WAMC- first time applicant

[stinkydog]

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Hi everyone! I am third-year undergrad (20, F) planning to apply during next year’s cycle. I am IS Georgia and leaning towards small animal medicine, possibly a specialty. I’m struggling to finalize my school list and would really appreciate advice on where I’d be competitive or any adjustments you’d recommend!

Here’s my current list (again would love some advice hehe):
UGA (IS), Washington State, Cornell, Auburn, Michigan State, Purdue


B.S. Applied Biotechnology & B.S. Regenerative Bioscience. Minors in Animal Science & Biomedical Physiology

GPA: 3.91 overall (unsure of science gpa and last 45 hours gpa, but should be ~3.95). I completed a lot of dual enrollment in high school, which is why I can double major and double minor lol.

Veterinary Experience

• Mixed Animal Clinic paid VA : 270 hours --- will continue to get hours
• Small Animal Clinic paid VA: 450 hours --- will continue to get hours
• Equine Hospital (Shadow, lots of repro work): 138 hours
• Small Animal & Exotics in Peru (Intern): 32 hours
• Veterinary Pathology (Shadow): 12 hours
• Mass Spay/Neuter Trailer (Shadow): 12 hours

Animal Experience

• Food Animal Husbandry (High School Barn): 750 hours
• Local Zoo Intern: 410 hours --- will continue to get hours
• 2 Small Animal Shelters (Volunteer): 41 hours

Research Experience

• Reptile hematology project: 50 hours; presented at a research symposium
• Large animal regenerative medicine research assistantship: 60 hours --- will continue to get hours

Non-Animal Employment

• Resident Assistant: 2 years (unsure of exact hours, ongoing)
• Jewelry Store Sales Associate: Seasonal/part-time (unsure of exact hours)

Extracurriculars

• Professional Agricultural Sorority: scholarship committee
• Regenerative Bioscience Undergraduate Society: Affairs chair, then VP, likely President senior year
• Pre-Vet Club: freshman year
• Student Government Senator: freshman year

Awards/Honors

• College scholarship
• Dean’s list (x3)
• Presidential scholar (x2)
• Undergraduate research award/scholarship
• 1st place in resident assistant incident/documentation report contest
• Research fellowship awarded for regenerative bioscience center

Letters of Recommendation (4 confirmed, 1 pending)

Equine surgeon (current research mentor), Veterinary pathologist (previous research mentor), residence hall director (RA boss), mixed animal vet. Planning to ask one of the small animal vets I currently work for.

I’d love to hear any suggestions on how to improve with the time I have left. Thanks so so much <3

 

[JaynaAli]

I think you’ll be very competitive, especially for your in-state. Keep your grades up as you finish classes and continue to accumulate vet hours. I’d really push for UGA since that’s likely your statistically highest chance and also probably your cheapest option. For OOS schools to apply to I’d recommend you focus on cheaper schools to minimize your debt. So keeping Washington, Purdue, consider Missouri, NCSU, etc. Use your high GPA to your advantage and set yourself up for success by minimizing your debt.

Cornell OOS is more than 350k, which is more than double the cost of UGA IS.

 

[stinkydog]

I think you’ll be very competitive, especially for your in-state. Keep your grades up as you finish classes and continue to accumulate vet hours. I’d really push for UGA since that’s likely your statistically highest chance and also probably your cheapest option. For OOS schools to apply to I’d recommend you focus on cheaper schools to minimize your debt. So keeping Washington, Purdue, consider Missouri, NCSU, etc. Use your high GPA to your advantage and set yourself up for success by minimizing your debt.

Cornell OOS is more than 350k, which is more than double the cost of UGA IS.

Ah! Okay. Thank you for the words! I very much appreciate it. NSCU seems impossible to get into OOS. I mean EVERY school seems impossible to get into. Especially OOS.

I am worried about quantity of hours for sure. I see people with thousands and thousands of hours straight from undergrad and it is very scary.