within the clinic
I was supposed to have another from a professor but he did not get it done in time.

Personal Statement:
Pretty standard. I am not a writer by any means. I discussed the events that led to my decision to launch a career in veterinary medicine. Mentioned my work with wildlife and exotics, as well as my courses in business and entrepreneurship that will ultimately assist in preparing me for my own practice. Also discussed characteristics of a successful veterinarian and gave examples of times where I have exhibited these qualities.

I am also a mother of three so juggling school, work, volunteering, and motherhood had its challenges that I discussed in the explanations section. Any future applicants that are parents, just know it's doable. There are things I could only do a little of (like volunteering at the zoo - it was an hour away so even though I was there for years my hours are not that loaded) and things I had to give up completely (I was chosen for the veterinary medical records internship at Disney World and then found out I was pregnant). There are other opportunities out there if you have to pass on one, and there is also nothing wrong with taking your time like I did.

 

[JJ1019]

Still cannot believe I am finally posting here....this is crazy! So happy this process is finally over though

21 year old female, Maryland resident, 1st time applicant

Applied: Colorado State, Georgia, Wisconsin, Cornell, Penn, Tufts, VMRCVM, Purdue
Interviews: Penn, Tufts, VMRCVM, Purdue
Rejected: None
Waitlised: Colorato State, Georgia, Wisconsin, Cornell, Penn (Queen of the waitlist this year!)
Accepted: VMRCVM (IS), Purdue, Tufts
Attending: Tufts!!!

Can I ask why you went with an OOS school over an IS?
Congrats on your three acceptances and your choice!

 

[FutureVet2020?]

Can I ask why you went with an OOS school over an IS?
Congrats on your three acceptances and your choice!

Literally wondering the same thing about this one and the Texas resident attending Ohio

 

[Crickietoosh]

Very surreal to be posting in this threadSDN was my biggest source of info/stress for the past two years. I do believe that I got in because I did thorough research on exactly what I needed, planning helps!! Of course I was constantly doubting myself throughout the process, and didn't think I would get in on my first try blah blah, you know how that goes.

27-yr old female, first time applicant, Texas resident.

Applied: A&M, Wisconsin, North Carolina
Waitlisted: NCSU
Accepted: A&M, Wisconsin
Attending: A&M (hello in-state tuition)

Overall GPA: 3.44, meh
Science GPA: 3.75
Last 45 credits: 3.75

GRE (Q/V/W): 164 /158/5.0

Degree: Bachelor in Business Administration
Master in Professional Accounting
Did post-bacc at U of H and HCC

Veterinary Experience:
~1000 hrs small animal clinic Receptionist/Kennel Tech/Vet Assistant
~75 hrs equine shadowing
~75 hrs holistic and rehab clinic shadowing
~25 hrs wildlife

Research Experience:
Nada. Was a little worried about this but really couldn't fit it into my post-bacc + pt job schedule.

Animal Experience:
Shelter: ~200
Dog walking business in college: ~300
Wildlife rehab: ~500
Petsmart Pet Care Associate: ~200
Foster for dog rescue group: ~150
Ownership: A&M allows 100hrs

Achievements/Honors:
Dean's list
National Collegiate Taekwondo Silver and Bronze
I had very few awards Really goofed off my first time in college because I didn't think I'd ever go back to school and GPA was not as important in business school...

Other Employment:
Bubble tea maker/cashier
Marketing Intern
Office Assistant
Accounting Tutor
Assurance Services Intern
Student Caller (we call alumni and shamelessly ask for donations)
Big 4 Auditor (2+ yrs, our clients hate us, we hate us)

Extracurriculars/Volunteer/Etc:
Taekwondo Team in college
Random clubs, officer positions
Rode MS150 Houston to Austin twice
...

LORs:
Small animal veterinarian/practice owner
Small animal clinic practice manager
Wildlife rehab coordinator

Personal Statement:
Wrote about the detour I took to get here, basically. Had many people read and edit.

THANK YOU SDN!! The hardest part is over right?!?! (totally kidding)

 

[Vdubs03]

21 year old female, MI resident, 1st time applicant
(I am proof that you can get in without a large variety of vet experience!! I had people tell me that I wouldn't be accepted because I lacked large animal experience, but I was accepted to 6 schools, so it is definitely possible.)

Applied: Iowa State, Kansas State, Lincoln Memorial, Midwestern, Louisiana State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri
Interview: All! (declined Minnesota and Illinois)
Waitlist: Iowa State (3/90 -- I was accepted prior to April 15)
Accepted: Midwestern, Lincoln Memorial, Michigan State, Missouri, Kansas State, Louisiana State
Attending: Louisiana State University

Overall GPA: 3.718
Science GPA: 3.56 (VMCAS — other schools calculated it differently, i.e. ISU was a 3.4 and LSU was a 3.76)
Last 45: 3.86
GRE (Q/V/W): 158/159/4.0

Degrees: B.S. Biology (May 2016)

Veterinary Experience:
Work as a Veterinary Assistant at a Small Animal Clinic 2000+ hours
Shadowing a Dairy Vet: 8 hours
Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Enrichment Camp: 45 hours

Animal Experience:
SA: 1000+
Equine: ~50 hr
Exotics: ~45 hr
Lab Animal: 800+

Research Experience: 5 semesters; I've worked on 4 different projects (3 related to behavioral neuroendocrinology and 1 doing organic peptide synthesis)

Non-Veterinary Employment:
Working as a Counselor for Campers with Special Needs for 4 summers at an overnight camp
Working as a Biology lab tech prepping labs and caring for lab animals

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
Treasurer of Biology Club
Vice President of Biology Club
Member of a sorority
Treasurer/VP of residence hall council
Dean's List/President's List every semester
Award for High Academic Achievement in the sorority

LORs:
Small Animal Vet/Employer who I’ve worked for for 6 years
Small Animal Relief Vet who I’ve worked with for about 6 years
Professor who I’ve done research with for 2+ years and taken multiple classes with (neuro, endo, ethology, A&P 1&2, developmental biology, seminar, etc.)
Philosophy/Religious Studies professor who spoke to my character and drive

Personal Statement: I talked about how my initial interest in science and animals converged into a passion for vet med. Watching a dog neuter on my 16th birthday on my first day of work. How involvement with research opened my eyes to opportunities in the profession other than clinical practice and how research experience will help me be a better veterinarian. Finally I talked about characteristics of the vets that I work with that I also possess.

It doesn’t sound like anything special, but I had multiple committees that I interviewed with mention how much they liked it.

 

[rockatiel]

Yeah I chose Tufts over VMRCVM for a lot of reasons. Firstly, I want to go into zoo med or wildlife med and Tufts is a great place to pursue that. I know I could change my mind about what type of medicine I will practice, but at Tufts I will have the best opportunity to explore zoo/wildlife med. Also, I didn't like the fact that VMRCVM tracked :/. Tufts doesn't do that and I loved that they encouraged students to try things out of their comfort zones and to get experience in diverse fields. Also, I loved the faculty/student body at Tufts so much! I didn't get the same vibes at VMRCVM and I felt like I wouldn't really be happy there. I also felt a lot better about the cirriculum at Tufts. Overall it's just a better fit for me I think. It's also a FANTASTIC school!!!

Not really trying to start a debate lol but tracking doesn't necessarily you mean don't get to try anything. I just asked this question in my LSU interview because they also track. On a track you will have to still get exposed to things you don't want to specialize in for the sake of the NAVLE. Say if you're small animal track you will still have a clinical rotation in large and equine and food animals. But you're not doing equine rehab, sports med, all of that. You will still get diverse experience to the field either way! 🙂

 

[rockatiel]

21 year old female, MI resident, 1st time applicant
(I am proof that you can get in without a large variety of vet experience!! I had people tell me that I wouldn't be accepted because I lacked large animal experience, but I was accepted to 6 schools, so it is definitely possible.)

Applied: Iowa State, Kansas State, Lincoln Memorial, Midwestern, Louisiana State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri
Interview: All! (declined Minnesota and Illinois)
Waitlist: Iowa State
Accepted: Midwestern, Lincoln Memorial, Michigan State, Missouri, Kansas State, Louisiana State
Attending: Louisiana State University (99% sure)

Overall GPA: 3.718
Science GPA: 3.56 (VMCAS — other schools calculated it differently, i.e. ISU was a 3.4 and LSU was a 3.76)
Last 45: 3.86
GRE (Q/V/W): 158/159/4.0

Degrees: B.S. Biology (May 2016)

Veterinary Experience:
Work as a Veterinary Assistant at a Small Animal Clinic 2000+ hours
Shadowing a Dairy Vet: 8 hours
Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Enrichment Camp: 45 hours

Animal Experience:
SA: 1000+
Equine: ~50 hr
Exotics: ~45 hr
Lab Animal: 800+

Research Experience: 5 semesters; I've worked on 4 different projects (3 related to behavioral neuroendocrinology and 1 doing organic peptide synthesis)

Non-Veterinary Employment:
Working as a Counselor for Campers with Special Needs for 4 summers at an overnight camp
Working as a Biology lab tech prepping labs and caring for lab animals

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
Treasurer of Biology Club
Vice President of Biology Club
Member of a sorority
Treasurer/VP of residence hall council
Dean's List/President's List every semester
Award for High Academic Achievement in the sorority

LORs:
Small Animal Vet/Employer who I’ve worked for for 6 years
Small Animal Relief Vet who I’ve worked with for about 6 years
Professor who I’ve done research with for 2+ years and taken 6 classes with (Neuro, endo, A&P 1&2, Developmental, seminar, etc.)
Philosophy/Religious Studies professor who spoke to my character and drive

Personal Statement: I talked about how my initial interest in science and animals converged into a passion for vet med. Watching a dog neuter on my 16th birthday on my first day of work. How involvement with research opened my eyes to opportunities in the profession other than clinical practice and how research experience will help me be a better veterinarian. Finally I talked about characteristics of the vets that I work with that I also possess.

It doesn’t sound like anything special, but I had multiple committees that I interviewed with mention how much they liked it.

Love your attendance decision! Fingers crossed I'll be seeing you at the SVM in the fall. I should find out in 2 weeks! Also, LSU did a similar thing with my prereq GPA. Weird...

 

[FutureVet2020?]

Why did you choose Ohio versus Texas? Just curiosity considering cost of Ohio

 

[jcc3sa]

Yeah I chose Tufts over VMRCVM for a lot of reasons. Firstly, I want to go into zoo med or wildlife med and Tufts is a great place to pursue that. I know I could change my mind about what type of medicine I will practice, but at Tufts I will have the best opportunity to explore zoo/wildlife med. Also, I didn't like the fact that VMRCVM tracked :/. Tufts doesn't do that and I loved that they encouraged students to try things out of their comfort zones and to get experience in diverse fields. Also, I loved the faculty/student body at Tufts so much! I didn't get the same vibes at VMRCVM and I felt like I wouldn't really be happy there. I also felt a lot better about the cirriculum at Tufts. Overall it's just a better fit for me I think. It's also a FANTASTIC school!!!

VMCVM is my IS too and it didn't vibe so well with me either. Maybe it's because I'm a wahoo and attending anything VT related would make me a traitor 😛

 

[JJ1019]

Yeah I understand 🙂, but I would still prefer not to track. I was turned off by the way they described it at VMRCVM...but to each their own 🙂

I toured VMRCVM and also didn't like it at all. I did meet with someone about cirriculum and it sounds like some big changes were in the works when I did. I only applied in state though because the cost I just couldn't justify when looking at cost&debt to salary ratios. I think you can make the most of what you are given so no matter where you go you'll have to make an effort. From what I understand zoo med is competitive so I understand wanting to do a good program, but look at how competitive versus realistic chance you get a job in it, versus debt you'll get at Tufts.
I'm just trying to play Devils advocate so that 4 years from now if zoo med didn't work out and you now have $150k more in debt (2x that of Virginia tech) will it be worth it? I suspect good grades and networking will be just as important in getting the job you want. Specifically networking. Just guessing though.

 

[flameshock]

VMCVM is my IS too and it didn't vibe so well with me either. Maybe it's because I'm a wahoo and attending anything VT related would make me a traitor 😛

This is very interesting to me because I had a similar feeling when I went and interviewed there. VMCVM is my instate too, but I'm having a difficult time choosing between it and Ohio (which is more expensive for me but the place felt right).

 

[JJ1019]

Applied: A&M, Wisconsin, North Carolina
Accepted: A&M, Wisconsin, (still waiting to hear from NCSU)
Attending: A&M (hello in-state tuition)

I loved this. This is the perfect use for a dancing banana. Congrats!

 

[JJ1019]

This is very interesting to me because I had a similar feeling when I went and interviewed there. VMCVM is my instate too, but I'm having a difficult time choosing between it and Ohio (which is more expensive for me but the place felt right).

I have a degree from Tech and the vet school just didn't feel right. That being said, I'd go there if it was my in-state. I miss the mountains. I think it was just the person giving the tour and the way it was presented. I just went for a tour and it was the least informative and shortest tour ever and I felt like I was such an inconvenience. My best tour experiences were Auburn, CSU, and Davis.

 

[chrkat1]

24 year old female, MI resident, 1st time applicant
(I applied to a lot of schools because of my lower GPA and I was lucky enough that my grandparents offered to pay all of my application fees)

Applied: Iowa State, Kansas State, Lincoln Memorial, Louisiana State, Michigan State, Illinois, Wisconsin, Cornell, UPenn, Oregon, Washington, Purdue, Tufts, Ohio
Interview: UPenn, Kansas, Lincoln Memorial, Illinois (declined)
Waitlist: Oregon
Accepted: UPenn, Kansas, (still haven't heard from LMU)
Attending: UPENN

Overall GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: low 3s
Last 45: 3.5
GRE (Q/V/W): 158/165/4.5

Degrees: B.S. Psychology and Anthropology (2013)
my school is well regarded and I think this helped to explain my lower gpa

Veterinary Experience:
Shadowed small animal/exotic practice: 525 hours (all summer before application)
Worked at small animal clinic: 20 hours at time of application but is ongoing

Animal Experience:
Equine/large animal: worked for 6 summers at a summer camp with 80ish horses and some cows, sheep, pigs, goats, chickens, llamas, peacocks, donkeys etc. approximately 7,000 hours

Research Experience: spent one summer in high school in Israel researching weakly electric fish

Non-Veterinary Employment:
Worked for two years as an assistant manager at a high end boutique

Extracurricular Activities/Awards:
I run a lot so I put a bunch of marathons/half marathons/10k/5k races that I completed
Volunteered with the local track and field club
Women in Science club
Tutor for horizon upward bound
Piano (multiple awards in high school)
Graduated Cum Laude

LORs:
Small Animal Vet that I shadowed
Equine Manager at camp that I worked at for 6 years
Anthropology Professor that I took multiple classes with in undergrad

Personal Statement: Wrote about my path to veterinary medicine and how it differed from others and how it helped my understanding of the field.

 

[rockatiel]

It's a slippery slope because we're always told to "pick the best fit" but everyone's priorities will be different. I LOVED MS State when I was there, but I also really liked LSU. Though MS felt more like home to me I know I can make a home at my IS too, and be exposed to the same amount of species and have all the same great programs. AND I get to track, and save 100K. 100K is basically the difference between buying a home, car, or clinic in the future as I see it. So I'm crossing my fingers and toes that I get into my IS. Congrats on your choice! I'm happy you will get to be happy. Just wanted to provide a different perspective from a lesson in currently learning myself 🙂

 

[officialood]

22 year old female, WI resident, first time applicant
Applied Wisconsin (IS), Ross, Kansas, Dublin
Interviews: Kansas, Ross
Rejected: WI, Kansas
Accepted: Dublin (4 year), Ross
Attending: Dublin 😍

Degrees: B.S. in Equine Science (Pre-vet emphasis) & a minor in Chemistry, from the University of Minnesota Crookston (Will be graduating this spring)
Overall GPA: 3.53 (GPAs are based off of what was on VMCAS at the time of application)
science: 3.53
last 45: 3.68

GRE (Q/V/W): 149/156 (45%)/4

Veterinary Experience:
-Volunteer at a high volume/low cost clinic
-Interned for a summer at a small animal clinic in Ireland
-Shadowed an equine vet (main focus was acupuncture & chiropractic work)
-Miscellaneous hours shadowing the vets that came to work on the animals at the University


Research Experience:
-Currently doing a project looking at exercise related stress in school horses with one of my professors & my roommate. We'll be presenting at NCUR this April. 🙂
-Chem research--> synthesis of an anti-fungal compound (we're modifying the structure of a known compound to see if it potentially has a stronger effect)

Animal Experience:
-Volunteer at an all breed dog/cat rescue in Madison
-Volunteer at the humane society in my college town
-Showed a few school horses for judging competitions
-Halter broke a yearling filly
-Leased a TB gelding for 5ish years
-Halter broke & showed a sheep
-Various experience working with the University's animals (horses, sheep, beef & dairy cattle)
-Pet ownership


Non-Animal Employment:
-Lab assistant in the University's MST department (mostly involved prepped solutions/materials for biology & chem classes, growing cultures for the micro class, ect.)
-Catered for the company that runs dining services on campus
-Cashier at Menard's


Extracurriculars / Etc:
-Member of Enactus (elected to exec board for a year)
-Pre-vet club (served on exec board)
-Study abroad club
-National Society for Leadership and Success (exec board)
-STEM club
-Volunteer at local food bank

LORs:
-Vet that I interned with
-Professor that I'm currently doing research with, and have had for several classes
-Boss from my catering job (have worked with for 3ish years)


Personal Statement:
Started with the amusing story of my first sheep vaccination experience. Went on to discuss how my non-animal/leadership roles and research experience has influenced me, and what I learned from it. Talked about my internship, how it helped broaden my understanding of the field and what I gained from going abroad. Ended with discussing my interests and goals in veterinary medicine.

 

[FeenyFee]

Hey guys!!! I'm so excited I can actually post that I have vet school plans for the future so here goes!

1st time applicant, 21 year old female
Applied: Mississippi State, UGA (1st choice), Florida, Auburn, Tennessee, NC State
Interviews: Mississippi State, Auburn, Tennessee (went to all three)
Rejected: Florida (asked for a file review and was told my vet hours were inadequate to be competitive, LEARN FROM ME)
Waitlist: Auburn
Accepted: UGA (oos), Mississippi State (oos)
Waiting on: Tennessee and NC State
Attending: Waiting to decide once I hear back from NC State and Tennessee as I want to make a holistic decision based on where I get in even though I have been accepted into my top choice

Overall GPA: 3.85
Science GPA: 3.74
Last 45: 3.89
GRE: 311: 156 (Q), 155 (V), 4.0 on writing

Vet Experience: 800 hours shadowing at a small vet clinic, 10 hours shadowing an equine vet

Animal Experience: 10 hours volunteering at a raptor center, 300 hours as a vet tech assistant at the same vet clinic I shadowed at

Research Experience: for one credit hour I did research for my ecology professor about census changes in my state and my theories on why there are significant declines and rises in populations

Extracurriculars:
· Member of a sorority
Served as a day chair for recruitment, then as MVP of Design for recruitment, and also served as merchandise chair
· Member of Freshman Honor Society (Alpha Lambda Delta)
· Member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars
· Member of Alpha Epsilon Delta (Pre-Med Honor Society)
· In the PR committee for the Carolina/Clemson Blood Drive
· Student Instructor for Psychology 101
· Volunteered on the oncology floor of the hospital in my city (300 hours)
· Volunteered in a free clinic for the last two summers (350 hours)
· Shadowed an array of medical doctors (about 200 hours) ~ did this because I originally thought I wanted to be a medical doctor but realized my passion was for animal welfare, I included this in my application to indicate that the reason I did not have more vet hours is because I realized later than most that my calling was in Veterinary Medicine (didn't decide until going into my junior year)

LoR:
3 vets that I worked with
1 from the professor of whom I was the student instructor for her psyc class
1 from the ecology professor I did the census work for

Personal Statement:
Talked about when I decided I wanted to be a vet (which included a personal story), also talked about my psychology minor and what kind of specialty care I wanted to do and why I think I would be fantastic at it.

How come you didn't include those 300 hours of vet tech assistant as vet experience?

 

[hrcline]

It's a slippery slope because we're always told to "pick the best fit" but everyone's priorities will be different. I LOVED MS State when I was there, but I also really liked LSU. Though MS felt more like home to me I know I can make a home at my IS too, and be exposed to the same amount of species and have all the same great programs. AND I get to track, and save 100K. 100K is basically the difference between buying a home, car, or clinic in the future as I see it. So I'm crossing my fingers and toes that I get into my IS. Congrats on your choice! I'm happy you will get to be happy. Just wanted to provide a different perspective from a lesson in currently learning myself 🙂

I thought LSU doesn't offer tracking?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[rockatiel]

I thought LSU doesn't offer tracking?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

They do! 🙂 I asked about it in my interview today. Basically your third year you pick something to focus in, and if you don't know, you just choose mixed animal.