WAMC - 1st time app, what am I missing?

[justachillgirl]

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Hi,

I am a senior from the Caribbean, so automatically OOS for every accredited school available. I applied to this past 2024-2025 VMCAS cycle but did not receive the news I was expecting (as of yet). I applied and intend to apply again to dual degrees (DVM/PhDs) and even just DVM in case I change my mind (i.e. just do a post-doc after my DVM degree seems like an option for me).

I applied this past cycle to: Cornell, UPenn, LSU, and UWisconsin-Madison.

For this next cycle I plan to apply again to those, and more since I will have completed OChem 2.

Cumulative GPA: 3.6
science GPA: 3.5
last 45: 3.57

Degrees Achieved: Currently finishing my last semester in Anthropology and minor in Biology (Cellular Molecular) in May 2025.
Important: I have not taken OChem 2, or Physiology, or any other advanced animal science courses such as Nutrition, etc.) All other common pre-reqs I have completed already; pending this spring semester is BioChem and Physics 2. OChem2 and Physio might have to take them in summer

GRE results: N/A

Veterinary Experience:
- 2,500 hours in small animal general practice hospital (worked as vet assistant and held different tasks in that job helping in reception, surgery, consults, etc.)
- 14 hrs in oncology specialty
- 36 hrs in ophthalmology
-30 hrs in general surgery
-170 hrs working in a mobile vet clinic
-participated in 3 summer internships in vet schools (Purdue, UF, MSU)


Animal Experience:
- 168 hours working as a groomer
-42 hours volunteering in a equestrian club
- 15 hours volunteering as a assistant in educating children how to take care of horses
- 64 hours volunteering in assisting certified equine therapists giving therapy to human patients of MS, ASD and more

Research Experience:
- 480 hrs in medical microbiology at a vet school
- 480 hrs in a summer internship program dedicated to research
- 62 hrs worth of presenting my research in conferences (especially in National Vet Scholars Symposium in 2024)
-2,300 hrs in environmental microbiology (where I published my first peer-reviewed paper)
- 1,410 hrs as part of a NIH funded research undergraduate grant that pays me to do research at the same time as I talk my undergrad courses
- 210 hrs in agriculture industry


Awards/scholarships:
- Best Capstone Project in a summer vet school internship as an undergrad

Extracurriculars:
- Member of American Society for Microbiology
- Student President of a leadership club for 2 yrs
- Pre-vet Club
- Women in Medicine club


Employment:
- worked as a florist for 2 yrs
-worked as a vet assistant for 3 years (small animal GP)
-worked for 1 yr for a mobile vet clinic

Volunteer:
- 12 hrs post-hurricane help
- 40 hrs building homes post-hurricane

Letters of Rec:
- 2 PIs from my longest research exp
-PI from my summer research internship that is a veterinarian/professor
-Vet from mobile vet clinic

Other:
-have a peer-reviewed research pub (mentioned above)

I plan to take OChem 2 and any other course I may need to take to open my school possibilities while I work and apply this new cycle.

What am I missing? I got waitlisted for 1 and still waiting on a last school.

What can I improve other than a little more vet experience in other species?

Edit: I applied to those bc those were the only ones I came across that did not require OChem 2 and physiology (or required a standardized test). Also, English is not my first language (Spanish is) so some other schools who were perfect for me required me to take a TOEFL test, and literally that does not align with me considering I have been taught English since the third grade (so I did not want to apply to Kansas State knowing they require Puerto Ricans to take that and no other schools do....)

Thank you for stopping by and helping me in this process. It means a lot to me!

 

[indysadventures]

Hi- I’m sorry you’re experiencing a tough cycle, and I truly think you have some amazing experiences here!

Just wanted to say, I’m happy to review any of your written materials from this cycle if you’d like some objective feedback. I’m a strong writer thanks to my humanities undergrad (and a love of writing in my free time), and I think it’s a particular area that helped me this cycle. I am happy to review anything you’d like if you’d like any feedback on these areas.

 

[CeeGee14]

You can also try applying to schools that place less importance on GPA. My IS, Ohio State, would 100% prefer a candidate with thousands of vet hours or other diverse experiences over someone with a perfect 4.0, but with less hours.

I'm sorry this cycle has been tough on you so far. Sometimes it REALLY is hit or miss with certain schools. It all depends on what qualities that school is looking for in its candidates and just because you didn't check all their boxes doesn't mean you would make a bad vet. It just means you have to find the right school for you.

Good luck!

 

[justachillgirl]

Hi- I’m sorry you’re experiencing a tough cycle, and I truly think you have some amazing experiences here!

Just wanted to say, I’m happy to review any of your written materials from this cycle if you’d like some objective feedback. I’m a strong writer thanks to my humanities undergrad (and a love of writing in my free time), and I think it’s a particular area that helped me this cycle. I am happy to review anything you’d like if you’d like any feedback on these areas.

I have seen you in other threads so it is nice to see you here. That would be helpful! Right now I just copied my past app to this new cycle to get a heads up. Will most definitely need help like this!! I will dm you!

 

[vampyrica]

hi! i think maybe a common issue amongst the schools might be that you have more than 2+ pre-requisites in progress. some schools will not consider an application if there is more than X pre-reqs in progress at the time of application. UAZ for example will only accept 2 pre-reqs in progress. if you are planning on applying this cycle, i would really take the time between now and may when programs open to really research schools.

find schools that will benefit you the most! do you need schools that consider grade replacement? do you need schools that have a teaching hospital? do you need schools that heavily consider last 45 and pre-req grades? i would suggest utilizing these websites (linked below) to help you figure out which schools might be the best for you. your stats are good at about the average of what some schools accept so you really need to make the rest of your application shine. i think maybe something that would benefit you is more animal hours and some more varying the type of animals you interact with like poultry, exotics, cattle and swine!

https://admin.applytovetschool.org/...5/01/General-Information-Chart-VMCAS-2026.pdf (some information here is not accurate like for UAZ it says they only have 45 seats when they actually have 110, so be sure to look at each individual school website).

Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR)