WAMC - 1st year applicant!

[Jack6768]

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Hi! I am a 21-year-old NJ resident. It is my first time applying. I am an animal science major.

I am looking for advice about schools and applying or taking a gap year. Please help!!

Schools applying to: Tufts, Rowan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Kansas, Cornell, Illinois

Cumulative GPA: 3.97
science GPA: 3.97
last 45: 4.0

Any degrees achieved: Animal Science - Spring 2026

GRE results: Q/V/W N/A

Veterinary Experience:
360 hours - shadowed 3 different small animal vet practices
27 hours - shadowed an exotic vet practice
5 hours - shadowed a large animal vet -
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Animal Experience:
600 hours - working on a dairy farm
120 hours - volunteering with rescue organizations (dogs and cats)
50 hours - dog walking and sitting

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Research Experience:
N/A

Awards/scholarships:
Trustees Scholarship - all 4 years
Dean's List - every semester ( top 20%)
Animal Science Honors Award - Sophomore Year


Extracurriculars:
100 hours Event Coordinator - Pre-Vet Club (2 years) - member of the club all 4 years
Dairy Club
Game Club
Book Club
Volunteer - Food Bank
Hobbies: Cooking, baking, reading, and concerts

Employment:
Ice Cream Scooper - 84 hours
Office Assistant - during school - 80 hours
Lifeguard -YMCA - during high school
Clerk - Title Agency - 160 hours

I know I need more vet hours and would love suggestions for schools that focus more on gpa than that!!
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[JaynaAli]

I think you have excellent chances. Hours are on the lower side and getting more will certainly help so I’d prioritize that as much as you can this summer before applying, but I’d apply and see what happens. Your GPA is high enough that I’d consider applying to schools like NCSU and Mizzou that let you switch residency and pay in-state tuition after the first year, because if you can get in to those it’ll save a lot of money.

 

[Jack6768]

I think you have excellent chances. Hours are on the lower side and getting more will certainly help so I’d prioritize that as much as you can this summer before applying, but I’d apply and see what happens. Your GPA is high enough that I’d consider applying to schools like NCSU and Mizzou that let you switch residency and pay in-state tuition after the first year, because if you can get in to those it’ll save a lot of money.

Thank you ! Would love to hear more ideas about schools. Do you think the ones I have mentioned work with my stats?

 

[JaynaAli]

Thank you ! Would love to hear more ideas about schools. Do you think the ones I have mentioned work with my stats?

Every school likes high GPAs. Why are those ones your list? like half of your list has a total cost of attendance between 375-410k ( Cornell, Wisconsin, Tufts). You have stats to be competitive at cheaper schools and I wouldn’t personally be willing to pay 375-410k (and that’s before interest that accrues while you’re in school) when there’s cheaper options, especially in the current loan climate where there’s a looming threat that federal loans will be capped at 150k. We don’t know that that will pass, but it could. I always say go to the cheapest school but especially important now unless you’re independently wealthy and you or someone else is paying out of pocket.

 

[Jack6768]

Every school likes high GPAs. Why are those ones your list? like half of your list has a total cost of attendance between 375-410k ( Cornell, Wisconsin, Tufts). You have stats to be competitive at cheaper schools and I wouldn’t personally be willing to pay 375-410k (and that’s before interest that accrues while you’re in school) when there’s cheaper options, especially in the current loan climate where there’s a looming threat that federal loans will be capped at 150k. We don’t know that that will pass, but it could. I always say go to the cheapest school but especially important now unless you’re independently wealthy and you or someone else is paying out of pocket.

My hours are low, so I guess I am concerned about that. I am not sure I should even apply this cycle. Was thinking about taking a gap year to get more hours in. I live in the Northeastern part of the country, so Cornell, Tufts, and Rowan (IS) make sense. I will be paying for school, so I appreciate any advice. Are there schools that have cheaper tuition that I may have a shot at?

 

[pp9]

My hours are low, so I guess I am concerned about that. I am not sure I should even apply this cycle. Was thinking about taking a gap year to get more hours in. I live in the Northeastern part of the country, so Cornell, Tufts, and Rowan (IS) make sense. I will be paying for school, so I appreciate any advice. Are there schools that have cheaper tuition that I may have a shot at?

Totally anecdotal, but super high GPAs with low hours tend to have more success in admissions than applicants with super high hours and average, to low GPAs. If I had your stats, I personally would be applying, and applying wherever tuition would be cheapest for me. Your hours are low, though, so if you didn't get in, that is probably the first thing to address.

Ohio, NCSU, and Mizzou let you switch to IS tuition after the first year so I would consider those in additional to your IS. Scrap using geography as a reason for school choice - go with the cheapest options available to you.

 

[Georgethecat]

Check out this website for fairly accurate information on cost of attendance. Always confirm with each school that you are interested in for accuracy.

COST OF EDUCATION TOOLKIT - Vet School Bound

New veterinarians with less educational debt have a head start on life, the VIN Foundation Cost of Education Toolkit is here to help.A lighter debt burden translates into more financial, career, and personal flexibility. Wouldn’t it be great to pursue an internship or residency, or even take a...

vetschoolbound.org

 

[CeeGee14]

With your GPAs, you can try applying to U.C Davis. They let you become IS after your first year. OOS tuition is strangely reasonable-at least it's not double IS tuition. It's the COL that will get you.

 

[pp9]

They let you become IS after your first year.

Since when?

 

[CeeGee14]

Since when?

Not sure when they started, but U.C Davis does allow it. The admissions team were super upfront about how to apply and I'm told they even send out detailed instructions on how to become IS.

 

[pp9]

Not sure when they started, but U.C Davis does allow it. The admissions team were super upfront about how to apply and I'm told they even send out detailed instructions on how to become IS.

Interesting, the university's website certainly doesn't give that impression. Report back in a year please, lol

 

[JaynaAli]

Interesting, the university's website certainly doesn't give that impression. Report back in a year please, lol

The VIN stuff does say Davis allows residency switch and the Davis vet med tuition faq website does say that out of state students pay a nonresident fee “until they establish residency”. There’s also extensive instructions about state residency requirements on the main UC system website: Welcome | Understanding residency for purposes of UC tuition

I think it’s still pretty expensive even with the residency switch, and they’re so GPA driven/competitive that most OOSers would probably also be able to get in to their instate or other residency switching schools so it’s still often not the cheapest option so it doesn’t get talked about as much I don’t think.

 

[pp9]

The VIN stuff does say Davis allows residency switch and the Davis vet med tuition faq website does say that out of state students pay a nonresident fee “until they establish residency”. There’s also extensive instructions about state residency requirements on the main UC system website: Welcome | Understanding residency for purposes of UC tuition

Yeah that's what I was looking at...under residency requirements "You must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status. If you moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition."

"May not" must be the key phrase, then? I had just not heard of UC Davis ever being one of the schools that you can switch. That's cool if it's as easy/guaranteed as the other schools that do. Any school I've looked at uses essentially the same verbiage as the above statement but doesn't allow for switching.

 

[indysadventures]

Yeah, the UC Davis residency rules sound like Minnesota’s residency rules - you have to be able to PROVE you didn’t only move to the state to attend school. Which is basically impossible to do, especially if you don’t have a partner or spouse also working. Maybe they’re more lenient but have strict language for legal reasons?

Because at UMN, they have the same verbiage but apparently they used to be more generous but now it’s really hard. It’s because the vet school isn’t the one making the decisions. I mean, I’m getting ready to FIGHT but still, I think I only even have a shot because I’m older with a spouse who got a work transfer, and we bought a house, etc. and even then I’ll probably get denied- WILL REPORT BACK.

 

[CeeGee14]

Interesting, the university's website certainly doesn't give that impression. Report back in a year please, lol

Will definitely report back.

 

[Jack6768]

i just got a job as a vet assistant. My hours will go up considerably by September since I am working full-time!

Any other school advice is welcome and appreciated!!!

Thank you to all that responded