VMCAS Questions and Rants c/o 2025

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snowtzu821 said:
Hey!
I wanted to get some outside opinions on what the majority of my experience would be classified as.
I’m essentially a lab animal assistant (student worker title) at my schools research animal vivarium. On my application, I classified it as vet experience because I work under the supervision of two lab animal vets.
Here’s my job description

“This position will provide the students with experience in animal science, comparative biology, and veterinary support functions for the campus-wide programs of scientific and teaching support, principally involving laboratory rodents. The incumbents will perform health checks under the mentoring of lab veterinarians, perform cage changes, feeding, cleaning, and room maintenance to assist faculty programs in the centralized facilities on campus. Attending staff meetings to coordinate new projects and participating in the ongoing staff training series in practical laboratory animal science and comparative medicine topics are also components of these duties”
I am not counting it as research because I’m not actively participating in the projects and I’m just responsible for the health and well-being of the animals.

However, for my senior thesis, I am also currently working on an actual research project looking at ways to reduce stress in mice undergoing anesthesia with the vet at my work that is not apart of my job and I’m not getting paid to do. I am counting that as research experience as I have come up with the project, wrote a 20 page prospectus, designed an induction chamber, wrote an iacuc protocol, and will be performing anesthesia trials and collecting data in August .

In your opinions am I right to classify my job as vet experience?
Thanks!
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You worked under vets, so it is vet experience.
 
What's the best way to go about thanking recommenders? I know I want to send mine a written thank you card at the very least, but would also like to include a little gift as well, keeping in mind it will likely have to be mailed due to current times. Any suggestions?
 
Anirose24 said:
What's the best way to go about thanking recommenders? I know I want to send mine a written thank you card at the very least, but would also like to include a little gift as well, keeping in mind it will likely have to be mailed due to current times. Any suggestions?
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I did a personalized thank-you card and then a very small gift certificate that I know each of them like. One got Panera because she eats there every work day, one got to Dover Saddlery because she has a new horse, one got Wawa because she’s addicted to their coffee, etc. They were all very surprised & appreciative, so even something small will be great! I’ve also seen people get animal-themed thermos mugs/hats/bags and similar.
 
Hello! I am very new to this forum. I tried searching for this to see if anyone else has asked this but couldn't find anything. This is my first application cycle so I am kind of overwhelmed and this seems like such a supportive place so I figure I'd ask some questions here:

1. Prereqs: Currently checking prerequisites and finding out that I'm falling short by a tiny bit for many schools, which seems mostly a problem because I went to a quarter school for undergrad, and that I modeled my prereqs for grad school based on a quarter system. For example, many schools require 3 semester units of Genetics which translates to 4.5 quarter units. In undergrad I took 1 graded genetics course (4 quarter units, typical of an upper division science course) with a discussion sections that is pass/fail (1 quarter unit). This means I don't meet minimum qualification for 2 schools (Washington State and Colorado State) because I'm short 0.5 graded units even though I technically took 1 genetic course (I'm assuming the pass/fail 1 unit doesn't count). Oregon State Univ. is nice in the sense that they just listed 1 quarter genetic course as prereq, why can't all the schools do that? Have anyone had experience with this? I'm planning on e-mailing the schools to ask but also wanted to see what other people's experience is. For English composition I am many units short but our university incorporated writing into many courses that is part of the graduation requirement, and I also completed a master's thesis...how much of a stickler are universities at sticking to their minimum requirement units if you can prove that you're qualified? I know the purpose of pre-reqs is to make sure applicants are qualified but it also seems silly to deny ppl based on missing small somewhat arbitrary things.

2. Prereqs in VMCAS: Does VMCAS show you that you're missing prereqs in the Programs section after you enter your transcript?

3. GPA in VMCAS: Does VMCAS show you the calculated GPAs (cumulative, last 45 units, science) after you finish entering your transcript?

Thank you all! Good luck to everyone and deep breaths! I didn't think I'd be this nervous and stressed until I am actually applying.
 
Hi welcome! More recent applicants will be able to help you with the VMCAS specific questions. But I wanted to touch base one these:

starnosedmole-20 said:
Have anyone had experience with this? I'm planning on e-mailing the schools to ask but also wanted to see what other people's experience is.
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100% email the schools for their specific answers. Quarter systems arent rare by any means and theyll be able to tell you if the one course applies to their prerequisites, even if VMCAS tells you you're 0.5 credits off.

starnosedmole-20 said:
For English composition I am many units short but our university incorporated writing into many courses that is part of the graduation requirement, and I also completed a master's thesis...how much of a stickler are universities at sticking to their minimum requirement units if you can prove that you're qualified?
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Schools are absolutely sticklers. A requirement is a requirement. When I had to have classes evaluated by schools to make sure they fit the prerequisite requirements, I had to submit a syllabus from the semester I took the course. It would be awesome if you could some how prove to the schools that your undergrad's specific curriculum fulfilled the requirements. But the only way to know that is to contact the schools on your list.
 
starnosedmole-20 said:
Hello! I am very new to this forum. I tried searching for this to see if anyone else has asked this but couldn't find anything. This is my first application cycle so I am kind of overwhelmed and this seems like such a supportive place so I figure I'd ask some questions here:

1. Prereqs: Currently checking prerequisites and finding out that I'm falling short by a tiny bit for many schools, which seems mostly a problem because I went to a quarter school for undergrad, and that I modeled my prereqs for grad school based on a quarter system. For example, many schools require 3 semester units of Genetics which translates to 4.5 quarter units. In undergrad I took 1 graded genetics course (4 quarter units, typical of an upper division science course) with a discussion sections that is pass/fail (1 quarter unit). This means I don't meet minimum qualification for 2 schools (Washington State and Colorado State) because I'm short 0.5 graded units even though I technically took 1 genetic course (I'm assuming the pass/fail 1 unit doesn't count). Oregon State Univ. is nice in the sense that they just listed 1 quarter genetic course as prereq, why can't all the schools do that? Have anyone had experience with this? I'm planning on e-mailing the schools to ask but also wanted to see what other people's experience is. For English composition I am many units short but our university incorporated writing into many courses that is part of the graduation requirement, and I also completed a master's thesis...how much of a stickler are universities at sticking to their minimum requirement units if you can prove that you're qualified? I know the purpose of pre-reqs is to make sure applicants are qualified but it also seems silly to deny ppl based on missing small somewhat arbitrary things.
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My undergrad was strange and all courses (history, English, art, science, etc) were worth the same amount of semester hours while technically labs were worth 0 credits. Hence, I was also worried last year that a lot of schools I was applying to had higher semester credit hours than what I had. None of the schools that I applied to mentioned this though and I even was accepted to some of the schools that I had this type of discrepancy. Definitely contact the schools to get confirmation but it was not an issue for my application.
 
batsenecal said:
Hi welcome! More recent applicants will be able to help you with the VMCAS specific questions. But I wanted to touch base one these:



100% email the schools for their specific answers. Quarter systems arent rare by any means and theyll be able to tell you if the one course applies to their prerequisites, even if VMCAS tells you you're 0.5 credits off.



Schools are absolutely sticklers. A requirement is a requirement. When I had to have classes evaluated by schools to make sure they fit the prerequisite requirements, I had to submit a syllabus from the semester I took the course. It would be awesome if you could some how prove to the schools that your undergrad's specific curriculum fulfilled the requirements. But the only way to know that is to contact the schools on your list.
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WonderingStudent said:
My undergrad was strange and all courses (history, English, art, science, etc) were worth the same amount of semester hours while technically labs were worth 0 credits. Hence, I was also worried last year that a lot of schools I was applying to had higher semester credit hours than what I had. None of the schools that I applied to mentioned this though and I even was accepted to some of the schools that I had this type of discrepancy. Definitely contact the schools to get confirmation but it was not an issue for my application.
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Ah, thank you both so much! I feel less worried now, especially about the 0.5 unit deficiencies. I'll definitely e-mail the schools though to see what they say. Thank goodness I kept all my undergrad material so I should have all the syllabus still.
 
starnosedmole-20 said:
Hello! I am very new to this forum. I tried searching for this to see if anyone else has asked this but couldn't find anything. This is my first application cycle so I am kind of overwhelmed and this seems like such a supportive place so I figure I'd ask some questions here:

1. Prereqs: Currently checking prerequisites and finding out that I'm falling short by a tiny bit for many schools, which seems mostly a problem because I went to a quarter school for undergrad, and that I modeled my prereqs for grad school based on a quarter system. For example, many schools require 3 semester units of Genetics which translates to 4.5 quarter units. In undergrad I took 1 graded genetics course (4 quarter units, typical of an upper division science course) with a discussion sections that is pass/fail (1 quarter unit). This means I don't meet minimum qualification for 2 schools (Washington State and Colorado State) because I'm short 0.5 graded units even though I technically took 1 genetic course (I'm assuming the pass/fail 1 unit doesn't count). Oregon State Univ. is nice in the sense that they just listed 1 quarter genetic course as prereq, why can't all the schools do that? Have anyone had experience with this? I'm planning on e-mailing the schools to ask but also wanted to see what other people's experience is. For English composition I am many units short but our university incorporated writing into many courses that is part of the graduation requirement, and I also completed a master's thesis...how much of a stickler are universities at sticking to their minimum requirement units if you can prove that you're qualified? I know the purpose of pre-reqs is to make sure applicants are qualified but it also seems silly to deny ppl based on missing small somewhat arbitrary things.

2. Prereqs in VMCAS: Does VMCAS show you that you're missing prereqs in the Programs section after you enter your transcript?

3. GPA in VMCAS: Does VMCAS show you the calculated GPAs (cumulative, last 45 units, science) after you finish entering your transcript?

Thank you all! Good luck to everyone and deep breaths! I didn't think I'd be this nervous and stressed until I am actually applying.
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1. Additionally, I found that there are a lot of schools that have other ways to complete the English composition prerequisite. For example, Purdue in the FAQ section on the vet school website (at least last year) says that completing a Bachelors can count toward the English composition requirement. Other schools that I have talked to also were pretty lenient on what could count for public speaking/writing requirements if you can prove that a certain course had enough of these elements in the class (which I believe is what bats was saying). This is all dependent on the school so definitely speaking to them is the best course of action!

2. For each school that you are applying to (some schools don't use this system on VMCAS but most do), you have to electronically select what courses on your transcript will count for which prerequisite. When you enter all of your courses into VMCAS' transcript it won't notify you that you are missing a prerequisite for a certain school based on your transcript.

3. Based on looking back at my VMCAS app pdf, VMCAS calculated a lot of different GPAs:
- my GPA for each university I took a course at (ie home university, universities where I took summer courses)
- Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Life Science GPA
- Freshman year GPA
- Sophmore year GPA
- Junior year GPA
- Senior year GPA
- Baccalaureate GPA
- Post-bacc GPA
- Cumulative Undergrad GPA
- Graduate GPA
- Overall GPA
- Baccalaureate Science GPA
- Post-bacc Science GPA
- Cumulative Undergrad Science GPA
- Graduate Science GPA
- Overall Science GPA

But VMCAS doesn't seem to calculate last 45 credits or last 30 credits from what I'm seeing.
 
WonderingStudent said:
1. Additionally, I found that there are a lot of schools that have other ways to complete the English composition prerequisite. For example, Purdue in the FAQ section on the vet school website (at least last year) says that completing a Bachelors can count toward the English composition requirement. Other schools that I have talked to also were pretty lenient on what could count for public speaking/writing requirements if you can prove that a certain course had enough of these elements in the class (which I believe is what bats was saying). This is all dependent on the school so definitely speaking to them is the best course of action!

2. For each school that you are applying to (some schools don't use this system on VMCAS but most do), you have to electronically select what courses on your transcript will count for which prerequisite. When you enter all of your courses into VMCAS' transcript it won't notify you that you are missing a prerequisite for a certain school based on your transcript.

3. Based on looking back at my VMCAS app pdf, VMCAS calculated a lot of different GPAs:
- my GPA for each university I took a course at (ie home university, universities where I took summer courses)
- Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Life Science GPA
- Freshman year GPA
- Sophmore year GPA
- Junior year GPA
- Senior year GPA
- Baccalaureate GPA
- Post-bacc GPA
- Cumulative Undergrad GPA
- Graduate GPA
- Overall GPA
- Baccalaureate Science GPA
- Post-bacc Science GPA
- Cumulative Undergrad Science GPA
- Graduate Science GPA
- Overall Science GPA

But VMCAS doesn't seem to calculate last 45 credits or last 30 credits from what I'm seeing.
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1. I have noticed that too, like Colorado asks that you show them your university's writing requirement and info on courses you think satisfy their writing requirement.

2 and 3. Thank you for the info! I figured these are things I might figure out when I finish transcript entry but I'm simultaneously trying to make final decisions on which schools to apply to and want to get info faster from experienced people and make sure I don't misunderstand anything. Really appreciate your time! Thank you!
 
So just to clarify, I am adding all the courses that apply to a preq including classes that I repeated right? Or am I just that clueless??
 
AdognameIndy said:
So just to clarify, I am adding all the courses that apply to a preq including classes that I repeated right? Or am I just that clueless??
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Correct, you select all attempts at a pre-req when you designate which classes go where.
 
EB73674 said:
I did a personalized thank-you card and then a very small gift certificate that I know each of them like. One got Panera because she eats there every work day, one got to Dover Saddlery because she has a new horse, one got Wawa because she’s addicted to their coffee, etc. They were all very surprised & appreciative, so even something small will be great! I’ve also seen people get animal-themed thermos mugs/hats/bags and similar.
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I, too, am addicted to Wawa coffee, and I don't even live in Florida anymore.
 
Ok, I may be being a pit panicky, but for those who have previously applied, how long did some of your transcripts take to be received by VMCAS? All of my other transcripts made it and were received back in June within 5 days. My last transcript I sent in for a class I took at a school in the spring was mailed out on 7/23 (from NY) and i still haven’t received an email from VMCAS that it has been received. I also called the school yesterday to confirm it was mailed and what address they sent it to. At what point could it be guessed that my transcript got lost in the mail? Does the time it takes to be notified a transcript is received increase as it gets closer to September? Just panicking a little bit because this transcript is the last thing I need to have before submitting
 
biomajor2019 said:
Ok, I may be being a pit panicky, but for those who have previously applied, how long did some of your transcripts take to be received by VMCAS? All of my other transcripts made it and were received back in June within 5 days. My last transcript I sent in for a class I took at a school in the spring was mailed out on 7/23 (from NY) and i still haven’t received an email from VMCAS that it has been received. I also called the school yesterday to confirm it was mailed and what address they sent it to. At what point could it be guessed that my transcript got lost in the mail? Does the time it takes to be notified a transcript is received increase as it gets closer to September? Just panicking a little bit because this transcript is the last thing I need to have before submitting
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It’s only been a week. I wouldn’t panic yet. Give it a minimum of two weeks for it to get there, them to open it, and add it to your app. Just like verification, it’ll take longer to add the closer to September it is because they’ll have so many more transcripts to go through.

I applied a couple years ago and had summer classes that ended early August and my transcripts still made it well before the deadline. 🙂
 
I am confused as to how the verification process works - I am waiting to submit my other transcript until I finish this summer class. To verify my transcript do I need to submit the entire completed application? Am I able to select pre-reqs which satisfy requirements before being verified? I want to make sure I am verified in time, but I have a tight window because of this summer class!
 
SkiOtter said:
It’s only been a week. I wouldn’t panic yet. Give it a minimum of two weeks for it to get there, them to open it, and add it to your app. Just like verification, it’ll take longer to add the closer to September it is because they’ll have so many more transcripts to go through.

I applied a couple years ago and had summer classes that ended early August and my transcripts still made it well before the deadline. 🙂
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Thank you for easing my anxiety!!!
 
Is the transcript entry page super laggy for anyone else? It takes like 10 seconds for anything to happen after I click (e.g. click on a text box, a drop down menu, etc.)?
 
Best way to enter descriptions of vet experiences into the VMCAS? Short sentences? Just phrases separated by commas? Not much space to enter!
 
squishycat99 said:
Best way to enter descriptions of vet experiences into the VMCAS? Short sentences? Just phrases separated by commas? Not much space to enter!
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I have been writing short sentences. I was going to do bullet points, but it took up more space.
 
I am currently applying to veterinary schools to start in the fall of 2021. I am looking for people to chat about the essays they have written or take any advice from current vet students have to offer. Or if someone just wishes to be friends so we can talk about our vet med journey together, I would love that too!! Thank you! 🙂
 
Just saw someone say that Oklahoma State and KSU just added the CASPer as a requirement, has anyone heard of any other schools recently adding it as well? I know Michigan is doing it and VMCVM and I think LIU.
 
BigCats said:
Just saw someone say that Oklahoma State and KSU just added the CASPer as a requirement, has anyone heard of any other schools recently adding it as well? I know Michigan is doing it and VMCVM and I think LIU.
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OK State added it a while ago (earlier this summer I think), but yeah KSU just added it. It's also required for Purdue & Texas Tech this year.
 
BigCats said:
Just saw someone say that Oklahoma State and KSU just added the CASPer as a requirement, has anyone heard of any other schools recently adding it as well? I know Michigan is doing it and VMCVM and I think LIU.
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Virginia/Maryland and Purdue also require it as well.
 
So i started the daunting task of my vet school application. I've been stuck on the 2000 word essays for quite some time. There are 3 prompts with 2000 words each. My question is, did anyone actually reach 2000 or is that just a maximum? I'm at about 300-400 words per prompt and I feel that if I keep going it will just be useless "fluff" that isn't needed.
 
LaineyLou said:
It’s 2000 CHARACTERS including spaces. That’s about 300 words usually. Pleasssseee check your character use before going any further!
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Yup, it’s characters, and I’m currently dying on these 3 too 😡
 
LaineyLou said:
Did you write too much?
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I was trying to adapt my essay from last year with the same prompt & same school, but they changed from 500 words to ~2000 characters. MASSIVE drop in space, when I'd already cut down to bare bones. Guess I'm starting from scratch tomorrow!
 
EB73674 said:
I was trying to adapt my essay from last year with the same prompt & same school, but they changed from 500 words to ~2000 characters. MASSIVE drop in space, when I'd already cut down to bare bones. Guess I'm starting from scratch tomorrow!
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Yeah, but better to know now than right before you put it into vmcas
 
thoughts on reusing VMCAS essays from previous cycle? reviews said nothing about them being the reason I was not admitted but I do not know how they view using the same ones as last cycle.
 
calliesmom2014 said:
thoughts on reusing VMCAS essays from previous cycle? reviews said nothing about them being the reason I was not admitted but I do not know how they view using the same ones as last cycle.
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What feedback did you get from schools last cycle? And haven't you made any progress in the last year that you might want to address?

I'd hesitate to use the exact same thing as last time if it didn't work last time. There should be edits. They might not need to be big edits, but something should be different.
 
genny said:
What feedback did you get from schools last cycle? And haven't you made any progress in the last year that you might want to address?

I'd hesitate to use the exact same thing as last time if it didn't work last time. There should be edits. They might not need to be big edits, but something should be different.
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Frustratingly enough, Purdue told me my application was very strong but there were simply too many applicants. I then asked them if there was anything they could suggest, and was told to keep doing what I was doing.
My in-state mostly critiqued the interview portion, and advised I gain more non-animal related community service hours.
Thank you for the advice, I do plan to edit them but didn't know how picky they would be with me using my past essays as a shell.
 
calliesmom2014 said:
Frustratingly enough, Purdue told me my application was very strong but there were simply too many applicants. I then asked them if there was anything they could suggest, and was told to keep doing what I was doing.
My in-state mostly critiqued the interview portion, and advised I gain more non-animal related community service hours.
Thank you for the advice, I do plan to edit them but didn't know how picky they would be with me using my past essays as a shell.
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That is frustrating: to be qualified, but to have too many other also-qualifieds in the applicant pool. Some years are just tougher than others. Hope you have better luck this year!
 
calliesmom2014 said:
Frustratingly enough, Purdue told me my application was very strong but there were simply too many applicants. I then asked them if there was anything they could suggest, and was told to keep doing what I was doing.
My in-state mostly critiqued the interview portion, and advised I gain more non-animal related community service hours.
Thank you for the advice, I do plan to edit them but didn't know how picky they would be with me using my past essays as a shell.
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Purdue told me the same, I was very strong but just didn't make the cut... at least you got some feedback from your IS, mine didn't give me anything.
 
Hey guys! I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. I also wanted to ask if anyone has any backup plans in case this application cycle doesn't go how they want. I'm looking at applying to get a Master's Degree in case things don't go my way. I feel like it's making this whole process even more stressful. I don't know how to go about it and I didn't know if anyone else was doing something similar. If so, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 🙂
 
agcary said:
Hey guys! I just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. I also wanted to ask if anyone has any backup plans in case this application cycle doesn't go how they want. I'm looking at applying to get a Master's Degree in case things don't go my way. I feel like it's making this whole process even more stressful. I don't know how to go about it and I didn't know if anyone else was doing something similar. If so, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 🙂
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I didn’t get into the school I wanted last year and couldn’t afford the school I was accepted to so I continued to work in emergency vet med (my goal) to make some money and gain experience. I was also going to try to do research because I had none but COVID stopped that. To me working and making money was the best option because I’ll have no help with vet school and need every dime I can get!
 
I am not going to lie, I feel insecure about myself and thinking vet schools committees will not even bother looking at my application. I did horribly a few years ago due to personal issues, but I made up for it getting myself together and doing well in classes (upward trend in classes). If I don't get in this cycle (which I probably won't) I am planning to retake some classes that I didn't do so well in. I probably want to diversify my application and get some research experience.
 
AdognameIndy said:
I am not going to lie, I feel insecure about myself and thinking vet schools committees will not even bother looking at my application. I did horribly a few years ago due to personal issues, but I made up for it getting myself together and doing well in classes (upward trend in classes). If I don't get in this cycle (which I probably won't) I am planning to retake some classes that I didn't do so well in. I probably want to diversify my application and get some research experience.
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I felt like that when I applied last cycle. It’ll be ok! It’ll suck if you’re not accepted but it’ll give you the opportunity to do file reviews to figure out what you can improve on, make money, and diversify your experiences. But honestly, you just never know ... I had multiple Fs/Ds/Ws on my transcript and I made it! Keep putting one foot in front of the other. It’ll be ok no matter what happens :biglove:
 
Hey guys!

I took the CASPer back in June and got a lay of the format. I know a few of you still haven't taken it or might be worried about it, so I'm just going to toss in some unsolicited advice rn haha.

Just so you are aware, the CASPer can only be taken ONCE per cycle. You are not allowed to retake the exam. You are also not able to see your score or how you did AT ALL. Essentially this is a "problem-based" exam. To be quite frank, I had a lot of fun taking it and it just felt like one of those assessments you take on your own free time for fun. In terms of studying, I received mixed reviews from current med students. However, majority suggested that there is no point in studying for it. Honestly, they were right. I tried studying and using books and it was useless. My recommendation is for you to use the "practice" section and go over how the exam works on the CASPer website. They give you EXTREMELY similar situations that you would be tested on. When you register for the exam, you are also provided two "mock" exams, both being the exact exam, setup, and scenarios as the prior two years. DO THIS. You won't be able to see how you scored, but it gives you a good idea on what you'd be tested on. I noticed that alot of the questions were nearly exact to the previous years' exams as provided by CASPer for us to practice with minor details added, omitted, or revised. Finally, you are given 12 sections in the form of either a two minute video or prompt. After you watch the video/read the prompt, you are given 30 optional seconds to reflect before the questions are shown. You have 5 minutes to answer a total of three essay questions regarding hypothetical "what would you do and why" and personal questions. I cannot stress this enough: if you are a slow typer, practice your typing because 5 minutes is realllllllyyyyyyyyy not enough time to put all your thoughts down! It can take you anywhere between 60 and 90 minutes depending on how fast you type and whether you opt for the break and optional reflections. Just a big key: it's an empathy exam, so make sure your responses reflect that theme and your ability to work as a team. Make sure you demonstrate those in your responses. As I said though, maybe I just don't find pleasure in anything anymore, but this exam was honestly a lot of fun for me and by the time I was done, I was pumping with adrenaline (I know, lame).

If anyone has any further questions regarding this exam, feel free to PM me 😊 Hope this helps!
 
LaineyLou said:
I didn’t get into the school I wanted last year and couldn’t afford the school I was accepted to so I continued to work in emergency vet med (my goal) to make some money and gain experience. I was also going to try to do research because I had none but COVID stopped that. To me working and making money was the best option because I’ll have no help with vet school and need every dime I can get!
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I appreciate you sharing that with me. My fear is that if I stop going to school, even for a short period of time, that I won't want to go back when it's time to. But I am on my own for vet school as well so I understand!
 
agcary said:
I appreciate you sharing that with me. My fear is that if I stop going to school, even for a short period of time, that I won't want to go back when it's time to. But I am on my own for vet school as well so I understand!
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Oh I see your point! I just don’t have the money or desire to spend more time in school that isn’t vet school
 
agcary said:
I appreciate you sharing that with me. My fear is that if I stop going to school, even for a short period of time, that I won't want to go back when it's time to. But I am on my own for vet school as well so I understand!
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Hey! Just wanted to share my perspective I took a voluntary gap year and initially had the same fears. It's not the end of the world though if you have to take one even if it's not what you anticipated or wanted. For me it was the best thing. I got to work and make money like a real person, have real days off that I didn't have to worry about school on my days off-really got "me" time. I also got to start pursuing my secondary career option if vet school fell through. Going back to school is like riding a bike, but it was also different and refreshing. While some of my friends were/are burnt from undergrad and not having a break since they started school I didn't start hitting the stall wall until end of spring first year. I wish you all in this thread the best of luck, but if anyone is worried about the gap year it really can be a blessing in disguise if you let it.
 
I'm also a big fan of a gap year. Mine was not voluntary (medical deferral) but I learned so much working full time that year, and even with my work schedule I had time to do some extra volunteering. Those experiences were all really valuable for me as someone who had mostly done shadowing and part-time work during undergrad. And it is so nice to take a break from school and just learn things because you want to and not because you have to study for an exam.
 
While I was still in vet school, I remember desperately wishing I'd taken a gap year. I'd been in undergrad for five years straight, taking 16-22 hours per semester along with work, shadowing, and research, and I was already definitely feeling the burnout when I finished. Needless to say, I really burnt out when starting vet school, leading to exacerbation of underlying mental illness, poor grades, and my eventual dismissal. Sometimes I wonder if I might have done better with a break between the two.

That said, many, many people obviously make it into and through vet school straight out of undergrad just fine. But I think there is something to be said for taking an extended break to unwind, relax, study things you enjoy and may not have otherwise been able to, and even possibly make a little extra money that you maybe wouldn't have otherwise and/or continue to gain experience at your own pace. Any hobbies and/or coping strategies that you can develop during your off time will help you stay sane and keep your mental and emotional health in check during vet school (and just life in general, really). I don't personally know of anyone who took a gap year before vet school---voluntarily or otherwise---and actually had any regrets about it or had serious difficulty adjusting back to being in school, for whatever that's worth.

Totally up to you, of course, but there are certainly at least a few benefits to taking some time off.
 
LaineyLou said:
Oh I see your point! I just don’t have the money or desire to spend more time in school that isn’t vet school
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I completely get that too. I kind of feel the same, but I feel like my fear will outweigh the desire and my nerves about money.
 
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