VMCAS Questions and Rants c/o 2029

[KK5820]

Does anyone have any excel sheets that they used to keep track of all their applications that they could share?

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[KK5820]

Hey there!
Yes, put it under the "Licenses & Certifications" section. The licenses and certifications section is new on the VMCAS during this cycle, so you had to put it under the achievements or experiences sections in previous cycles.
I hope this helps!

If we previously had a fear free cert that lapsed due to time, should we just put it under achievements since its not a current license?

 

[battie]

If we previously had a fear free cert that lapsed due to time, should we just put it under achievements since its not a current license?

I would still put it under licenses category with the dates you were good for.

 

[LandShark55]

Does anyone have any excel sheets that they used to keep track of all their applications that they could share?

Here's the one I created when I was figuring out which schools I was applying to. I cleared all of the information related to myself and left anything else that might be helpful so it can be copied into your own sheet. Tuition and COL numbers are from '23-'24 so may be a little different.

 

[KK5820]

How does humor come across in the PS? I realized that I had a couple of sentences that may come across as funny, while trying to write my PS in a voice unique to me. Does humor come across poorly in these? I would be happy to share what I have so far as well if anyone is interested.

Thank you!

 

[renacuaja]

I didn't have space for to fit humor the way I wanted to in my PS but I had it littered all over my supplemental essays.

I'm happy to look it over if you want

 

[hockeytaxi]

Hello, I’m trying to write my personal statement and I’m struggling. I feel like I have nothing special to write about to make me “stand out.” I’m a traditional applicant and I’ve always wanted to be a vet, but I know that’s not what they wanna hear. I tried to write a quick draft yesterday as something to start with but I feel like I’m not answering the prompt fully. Writing isn’t my strong suit so I’m kinda lost and wondering if anyone had advice or examples. Thank you!

 

[supershorty]

Hello, I’m trying to write my personal statement and I’m struggling. I feel like I have nothing special to write about to make me “stand out.” I’m a traditional applicant and I’ve always wanted to be a vet, but I know that’s not what they wanna hear. I tried to write a quick draft yesterday as something to start with but I feel like I’m not answering the prompt fully. Writing isn’t my strong suit so I’m kinda lost and wondering if anyone had advice or examples. Thank you!

There is a thread of people who are willing to look over personal statements and provide feedback: 2024-2025 Cycle (c/o 2029 hopefuls) Personal Statement Readers

A draft is better than nothing, as it's at least a starting point. I recommend that you have lots of different people at different career stages look over the personal statement, if possible - your references, peers, etc.

 

[chocolaterabbit]

This will be my 3rd time applying to veterinary schools. The first year, I only applied to one school and last year I applied to 12. I was on some waitlists but was overall unsuccessful.

Most of my friends, family, and professors that I talk to are "so impressed" with how persistent and dedicated I am. But I honestly feel like it's not impressive. I feel like there are many people who apply more than once, and that it's just the norm. Is there anyone who gives up applying? Do schools even care about how many times you apply? I am thinking about writing about getting rejected for a challenges essay, but I also feel like it is futile given the audience.

 

[battie]

Is there anyone who gives up applying?

Absolutely. Everyone should go into the vet school application process with their own personal boundaries on how much time and money they are willing to spend for this. We don't know how many applicants are reapplicants. However, we do know that, on average, 80% of matriculants into vet school are first time applicants. Less than 3% of matriculants have applied 3+ times. Just on the merits of number of applicants to the number of seats, there are fewer than half of applicants that matriculate into vet school each year.

There's nothing wrong with picking a different path. By my third application, I was already transitioning into my back up plan.

Do schools even care about how many times you apply?

This is up for debate.

I am thinking about writing about getting rejected for a challenges essay, but I also feel like it is futile given the audience.

Unless you can make these essays extremely moving and passionate for you specifically, I would not recommend this route. This is not an unique experience to you.

 

[chocolaterabbit]

Absolutely. Everyone should go into the vet school application process with their own personal boundaries on how much time and money they are willing to spend for this. We don't know how many applicants are reapplicants. However, we do know that, on average, 80% of matriculants into vet school are first time applicants. Less than 3% of matriculants have applied 3+ times. Just on the merits of number of applicants to the number of seats, there are fewer than half of applicants that matriculate into vet school each year.

There's nothing wrong with picking a different path. By my third application, I was already transitioning into my back up plan.

This is up for debate.


Unless you can make these essays extremely moving and passionate for you specifically, I would not recommend this route. This is not an unique experience to you.

Just a question about your last statement, If only 3% of applicants have applied 3+ times, wouldn't that technically make being rejected and reapplying unique? I am not trying to be argumentative at all, I certainly see your point! Just wondering for some clarification.

 

[battie]

Just a question about your last statement, If only 3% of applicants have applied 3+ times, wouldn't that technically make being rejected and reapplying unique? I am not trying to be argumentative at all, I certainly see your point! Just wondering for some clarification.

<3% of *matriculants* are reapplicants. Not applicants. There can absolutely be more than that in the pool.

 

[DogtorAsh]

Unless you can make these essays extremely moving and passionate for you specifically, I would not recommend this route. This is not an unique experience to you.

Do schools even care about how many times you apply? I am thinking about writing about getting rejected for a challenges essay, but I also feel like it is futile given the audience.

I agree with battie, speaking as a reapplicant, i touched on reapplying in my essays but more so to talk about what i did/changed to come back and reapply and what makes me a better candidate now. as well, I did use the interviews to further explain this, i definitely don't think reapplying is uncommon, but i do think the more times you reapply it can make for an interesting conversation piece during an interview. I definitely had a few schools that were somewhat surprised/impressed that i had stuck with it and applied as many times as I did. but I didn't focus on being a reapplicant if that makes any sense--it was more of what i did in the interim and also addressing past weaknesses, meaning being a reapplicant was kind of a tangental thing.

if you think your essay about being rejected is really going to showcase you as a person and an applicant/what has changed about you because of this, what it meant to you, etc then you would know better than us, but if it's purely about being rejected and the feelings that come with being rejected then yes unfortunately the audience is well aware of how many people are trying for so few seats and rejection is certainly not uncommon in any of this process.

Also, as someone who finally just got in after 4 application cycles, it IS damn impressive to keep trying. That's not to say that anyone who has decided to change career paths and not reapply isn't impressive. I did give it a shot in another career field and absolutely hated it even though I was finally making okay money for the first time in my life. Everyone's path is different but please know that any amount of effort and persistence you have put in is NOT nothing. It does show character and resilience and perseverance. Those are amazing qualities for vet students yes, but also people in general. All of these experiences have made me so much more tenacious in my everyday life, and I am always incredibly proud of the people in these forums who have been rejected once to multiple times--because rejection hurts--and having the quality to rise above those rejections and keep striving for your dreams and goals (wherever that lands you) is an amazing quality to have and carry with you through life.

I wish you the best of luck ♥️ I know your feelings very well.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

This will be my 3rd time applying to veterinary schools. The first year, I only applied to one school and last year I applied to 12. I was on some waitlists but was overall unsuccessful.

Most of my friends, family, and professors that I talk to are "so impressed" with how persistent and dedicated I am. But I honestly feel like it's not impressive. I feel like there are many people who apply more than once, and that it's just the norm. Is there anyone who gives up applying? Do schools even care about how many times you apply? I am thinking about writing about getting rejected for a challenges essay, but I also feel like it is futile given the audience.

I know plenty of people who gave up applying after a various number of attempts. If my memory serves, one of my pre-vet friends was still trying to get in when I was graduating, which would mean that was her 6th try (we applied at the same time, I took two rounds to get accepted). She has since moved on; she was also only applying to our in-state each year. I would guess that most people move on after 2-3 tries, especially since people eventually need to start working and live life and end up settling into whatever field they end up in. Side note, but most people that I'm still in touch with from those days are not in STEM work at all, despite their degrees.

Schools are probably more likely to care if you've applied 3 times and haven't improved your application at all. Like DogtorAsh said, if you're going to bring up rejection, it needs to be done in the context of placing the focus on how you've improved yourself/your application since the last round.

Also, don't forget to consider broadening your horizons. If you're applying to the same 3 schools that have statistically very high admitted GPA averages/care less about the other stuff and you are no where near their average stats, shoot for a school that tends to be a little more holistic in the application review. Request an application review whenever possible, as well.

 

[Shiloh47]

Howdy!

I have a general question. I'm definitely a non-trad student and I began college for a liberal arts degree in 2017 after HS, however, I withdrew from college sometime in late 2018/early 2019 per my own volition and had about 3 gap years that I spent working on farms and learning cheesemaking. I began a biology degree in 2022 after the gap to pursue vet med. The work in that gap period takes up a lot of my animal hours in the experience section, but I was wondering would I mark these experiences as before my undergrad, during my undergrad, or a combination of both? Since I had technically started my undergrad but was in a gap period I'm not sure what to mark.

 

[sheepshepherdess]

Howdy!

I have a general question. I'm definitely a non-trad student and I began college for a liberal arts degree in 2017 after HS, however, I withdrew from college sometime in late 2018/early 2019 per my own volition and had about 3 gap years that I spent working on farms and learning cheesemaking. I began a biology degree in 2022 after the gap to pursue vet med. The work in that gap period takes up a lot of my animal hours in the experience section, but I was wondering would I mark these experiences as before my undergrad, during my undergrad, or a combination of both? Since I had technically started my undergrad but was in a gap period I'm not sure what to mark.

I had a different experience, where I had an undergraduate degree, then about an 8 year gap where I worked, and then began taking some courses part time while working. I would say if you were not actively in school and taking courses, and if you didn't have a degree at the time, that it would be before your undergrad, whereas experiences you had while you were taking courses would count as during.

 

[oweue]

so im struggling with if i should write an explanation statement or not. in fall of 2021 my father was diagnosed with cancer, i was still dealing with this in 2022 when i went back into school. i didn't do great, under a ton of stress trying to keep quarantined so never going out and seeing friends while also balancing going back home and taking care of their house/our dog, no real support other than one person. my grades dipped (3 C including the summer semester). i wanted to write this to explain my worse grades but also say how i learned more coping mechanisms through this. im just not sure if this is more of a pity party please excuse my terrible grades or if this would truly make a difference in committees idea of me. any suggestions?

 

[battie]

so im struggling with if i should write an explanation statement or not. in fall of 2021 my father was diagnosed with cancer, i was still dealing with this in 2022 when i went back into school. i didn't do great, under a ton of stress trying to keep quarantined so never going out and seeing friends while also balancing going back home and taking care of their house/our dog, no real support other than one person. my grades dipped (3 C including the summer semester). i wanted to write this to explain my worse grades but also say how i learned more coping mechanisms through this. im just not sure if this is more of a pity party please excuse my terrible grades or if this would truly make a difference in committees idea of me. any suggestions?

Write the explanation statement. Situations like this are why they're there.

 

[Shiloh47]

Hey, I have another question regarding UCD Dublin. I'm doing my application on VMCAS and I went to fill out their supplemental application but there is no option to apply. I emailed the admin and they said admissions for 2025/2026 would open later in the year but gave no specific date. Is that the Oct. 1st date? I was confused because everything for VMCAS needs to be completed by sept. 16th but then their supplemental application does not open until later? Wondering if anyone else has applied there and how to fill out their supplemental form!

 

[mmoraga2]

Hi all! I was wondering if anyone would be able to read my explanation statement? I went through some hardships my sophmore year which caused my grades to tank. I just want to make sure it doesnt sound like "poor me" or that I am making excuses.

 

[chelonia9113]

Hi all! I was wondering if anyone would be able to read my explanation statement? I went through some hardships my sophmore year which caused my grades to tank. I just want to make sure it doesnt sound like "poor me" or that I am making excuses.

I can read it if you’d like, I had a lengthy explanation statement last cycle about my chronic illness to explain gaps in education/employment and a W on my transcript, so I know how to make it sound professional

 

[sallyloo]

Hi there,
It seems like lots of the essay questions are describe a challenge you faced/how you handled it. Do you think it would be better to discuss like a particularly difficult moment, or like an ongoing thing? Also, if anyone is comfortable sharing their ideas or what they have used in past cycles so I can gain some perspective?
Thanks!

 

[chelonia9113]

Hi there,
It seems like lots of the essay questions are describe a challenge you faced/how you handled it. Do you think it would be better to discuss like a particularly difficult moment, or like an ongoing thing? Also, if anyone is comfortable sharing their ideas or what they have used in past cycles so I can gain some perspective?
Thanks!

I think the growth you demonstrate after overcoming the challenge is the most important part of the essay rather than the challenge itself. Everyone goes through different things but they care about what you take away from them and how that changes you for the better. I wrote about my disorder that causes chronic pain (ie an ongoing problem) and how I had to develop strategies for managing it in order to continue my education and career

 

[SV88]

TMDSAS question! It might apply universally though. I have to put down planned enrollment, and it obviously encompasses all pending prereqs. How bad does it look if I change the class schedule? I.E. if I put down planned enrollment to include genetics in fall 2024 and orgo 2 in spring 2025, but I end up swapping those after I submit the application? All classes would be still completed on schedule per A&M's requirements. TIA!

 

[mmoraga2]

I can read it if you’d like, I had a lengthy explanation statement last cycle about my chronic illness to explain gaps in education/employment and a W on my transcript, so I know how to make it sound professional

Hello! I will DM you! Thank you!

 

[battie]

TMDSAS question! It might apply universally though. I have to put down planned enrollment, and it obviously encompasses all pending prereqs. How bad does it look if I change the class schedule? I.E. if I put down planned enrollment to include genetics in fall 2024 and orgo 2 in spring 2025, but I end up swapping those after I submit the application? All classes would be still completed on schedule per A&M's requirements. TIA!

Doesn't matter as long as all pre-reqs are accounted for.

 

[FutureDVM202?]

Hey, I have another question regarding UCD Dublin. I'm doing my application on VMCAS and I went to fill out their supplemental application but there is no option to apply. I emailed the admin and they said admissions for 2025/2026 would open later in the year but gave no specific date. Is that the Oct. 1st date? I was confused because everything for VMCAS needs to be completed by sept. 16th but then their supplemental application does not open until later? Wondering if anyone else has applied there and how to fill out their supplemental form!

Can anyone answer this please, I am also confused about this too!!

 

[battie]

Can anyone answer this please, I am also confused about this too!!

The school would be the best source of contact. They may be more like human med schools where they send the supplemental after an initial applicant cut

 

[ShaWalla]

The character limit on some of the schools supplemental essays is very long, like over 3500 characters. Are we expected to get close to that character limit? Most of my ideas for answering the questions are much shorter, more like 1000-1500 characters, is this typical?

 

[DogtorAsh]

The character limit on some of the schools supplemental essays is very long, like over 3500 characters. Are we expected to get close to that character limit? Most of my ideas for answering the questions are much shorter, more like 1000-1500 characters, is this typical?

There were some where I had a lot to say so I got very close to the character limit and there were others I could only get to 1000-2000 at the most. I believe if you have a good essay the amount shouldn't matter, especially because you could just be putting 'fluff' to fill the additional limit and it could mean nothing. I went with my gut and if it was a "shorter" essay but got all my points across then I was fine with it!

 

[jreissatia]

I'm sorry for your loss but to be honest I wouldn't consider care of a CHF dog as a special needs dog for animal hours. A majority of applicants will have chronically ill pets on medications for example CKD cats and little old dogs with MMVD. I honestly can't think of a "special needs" pet where you could even get animal hours unless maybe you had an animal in a wheelchair or an indwelling feeding tube. You can mention her in your application in other ways for sure but I don't think animal experience hours. Curious to hear what other people might think about this topic it seems to come up every year.

What about my dog i adopted last year, a month after adopting has diagnosed with idiotpathic epilepsy. Has cluster seizures while sleeping. Spent days in emergency and now i have to take care by monitoring sleep, changing routine, medication, bloodwork, diet, exercise, and doing several meds more than 5 times a day.

 

[JaynaAli]

What about my dog i adopted last year, a month after adopting has diagnosed with idiotpathic epilepsy. Has cluster seizures while sleeping. Spent days in emergency and now i have to take care by monitoring sleep, changing routine, medication, bloodwork, diet, exercise, and doing several meds more than 5 times a day.

While I am sympathetic and sorry you and your dog have to deal with it, this still isn’t very compelling “vet experience” to me. I’m sure you’ve learned a lot and done a lot, but most people interested in vet med have pets. Pets inevitably get sick. Some are sicker than others. I’m not discounting the work you’re doing and the care it takes, but it’s still not the same or as vital as time in a clinic dealing with clients and learning the intricacies of the profession. If you want to include it, then by all means do so…maybe there’s people that feel differently than myself. But don’t be upset or surprised if a school says that experiences relating to your own pets do not count or they don’t really consider it when reviewing your application.

 

[jreissatia]

I need help choosing what to talk about. Please help me.


Dm which is best!! I'm a second time applicant and i wanna make sure this is the year for me and i get into my schools.


So please! ®


Would a good personal statement be my survival after a school shOOting and my increase in determination and confidence to take my dream more serious.


Or


Should i speak about the loss of my apartment that was burned down by a fire. Where i was left homeless for a few days with my dog and having to go from losing everything to finding the small joys and being grateful and taking loss and turning it into energy and strength to deal with hard things life throws but to preserve which made me feel stronger in my role as a vet student applicant.


Or rather recent: My mom's diagnosis of cancer. This past summer my mother got her thyroid removed due to having adverse reactions after getting Covid. She was hospitalized and then developed graves and was never 100%. She always slept, dropped 80 pounds, passing out and throwing up and not able to eat and keep food down. It felt like i was losing my mom. She decided to get her thyroid removed. After the surgery which was successful.


We were told they found a 3 mm tumour. As well as some unusual lumps in her breasts that she noted. This is rather recent but my mother has always been my #1 supporter in my dreams to follow and become apart of the veterinary medicine field and world. She is the whole reason I'm here and able to apply for the second time this year and has been a big reason l'm able to have the drive i do as well as the passion i have for animals with all the opportunities she gave me in life. My passion for veterinary medicine has in result strengthened more than i thought was possible already and i have been studying since graduating and the recent news and working at an emergency clinic with shadowing on my days off surgeries. I have been able to get so many opportunities due to this recent surge of lo's for the field i already had love for


く


Or

Speak about my dog that i adopted a year ago that a month after adopting developed idiotpathic epilepsy.


Which was hard mentally emotionally, financially, and all the above. Learning g the side of neurological in the vet field opened a new aspect for me i never knew i was interested in which strengthened my passion and determination and drive to succeed and take on opportunities of working g at an emergency vet clinic and a nature rehabilatory center to strengthen my desire and my application since it's my second time applying.

 

[battie]

I'm going to reply here so that future applicants can see what our thoughts are since this is a wide range of potential subjects.

Overall: which essay are you trying to address here? Do these topics actually answer the question?

Would a good personal statement be my survival after a school shOOting and my increase in determination and confidence to take my dream more serious.

Potentially. Really depends on which essay youre addressing. My younger sister initially survived the movie theater shooting, which did have an effect on my junior year grades. So I spoke about my experience with mass shootings in my extenuating circumstances essay with positive input from schools.

Should i speak about the loss of my apartment that was burned down by a fire. Where i was left homeless for a few days with my dog and having to go from losing everything to finding the small joys and being grateful and taking loss and turning it into energy and strength to deal with hard things life throws but to preserve which made me feel stronger in my role as a vet student applicant.

You're not addressing being an applicant; you're addressing why you want to be a veterinarian. I think this circumstance can speak to that, but I think your other essay topics may be better.

Or rather recent: My mom's diagnosis of cancer. This past summer my mother got her thyroid removed due to having adverse reactions after getting Covid. She was hospitalized and then developed graves and was never 100%. She always slept, dropped 80 pounds, passing out and throwing up and not able to eat and keep food down. It felt like i was losing my mom. She decided to get her thyroid removed. After the surgery which was successful.

Potentially. My only quibble (which may or may not be insensitively stated) is that you will have to make this about you and not your mom. And, unfortunately, this is not a very unique experience, so keep in mind that you may be writing an essay similar to others. On the other hand though, you can likely connect to admin members too.

Speak about my dog that i adopted a year ago that a month after adopting developed idiotpathic epilepsy.

*Idiopathic, not idiotpathic; I only bring this up because this is the second time I've seen you spell it this way

Please no. Writing a compelling essay about a sick pet is hard and super common in applications. You should only pick this topic if you are a phenomenal writer. This kind of circumstance is a dime a dozen amongst pre-vets students.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

I need help choosing what to talk about. Please help me.


Dm which is best!! I'm a second time applicant and i wanna make sure this is the year for me and i get into my schools.


So please! ®


Would a good personal statement be my survival after a school shOOting and my increase in determination and confidence to take my dream more serious.


Or


Should i speak about the loss of my apartment that was burned down by a fire. Where i was left homeless for a few days with my dog and having to go from losing everything to finding the small joys and being grateful and taking loss and turning it into energy and strength to deal with hard things life throws but to preserve which made me feel stronger in my role as a vet student applicant.


Or rather recent: My mom's diagnosis of cancer. This past summer my mother got her thyroid removed due to having adverse reactions after getting Covid. She was hospitalized and then developed graves and was never 100%. She always slept, dropped 80 pounds, passing out and throwing up and not able to eat and keep food down. It felt like i was losing my mom. She decided to get her thyroid removed. After the surgery which was successful.


We were told they found a 3 mm tumour. As well as some unusual lumps in her breasts that she noted. This is rather recent but my mother has always been my #1 supporter in my dreams to follow and become apart of the veterinary medicine field and world. She is the whole reason I'm here and able to apply for the second time this year and has been a big reason l'm able to have the drive i do as well as the passion i have for animals with all the opportunities she gave me in life. My passion for veterinary medicine has in result strengthened more than i thought was possible already and i have been studying since graduating and the recent news and working at an emergency clinic with shadowing on my days off surgeries. I have been able to get so many opportunities due to this recent surge of lo's for the field i already had love for


く


Or

Speak about my dog that i adopted a year ago that a month after adopting developed idiotpathic epilepsy.


Which was hard mentally emotionally, financially, and all the above. Learning g the side of neurological in the vet field opened a new aspect for me i never knew i was interested in which strengthened my passion and determination and drive to succeed and take on opportunities of working g at an emergency vet clinic and a nature rehabilatory center to strengthen my desire and my application since it's my second time applying.

If this is for your personal statement, I'd need more information as to why these experiences are driving you to be a vet. What you've mentioned in your post are legitimate struggles you've had in your life, but you seem to be saying 'this bad thing happened so I want to be a vet.' You need a better explanation as to how a specific experience will make you a better vet. Honestly, the only thing you've mentioned that makes initial sense is that your epileptic dog got you interested in neurology. But then you used that interest to work in wildlife rehab? I do agree that a sick pet is a dime a dozen when it comes to personal statements, though.

Honestly, what you've mentioned here would make more sense in the context of an explanation statement if you feel they affected your academic performance. With that being said, explanation statements are very hard to write well.

These essays can be challenging. In hindsight, after my first round of rejections and considering the advice I got from those schools, there's a lot of pressure to string together a compelling story that will make you stand out. That is very difficult to do gracefully and authentically. I would start by looking back on your life and figuring out what exactly went down that made you want to be a vet and start there. That's what I ended up doing the second time. I don't think my essay is what got me admitted, but it helps pass you through the initial rounds of application reviews.

Also, get a lot of proofreaders to help you write this essay. If English is not your first language, there may be some grace offered by the readers, but you still want them to be able to understand what you are trying to say.

 

[thenontraveler]

I STRUGGLED hard to write my personal statement. But I feel like sitting down and really answering the WHY you want to be a vet is imperative. Look deeper than "I like animals and want to save them" what specifically makes you excited about 300k in debt and years of sacrifice.
I wrote about how my love of biochemistry and how cool it is to learn about dysfunction in the context of my classes and also my experiences. I talked about times I connected my learning I had in undergrad to conversations I had with vets at my job about a multitude of animals. I spoke about how strongly I feel about a One Health view when it comes to human and animal health and gave specific examples of how that was worked into my experiences and how I want to continue that.
And yes I spoke about the time I figured out vet med might be my path. But I kept it short and as relevant to my other topics as I could.

I don't know if people loved it or hated it, but I felt that was the best way for me to approach it.

 

[jreissatia]

I'm going to reply here so that future applicants can see what our thoughts are since this is a wide range of potential subjects.

Overall: which essay are you trying to address here? Do these topics actually answer the question?


Potentially. Really depends on which essay youre addressing. My younger sister initially survived the movie theater shooting, which did have an effect on my junior year grades. So I spoke about my experience with mass shootings in my extenuating circumstances essay with positive input from schools.

You're not addressing being an applicant; you're addressing why you want to be a veterinarian. I think this circumstance can speak to that, but I think your other essay topics may be better.

Potentially. My only quibble (which may or may not be insensitively stated) is that you will have to make this about you and not your mom. And, unfortunately, this is not a very unique experience, so keep in mind that you may be writing an essay similar to others. On the other hand though, you can likely connect to admin members too.

*Idiopathic, not idiotpathic; I only bring this up because this is the second time I've seen you spell it this way

Please no. Writing a compelling essay about a sick pet is hard and super common in applications. You should only pick this topic if you are a phenomenal writer. This kind of circumstance is a dime a dozen amongst pre-vets students.

So this is for my personal statement. I’m confused what to talk about. The school shooting made me focus on my drive and how short life is and made it more clear on what i want to achieve in life and to make that dream a reality.

The other essay about my apartment fire shows how i was able to cope with something very serious that weighed on me mentally and etc. which shows to my strengths of i can handle stress of vet school has to offer because i am strong and determined.

 

[jreissatia]

I STRUGGLED hard to write my personal statement. But I feel like sitting down and really answering the WHY you want to be a vet is imperative. Look deeper than "I like animals and want to save them" what specifically makes you excited about 300k in debt and years of sacrifice.
I wrote about how my love of biochemistry and how cool it is to learn about dysfunction in the context of my classes and also my experiences. I talked about times I connected my learning I had in undergrad to conversations I had with vets at my job about a multitude of animals. I spoke about how strongly I feel about a One Health view when it comes to human and animal health and gave specific examples of how that was worked into my experiences and how I want to continue that.
And yes I spoke about the time I figured out vet med might be my path. But I kept it short and as relevant to my other topics as I could.

I don't know if people loved it or hated it, but I felt that was the best way for me to approach it.

What schools did you apply to and get in to?

 

[DogtorAsh]

So this is for my personal statement. I’m confused what to talk about. The school shooting made me focus on my drive and how short life is and made it more clear on what i want to achieve in life and to make that dream a reality.

The other essay about my apartment fire shows how i was able to cope with something very serious that weighed on me mentally and etc. which shows to my strengths of i can handle stress of vet school has to offer because i am strong and determined.

The other point of view/2 cents I want to throw in here is that personal statements are sooooooo short. Like initially when you go in you're like "i have so many characters this will be fine" and then you're writing it and all of a sudden you run out of room.

From my point of view I could see how it could potentially be difficult to not only describe the situation and the emotions that happened to you but then also how this relates back to your interest and passion for vet school--which should ultimately be the overall focus. And by this I mean, making sure you have enough space/characters to truly flesh out your vet interest/passion. I had a lot of ideas I eventually scrapped because I realized I was spending so much time trying to describe everything that happened that I missed the overall point of the prompt. And I do feel like these all could be good essays but you have to be veryyyyy careful that you are STRONGLY relating these experiences back to why you want to be a vet/how this inspired your passion for vet med.

There are a lot of other essay spaces where I think your life experiences might be very interesting responses and if you apply to schools with interviews--I think your life experiences provide you with a lot of very valuable experiences to draw answers from for behavioral questions.

As well, I know a mistake I made in my first 2 application cycles was stating my interest in XYZ but having little to no experience in it. This makes it hard for the admissions staff to truly understand your motivations if you've never actually spent quality and quantity time in that area of vet med.

In my essay I actually spoke about the doubts I had in my future in vet med after all these years and multiple application cycles. I talked about stepping outside of my comfort zone and moving somewhere new in pursuit of my dreams and how ultimately it was the largest blessing because it led to finding my true passions within vet med and actually changed my mind from what I wanted to do within vet med previously.

My advice is write something out and see where it lands length wise and then see if you can edit it to fit the character requirements. If you have to edit it too much and you lose the point or the emotions you are trying to invoke then you might need a different prompt. I would hate that your essay's overall message and emotional value be lost because you're trying to cut for length requirements!!

 

[pinkpuppy9]

So this is for my personal statement. I’m confused what to talk about. The school shooting made me focus on my drive and how short life is and made it more clear on what i want to achieve in life and to make that dream a reality.

The other essay about my apartment fire shows how i was able to cope with something very serious that weighed on me mentally and etc. which shows to my strengths of i can handle stress of vet school has to offer because i am strong and determined.

I think you could potentially use the school shooting experience as an introduction to grab your reader's attention. That may sound a bit insensitive...to 'use' it...but I get the sense that you are scraping a bit to write that compelling sad story. While it is becoming less unique (which is very unfortunate), it is a subject that is almost guaranteed to grab your reader right off the bat.

I want to reiterate that a 'sad story' is not the only way to write a successful personal statement. With that said, I do think that you could make this work if it is written eloquently and honestly. You still need to tie this to your goal of being a vet beyond 'it gave me mental strength and showed me how short life is.' Those components are an important part of your story, but are certainly not the only part. Do the soul searching and really tell your reader why you want this. The shooting is not the direct reason that drove you to veterinary medicine, something else put you on that path.

 

[farrierinarian]

I am applying this cycle for the second time. The first time I didn't include any hours from high school work/activities. I am a non-traditional student that has been out of high school for 11 years. I figured it was not significant since it was so long ago, but would it be something I want to add to my application this time around?

 

[JaynaAli]

I am applying this cycle for the second time. The first time I didn't include any hours from high school work/activities. I am a non-traditional student that has been out of high school for 11 years. I figured it was not significant since it was so long ago, but would it be something I want to add to my application this time around?

I’d add it. Your more recent activities are likely going to hold more weight, but it certainly won’t hurt to include more information.

 

[Fallorautumn]

So I’ve been working on my application since it opened up and just submitted my first application to Midwestern since I became aware of their rolling admissions. However, my application was submitted with an explanation statement I thought I had deleted but now regretfully remember not clicking Save and Continue. That statement explained how I was going to try to fill a gap in large/farm animal experience as I don’t have that much. However I decided with others who read it that it seemed more like exposing a weakness in me as an applicant. Anyway, it’s submitted now and I can’t change it for other programs, so my question is if I should put the money forth for the other six programs I was intending to apply for or if it’s a lost cause :’)?

 

[supershorty]

So I’ve been working on my application since it opened up and just submitted my first application to Midwestern since I became aware of their rolling admissions. However, my application was submitted with an explanation statement I thought I had deleted but now regretfully remember not clicking Save and Continue. That statement explained how I was going to try to fill a gap in large/farm animal experience as I don’t have that much. However I decided with others who read it that it seemed more like exposing a weakness in me as an applicant. Anyway, it’s submitted now and I can’t change it for other programs, so my question is if I should put the money forth for the other six programs I was intending to apply for or if it’s a lost cause :’)?

The explanation statement is intended for something like if you experienced a hardship that impacted your application (such as dealing with an illness of you/a family member you're the caretaker for, etc.). I would not use it for something like a gap in experience hours.

 

[battie]

so my question is if I should put the money forth for the other six programs I was intending to apply for or if it’s a lost cause :’)?

You're way overthinking this. Submitting this explanation statement won't cause you to be denied.

 

[Fallorautumn]

You're way overthinking this. Submitting this explanation statement won't cause you to be denied.

Okay thank you😭

 

[littlebalto]

This is semi-related to a previously asked question on this thread, but I just want to double check for my circumstances. I'm applying a several school that require English Composition II, so I was planning on taking that at a community college in Spring 2025 and I have entered it in VMCAS that way. My in-state school does not require that course and my plan is to go there if I get in no matter what. If I do get into my IS and I decide not to take the English class after all, will not submitting a transcript from one of my attended schools, even if the only course from that school is a planned course, affect my acceptance (if I get in)? I know this is kind of a weird situation and I might just take it anyway to avoid the gamble but I'm curious about how schools consider planned courses I guess.

 

[SkiOtter]

will not submitting a transcript from one of my attended schools, even if the only course from that school is a planned course, affect my acceptance (if I get in)?

Nope. If you don’t take the course, they will not care if it’s not a required/prerequisite course. I dropped a physio class and a nutrition class that were both required by other schools I was waitlisted for after I got off the waitlist for a different school and the school that accepted me didn’t care because they didn’t require either of those.

 

[KaraF16]

Hey there! I know there is a thread for personal statement readers for this cycle. However, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to review a few of my supplemental essays—specifically the resiliency and life motto essays for VMCVM and the DEI essay for Minnesota.

I am trying to wrap up my application before the Fall semester begins, and I am struggling with feeling like some of my supplementals are not up to par.

Any advice or otherwise would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Shiloh47]

Can anyone answer this please, I am also confused about this too!!

Heyy, I emailed the Dublin folks a little while ago and this was the response they gave me. So it does seem like the supplemental application for Dublin opens after the VMCAS deadline, in which their supp app is sometime in October.