This or That Pre-Vet Questions

[littlesooyon92]

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The 4-year undergrad. school I plan on going to has these options:

Biology B.S.

Options:

#1 Cell and Molecular Biology
#2 Environmental Biology
#3 Microbiology
#4 Biotechnology/ Medical Technology
#5 Marine Biology

I'm thinking more towards #1 and #2?

What do you think?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should I major (undergrad) in something that I will LOVE & get higher grades in?

or

Should I major in something more SCIENCE related for VET school?
(I'm kind of weak on the science/math subjects)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CC I am attending has a Pre-Veterinary Science program,

Should I take that program?

or

Should I just finish up my GE's and transfer to the 4-year that does not
have a animal-related undergraduate major and go onto Biology Major?

-Note- I do have all the time in the world, but I feel it unnecessary to stay too long at a CC.

 

[shortnsweet]

The 4-year undergrad. school I plan on going to has these options:

Biology B.S.

Options:

#1 Cell and Molecular Biology
#2 Environmental Biology
#3 Microbiology
#4 Biotechnology/ Medical Technology
#5 Marine Biology

I'm thinking more towards #1 and #2?

What do you think?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should I major (undergrad) in something that I will LOVE & get higher grades in?

or

Should I major in something more SCIENCE related for VET school?
(I'm kind of weak on the science/math subjects)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CC I am attending has a Pre-Veterinary Science program,

Should I take that program?

or

Should I just finish up my GE's and transfer to the 4-year that does not
have a animal-related undergraduate major and go onto Biology Major?

-Note- I do have all the time in the world, but I feel it unnecessary to stay too long at a CC.

I would say finish up your GEs and then transfer. You may have seen this on other threads but, vet schools really do not care about what your major is. As long as you get your pre-reqs, you can major in anything from French to Archeology and beyond. Do something you love, or you won't be happy. Most pre-vets/meds do a science degree because you end up getting all the reqs you need within the major. Take classes you enjoy, college is the best time to do that. I wouldn't give back my liberal arts education for anything! 🙂

 

[PppermintTwist]

I would say finish up your GEs and then transfer. You may have seen this on other threads but, vet schools really do not care about what your major is. As long as you get your pre-reqs, you can major in anything from French to Archeology and beyond. Do something you love, or you won't be happy. Most pre-vets/meds do a science degree because you end up getting all the reqs you need within the major. Take classes you enjoy, college is the best time to do that. I wouldn't give back my liberal arts education for anything! 🙂

I agree major in something that you will love for undergrad. As long as you get the pre-reqs then it doesnt matter🙂

 

[breenie]

Just to play devil's advocate, do try to get a variety of biological science exposure while in undergrad. I took a lot more science classes than necessary just to get in, and I generally took the harder/longer series of courses vs. the easier set that still fulfilled the prereqs. It's not bad to come over from something like lit and just take the prereqs to get in, but it has made classes like cell bio, physiology, etc a lot easier since I had a little bit of a broader base to draw from. 🙂 Most things aren't scary and unfamiliar yet, just a little more detailed than I've learned in the past.

 

[bbeventer]

I would say finish up your GEs and then transfer. You may have seen this on other threads but, vet schools really do not care about what your major is. As long as you get your pre-reqs, you can major in anything from French to Archeology and beyond. Do something you love, or you won't be happy. Most pre-vets/meds do a science degree because you end up getting all the reqs you need within the major. Take classes you enjoy, college is the best time to do that. I wouldn't give back my liberal arts education for anything! 🙂

I agree, but I also agree with breenie. Choose a major you love, but also make sure you have a fair amount of upper level science courses that you find interesting.

 

[CurrySpice]

My reply is in red...

The 4-year undergrad. school I plan on going to has these options:

Biology B.S.

Options:

#1 Cell and Molecular Biology
#2 Environmental Biology
#3 Microbiology
#4 Biotechnology/ Medical Technology
#5 Marine Biology I would totally pick this option... but any of them would be fine. I would make a rough plan of your next 4 years to make sure that you can fit in all of your pre-vet, major, and GE classes with plenty of room to switch around the classes (enrollment can be very limited for popular classes).

I'm thinking more towards #1 and #2?

What do you think?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should I major (undergrad) in something that I will LOVE & get higher grades in?
Why are you already assuming that you will get poor grades in science? I got B's in high school science and managed nearly a 4.0 in my Biology major. It's all about attitude, planning, and studying.
or

Should I major in something more SCIENCE related for VET school?
(I'm kind of weak on the science/math subjects)
Major in whatever you want, BUT it may be helpful for you to learn study strategies from taking harder courses. My best friend did an accelerated 2 year bachelors straight to med school (accepted from high school) and is struggling in med school because she never had to study in undergrad. Cramming can get you through most of your pre-reqs, though it's not a recommended strategy. But plenty of people only take the pre-reqs and do just fine, so your decision.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The CC I am attending has a Pre-Veterinary Science program,

Should I take that program?
What does that program entail? It may be designed to help you succeed in getting into vet school or it could be a complete waste of time. Depending on where you apply, you will want to take most of your classes at a 4-year university. Minnesota doesn't care where they're from, but Penn or Cornell may. Just do your research and it should be very clear on the vet school's website if cc classes are accepted.
or

Should I just finish up my GE's and transfer to the 4-year that does not
have a animal-related undergraduate major and go onto Biology Major?
Some community colleges are academically challenging, but I personally prefer to be at a 4-year university. It doesn't really matter what majors are offered as long as the classes you want are there.
-Note- I do have all the time in the world, but I feel it unnecessary to stay too long at a CC.
You have all the time in the world?!?! Jealous.... haha, but seriously, no need to linger frivolously spending tuition money (either your parents' or the government's).

I would recommend picking up a copy of the VMSAR used on ebay or something to figure out a plan to get ready for vet school. Everything's on the websites, but I like just flipping open the book and having the comparisons handy. Obviously check and make sure the information is accurate before completely committing.

I did a Biology major because it encompassed all of my pre-vet requirements and allowed me to graduate in 3 years. IME you can take more fun classes if you major in something that includes your pre-vet classes b.c you won't have to follow a plan for a different major.
aka.
Biology major:
10 Biology classes
5 Chemistry classes
10 GE classes
8 fun classes!

or...
French major:
8 Biology classes
5 Chemistry Classes
10 GE classes
8 French classes
2 fun classes

Of course, the longer you stay at uni the more random classes you can add! 🙂

 

[krist]

Looking back on it, if I had known I wanted to go to vet school in/before undergrad, I wish I would have majored in something else besides biology (but maybe somewhat related) and not taken quite as many upper level hard science classes because I got B's in many of them which is dragging down my GPA. Now that is purely from the admissions standpoint. I am hoping that it will pay off when/if I get into vet school (like Breenie said) where I might be a little bit familiar with some of the material. Also, I think majoring in something you love is also a good idea to have as a "plan B" knowing how competitive vet school is to get into.

On a totally unrelated note...you said you are weak in science and math? Am I the only that raises an eyebrow at this (?), not trying to be rude at all but you do understand that that is a large part of veterinary school and the career in general, right? (mostly the science part)

 

[Bacci]

Just to play devil's advocate, do try to get a variety of biological science exposure while in undergrad. I took a lot more science classes than necessary just to get in, and I generally took the harder/longer series of courses vs. the easier set that still fulfilled the prereqs. It's not bad to come over from something like lit and just take the prereqs to get in, but it has made classes like cell bio, physiology, etc a lot easier since I had a little bit of a broader base to draw from. 🙂 Most things aren't scary and unfamiliar yet, just a little more detailed than I've learned in the past.

Just to throw in my two cents, I went to the same undergrad as breenie, majored in psych, took the easy set of bio/physics/etc and still got in on the first try.

That being said, she definitely has a point when it comes to vet school. I have not seen a lot of hard science, they throw it at you all at once, and it's kind of blowing my mind. It doesn't mean I can't do it (I'm completely confident that I can), but I imagine if I had already struggled with it once it would be much easier the second time around.

 

[Fireflysushi]

I agree with every body else that you should get a major you love! I didn't love mine but did it because I thought it sounded tougher/ more impressive, and while I still did well grade wise I would have rather spent my four years doing something I really enjoyed. But it is important (atleast for CSU) that you take upper division science classes. Many people are denied with a great Gpa because they didn't take UD.
On another note, my university doesn't accept all CC credits, so I know a lot of people that ended up having to take classes more than once just to get the degree from a 4-year school. The Universisty wants you to take a certain amount of classes from them so they can make money/ claim they educated you. Before you spend too much money at a CC I would check that all of the credits will transfer. It may not save you money in the long run.

 

[breenie]

Just to throw in my two cents, I went to the same undergrad as breenie, majored in psych, took the easy set of bio/physics/etc and still got in on the first try.

That being said, she definitely has a point when it comes to vet school. I have not seen a lot of hard science, they throw it at you all at once, and it's kind of blowing my mind. It doesn't mean I can't do it (I'm completely confident that I can), but I imagine if I had already struggled with it once it would be much easier the second time around.

Didn't mean to imply someone going that route wouldn't get someone in! All of those courses satisfy the prereqs for a reason. 🙂 I meant more along the lines of Genetics 466 vs 160 (this one is really helping me out in our Cell Bio course here) or like taking Repro Phys (did I mention that I get to reuse my textbook third year!?) or Microbio (have to take this course again in vet school, nice to have had it once).

As an aside, I didn't really appreciate the education we got until vet school! Even the "easy" set of courses I think were pretty well run at UW. I didn't have anything to judge my education against until meeting many of my peers, who hadn't encountered things that were expected basics in many of our courses. I appreciate the tuition paid more in retrospect. Good school. I learned lots. Bummed I can't wear my badger gear to class. 🙁

 

[Bacci]

Didn't mean to imply someone going that route wouldn't get someone in! All of those courses satisfy the prereqs for a reason. 🙂 I meant more along the lines of Genetics 466 vs 160 (this one is really helping me out in our Cell Bio course here) or like taking Repro Phys (did I mention that I get to reuse my textbook third year!?) or Microbio (have to take this course again in vet school, nice to have had it once).

As an aside, I didn't really appreciate the education we got until vet school! Even the "easy" set of courses I think were pretty well run at UW. I didn't have anything to judge my education against until meeting many of my peers, who hadn't encountered things that were expected basics in many of our courses. I appreciate the tuition paid more in retrospect. Good school. I learned lots. Bummed I can't wear my badger gear to class. 🙁

Oh I gotcha. I know that I heard several times that taking the easy set might make me appear less competetive (after the fact, of course), and I just wanted to make it clear that the adcoms really don't care what level courses you take. At least in my case they didn't.

And you CHOSE not to wear your badger gear to class! 😛

 

[breenie]

Oh I gotcha. I know that I heard several times that taking the easy set might make me appear less competetive (after the fact, of course), and I just wanted to make it clear that the adcoms really don't care what level courses you take. At least in my case they didn't.

And you CHOSE not to wear your badger gear to class! 😛

No seriously! We're not allowed. Mizzou has a dress code policy that you can't wear other school's logos. It sucks. We can only wear Mizzou-themed or plain clothing.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

No seriously! We're not allowed. Mizzou has a dress code policy that you can't wear other school's logos. It sucks. We can only wear Mizzou-themed or plain clothing.

That is so incredibly ******ed. I would wear my Hokie gear anyway and tell them to go **** themselves if a school tried to tell me that. Wow.



OP, if you are weak on science and math subjects, you need to take more of them and get better. Period. Going for a major that will just get you a higher GPA (and taking only easy level prereqs/science courses) is doing yourself a huge disservice if science courses are truly your weakness; you will be blown out of the water when you hit vet school level science courses.

 

[rubygirl]

as long as you cover the prereqs and do well it doesnt matter what you major in there are people in my class that have majored in all sorts of things i have a good friend who got in with a art major and enough sciences to fulfill the prereqs. as a side not i have realize now that i am 10 weeks into my first year of vet school i wish i hadnt applied when i did. i am a very traditional student going through 4 years of undergrad straight out of high school then headed off to vet school right after graduation. by the time a graduate i will have spent 20 straight years in school, i wish some one had told me that taking a year or two off between undergrad and applying can be a good thing, you have a chance to get a ton of experience and a chance to live and have fun, as my mom puts it time to play (skiing hiking biking etc), before going back to school. this may not be the right place for this comment but i didnt know where to put it so here seemed good as any lol

 

[PetPony]

After high school, I thought I was terrible at science too. I struggled through every science class in high school. But I realized, that was because I thought I'd never need it. After doing terrible in school in Germany, I gave up my dream of becoming a vet, because high school grades were really important there. i wasn't interested in science, so I never studied and did terrible in the classes when I came to America. Only after already finishing all my hs science classes did I look into requirements here and decided to try it. I looked for professor reviews, didn't have a choice on who to take by the way, lol, and ended up with a professor who everyone hated. I got along great with her. She's from Germany, too. 😎 Just review a little bit everyday and increase that for a few days before the test. get help early on if you feel that you'll need it. I got a 96 on my first test. Not so bad for someone without any motivation for it. 🙄 Now, I gotta admit, science isn't that bad actually if you put your head to it. Just try it.

 

[Bacci]

No seriously! We're not allowed. Mizzou has a dress code policy that you can't wear other school's logos. It sucks. We can only wear Mizzou-themed or plain clothing.

Really?! That's absolutely crazy! I was more referring to the fact that you got accepted here and chose Mizzou...but still. That's nuts. Several people in our class wear Penn State, Michigan, U of I, etc. Weird that they don't allow it. Is there a reasonable explanation for it?

 

[breenie]

Really?! That's absolutely crazy! I was more referring to the fact that you got accepted here and chose Mizzou...but still. That's nuts. Several people in our class wear Penn State, Michigan, U of I, etc. Weird that they don't allow it. Is there a reasonable explanation for it?

Haha, okay, that's a fair criticism! Cut a girl some slack, I lived in Madison since I was 2! It was time for a change. 🙂

The wishy-washy explanation is that it's a school pride thing, and if donors, alumni, etc are walking through the school we should only be promoting our school, and not others. I guess?

 

[scb44f]

That is so incredibly ******ed. I would wear my Hokie gear anyway and tell them to go **** themselves if a school tried to tell me that. Wow.

Eh, I still wear my undergrad stuff all the time. It hasn't been a big deal so far.

 

[scb44f]

The wishy-washy explanation is that it's a school pride thing, and if donors, alumni, etc are walking through the school we should only be promoting our school, and not others. I guess?

Yeah, and the dress code was written by students years ago so we should all buy into it, right?.... Anyway, it's not really enforced.

 

[breenie]

Eh, I still wear my undergrad stuff all the time. It hasn't been a big deal so far.

And you can always claim that your ugrad is in the MU system (do you guys call it a system here?), so you're still being Mizzou pride-y.

Yeah, and the dress code was written by students years ago so we should all buy into it, right?.... Anyway, it's not really enforced.

All fashion choices in the 90's were GREAT ideas... duh.

 

[scb44f]

And you can always claim that your ugrad is in the MU system (do you guys call it a system here?), so you're still being Mizzou pride-y.



All fashion choices in the 90's were GREAT ideas... duh.

Yeah it's still in the MU system, but my undergrad really emphasized that we were not Mizzou. Maybe we should start busting out the trendy fashion of the 90s!!

 

[breenie]

Yeah it's still in the MU system, but my undergrad really emphasized that we were not Mizzou. Maybe we should start busting out the trendy fashion of the 90s!!

I've got enough flannel shirts for everyone if we want to go grunge. Somebody else is going to have to provide the Nirvana.