Undergrad Schools

[shred4life]

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Hey everyone. I am currently attending a community college in New York State and will be receiving my associate's degree in Liberal Arts Math and Sciences this May. I am wavering between many schools to apply to this February as a transfer student. I am just very confused about undergrad. Some people say major in animal science or biology at a big name university in order to get into vet school, while others say major in history/literature at a liberal arts school and take all your pre-reqs to get into vet school. So what's the deal? Do vet schools want to see a big name, great in academics university on your transcript with a major related to the veterinary field, or do they want to see you have other academic interests? Is it a good idea to go undergrad at a school you would like to attend vet school at, or is this discouraged? Cause I really love Davis and Cornell! 😍

I really want to become a vet, and science has always piqued my interest. I love biology and figured it would be ideal to major in animal science or biology. I currently have a 3.4 GPA at my school, and will hopefully get it up to a 3.5 by the time I apply this winter, and a 3.6 by the time I graduate. I am trying to complete all my gen sciences and math pre reqs while still at community college (will have bio 1 and 2, chem 1 and 2, physics 1 and 2 and calculus completed by fall '10) Can anyone recommenced any colleges that they have had a good experience with? (preferably one they got into vet school from!) The locations I'm currently looking in would be the mid atlantic, new england, and california.

This is just a confusing process, and I was hoping you guys could point me in the right direction.

p.s. My sympathy goes out to all of you who are finishing/finished vet school applications. If I am pulling my hair out over undergrad, I cannot imagine what you all are going through! Best of luck to you all!

 

[deleted266066]

From my perception... ideally you will go to a reputable undergraduate school, and that's really all that matters. Your major is totally up to you, and you should pick whatever interests you most and that you will do well in. Keep in mind that you are more likely to succeed best studying whatever you find most interesting to you.

A lot of people end up majoring in animal science or biology also because the requirements for these majors overlap quite a lot with vet school pre-reqs (I was originally just a psychology major, but ended up doubling in biology since I was only a couple courses away from completing the bio major requirements after taking care of the pre-veterinary stuff), but by no means does that mean veterinary schools look poorly on those who don't pursue one of those majors. The hardest thing is that when not pursuing a major in the sciences, you have to really rock those pre-reqs as you probably won't have any upper division biology courses to buffer your application with better grades to make up for any slip-ups in the intro bio/chem/orgo/etc classes.

I know someone who got into veterinary school as a classical guitar major 🙂 The key is really just to be true to yourself, and veterinary schools want to see that you have passions which you pursue while excelling in the necessary science courses as well.

 

[CupOfJeaux]

\I am just very confused about undergrad. Some people say major in animal science or biology at a big name university in order to get into vet school, while others say major in history/literature at a liberal arts school and take all your pre-reqs to get into vet school. So what's the deal? Do vet schools want to see a big name, great in academics university on your transcript with a major related to the veterinary field, or do they want to see you have other academic interests?

If I were you I would really try to go to a good undergrad school, and probably focus on getting a degree in some kind of science. Mostly because you have already done some of your credits at a community college. You want the vet school to know you can handle the acedemic rigors you will be faced with in vet school. (Also I know most med schools don't accept pre-reqs taken at cc, but I am not sure about vet schools, so you may want to check with the schools you are planning on applying to about that.)

/Is it a good idea to go undergrad at a school you would like to attend vet school at, or is this discouraged?

I don't think it is discouraged at all!! In fact at my undergrad many pre-vet students have part time jobs at the vet school. And many of the vets I have worked for encourage people to go here for undergrad and vet school, and not to worry about all the other schools out there.

/I really want to become a vet, and science has always piqued my interest. I love biology and figured it would be ideal to major in animal science or biology. I currently have a 3.4 GPA at my school, and will hopefully get it up to a 3.5 by the time I apply this winter, and a 3.6 by the time I graduate. I am trying to complete all my gen sciences and math pre reqs while still at community college (will have bio 1 and 2, chem 1 and 2, physics 1 and 2 and calculus completed by fall '10) Can anyone recommenced any colleges that they have had a good experience with? (preferably one they got into vet school from!) The locations I'm currently looking in would be the mid atlantic, new england, and california.

Well I strongly encourge you for your situation to consider a science major, but don't just think that the only majors are bio and animial science or liberal arts. I started out as an animal science major because my school pretty much told me at freshman orientation that if you want to go to vet school this is what you do, but soon found one in another area that was a better fit for me. (Wildlife major with Forestry minor). There are lots of science fields out there that will be able to show your potential schools that you are able to handle vet school, so just take time and find the right one for you.

There are lots of paths out there that lead to vet school and not everyone can nor should travel the same one; just work hard and find what works for you.

 

[Shanomong]

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[Myotis]

I actually had a similar question. I go to a decent school. It has a pretty respectable science department and is renowned for its wildlife department (which was my original major and is now my minor as I want to study conservation medicine and wildlife epidemics) but it's not exactly a big name school. I've thought about transferring, but don't know if it's worth it. First of all, because it's a state school, my dad has agreed to pay for it, but if I transfer, even if just to a more expensive and more well known state school, I'm on my own (I'm not opposed to paying for my schooling, I'm going to have to pay for vet school and grad school, but if I can avoid debt from undergrad I'd really like to). Is your undergrad school really that important? Especially if you have good grades in a science major and tons of experience

 

[shred4life]

Thank you for all the responses. Shanomong- how was your experience with your community college credits? I'm getting pretty freaked out hearing people say that some vet schools won't accept pre-req's that were completed at a CC. I am only taking my 100 level courses there, as I know a lot of schools don't accept upper level courses from CC, but I always thought they accept 100 levels. I will probably go in that direction, either majoring biology or animal science at the best university I can transfer into this fall.

Any suggestions for good universities with an animal science major?

 

[cowgirla]

Thank you for all the responses. Shanomong- how was your experience with your community college credits? I'm getting pretty freaked out hearing people say that some vet schools won't accept pre-req's that were completed at a CC. I am only taking my 100 level courses there, as I know a lot of schools don't accept upper level courses from CC, but I always thought they accept 100 levels. I will probably go in that direction, either majoring biology or animal science at the best university I can transfer into this fall.

Any suggestions for good universities with an animal science major?

I went to Univ. New Hampshire for an Animal Science major, and enjoyed it quite a bit.

 

[Shanomong]

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[GellaBella]

You should look into Drew University!

It is a beautiful liberal arts school. I graduated in 2004 with a BA in Biology. Best 4 years of my life hands down and the friends I made are the most amazing people ever. and the experiences/connections were fantastic as well.

We send many people off to medical/dental schools and had a recent alumni just graduate from Cornell Vet school this past year.

It is a very small school (1600 students total) so you really get to know everyone, if not by name, by face.

I really loved it so SO much.
Since the school is so small, it does not have an animal science major. But we do have faculty who do research on primates in South Africa and often take students down to conduct research with them, which I've always heard students rave about.