Vet school GPA and requirements

[AnimaLover]

So recently I have taken into consideration of being a veterinarian. I did this because several people have recommended this job to me because of my compassion, intelligence, and love for animals. I thought of this job before but never really took it into reality until a short time ago. I know this is all over forums and such but I wanted to start my own fresh thread. I was thinking Colorado State University aka CSU. With all that being said, what GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed. Also what else could I do to help me get a better chance of getting in and looking better. I am a 15 year old sophomore in high school (10th grade). I stated this so everybody could help me out more and get a better understanding of where I am at and benefit me in the future. What classes could I take and what could I do to help me? What are some great places that could help me get started in Veterinary Medicine? Do I need to volunteer and if so, how do I do volunteer? Feel free to add anything that will help me. Sorry for any spelling and grammar errors. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DVMDream]

So recently I have taken into consideration of being a veterinarian. I did this because several people have recommended this job to me because of my compassion, intelligence, and love for animals. I thought of this job before but never really took it into reality until a short time ago. I know this is all over forums and such but I wanted to start my own fresh thread. I was thinking Colorado State University aka CSU. With all that being said, what GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed. Also what else could I do to help me get a better chance of getting in and looking better. I am a 15 year old sophomore in high school (10th grade). I stated this so everybody could help me out more and get a better understanding of where I am at and benefit me in the future. What classes could I take and what could I do to help me? What are some great places that could help me get started in Veterinary Medicine? Do I need to volunteer and if so, how do I do volunteer? Feel free to add anything that will help me. Sorry for any spelling and grammar errors. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

First things first... love and compassion for animals does not mean that veterinary medicine is the right career for you. Veterinary medicine is actually a very PEOPLE focused profession. Yeah, I know, shock. But cats, dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats, etc don't come trotting up to the vet alone. You spend 80-85% of your time dealing with the people and the rest is with the actual animals.

Really, you need to shadow or volunteer with a vet or a shelter to see if veterinary medicine is really something that you would even enjoy. It isn't what people think it to be from the outside looking in.

 

[AnimaLover]

First things first... love and compassion for animals does not mean that veterinary medicine is the right career for you. Veterinary medicine is actually a very PEOPLE focused profession. Yeah, I know, shock. But cats, dogs, horses, cattle, pigs, goats, etc don't come trotting up to the vet alone. You spend 80-85% of your time dealing with the people and the rest is with the actual animals.

Really, you need to shadow or volunteer with a vet or a shelter to see if veterinary medicine is really something that you would even enjoy. It isn't what people think it to be from the outside looking in.

Let's get this straight. First I never said that it was the right career for me. I just stated that several people recommended the job to me. And I didn't fully say why they recommended the job to me, I just said the base of it (Love, compassion, intelligence, etc.) I never said because this is what people said, this is the perfect career for me. I said I've taken it into consideration. Key word-Consideration.

I appreciate the recommendation of volunteering but I wanted more than that. I wanted GPA and requirements and the questions I asked. I want to know all that to see if I could even meet the requirements before I start learning about Veterinary Medicine and volunteering. I need to see if I could actually achieve the requirements needed. Thanks for your reply!

 

[escanoke]

FYI whenever you tell people what you’re gonna pursue at least 30% will come off like that first post and half of that will be coming from a place of well meaning and the other half is patronizing.

But it’s true you need to volunteer/shadow veterinarians in multiple settings if you can. To understand the day to day things that you wouldn’t think is part of the job.

Most likely for GPA you’ll need a minimum of a 3.0 of the pre-reqs, X amount of hours of volunteering in vet focused areas, and have some other extra curricular activities.

I get it you think that we’re all thinking OP is 15 and is naive and doesn’t grasp what you truly want but try and not take suggestions so personal. You’ll hear a lot of that because people are, well people. Yes they can say it better but for the most part there is some truth to what people say.

Since you’re 15, still an underclass man if you can take AP bio/chemistry, and volunteer that will be a good first step towards your goal.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Lupin21]

Let's get this straight. First I never said that it was the right career for me. I just stated that several people recommended the job to me. And I didn't fully say why they recommended the job to me, I just said the base of it (Love, compassion, intelligence, etc.) I never said because this is what people said, this is the perfect career for me. I said I've taken it into consideration. Key word-Consideration.

I appreciate the recommendation of volunteering but I wanted more than that. I wanted GPA and requirements and the questions I asked. I want to know all that to see if I could even meet the requirements before I start learning about Veterinary Medicine and volunteering. I need to see if I could actually achieve the requirements needed. Thanks for your reply!

Welcome to the pre veterinary forum!

All veterinary schools have their list of required prerequisites and statistics for GPA and GRE scored for the most recent incoming class on their web page. You would need to always check every year to make sure you are on target as these change year to year. In general, you need as close to a 4.0 as you can get, and hours spent with a veterinarian in various capacities of the field is needed. Most applicants have upwards of 2000 hours, some much more.

Also, your statement at the beginning here looks like you took some kind of offense to being warned about the people aspect of the field. Don't start the habit of being defensive, as it is truly hard to break. The reason it got brought up immediately is because much dissatisfaction exists in the veterinary profession because the people attached to the animals we all love are quite draining. You're just starting out, so lots to absorb and it goes much better to curb that feeling of being insulted, as that is rarely the case. 🙂

 

[Ashgirl]

Let's get this straight. First I never said that it was the right career for me. I just stated that several people recommended the job to me. And I didn't fully say why they recommended the job to me, I just said the base of it (Love, compassion, intelligence, etc.) I never said because this is what people said, this is the perfect career for me. I said I've taken it into consideration. Key word-Consideration.

I appreciate the recommendation of volunteering but I wanted more than that. I wanted GPA and requirements and the questions I asked. I want to know all that to see if I could even meet the requirements before I start learning about Veterinary Medicine and volunteering. I need to see if I could actually achieve the requirements needed. Thanks for your reply!

DVMD is right, shadowing is a must. You can have a perfect GPA and still potentially not get in if you don't take the time to shadow vets. This would be one of the first steps in seeing if this career is good for you.

Your GPA and requirements will depend on what school you want to go to, and your overall application. People get in with GPAs all over the map, though I would say with a 3.6+ would be a good average/starting point. You can look at CSU website (just google CSU vet med), and see what the pre-reqs and previous class statistics would be.

Also, DVMD was only trying to help. 🙂 There's a ton of starry-eyed pre-vets out there that have a completely different view of what vet med actually is. Did you know vets have a 4X risk of suicide than the normal public? Unfortunately love and passion for animals might not be enough. It's a tough career, and the scary things you would find on this forum isn't to scare you away, it's to give you real perspective so you can understand just a smidge of what you might be getting yourself into.

 

[Lupin21]

DVMD is right, shadowing is a must. You can have a perfect GPA and still potentially not get in if you don't take the time to shadow vets. This would be one of the first steps in seeing if this career is good for you.

Your GPA and requirements will depend on what school you want to go to, and your overall application. People get in with GPAs all over the map, though I would say with a 3.6+ would be a good average/starting point. You can look at CSU website (just google CSU vet med), and see what the pre-reqs and previous class statistics would be.

Also, DVMD was only trying to help. 🙂 There's a ton of starry-eyed pre-vets out there that have a completely different view of what vet med actually is. Did you know vets have a 4X risk of suicide than the normal public? Unfortunately love and passion for animals might not be enough. It's a tough career, and the scary things you would find on this forum isn't to scare you away, it's to give you real perspective so you can understand just a smidge of what you might be getting yourself into.

My delightful manatee! You've always been such a shining addition to SDN.

 

[LyraGardenia]

So recently I have taken into consideration of being a veterinarian. I did this because several people have recommended this job to me because of my compassion, intelligence, and love for animals. I thought of this job before but never really took it into reality until a short time ago. I know this is all over forums and such but I wanted to start my own fresh thread. I was thinking Colorado State University aka CSU. With all that being said, what GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed. Also what else could I do to help me get a better chance of getting in and looking better. I am a 15 year old sophomore in high school (10th grade). I stated this so everybody could help me out more and get a better understanding of where I am at and benefit me in the future. What classes could I take and what could I do to help me? What are some great places that could help me get started in Veterinary Medicine? Do I need to volunteer and if so, how do I do volunteer? Feel free to add anything that will help me. Sorry for any spelling and grammar errors. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

A good place to start would be looking at the requirements on Colorado State's website: DVM Program Entrance Requirements
Create a Strong DVM Application
Your high school GPA won't be looked at when applying to vet school, so for now as far as grades/classes go just focus on developing good study skills, take plenty of science classes in order to prepare for undergrad, and focus on getting a good enough GPA to get into the undergrad school you want and to get scholarships. You don't have to go to CSU, or any university with a vet school for that matter, for undergrad, choose a school that you like and try to keep costs down as much as possible since vet school is incredibly expensive. If Colorado State isn't your in-state school, I wouldn't make them your first choice for vet school. I'm currently out of state for vet school since my in-state school rejected me 3 times, and I'm going to have close to $300k in student loan debt by the time I graduate. That's not something to take on lightly, especially with certain federal loan forgiveness options possibly being done away with by this administration. This website has information about the costs of various vet schools, as well as a lot of other good information for prospective pre-vet students: VIN Foundation Cost of Education Map

As far as getting volunteer/shadowing experience, there are tons of existing threads on the forum with advice there if you use the search function. Long story short go in person if possible and dress nicely, take a resume (although I realize you may not have much to put on one at this point), and let the receptionist know that you're interested in becoming a vet and would like to shadow the veterinarian(s) if possible. Ask if you can speak to the office manager or clinic owner, but they might be busy, so if so just drop of your resume and hopefully they'll get in touch with you. Be aware some clinics may not allow shadows/volunteers until you're 16 or even 18, but you've got plenty of time to get experience! If you have pets, start with asking your family's veterinarian if you can shadow them. Start with just shadowing for a day, and if it goes well then ask if you can come back on a regular basis. If you can get your foot in the door, it could lead to a paying job.

 

[Ashgirl]

My delightful manatee! You've always been such a shining addition to SDN.

I believe that would be you 😍

 

[Lupin21]

I believe that would be you 😍

Haha! Nothing like eating some cold McD's while binging Ophtho lectures late night.

 

[vetmedhead]

If Colorado State isn't your in-state school, I wouldn't make them your first choice for vet school.

Quoted for truth. I currently go to CSU for veterinary school and their out of state tuition is one of the highest in the country, and you can't switch to in-state tuition after you start, unlike a few other schools. With that being said, if you're not from CO establishing domicile (think of it as residency jr - if you establish domicile CSU will qualify you for the in state tuition/applicant pool when you apply) is a relatively simple process that the school lays out very clearly. If you are set on attending CSU's veterinary school I highly recommend establishing domicile and making yourself an in-state candidate before you apply. Establishing domicile takes 1 full calendar year, but OP said they were 15, so obviously there's plenty of time there to do such a thing if they were still interested in attending veterinary school by the end of undergrad.

 

[DVMDream]

Let's get this straight. First I never said that it was the right career for me. I just stated that several people recommended the job to me. And I didn't fully say why they recommended the job to me, I just said the base of it (Love, compassion, intelligence, etc.) I never said because this is what people said, this is the perfect career for me. I said I've taken it into consideration. Key word-Consideration.

I appreciate the recommendation of volunteering but I wanted more than that. I wanted GPA and requirements and the questions I asked. I want to know all that to see if I could even meet the requirements before I start learning about Veterinary Medicine and volunteering. I need to see if I could actually achieve the requirements needed. Thanks for your reply!

Well, you aren't in college and those are the GPA's they'll look at, not high school ones. And wouldn't you rather make sure vet med is something you really are interested in before you sink $xx,xxx into prerequisites for vet school only to realize 2-3 years in that actually you really don't want to do that job? Only trying to save you time and money but hey, the choice is yours. Best of luck.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

I also echo Lyra's point about CSU. If you're not a Colorado resident, then I wouldn't make them your first choice, either...or apply to the least expensive out-of-state schools that you can. Some will even allow you to switch residency status partway through, such as NCSU and Mizzou, though NCSU in particular is obscenely difficult to get accepted to as a non-resident, so keep that in mind.

I cannot emphasize what everyone has said above about CSU enough. Yes, I applied to CSU this cycle, but I applied to other schools that allowed me to switch residencies. A few schools in particular even as an out of state student after I switch residency are CHEAPER for me to go to than CSU. Ft. Collins is also ridiculously expensive to live in in my opinion and as the industry in Colorado continues to grow I imagine housing prices will only continue to sky rocket. I am even starting to see the housing effect where I live and my city is one of the cheaper places to live. One thing I hope you won't get wrapped up in is rankings. Those don't mean much of anything. CSU has a great program, but so do Mizzou and NCSU. Going to any AVMA accredited school you will get the education you deserve which will be proportionate to your input of effort into your education.
I would like to reiterate go get volunteer and shadowing experience first and foremost. I know you're interested in GPA's etc and you can find all of that online, but nothing will be more telling than once you get into the field a couple of times and see how veterinarians are treated. It still astounds me to this day how many people don't know/realize veterinarians go to medical school just like MDs. There's a reason the suicide rate is so high and many professionals are unsatisfied with their profession overall and most of the time it's not because of the animals.

 

[britzen]

With all that being said, what GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed. Also what else could I do to help me get a better chance of getting in and looking better.

Based on last year's class statistics, to be an average admitted candidate at CSU you need:

GPA of 3.7
GRE test scores in the 60-80th percentile
More than the minimum prerequisites completed for upper level science courses
1000+ hours of veterinary experience
1000+ hours of animal experience (<< this is a different category than vet experience)
Some research experience probably (probably a few hundred hours? Not sure, they didn't publish this data, but most admitted vet school applicants have some)
A Bachelor's degree

To be a good candidate with better than average chances at admission you would need to go above and beyond all of those things. As for GPA, the school says you are very unlikely to get in if you have below a 3.2.

All the talk of shadowing vets and getting experience isn't just for you to see if the profession is a good fit either - you need 2000 hours of experience on average to get admitted to CSU. That's the equivalent of spending almost 40 hours a week for a full year getting either animal or veterinary experience. It's much easier to start now and spend a few hours a week gaining experience over the course of 6+ years than trying to do a whole bunch when you are about to apply.

You will also need letters of recommendation, at least one of which needs to come from a veterinarian, and if you haven't spent a lot of time working with one, you are unlikely to get a good letter.

All vet schools generally publish their average stats for admitted students for recent years, and all of them publish their minimum requirements for admission. If you google "[school name] admissions pre-requisites" you should be able to find 99% of what you need.

 

[battie]

industry in Colorado continues to grow I imagine housing prices will only continue to sky rocket

Case in point: my parents' house in Aurora was appraised around $280k six years ago. This year, my parents' house has appraised for nearly $400k with minimal improvement. It really is the market skyrocketing.

A fellow Coloradoan that's a second year here was pulled from the non-sponsored wait list for class of 2020. He still chose to go to Illinois because the cost of living difference between the two since he would have been considered non-sponsored for CSU.

 

[AnimaLover]

Thank you everybody for the replies. I didn't take any offense, I was just clearing things up. I'm a very defensive person so I'll have to work on that. So I live in Wyoming which is out of state from Colorado so I might have to go find another place. I was asking for requirements because I didn't want to start volunteering and sinking my teeth into Veterinary Medicine without knowing if it was even achieveable for me.

 

[battie]

I was asking for requirements because I didn't want to start volunteering and sinking my teeth into Veterinary Medicine without knowing if it was even achieveable for me.

Think of it this way: would you rather spend thousands of dollars on school or thousands of hours to find out vet med is not for you? Even if you were missing out on $20/hour and spent 1000 hours volunteering, you'd still be saving tens of thousands of dollars compared to going through school first.

 

[AnimaLover]

Forgetting to add some stuff. So a good choice for me then is probably UW, University of Wyoming. Not expensive and high acceptance rate at a 97.7% last time I checked and it's a decent college. Also are veterinarians treated that bad?? If so, why??

 

[battie]

Forgetting to add some stuff. So a good choice for me then is probably UW, University of Wyoming. Not expensive and high acceptance rate at a 97.7% last time I checked and it's a decent college. Also are veterinarians treated that bad?? If so, why??

UW is a good school, but you could not get your DVM/VMD there. You would still have to go out of state for veterinary school. UW does follow the WICHE program, so you could potentially get in-state tuition at several schools that way (including CSU I believe).

Why and how veterinarians are treated poorly is exactly why you need to get started on shadowing. We could tell you all day long and link you anti-veterinarian blogs, but it's just not the same as working directly in a clinic and interacting with poor clients. Being in Wyoming, you should be able to get in with a shelter, mixed, or food animal by asking around, particularly if you're in a smaller town.

 

[AnimaLover]

Think of it this way: would you rather spend thousands of dollars on school or thousands of hours to find out vet med is not for you? Even if you were missing out on $20/hour and spent 1000 hours volunteering, you'd still be saving tens of thousands of dollars compared to going through school first.

I was going to volunteer at some point just so you know. I read up on all that stuff and I saw that you needed to so I was going to. I just needed to see before I do volunteer if I could achieve the requirements before I start volunteering and make sure that I can. So I don't waste time volunteering when I can't even make the requirements.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Forgetting to add some stuff. So a good choice for me then is probably UW, University of Wyoming. Not expensive and high acceptance rate at a 97.7% last time I checked and it's a decent college. Also are veterinarians treated that bad?? If so, why??

Are you talking about for undergrad? There isn't a vet school in Wyoming, unfortunately.

 

[JustPaws]

Forgetting to add some stuff. So a good choice for me then is probably UW, University of Wyoming. Not expensive and high acceptance rate at a 97.7% last time I checked and it's a decent college. Also are veterinarians treated that bad?? If so, why??

See this from University of Wyoming. They also recommend you spend time shadowing first.

Obtaining Veterinary Experience | Department of Veterinary Sciences | College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | University of Wyoming

They don't have a vet program but participate in WICHE. It seems like you haven't had a chance to research this career field yet. Perhaps you should consider doing some online research into what schools have dvm programs, as well as talk with your high school counselor as to first steps.

Also want to point out that a DVM is a professional degree. Most but not all programs require you to get a bachelor's degree first.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using SDN mobile

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I was going to volunteer at some point just so you know. I read up on all that stuff and I saw that you needed to so I was going to. I just needed to see before I do volunteer if I could achieve the requirements before I start volunteering and make sure that I can. So I don't waste time volunteering when I can't even make the requirements.

But how do would you know you couldn't make the requirements? You haven't even gone to college yet. Seems a bit silly to write off a career because you assume that you can't get the grades without even having tried or been in that situation....?

You shouldn't automatically cop out just because something (that is years in the future, I might add) seems too hard.

 

[battie]

I was going to volunteer at some point just so you know. I read up on all that stuff and I saw that you needed to so I was going to. I just needed to see before I do volunteer if I could achieve the requirements before I start volunteering and make sure that I can. So I don't waste time volunteering when I can't even make the requirements.

It's pretty hard to determine whether or not you'll be able to maintain a 3.6 GPA during your undergrad years while being a high schooler. As @Elkhart mentioned, she had a 2.2 in high school and is now a second year vet student. While I commend people for deciding early on they don't want to go the vet med route, deciding now that you can't maintain a 3.2-4.0 in undergrad is selling yourself short way before you need to be. Shadowing/volunteering is currently the best thing you could do right now.

Just so you know, you never mentioned wanting to volunteer and have shot down every person who has brought it up (hence why we all keep bringing it up; it is literally the best thing you could do right now).

 

[DVMDream]

Thank you everybody for the replies. I didn't take any offense, I was just clearing things up. I'm a very defensive person so I'll have to work on that. So I live in Wyoming which is out of state from Colorado so I might have to go find another place. I was asking for requirements because I didn't want to start volunteering and sinking my teeth into Veterinary Medicine without knowing if it was even achieveable for me.

I think you are going about this all backwards. You need to determine if the career is something you WANT to do first. If you put your mind to it and decide that, yes, this really is the career I want, then you CAN get the pre-requisites done and be accepted. Not saying it is easy, but if you put the work in, study and dedicate yourself to being accepted then it can happen. The only question here or really the biggest question is... Is being a veterinarian actually something you want to do? The only way you are going to know that is to shadow some vets and volunteer. Putting in the time that way is better than spending $xx,xxx on pre-requisites and then getting some experience and then realizing.. "oh ****, I actually don't like this and now I have spent so much time and money on classes that I actually don't need."

 

[DVMDream]

Also are veterinarians treated that bad?? If so, why??

Animals are seen as less than people in society's mind. Yet, vet school is just as expensive as med school and pet medications are still just as expensive as human medications. Diagnostic equipment for vets is just as expensive as it is for humans. Humans have this nifty thing called insurance so the majority of society does not realize just how much their medical care REALLY costs, not just their co-pay. Humans have to pay out of pocket for veterinary care. So a $300 "spay" which is the equivalent of an ovariohysterectomy in a human just seems "ridiculous" and outrageously priced. When in reality, the cost of that for a human is somewhere around $30,000. People get pissed that we expect payment. We don't do payment plans (because no one actually pays you back). That we won't do it "for free just this once". Etc, etc, etc. We then get called "greedy" and "money hungry" because how dare we want to pay off our student debt, our mortgage, pay for food, clothes, etc. And this is just one aspect. You have the clients that call in demanding things be done "right now". I will come pick up my medications in 5 minutes and you will have them ready. You WILL treat my dog and you will do it how I tell you. On and on and on and on.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I think you are going about this all backwards. You need to determine if the career is something you WANT to do first. If you put your mind to it and decide that, yes, this really is the career I want, then you CAN get the pre-requisites done and be accepted. Not saying it is easy, but if you put the work in, study and dedicate yourself to being accepted then it can happen. The only question here or really the biggest question is... Is being a veterinarian actually something you want to do? The only way you are going to know that is to shadow some vets and volunteer. Putting in the time that way is better than spending $xx,xxx on pre-requisites and then getting some experience and then realizing.. "oh ****, I actually don't like this and now I have spent so much time and money on classes that I actually don't need."

👍

 

[LamJams]

Guys he/she's 15, most states you cannot volunteer/work with animals until you are 18 anyways. But I would definitely do some research about what it takes to become a veterinarian.

1) What GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed.
- Different vet schools have different requirements. The BARE MINIMUM GPA for VET SCHOOL (after undergrad) varies around (I would say at least 3.5-3.6 at least to be competitive, otherwise out of country schools are your best bet as they weigh other factors other than grades as well. Classes you will most likely need are 1 year each of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Math, Biology, (With Lab if applicable), 1 or 2 semester each of Microbio, biochemistry, statistics, genetics, physiology, anatomy, (with lab if applicable). Minimum for those pre-re

*** EDITED comment below, it posted without me finishing up, sorry guys!

 

[DVMDream]

Guys he/she's 15, most states you cannot volunteer/work with animals until you are 18 anyways. But I would definitely do some research about what it takes to become a veterinarian.

I was volunteering with animals at 12, needed parental consent. I was working as an assistant at 17.

 

[AnimaLover]

I was going to volunteer at some point just so you know. I read up on all that stuff and I saw that you needed to so I was going to. I just needed to see before I do volunteer if I could achieve the requirements before I start volunteering and make sure that I can. So I don't waste time volunteering when I can't even make the requirements.

Holy crap guys. I'm not stupid enough to go into Vet school without volunteering or any education. I don't know why you guys think I'm so stupid but just because I'm 15 doesn't mean ****. Look at that bolded part up there, I'm guessing you guys missed those 2 sentences. I am going to volunteer. I just wanted to see some of the requirements first to see if I could manage them. And plan ahead.

 

[battie]

Guys he/she's 15, most states you cannot volunteer/work with animals until you are 18 anyways

Many shelters across the country will allow 16 year olds to volunteer with signed consent of a guardian.

And this is Wyoming. There are definitely vets there that will let the OP shadow and get down and dirty, no problem. OP would just have to put forth the effort to find them.

 

[battie]

Holy crap guys. I'm not stupid enough to go into Vet school without volunteering or any education. I don't know why you guys think I'm so stupid but just because I'm 15 doesn't mean ****. Look at that bolded part up there, I'm guessing you guys missed those 2 sentences. I am going to volunteer. I just wanted to see some of the requirements first to see if I could manage them. And plan ahead.

Nobody ever said you were stupid. We were going off how you said you wanted to decide if you could get through the school requirements before volunteering. Nowhere in your original post did you say you were going to volunteer. We don't know you and we aren't going to assume you have any information since you came here to ask for info. You didn't even have CSU's info, so how would we know you would volunteer?

 

[DVMDream]

Holy crap guys. I'm not stupid enough to go into Vet school without volunteering or any education. I don't know why you guys think I'm so stupid but just because I'm 15 doesn't mean ****. Look at that bolded part up there, I'm guessing you guys missed those 2 sentences. I am going to volunteer. I just wanted to see some of the requirements first to see if I could manage them. And plan ahead.

I don't think you are stupid and yes I did see this, I don't think you are understanding what we are trying to say.

You are jumping the gun and trying to figure out if you can pass classes you haven't even been exposed to. I am telling you, you can and you will pass those courses if you really put your mind to it. BUT before you even take those course or sign up for them, you should shadow a vet first. If you find out hey, being a vet is not what I really want then you won't waste 1-2 years on courses that you don't need plus the tuition for those courses. You are putting the cart in front of the horse instead of the other way around. The point of me saying shadow/volunteer before you take the pre-requisites is because it will tell you if you should even sign up for those classes, maybe you will change your mind to something else because of the shadowing/volunteer experience. Also, trying to determine if you can even be accepted to vet school by just hearing the requirements is a bit silly, you can obtain those requirements if you just try for them.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Holy crap guys. I'm not stupid enough to go into Vet school without volunteering or any education. I don't know why you guys think I'm so stupid but just because I'm 15 doesn't mean ****. Look at that bolded part up there, I'm guessing you guys missed those 2 sentences. I am going to volunteer. I just wanted to see some of the requirements first to see if I could manage them. And plan ahead.

Calm down.

Speaking of missing things - if you read what we were saying a bit more carefully, you would see that we were not ignoring your stated intent to volunteer. We were telling you that it would make much more sense to do said volunteering as soon as possible - and that, at this point in your life, gaining a variety of experiences is more important than worrying about specific prerequisites (and making assumptions about whether you can or cannot achieve them).

You need to work on this defensiveness pronto. That's going to hurt you far more in the future than any lack of education or experience.

 

[LamJams]

** Edit: My previous comment was posted somehow without finishing up/editing, my bad sorry everyone!
Guys he/she is 15, most states require you to be 16/18 to volunteer/work/be around animals in a work setting. Although you should do some research about the profession and shadow a veterinarian (I believe minimum age to be 16 as well).
As to your questions
1) what GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed.
- MINIMUM GPA is generally 2.75-3.00, for some out of state applicants for certain schools it can be 3.4. To be competitive generally the average is at least 3.5-3.6 I believe.
- Pre-req Classes at a COLLEGE level includes generally 1 year (with lab if applicable) Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Math, 1 or 2 semesters (with lab if applicable) of biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, statistics, communication (Varies with schools). You also need to have AT LEAST (C- or C) in these classes, some schools do not accept C-, repeats for failing, etc.

2) Also what else could I do to help me get a better chance of getting in and looking better?
- Generally, 3.5+ GPA in college at least. Do well (A's if you can) in your Pre-req classes for vet school. MAINTAIN a high SCIENCE GPA. Finish with a strong Last 45 Semester hour GPA.
- Strong interest and background. I am talking about DIVERSE veterinary experience working/volunteering/interning under a vet (and professors), can be research, shelter medicine, specialty medicine, wildlife rehab, lab animal medicine, diagnostics work, etc.

3) What classes could I take and what could I do to help me?
- Since you are in high school, I recommend taking AP Chemistry, Organic Chem, AP Biology, AP Stats, Physics, and science classes, take whatever is the highest level offered to best prepare you for college courses (but maintain a good grade obviously).


4) What are some great places that could help me get started in Veterinary Medicine? Do I need to volunteer and if so, how do I do volunteer?
- Well if you plan on going to a US school AFTER undergrad, look up what veterinary schools are out there, their programs, requirements, and use the next few years to figure out what you want to do/kind of vet you would like to be. Which = research the profession, previous comments have noted high stress, clients, etc, and these are all important experiences that would come with long times of volunteer/interacting with vets and people in an animal type setting.
- Volunteer, look what is around your area, and type in volunteer/shadowing vets ... shelters... Wyoming, and see the requirements(most likely age)around you. See what vet clinics/shelters/zoos around you, sometimes you can email them directly explaining your situation and they may be able to work something out. (I was able to unofficially volunteer at 15).

*** Extra info
You are looking at 4 years of undergrad with 4 years of vet school. There are schools out of the country that offer 5-6 year programs for high school students that are SURE they want to become a veterinarian. But you will definitely be interviewed if you do get an interview offer, and as previous posters suggested your tone do come off very defensive and slightly aggressive which can be a red flag during an interview. I can understand being frustrated but vet med is not for everyone and others are just trying to help, and it is very important to maintain your composure if you want to enter the medical field

 

[SkiOtter]

Most but not all programs require you to get a bachelor's degree first.

Just correcting this, but I'm pretty sure Davis is the only US school where you are required to have a bachelors first.

 

[JustPaws]

Just correcting this, but I'm pretty sure Davis is the only US school where you are required to have a bachelors first.

Thanks

Sent from my Moto E (4) using SDN mobile

 

[SkiOtter]

@AnimaLover
Peruse these websites.
I Want to be a Veterinarian
https://vetschoolbound.org

 

[AnimaLover]

** Edit: My previous comment was posted somehow without finishing up/editing, my bad sorry everyone!
Guys he/she is 15, most states require you to be 16/18 to volunteer/work/be around animals in a work setting. Although you should do some research about the profession and shadow a veterinarian (I believe minimum age to be 16 as well).
As to your questions
1) what GPA should I need to apply and what requirements are needed.
- MINIMUM GPA is generally 2.75-3.00, for some out of state applicants for certain schools it can be 3.4. To be competitive generally the average is at least 3.5-3.6 I believe.
- Pre-req Classes at a COLLEGE level includes generally 1 year (with lab if applicable) Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Math, 1 or 2 semesters (with lab if applicable) of biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, statistics, communication (Varies with schools). You also need to have AT LEAST (C- or C) in these classes, some schools do not accept C-, repeats for failing, etc.

2) Also what else could I do to help me get a better chance of getting in and looking better?
- Generally, 3.5+ GPA in college at least. Do well (A's if you can) in your Pre-req classes for vet school. MAINTAIN a high SCIENCE GPA. Finish with a strong Last 45 Semester hour GPA.
- Strong interest and background. I am talking about DIVERSE veterinary experience working/volunteering/interning under a vet (and professors), can be research, shelter medicine, specialty medicine, wildlife rehab, lab animal medicine, diagnostics work, etc.

3) What classes could I take and what could I do to help me?
- Since you are in high school, I recommend taking AP Chemistry, Organic Chem, AP Biology, AP Stats, Physics, and science classes, take whatever is the highest level offered to best prepare you for college courses (but maintain a good grade obviously).


4) What are some great places that could help me get started in Veterinary Medicine? Do I need to volunteer and if so, how do I do volunteer?
- Well if you plan on going to a US school AFTER undergrad, look up what veterinary schools are out there, their programs, requirements, and use the next few years to figure out what you want to do/kind of vet you would like to be. Which = research the profession, previous comments have noted high stress, clients, etc, and these are all important experiences that would come with long times of volunteer/interacting with vets and people in an animal type setting.
- Volunteer, look what is around your area, and type in volunteer/shadowing vets ... shelters... Wyoming, and see the requirements(most likely age)around you. See what vet clinics/shelters/zoos around you, sometimes you can email them directly explaining your situation and they may be able to work something out. (I was able to unofficially volunteer at 15).

*** Extra info
You are looking at 4 years of undergrad with 4 years of vet school. There are schools out of the country that offer 5-6 year programs for high school students that are SURE they want to become a veterinarian. But you will definitely be interviewed if you do get an interview offer, and as previous posters suggested your tone do come off very defensive and slightly aggressive which can be a red flag during an interview. I can understand being frustrated but vet med is not for everyone and others are just trying to help, and it is very important to maintain your composure if you want to enter the medical field

Yes! This is what I wanted, thank you very much!

 

[AnimaLover]

Nobody ever said you were stupid. We were going off how you said you wanted to decide if you could get through the school requirements before volunteering. Nowhere in your original post did you say you were going to volunteer. We don't know you and we aren't going to assume you have any information since you came here to ask for info. You didn't even have CSU's info, so how would we know you would volunteer?

First I actually do know CSU's info because where do you think I got the idea of volunteering and how you need 1000+ hours. I even messed with this thing on the website where you can put in your GPA and SAT (For me, it's the ACT) and it will give you a percentage of how likely you are to get approved. I was asking the GPA around the schools not just CSU and what they expected for a GPA. Also I was asking the requirements before I volunteered so I don't waste my time volunteering when I can't complete the requirements because they may be above my level. Like a 4.0 GPA and a 30+ ACT score. Not saying those are but just examples. I was also asking for requirements like tests and stuff so I could plan for those. I was just asking for requirements, never said I wasn't going to volunteer.

 

[SkiOtter]

Also I was asking the requirements before I volunteered so I don't waste my time volunteering when I can't complete the requirements because they may be above my level.

Boy, have I got some news for you if you think prereqs could possibly in some world be "above your level"

 

[SkiOtter]

I was also asking for requirements like tests and stuff so I could plan for those. I was just asking for requirements

@AnimaLover
Peruse these websites.
I Want to be a Veterinarian
https://vetschoolbound.org

Pls look at the websites I linked, especially the second one. It is very informative and answers a lot of your questions for you. Both are put out by the VIN Foundation.

 

[DVMDream]

First I actually do know CSU's info because where do you think I got the idea of volunteering and how you need 1000+ hours. I even messed with this thing on the website where you can put in your GPA and SAT (For me, it's the ACT) and it will give you a percentage of how likely you are to get approved. I was asking the GPA around the schools not just CSU and what they expected for a GPA. Also I was asking the requirements before I volunteered so I don't waste my time volunteering when I can't complete the requirements because they may be above my level. Like a 4.0 GPA and a 30+ ACT score. Not saying those are but just examples. I was also asking for requirements like tests and stuff so I could plan for those. I was just asking for requirements, never said I wasn't going to volunteer.

Umm, those are requirements for being accepted to undergrad. You do not even have to start at a university to start getting the pre-requisites you can start at a community college and there really aren't any acceptance requirements to start classes at those.

Again, vet school DOES NOT look at your high school GPA. And they do not care about SAT or ACT scores.

And for a third time, you are discrediting your ability before even TRYING something. Like... why?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

First I actually do know CSU's info because where do you think I got the idea of volunteering and how you need 1000+ hours. I even messed with this thing on the website where you can put in your GPA and SAT (For me, it's the ACT) and it will give you a percentage of how likely you are to get approved. I was asking the GPA around the schools not just CSU and what they expected for a GPA. Also I was asking the requirements before I volunteered so I don't waste my time volunteering when I can't complete the requirements because they may be above my level. Like a 4.0 GPA and a 30+ ACT score. Not saying those are but just examples. I was also asking for requirements like tests and stuff so I could plan for those. I was just asking for requirements, never said I wasn't going to volunteer.

You're 15. How do you know what your "level" is?

No point in giving up before you even try because something seems difficult or intimidating. Don't sell yourself so short, but don't just look for easy street and shrink at challenges either.

People reach those levels because they have drive and ambition in addition to intellect and talent - all of which can be cultivated over time to varying degrees.

 

[AnimaLover]

Boy, have I got some news for you if you think prereqs could possibly in some world be "above your level"

Are prerequisites easy? I don't know this stuff. This is the info I need also.

 

[SkiOtter]

Are prerequisites easy? I don't know this stuff. This is the info I need also.

They certainly are easy compared to the classes you'd take in vet school, but they are in no means a cake walk themselves

 

[DVMDream]

Are prerequisites easy? I don't know this stuff. This is the info I need also.

I mean you should probably put in more effort than browsing over notes while Netflix is on, but they aren't impossible. You will have to put some effort into them. They are very heavily science and math based, so if that isn't "your strong point" you might have to work a better harder than others. Again, though, dedication and hard work and you can do them, the question here is... "how hard are you willing to work?" And do you even want to be a vet?

 

[battie]

Are prerequisites easy? I don't know this stuff. This is the info I need also.

They certainly are easy compared to the classes you'd take in vet school, but they are in no means a cake walk themselves

And harder than many classes in high school.

It's about effort put forth. Some classes are easy for some, but not others. Some people have some struggle with it all. Some breeze through.

 

[AnimaLover]

Umm, those are requirements for being accepted to undergrad. You do not even have to start at a university to start getting the pre-requisites you can start at a community college and there really aren't any acceptance requirements to start classes at those.

Again, vet school DOES NOT look at your high school GPA. And they do not care about SAT or ACT scores.

And for a third time, you are discrediting your ability before even TRYING something. Like... why?

Actually I read and they want volunteer hours and GPA and all that. At least some schools do. Also I know what level is and I know my boundaries so I know what is above my head before I try it.

 

[DVMDream]

Actually I read and they want volunteer hours and GPA and all that. At least some schools do. Also I know what level is and I know my boundaries so I know what is above my head before I try it.

They want your COLLEGE GPA. College. College. College. Hold on... college. Your high school GPA does not matter and is NOT asked about.

And more specifically they will want to know your cumulative GPA, last 45 hour GPA and science pre-requisite GPA.

But you know what, just keep selling yourself short... vet school isn't for you. Is that what you really want to hear from us? Because I can tell you that. Not that I believe it, but it sure seems like that is what you want to hear since you are going to repeatedly ignore everyone telling you that it can be done if you work hard enough at it.