What are my chances???

[lyndaelyzoo]

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I am a nontraditional student and am wondering what my chances are of getting into vet school (UC Davis, UF (IS), VAMD, Cornell???). I have a BS in zoology from 1994 (yes, it is 1994) with an undergrad GPA of about 3.3. I also just received a MS in Forensic Science from UF with a GPA of 3.9. Just took GRE and scored 580 verbal, 700 math, 5.0 analytical writing. I have been teaching biology and forensic science in a public high school for nine years and am ready for a change. Becoming a veterinarian was always a dream of mine and I would like to turn this dream into reality. Before teaching, I worked with an avian vet as a vet tech part-time for about two years. I also rode and trained horses, taught riding lessons, assisted horse vet, and helped manage a horse stable for about six years full-time. I have a lot of hours in vet and animal experience, but not in the last nine years, since I began teaching. I was wondering if there is any statute of limitations on the animal experience needed for vet schools? I have more than six years of experience, but that was almost ten years ago. Does it still count? Please advise.

 

[sumstorm]

Obviously I am not in yet, but here are some basics:

You'll need to take a look at the requirementes for each of those schools. Make sure that you have the pre-reqs, and that those schools don't consider pre-reqs as 'expired.'

Then, while you do have previous experience, you may want to update that with shadowing/observations/etc in various veterinary fields. I think this is important both for the schools (I don't think there is an expiration, but it may seem 'odd' otherwise) and for yourself, as sometimes things seem 'better' when you have time/distance from them.

Then, I think you will need to do some soul searching to come up with a very succinct reason WHY you are going back to vet school, rather than just that you are tired of your current field or you are ready for a change.

These are just my opinions. I am a non-trad with 7 years out of school as well.

 

[Klhughes]

Definitely check with the schools because most schools will not accept pre-reqs from that long ago.

 

[LivestockDoc]

My last job working for vets was in 1994. After that, I opened a boarding kennel. When I spoke to an advisor at CSU a couple of months ago, she strongly encouraged me to get some more recent experience (even though I had 1000's of hours in my past). Doesn't have to be a paying job. I ride along with an equine vet on Fridays, and volunteer at a raptor rehab on Saturdays. Hoping to get LOR's from one or both of them too. Can't very well get a letter from my employer--though I have a feeling I would write myself a dang good recommendation! 😛

 

[Truth74]

Hey there!


You'll see more of us non-trads floating around here.

I have animal experience older than that (1989 or so).
Some schools will accept that experience, but others will not.

There are definitely some schools that don't have a time frame in which the pre-reqs should have been completed. Others will wave the deadline, if you ask them nicely. However, there are other schools that will not bend on the issue at all.

You will need letters of recommendation when you are ready to apply. This means time spent with a veterinarian or 3 (depending on the school). Do you still communicate with the vet you worked with? Are you able to shadow with them again, or reestablish the relationship? There's one vet letter of recommendation, right there. Depending on where you apply, that may be the only one you need.

I would check with the number one pick and work down from there.

Hope this helps.

 

[CR165583]

If you'll look through some of the threads you'll see how hard it is to get into school. The bottom line is...if you have doubts about your resume so would someone else looking at it. You will be competing against many many people with outstanding resumes so you need to do absolutely everything to make yours, your experience, and your education stand out. You simply can't leave anything to chance if you want to be competitive and not a basket case about the entire application process. I graduated with a M.Sc. in 2001 (3.8 GPA overall) but went back and updated my Phys I & II, Org Chem I & II, Biochem, Micro, and Zoo. Did I have to? Probably not. But I was certain they weren't going to look at my education and say "were those completed recent enough?". Then again I went into the application process pretty certain I'd get a seat somewhere because I knew that my application was stout. It wasn't too stressful because I thought my odds were good given the work I'd done to make my course completions recent and volunteering.

 

[shelterURIgirl]

I am also a non-traditional student. I left my job to go back to school, so maybe my perspective can help you.

You need current experience. Working in the industry almost 10 years ago isn't going to cut it. You need to show that you have an understanding of the current issues. For example, if "owners" of pets become "guardians", how is this going to affect the veterinary field? What current zoonoses should we be concerned about? What do you feel is the biggest challenge veterinarians are facing today? How do you feel about research? What new techniques are being used in holistic medicine? These are the types of questions that are hard to answer unless you are working in the field everyday.

As for your classes, most pre-reqs need to be taken within the last 5 years. Even if its not required, you will be at a HUGE disadvantage if you do not retake them. The first year of vet school is P-chem, anatomy, physiology, etc. Most of the vet students I know had previously taken classes in immunology, microbiology, virology, anatomy/physiology, chemistry, biochem, disease ecology, etc. all in the last 2-3 years.

I had a hard time leaving my $$$ job, but I felt I needed more experience in shelters, clinics, research, etc. I can tell you FOR SURE that the insights and perspectives I have gained in the past year are worth it and I've never once looked back or regretted my decision.

Best of luck to you.