WAMC: traditional first time mediocre 😞 applicant

[whalesharkbubbles]

21, F, MO, traditional first time applicant

Hello! I am a rising senior applying to vet school for the first time. My interests lie mainly with wildlife/zoo med or public health, but I would be very happy to work in small animal medicine too.

I am currently applying to Mizzou (IS), UF, UC Davis, and UIUC. My dream school is UF, but I know it is very difficult to get in out of state, especially with my lower experience hours. I would be extremely happy to get into my state school, Mizzou.

Cumulative GPA: 3.85
science GPA: 3.78
last 45: 3.76 (physics and orgo kicked my butt 😞)

Any degrees achieved: will be graduating with a BA in biology, double majoring in anthropology on global health + environment track

GRE results: n/a

Veterinary Experience: 780 hrs total
- 385 hrs: small animal vet tech for one summer, observed several exotics appointments
- 105 hrs: avian/small animal vet assistant for one semester
- 220 hrs: small animal shadow at two clinics
- 70 hrs: equine shadow

Animal Experience: 360 hrs total
- 270 hrs: widlife rescue intern
- 70 hrs: pet sitting/dog walking business
- 20 hrs: shelter volunteering

Research Experience: 330 hrs total
- 80 hrs: conducted a semester-long independent research project at the zoo for a behavioral research class
- 200 hrs: high school internship at a plant science research facility, 3rd author on a paper
- 50 hrs: high school marine science research summer program

Awards/scholarships:
- Dean's list every semester
- National merit scholarship
- Missouri bright flight scholarship
- Academy of Science St Louis Science Fair - Bayer outstanding high school scientist award

Extracurriculars:
- 320 hrs: leadership in college dance group - started out in the non-audition team freshman year, promoted to the competitive traveling team, now a leader responsible for my own 7-person team
- 100 hrs: executive board member for club that provides cultural enrichment to transracial Chinese adoptees and fundraises for an organization that provides medical care to Chinese orphans
- 320 hrs: lunar new year festival performance group since freshman year
- 2200 hrs: studio and competitive dance in high school

Employment:
- 130 hrs of summer employment in child care/summer camp at YMCA

I didn't really solidify my interest in veterinary medicine until freshman year of undergrad, which I know is late compared to others who have wanted to become vets their entire lives, which is why my experience hours are on the low end. Since middle school, I knew I wanted a career involving conservation and wildlife, but I didn't know vet med was a possibility for me until freshman year of undergrad, when I took a one health class from two zoo and wildlife vets and was blown away by their work in conservation and public health (related to zoonotic diseases). Because of this, I want to become a zoo or wildlife vet. But as I learned more about the vet med field through shadowing and working, I have also fallen in love with small animal medicine and forming connections with pets and owners. Because of my late interest in vetmed, I attend a school that doesn't have an animal science department/pre-vet program/zoology department and very little advising or support, which has made it slightly difficult to find diverse vetmed opportunities. This isn't an excuse for my lackluster experiences, but is just to provide some context.

As a side note, I'll be studying abroad next semester in Australia at a university with extensive veterinary science/animal science/zoology departments, where I'll hopefully get some cool animal or research experience that isn't available at my own university! while I know I can't include this on my application, hopefully I'll have really great experiences to talk about during interviews.

I know my chances of getting into any out of state school are extremely slim, so I am mainly hoping to get into my state school, Mizzou. I am hoping that my application is well-rounded enough to make up for my lower hours. What are my chances?

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[KaraF16]

Hey there! I would not consider you a mediocre applicant. You seem to have diverse experiences and interests outside of veterinary medicine, which many admissions committees would like to see. Your GPA is competitive, and being an in-state student at Mizzou will make it your best shot, but I wouldn't count you out of UF or other out-of-state schools, for that matter.

Your biggest weakness isn't precisely your lack of veterinary hours but more so your lack of depth. It seems you have a little bit of everything, which is great from a diversity standpoint, but possibly focusing on a more in-depth veterinary experience with a longer time commitment might help not only strengthen potential LORs from a veterinarian but also prove to admissions committees that you have a realistic understanding of what the profession is like on a daily basis. However, that is just me nitpicking, overall you are a well-rounded applicant, in my opinion, and you should highlight some of your more unique experiences in your essays and how those led you to veterinary medicine or shaped you into an ideal candidate for veterinary school to set your application further apart.

Best of luck in the coming application cycle!