What are my chances?

[animal44]

Hey guys! This is my first post here and I just wanted to see what aspects of my application I could improve on, and if anyone with similar stats has gotten in to any of the schools I plan on applying to! I'm a little worried about my vet experience hours because I decided pretty late in the game that I wanted to go into vet med, and the hours I do have are mainly SA.

21 y/o female, Ohio resident

Degree: BS in Biology (Graduate May 2019)

Cumulative GPA: 3.80, Science GPA: 3.72

Veterinary Experience:
290 hours SA clinics (3 different clinics)
17 hours mixed animal clinic
8 hours SA neurology
180 hours from internship at spay/neuter clinic abroad
192 hours from internship at wildlife rehabilitation hospital

I'm trying to get a job working at a vet clinic this summer too, so hopefully I'll have a few hundred more hours from that! Also - can I count the wildlife rehab position as vet hours? I'm working in the actual hospital with veterinary supervision so I figured it counted, but others have listed wildlife rehabilitation on animal experience!

Animal Experience:
580 hours as a dog sitter
40 hours as a cat sitter
10 hours from volunteering at local humane society
4 hours exotics
120 hours puppy sitting for service dogs
24 hours volunteering at service dog organization
Cat owner

Also - I'm fostering my own service dog starting in the fall. Can I include this in my animal experience even though I won't be getting the dog until beginning of September, and I plan on submitting the application before that?

Research Experience:
None :/

GRE:
Taking it in a few weeks but I'm a pretty good standardized test taker

Other:
Treasurer and co-founder of Psychology of Dogs club
Volunteer Chair for another dog-oriented club on campus
Service dog foster
Certified in Animal CPR/First Aid
Honors Program
Presidents List one semester, Deans List 2 semesters
Sorority member

Schools I'm Applying to: (I may change this a bit but I'm applying to a lot just to be safe)
Ohio State (top choice because IS), Purdue, Tufts, UPenn, CSU, Cornell, NC State, Illinois, Tennessee, LMU, RVC, Midwestern, Ross

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Lupin21]

Hey guys! This is my first post here and I just wanted to see what aspects of my application I could improve on, and if anyone with similar stats has gotten in to any of the schools I plan on applying to! I'm a little worried about my vet experience hours because I decided pretty late in the game that I wanted to go into vet med, and the hours I do have are mainly SA.

21 y/o female, Ohio resident

Degree: BS in Biology (Graduate May 2019)

Cumulative GPA: 3.80, Science GPA: 3.72

Veterinary Experience:
290 hours SA clinics (3 different clinics)
17 hours mixed animal clinic
8 hours SA neurology
180 hours from internship at spay/neuter clinic abroad
192 hours from internship at wildlife rehabilitation hospital

I'm trying to get a job working at a vet clinic this summer too, so hopefully I'll have a few hundred more hours from that! Also - can I count the wildlife rehab position as vet hours? I'm working in the actual hospital with veterinary supervision so I figured it counted, but others have listed wildlife rehabilitation on animal experience!

Animal Experience:
580 hours as a dog sitter
40 hours as a cat sitter
10 hours from volunteering at local humane society
4 hours exotics
120 hours puppy sitting for service dogs
24 hours volunteering at service dog organization
Cat owner

Also - I'm fostering my own service dog starting in the fall. Can I include this in my animal experience even though I won't be getting the dog until beginning of September, and I plan on submitting the application before that?

Research Experience:
None :/

GRE:
Taking it in a few weeks but I'm a pretty good standardized test taker

Other:
Treasurer and co-founder of Psychology of Dogs club
Volunteer Chair for another dog-oriented club on campus
Service dog foster
Certified in Animal CPR/First Aid
Honors Program
Presidents List one semester, Deans List 2 semesters
Sorority member

Schools I'm Applying to: (I may change this a bit but I'm applying to a lot just to be safe)
Ohio State (top choice because IS), Purdue, Tufts, UPenn, CSU, Cornell, NC State, Illinois, Tennessee, LMU, RVC, Midwestern, Ross

For the wildlife, I split mine up to where they belonged. Any animal husbandry went under animal experience, while any actual medical help via administering meds or directly helping the vet went under veterinary. The rest of your application looks to be on track, however you need to make sure you include who you are outside of the animal world. Many people I think fail to realize that pretty much everyone has a GPA and some vet experience, but it is what makes you unique as an individual and what you personally can bring to the veterinary community thanks to your life experiences that gets schools to look at you.

 

[dogtorschmogtor]

Any input would be appreciated! I'm not taking classes this summer so that I can accumulate as many hours as possible before applying at the end of this summer. I will still be working full-time so any of my free days (2-3 days/week) will be used for shadowing. That being said, would It be a better use of time to continue shadowing the equine vet who I was with for two days just for the sake of getting some more large animal experience, or spend more time in ophthalmology? I am very interested in ophthalmology and not very interested in LA medicine but I will do whatever I need. When I met with an advisor at UMN (my top choice for vet school) and was told to get large animal experience which, at the time, I had not a single hour in.

Here's a rough run down of the rest:

Academic
3.90-3.95ish Last 45/pre-req GPA
154V/158Q/5W GRE

Vet hours
~2000 hours at a SA hospital as a VA/VT
~800 hours at Disney's Animal Kingdom as the veterinary hospital intern (zoo and wildlife)
~100 hours shadowing an avian and exotic vet (I plan on going back for a week at the end of June so It will be more like 140-150 by then)
~10 hours shadowing an equine vet
~10 hours specifically with the pathologists at Disney
~10 hours shadowing an ophthalmologist
~4 hours shadowing the veterinarian at The Seas at Disney (their aquarium)
~10 hours shadowing an ophthalmologist

Animal hours
~115 hours at a wildlife rehabilitation facility
and I just registered for a 3 day dairy AI course where you become certified in artificial insemination at the end of if you pass

Research
~130 hours helping with a research project involving stingrays and sharks
~30 hours helping the Disney Conservation Team with a research project involving Gopher tortoises

 

[toro2013]

Any input would be appreciated! I'm not taking classes this summer so that I can accumulate as many hours as possible before applying at the end of this summer. I will still be working full-time so any of my free days (2-3 days/week) will be used for shadowing. That being said, would It be a better use of time to continue shadowing the equine vet who I was with for two days just for the sake of getting some more large animal experience, or spend more time in ophthalmology? I am very interested in ophthalmology and not very interested in LA medicine but I will do whatever I need. When I met with an advisor at UMN (my top choice for vet school) and was told to get large animal experience which, at the time, I had not a single hour in.

Here's a rough run down of the rest:

Academic
3.90-3.95ish Last 45/pre-req GPA
154V/158Q/5W GRE

Vet hours
~2000 hours at a SA hospital as a VA/VT
~800 hours at Disney's Animal Kingdom as the veterinary hospital intern (zoo and wildlife)
~100 hours shadowing an avian and exotic vet (I plan on going back for a week at the end of June so It will be more like 140-150 by then)
~10 hours shadowing an equine vet
~10 hours specifically with the pathologists at Disney
~10 hours shadowing an ophthalmologist
~4 hours shadowing the veterinarian at The Seas at Disney (their aquarium)
~10 hours shadowing an ophthalmologist

Animal hours
~115 hours at a wildlife rehabilitation facility
and I just registered for a 3 day dairy AI course where you become certified in artificial insemination at the end of if you pass

Research
~130 hours helping with a research project involving stingrays and sharks
~30 hours helping the Disney Conservation Team with a research project involving Gopher tortoises

Your stats are pretty amazing. I think you’ll be fine going either way. IMO I would get the large animal experience. It will show that you have experience with a wide variety of species and you know what you are getting into. Also, I chose to attend UMN this year!

 

[SkiOtter]

Any input would be appreciated! I'm not taking classes this summer so that I can accumulate as many hours as possible before applying at the end of this summer. I will still be working full-time so any of my free days (2-3 days/week) will be used for shadowing. That being said, would It be a better use of time to continue shadowing the equine vet who I was with for two days just for the sake of getting some more large animal experience, or spend more time in ophthalmology? I am very interested in ophthalmology and not very interested in LA medicine but I will do whatever I need. When I met with an advisor at UMN (my top choice for vet school) and was told to get large animal experience which, at the time, I had not a single hour in.

Here's a rough run down of the rest:

Academic
3.90-3.95ish Last 45/pre-req GPA
154V/158Q/5W GRE

Vet hours
~2000 hours at a SA hospital as a VA/VT
~800 hours at Disney's Animal Kingdom as the veterinary hospital intern (zoo and wildlife)
~100 hours shadowing an avian and exotic vet (I plan on going back for a week at the end of June so It will be more like 140-150 by then)
~10 hours shadowing an equine vet
~10 hours specifically with the pathologists at Disney
~10 hours shadowing an ophthalmologist
~4 hours shadowing the veterinarian at The Seas at Disney (their aquarium)
~10 hours shadowing an ophthalmologist

Animal hours
~115 hours at a wildlife rehabilitation facility
and I just registered for a 3 day dairy AI course where you become certified in artificial insemination at the end of if you pass

Research
~130 hours helping with a research project involving stingrays and sharks
~30 hours helping the Disney Conservation Team with a research project involving Gopher tortoises

I would say the opposite and say you should spend more time in optho since you are interested in it. I think that would benefit you more since you DO have an interest in that. You have some equine hours which does show you explored that field some, but since you are more interested in optho, I would recommend spending your time there.

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

Hello everyone!
So I’m a non traditional student with a 3 year gap in my education. I have a much lower GPA than the average applicant due to my original grades at my university before I took some time off due to financial issues. Unfortunately I was balancing a full time job, another part time job and medical issues when I was in school prior to now and it heavily impacted my grades. I withdrew and became a tech for 3 years and became financially stabile before returning to school this time. I am 23 and applying this summer to a larger number of schools. My maximum in my budget is 10. I know it sounds crazy but I’m desperate to get in.
Overall GPA: 3.1
Last 45: 3.35
Science: 3.00
I just returned to school last Fall 2017 and have had very strong grades since, mostly A/A-‘s.

Experience:
I have been a veterinary technician for 3 years at two different a SA practices. Main duties are surgery and hospitalized patients but I do everything. So over 6000 hours of experience in medicine now. My hospital is also involved with the humane society so I’m familiar with shelter medicine.
I have shadowed equine vets on several occasions, but in two weeks I will begin working as a technician with one 4 days a week 7hrs/day at a race track through the summer.
I have a lot of different experiences with animals to tally up like volunteering with therapeutic riding centers, humane society, etc.
LOR’s:
The vet surgeon I tech for now who also is in charge of 32 company hospitals
The other vet I work with
The equine vet I am shadowing
My academic advisor

My GRE is scheduled for May 18th right now. I did take a practice run and scored a combined of 306 without studying.

I have a couple questions for you guys:

What are some of the best schools I can apply to that will increase my chances due to my weird circumstances?

Do you know of any schools that omit grades after 3 years?

What can I do to increase my chances of getting in at this point? I’ve been getting great grades since I returned to my college, so that’s the best I can do there. But experience wise what could I expand or will that be enough?

Some schools will drop grades after a set number of years (TAMU) but I'm not aware of any that would after such a small amount of time.
My recommendation to you would be just ensure every other area is A+. At some schools, a good GRE can improve your academic school-others may not even consider GRE. At Michigan, they don't consider your GPA if it makes it past file review (I think I have this right-I didn't apply to MSU myself, though)

One note on finances - I understand you really want to get in, be very aware that applying to schools is NOT the biggest expense. I didnt realize this until I was traveling cross country for my interviews. Every interview cost me at minimum $500 (even my IS because I had to prep my car for a road trip through the mountains) because consider flight, hotel, transport, etc. The schools that dont interview are some of the most competitive. It seems more worth it to me to apply to schools that you really believe you want to go and have a chance at, and save your funds to pay for interview expenses.

Also, should you apply to Caribbean schools - interviews are Skype, and they have a lower average GPA

 

[SkiOtter]

At Michigan, they don't consider your GPA if it makes it past file review (I think I have this right-I didn't apply to MSU myself, though)

Michigan State does not care about your gpa as long as your science and last 36 gpa are both above 3.0. If they are, you make it past phase 1 and into the file review where they look at the rest of your app and score you on their weird scale and that determines who gets an interview. Once you make it past phase 1 of 3.0 or higher, they don’t consider your gpa at all anymore.

 

[dogtorschmogtor]

Your stats are pretty amazing. I think you’ll be fine going either way. IMO I would get the large animal experience. It will show that you have experience with a wide variety of species and you know what you are getting into. Also, I chose to attend UMN this year!

Thank you and congrats!!! Hopefully I will be there next year too!

I would say the opposite and say you should spend more time in optho since you are interested in it. I think that would benefit you more since you DO have an interest in that. You have some equine hours which does show you explored that field some, but since you are more interested in optho, I would recommend spending your time there.

Thanks! Maybe somehow I’ll find time for both haha

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

Michigan State does not care about your gpa as long as your science and last 36 gpa are both above 3.0. If they are, you make it past phase 1 and into the file review where they look at the rest of your app and score you on their weird scale and that determines who gets an interview. Once you make it past phase 1 of 3.0 or higher, they don’t consider your gpa at all anymore.

Thanks for the accuracy

 

[SkiOtter]

Thanks for the accuracy

Figured I’d expand on it for anyone who was thinking about applying

 

[binxbot]

Well with your experiences rearranged a bit, it seems like you have a decent amount, 1000h mixed, 1000h vet assistant. Continue to bulk that up. You said your last 30(?) GPA is a 3.3, how are your science pre-reqs?

I don't know about GRE scores so someone else will have to chime in there, though several schools have dropped that requirement and several more are talking about dropping it for next cycle.

It's important to pick schools to apply to strategically. What is your in state?

You may opt to do a master's, just keep in mind that the debt load will get very big fast with that, vet school, and undergrad. I've definitely seen people with lower gpas get in this cycle.

My instate is Mizzou. I've looked at schools and know some of the obvious ones to weed out for strategic reasons but am not fully sure on which ones generally tend to accept applicants with lower GPAs or look at the whole applicant rather than just GPA or test scores.

My science GPA is about the same as my last 30 (last 30 credits) GPA.

 

[SkiOtter]

My instate is Mizzou. I've looked at schools and know some of the obvious ones to weed out for strategic reasons but am not fully sure on which ones generally tend to accept applicants with lower GPAs or look at the whole applicant rather than just GPA or test scores.

My science GPA is about the same as my last 30 (last 30 credits) GPA.

Which school uses last 30 gpa?

 

[binxbot]

Which school uses last 30 gpa?

Mizzou did this past application cycle when I did a file review with them. They had it calculated. It wasn't something I had to calculate and give them.

 

[SkiOtter]

Mizzou did this past application cycle when I did a file review with them. They had it calculated. It wasn't something I had to calculate and give them.

ahh
Was just curious which school used last 30. Most seem to use last 45 and then Michigan State uses last 36

 

[Moanswoptr]

Some schools will drop grades after a set number of years (TAMU) but I'm not aware of any that would after such a small amount of time.
My recommendation to you would be just ensure every other area is A+. At some schools, a good GRE can improve your academic school-others may not even consider GRE. At Michigan, they don't consider your GPA if it makes it past file review (I think I have this right-I didn't apply to MSU myself, though)

One note on finances - I understand you really want to get in, be very aware that applying to schools is NOT the biggest expense. I didnt realize this until I was traveling cross country for my interviews. Every interview cost me at minimum $500 (even my IS because I had to prep my car for a road trip through the mountains) because consider flight, hotel, transport, etc. The schools that dont interview are some of the most competitive. It seems more worth it to me to apply to schools that you really believe you want to go and have a chance at, and save your funds to pay for interview expenses.

Also, should you apply to Caribbean schools - interviews are Skype, and they have a lower average GPA

Thanks for the feedback!! I guess my biggest concern has been that I apply to a bunch of schools and only get a couple interviews. I still have a month or two to make final decisions at least. I have a select few schools that are my main priorities, such as my IS, MSU, and UMN.

I did originally consider applying to Ross, but I’m married and my husband has a highly specialized career that he probably wouldn’t be able to do in the Carribean.

 

[vethopeful_2]

Thanks for the feedback!! I guess my biggest concern has been that I apply to a bunch of schools and only get a couple interviews. I still have a month or two to make final decisions at least. I have a select few schools that are my main priorities, such as my IS, MSU, and UMN.

I did originally consider applying to Ross, but I’m married and my husband has a highly specialized career that he probably wouldn’t be able to do in the Carribean.

I'm in the same boat with Caribbean schools. Husband is an engineer and I don't know if that's something he could do over there. Plus I would feel bad taking him away from his family. It's a hard balance


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Skimble]

I'm in the same boat with Caribbean schools. Husband is an engineer and I don't know if that's something he could do over there. Plus I would feel bad taking him away from his family. It's a hard balance


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

My understanding is it is very hard for anyone to get work on the islands, no matter what field they belong to.

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

So this is not your traditional "what are my chances?" post, but I didn't want to start an entirely new thread so here it goes.

How much of a no-no (for lack of a better term) is it to decline an acceptance as an OOS student and then move, establish residency, and try to get in as IS student?

Here's my situation: I applied to 8 schools OOS this cycle (PA resident and Penn is way too expensive). I was outright rejected at NCSU, Mizzou, and Purdue. I was waitlisted at WSU, UGA, Cornell, and UF. I was accepted at OVC. At the time I applied, I did intend to attend any school I was accepted to. However, after some additional thought and crunching numbers, I've realized OVC is too expensive, as is likely UGA, Cornell, and possibly UF. I am now looking at changing my state of residence. I am currently in Wyoming and have confirmed that I would count as a resident this cycle, so I could re-apply as a WICHE applicant, giving me IS tuition and special consideration at WSU. However, Wyoming is 21 hours from home and has limited job opportunities. WSU is an impressive 31 hours from home, 3 hour time difference, and really does not have the experience or connection opportunities for someone interested in zoo med, as I am. I am therefore considering moving states, waiting a year, and re-applying as a resident of that state. UGA has a dedicated zoo med service, a desirable location (Athens is gorgeous and only 10 hours from home), and IS cost of attendance is on par with what I'd be paying at WSU. I am therefore considering moving to Georgia. The problem is that I already submitted the paperwork to stay on the alternate list. What is appropriate? Do I try to contact them to take my name off? Do I wait and see? If I get off and decline, does it hurt my chances if I re-apply in a later cycle as an IS student?

 

[Skimble]

So this is not your traditional "what are my chances?" post, but I didn't want to start an entirely new thread so here it goes.

How much of a no-no (for lack of a better term) is it to decline an acceptance as an OOS student and then move, establish residency, and try to get in as IS student?

Here's my situation: I applied to 8 schools OOS this cycle (PA resident and Penn is way too expensive). I was outright rejected at NCSU, Mizzou, and Purdue. I was waitlisted at WSU, UGA, Cornell, and UF. I was accepted at OVC. At the time I applied, I did intend to attend any school I was accepted to. However, after some additional thought and crunching numbers, I've realized OVC is too expensive, as is likely UGA, Cornell, and possibly UF. I am now looking at changing my state of residence. I am currently in Wyoming and have confirmed that I would count as a resident this cycle, so I could re-apply as a WICHE applicant, giving me IS tuition and special consideration at WSU. However, Wyoming is 21 hours from home and has limited job opportunities. WSU is an impressive 31 hours from home, 3 hour time difference, and really does not have the experience or connection opportunities for someone interested in zoo med, as I am. I am therefore considering moving states, waiting a year, and re-applying as a resident of that state. UGA has a dedicated zoo med service, a desirable location (Athens is gorgeous and only 10 hours from home), and IS cost of attendance is on par with what I'd be paying at WSU. I am therefore considering moving to Georgia. The problem is that I already submitted the paperwork to stay on the alternate list. What is appropriate? Do I try to contact them to take my name off? Do I wait and see? If I get off and decline, does it hurt my chances if I re-apply in a later cycle as an IS student?

I don't think it would hurt your chances, but the only people that can answer that for sure are the adcoms. Even if it doesn't hurt your chances, the only way to ensure acceptance, is to take the acceptance you already have. Any time you decline an acceptance in hopes of gaining admission elsewhere, or at a later time, you run the risk of not being accepted.

 

[Georgethecat]

So this is not your traditional "what are my chances?" post, but I didn't want to start an entirely new thread so here it goes.

How much of a no-no (for lack of a better term) is it to decline an acceptance as an OOS student and then move, establish residency, and try to get in as IS student?

Here's my situation: I applied to 8 schools OOS this cycle (PA resident and Penn is way too expensive). I was outright rejected at NCSU, Mizzou, and Purdue. I was waitlisted at WSU, UGA, Cornell, and UF. I was accepted at OVC. At the time I applied, I did intend to attend any school I was accepted to. However, after some additional thought and crunching numbers, I've realized OVC is too expensive, as is likely UGA, Cornell, and possibly UF. I am now looking at changing my state of residence. I am currently in Wyoming and have confirmed that I would count as a resident this cycle, so I could re-apply as a WICHE applicant, giving me IS tuition and special consideration at WSU. However, Wyoming is 21 hours from home and has limited job opportunities. WSU is an impressive 31 hours from home, 3 hour time difference, and really does not have the experience or connection opportunities for someone interested in zoo med, as I am. I am therefore considering moving states, waiting a year, and re-applying as a resident of that state. UGA has a dedicated zoo med service, a desirable location (Athens is gorgeous and only 10 hours from home), and IS cost of attendance is on par with what I'd be paying at WSU. I am therefore considering moving to Georgia. The problem is that I already submitted the paperwork to stay on the alternate list. What is appropriate? Do I try to contact them to take my name off? Do I wait and see? If I get off and decline, does it hurt my chances if I re-apply in a later cycle as an IS student?

Your best bet would be to contact Parker directly and ask. There is a current class of 2021 student at UGA (not on SDN), who lived in a state with no IS or contract school. That person chose to move to Athens and establish residency and was successfully accepted for the class of 2021. You'd probably have to move there this summer to have a full year's residency to qualify for IS for the 2024 cycle. Again, Parker could verify specifics.

As you've said, IS tuition is low (currently $19,400 including tuition and fees), Athens is beautiful and a nice place to live, living expenses are reasonable, and statistically speaking your chances for admission are greatly increased as an IS applicant (80 slots for GA residents, 17 slots for SC residents, 1 maybe 2 for Delaware depending on the year, and 15-16 OOS spots).

Best of luck to you!

 

[PlumPoppy]

I've always loved animals, and my mom even worked at the local university's vet school. She always complained about the workings of vet schools and all the grief the students had to go through. When I was in middle school, I was SURE I wanted to be a doctor, and in high school, I did everything I needed to do to get into a good pre-med program.
Fast forward to today. Now I'm a junior in Wildlife Ecology, looking to get into vet school. Problem? I have a low GPA and almost no experience. I thought I wanted to go into wildlife & fisheries, and could get by with a low GPA....I told my mother I wanted to go to vet school, and she laughed in my face. Anyways, here's my stats....

20 y/o female, Louisiana resident

Overall GPA: 3.29
Science GPA: 2.87**

Degree: B.S. Natural Resource Ecology and Management--Wildlife Ecology (May 2020)

Veterinary Experience
None!!!!

Animal Experience
Volunteer at cat rescue (50 hours)
Volunteer at rodent rescue (10 hours)
Babysitting/handling a breeder's wolf-dogs (10 hours)
Handling birds of prey (4 hours)

Extracurriculars/Awards
The Wildlife Society Student Chapter Member (Current/1 year)
Alpha Epsilon Delta Member (1 semester)
Key Club Treasurer - HS (1 year)
Student Council Treasurer - HS (1 year)
Beta Club Member - HS (2 years)
AP Scholar Award 2015 & 2016 - HS

Non-Animal Volunteer Work/Experience
Hospital/shadowing RNs, CNAs, NTs (120 hours)
Renovating the local library's YA section and promoting the project (40 hours)
Various local marathons for a cause (20 hours)
Shadowing an OBGYN (6 hours)
Local "get healthy" fair set-up and face-painting (5 hours)

Non-Animal Work
3 years in retail (cashier/barista)
1 year in medical records at a vet school
Currently a lab assistant for a lab that tests for pesticide residue

So...am I really that hopeless? I have a lot to work on; could I even recover?

**Also, I was wondering if my major/ecology classes would factor into my science GPA. If so, they'd be a major boost because I've done pretty well in them. I still have to take O chem, physics, gen chem lab, and upper-level bios.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

I've always loved animals, and my mom even worked at the local university's vet school. She always complained about the workings of vet schools and all the grief the students had to go through. Somehow or another, I decided I wanted to be a doctor.
Fast forward 2 years. Now I'm a junior in Wildlife Ecology, looking to get into vet school. Problem? I have a low GPA and almost no experience. I thought I wanted to go into wildlife & fisheries, and could get by with a low GPA....I told my mother I wanted to go to vet school, and she laughed in my face. Anyways, here's my stats....

20 y/o female, Louisiana resident

Overall GPA: 3.29
Science GPA: 2.87**

Degree: B.S. Natural Resource Ecology and Management--Wildlife Ecology (May 2020)

Veterinary Experience
None!!!!

Animal Experience
Volunteer at cat rescue (50 hours)
Volunteer at rodent rescue (10 hours)
Babysitting/handling a breeder's wolf-dogs (10 hours)
Handling birds of prey (4 hours)

Extracurriculars/Awards
The Wildlife Society Student Chapter Member (Current/1 year)
Alpha Epsilon Delta Member (1 semester)
Key Club Treasurer - HS (1 year)
Student Council Treasurer - HS (1 year)
Beta Club Member - HS (2 years)
AP Scholar Award 2015 & 2016 - HS

Non-Animal Volunteer Work
Hospital/shadowing RNs, CNAs, NTs (120 hours)
Renovating the local library's YA section and promoting the project (40 hours)
Various local marathons for a cause (20 hours)
Local "get healthy" fair set-up and face-painting (5 hours)

Non-Animal Work
3 years in retail (cashier/barista)
1 year in medical records at a vet school
Currently a lab assistant for a lab that tests for pesticide residue

So...am I really that hopeless? I have a lot to work on; could I even recover?

**Also, I was wondering if my major/ecology classes would factor into my science GPA. If so, they'd be a major boost because I've done pretty well in them. I still have to take O chem, physics, gen chem lab, and upper-level bios.

Most important piece of advice I can give you is go shadow a vet. I know it's difficult working, but before you decide to truly embark on this endeavor go and get experience. Vet med is so much more than a love for animals and some of the stuff vets go through cannot be truly understood until you witness first hand. I think madmike gave you great advice as far as everything else goes, but definitely go get some experience before committing. Vet school is hard. I'm just going to be starting, but between the debt and stories from my friends I know it's alot. Just make sure and consider everything before jumping in all the way. Do lots of research and be prepared and I think you'll figure out where you need to be in life.

 

[PlumPoppy]

Most important piece of advice I can give you is go shadow a vet. I know it's difficult working, but before you decide to truly embark on this endeavor go and get experience. Vet med is so much more than a love for animals and some of the stuff vets go through cannot be truly understood until you witness first hand.

Thank you your response! I'm trying to find a vet to shadow, but it's been difficult because I live in a small town with only 1 vet clinic, and I already commute 30min to go to the nearest city for school. I guess I'll have to try there!

I think it will be a good career path for me because I've always had a passion for medicine, probably why for so long I was so sure I'd be a doctor. I considered the possibility of being a vet at one point, but my mom scared me out of it since she worked at a vet school for 30 years.

I think madmike gave you great advice as far as everything else goes

Also, I can't read MadMike's post because it disappeared in the merge??

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Thank you your response! I'm trying to find a vet to shadow, but it's been difficult because I live in a small town with only 1 vet clinic, and I already commute 30min to go to the nearest city for school. I guess I'll have to try there!

I think it will be a good career path for me because I've always had a passion for medicine, probably why for so long I was so sure I'd be a doctor. I considered the possibility of being a vet at one point, but my mom scared me out of it since she worked at a vet school for 30 years.



Also, I can't read MadMike's post because it disappeared in the merge??

@MAD MIKE O7
He was just giving some pointers as far as your GPA.

For reference I drive approx 40 minutes for 7 years now to shadow my vet once a week. Not because there aren't any vets near me-I live near a city of about 150k (~10 min outside the city limits) but because that was the clinic I felt most comfortable with as a shadow. I also drove 20 minutes to college the opposite way. I also had at least 2 part-time jobs during school. Difficult yes but not impossible.

I would also take your mother's view and responses to questions into great consideration. She was in the middle of it all for a long time. Ask her specific questions to get a feel for how she answers them. Yes vet school is difficult the stress with all the material is not easy not including all the practice struggles of our student debt plus clients that want everything done for free, just a few of many difficulties- there's a reason this profession has high rates of suicide and other mental health issues.

 

[Coopah]

So...am I really that hopeless? I have a lot to work on; could I even recover?

**Also, I was wondering if my major/ecology classes would factor into my science GPA. If so, they'd be a major boost because I've done pretty well in them. I still have to take O chem, physics, gen chem lab, and upper-level bios.

So depending on what your major classes are classified as yes, they could count. I'm almost 100% sure ecology does, it might depend on how your school lists it as. Besides Mixy's point about shadowing a vet (which is a very good point that I would second) what is you last 45 GPA? Or what do you think it will be at the time of your application? That could be the thing that can get you acceptances. I had a really bad cumulative GPA but I go to a school that never looked at it. Apply smart and work hard, it's never too late.

 

[PlumPoppy]

what is you last 45 GPA? Or what do you think it will be at the time of your application? That could be the thing that can get you acceptances. I had a really bad cumulative GPA but I go to a school that never looked at it. Apply smart and work hard, it's never too late.

I'm not sure because although I am a junior, I still have about 3 or so semesters before I can graduate, and I may still have to take classes post-bac to finish the pre-reqs for most vet schools.

I'm almost 100% sure ecology does, it might depend on how your school lists it as.

I am not really sure. Most of my major classes are listed as natural resources, so it's really hard to say which ones they will pick. Some of the upper-levels are cross-listed as biology.

 

[Coopah]

I'm not sure because although I am a junior, I still have about 3 or so semesters before I can graduate, and I may still have to take classes post-bac to finish the pre-reqs for most vet schools.



I am not really sure. Most of my major classes are listed as natural resources, so it's really hard to say which ones they will pick. Some of the upper-levels are cross-listed as biology.

If they are cross-listed as biology then it'll count. I can't really tell you what your chances are given you don't know what your stats are going to be and that's fair. For advice, prove you can cut it in upper bio classes. Proves you can get all A's. Prove to the school and yourself you can do a demanding and rigorous schedule and thrive. It's hard, it's supposed to be. A vet school want's to see you challenge yourself and succeed. I'm not saying overload and take a million hard classes and get 100% in everything, but I'm saying do your absolute best and whatever happens, happens. You want it, you can do it.

 

[PawPrints93]

25 year old female, Minnesota resident

Overall GPA: 3.83 (Have one C in Cell Biology, will likely end up with a B in this semester of O chem, all other grades are A so far) - Have one more semester left to finish my biochem requirement.
GRE: taking it in July

Veterinary Experience:
Certified Vet Tech Internship: 450 hours
Mixed practice clinic vet tech: 480 hours
Small animal clinic: just started but will be full time until I start vet school

Animal experience:
Co-owner of a small business that raises pocket pets and provides educational programs regarding exotic animals - 12 years (guessing 1,000 hours a year??)
Kennel attendant - 3 years (3,000 hours)
Petsitter (dogs, cats, fish, horses) - 100 hours
Lead Vivarium Technician (husbandry of research animals) - 750 hours

Non-Animal Jobs:
Movie Theater Janitor - 250 hours
Retail (cashier) - 2,000 hours

Research:
Type 1 Diabetes research on mice - 1,000 hours

Extracurricular:
Ham radio operator - 12 years
Pre-vet society President - 1 year
Vet Tech Class President - 1 year
Phi Theta Kappa - 2 years

Awards/Credentials:
Excellence in Leadership from Vet Tech School
Outstanding Scholarship from Vet Tech School
3rd place in my university's research colloquium
1st place in regional research colloquium
Dean's List (every semester that I've taken enough credits to be full time)

Volunteer:
Highway pickup - 10 hours
Vaccination clinics - 10 hours
Dog wash/microchipping - 20 hours
Housekeeping/transportation of elderly individuals - 200 hours

Etc (don't know where to put):
I had an exotic animal care article published in a national newsletter when I was 15
Have been featured in local newspapers due to the educational programs that my family business conducts

Letters of recommendation:
3 vets (2 in academia, 1 small animal practice owner)
1 research facility supervisor
1 immunology professor/research advisor

While I know I have a decent GPA (for now), my main concerns are the GRE and the fact that I had personal struggles when I first graduated high school. I always knew that I wanted to be a vet, but right out of high school I had no confidence in my own choices. Basically, I was pressured by family and peers to attend nursing school because it makes good money and I attended for nearly a year before I went crazy and withdrew from the program (I love people, but being a nurse is just too close to people). This lead to having multiple W's on my transcript. At that point, I felt so terrible for giving up on nursing school that I decided I just needed to become a vet tech so I could work with animals again ASAP. I graduated vet tech school with a 4.0 and was the valedictorian of the class. I went back to finish my bachelors degree and am scheduled to apply to vet schools this summer. I'm just worried that my past comes across as me not being motivated enough to be a vet since I didn't have enough confidence to just start the journey to vet school right after high school. I'm also not sure how many schools to apply to because I don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket but also don't want to waste money if I need a year or two to improve my application.

 

[SkiOtter]

While I know I have a decent GPA (for now), my main concerns are the GRE and the fact that I had personal struggles when I first graduated high school. I always knew that I wanted to be a vet, but right out of high school I had no confidence in my own choices. Basically, I was pressured by family and peers to attend nursing school because it makes good money and I attended for nearly a year before I went crazy and withdrew from the program (I love people, but being a nurse is just too close to people). This lead to having multiple W's on my transcript. At that point, I felt so terrible for giving up on nursing school that I decided I just needed to become a vet tech so I could work with animals again ASAP. I graduated vet tech school with a 4.0 and was the valedictorian of the class. I went back to finish my bachelors degree and am scheduled to apply to vet schools this summer. I'm just worried that my past comes across as me not being motivated enough to be a vet since I didn't have enough confidence to just start the journey to vet school right after high school.

I didn’t know I wanted to be a vet until fall semester of senior year. And here I am applying, second cycle and waitlisted at 3 schools this cycle. You can do it.
As for the gre, if you don’t score that well, apply to more schools that don’t look at the gre.

 

[Lupin21]

25 year old female, Minnesota resident

Overall GPA: 3.83 (Have one C in Cell Biology, will likely end up with a B in this semester of O chem, all other grades are A so far) - Have one more semester left to finish my biochem requirement.
GRE: taking it in July

Veterinary Experience:
Certified Vet Tech Internship: 450 hours
Mixed practice clinic vet tech: 480 hours
Small animal clinic: just started but will be full time until I start vet school

Animal experience:
Co-owner of a small business that raises pocket pets and provides educational programs regarding exotic animals - 12 years (guessing 1,000 hours a year??)
Kennel attendant - 3 years (3,000 hours)
Petsitter (dogs, cats, fish, horses) - 100 hours
Lead Vivarium Technician (husbandry of research animals) - 750 hours

Non-Animal Jobs:
Movie Theater Janitor - 250 hours
Retail (cashier) - 2,000 hours

Research:
Type 1 Diabetes research on mice - 1,000 hours

Extracurricular:
Ham radio operator - 12 years
Pre-vet society President - 1 year
Vet Tech Class President - 1 year
Phi Theta Kappa - 2 years

Awards/Credentials:
Excellence in Leadership from Vet Tech School
Outstanding Scholarship from Vet Tech School
3rd place in my university's research colloquium
1st place in regional research colloquium
Dean's List (every semester that I've taken enough credits to be full time)

Volunteer:
Highway pickup - 10 hours
Vaccination clinics - 10 hours
Dog wash/microchipping - 20 hours
Housekeeping/transportation of elderly individuals - 200 hours

Etc (don't know where to put):
I had an exotic animal care article published in a national newsletter when I was 15
Have been featured in local newspapers due to the educational programs that my family business conducts

Letters of recommendation:
3 vets (2 in academia, 1 small animal practice owner)
1 research facility supervisor
1 immunology professor/research advisor

While I know I have a decent GPA (for now), my main concerns are the GRE and the fact that I had personal struggles when I first graduated high school. I always knew that I wanted to be a vet, but right out of high school I had no confidence in my own choices. Basically, I was pressured by family and peers to attend nursing school because it makes good money and I attended for nearly a year before I went crazy and withdrew from the program (I love people, but being a nurse is just too close to people). This lead to having multiple W's on my transcript. At that point, I felt so terrible for giving up on nursing school that I decided I just needed to become a vet tech so I could work with animals again ASAP. I graduated vet tech school with a 4.0 and was the valedictorian of the class. I went back to finish my bachelors degree and am scheduled to apply to vet schools this summer. I'm just worried that my past comes across as me not being motivated enough to be a vet since I didn't have enough confidence to just start the journey to vet school right after high school. I'm also not sure how many schools to apply to because I don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket but also don't want to waste money if I need a year or two to improve my application.

I don't think that is an issue. Many people had to search around after high school to find their path. Your experiences are nice and varied and you have a great GPA, so even if your GRE is a bit lower, you have a strong app. I also didn't have a great quantitative GRE score, but my GPA and life experience made up for it. Best thing you can do is make sure you present yourself well in your application and show who you are now and what you bring to the table as both a person and a future veterinarian.

 

[maria1313]

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on here, after reading through a lot of information I decided to finally make a post as I will be applying this summer.

First time applying
Major: Animal Sciences

I'm a U.K. Citizen living in the US, and I really want to move to the U.K. to be with my family again. So I will be applying to Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Dublin.

I understand that my GPA is not the highest, I am a full time student working 2 jobs and I was emancipated as a minor (so I am an independent) and I will be explaining this in part of my application. I also have a 17 credit semester currently in progress that will turn out as a higher GPA than the previous semesters and raise my cumulative.

I know that all of these schools have either a 4 or 5 year option and will often put students who have a lower gpa into the 5 year option, I would be very happy with that! The 4 year program would be cheaper but I wouldn't mind doing either the 4 or 5!

Cum. GPA: 3.1

Vet Experience:
-2,000+ hours in a small animal practice for the past three years (working in kennels, shadowing, caring for patients, etc)
-30 hours of working with a veterinarian at the dairy center from Jan until current (will probably be counted under research though)
-I plan to start my 50 hours with a mixed practice vet very soon in order to get large animal clinic experience under a DVM

Animal Experience:
-700+ hours working at dog daycare/boarding/training facility from last July until current, I work with the dogs directly every day
-8 hours volunteering at a horse rescue facility
-300+ hours of private pet care for small domestics and exotics
-50 hours of ground work training with arabian mares and foals
-1 hour dairy calf necropsy observation
-2 hours sheep handling course
-1 hour swine slaughter observation

Non-Animal Work Experience:
-Restaurant
-Child care/ Housekeeping
-University campus book store
-Tabling/representing the dog daycare at events in order to answer potential client's questions and provide information on the business

Volunteer:
- 800 hours at the Seattle aquarium for two years (educated guests on marine wild life and conservation,was also 1 of 10 accepted into a special weekly program allowing me to work with the marine biologists for the care taking of the birds and marine mammals)
-Pet partners dog handler (providing therapy/comfort to clients in nursing homes and hospitals)
-Roughly 1000+ hours of sports medicine participation (aiding football, basketball, soccer, wrestling and track sports teams for four years with various injuries and sports rehab)

Research:
-Roughly 25 hours (and still in progress) of assisting a DVM at a dairy center to collect milk and blood samples in order to test ketone and calcium levels

Extras:
-Awarded 8 university scholarships in 2015
-Sports medicine 4 years of lettering
-Attended sports medicine conference and testing/competition program four years in a row. (I took the Junior varsity test my first year, varsity my second year and the medical terminology exam my last two years)
-2 years of soccer
-2 years of track and field
-Highschool ASB (inter-high representative)
-University government (dorm historian)
-1 year of basketball
-School musical participation
-Marching band
-Musical theater
-I was "knighted" senior year of highschool (an honor awarded to 10-15 seniors out of the class of 400 students based on values, hardwork and achievements)

There are more activities and awards than this, but this gives most of my information! Thanks for your help!

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on here, after reading through a lot of information I decided to finally make a post as I will be applying this summer.

First time applying
Major: Animal Sciences

I wanted to apply to several US schools as well, but I just won't have less than the recommended 2 pre req courses in progress by the time I apply. I will only be applying to Edinburgh and Scotland this year.

I understand that my GPA is not the highest, I am a full time student working 2 jobs and I was emancipated as a minor (so I am an independent) I will be explaining this in part of my application and also have a 17 credit semester currently in progress that will turn out as a higher GPA than the previous semesters and raise my cum.

Cum. GPA: 3.1

Vet Experience:
-2,000+ hours in a small animal practice for the past three years (working in kennels, shadowing, caring for patients, etc)
-30 hours of working with a veterinarian at the dairy center from Jan until current (will probably be counted under research though)

Animal Experience:
-700 hours working at dog daycare/boarding/training facility from last July until current, I work with the dogs directly every day
-8 hours volunteering at a horse rescue facility
-300+ hours of private pet care for small domestics and exotics

Non-Animal Work Experience:
-Restaurant
-Child care
-University campus book store

Volunteer:
- 800 hours at the Seattle aquarium for two years (educated guests on marine wild life and conservation,was also 1 of 10 accepted into a special weekly program allowing me to work with the marine biologists for the care taking of the birds and marine mammals)
-Pet partners dog handler (providing therapy/comfort to clients in nursing homes and hospitals)

Extracurriculars

Honestly my initial thought is: why are you applying this cycle? Edinburgh and Scotland are both likely more expensive than your in-state (although it doesn't say where you are from, so I could be wrong). Plus there is the added complication of moving countries. You would probably be better off applying next cycle and killing it in whatever classes you have remaining to bring up your cumulative GPA and last 45 GPA.

My follow-up question: what is your science and last 45 GPA? You have a lower cumulative GPA, but there are certainly vet schools that don't look at cumulative or weight last 45 GPA more heavily. With a lower cumulative GPA, I would also recommend diversifying your experiences. You have a lot of small animal experience. If you could pick up a bit of large animal, equine, or exotics experience, that might help your application a bit.

 

[maria1313]

Honestly my initial thought is: why are you applying this cycle? Edinburgh and Scotland are both likely more expensive than your in-state (although it doesn't say where you are from, so I could be wrong). Plus there is the added complication of moving countries. You would probably be better off applying next cycle and killing it in whatever classes you have remaining to bring up your cumulative GPA and last 45 GPA.

My follow-up question: what is your science and last 45 GPA? You have a lower cumulative GPA, but there are certainly vet schools that don't look at cumulative or weight last 45 GPA more heavily. With a lower cumulative GPA, I would also recommend diversifying your experiences. You have a lot of small animal experience. If you could pick up a bit of large animal, equine, or exotics experience, that might help your application a bit.

My post accidentally cut off and sent before I was finished adding in my information and I wasn't able to find it again until now!

Some of the experience I wanted to add before I accidentally submitted my post prematurely:

-I have experience with training Arabian mares and foals (roughly 25 hours)
-I have roughly 25 hours (and still currently in progress) of research work at a dairy center. I collect blood and milk samples under the supervision of a large animal DVM
-I have been told that my time with the marine mammals at the aquarium counts as exotic, I am not sure whether or not this is true?

I am actually a UK citizen and a USA permanent resident with a green card. All of my family is in the UK and Greece, so I would like to be closer to them. I did want to potentially broaden my chances, but I would much rather be located in the UK to be with my family once again. I would like to attend school back in the UK and remain there permanently. I do not currently know my science GPA but I am guessing it is higher than my cum. as my animal science courses are included in it and I have done very well in those courses.

 

[WildZoo]

-I have been told that my time with the marine mammals at the aquarium counts as exotic, I am not sure whether or not this is true?

Honestly I don't know much about how the UK schools look at things, but typically it would only be counted as exotic veterinary experience if you're working under the supervision of a veterinarian. Otherwise it would be animal experience.

 

[maria1313]

Honestly my initial thought is: why are you applying this cycle? Edinburgh and Scotland are both likely more expensive than your in-state (although it doesn't say where you are from, so I could be wrong). Plus there is the added complication of moving countries. You would probably be better off applying next cycle and killing it in whatever classes you have remaining to bring up your cumulative GPA and last 45 GPA.

My follow-up question: what is your science and last 45 GPA? You have a lower cumulative GPA, but there are certainly vet schools that don't look at cumulative or weight last 45 GPA more heavily. With a lower cumulative GPA, I would also recommend diversifying your experiences. You have a lot of small animal experience. If you could pick up a bit of large animal, equine, or exotics experience, that might help your application a bit.

I edited my post to finish adding in the information I didn't get to add because my post was accidentally submitted early! Hopefully that makes more sense now, I understand that my citizenship situation is confusing. I did think it over and I have decided that I would prefer not to apply to US schools in the first place because I belong back in the U.K. With my family. Hopefully that makes sense and thanks for your help!

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

I edited my post to finish adding in the information I didn't get to add because my post was accidentally submitted early! Hopefully that makes more sense now, I understand that my citizenship situation is confusing. I did think it over and I have decided that I would prefer not to apply to US schools in the first place because I belong back in the U.K. With my family. Hopefully that makes sense and thanks for your help!

Okay, that makes much more sense. Unfortunately I don't have any experience with the UK vet schools, so I don't think I can be much help. Sorry. There are some SDNers who go to a UK vet school, so hopefully one of them can chime in and help you.

 

[SkiOtter]

I edited my post to finish adding in the information I didn't get to add because my post was accidentally submitted early! Hopefully that makes more sense now, I understand that my citizenship situation is confusing. I did think it over and I have decided that I would prefer not to apply to US schools in the first place because I belong back in the U.K. With my family. Hopefully that makes sense and thanks for your help!

I think if you were able to be classified as a UK/EU resident you would probably have a higher chance than if you were an oos/international applicant (simply because usually the resident pool has more spaces and less people applying), so if you haven’t already, I would contact the schools and see what pool you would be applying with.

 

[maria1313]

I think if you were able to be classified as a UK/EU resident you would probably have a higher chance than if you were an oos/international applicant (simply because usually the resident pool has more spaces and less people applying), so if you haven’t already, I would contact the schools and see what pool you would be applying with.

Thank you! Thats a great question. I already have asked and I sadly classify as an international student because of my resident status. I have to pay international prices, however they actually give out more spots to international students than they do UK. They also hand out all the international interviews and acceptances first, before English! I thought this was a bit different than how US schools work, but it works in my favor since Ill be looked at first!

 

[SkiOtter]

Thank you! Thats a great question. I already have asked and I sadly classify as an international student because of my resident status. I have to pay international prices, however they actually give out more spots to international students than they do UK. They also hand out all the international interviews and acceptances first, before English! I thought this was a bit different than how US schools work, but it works in my favor since Ill be looked at first!

Darn. I figured though you’d be classified as international.
That’s good though!!

 

[staff_wielder]

25 year old female, Minnesota resident

Overall GPA: 3.83 (Have one C in Cell Biology, will likely end up with a B in this semester of O chem, all other grades are A so far) - Have one more semester left to finish my biochem requirement.
GRE: taking it in July

Veterinary Experience:
Certified Vet Tech Internship: 450 hours
Mixed practice clinic vet tech: 480 hours
Small animal clinic: just started but will be full time until I start vet school

Animal experience:
Co-owner of a small business that raises pocket pets and provides educational programs regarding exotic animals - 12 years (guessing 1,000 hours a year??)
Kennel attendant - 3 years (3,000 hours)
Petsitter (dogs, cats, fish, horses) - 100 hours
Lead Vivarium Technician (husbandry of research animals) - 750 hours

Non-Animal Jobs:
Movie Theater Janitor - 250 hours
Retail (cashier) - 2,000 hours

Research:
Type 1 Diabetes research on mice - 1,000 hours

Extracurricular:
Ham radio operator - 12 years
Pre-vet society President - 1 year
Vet Tech Class President - 1 year
Phi Theta Kappa - 2 years

Awards/Credentials:
Excellence in Leadership from Vet Tech School
Outstanding Scholarship from Vet Tech School
3rd place in my university's research colloquium
1st place in regional research colloquium
Dean's List (every semester that I've taken enough credits to be full time)

Volunteer:
Highway pickup - 10 hours
Vaccination clinics - 10 hours
Dog wash/microchipping - 20 hours
Housekeeping/transportation of elderly individuals - 200 hours

Etc (don't know where to put):
I had an exotic animal care article published in a national newsletter when I was 15
Have been featured in local newspapers due to the educational programs that my family business conducts

Letters of recommendation:
3 vets (2 in academia, 1 small animal practice owner)
1 research facility supervisor
1 immunology professor/research advisor

While I know I have a decent GPA (for now), my main concerns are the GRE and the fact that I had personal struggles when I first graduated high school. I always knew that I wanted to be a vet, but right out of high school I had no confidence in my own choices. Basically, I was pressured by family and peers to attend nursing school because it makes good money and I attended for nearly a year before I went crazy and withdrew from the program (I love people, but being a nurse is just too close to people). This lead to having multiple W's on my transcript. At that point, I felt so terrible for giving up on nursing school that I decided I just needed to become a vet tech so I could work with animals again ASAP. I graduated vet tech school with a 4.0 and was the valedictorian of the class. I went back to finish my bachelors degree and am scheduled to apply to vet schools this summer. I'm just worried that my past comes across as me not being motivated enough to be a vet since I didn't have enough confidence to just start the journey to vet school right after high school. I'm also not sure how many schools to apply to because I don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket but also don't want to waste money if I need a year or two to improve my application.

Don’t be discouraged at all! I did science research for the past 7 years before applying to Vet School. I had absolutely 0 vet experience hours before deciding on Vet School in the fall of 2016 (talk about not knowing in college or the first several years out that Vet Med is what I wanted). I then spent the next several month’s of weekends at my Vet’s clinical practice and applied my first time this past cycle. As @CAndM16 (saw that PennWe plug!) said — being non-traditional represents a good percentage of the Vet School students. Just figure out how to make your life and experiences a story — where the next step is Vet School and why it is right for you, why you feel passionate about it, and what you want to do with the degree. Best of luck!

 

[Zobot]

Hi, I wanted to see what you all think of my chances, because there are some factors that I feel are pretty bad, but I am not sure how to change them or compensate for them. I applied last cycle to WSU, OSU, Davis, Western, Glasgow and Dublin. I got an interview at Western, but didn't get in anywhere. I would prefer to stay close to the west coast, but I am open to other schools if there are some that fit my situation better.

25, female, California resident
B.S. in Biology, Biomedical concentration (I have one more semester)

GPA: 3.1 (not sure about science or last 45, but I have done better in those areas I think)
GRE: 158 Verbal, 155 Quantitative, 4 Writing

Vet experience:
500 hours with mobile large animal vet (getting more this summer, also this is my career goal)
100 hours in small animal clinics
2 weeks in South Africa with wildlife vet

Animal experience:
3000+ working with dog breeder (which included a lot of medical stuff)
4000+ working with animals at a farm (goats, chickens, dogs, cats, also included a lot of medical stuff)
a few other smaller things, including horse riding, dog training, and some work in a shelter

Employment/Volunteer work:
Chiropractic receptionist
Health food store cashier/bulk packager
Local film festival
Thrift store cashier (that supports an animal shelter)
Nursery plant care

Research:
One semester in Microbiology lab (next fall, so not sure of the hours yet)

I also have a lot of music experience, and have had lessons in a type of bodywork (applicable to humans and animals).

Letters of Rec (from last cycle):
DVM
Former job supervisor
Teacher/mentor (for bodywork)
(next cycle I may have another DVM and Micro professor)

Obviously my GPA is pretty low, but my main worry is withdrawals. I withdrew from a whole semester (I have reasons, but nothing concrete, just anxiety and depression and some bad luck). It's also technically unauthorized, because I was after the deadline (I couldn't find the date, so I emailed to ask, and the didn't respond until after the date) and I didn't really have any kind of supporting evidence. I know I can explain this on the VMCAS, but I wanted to know what you think about my chances based on that, and if there is anything I can do to fix it or some way to improve the rest of my application to compensate for it.

Also, any suggestions for schools that might be more understanding of this? Or that focus less on GPA/academics and more on other aspects of the application?

Thanks so much!

 

[Skimble]

Hi, I wanted to see what you all think of my chances, because there are some factors that I feel are pretty bad, but I am not sure how to change them or compensate for them. I applied last cycle to WSU, OSU, Davis, Western, Glasgow and Dublin. I got an interview at Western, but didn't get in anywhere. I would prefer to stay close to the west coast, but I am open to other schools if there are some that fit my situation better.

25, female, California resident
B.S. in Biology, Biomedical concentration (I have one more semester)

GPA: 3.1 (not sure about science or last 45, but I have done better in those areas I think)
GRE: 158 Verbal, 155 Quantitative, 4 Writing

Vet experience:
500 hours with mobile large animal vet (getting more this summer, also this is my career goal)
100 hours in small animal clinics
2 weeks in South Africa with wildlife vet

Animal experience:
3000+ working with dog breeder (which included a lot of medical stuff)
4000+ working with animals at a farm (goats, chickens, dogs, cats, also included a lot of medical stuff)
a few other smaller things, including horse riding, dog training, and some work in a shelter

Employment/Volunteer work:
Chiropractic receptionist
Health food store cashier/bulk packager
Local film festival
Thrift store cashier (that supports an animal shelter)
Nursery plant care

Research:
One semester in Microbiology lab (next fall, so not sure of the hours yet)

I also have a lot of music experience, and have had lessons in a type of bodywork (applicable to humans and animals).

Letters of Rec (from last cycle):
DVM
Former job supervisor
Teacher/mentor (for bodywork)
(next cycle I may have another DVM and Micro professor)

Obviously my GPA is pretty low, but my main worry is withdrawals. I withdrew from a whole semester (I have reasons, but nothing concrete, just anxiety and depression and some bad luck). It's also technically unauthorized, because I was after the deadline (I couldn't find the date, so I emailed to ask, and the didn't respond until after the date) and I didn't really have any kind of supporting evidence. I know I can explain this on the VMCAS, but I wanted to know what you think about my chances based on that, and if there is anything I can do to fix it or some way to improve the rest of my application to compensate for it.

Also, any suggestions for schools that might be more understanding of this? Or that focus less on GPA/academics and more on other aspects of the application?

Thanks so much!

Have you done file reviews with any of the schools you were rejected from this cycle? That’s really the best way to figure out what you need to change about your application. I know some schools only require you meet a minimum gpa, but I’m not sure which schools those are, and I think at least one has a minimum of 3.2. Figuring out your last 45 and science gpa is very helpful too, as some schools like to see an upward trend. For right now I think you should do file reviews, and concentrate on getting A’s for your last semester. You may also want to retake any science classes that you got a C or below in, to help boost that gpa.

 

[LabLuv004]

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on here, after reading through a lot of information I decided to finally make a post as I will be applying this summer.

First time applying
Major: Animal Sciences

I'm a U.K. Citizen living in the US, and I really want to move to the U.K. to be with my family again. So I will be applying to Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Dublin.

I understand that my GPA is not the highest, I am a full time student working 2 jobs and I was emancipated as a minor (so I am an independent) and I will be explaining this in part of my application. I also have a 17 credit semester currently in progress that will turn out as a higher GPA than the previous semesters and raise my cumulative.

I know that all of these schools have either a 4 or 5 year option and will often put students who have a lower gpa into the 5 year option, I would be very happy with that! The 4 year program would be cheaper but I wouldn't mind doing either the 4 or 5!

Cum. GPA: 3.1

Vet Experience:
-2,000+ hours in a small animal practice for the past three years (working in kennels, shadowing, caring for patients, etc)
-30 hours of working with a veterinarian at the dairy center from Jan until current (will probably be counted under research though)
-I plan to start my 50 hours with a mixed practice vet very soon in order to get large animal clinic experience under a DVM

Animal Experience:
-700+ hours working at dog daycare/boarding/training facility from last July until current, I work with the dogs directly every day
-8 hours volunteering at a horse rescue facility
-300+ hours of private pet care for small domestics and exotics
-50 hours of ground work training with arabian mares and foals
-1 hour dairy calf necropsy observation
-2 hours sheep handling course
-1 hour swine slaughter observation

Non-Animal Work Experience:
-Restaurant
-Child care/ Housekeeping
-University campus book store
-Tabling/representing the dog daycare at events in order to answer potential client's questions and provide information on the business

Volunteer:
- 800 hours at the Seattle aquarium for two years (educated guests on marine wild life and conservation,was also 1 of 10 accepted into a special weekly program allowing me to work with the marine biologists for the care taking of the birds and marine mammals)
-Pet partners dog handler (providing therapy/comfort to clients in nursing homes and hospitals)
-Roughly 1000+ hours of sports medicine participation (aiding football, basketball, soccer, wrestling and track sports teams for four years with various injuries and sports rehab)

Research:
-Roughly 25 hours (and still in progress) of assisting a DVM at a dairy center to collect milk and blood samples in order to test ketone and calcium levels

Extras:
-Awarded 8 university scholarships in 2015
-Sports medicine 4 years of lettering
-Attended sports medicine conference and testing/competition program four years in a row. (I took the Junior varsity test my first year, varsity my second year and the medical terminology exam my last two years)
-2 years of soccer
-2 years of track and field
-Highschool ASB (inter-high representative)
-University government (dorm historian)
-1 year of basketball
-School musical participation
-Marching band
-Musical theater
-I was "knighted" senior year of highschool (an honor awarded to 10-15 seniors out of the class of 400 students based on values, hardwork and achievements)

There are more activities and awards than this, but this gives most of my information! Thanks for your help!

Hi! I think for RVC at least you have a good start. I know a lot of people in the four year with lower GPAs than most US schools but they—like you— have lots of experience. RVC interview gave me the feeling that they really likes someone with experience in the field and very good communication skills at interviews. And with all your hours you should be able to handle yourself in the MMIs well.

When do you take the GRE? If you kill that and have your last semester go great I don’t see why you couldn’t apply this year and be a strong applicant. They say they look at the whole applicant and from my class I believe them.

 

[maria1313]

Hi! I think for RVC at least you have a good start. I know a lot of people in the four year with lower GPAs than most US schools but they—like you— have lots of experience. RVC interview gave me the feeling that they really likes someone with experience in the field and very good communication skills at interviews. And with all your hours you should be able to handle yourself in the MMIs well.

When do you take the GRE? If you kill that and have your last semester go great I don’t see why you couldn’t apply this year and be a strong applicant. They say they look at the whole applicant and from my class I believe them.

Thank you so much for responding, I was hoping someone from one of my school choices would see this! I will be taking the GRE in June (right before I leave to visit my family in the U.K. actually) and then that gives me a little bit of time to retake if needed. But I have 5 study books and plan on studying tons right after I take my final exams in 2 weeks. I also just calculated my last 45 credits and that is about a 3.3 so it's a little bit higher than my overall. I think I'll also talk about how I'm an independent and work two jobs to support myself in my application. With all of that, hopefully I have a shot! The only other thing I'm concerned about is RVC'a required courses. I would have all of them complete by the time I'd leave to go there (if I get accepted this round) other than one course in microbiology. But they have a statement online saying that if you are lacking pre-req courses they will consider you for the 5 year program. Do you know anything about that? Sorry for rambling on, thanks so much for your help!

 

[AnimalLover<3]

Hey guys!

I plan on applying to this upcoming cycle, but I am a little nervous due to having a gpa on the lower side. I am curious to know what those who struggled with having a lower gpa did....
I understand that there is a possibility that I may not get accepted my first round of applying, so I am already thinking of what to do to make my application more competitive for the next round. I am graduating this semester, so I will have my bachelors in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.

In regards to enhancing your gpa, is it better to do post-bacc or pursue a masters (for a back up plan too)?

I appreciate any advice! Thanks!

 

[SkiOtter]

Hey guys!

I plan on applying to this upcoming cycle, but I am a little nervous due to having a gpa on the lower side. I am curious to know what those who struggled with having a lower gpa did....
I understand that there is a possibility that I may not get accepted my first round of applying, so I am already thinking of what to do to make my application more competitive for the next round. I am graduating this semester, so I will have my bachelors in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.

In regards to enhancing your gpa, is it better to do post-bacc or pursue a masters (for a back up plan too)?

I appreciate any advice! Thanks!

if you arent accepted this cycle, do file reviews at every school you apply to and see how they want you to improve.
Is your cumulative gpa the only lower one or are your science and last 45 gpas also lower? if theyre a bit higher, focus on applying to schools that care only about the last 45 and science gpas or schools that dont factor gpas into their final decision. illinois and michigan state are two that dont factor them into final decisions. at michigan state, as long as you have a 3.0 or above in science gpa and last 36 gpa, you make it into phase 2 where they actually look at the rest of your app and make interview invite decisions based only on the rest of your app and they score it on some weird scale, but your gpa is never looked at again.

 

[AnimalLover<3]

if you arent accepted this cycle, do file reviews at every school you apply to and see how they want you to improve.
Is your cumulative gpa the only lower one or are your science and last 45 gpas also lower? if theyre a bit higher, focus on applying to schools that care only about the last 45 and science gpas or schools that dont factor gpas into their final decision. illinois and michigan state are two that dont factor them into final decisions. at michigan state, as long as you have a 3.0 or above in science gpa and last 36 gpa, you make it into phase 2 where they actually look at the rest of your app and make interview invite decisions based only on the rest of your app and they score it on some weird scale, but your gpa is never looked at again.

My last 45 is about 3.5 and my science and overall are about a 3.1.
I am looking into applying to my universities post bacc program to enhance my academics to prepare for next years application cycle in case I do not get in this round due to my low gpa.
Do you know is it better to retake courses or to take higher level courses and excel on those?

 

[SkiOtter]

My last 45 is about 3.5 and my science and overall are about a 3.1.
I am looking into applying to my universities post bacc program to enhance my academics to prepare for next years application cycle in case I do not get in this round due to my low gpa.
Do you know is it better to retake courses or to take higher level courses and excel on those?

It depends on the school. You could contact some of the schools and see if you could talk with someone in admissions (probably next month) and ask their opinion. They would be the best source especially since each schools admissions is different.

 

[OP8]

Hey everyone, I'm coming across a difficult time trying to decide which school to really apply to by 2019. I want to apply to several to have better chances of getting in. I'm also looking into specializations that interest me (surgery SA/LA soft tissue, neurology, sports and rebab medicine) and which schools will have summer or job opportunities as I am moving by myself. I also want an area that has close proximity to stores/food places that won't be too long of a drive. Fine with any weather, although as an NV res. the snow may be a shock but I'm looking forward to a proper winter and a campus that will be easy to reach with driving/walking/biking distances to classes

My choices so far are:

IS due to being an NV resident (if I apply for WICHE)
CSU
WSU

OOS
Cornell
Michigan State
OVC Guelph (one slight con of mine is the student visa and the money if it would be too expensive)
LSU
PENN (maybe)


I am still working on gaining hours for vet exp/animal exp. Due to being in NV, there aren't many large animal places, which is a bummer. Will be getting my BAS by May of 2020 and taking the GRE in the fall this year. So applying to schools that will accept current grades would be helpful.

 

[Syeira]

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting in this forum, so please let me know if I've accidentally broken any forum etiquette or need to add something else!

22 year old female, graduated with B.A in biology and Spanish a year ago.

Overall GPA: 3.76
Biology GPA: 3.85
GRE: Quant - 154 , Verbal - 166 I plan on retaking the GRE to improve my quant score, but given that I've already taken it twice and gotten the exact same scores, I'm not sure what to expect there.

Veterinary Experience:
Full time veterinary receptionist/technician at a small animal clinic since October of 2017, so approximately 1900 hours by the time I apply. I also intend to continue full time through the fall of next year.

Animal experience:
Shelter volunteer, 2013 (90 hours)
Grooming assistant, summer 2014 (~600 hours)
Bird sitting, 2014-2018. Birds ranging from finches to large parrots (~60 hours)

Non-Animal Jobs:
Admissions phone team supervisor at my university (4 years, 6 hours weekly)
University campus center desk worker (3 years, 8 hours weekly)

Research:
Multiple projects with free living and captive house sparrow colonies: one that involved behavioral plasticity, parental behavior, and pair compatibility, and one that involved neophobic responses and learning differences in response to novel objects (~800 hours)
Presented research at two conferences

Extracurricular:
Assistant academic chair for my sorority (2 years)
Campus radio member (2 years)
Member of Spanish honorary
Member of first year honorary

Awards/Credentials:
Award covering full tuition for university
High school valedictorian (if that even matters...)
Dean's List 7 terms
Fluent in Spanish (spent a month living abroad)

Possible letters of recommendation:
2 vets
Research mentor/professor
Can ask other professors who have written for me in the past

Concerns:

I feel like I need to improve my quant score, but struggle with doing so. I wish I had more varied veterinary experience, but have only this year started gaining experience because I was unsure that I wanted to pursue vet school until late my senior year (I thought I wanted to get a PhD, went through that whole app process, decided against it last minute in order to gain vet experience). Because of this, I also need various remaining prereqs that I will take this fall/winter. (It ranges from 2-4 classes required depending on the program). This worries me as well, but all of the schools I am interested in allow taking classes in the terms prior to matriculating.

My biggest question and reason for posting this is that I'd like to know my chances for getting into US schools (the targets being Auburn (in state), OSU, NCSU, UC Davis, UTK, U of I, Wisconsin, and Cornell). I also have the option of applying to Australian schools (I was born in Australia and am still a citizen, so I would pay either cheap or free tuition). I would prefer to stay in the US (I know more about the schools, and moving to Australia would be terrifying since I haven't been there since I was 7!), but obviously the cheaper price tag is appealing. Unfortunately, I'd be unable to apply to both and see which ones I get into since vet school in Australia starts in February of 2019, and I'd have to decide and deposit in late 2018.

Are my chances for vet school in the US high enough that you'd recommend holding out for those schools? Would you try for an Australian school in my situation? Is there any way you would recommend improving my chances? Thanks so much, I really look forward to your replies (and being an official member of this community!)