cmendi
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I haven't seen a thread started for this class/university and figured I should start one!
IS applicant, second round.
IS applicant, second round.
UGA: University of Georgia c/o 2025
- Thread starter cmendi
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cmendi
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Last year there were at least 3 essays. I haven't made it far into the supp. app but I expect there to be essays towards the end.
There are essays, you just have to go far enough into the application.
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Third time OOS applicant! Third times the charm, I hope!
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Hi guys! I'm a first year here (3rd times the charm bby 
) and I can answer any questions you guys have too.
) and I can answer any questions you guys have too.
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First time OOS applicant! I hope everyone knows that they are expanding their class this year! Doubling the number of OOS seats from 15 to 30 and adding more IS seats too I believe. They are planning on releasing decisions in mid to late February so I'm preparing for a lot of waiting haha.
12FutureVet12
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Hey everyone! First time OOS applicant - good luck to everyone!
MsJersey_1822
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Good luck to everyone! I'm a second-round OOS applicant
peytonlynne
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Second round IS applicant, good luck to everyone as well! Super glad to have a forum to talk to others about all this stuff with ☺️
peytonlynne
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Anyone heard anything yet, I’m on some other posts for different schools I applied to and some are already getting emails about applicant status, makes me nervous :/
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UGA doesn't send out decisions until mid-late February.
cmendi
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Received this email about an hour ago,
"Thank you for your interest in the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. I wanted to take this time to give you an update on where we are in our review process. We have collected your entire application and after a preliminary review, we provided it to our faculty reviewers. Their job is to determine, based on the provided application, how successful each individual applicant would be in our program. The information they gather will then be provided to the Admissions Committee who will take all things into consideration in determining our decisions. Our program's admissions process does not include an interview.
We are hoping to have all decisions sent to you via email by late February.
Again, I thank you for your interest in the University of Georgia.
GO DAWGS"
"Thank you for your interest in the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. I wanted to take this time to give you an update on where we are in our review process. We have collected your entire application and after a preliminary review, we provided it to our faculty reviewers. Their job is to determine, based on the provided application, how successful each individual applicant would be in our program. The information they gather will then be provided to the Admissions Committee who will take all things into consideration in determining our decisions. Our program's admissions process does not include an interview.
We are hoping to have all decisions sent to you via email by late February.
Again, I thank you for your interest in the University of Georgia.
GO DAWGS"
FutureVetSomewhere
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Hey Everyone! I’m 28 years old so don’t exactly know anybody else or have any friends also applying to vet school and have just felt a little lost throughout this whole process. I graduated from UGA in 2011 with a Sport Management degree and went on to work for the Atlanta Falcons as well as Atlanta United. I only made the decision back in December to go back to school and try to get into vet school so I’m pretty new to everything. It’s stressful because I have to work pretty much full-time (with a job that fits a school schedule) to be able to pay for all my bills and school and it doesn’t allow me a bunch of time to get vet hours. I have about 175 vet hours and a relatively low GPA at something like 3.04 and GRE at 305. I guess I’m just wondering if I have any shot of getting in. Since I started back I’ve gotten 4 A’s and a B in my science courses so I’m definitely doing better this time around. Do they take into account me having to work and therefore having less vet hours? Will it help me that I had a career besides this and left it will it hurt me? I guess I’m just trying to get a grasp on how I can improve my application for next year if I don’t get in. I see some people with thousands of hours and I just don’t see that happening with how much I have to work as a server/bartender. I know this was a lot but just needed some advice or feedback because I’m having some doubts lately.
LaineyLou
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I feel like your largest problem would be your lack of hours. Given that a lot of students have well over 1000 hours might make your application look a little bit weak on experience calling into question whether you’ve had enough time in the field to be dedicated to the profession (not that I feel that way but i know how competitive schools are). I feel like you still may have a chance but should contact the school directly!
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Hi! 3rd year UGA vet student here. The admissions committee really does try to take a holistic approach and take everything into account when evaluating an applicant; so yes, they will definitely take into account that the reason you may have less than average veterinary hours is because you are working full-time to support yourself. The fact that you are a non-traditional student and have had a previous career is absolutely beneficial to your application. They may not have an official "quota", but the admissions committee definitely makes sure to accept a number of non-traditional students every year, simply for the fact that they are non-traditional students. The truth is they don't want every single person in a class to be 21 year old, straight "A" students straight out of undergrad. They really appreciate the diversity, life experience, and wisdom that non-traditional students bring to their class.
Your GPA is just above the minimum cutoff for UGA CVM, so you'll obviously need to make good grades this semester to keep your GPA up when you update them with your fall transcript. They do not make any exceptions for applicants that don't meet minimum requirements. Yes, your vet experience hours are definitely on the low end, but again they take your whole application into consideration. The biggest concern that I would have with that relatively small amount of hours is whether your letter(s) of recommendation from veterinarians that you have worked with are strong and personal. Since the AdCom does not do interviews, they put a lot of emphasis on LORs because they are a good way to evaluate you as a person.
I always like to remind people that not every part of your application needs to be stellar in order to be accepted. I also had below average vet hours (around 800 at the time of my application) and my GRE score just barely met the minimum requirement, but I had a great GPA and I knew that my LORs were super strong. In your case since your vet hours and GPA are below average, you'll want to make sure that your essays and LORs are fantastic. If you don't get accepted this cycle, the BEST thing you can do is schedule a file review with the AdCom. They will go over your application with you and tell you your strong points and your weak points, and how to improve your chances for the next cycle. I would of course recommend getting as many more vet hours as you can (and update Parker with any more that you get between now and February), and maybe re-take the GRE if you don't get in this cycle (although GRE scores are definitely not the most important factor for acceptance).
I hope this helps and feel free to send me any other questions you may have! Good luck!!
I applied this cycle and am taking 2 of my pre-reqs this Fall semester. Should I go ahead and resend my transcript after Fall grades post or will they request it, if needed? Also, do I just send it to the same VMCA's code and would they be notified that a new, updated transcript has been received?
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When Parker Moore spoke with our pre-vet club he definitely said he wanted to see the fall transcripts for people who hadn't finished their pre-reqs, but I believe he said they would send out an email sometime after their initial review process with that information and where to send them to! I am in the same boat as you, and I'm waiting until I receive word from them as to when and where to send it to. They can't expect applicants to send them this info without actually telling the applicants they need it!
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I was accepted to UGA last cycle as a GA resident career-changer with a low cumulative GPA. I had a lot of vet hours but I think it's more about diversity and quality rather than quantity. Here are my stats below. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
Low GPAer with multiple acceptances!
My undergrad GPA was a 2.7ish so this goes to show that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself if you’re willing to work for it! Being an older student ready to move on with my life, I applied to a ridiculous number of schools. I was also super worried about how much my academic history would hinder me. I timed my application cycle with my husband being overseas on an unaccompanied tour (he’s career military), giving us the best chances of ending up in the same region of the country when he returns. Of course this would only work if I was accepted so that’s another reason why I applied to so many schools! I wouldn’t recommend being financially reckless (I have the GI bill and savings to pay for vet school so cost was less of a limiting factor), but ultimately you gotta do what’s best for you!
32 y/o female, non-trad, Georgia resident, 1st time applicant
Applied: Auburn, CSU, Davis, UF, UGA, U Illinois, Iowa State, K-State, LMU, LSU, Michigan State, UMN, Mississippi State, tOSU, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Penn, Purdue, SGU, Tufts, VMCVM
Rejected: Davis, Auburn, CSU, U Illinois
Interview waitlisted: UF, tOSU
Invited to Interview: SGU, LMU, K-State, VMCVM, Mississippi State, Purdue, Michigan State, UMN (declined), Tufts (declined), Penn
Waitlisted: Oregon State, Purdue, Mississippi State, Michigan State
Accepted: SGU, LMU, LSU, Oklahoma State, Penn, K-State, VMCVM, Iowa State, UGA
Attending: VMCVM
Cumulative GPA: 3.06
Last 45 GPA: 4.00
DIY Post-Bacc GPA: 3.87 (84 credits, all science)
Science GPA w/o engineering: 3.63
Science GPA w/ engineering: 2.98 (thanks VMCAS)
GRE: 152 V / 160 Q / 3.5 <- don’t half-a$$ the writing portion like I did LOL
Undergrad degree: BS Aerospace Engineering (2010)
Veterinary Experience
- SA general practice with Chinese medicine: 2800 hours
- SA ER: 250 hours
- Avian, exotics & wildlife: 170 hours
- Equine/swine: 100 hours
- Equine/LA/internal medicine: 240 hours
- Low cost clinic: 140 hours
Animal Experience
- Therapeutic riding group for disabled children: 120 hours
- Farrier: 12 hours (corrective shoeing)
- Shelter: 55 hours
- Cat rescue: 300 hours
- Wildlife center: 30 hours
- Pet ownership (only included animals I’ve owned as an adult independently of my parents and super low-balled the hours)
Research
- Nada!
Community Service/Volunteer Things
- 7 years as a board member and caseworker with a non-profit that provides financial assistance to owners and rescuers of dogs in need. We disperse funds to veterinarians directly to be used for non-routine treatment. I’ve worked some super interesting cases and this is where my interest in medicine began.
- 3 years as the Family Adoptions Director (board position) of a breed specific dog rescue. A group of us broke off because we wanted the flexibility to take in mixes of said breed so I was a founding member and the Applications Director for 2 years of the new non-profit. I really enjoyed working with potential adopters so managing the application and adoption process was a natural fit for me.
- Volunteer at an emergency women and children’s shelter
Non-Animal Employment
- 10 years for the same engineering company, first as an intern, then mechanical engineer, and finally as a systems engineer. The highlight was working software test on a really cool program that was awarded a Collier trophy (a pretty big deal).
- Also included the 2 jobs I had as an undergrad student: recycling center for 2 years and mechanics lien company for 2 years.
LORs (tried to pick people in different areas of my life that know me very well)
- SA vet
- Equine/LA vet
- Engineering boss
- President of non-profit I’ve been with 7 years
- A&P I & II and Neuro professor
- Infectious Diseases and Micro professor
Explanation Statement
I used this space to discuss GI issues I had from childhood through my undergrad years. I had a slew of medical tests done when I was an engineering student and, living alone, I developed some very disordered eating habits stemming from anxiety about my GI stuff, which resulted in me being super underweight. I struggled with the decision to include this in my application but ultimately I did. I used the first paragraph to outline the facts: this is what happened and this is what I did about it (cognitive behavioral therapy and working with a registered dietician). In the 2nd paragraph I talked about the things I do today (9 years later) to manage my GI issues and anxiety (basically putting self-care first and confronting the things that make me anxious, both food-related and not). And in the 3rd paragraph I was able to demonstrate how much more functional I am now by discussing the strong grades I’ve earned as a post-bacc student while juggling an engineering career, a cross country move, a periacetabular osteotomy (corrective surgery for hip dysplasia), and making time for veterinary experiences.
These days I’m super open about my struggles and how I got to where I am now. My inbox is always open to anyone struggling, needing a little encouragement, or whatever; and I’d be happy to share my explanation statement with anyone needing an example and/or help with editing theirs. I asked half a dozen people for feedback on mine to be sure it was conveying the right message ... I basically admitted to having anxiety and an eating disorder, which could’ve sunk my ship if not done right. Moral of the story, own what happened and make it a strength (but only if you can demonstrate how you’re a bada$$ now).
Essays
1 - Opened with why I studied engineering, talked about the development of my interest in medicine, included a major takeaway from each of my vet experiences, and closed by saying that I’m seeking an area within vet med where client relationship and continuity of care are valued, as this relationship is most fulfilling to me.
2 - Given my rescue background and having lived in states where shelters are understaffed and at max capacity, I talked about supporting my local shelter and/or rescue(s) in some capacity once I’m a vet. I emphasized that I want to improve the lives of the animals in my community through education, which I hope to do in clinical medicine. I also expressed an interest in teaching the next generation of vets as my contribution to the profession that benefits the community long after I’m gone.
3 - I went with commitment to learning, finding enjoyment and meaning outside of medicine, strong oral and written communication, and integrity.
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In prior cycles it was posted on the UGA CVM website when fall transcripts were due (think it was mid January). And it was required for all applicants. Hopefully they will send instructions to you guys. If you don’t hear anything by mid December, I’d email admissions.
MsJersey_1822
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If it is anything like last year, they will do their best have decisions by February. I know last year they emailed us a couple of times to let us know that it may later than expected for decisions, but I know it was crazy last year with the quarantine and all. I doubt they will send them out early though.
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First time applicant. Decent GPA and experiences imo. Rejected from UF (is), auburn (oos). UGA (oos) is the only other school I applied, and I'm getting really nervous due to my other rejections, but the fact that someone said they're expanding their oos seats gives me some home :') Trying to make peace with the fact I may not get in at all.
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I’m trying to make peace with it too. MAN it sucks but we’ll get through it if we need to
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If it helps, I was rejected from all schools I applied to last year with only 1 giving me an interview. This year, I already have 3 interview invites (1 from a school that rejected me last year) and still have 7 schools to hear from. It may just take more than one cycle and that’s okay. Hang in there.
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my understanding was that they want official transcripts, but only if you took a prerequisite this semester.
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I’m so ready to hear from them! IS second round! I wish you the best of luck! Hang in there
Norma&Winston
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Oos first time applicant to UGA, second time to vet school in general! Getting excited!
FutureVetSomewhere
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Hey y'all! I applied this round but don't anticipate really getting in at this rate. I am having to take 3 prereqs this Spring and 2 in the Summer if I somehow do get accepted (I just don't see them accepting someone with that many outstanding prereqs but I could be wrong). Looking forward to next application, do y'all have suggestions of schools to apply to with similar prerequisites as UGA?
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You never know, don’t count yourself out!! ☺️ I applied to LMU, LIU, Midwestern, SGU, Ross, Michigan State, and Virginia-Maryland. They all had similar prerequisite coursework! Good luck to you!
rainyday27
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Unfortunately, they want all prereqs completed by the end of the spring semester. There’s a chance you could be accepted, but that comes with the understanding that you’ll at least get Cs in those classes and finish this semester. All the schools I applied to say I couldn’t finish any prereqs over the summer and some said I couldn’t have more than 2 to take in the Spring. Auburn had similar requirements other than Animal Nutrition. Good luck with everything!
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Because of Covid 19, UGA is allowing for summer completion of pre-req's for this cycle only.
sophacles
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I didn’t warn any of my LORs I wonder how that’s going to go!! The vets I work with are so busy I kind of hope they call another LOR (edited bc I said earn not warn)
MoshPot
UGA CVM c/o 2025
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Anyone know how the school handles not being able to contact a LOR. Is it a once or down sorta deal or do they try multiple times? One of my vets I work with has been dealing with hospitalizations recently and would probably not be up to doing the reference if they contacted him now.
nikipatel28
UGA c/o 2025
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Same here!! I’m hoping we find out sooner than the end of the month 😅
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I'm so worried they're gonna call while my LOR's are working 🥺 I hope if that does happen they try at a different time?
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They let everyone know at the same time!
rainyday27
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One of my vets missed a call from them a few years ago and they left a message with her, so don’t stress! And the applicant got in!
