Successful Applicants c/o 2025

[youstinatutti]

Congratulations to those of you who have heard great news already! I know some universities have already offered acceptances, so I figured we can start this thread now. Please post your stats to help other applicants as the acceptances roll in. This is the same format copied and pasted from previous years:

Age, Gender, State/Country of Residence, Traditional/Non-traditional applicant, # of times you've applied:

Applied:
Interview Invites:
Waiting to hear:
Accepted:
Attending:

Overall GPA:
Science Prerequisite GPA:
Last 45 GPA:

GRE (Q/V/W): x (%) / y (%) / z (%)

Degree(s):

Veterinary Experience:
Experience - (hrs)

Animal Experience:
Experience - (hrs)

Research:
Experience - (hrs)

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Experience - (hrs)

Non-Animal Employment:
Experience - (hrs)

LORs:
Title of recommender (Vet? Manager? Supervisor? Vet tech?)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Summary of what you wrote about

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[Sqweamish]

23, male, Ohio, traditional, second time applying

Applied: Ohio State, Michigan State, Washington State, Purdue, Lincoln Memorial
Interview Invites: Purdue, LMU, tOSU
Waiting to hear: Purdue
Accepted: LMU, tOSU
Attending: OHIO STATE!

Overall GPA: 3.61
Science Prerequisite GPA: I'm a dingus and forgot to download my application, but somewhere between 3.2-3.4 if I had to guess.
Last 45 GPA: 3.8-3.9

GRE (Q/V/W): 158 (65%) / 162 (90%) / 4.5 (80%)

Degree(s): Bachelors in biology, associates in chemistry

Veterinary Experience:
Experience - (hrs)
Veterinary assistant in a small animal hospital - approximately 6000+ hours
Shadowing a mixed animal vet, primarily on farm calls with equine and livestock, with some small animal interspersed in there. - Approximately 120-150 hours
Shadowing an exotic animal vet (birds, reptiles, rabbits)- Approximately 70-80 hours

Animal Experience:
Experience - (hrs)
I don't think I had anything entered here, maybe dog sitting, but I don't think I entered it.

Research:
Experience - (hrs)
Worked with my academic advisor in her research of parental habits of native bird species by gathering data- Approximately 80 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Experience - (hrs)
Involved in a fraternity
Scholarship Director for said fraternity for 3 years, assisted brothers in improving their studies and grades, approximately 300+ hours.
On Standards Board- Approximately 50 hours total
Ritual Director- Approximately 50 hours
Received the New Member of the Year award when I joined
Dean's List x4-5 semesters
Also listed high school sports involvements, such as cross country (easily 700+ hours), swimming (about 250 hours), and track (roughly 300 hours or so).


Non-Animal Employment:
Experience - (hrs)
None here.

LORs:
Title of recommender (Vet? Manager? Supervisor? Vet tech?)
Three vets, one who I worked with for 5 years before he sold the practice.
Second vet is the one who I work for now, who bought the practice.
Third vet is the one I shadowed on farm calls
My academic advisor, a professor at my undergraduate institution

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Summary of what you wrote about
Personal statement was relating to some struggles I faced during my sophomore year. Had some major family struggles that impacted my mental wellbeing and time management, causing for my grades to fall that year, but I discussed what I learned from the situation. I also had a small portion of it dedicated to what my plans were in my gap year with volunteering, how they were impacted by COVID, and what my next plans were (one of which being volunteering with the Trevor Project, which starts next month!!) In my general essays tied into the core reason why I want to be a vet, that being I want to contribute to the improvement of the mental wellbeing of others by ensuring their animals are receiving the best care, as I know how important animals can be to the mental wellbeing of individuals.
I made sure to answer the essays as completely and comprehensively as I could, as some of them are quite broad.

 

[pawprintsandponytails]

I have stalked SDN since 2018-2019 cycle, and I am beyond excited to post here. I don't think the news has sunk in yet and it's been a week! Also, lower gpa alert
I worked my tail off to get a positive trend back in my GPA, and it is possible to get in when you have crap thrown at you in life! My inbox is forever open if you need someone to talk to!

24, female, Arkansas, traditional, second time applying

First cycle: Only accepted and interviewed at SGU and Ross; denied from -- Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi State, Colorado, LMU

Second cycle
Applied: Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, Michigan, Purdue, Virginia-Maryland
Interview Invites: Louisiana, Mississippi, Michigan (got the webinar invite so they will be using casper for interview)
Waiting to hear: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Colorado, Michigan
Rejected: Missouri, Purdue
Waitlisted: Virginia-Maryland
Accepted: Mississippi State (HAIL STATE!!!!)
Attending: MISSISSIPPI (unless someone offers me killer scholarship money)

Cumulative GPA: UG: 3.391 Grad 4.0 (19 hours) (combined GPA including all repeated course work 3.4)
science GPA: varies based on how school calculates, but around a 3.2 to 3.5 (1st time my science was 2.85)
Last 45: 3.5

Degrees: BS biology, MS in Animal Science (2021, spring)

GRE results : 154 (63%), 153 (48%), 4.0 (55%)

Veterinary Experience:
~4650 small animal
~10 food animal
~200 equine
~15 exotic

Animal Experience:
~4000 ownership/pet sitting
~40 food animal (working with dairy cows for research project)
~2500 working and volunteering at barns/training/showing/ownership
~300 exotic ownership


Research Experience:
~800 hours
I am currently pursuing research in bovine reproduction studying sperm subjected to cryopreservation. I specifically am looking. at cholesterol level in the membranes of sperm categorized as high or low freezability, as well as the ratio to other lipids and ratio to proteins in the membrane. I am also looking at membrane fluidity and developing an extender that using antioxidants to reduce damage by ROS. I have assisted with another projects with sample collection (fecal, urine, blood and rumen) looking at the microbiome of dairy cattle, as well as rode and collection of blood samples in a project looking at oxidative stress in unfit horses as a preliminary study for supplementation with melatonin.

Awards/scholarships:
Full ride honors scholarship
Academic challenge scholarship
Tom Courtway (Presidential) scholarship - 1 yr
Women of Integrity award
Who's Who award
RA of the year for area
Deans/Presidents list
Top 10 dairy team in FFA during high school
Valedictorian in high school

Extracurriculars:
Sorority: held 2 leadership positions within chapter then served as Panhellenic president
Volunteer: lead big event team, other project such as habitat for humanity, animal shelter, A21 human trafficking, Bethlehem house, Safe haven, extension projects during my masters, and at the horse unit for the university
Teaching assistant: 2 courses as primary instructor and one as a second TA
Resident's Assistant
Academic ambassador- for undergrad university and honors college
Order of Omega
Guest speaker on diversity panel put on by the Students for the propagation of black culture
Publications: one review article under review with frontiers in veterinary science and an extension article on breeding your mare, others in the works as part of my thesis research


Employment:
Graduate service assistant during masters for distance education (COVID has been greattttt)
Vet assistant: two different clinics (40 hours a week during school)
Manager of bar (worked 40 hours a week during school and volunteered at a clinic)
Student worker at art gallery while working 40 hours at vet clinic during school
spray tan tech- 20 hours a week (while working at bar too)
worked at a restaurant during freshman year 20 hours a week during school
summer job as life guard for 2 summers
RA for honor's college residential hall - sophomore year


Letter of Recommendations:
3 vets (2 i worked with, 1 i shadowed during my masters), 2 professors (1 masters advisor and main one I TA for; 1 masters instructor and volunteered on projects and TA for **my research advisor had my request for recommendation since may and never completed it so I pulled my request*), 1 from the advisor from when I was panhellenic president during undergrad

Essays:
Biggest hurdle during my first round: poor poor poor POOR academic marks following a sexual assault, lack of a support system (1st gen college student), working full time to support my self (parents didn't pay any bills not even car insurance). I discuss this very frank during the hardships section of my application. I admit that I should have sought mental health professionals sooner, then went on to explain how all of these experiences have taught me vauluable lessons as I continue. {wrote to take ownership, not give excuses}

Also, I was very upfront in my career plans and my plan to pay for vet school and how I planned to pay off my loans. This was brought up in interview so I think being able to really show how much thought I put into this plan helped me.

 

[xoxochlochlo]

21, female, California, Traditional applicant, First time applying:

Applied: UC Davis (rejected), Western Univ of Health Sciences, Oregon State, Washington State (rejected)
Interview Invites: Western
Waiting to hear: Western
Accepted: Oregon
Attending: Oregon

Overall GPA: ~3.5
Science Prerequisite GPA: ~3.4
Last 45 GPA: ~3.7

GRE (Q/V/W): 159 (69%) / 154 (63%) / 5.0 (92%)

Degree(s): A. A. Human Development (2019), B.S. Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary (2021)

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Private Practice - ~3000
Receptionist/Assistant - ~2000hrs
Assistant/Technician - ~1000hrs

Animal Experience:
Pet Sitting (dogs, cats, pocket pets, reptiles, fish) - ~500hrs
Kennel Technician - ~100hrs

Research:
none

Extracurriculars/Awards:
CRU Club (Christian Club) - 1yr
Cal Poly Pomona Pre-Vet Club - 1yr
CPP Ridge Runners (Snowboarding) - 1yr
Snowboarding - 3yrs
Running/Hiking - 3yrs
Cycling - 2 years

Non-Animal Employment:
Birthday Party Attendant - ~1750hrs

LORs:
1 Veterinarian/Medical Director
1 Veterinarian
1 Lead Technician
2 Professors - Animal Anatomy/Physio + Animal Anatomy/Physio Lab (different profs)
1 Professor - Biology + Biology Lab (same prof)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I wrote about why the science of vet med interests me (was advised it's not enough to "just love animals, there has to be the desire and capacity to learn behind it." I also wrote about why emergency medicine interests me and why I will be a good match for it. I talked about difficulties with my mother leaving my father while he was hospitalized with DKA and myself becoming the sole caretaker of my father, while still in school full time, while still working 25-30hrs per week. I always am able to maintain a positive outlook, so I discussed these negative events (and others) while talking about how they have helped me grow and what I have learned.

Tips I was given that I feel were helpful:
- Write as if you have already been accepted "I AM a good fit vs I WOULD BE a good fit;" "I WILL demonstrate x, y, and z, not "If given the chance..."
- Keep it short and sweet. There is NO room for fluff, and the admissions committees will know if you lack substance
- If you have a specialty in mind, make sure to talk about it
- If you lack experience (ie. I was planning to volunteer in Uganda last summer but d/t COVID the trip was postponed 1 year), mention it (even if there is not a specific prompt dedicated to it).
- When talking about qualities veterinarians possess and how you possess these attributes, make sure to include specific examples
- USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES (the more the better)

Some colleges may review your application and tell you what influenced their decision (if you are rejected), so it is always a good idea to ask. I asked UC Davis and they gave me a lot of good pointers for next cycle (if I had chosen to apply), as well as some positive feedback from this year's application (so I know what I do not necessarily have to spend time fixing)

 

[MacchiatosandMochi]

24, Female, Colorado, Non-traditional applicant, 1st Application Cycle

Applied: Midwestern, Colorado State, Cornell, Tufts
Interview Invites: Midwestern, Tufts, (Other two didn't do Interviews)
Waiting to hear: 0
Accepted: Midwestern, Tufts, Colorado State, Cornell
Attending: Colorado State

Overall GPA: 3.975
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.99
Last 45 GPA: 3.98

GRE: Did not take as none of the schools I applied to required it

Degree(s): Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Major), Classics (Major), Business (Minor)

Veterinary Experience:
Equine Field Veterinary Technician - (1600 hrs) - At a very well known Equine Clinic in the Southwest Denver Metro
Small Animal Shadowing - About 50-60 hours of shadowing at local clinic

Animal Experience:
Horse Barn Manager - (~1000 hrs)
Volunteering at Wildlife Rehab Center (~70 hours)
House/Pet Sitting

Research: 0 working hours, did research for Archeological Research in Greece as part of my Classics Major

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Dean's List - (hrs)
Competitive Show-jumper (I don't even know how to calculate this. It's a lot.
Fundraising for MS Global with Road Cycling

Non-Animal Employment:
Cryotherapy Technician (~1200 hours) - When I was deciding if I wanted to go into PT
Medical Scribe (~300) hours - When I was deciding if I wanted to go into human med
Learning Assistant for Stats (~150 hours)


LORs:
Equine Veterinarian that I work for exclusively from well-known equine clinic
EBIO Professor that I took 3 classes with and worked for for 3 semesters
GP Doctor that I scribed for when deciding between human and vet med
Biochemistry Professor

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Horses Horses Horses - Honestly, I don't remember much. For Tufts I wrote about my experiences in Greece and finding myself there (wanted a story that did not relate to animals at all). Wrote about all of my different varying experiences that led to me picking veterinary medicine, how nothing else felt right. Also wrote about how the purpose of the veterinarian is to prevent suffering, even if it means making difficult decisions.

 

[biomajor2019]

Hi everyone! I have been a long time lurker on SDN for years, and I always love to watch the Successful Student threads. I'm so so excited that I am finally getting to post in it!

My situation was a little unique, so for those with LOW/AVERAGE GPAs! Believe in yourself and work hard and you can do ANYTHING!

Age, Gender, State/Country of Residence, Traditional/Non-traditional applicant, # of times you've applied:
23, F, Vermont, USA
Traditional, 1st time applying (took 2 gap years)

Applied: UF, Michigan State, Midwestern, LMU, Ross
Interview Invites: Midwestern, LMU, Ross
Waiting to hear: 0
Accepted: LMU, Midwestern, Ross
Attending: LMU!!!🎉

Overall GPA: ~3.4
Science Prerequisite GPA: ~3.5
Last 45 GPA: ~3.8

GRE (Q/V/W): x (%) / y (%) / z (%)
None of the schools required the GRE, this year, but I sent it to Ross because my advisor there highly recommended I still send it with it being optional!
I did not study correctly for this exam so my scores were not ideal lol thankfully it wasn't required by anywhere!

143/146/3.5

Degree(s): B.S. Biology (graduated May 2019)

Veterinary Experience:
Experience - (hrs)
2,600 hours- small animal/exotics GP hospital working as a veterinary assistant/receptionist, eventually became a trainer/lead on staff (able to perform all skills a technician can)

Animal Experience:
Experience - (hrs)

500 hours-animal care in a science center working with aquatics and reptiles
500 hours-intern at a wildlife rehabilitation center working with wildlife such as birds, foxes, opossums, porcupines, etc
100 hours-volunteer in an animal shelter as a dog walker/kennel cleaner
50 hours-volunteer at a horse stable
300 hours - pet sitter (I listed this because I pet sat a lot of pets in the area with medical/behavioral issues so the local veterinary hospitals recommended people reach out to me to pet sit due to my experience)


Research:
Experience - (hrs)

None

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Experience - (hrs)
I think this is where I stood out! I was very involved in college, especially my junior and senior year once I transferred to a 4 year school!

-Student Government-4 years, became president senior year (I accomplished a lot of things as president that I spoke about in my essays)
-Chair for 2 years for large charity event on campus to benefit the United Way
-VSCSA (state-level student government) Secretary 2 years
-Alternative Breaks - 1 year, focus for the year was on Animal Welfare, traveled to Fl and worked at Forest Animal Rescue for 1 week building enclosures
-I created a charity event on campus senior year to help low-income students find professional clothing and created a senior scholarship to help a graduating senior enter the professional world
-Volunteered at local community meals, blood drives, and nursing homes
-I was a DIII Cross Country athlete for 2 years
-I went to community college my first 2 years of school and during that time I volunteered as the -Modified Indoor and Outdoor track and field coach
-Secretary of the Student Advisory Committee for 1 year
-Sat on the Alumni Association for 1 year as the student voice/speaker
-Worked in the college's Food Pantry for 2 years

Non-Animal Employment:
Experience - (hrs)
-I worked at a popcorn company for 5 years and eventually became Store Manager, but also held other positions such as Head of Marketing, and Assistant Manager. I was also a trainer for 3/5 years.
-Pharmacy Technician for 1 year at a local Kinney Drugs (pharmacy work just wasn't for me)
- I did work study my final 2 years of college so I worked in Intramural sports and in the Library



LORs:
Title of recommender (Vet? Manager? Supervisor? Vet tech?)
1. Veterinarian/Owner of the small animal/exotic GP I've worked at for 2 years - was able to speak on my skills and knowledge in the field, my leadership skills, and my professional skills within the hospiral
2. Advisor for Student Government-she was able to speak a lot on my leadership skills and how community-oriented I am.
3. My Organic Chemistry Professor- able to speak on my grades and my abilities as a student (he knew how involved I was on campus and I was still able to maintain As)
4. Owner of the Popcorn Company I worked at for 5 years - able to speak on my creativity, leadership skills, professional skills, work ethic, etc

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Summary of what you wrote about

I wrote about my dream to move back home to my hometown in rural NY and open a hospital with GP and 24 hr ER services. I spoke about how ER services are lacking in my hometown area and the nearest 24 hr ER is almost 2 hrs away in a neighboring state.

Explanation Statement: I spoke about how my first year of college was LESS than ideal. I withdrew my first semester at a school a few hours from home after I was followed home to my dorm by a male student and threw up against a building in a choke hold. I was 17 and it seriously terrified me so I withdrew the following day. I then applied to the local nursing program in my hometown at another community college for the following semester and was accepted but failed out due to having 2 family deaths back to back within a month (during midterms of course) at this time I was 18-19 years old and just couldn't handle all of the emotional turmoil. I ended that semester with all Cs and an F.
I bounced back, though. I took winter break to seek the help I needed, went through one more semester of community college and then transferred to a 4 year school where I not only did well, I EXCELLED. If you did poorly your first year (literally applied to my 4 year school with ~2.5 GPA) YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER! I worked my a** off, got involved, found my passions, and got all As and Bs. I brought my overall GPA up to a 3.4 by the time I graduated!
I was able to speak on this in all 3 of my interviews, and I know the admissions committees were very impressed with my resilience.
If you are getting ready to apply, or are still in school and my story resonates with you, don't hesitate to reach out! Everyone deserves to give themselves a second chance!


So excited to be apart of LMU-CVM c/o 2025!!!

 

[EngrSC]

So happy for you @biomajor2019!!!! LMU is beautiful and they're so lucky to have you!

 

[Dana_May_B]

20, Female, Pennsylvania Resident, Traditional applicant, First-time applicant

Applied: UPenn, Cornell, Tufts, LMU, UGA, NC State, Ohio State, Purdue, VMCVM
Interview Invites: UPenn, Tufts, LMU
Rejected without interview: Ohio, Purdue
Waitlisted: VMCVM (find out rank on 4/1), NC State (unranked)
Accepted: LMU, Tufts (early acceptance), Cornell, UPenn, UGA
Attending: PENN VET WITH A FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP

Overall GPA: 3.88
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.84
Last 45 GPA: 3.83

GRE (Q/V/W): 154 (51%) / 163 (92%) / 5.0 (92%)

Degree(s): Bachelor's in Avian Biology with minor in Biology (graduating in spring 2021).

Veterinary Experience: 802 hours
Mix of small animal, exotic, wildlife, and poultry.

I am graduating with my bachelor's degree a year early, so I know I don't have as many hours as most people! I applied to vet school the summer after my second year of undergrad.

Animal Experience: ~500 hours
All small animal (volunteering at dog rescue and working at a dog boarding facility)

Research: 20-30 hours
Poultry research

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Dean's list all semesters of undergrad
President and founder of Common Ground, a club focused on bring people together from different sides of the political spectrum
Awarded chicken trophy for getting the highest grade in Intro to Poultry science
Honors Program student
Pre-vet club member
Young Democrats of UGA club member
Students for Bernie Sanders club member

Non-Animal Employment:
Chemistry tutor at UGA
Office assistant at an engineering company
Receptionist at a research facility in the UGA vet school
Avian Ambassador for the UGA Poultry Science department

LORs: 4
Two vets from a small animal/exotic/wildlife emergency practice where I worked during the summer of 2020
My research mentor who is also my faculty advisor
My pre-vet advisor

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I wrote about my passion for working with poultry and my desire to help provide veterinary medicine for underserved areas. There are dozens of counties across the US that have over 25,000 food animals, but no food animal vets! That statistic really started my passion for food animal medicine, and I have been just crazy about birds since I was in elementary school, so I thought poultry medicine would be a great way to work with birds for a living while also making a positive difference in the world.

My two cents: I have a fairly high GPA and a not so high number of vet experience hours. I was rejected from Ohio and Purdue without interview, while I got into Cornell, Tufts, UPenn, and LMU just fine. It seems to me, and this is just my observation, that the private schools seem to favor those with a higher GPA, and the public schools tend to favor more well-rounded candidates with more experience. Also, having a unique interest definitely helped me in my application process, I truly think it made me stand out. All of my interviewers in all 3 of my interviews brought up how food animal vets are really needed right now but there just aren't many people interested in this field.

Edited to add that I'm committing to Penn!!!!! This is honestly a dream come true and I wouldn't have guessed I would have received this scholarship in a million years. Definitely don't feel worthy, but I will work so incredibly hard these next 4 years to try and show that I am extremely thankful and will not take this for granted!!!!

 

[mwnewt]

I am extremely happy to be posting in this thread and even happier for the other people apart of it. Everyone here deserves it and so much more

23, Female, Virginia, Traditional (I think), third time applying:

Applied: VMCVM
Interview Invites: where I applied did not interview this year
Waiting to hear: n/a
Accepted: VMCVM
Attending: VMCVM

Overall GPA: ~3.8 ( I have a 4.0 from my community college and a 3.72 from my university, I could never figure out how the VMCAs calculated my GPA but it was always around 3.8)
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.8
Last 45 GPA: 3.7

GRE (Q/V/W): n/a, VMCVM does not take GRE scores

Degree(s): B.S. in Biology (graduated May 2019); currently working on a Masters of Veterinary Medicine with a concentration in Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida

Veterinary Experience:
Veterinary Assistant at a small animal hospital (with a sprinkle of exotic) - ~4500 hours (current experience)
- This was my first and apparently long-lasting veterinary hospital experience. I am technically a veterinary assistant but I have been categorized as senior staff with more administrative duties such as training, ordering, yada yada. I also recently started drawing blood because I got into veterinary school so yay me! The sprinkle of exotics is the occasional gpig, rat, or bunny.

Animal Experience:
Keeper Aid at Smithsonian National Zoo (zoo animal/wildlife) - ~75 hours
- I included this in my animal experience instead of my veterinary experience on my VMCAs so I will do the same here. I primarily worked with vet techs and keepers at the zoo, more than I worked with the vets so I counted it more as animal than veterinary but I did get to see the occasional vet exam or go into the field with the vet.

Cat Caretaker for a local rescue (small)- ~ 25 hours

Dog Handler/Animal Driver for a local rescue (small) - ~25 hours

Dog Walker/Caretaker for my family - ~ 350 hours
- I was suggested to include this information in my application by the vets I work with but I did find it hard to explain it well in my application. I live separately from my mother and have for a while, she hired me as a dog walker to regularly walk her dogs since she no longer had anyone to walk the dogs (since I did it when I lived there). I would also be their primary caretaker when she would go on vacation.

Student in an Animal Science course offered by my high school (exotics, avian, equine, small) - ~250 hours
- I am super lucky my high school offered this animal science course. It involved a lecture portion and then an animal care portion in which you were assigned an animal for a week to take care of. They had snakes, gerbils, a pony, a very large tortoise, lots of birds, anything you can really think of, even two huskies. This is where I pulled a lot of range out of my experience since I have only ever gotten professional experience at a small animal hospital.

Pet ownership (small, exotics)- who knows how many hours (I did not include this on my application)

Research:
All of my research was research done as apart of an undergrad course but I was told to include it anyway by the vets I work with.
Genetic mapping of fruit flies - ~25 hours
Intra/Interspecific competition of tomatoes and radishes - ~25 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Extracurriculars:
- This is definitely where I was lacking as I am a very unsociable person so I do not really go out of my way to interact with other people outside of work and classes. I also really only had time for all of the volunteering that I put under my animal experience outside of work, school, and home life. My extracurriculars were essentially tailored for going to vet school and getting as much animal experience as possible (which may have been my downfall the first two times I applied)
Lead bassist for 3 years in high school
Color guard member for 2 years in high school

Awards:
Presidential Scholar at my community college for 2 semesters
Deans List at my community college for 1 semester
Deans List at my undergrad university for all semesters
Academic Achievement in an Animal Science course I took in high school
Guard of the Month two times as a lifeguard
AP Scholar and AP Scholar with Honor(felt kinda dumb adding these but why not)
Graduated Summa Cum Laude at my community college


Non-Animal Employment:
Lifeguard/Head lifeguard - ~4000 hours (I calculated this better on the VMCAs but I didn't save my app this year)
Deck monitor - ~650 hours (the pool is life when you're a lifeguard so I got a second job working at a pool)

LORs:
Manager of the animal hospital I work for - This was my first time having this person be an LOR and they must have written something on par with Shakespeare since I finally got in this time around. This manager I have been working with since I started at my current position and who I am really close to.
Associate Veterinary of the animal hospital I work for - This veterinarian I have worked with since I first started at my current position, this was their second time being my LOR, I really would not ever pick anyone else to be an LOR for me.
Biology/Microbiology professor from my community college - I took three classes with him and he was an LOR for all of my attempts.

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I primarily wrote about wanting to be a shelter veterinarian for the VMCA essays. Helping unfortunate animals, working with the community to combat overpopulation, and controlling diseases. I also wrote about wanting to do disaster work (being a lifeguard really made me interested in disaster response).

For the VMCVM essays, I wrote about some tough personal experiences that highlight my experience with resilience (the prompt was to define resilience). They also included a new prompt this year asking why I applied to VMCVM; I wrote about their COVID-19 policies, their diversity, and since VMCVM is my in-state, the financial benefits (which I know may seem like a bad idea but I think it is a good idea to let them know that I thought about the financial burden of attending vet school).

I used the explanation area to explain why I extended my time at my community college (instead of doing the typical 2 years at community college and two years at university) due to transferring issues.

 

[EngrSC]

Yayyyyyyy @mwnewt Welcome to the VMCVM family!!

 

[vetmedhead]

I am extremely happy to be posting in this thread and even happier for the other people apart of it. Everyone here deserves it and so much more

23, Female, Virginia, Traditional (I think), third time applying:

Applied: VMCVM
Interview Invites: where I applied did not interview this year
Waiting to hear: n/a
Accepted: VMCVM
Attending: VMCVM

Overall GPA: ~3.8 ( I have a 4.0 from my community college and a 3.72 from my university, I could never figure out how the VMCAs calculated my GPA but it was always around 3.8)
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.8
Last 45 GPA: 3.7

GRE (Q/V/W): n/a, VMCVM does not take GRE scores

Degree(s): B.S. in Biology (graduated May 2019); currently working on a Masters of Veterinary Medicine with a concentration in Shelter Medicine at the University of Florida

Veterinary Experience:
Veterinary Assistant at a small animal hospital (with a sprinkle of exotic) - ~4500 hours (current experience)
- This was my first and apparently long-lasting veterinary hospital experience. I am technically a veterinary assistant but I have been categorized as senior staff with more administrative duties such as training, ordering, yada yada. I also recently started drawing blood because I got into veterinary school so yay me! The sprinkle of exotics is the occasional gpig, rat, or bunny.

Animal Experience:
Keeper Aid at Smithsonian National Zoo (zoo animal/wildlife) - ~75 hours
- I included this in my animal experience instead of my veterinary experience on my VMCAs so I will do the same here. I primarily worked with vet techs and keepers at the zoo, more than I worked with the vets so I counted it more as animal than veterinary but I did get to see the occasional vet exam or go into the field with the vet.

Cat Caretaker for a local rescue (small)- ~ 25 hours

Dog Handler/Animal Driver for a local rescue (small) - ~25 hours

Dog Walker/Caretaker for my family - ~ 350 hours
- I was suggested to include this information in my application by the vets I work with but I did find it hard to explain it well in my application. I live separately from my mother and have for a while, she hired me as a dog walker to regularly walk her dogs since she no longer had anyone to walk the dogs (since I did it when I lived there). I would also be their primary caretaker when she would go on vacation.

Student in an Animal Science course offered by my high school (exotics, avian, equine, small) - ~250 hours
- I am super lucky my high school offered this animal science course. It involved a lecture portion and then an animal care portion in which you were assigned an animal for a week to take care of. They had snakes, gerbils, a pony, a very large tortoise, lots of birds, anything you can really think of, even two huskies. This is where I pulled a lot of range out of my experience since I have only ever gotten professional experience at a small animal hospital.

Pet ownership (small, exotics)- who knows how many hours (I did not include this on my application)

Research:
All of my research was research done as apart of an undergrad course but I was told to include it anyway by the vets I work with.
Genetic mapping of fruit flies - ~25 hours
Intra/Interspecific competition of tomatoes and radishes - ~25 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Extracurriculars:
- This is definitely where I was lacking as I am a very unsociable person so I do not really go out of my way to interact with other people outside of work and classes. I also really only had time for all of the volunteering that I put under my animal experience outside of work, school, and home life. My extracurriculars were essentially tailored for going to vet school and getting as much animal experience as possible (which may have been my downfall the first two times I applied)
Lead bassist for 3 years in high school
Color guard member for 2 years in high school

Awards:
Presidential Scholar at my community college for 2 semesters
Deans List at my community college for 1 semester
Deans List at my undergrad university for all semesters
Academic Achievement in an Animal Science course I took in high school
Guard of the Month two times as a lifeguard
AP Scholar and AP Scholar with Honor(felt kinda dumb adding these but why not)
Graduated Summa Cum Laude at my community college


Non-Animal Employment:
Lifeguard/Head lifeguard - ~4000 hours (I calculated this better on the VMCAs but I didn't save my app this year)
Deck monitor - ~650 hours (the pool is life when you're a lifeguard so I got a second job working at a pool)

LORs:
Manager of the animal hospital I work for - This was my first time having this person be an LOR and they must have written something on par with Shakespeare since I finally got in this time around. This manager I have been working with since I started at my current position and who I am really close to.
Associate Veterinary of the animal hospital I work for - This veterinarian I have worked with since I first started at my current position, this was their second time being my LOR, I really would not ever pick anyone else to be an LOR for me.
Biology/Microbiology professor from my community college - I took three classes with him and he was an LOR for all of my attempts.

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I primarily wrote about wanting to be a shelter veterinarian for the VMCA essays. Helping unfortunate animals, working with the community to combat overpopulation, and controlling diseases. I also wrote about wanting to do disaster work (being a lifeguard really made me interested in disaster response).

For the VMCVM essays, I wrote about some tough personal experiences that highlight my experience with resilience (the prompt was to define resilience). They also included a new prompt this year asking why I applied to VMCVM; I wrote about their COVID-19 policies, their diversity, and since VMCVM is my in-state, the financial benefits (which I know may seem like a bad idea but I think it is a good idea to let them know that I thought about the financial burden of attending vet school).

I used the explanation area to explain why I extended my time at my community college (instead of doing the typical 2 years at community college and two years at university) due to transferring issues.

Congrats! If you ever want to chat about shelter work or disaster response feel free to reach out I'm going into shelter med and have some experience with emergency preparedness and response in an area hit by Hurricane Harvey

 

[aspiringvet54]

I'm so happy to post here! Reminder that you only need ONE school to say yes and you also don't need thousands of hours. Good luck to everyone

Age, Gender, State/Country of Residence, Traditional/Non-traditional applicant, # of times you've applied:
20 (finishing my BS in 3 I applied summer before 3rd year), male, CA resident, I think traditional?, first time applying

Applied: Western, UCD, CSU, University of Illinois, Tufts, Michigan State, and Oregon State
Interview Invites: N/A
Waiting to hear: Tufts (probably not getting an interview since a lot of invites went out) & University of Illinois (rejected from the rest no interviews)
Accepted: CSU
Attending: CSU (most likely)

Overall GPA: 3.6
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.5
Last 45 GPA: idk this one sorry folks

GRE (Q/V/W): x (%) / y (%) / z (%)
155 (55th %)/ 156(72nd %)/ 5 (92%)

Degree(s): BS biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Veterinary Experience:
- Study abroad trip to south africa focused mainly on learning about wildlife conservation and eco tourism but there were some opportunities to work with animals under a wildlife vet. I know they're not a ton of hours but I think it helped give my application some variety (15 hours)
- SA private practice vet assistant (200 hours)
-SA +exotics private practice shadowing (60 hours)


Animal Experience:
- Research Assistant/Caretaker of colony of quail being used for a research project at my school (140 hours). I basically just made sure no one was injured/ill and made sure everyone was clean, happy, and healthy.

Research:
Project on applications of 3D printing in vet med (200 hours)

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Orientation Leader, Member of Beta Beta Beta (biological honor society), VP of Pre-Vet club, volunteer with admissions department. I also made dean's list a semester or two and I received the largest merit scholarship my undergrad institution offers

Non-Animal Employment:
Tutor +Supplemental instructor (like a TA), Peer Advisor, Office Assistant in Admissions dept.

LORs:
1 from a professor who taught me chem but is also head of my program. 1 from my research mentor and 1 from the vet I have most experience hours with.

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Spoke about my passion for research to innovate patient care. Talked a lot about my aspirations to become an academic veterinarian so I can have the opportunity to teach and influence my students while being able to practice vet med and research. Also talked about some of the barriers I've had to overcome as a relatively more recent immigrant to the states as well as being a member of the LGBT community in a homophobic religious arab household.

I used my additional statement to articulate some more recent barriers that happened during Spring 2019 (family member got cancer and I had some medical stuff going on)

 

[CyroCap]

22, Male, Maryland, Traditional (with 1 gap year), 1st time applicant

Applied: Washington State, Oregon State, UC Davis, Colorado State, U of Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Tufts, Cornell, Virginia-Maryland
Interview Invites: Purdue, Tufts, U of Illinois
Accepted: Oregon State
Waitlisted: Virginia-Maryland, Cornell, Michigan State, U of Illinois, Tufts
Rejected: Washington State, UC Davis, Colorado State, Purdue
Attending: Oregon

Overall GPA: 3.74
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.62
Last 45 GPA: ~3.8-3.9
GRE (Q/V/W): 156 (73%) / 156 (59%) / 4.0 (55%)

Degree(s): B.S. Biology

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Vet Tech/Assistant (No certification required in MD), all at same hospital– 4200 hours
Exotics, at same hospital as small animal vet but stopped seeing exotics as of June 2020– Somewhere between 10 to 20 hours

Animal Experience:
None

Research:
Baccalaureate thesis using bioinformatic databases studying Osteochondritis dissecans (this is actually a misnomer and hurts me to call it that, but it is the proper medical term) in dogs, horses, pigs, and humans to theorize its molecular pathogenesis– 300 hours
Research assistant studying stress response in white crown sparrows with handling in and out of field – 350 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Pre-Vet Club Exec Board – 100 hours
Biological Honor Society – 52 hours
Varsity Cross Country for 3 years– 740 hours
Dean’s List all semesters but 1
Rock Climbing Club (I actually forgot to put this on my application LOL)

Non-Animal Employment:
Intro to Biology Lecture TA – 90 hours

LORs:
2 Vets I worked closely with for years
Baccalaureate thesis Advisor
Research Mentor/Academic Advisor

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Journey through doubts of wanting to be a veterinarian, events that triggered this, then how I explored research and ultimately decided I want to go into wildlife medicine/rehabilitation/conservation (I left this broad with several options because I am still unsure of what I want to do). Also talked about how I want to use my veterinary education to help educate others who don’t have the same opportunities or interests about animal healthcare, welfare, and science in general. In some supplemental essays I talked about being a member of LGBTQ+ community and how I provided safe spaces for other members of this community. I talked about how COVID prevented me from gaining wildlife experience, as I decided late into undergrad that I wanted to do wildlife and then COVID hit. I also talked about a short depression I went into after the loss of my dog, as well as difficulties with my cross-country team and coach during my senior year and how I basically stepped up as captain without any formal recognition, even from my coach.

 

[Sierra_mountains11]

I'm so happy for everyone who's already gotten in and am hoping for the best for everyone still waiting to hear back!! Everyone here on SDN is so inspiring❤️❤️

25 years old, female, Utah resident, traditional, first-time applicant

Applied: Washington State (IS since I'm from Utah)
Interview Invites: Washington
Waiting to hear: n/a
Accepted: Washington State- Utah campus
Attending: Guess lol

Overall GPA: 3.87 (3.91 at time of application)
Science Prerequisite GPA: I didn't download my application, so idk for sure. Probably around 3.8?
Last 45 GPA: Also not sure.

GRE (Q/V/W): 156 (59%) / 159 (82%) / 5.5 (98%)

Degree(s): B.S. Conservation and Restoration Ecology (graduating this spring)

Veterinary Experience:
SA vet assistant @ two different clinics - 1000+ hrs
Collecting cattle blood, rumen fluid and fecal samples for a vet-supervised research project- 25 hrs
Volunteered at a spay/neuter clinic in the Four Corners area- 15 hrs

Animal Experience:
Horseback riding- I did 4-H growing up and trained my own colt- 1000+ hrs

Research:
Undergraduate research grant to study impact of niacin deficiency on metabolism in transgenic mice; also helped with sperm and reproductive studies on mice in the same lab- 300 hrs
Summer research scholar studying effects of omega-3 fatty acids on growth factors in piglets- 240 hrs
Received multiple presentation awards at research conferences

Extracurriculars/Awards: (hours are my best guesses since I don't have my application downloaded)
Served an 18-month proselyting mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines; fluent in Tagalog language
Full-ride scholarship, as well as a 4-year department scholarship
Semester abroad at the University of Botswana-studied conservation and savanna ecology
Director and volunteer of campus food pantry- 200 hrs
Member of university student government freshman year- 25 hrs
Volunteer at two assisted living residences- 70 hrs
Tae kwon do and muay thai student- 200 hrs
Rotary Youth Peace Ambassador in high school- 50 hrs
Humanitarian service trip in Fiji- 50 hrs
Business class instructor in the Four Corners area- 30 hrs
Intern at a microfinancing firm in the Philippines- 450 hrs

Non-Animal Employment:
BLM field technician monitoring sage grouse habitat (worked with sagebrush, not birds lol)- 540 hrs
Undergraduate research assistant in Applied Economics department (wrote articles, data analysis)- 240 hrs
Undergraduate teaching fellow for environmental policy class- 42 hrs
Writing Tutor- 36 hrs
Office manager at tae kwon do studio- 15 hrs

LORs:
A vet I worked for two summers ago (the one who inspired me to go to vet school)
Professor in my major
Supervisor when I was a missionary in the Philippines
2 letters from the PI's of the lab I currently work at


Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
My dad is a veterinarian and even though I was told all growing up that I would make a good vet, I never thought seriously about it and decided to do Natural Resource Management (Environmental Science) instead in college. I would work at my dad's SA clinic during the summers and watched him interacting with clients and learned a lot about the profession from that, but it wasn't until I worked for a different SA clinic two summers ago that I realized that my passion really was in vet med. In my essays, I focused on how my world experiences have influenced how I interact with people and fostered a desire to help others. I really tried to relate that even though I come from a 'non-traditional' major, my schooling and experiences have still helped me to develop many of the traits that are important in vet school, such as an understanding of biologic systems, a love of learning, compassion, selflessness and maturity. I also talked about how my mission in the Philippines influenced my desire to eventually get into humanitarian vet work (specifically rabies eradication) in developing countries, sharing a story of a little girl I knew who had been bit by a stray dog and needed really expensive rabies vaccines that her family couldn't afford.

Notes:
Even though I never changed my major once I started college, I still wasn't sure if Natural Resource Management was really what I wanted to do my whole life. So I tried to be involved in as many different things as possible during college...my motto was to never say no to an opportunity. I also tried to just do my very best and give my all in everything I've done. I think that's what's led me to have a lot of neat experiences and even though they're not all related to vet med, I'm still grateful for the new perspective they've given me on life and for all the people I've met along the way. In short, my advice, especially to new college freshman or sophomores, is to take advantage of your time in college and be open to new opportunities...you never know what kinds of doors will open to you!

 

[papilation]

SUB-3.0 cGPA and EVEN WORSE SCIENCE! IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!
I was told by EVERYONE not to even bother applying because I won't get in... Even people from SDN! I decided not to listen and to give it my all for this one cycle so I wouldn't regret anything. I saved up to be able to apply wherever I wanted, and I understand that not everyone has that privilege. To me, I figured I'd just make the most out of my first app cycle since it'd be cheaper than doing a Master's or post-bacc for a year and re-applying to one or two schools. I also don't care or believe in the Caribbean school stigma or location much. Vet school is vet school (as long as it is accredited). As sad as it sounds, I'll also be in debt regardless, so let me at least be in debt while starting vet school happily regardless of where it is. Guys, I can't stress this enough... Don't listen to other people when they tell you you won't get in. Apply yourself and be optimistic! Otherwise, you might just regret not applying and giving yourself a chance that first time. I literally got into my dream Vet School... I'm still in disbelief...

21, Female, FL, Traditional, first time applicant.

Applied: WesternU, LMU, VMCVM, KSU, MSU, UofA, AVC/UPEI, Ross, SGU, and University of Sydney
Interview Invites: AVC/UPEI, Ross, SGU (USYD doesn't do interviews)
Waiting to hear: WesternU
Accepted: AVC/UPEI, Ross, SGU, University of Sydney
Attending: University of Sydney

Overall GPA: 2.83 VMCAS calculated at time of app
Science Prerequisite GPA: 2.31 VMCAS calculated at time of app
Last 45 GPA: 3.44 at time of app (This included my upper-level sciences like Cell Bio, Orgo 2, Comp. Animal Behavior, Comp. Animal Physiology & Lab, Genetics, and Biochem which showed an upward trend. I received nothing lower than a B in these)

GRE (Q/V/W): 146 (53%) / 154 (29%) / 4.5 (81%)

Degree(s): AA, BS (graduated in December)

Veterinary Experience:
- Shadowed at local Dairy Farm for a day where I learned how to actively conduct rectal exams and artificial insemination on the live bovine - 8 hrs
- Shadowed at local Equine Hospital for a day - 5 hrs
- Veterinary Technician and cross-trained to help out as a CSR when needed at animal hosp- 1020 hrs
- Veterinary Assistant/Kennel at animal hosp - 600 hrs

Animal Experience:
- Volunteer at local animal shelter - 9 hrs

Research:
- Sea Turtle Researcher at only place in U.S. that handles and researches greens, loggerheads, and leatherbacks on site - 466 hrs
- Research regarding commensalism between wild gopher tortoises, black racer snakes, 9-banded armadillos, and red foxes (was actually out in the field and worked alongside the wild animals and utilized trail cams)- 220 hrs
- Research Assistant to professors studying human psychology - 119 hrs
- Research Assistant to Business professor who regularly holds seminars in China to educate future business leaders, and has spoken at multiple conferences alongside Elon Musk. I have assisted in the publication and writing of a couple of Business & Finance textbooks and research, participated in the coding and creation of a virtual simulation for business professors, and have participated in unpublished research and textbooks. - 425 hrs

Extracurriculars/Awards:
- School Clubs - 708 hrs
- Founder of free online tutoring service to a particular minority community that resides in the Southern U.S.- 455 hrs
- Founder of free in-person tutoring within community for minorities - 18 hrs
- Coordinator of retreats for local minority community - 40 hrs
- A bunch of volunteer work that'd take me forever to list - 879 hrs
- Gained acceptance into University's Honors College and received consequent Scholarship
- Gained highest state funded scholarship
- Gained Dean's scholarship at university, along with 2 other scholarships
- Also I included in achievements that I got into medical school and had a guaranteed seat reserved for when I finish my BS after interviewing rigorously (back when I thought I wanted to be a human doctor lol)

Non-Animal Employment:
- Business College CSR - 640 hrs
- ROSS Retail - 280 hrs
- Forensic Psychologist Assistant - 3915 hrs

LORs:
- Medical Director/Veterinarian of Animal Hosp where I found my passion for Vet Med
- Associate Veterinarian of Animal Hosp where I found my passion for Vet Med
- Medical Terminology Prof.
- Business & Finance prof. that I conducted research under and published stuff with

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I tried to be unique in my responses and tried as hard as possible to not just revolve my answers around my experience within the Veterinary industry, but also outside. For example, when asked about the attributes I possess that is essential to being a Vet, I related to my experience as an assistant to a Forensic Psychologist for over 6+ years. I've had to learn patience, empathy, and understanding when interacting with mentally disabled patients, and had to make it clear that our office is a place where you are normal when the whole world tells you you're not. I also discussed professionalism and communication and how I needed it when I interacted with judges, members of the court, inmates, and prison guards as I wasn't just representing myself, but the Dr. as well.

Avoid cliché answers. It wont get you anywhere. If you absolutely do need to include a cliché answer, add a unique experience to make your response stand out. Also, take your unconventional and what may seem "irrelevant" job experiences that have nothing to do with the veterinary industry, and make them relevant. As I said, it makes your app memorable!

 

[readysetvet16]

Congrats to everyone that applied this cycle and survived this incredibly long and stressful process!! Wishing you all the best

21, Female, Rhode Island Resident, Traditional applicant, first application cycle

Applied: University of Florida, Colorado State, LSU, Midwestern and Mizzou
Interview Invites: Midwestern and Mizzou (CSU and LSU didn't interview)
Rejected without Interview: Florida
Waitlisted: LSU (#4/73 but will be removing myself)
Waiting to hear: None
Accepted: Midwestern and Mizzou
Attending: Mizzou

Overall GPA: 3.88
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.74
Last 45 GPA: ~3.8

GRE (Q/V/W): I only applied to schools that had waived the GRE requirement so, didn't take it!

Degree(s): B.S. in Biology with a minor in General Business

Veterinary Experience: ~420 hours total-- this was the most concerning part of my application for me and was definitely a contributor in my not receiving an interview at UF, but hopefully this gives others hope who get panicked by all the people with 1000s of hours; it is possible!!!

Veterinary intern at an exclusively feline clinic- 350 hours
Shadow at a mixed animal practice- 20 hours
Shadow at an equine clinic- 20 hours
Shadow at various small animal clinics- 40 hours
***Due to COVID during summer 2020, I ended up missing out on an internship (which I hope to be able to do this summer) that would have added to my veterinary experience hours. I mentioned this in my interview at Missouri and the panel responded well knowing I made an effort to better my experiences even if it didn't work out***

Animal Experience: ~780 hours
Volunteer with Save One Soul Animal Rescue League- 50 hours
Foster for puppies/dogs with SOSARL- 200 hours
Raising baby squirrels- 250 hours
Dogsitting- 168 hours
Kennel assistant at a small animal clinic- 50 hours
Volunteer with the humane society of West Alabama- 20 hours
Farm hand volunteer- 25 hours
Random Pre- vet club animal experiences- 10 hours

Research: 240 hours
Research assistant during my undergraduate career in an ecology and genetics lab; mainly worked on genetic analyses and DNA extractions from crayfish

Extracurriculars: 665
Member of the Pre- Veterinary club- 20 hours
Director of Alumni Relations for Phi Eta Sigma honor society- 200 hours
Vice President of Service Events for Phi Eta Sigma honor society- 40 hours (at time of application)
Delta Zeta sorority (various leadership positions over my career)- 220 hours
Student Involvement Office volunteer- 50 hours
Al's Pals mentor- 30 hours
AED Medical Honor Society member- 20 hours
Volunteer with Project Hand-Up to provide groceries to families struggling during the pandemic- 15 hours (also got an award from RI Speaker of the House of Reps for participation which I listed in the "honors" section)
Accounting tutor- 20 hours
Habitat for Humanity volunteer- 60 hours

Awards:
Various scholarships from third-party organizations as well as a merit scholarship from my university
Order of Omega Greek Honor Society
I included each time I made the Dean's list (which at my university is a 3.5) and each time I made the President's List (4.0)

Non-Animal Employment: ~100 hours
Certified Nursing Assistant on an Alzhiemers and dementia unit- 60 hours
Teaching assistant for undergraduate biology- 30 hours

LORs:
One from a veterinarian that I interned with for a summer during undergrad
Two from both of my research professors, one who I also took an upper level biology course with, both active professors
One from my biochemistry professor

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I wrote about my experience both in human and animal medicine, and how that has helped me become a more well rounded individual, as well as given me a better insight into the world of medicine. Seeing I am interested in medical research as a veterinarian, I emphasized the interconnectedness of the fields of animals and human medicine to show that I have seen both sides and would love to see more unity moving forward. I also talked about my experience mentoring in my undergraduate career and how that led me to aspire to a career in academia.

 

[Ariel-Li]

30 F, IL residence (new immigrant), non traditional first time applicant

Applied: Davis, Cornell (no interview), CSU (no interview), WSU, Ohio, UPenn, UIUC, UW (no interview), UMN, Iowa (no interview), MSU, Purdue, RVC, Ross
Interview Invites: Davis, WSU, Ohio, UPenn, UIUC, UMN, MSU, Puedue, RVC, Ross
Waiting to hear: none
Accepted: All
Attending: Davis!

Overall GPA: 3.87
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.91-3.93 depending on the schools
Last 45 GPA: 3.93

GRE (Q/V/W): 164 (83) / 160 (85%) / 4.5 (81%)

Degree(s): bachelor of social sciences, master of arts in social sciences

Veterinary Experience:
SA shelter volunteer: 300 hours
SA GP with limited pet exotics, tech assistant: 3000+ hours
SA emergency, non-certified tech: 200 hours at time of application submission (early Aug), ongoing experience
SA blood donation, tech assistant: 10 hours at time of submission, ongoing experience

Animal Experience:
Zoo monitor volunteer: 160 hours
Biodiversity monitoring volunteer (research facility at the zoo): 120 hours

Research:
biomedical research in a pathology lab: 1525 hours
various undergraduate and graduate research in social sciences (individual research projects and paid RA): 2500+ hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
co-founder and president of a volunteer teaching organization in college
vice-president of a singing contest in college

Non-Animal Employment:
Facilitator in planetarium: 600 hours
Teaching assistant in my undergraduate department: 1050 hours
Project manager in a Chinese LGBTQ organization: 1600 hours

LORs:
SA GP who's my mentor into the field, we worked in a shelter together and two RAVS trips together
vet in the ER I currently work in
professor who I took both orgo classes and orgo lab with
postdoc in the pathology lab I worked with
dean of the pathology department I worked in (yeah I left the lab hard and dry and didn't even ask my PI for a letter)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I applied to so many schools and wrote too many essays...basically I explained why I chose vet med at such a later stage in life, what I learnt from working in the field, and how I envisioned being a clinical-researcher in small animal internal medicine.

I was surprised to find out that many schools liked my research background and considered it strong (off the top of my head, UPenn, UMN, and Ohio expressed their enthusiasm about that aspect about my application either during interview or with the offer phone call). When I went to volunteer in the pathology research lab, I was 2 months into my first college-level intro biology course. With a strong will to learn and A LOT OF TIME to devote to the experiments, you can go farther than you imagine in research.

 

[KittyCat99]

21, Female, CA Resident, Traditional first time applicant:

Applied: UC Davis
Interview Invites: UC Davis (CASPer)
Waiting to hear: none
Accepted: UC Davis
Attending: UC Davis

Overall GPA: 3.95
Science GPA: 4.0
Last 45 GPA: 3.92

GRE (Q/V/W): 158 (67%) / 154 (64%) / 5.0 (92%)

Degree(s): Bachelor of Science in Animal Science (expected June 2021)

Veterinary Experience:
goat vet hours - (9 hrs)
integrative medicine volunteer - (32 hrs)
student-run vet clinic - (20 hrs)
Small animal general practice - (940 hrs)

Animal Experience:
various goat internships on and off-campus - (170 hrs)
various animal science courses w/ lab hours w/ animal contact (species include: horses, cattle, swine, lab animals, sheep) - (90 hrs)
shelter volunteer (mainly with cats) - (100 hrs)
wildlife rehabilitation volunteer - (50 hrs)

Research:
Animal Behavior research intern with 2 labs on campus + independent project (production species) - (180 hrs)
Stem cell research - (240 hrs)

Extracurriculars/Awards:
student-run vet clinic officer - (130 hrs)
vice president of Latinos Unidos Club in HS - (200 hrs)
Club member of another Latino club in HS - (100 hrs)
alumni speaker for college talk at my old HS - (20 hrs)
scholarships from undergrad (3)
HS leadership award
Dean's Honors list (most quarters)
Honors program

LORs:
Small Animal GP Veterinarian (practice owner)
research mentor and professor
shelter volunteer coordinator

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I mainly wrote about how being Latina in the US has made me want to give back and want to provide culturally sensitive and competent services to those in underserved communities, such as the one that I grew up in.

 

[LokiBear]

21, female, California, Traditional applicant, First time applying:

Applied: UC Davis (rejected), Western Univ of Health Sciences, Oregon State, Washington State (rejected)
Interview Invites: Western
Waiting to hear: Western
Accepted: Oregon
Attending: Oregon

Overall GPA: ~3.5
Science Prerequisite GPA: ~3.4
Last 45 GPA: ~3.7

GRE (Q/V/W): 159 (69%) / 154 (63%) / 5.0 (92%)

Degree(s): A. A. Human Development (2019), B.S. Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary (2021)

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Private Practice - ~3000
Receptionist/Assistant - ~2000hrs
Assistant/Technician - ~1000hrs

Animal Experience:
Pet Sitting (dogs, cats, pocket pets, reptiles, fish) - ~500hrs
Kennel Technician - ~100hrs

Research:
none

Extracurriculars/Awards:
CRU Club (Christian Club) - 1yr
Cal Poly Pomona Pre-Vet Club - 1yr
CPP Ridge Runners (Snowboarding) - 1yr
Snowboarding - 3yrs
Running/Hiking - 3yrs
Cycling - 2 years

Non-Animal Employment:
Birthday Party Attendant - ~1750hrs

LORs:
1 Veterinarian/Medical Director
1 Veterinarian
1 Lead Technician
2 Professors - Animal Anatomy/Physio + Animal Anatomy/Physio Lab (different profs)
1 Professor - Biology + Biology Lab (same prof)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I wrote about why the science of vet med interests me (was advised it's not enough to "just love animals, there has to be the desire and capacity to learn behind it." I also wrote about why emergency medicine interests me and why I will be a good match for it. I talked about difficulties with my mother leaving my father while he was hospitalized with DKA and myself becoming the sole caretaker of my father, while still in school full time, while still working 25-30hrs per week. I always am able to maintain a positive outlook, so I discussed these negative events (and others) while talking about how they have helped me grow and what I have learned.

Tips I was given that I feel were helpful:
- Write as if you have already been accepted "I AM a good fit vs I WOULD BE a good fit;" "I WILL demonstrate x, y, and z, not "If given the chance..."
- Keep it short and sweet. There is NO room for fluff, and the admissions committees will know if you lack substance
- If you have a specialty in mind, make sure to talk about it
- If you lack experience (ie. I was planning to volunteer in Uganda last summer but d/t COVID the trip was postponed 1 year), mention it (even if there is not a specific prompt dedicated to it).
- When talking about qualities veterinarians possess and how you possess these attributes, make sure to include specific examples
- USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES (the more the better)

Some colleges may review your application and tell you what influenced their decision (if you are rejected), so it is always a good idea to ask. I asked UC Davis and they gave me a lot of good pointers for next cycle (if I had chosen to apply), as well as some positive feedback from this year's application (so I know what I do not necessarily have to spend time fixing)

Congrats on your acceptance! I'm curious to know since your a Cali resident, would you still choose Oregon if you got into Western as well?

 

[xoxochlochlo]

Congrats on your acceptance! I'm curious to know since your a Cali resident, would you still choose Oregon if you got into Western as well?

Thank you! I have already committed to Oregon, and I chose it over Western for a few reasons. First, the cost is about the same (and I think the Western tuition may even be a little more). Second, both campuses have very welcoming and inclusive programs, but I am not sure if Western's PBL is the best learning format for me. I prefer the traditional lecture/lab style. Plus, since I am thinking of pursuing emergency medicine/critical care after graduating, I feel Oregon's teaching style and hands-on opportunities in their teaching hospital may be more appropriate for me to get my feet wet in the emergency world. Third, I have lived in California my whole life, and I would like to branch out and live closer to the family I have in Oregon.

Western is still a great school, and I have worked amazing vets who have graduated from Western. I just feel it is not the correct choice for me. Hope this helped!

 

[LokiBear]

Thank you! I have already committed to Oregon, and I chose it over Western for a few reasons. First, the cost is about the same (and I think the Western tuition may even be a little more). Second, both campuses have very welcoming and inclusive programs, but I am not sure if Western's PBL is the best learning format for me. I prefer the traditional lecture/lab style. Plus, since I am thinking of pursuing emergency medicine/critical care after graduating, I feel Oregon's teaching style and hands-on opportunities in their teaching hospital may be more appropriate for me to get my feet wet in the emergency world. Third, I have lived in California my whole life, and I would like to branch out and live closer to the family I have in Oregon.

Western is still a great school, and I have worked amazing vets who have graduated from Western. I just feel it is not the correct choice for me. Hope this helped!

Thank you so much for your response, I really appreciate you taking the time! Western is my leading school at the moment so I'm curious to hear others opinions about why they are choosing the program and also why they aren't. Yeah the PBL curriculum is very different than what we're normally taught, and I personally think it may be more suitable to my learning style cause I learn better by doing. The area that the Oregon vet school is in is beautiful and I loved visiting there, the only thing I didn't like is the rain which is another reason why I think I may like Western!

 

[vetsquared]

When do you guys plan on moving to your school's location?? I haven't made my ~official~ post on this thread yet because I haven't decided which school I'm going to attend, but no matter what I'm going somewhere far away and am trying to figure out the best time to move. Moving is one of my all-time most stressful, anxiety-inducing, mental breakdown guaranteed activities so I want to leave plenty of time for packing, moving, getting settled in, and figuring out my new city before school starts. The schools I'm looking at generally start mid-August, so would moving at the beginning of July be too early? Not really sure how other people time their moves so I'm curious to see what your plans are!

 

[PhiloslothicalStudent]

When do you guys plan on moving to your school's location?? I haven't made my ~official~ post on this thread yet because I haven't decided which school I'm going to attend, but no matter what I'm going somewhere far away and am trying to figure out the best time to move. Moving is one of my all-time most stressful, anxiety-inducing, mental breakdown guaranteed activities so I want to leave plenty of time for packing, moving, getting settled in, and figuring out my new city before school starts. The schools I'm looking at generally start mid-August, so would moving at the beginning of July be too early? Not really sure how other people time their moves so I'm curious to see what your plans are!

I am planning on mid-June, simply because I am OOS for my current masters degree and will be moving back to my IS for vet school (yay!), I have my own apartment + furniture at my OOS location + my IS school is only a hour from home, its easier for me just to move my furniture directly to my new apartment vs moving it from my current apartment, storing it at home and moving it all over again, plus I’ll be able to easily go home whenever I like because I’ll be close.
I don’t think July would be too early, once you decide where to go I’m sure a facebook page will be started, so you can possibly meet up with students! It also gives you sometime to get to know the town (if you are unfamiliar with it).

 

[Dana_May_B]

When do you guys plan on moving to your school's location?? I haven't made my ~official~ post on this thread yet because I haven't decided which school I'm going to attend, but no matter what I'm going somewhere far away and am trying to figure out the best time to move. Moving is one of my all-time most stressful, anxiety-inducing, mental breakdown guaranteed activities so I want to leave plenty of time for packing, moving, getting settled in, and figuring out my new city before school starts. The schools I'm looking at generally start mid-August, so would moving at the beginning of July be too early? Not really sure how other people time their moves so I'm curious to see what your plans are!

ok so i also haven’t committed to a school yet BUT i do have experience with this because my family lives outside of philly and i go to the university of georgia, 13 hours away, for undergrad. as far as moving somewhere far away, i found that it was super duper helpful to move in with a bunch of time before classes started. the first time i moved into a house down here, my whole family took a week long vacation in july and we spent a whole week moving in, buying decor, getting/putting together furniture and also learning the area. by the time my parents left, i still had 2 weeks before classes started and felt super confident in being able to function on my own. i really recommend moving in earlier rather than later, just so that you can learn the area and take a lot of time to focus on getting your place looking the way you want (which was also a de-stressing experience for someone who likes decorating like me!). Way better to move in a month in advance than scramble to move in a week before classes and find out your bed frame is broken or your kitchen table didn’t ship on time, while also trying to learn your way around and prepare for school.

 

[vetsquared]

Ok, glad I'm not the only one who plans to get there super early haha. Luckily I have a lot of experience moving across the county (did that like 4 times in the Army), but I've done it enough to know that I haaate the experience. Since at this point I know I'm going to choose an OOS school, I really want enough time to relax, get an apartment, make it cute, and explore the city without any stress of school looming! If I could I would just pack up and leave ASAP once I decide, but I do have a good job where I live and I'd like to keep bringing in money for as long as possible... but I think I have a good enough savings built up that if I leave a few weeks earlier that isn't the end of the world. I might be able to coerce my little sister into driving with me/helping me move haha. If I end up picking Penn I'll have to find out all the good parts of Philly from you!

 

[Ariel-Li]

When do you guys plan on moving to your school's location?? I haven't made my ~official~ post on this thread yet because I haven't decided which school I'm going to attend, but no matter what I'm going somewhere far away and am trying to figure out the best time to move. Moving is one of my all-time most stressful, anxiety-inducing, mental breakdown guaranteed activities so I want to leave plenty of time for packing, moving, getting settled in, and figuring out my new city before school starts. The schools I'm looking at generally start mid-August, so would moving at the beginning of July be too early? Not really sure how other people time their moves so I'm curious to see what your plans are!

My whole adulthood has been moving from country to country for schooling, so I understand the anxiety completely. I usually don't need more than a couple weeks to settle in an entire different country, so I don't imagine you NEED more than a month for the moving. That said, I don't think it's a bad idea to get in town and familiarize yourself with everything. I'll probably move by early Aug just because I can keep saving some money at my current job.

 

[DVM_loading]

21, Female, Florida, Traditional applicant, first time applicant:

Applied: CSU, LMU, OSU (Oklahoma), MSU, Cornell, Auburn, UF, UGA, NCSU, KSU, UT
Interview Invites: LMU, Auburn, UF, UT, KSU
Waiting to hear: UT, Auburn, LMU, UF, NCSU
Accepted: OSU, KSU
Attending: OSU or UT if I get accepted (unless something really sways me another way)

Overall GPA: 3.92
Science Prerequisite GPA: I don't remember but I believe 3.6ish
Last 45 GPA: 3.4ish

GRE (Q/V/W): 150 (36%) / 152 (53%) / 4.0 (55%) I halfway studied for this b/c I knew a lot of schools didn't care about it so I just tried to score within the required range

Degree(s): BS in Biology

Veterinary Experience: Small animal clinics, large animal ambulatory practice
These are my best estimates because I didn't save my application
Experience - 2,000ish (hrs)

Animal Experience: equestrian team
Experience - 500ish (hrs)

Research: THIS IS YOUR SIGN THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO KILL YOURSELF DOING RESEARCH YOU AREN'T INTERESTED IN!
Experience - 0 (hrs)

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Experience - Dean's list, scholarships, UNF equestrian team, dog fostering

Non-Animal Employment:
Experience - Winn-Dixie, Dunkin' Donuts, Italian Restaurant

LORs: 4 vets, 1 professor
Title of recommender (Vet? Manager? Supervisor? Vet tech?)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
For a lot of my questions I wrote about my struggles with bullying and health issues. Also wrote about my experience working in industries other than vet med and my personal statement kinda encompassed all of it and how I got to this point

 

[EB73674]

I've literally been fantasizing about writing this post for the last 5 years, and I can't believe today is that day. Sitting here, drinking champagne and trying not to cry my eyes out all over the congratulatory cake that my mentoring vet bought for me. I still can't believe it's real! I am proof that 1) you DO NOT need to be a "natural" science student to learn and excel in science, 2) you DO NOT need to have everything figured out about your life at age 22, and 3) you DO NOT need to be utterly and completely perfect in every way, shape, or form to become a veterinarian. I am far from a traditional applicant in so many ways, and I am proof that you CAN achieve your dreams if you work hard for them and want them, no matter how late you might come to the table. I felt certain I would only receive a single and possibly accidental acceptance, but I received acceptances from 4 competitive programs, and I could not feel more spoiled in my choices!

**ETA 4/19/21 my final results & school choice!

Age, Gender, State/Country of Residence, Traditional/Non-traditional applicant, # of times you've applied:
32F, NJ Resident, Non-traditional applicant, applied twice

1st Attempt (c/o 2024):
Applied: Illinois, Auburn, WSU, Penn, Cornell, Mizzou, University of Florida, Michigan State
Interview Invites: Illinois (eventually waitlisted, not pulled off the list)
Overall GPA: 3.28
Science Prerequisite GPA: 2.95 (miscalculated this, should not have applied to UF or MSU with this)
Last 45 GPA: ~3.3

2nd Attempt (c/o 2025):
Applied: Illinois, Auburn, Penn, Cornell, Michigan State, Ohio State, Virginia-Maryland, Iowa State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, KSU
Interview Invites: Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan (CASPer scores were used instead of interviews), Penn
Waiting to hear: none!
Waitlist: VA-MD (rank unknown), U of Wisconsin (#11)
Accepted: Minnesota, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn
Attending: THEE Ohio State University!!!
Overall GPA: 3.33
Science Prerequisite GPA: ~3.1
Last 45 GPA: 3.69


GRE (Q/V/W): 158 (69%) / 162 (91%) / 5.5 (98%)

Degree(s): B.A. International Relations from 2011

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal GP Vet Assistant - 3500 hours
Equine/Ruminant GP Vet Assistant (90% horses, 10% goats/sheep/alpacas) - 450 hours
NJ Racing Commission shadow at Standardbred racetrack - 6 hours

Animal Experience:
Horse ownership of OTTB - ~3200 hrs (owned/rode/trained full time for 3 yrs 2004-2007)
Pet sitting - freelance for horses/dogs/cats/other animals since childhood - ~5000 hours
Barn work/riding instruction - ~550 hrs over 15 yrs
Pet trainer at Petsmart - 1400 hrs
Senior Petshotel associate (asst manager) at Petsmart - 4500 hrs
Program assistant (groom/asst trainer/asst manager/barn rat) at OTTB rehab farm - 600 hrs
Hobby/huntseat/dressage riding lessons/showing huntseat since age 6 - ~7000 hrs
Volunteer at children's therapeutic riding facility (assisting in lessons, horse/barn care) in high school - 80 hrs

Research:
Writing & research on published pharmacology review paper on use of inorganic polyphosphate in treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease (no actual hands-on research, all writing/reading research) - 20 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Model UN team in college, including leadership & awards
LGBTQ club in college, including leadership & significant fundraising
Animal shelter volunteer in high school (only 20 hrs)
Homework support club for at-risk elementary schoolers during college (60 hrs)

Non-Animal Employment:
Political organizer for environmental/consumer protection lobby group for 1.5 yrs - ~3500hrs (we worked a LOT)
Arabic language tutor in college - 30hrs
Waitress/food service - ~550 hrs in college/high school
Student legal intern at federal public defender office (thought I might want to be a lawyer!) - ~120 hrs

LORs:
Vet from SA practice
Vet from LA practice
Previous practice manager at SA clinic (since moved on but he knew me very well)
Cell biology professor from fall 2019 course & supervisor of spring 2020 seminar class that resulted in the polyphosphate research paper above

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
For the general VMCAS essays, I talked about the importance of vets in community practice to shape the way people think about preventive care & their animals' health standards, and I talked about wanting to work in lower cost and/or mixed animal practice as an eventual career goal. My diversity essays mostly focused on my background as an older applicant with a totally non-science background and the ways that would help me relate to clients & better educate them on patient care.

I don't have the magic formula - I think for me it was some combination of an interesting, diverse background and a pretty high amount of diverse animal & veterinary experiences. I am also someone who tends to interview quite well, and this was supported by feedback from my Minnesota interviewer. My biggest hurdles were always going to be my grades (I did okay in undergrad, but my foray into science as a post-bacc student was NOT stellar, had multiple Cs & a D+ in Orgo 2, had to retake multiple chemistry classes), but applying strategically to schools like Minnesota & Michigan State was my biggest asset. My school choices were all very deliberate, especially the second time around, based on my specific profile & interest in keeping my tuition/living costs as low as I could.

 

[vetsquared]

Attending: Most likely Minnesota!! (only way this would change is if I got into Ohio State)

Yay!! I am so thrilled for you! I am about 90% sure I am going to pick UMN so I hope to see you there! It’ll be nice knowing I’m not the only “old” person in the class! Lol 😂

 

[EngrSC]

So so sooooooo unbelievably happy for you @EB73674!!!!!!

 

[amsweeney]

I've literally been fantasizing about writing this post for the last 5 years, and I can't believe today is that day. Sitting here, drinking champagne and trying not to cry my eyes out all over the congratulatory cake that my mentoring vet bought for me. I still can't believe it's real! I am proof that 1) you DO NOT need to be a "natural" science student to learn and excel in science, 2) you DO NOT need to have everything figured out about your life at age 22, and 3) you DO NOT need to be utterly and completely perfect in every way, shape, or form to become a veterinarian. I am far from a traditional applicant in so many ways, and I am proof that you CAN achieve your dreams if you work hard for them and want them, no matter how late you might come to the table. I felt certain I would only receive a single and possibly accidental acceptance, but I had an incredibly successful application cycle this year!

Age, Gender, State/Country of Residence, Traditional/Non-traditional applicant, # of times you've applied:
32F, NJ Resident, Non-traditional applicant, applied twice

1st Attempt (c/o 2024):
Applied: Illinois, Auburn, WSU, Penn, Cornell, Mizzou, University of Florida, Michigan State
Interview Invites: Illinois (eventually waitlisted, not pulled off the list)
Overall GPA: 3.28
Science Prerequisite GPA: 2.95 (miscalculated this, should not have applied to UF or MSU with this)
Last 45 GPA: ~3.3

2nd Attempt (c/o 2025):
Applied: Illinois, Auburn, Penn, Cornell, Michigan State, Ohio State, Virginia-Maryland, Iowa State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, KSU
Interview Invites: Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan (sort of? COVID made things weird - CASPer scores were used instead of interviews, but essentially were the same thing)
Waiting to hear: Ohio State, Penn, Wisconsin
Waitlist: VA-MD
Accepted: Minnesota & Michigan State
Attending: Most likely Minnesota!! (only way this would change is if I got into Ohio State)
Overall GPA: 3.33
Science Prerequisite GPA: ~3.1
Last 45 GPA: 3.69


GRE (Q/V/W): 158 (69%) / 162 (91%) / 5.5 (98%)

Degree(s): B.A. International Relations from 2011

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal GP Vet Assistant - 3500 hours
Equine/Ruminant GP Vet Assistant (90% horses, 10% goats/sheep/alpacas) - 450 hours
NJ Racing Commission shadow at Standardbred racetrack - 6 hours

Animal Experience:
Horse ownership of OTTB - ~3200 hrs (owned/rode/trained full time for 3 yrs 2004-2007)
Pet sitting - freelance for horses/dogs/cats/other animals since childhood - ~5000 hours
Barn work/riding instruction - ~550 hrs over 15 yrs
Pet trainer at Petsmart - 1400 hrs
Senior Petshotel associate (asst manager) at Petsmart - 4500 hrs
Program assistant (groom/asst trainer/asst manager/barn rat) at OTTB rehab farm - 600 hrs
Hobby/huntseat/dressage riding lessons/showing huntseat since age 6 - ~7000 hrs
Volunteer at children's therapeutic riding facility (assisting in lessons, horse/barn care) in high school - 80 hrs

Research:
Writing & research on published pharmacology review paper on use of inorganic polyphosphate in treatment of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease (no actual hands-on research, all writing/reading research) - 20 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Model UN team in college, including leadership & awards
LGBTQ club in college, including leadership & significant fundraising
Animal shelter volunteer in high school (only 20 hrs)
Homework support club for at-risk elementary schoolers during college (60 hrs)

Non-Animal Employment:
Political organizer for environmental/consumer protection lobby group for 1.5 yrs - ~3500hrs (we worked a LOT)
Arabic language tutor in college - 30hrs
Waitress/food service - ~550 hrs in college/high school
Student legal intern at federal public defender office (thought I might want to be a lawyer!) - ~120 hrs

LORs:
Vet from SA practice
Vet from LA practice
Previous practice manager at SA clinic (since moved on but he knew me very well)
Cell biology professor from fall 2019 course & supervisor of spring 2020 seminar class that resulted in the polyphosphate research paper above

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
For the general VMCAS essays, I talked about the importance of vets in community practice to shape the way people think about preventive care & their animals' health standards, and I talked about wanting to work in lower cost and/or mixed animal practice as an eventual career goal. My diversity essays mostly focused on my background as an older applicant with a totally non-science background and the ways that would help me relate to clients & better educate them on patient care.

I don't have the magic formula - I think for me it was some combination of an interesting, diverse background and a pretty high amount of diverse animal & veterinary experiences. I am also someone who tends to interview quite well, and this was supported by feedback from my Minnesota interviewer. My biggest hurdles were always going to be my grades (I did okay in undergrad, but my foray into science as a post-bacc student was NOT stellar, had multiple Cs & a D+ in Orgo 2, had to retake multiple chemistry classes), but applying strategically to schools like Minnesota & Michigan State was my biggest asset. My school choices were all very deliberate, especially the second time around, based on my specific profile & interest in keeping my tuition/living costs as low as I could.

Congrats!!!

 

[EB73674]

Yay!! I am so thrilled for you! I am about 90% sure I am going to pick UMN so I hope to see you there! It’ll be nice knowing I’m not the only “old” person in the class! Lol 😂

WHOO HOO go non-trads! Like I said, very small possibility this will change if I get into Ohio, but at this point it’s UMN

 

[EB73674]

So so sooooooo unbelievably happy for you @EB73674!!!!!!

Thank you!! Still cannot believe it’s real!

 

[EB73674]

Congrats!!!

Thank you!!

 

[TabbyCat2]

My DREAM since I was in pre-school has been to be a veterinarian. I remember going to veterinary workshops as a middle school student and I would listen and talk to current MSU students and just hope and pray that I would be in their shoes someday. It still all feels so surreal to me that I've been accepted, and this has been something that I have been praying for for so long! This cycle has been so competitive, and there are SO many amazing applicants that will not get the change to attend vet school this fall, so I truly feel blessed.

24, Female, MI, Traditional turned Non-traditional applicant, second application cycle:

First Cycle:
Applied: Michigan State
For my first cycle, I only applied to my IS school, rushed through my application while working 50-60 hours a week, and ended up making a huge mistake on my application and applied as an OOS resident on accident. During 2019 I lived in 4 different states and my true residency was kind of blurred which accounted for the mistake. Overall, I truly feel like the mistake cost me my first round, but I think it all happened for a reason. I was able to gain so much knowledge and wisdom about vet med over the last year and have built strong relationships with other people in vet med.

Second Cycle
Applied: Michigan State, University of Arizona, Mizzou, CSU
Interview Invites: Michigan State, University of Arizona
Waiting to hear: 0
Accepted: Michigan State, University of Arizona, waitlisted OOS at CSU
Attending: Michigan State!!

Overall GPA: 3.6
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.6
Last 45/36 GPA: 3.94/4.0

GRE (Q/V/W): x (%) / y (%) / z (%): I never took the GRE

Degree(s): BS in Zoology with a minor in Forestry from Michigan State

Veterinary Experience: 1,318
SA - 1280
Lab animal - 8
Vet experience weekend - 30
Equine - 20

Animal Experience: 9,343
Pig farm volunteer - 10
Potter Park Zoo volunteer - 6
Red Tail Hawk banding - 6
MSU Varsity Polo Club - 45
Calder Dairy Farm (calf caregiver and farm educator) - 1000
Wildlife Bird Rehabilitation Center volunteer - 96
Horseback riding and showing - 4,800
4-H Livestock - 3,380

Research: 732
Small Mammal research - 672
Northern Hardwood forest research - 60

Extracurriculars/Awards: 10,423
MSU forestry club - 40
Alpha Chi Omega sorority - 156
Albion College Track & Field - 195
Albion College Pre-Vet Club - 12
Albion College Cheerleading - 240
MYLead Youth Leadership - 20
HS Student Council Class and Executive Board Treasurer - 400
Violinist - 9,360
Dean's list at Albion College
Deans honor list at MSU for obtaining 4.0 for three semesters
Graduating with honors
Several Forestry related scholarships
4-H awards in showmanship
High point on Equestrian team
Coach's award for sports teams

Non-Animal Employment: 1,300
TA for MSU Forestry professor - 60
US Forest Service intern - 540
Butterfly Conservatory on Mackinac Island - 420
Third 90 Network - 104
Volunteer for 4-H MSU Extension - 112
Wayne Co Fair Volunteer (poultry barn superintendent) - 28
Volunteer wildland firefighter - 60
Food closet volunteer - 15

LORs:
3 SA Veterinarians (All from the same clinic. I was strongly advised not to do this... but for me, it was my only option and all three veterinarians wrote me super strong letters. One veterinarian is the owner of the clinic franchise I work at, another veterinarian is semi-retired but I've known him my entire life and have shadowed him at other clinics in the area, and the third veterinarian just graduated from MSU a few years ago and I've built such a strong relationship with her and she spent weeks writing my letter and I was so thankful for that)
MSU forestry professor that I TA'd for

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
I utilized every single space that I could write something to try to build a whole narrative of who I am as an applicant and future veterinarian. I tried my very best to highlight other hobbies/activities in each of my essays and not have any overlap between essays (I found this challenging because of how similar the essay prompts were). I spent a long time just brainstorming each question and finding the perfect anecdote or topic to write about that would ~hopefully~ make me stand out. Ultimately, I feel like what might have made me stand out was how true to myself I tried to be throughout my entire application. I wrote about my weaknesses, my strengths, insights that I gained from experiences, and especially what I learned from each experience. I drew from personal experiences and touched on my own thoughts and feelings and kind of laid it all out there in my application. I also utilized the explanation statement section and basically wrote a mini personal statement that explained why I was on the path to becoming a veterinarian for so long, what made me try new things, and ultimately what made me turn back to vet med. I switched to forestry/wildlife biology half way through undergrad and I wanted to talk about how the experiences I gained within another field made me a more well-rounded applicant, but also assure admissions teams about how passionate and sure I was/am about vet med. I've always been a huge perfectionist my entire life (as a lot of us in pre-vet are haha), but for my application this year I completely threw out the whole idea of trying to be the perfect applicant and instead I just showed them who I am.

 

[mkg323]

22, female, Delaware resident, traditional, 2nd time applying

Applied: Colorado State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Cornell, UPenn, NC State, UGA (contract), Auburn
Interview Invites: UPenn, Auburn
Waiting to hear:
Accepted: UPenn, Auburn
Attending: UPenn
Waitlisted: Wisconsin, UGA

Overall GPA: 3.62 at the time of applying
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.66
Last 45 GPA: ~3.72

GRE (Q/V/W): 156 (60%) / 159 (83%) / 4 (57%) (these are my scores from last year, I chose not to retake the GRE in 2020)

Degree(s): BS in Animal & Veterinary Science, with a Pre-Veterinary Concentration, Minor in Biological Sciences (graduated in December 2020)

Veterinary Experience: 620hrs total
Experience - (hrs)
~100 hrs – with mobile equine sports med vet
~450 hours – Summer observer/research assistant at a vet school LA hospital observing all diagnostic imaging/sports med appointments, as well as all cardiology appointments, attending rounds, and helping collect data regarding equine congestive heart failure
~70 hours – Small animal hospital vet tech (this is literally the only new vet experience I had since applying as a junior, thanks COVID)

Animal Experience: ~3300 hrs
Experience - (hrs)
~3,200 hrs – I took a gap year before undergrad and was a working student for an FEI 4*/Advanced level event rider. Besides traveling to groom at shows & events I was in charge of daily grooming/care, farm maintenance, exercising horses, cleaning tack, and helping with all farrier/vet visits. I included that I would specifically help with lameness exams, rads, ultrasounds, and steroidal injections.
30hrs – Swine handling class, which involved caring for sows and piglets in a farrowing house, I got to ear notch, vaccinate, castrate, etc.
60 hrs – sheep handling class, similar focus to my other class
30 hrs – intro handling class –taught basic principles regarding livestock handling and animal farm production (equine, poultry, swine, sheep, beef & dairy)


Research: ~400
equine research at another vet school that involved the respiratory health of racehorses

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Experience - (hrs)
180 hrs – Secretary position for my undergrad Intercollegiate Eventing Team.
1270 hrs – Competition member of eventing team (these hours include training/care as well as volunteer work and competing, which is why I put it under extracurriculars, not animal experience)
-deans list x4, presidents list x1, also included an award that my horse won as the highest-scoring TB of the year at a show series, as the prize money helped cover the expenses of competing in college


Non-Animal Employment:
Experience - (hrs)
N/A

LORs:
1. Professor of Veterinary Medicine that I shadowed while doing equine cardiology work
2. Professor of Veterinary Medicine that I worked under for the equine respiratory research
3. Faculty/Lecturer at my undergrad that had me for a lot of animal handling labs and knew me well enough

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Summary of what you wrote about
I wrote about how VetMed found me, as I was taking a gap year before starting undergrad for engineering and that my time with a mobile equine vet made me reconsider my major. I really focused on my journey to where I am now, and how all of my experiences both in and out of clinics molded my perception of VetMed and how I wanted to contribute to the field in the future. I specifically mentioned cases that had an impact on me, one of which was a horse with endocarditis that was able to continue his career as a dressage horse despite a murmur & some scarring, which I used to emphasize my interest in equine cardiology.

Note:
Have family/friends/advisors read your WHOLE application. I seriously forgot to put down all my animal handling hours from my classes when I applied as a junior, and this time I forgot to put down 400 hours of barn work that I got at the start of the pandemic

 

[soccer123!!]

Has anyone heard anything from Washington?

 

[vetsquared]

28, female, WA resident, semi-non-traditional, 1st time applicant

Applied: Cornell, Iowa State, Kansas State, Lincoln Memorial, Long Island, Louisiana State, Michigan State, Midwestern, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Ross, St. George, Tufts, Dublin, Arizona, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Minnesota, Penn, Wisconsin, Washington State, Western
Rejected: Michigan State
Interview Waitlist: Midwestern
Interview Invites: Kansas State, Lincoln Memorial, Long Island, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Ohio State (declined), Purdue, St. George, Tufts, Dublin (declined), Arizona, Edinburgh (declined), Glasgow, Minnesota, Penn, Washington State, Western (declined)
Waiting to hear: Purdue, Ross, Tufts
Accepted: Cornell, Iowa State, Kansas State, Lincoln Memorial, Long Island, Louisiana State, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, St. George, Dublin, Glasgow, Minnesota, Penn, Wisconsin, Washington State
Attending: Minnesota!

*Note: I do not advocate applying to this many schools! I was able to because I had the money set aside for years to pay for applications, but look at your own finances and apply strategically to make the best decision for you. I’m glad I have so many options to choose from and it was the right decision for me.*

Overall GPA: 3.49 (3.20 from undergrad, 4.00 from post-bacc)
Science GPA: 3.36 (2.87 from undergrad, 4.00 from post-bacc)
Prerequisite GPA: Varied by school, but ranged from 3.8-4.0
Last 45 GPA: 4.00

GRE (Q/V/W): 161/163/5.5 (88%/80%/98%)

Degree(s):
BS Animal Science, 2014 (minor in Military Science)

Veterinary Experience: ~6200
Small animal GP (multiple clinics) ~5000
Small animal ER (multiple clinics) ~1000
Equine ~50
Military Working Dog Hospital internship ~160

Animal Experience: ~1600
Volunteer at therapeutic riding center ~50
Volunteer with my therapy dog ~100
4-H including year as club president ~600
AKC junior handler ~300
Rescue dog foster ~250

Research: ~20
Bacterial genome sequencing as part of a class ~20

Extracurriculars: ~3700
Microbiology teaching assistant ~50
Secretary of health sciences club ~20
College veterans’ association ~5
Vice-president of military science club ~50
Color Guard ~100
ROTC ~3000
High school swim team, including year as varsity captain ~300
FBLA ~150

Non-Animal Employment: ~13,000
Army officer ~13,000

Awards/Achievements:
I won’t list everything out here because I had over 40 items listed. Some highlights are:
Awards
ROTC Recondo Badge
ROTC Honors award
ROTC Gold Medal Athlete Award
Assorted 4-H awards
Army Service Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Honors
Army Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
George C. Marshall Leadership Award

Scholarships
Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps 4-Year National Scholarship
American Legion General Military Excellence Award
Military Order of the World Wars Silver Award
Military Order of the World Wars Bronze Award

*My best suggestion is to list absolutely everything, even if it seems small or insignificant. Admissions committees won’t know if a minor award is minor, they just see another accomplishment. Don’t sell yourself short in this department!*

LORs:
Veterinarian: owner of small animal ER that I worked at for about 1.5 years
Veterinarian: equine vet I shadowed
Science professor: Microbiology professor who I took the class from and then TA’ed for
Science professor: Organic chemistry professor who I took the whole yearlong o chem series from
Employer: Former direct supervisor in the Army, Lieutenant Colonel who also taught at West Point
Employer: Army civilian who wasn’t my direct supervisor, but worked several echelons higher than me. We worked together on several projects over the years.

*I broke my LORs up into two vets, two science professors, and two employers in order to hit the requirements of the various schools I applied to. I thought the variety of people worked in my favor because they were all able to address different aspects of my past performance and belief in my future potential, both as a student, a veterinarian, and a professional.*

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
For the future career goals, I talked about my desire to work in ECC and how my experiences working as an assistant at an ER had allowed me to develop that interest, as well as why I was a good fit.

For the questions about veterinarians in society, I talked about a little bit of everything. Public health, food safety, human-animal bond, etc. I used an anecdote about my internship at the Military Working Dog Hospital to show one example of how veterinarians can pursue a wide array of career paths with effects far beyond just the animals they treat.

For the question about attributes of successful veterinarians, I focused on the similarities between being an Army officer and a veterinarian, such a leadership of small teams, decisiveness, effective communication, critical thinking, and the ability to balance competing priorities.

*I think the biggest strength of my application was my unique background in the military and my ability to draw relevant comparisons to the veterinary field, showing that I already possess many of the skills to be successful. I received feedback from admissions committees that my application was extremely unique and stood out from many others, so look for the things that set you apart and use those to your advantage. You need to stand out from the pack when so many application start to look the same.

I also think that I interviewed well; I had multiple interviewers tell me that I was the strongest interviewee they had this year. Perhaps that’s because I did so many interviews, but I went into each with a lot of practice under my belt. I felt confident and projected that forward. I tried to minimize my nerves as much as possible so that I could let my personality shine through. Obviously be professional, but don’t be a brick wall because you are so nervous!*

 

[mgnjrs10]

23, Female, IN Resident, Traditional Applicant, 1st Time Applying:

Applied: Purdue, Mizzou, Auburn, UW-Madison, Iowa State, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Colorado State
Interview Invites: Mizzou and Auburn
Rejected: Purdue, UW-Madison, Iowa State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Colorado State
Waitlisted: None
Accepted: Mizzou and Auburn
Attending: Auburn

*I was definitely discouraged as the rejections from Big-10 schools were rolling in (especially because I didn't even get an interview at my undergraduate institution). However, I realized that while you may be not what one school is looking for, you can be EXACTLY what another school is looking for and I am very excited to attend one of the schools that saw something in me.*

Overall GPA: 3.55
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.56
Last 45 GPA: 3.79

GRE (Q/V/W): 153 (48%) / 155 (67%) / 4.0 (55%)

Degree(s):
B.S. in Animal Science
Minor in Biology
Concentration in Animal Behavior/Well-Being

Veterinary Experience: 3,046 hours
Lab Animal Study Technician at a Contract Research Organization - 2360 hours
Animal Keeper/Rehabilitator at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - 576 hours
Oncology Department Volunteer at University's Teaching Hospital - 26 hours
Externship at Small Animal Hospital- 84 hours

Animal Experience: 87 hours
Dog and Cat Socialization/Dog Walking at Humane Society - 87 hours

Research: 39 hours
Undergraduate Research with Pekin Ducks - 39 hours
*I also work full-time currently doing microbiology research at a university, I was able to talk about this experience only with the schools that granted me an interview*

Extracurriculars/Awards: 504 hours
3 Service Mission Trips - 120 hours
Dance Marathon at University - 24 hours
Various Leadership Positions in Sorority - 360 hours

Non-Animal Employment:
Teaching Assistant for Biology at University - 280 hours
Manager of an Aquatic Center - 880 hours
Bakery Job - 312 hours

LORs:
1. Lab Animal Veterinarian (from the research organization I worked at)
2. Biology Department Head (that I worked under as a TA)
3. Supervisor at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Essentially about my interest in laboratory animal medicine/research, my passion for teaching/mentorship, and how the broad range of experiences I have had has solidified my desire to be in this field.

*Another Note: I took 2 years off after undergraduate before applying to veterinary school and if this is something you are also considering, I'd definitely recommend it. It gave me the time to do some soul-searching to make sure the veterinary field was where I truly wanted to end up, allowed me to recharge academically (after feeling slightly burnt out after undergraduate), gain more experience to strengthen my application, and helped me save money to be able to apply to all the schools I wanted to*

 

[futuredvm12]

23, Female, IN Resident, Traditional Applicant, 1st Time Applying:

Applied: Purdue, Mizzou, Auburn, UW-Madison, Iowa State, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Colorado State
Interview Invites: Mizzou and Auburn
Rejected: Purdue, UW-Madison, Iowa State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Colorado State
Waitlisted: None
Accepted: Mizzou and Auburn
Attending: Need to take more time to think but I am thrilled to have a choice! I can see myself succeeding at both

*I was definitely discouraged as the rejections from Big-10 schools were rolling in (especially because I didn't even get an interview at my undergraduate institution). However, I realized that while you may be not what one school is looking for, you can be EXACTLY what another school is looking for and I am very excited to attend one of the schools that saw something in me.*

Overall GPA: 3.55
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.56
Last 45 GPA: 3.79

GRE (Q/V/W): 153 (48%) / 155 (67%) / 4.0 (55%)

Degree(s):
B.S. in Animal Science
Minor in Biology
Concentration in Animal Behavior/Well-Being

Veterinary Experience: 3,046 hours
Lab Animal Study Technician at a Contract Research Organization - 2360 hours
Animal Keeper/Rehabilitator at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - 576 hours
Oncology Department Volunteer at University's Teaching Hospital - 26 hours
Externship at Small Animal Hospital- 84 hours

Animal Experience: 87 hours
Dog and Cat Socialization/Dog Walking at Humane Society - 87 hours

Research: 39 hours
Undergraduate Research with Pekin Ducks - 39 hours
*I also work full-time currently doing microbiology research at a university, I was able to talk about this experience only with the schools that granted me an interview*

Extracurriculars/Awards: 504 hours
3 Service Mission Trips - 120 hours
Dance Marathon at University - 24 hours
Various Leadership Positions in Sorority - 360 hours

Non-Animal Employment:
Teaching Assistant for Biology at University - 280 hours
Manager of an Aquatic Center - 880 hours
Bakery Job - 312 hours

LORs:
1. Lab Animal Veterinarian (from the research organization I worked at)
2. Biology Department Head (that I worked under as a TA)
3. Supervisor at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Essentially about my interest in laboratory animal medicine/research, my passion for teaching/mentorship, and how the broad range of experiences I have had has solidified my desire to be in this field.

*Another Note: I took 2 years off after undergraduate before applying to veterinary school and if this is something you are also considering, I'd definitely recommend it. It gave me the time to do some soul-searching to make sure the veterinary field was were I truly wanted to end up, allowed me to recharge academically (after feeling slightly burnt out after undergraduate), gain more experience to strengthen my application, and helped me save money to be able to apply to all the schools I wanted to*

What was your average credit hours for your undergrad degree?

 

[sbrider12]

Yay!! I am so thrilled for you! I am about 90% sure I am going to pick UMN so I hope to see you there! It’ll be nice knowing I’m not the only “old” person in the class! Lol 😂

@vetsquared @EB73674 , not sure if it's a UMN thing or general trend in VMCAS apps, but as a member of UMN c/o 2024, I can confirm there are several of us in our 30s and high 20s. I'll be 35 when I graduate (31 now). Never too late

 

[mgnjrs10]

What was your average credit hours for your undergrad degree?

About 140 credit hours total (16-20 credit hours each semester)

 

[birdmann]

27, Female, Louisiana, Non-traditional applicant, 1st time applying:

Applied: Auburn, Cornell, Colorado State, Ohio State, Missouri, Louisiana State, Iowa State, and Texas A&M
Interview Invites: LSU
Waiting to hear: LSU
Accepted: Iowa
Attending: Either Iowa or LSU if accepted.

Overall GPA: 3.39
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.54
Last 45 GPA: 3.74

GRE (Q/V/W): I didn't take it

Degree(s): Associate of Applied Science

Veterinary Experience:
Mixed animal, large and small - 150 hrs
Small animal emergency, Vet Tech and Reception - 1200 hrs

Animal Experience:
~ 500 hrs total between small animal and exotics

Research:
Experience - (hrs)
None

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Physical Training Leader in the Air Force - 2.5 years
Airman Booster Club VP in the Air Force - 1 year
Operation Safe Ride Driver in the Air Force - 24 hrs
Habitat for Humanity in the Air Force - 1 year
Dean's List - 2 times
President's List - 1 time
Air Force Achievement Medal
Quality Assurance Honor Roll in the Air Force - 6 times
Outstanding Team in the Air Force - 2 times
Superior Performer - 1 time
Presidential Volunteer Service Award - 1 time

Non-Animal Employment:
Experience - (hrs)
United States Air Force - Nuclear Weapons Maintenace Technician - 6 years (~16,500 hrs)

LORs:
Title of recommender (Vet? Manager? Supervisor? Vet tech?)
Vet and owner from Animal Emergency Clinic X2
Advisor/Teacher at Undergrad

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Summary of what you wrote about
I talked about being in the military and the experience I gained from living in multiple states and in a foreign country and how those experiences made me realize how much I want to be a vet and how the skills I gained will aid me in my future career as a vet.

 

[mroseh]

@vetsquared @EB73674 , not sure if it's a UMN thing or general trend in VMCAS apps, but as a member of UMN c/o 2024, I can confirm there are several of us in our 30s and high 20s. I'll be 35 when I graduate (31 now). Never too late

Love this - I am 30 and this second application cycle for me I was accepted to UMN c/o 2025 and could not be more excited. Happy to hear it isn’t just me!

 

[supershorty]

@vetsquared @EB73674 , not sure if it's a UMN thing or general trend in VMCAS apps, but as a member of UMN c/o 2024, I can confirm there are several of us in our 30s and high 20s. I'll be 35 when I graduate (31 now). Never too late

c/o 2020 here, I think the oldest member of my class was 41 when we started

 

[Ariel-Li]

@vetsquared @EB73674 , not sure if it's a UMN thing or general trend in VMCAS apps, but as a member of UMN c/o 2024, I can confirm there are several of us in our 30s and high 20s. I'll be 35 when I graduate (31 now). Never too late

Love this - I am 30 and this second application cycle for me I was accepted to UMN c/o 2025 and could not be more excited. Happy to hear it isn’t just me!

c/o 2020 here, I think the oldest member of my class was 41 when we started

Another non trad here! My interview with UMN was really great and I get a nice vibe from the program - can't say that with most schools I applied to. However, OOS tuition in UMN is on the higher end. Does anybody know if they offer recruitment scholarships?

 

[bman1234]

22, Male, Illinois, Traditional, First time applicant

Applied: Missouri, OSU, Illinois, NC State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Interview Invites: Missouri, OSU, Illinois
Waiting to hear: OSU, Illinois, NC State, Missouri (waitlisted)
Accepted: Wisconsin
Attending: Either Wisconsin or Illinois if accepted

Overall GPA: 3.82
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.8
Last 45 GPA: 3.9

GRE (Q/V/W): 155 (55%) / 151 (50%) / 4 (55%)

Degree(s): BS in Microbiology, Minor in Global Health

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Veterinary Assistant- 500+ hours
Equine Veterinary Job Shadowing- 20 hours

Animal Experience:
Wildlife Rehabilitation Internship- 500+ hours
Bat Care Volunteer- 30 hours

Research:
Undergrad Research Assistant in UW-Madison SVM- 200+ hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Microbiology Lab TA- 1 semester
Tutoring Coordinator for a club- held position for a year
Dean's List- 6 semesters

Non-Animal Employment:
Intramural Soccer Referee- 1 semester

LORs:
4 LORs -> 1 from research PI (internal med vet), 1 from wildlife rehab supervisor, 1 from SA vet, 1 from Micro TA Prof

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Only Illinois required essays for me.
For these I wrote about how my micro major and job experiences helped push me closer to deciding i wanted to be a veterinarian.
There was also the super long essay on covid in which I explained how poorly the US acted towards the pandemic and stopping the spread.
For personal statement:
Mainly wrote about one health and my interests in microbiology and global health and how in my future I would want to do something with that in either a small animal or zoo context.

 

[aimee0831]

20, Female, Nevada,Traditional, First Time Applicant

Applied: Western, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Purdue, Midwestern, U of Arizona, U of Florida, LMU, Colorado, Ohio, Virginia-Maryland
Interview Invites: LMU, Washington, Colorado (accepted-no interviews this cycle), Virginia-Maryland (waitlisted-no interviews this cycle), Midwestern (withdrew application), Western (withdrew application)
Accepted: Colorado and Washington (haven’t heard from LMU)
Attending: Washington State University at the Logan, UT campus (Logan was my Preference!)

Overall GPA: 3.61
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.46
Last 45 GPA: 3.69

GRE (Q/V/W): 154 (51%) / 149 (40%) / 3.5 (38%)

Degree(s): BS in Veterinary Science (May 2021)

Veterinary Experience:
Mixed Animal Veterinary Assistant- 802 hours
Equine Hospital Shadowing- 24 hours

Animal Experience:
Ranch/ Farm Work- 1,096 hours
Kennel Technician- 300 hours
4-H- 100 hours

Research:
Undergrad Animal Nutrition Research Assistant- 30 hours

Extracurriculars/Awards:
- Collegiate Young Farmers & Ranchers- 200 (treasurer 1 year, VP 1 year)
- Pre-Vet Club- 52 hours
- National Honor Society (HS)- 100 hours (President 1 year)
- HS Track and Field- 720 hours
- HS Basketball- 720 hours
- HS Library Club- 376 hours (President 2 years)

• I was always told to include all experiences from High School on!

Non-Animal Employment:
- Basketball Official for High School Sports- 36 hours
- Highway Construction (NDOT)- 546 hours
- Preschool Teacher Aid- 130 hours

Volunteer:
HS Booster Club- 50 hours

LORs:
2 Veterinarians (Small and Mixed Practice Vets)
1 Undergrad Veterinary Medicine Professor
1 Employer (Nevada Department of Transportation Supervisor)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
Most of the schools asked for supplemental essay questions and since I applied to so many schools I don’t remember all of them. I had several essays asking what I would contribute to their programs, the importance of diversity, and what makes a good veterinarian! Sorry I can’t remember more specific examples.

For personal statement:
I wrote about the importance of rural mixed animal veterinary care. I grew up in a rural area where the closes veterinarian was 1.5 hours away by car. I saw many animals suffer, both large and small. I have a strong desire to practice in rural shortage areas, serving small animals and livestock. I also shared experiences of growing up on a cattle ranch and being able to interact with animals from a young age.

 

[atlanticaccra]

I'M SO EXCITED TO FILL THIS OUT!!!!!!!

23, Female, California, Traditional, First time applying:

Applied: Colorado, Cornell, Iowa, Western, Ohio, Long Island, Kansas, Michigan, LMU, Oregon, Davis, Midwestern, Washington, Wisconsin, Purdue
Interview Invites: Western, Ohio, LIU, LMU, Midwestern
Waiting to hear: LMU (withdrew), Midwestern (withdrew), Western
Waitlisted: Wisconsin
Accepted: Ohio, LIU
Attending: Probably Ohio!! (or Western, if I get in!!! I can't decide!!! AHHH!)

Overall GPA: 3.6
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.5
Last 45 GPA: 3.7

GRE (Q/V/W): 150s for Q and V / 4 W (too lazy to search for my score since most of them didn't need it lol)

Degree(s): BS in Animal Science

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Intern ~ 1000 hrs
Large Animal Intern ~ 40 hrs
Marine Mammal Intern ~ 50 hrs

Animal Experience:
Intern at multiple zoos ~ 300 hrs
~ 120 hours with livestock, lab animals

Research:
Aquatic Research ~ 50 hrs

Extracurriculars/Awards:
Church Leadership ~ 300 hrs
Sorority Recruitment Chair ~ 125 hrs
Dean's List twice
Intramurals - 2 years


Non-Animal Employment:
N/A

LORs:
1 Vet
1 Academic Advisor/Researcher/Prof
1 Pastor

(there are other things but it is late and I am both tired and wired from my Ohio acceptance, so I can't remember off the top of my head. Congrats to us all!!!!)

 

[bird.nerd]

23, Female, ohio, Traditional? (Took a gap year), second time applicant

Applied: Kansas State, Iowa State, Ohio State (IS)
Interview Invites: KSU, tOSU
Accepted: KSU, ISU, tOSU
Attending: THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY!!

Overall GPA: 3.6
Science Prerequisite GPA: 3.5
Last 45 GPA: 3.89

GRE (Q/V/W): N/A

Degree(s): BS in Biology with an Organismal and Ecology focus (basically double majored in biology and enviro science) with minors in chemistry and sustainable business

Veterinary Experience:
Vet Assistant w/ small/ exotics - 2,000+ hours
Shadowing at a SA hospital in HS - 400h
Planned on helping at my local zoo in the avian center with the vet but cancelled b/c covid
Planned on shadowing at a strictly equine practice in Ann Arbor - cancelled because covid

Animal Experience:
-Handling and drawing blood on grey vireos (also included in research)
-raising, humane EOL care and distribution of chickens on my step dad’s farm
-pet owning (shout out to my cats)
-animal caretaker for 3 horses (2 that needed to be medicated), 1 miniature pony, 4 jack Russell terriers and a cat
-I’m sure there is more i can’t think of them?
Research:
Undergrad research with Grey Vireo fledging success rates and how climate change is changing their habitat (200 h)

Undergrad research looking at migration and disease transmission (50h)

personal research looking at various carbon removal processes at a restoration site and how this impacts biodiversity (300h)

Extracurriculars:
- Chi Omega treasurer
- Make-A-Wish chair
- Order of Omega
- Brotherhood chair
- Gamma Sigma Alpha National Honors Society
- Honors college Ambassador
- Student Orientation leader
- RASA secretary, treasurer and VP
- studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain
- added my various high school experiences as well!
Awards:
- deans list 7 semesters
- 8 to 9 different scholarships

Work:
- secretary at Biology department
- Assisted an elderly couple in my neighborhood with physical therapy and meal making

Volunteer:
- feed my starving children
- wish granter for MAW
- Students Organize for Syria
- registered people to vote
- text banking voters
- also added high school service/ service trips
LORs:
4 vets from the clinic I work at (SA/ exotic)

Essay Questions/Personal Statement:
- for my goals I talked about how i witnessed a dog with a gun shot wound be stabilized (even the owners helped with holding the dog down) and emergency transporting it to MedVet and how that sparked my interest in surgery/ emergency med
- for contributions to society i talked about how i want to serve my community/ advocacy and how vet med relates to that
- for attributes I talked about my parent’s divorce and how that shaped me to be a well rounded vet and why i respect vet med

I was literally rejected from every school I applied to last year without a single interview and this year i had multiple interviews and acceptances! Keep working hard, focus on your application, start early and be nice to yourself!