WAMC-- UMN exclusive, non-trad, LVT

[bkrueg0729]

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Hi all, just looking to get some feedback as I'm preparing to apply this cycle.
I am a non-traditional student and have bachelor of science in both biological sciences and psychology; graduated magna cum laude. I will be starting a master of science program in biostatistics this fall. I will be exclusively applying to Minnesota as it's my in state school and I'm focused on affordability.
Last 45 GPA (UMN only considers last 45): 3.9
Pre-req GPA: 3.8
I am an LVT and have 20,000+ hours of veterinary experience in both general practice and emergency.
I have 6 letters of recommendation, all from DVMs I have known and worked with for years.
I have one summer of research experience in a psychology lab ~50 hours.

Is there anything I should highlight in my essays or anything else I can do to make my application stand out?
Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[Sparker]

Do you have any species diversity in your vet experience or is it all small animals?
You should get your research hours up to at least 100. Should be fairly easy if you're completing a master's program.
Make sure that you have diverse experiences outside of vet med- extracurriculars, volunteering, etc. And include these in your essays.
I would consider using one of your letters of rec for someone outside of vet med. 6 DVMs is impressive, but they can only speak on one aspect of your life. It would be good to have someone speak on your educational work as well.

 

[supershorty]

Hi all, just looking to get some feedback as I'm preparing to apply this cycle.
I am a non-traditional student and have bachelor of science in both biological sciences and psychology; graduated magna cum laude. I will be starting a master of science program in biostatistics this fall. I will be exclusively applying to Minnesota as it's my in state school and I'm focused on affordability.
Last 45 GPA (UMN only considers last 45): 3.9
Pre-req GPA: 3.8
I am an LVT and have 20,000+ hours of veterinary experience in both general practice and emergency.
I have 6 letters of recommendation, all from DVMs I have known and worked with for years.
I have one summer of research experience in a psychology lab ~50 hours.

Is there anything I should highlight in my essays or anything else I can do to make my application stand out?
Thanks for all the feedback!

What's the diversity of your hours in terms of small animal vs other? UMN does like to see a variety of exposure beyond just small animal GP and ER.

Double check whether UMN requires any letters to be from a professor because it's possible.

I think your application is likely pretty strong, just check those details. I don't personally agree with the poster above me about the research hours - many applicants have no research experience at all, it's a bonus if you do have it but not something that would be held against you if you didn't (unless you were applying for research-based programs like a DVM/PhD).

 

[cardamom23]

Yes, I second the research comment! It can be tricky to land legit research opportunities when you’re not necessarily in a position to pursue that. So for me, I have around 30 hours of research but that is only because I connected with a faculty at a local school where I live who was generous enough to let me borrow a microscope and slides and give me a research task! Otherwise, I would have zero! lol but people with even zero hours of research still get accepted. It would be good to connect with admissions and see what their perspective it on it.
Otherwise, yes diversifying your caseload if and when possible. If not, then you could diversify the focus within your caseloads. Maybe you are interested in dermatology cases, or cases regarding welfare.

 

[dew5]

Going to agree with above commenters regarding diversifying both your veterinary hours and your LORs. FWIW, UMN does not require one of your letters to be from a professor (I did not have one and was accepted this past cycle). But consider getting one from some other source - if not someone in academia, a supervisor from a volunteer position, etc. While it’s great that you have 6 from DVMs that you have worked closely with for a long time, vet schools are also interested in what kind of person you are outside of veterinary medicine.

 

[indysadventures]

One thing to be aware of is that UMN has strict cut offs for prerequisites, as a non-trad as well, I had to retake genetics. As for the master’s, just wanted to make sure that you’re aware of the new cutoffs for student loans? Because completing a master’s will affect your total loan availability even for in state, and you’d likely need to rely on private loans if you don’t have savings or another means to pay.

I agree with the other comments about diversity of hours and LORs. Though, as long as you have a good reason for why your hours look the way they do, and they match what your career goals are, you should be fine. I had 0 LA and 5 equine and it didn’t affect my application cycle, but that’s because I’m pretty laser-focused in SA specialty (and had the experience to back up that focus).

Best of luck!