What are my chances?

LyraGardenia · Jul 26, 2017

BishopFaust said:
Hello everyone! I'm back again looking for some advice. I went through my first round of applications last year with no success, so I'm back at it again and want to try to target my application towards schools that are likely (all digits crossed) to accept me based on my stats. My in-state is UC Davis, but I'm not sure if I am competitive enough to get in. I'm also looking at Cornell, CSU, and possibly Ross.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

28 yro female
BS in Biochemistry earned 2015

Cumulative GPA: 3.50*
Science: 3.30
calculated overall GPA: 3.35 - 3.55 (ranges depending on the school)
I worked full time while completing my Bachelor's while supporting my family financially for years which inadvertently caused my academics to suffer a little.

GRE
Test date Verbal Verb % Quantitative Quant %
07/25/17 - Q 151 V 158 AW - TBT
I re-took the GRE today and did much better than before! WOO.

Veterinary/ Work:
Low end estimate 30,000 / high end 40,000 hours of hands on experience in shelter, clinical, hospital, and emergency levels.

GP - for 14 years, mostly 4-5 days a week x 10-12 hours a day almost no vacation time.

Neonatal nursery - on/off for about 2 years

Hospital - 2 years at 5 days a week/ 3-4 hours a day (swing shift) then 3 days a week for a year (same hours)

Specialty - on call, I have accumulated ~40 hours since I started last month

Animal / Volunteer
Volunteered at Best Friends Animal Society, LA - Neonatal Ward (~25 hours)
Local animal S&N 501/Nonprofit group (~200 hours)
Local church volunteer work (~200 hours)
General home care for pets / Hospice care / In-home care for special needs animals
Tutoring

Research
Entomology & Ecology - paper published in Ecology & Evolution (~4 semesters)

Extracurricular
Local rescue
Rose Parade float decorator - 3 years
Sew and sell stuffed plush squids / small business on Etsy
Math, Science and English tutor

Honors/awards
Dean's list for 4 years (undergrad/ AA)
President' Honor List for 2 years (undergrad/ AA)
Special Congressional Recognition Award
Alpha Gamma Sigma Honor Society Permanent Member since 2011

Potential eLORs:
4 - From veterinarians that I have worked with for years at various facilities
1 - From a local 501 c3 non-profit animal rescue founder and writer that I have worked with for years.
1 - my research professor (and author of the published paper)

I've been told NOT to use so many eLORs this year. Is this the general consensus?

*re-calculated from last year, it was higher than I thought

I don't know too much about the schools you're applying to, but it looks like you're in a decent place! Your GPAs are a little below average, but not bad. Your quantitative GRE score is a little low, which I think UC Davis looks at, but I don't know if you'd have time to take it again for this cycle. But that's great your scores improved from last time! You have a TON of experience, which is great! I'd say definitely be prepared to explain in interviews why you're wanting to move on to vet school after being a tech for so long. It sounds like all your experience is SA, so you might try for some LA or exotics experience for some variety. You've got some interesting extracurriculars, which is nice (my uncle has decorated Rose Parade floats and it sounds really fun!).

As far as the number of LORs, I've heard it's better to have three strong positive ones than, say, four strong positive ones and two generic ones. So if none of the schools you're applying to require six letters, and some of the letters might be slightly generic or redundant, you might want to cut those. Also keep in mind that some schools will only read three letters, and may not let you choose which three if you submit more (I'm not sure if that's the case for any of the schools you're applying to). However, I would advise asking at least four people for letters, in case something goes wrong with one and they aren't able to submit (been there, done that).

LyraGardenia · Jul 26, 2017

Al_hadd said:
Hey everyone! So I will be starting my junior year at undergrad in August and will be applying for vet school may of 2018 for the next cycle. I wanted to get yalls opinion just to see if I'm headed in the right direction and see how my chances would be for applying. I currently still have a 4.0 GPA and I work at a small animal animal hospital and have 700+ hours working since November and I will continue to work there until graduation. I have about 12 hours shadowing a mixed animal vet and other animal experience hours through volunteering at a shelter. I will be taking the GRE this winter so I don't have a score on that but I bought the Kaplan GRE book and have started studying that. I'm also involved in my schools pre-vet club and have multiple service hours volunteering through my church. How does all this look towards applying and being accepted into vet school? Thanks in advance.

It sounds like you're on the right track! If you can keep that 4.0 GPA that's awesome, and you should have a good amount of experience by the time you apply. If you can get a bit more LA/mixed animal experience for some variety that would put you in an even better place. As long as you rock the GRE, continue building relationships with vets and professors so you can get some strong LORs, and keep up the good work in your classes you should have a pretty strong application! Maybe consider doing some kind of unique animal internship or joining another club or two in order to set yourself apart.

BishopFaust · Jul 27, 2017

LyraGardenia said:
I don't know too much about the schools you're applying to, but it looks like you're in a decent place! Your GPAs are a little below average, but not bad. Your quantitative GRE score is a little low, which I think UC Davis looks at, but I don't know if you'd have time to take it again for this cycle. But that's great your scores improved from last time! You have a TON of experience, which is great! I'd say definitely be prepared to explain in interviews why you're wanting to move on to vet school after being a tech for so long. It sounds like all your experience is SA, so you might try for some LA or exotics experience for some variety. You've got some interesting extracurriculars, which is nice (my uncle has decorated Rose Parade floats and it sounds really fun!).

As far as the number of LORs, I've heard it's better to have three strong positive ones than, say, four strong positive ones and two generic ones. So if none of the schools you're applying to require six letters, and some of the letters might be slightly generic or redundant, you might want to cut those. Also keep in mind that some schools will only read three letters, and may not let you choose which three if you submit more (I'm not sure if that's the case for any of the schools you're applying to). However, I would advise asking at least four people for letters, in case something goes wrong with one and they aren't able to submit (been there, done that).

Thanks! I know my gpa and GRE scores could be better, but at the time it was difficult juggling academics / school life / sick parents / etc. I don't think I can improve my scores drastically enough to warrant re-taking the GRE again.

I actually have some exotics and large animal experience

I've helped with primarily reptiles, but I am familiar with rodent and avian med was well. I also took a year of 'horse care and riding' lessons back in high school.
I would love to specialize in exotics med or neonate med later in life.
I really appreciate the input!

WildZoo · Jul 28, 2017

m_b2016 said:
@WildZoo Tufts and UPenn are my top two. I'm considering Iowa state as well and possibly Virginia Tech. I'm still looking into a 5th school to apply to. Do you have other suggestions of where I may be more competitive?

I'm gonna call in @PippyPony and @raf2769 to comment on Tufts and Penn. Can't recall anyone at Virginia Tech off the top of my head, and I believe @SandstormDVM goes to Iowa. The longer it's been since I applied the more out of the loop I feel on some of the school specifics.
From a general standpoint, your gpa is about average for accepted students at most schools. Are any of your veterinary experiences ongoing? I think that's where I would put my focus - getting more experience.

sheltermed · Jul 28, 2017

WildZoo said:
I'm gonna call in @PippyPony and @raf2769 to comment on Tufts and Penn. Can't recall anyone at Virginia Tech off the top of my head, and I believe @SandstormDVM goes to Iowa. The longer it's been since I applied the more out of the loop I feel on some of the school specifics.
From a general standpoint, your gpa is about average for accepted students at most schools. Are any of your veterinary experiences ongoing? I think that's where I would put my focus - getting more experience.

@flameshock goes to VT.

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile

PippyPony · Jul 28, 2017

WildZoo said:
I'm gonna call in @PippyPony and @raf2769 to comment on Tufts and Penn.

Thanks for the tag, dubz

m_b2016 said:
Chances for this cycle?

Undergrad: Villanova University (recently named a top 50 college in the country)
cGPA: 3.5
sGPA 3.3
Last 45: 3.6

Science GPA looks on the low side for Tufts, and you may be on the cusp for overall, too. However, I think they'll like that you went to Villanova and will probably view GPA a bit more favorably in light of the reputation of the school.

m_b2016 said:
major: biology
minors: classics and economics
GRE: practice test score v: 156 and q: 152... taking the real ones in a few weeks

Have you taken a practice test with the writing component? Tufts is one of the few schools that actually does care about the writing score. Otherwise, quant looks a bit low (I don't quite remember the percentiles, but I think you'll want to try to get that up to closer to your verbal, at least). Verbal is within the median, I believe.

m_b2016 said:
Vet Experience:
300 hours as a veterinarian's assistant at a small animal hospital

75 hours shadowing a large/small animal veterinarian in Belize:
o Performed spays and neuters on a variety of livestock and domestic animals.
o Demonstrated basic suture skills and general understanding of tissue handling, suture patterns, and suture material.
o Administered vaccinations to dogs, cats, cows, horses, pigs, and sheep.
o Learned basic diagnostic and therapeutic management procedures of cows, horses, pigs, and sheep.
o Obtained basic understanding about the science of and applications to animal husbandry, feeding, growth, health, reproduction and breeding, and animal welfare issues.

50 hours of shadowing a conservation veterinarian in Belize:
o Trained, followed feeding schedules, and socialized with animals while practicing various enrichment and education techniques with keepers at the Belize Zoo.
o Discussed ecology, conservation, and general issues related to wildlife in Belize focusing on jaguar, jabiru stork, tapir, and howler and spider monkeys.
o Observed and assisted during a jaguar root canal operation.
o Discussed various wildlife research techniques and methods in relation to conservation.

So, 425 cumulative hours? That's on the low side, but I think that's similar to what I had at the time of application (I'd have to check). However, I was also employed and therefore was accumulating hours after the application cycle. Are any of your experiences still ongoing?

I think they'll like the work in Belize. They're really big on international experiences. I'm sure you've looked into this, but there are tons of opportunities to do similar things while in school -- they placed a really big emphasis on it during the interview day. A lot of Tufts vets also go on to work internationally.

m_b2016 said:
Animal Experience:
o Worked for 3 months as an animal caretaker in a research lab and was responsible for the husbandry of mice, rats, and zebra fish
o 100+ hours volunteering at a local animal shelter
o 20 hours as a dog walker

Just wanted to say that I think it would be good to clearly delineate the work you did in the research lab when it comes time to describing that on your app. I think this is probably the right spot for it (vs research), but you still have exposure to a research environment, and that's potentially a richer story than a caretaker job elsewhere.

Are any of these still going on at the moment? Overall these hours look a bit low as well (although I'm probably a bad person to comment on animal experience because mine were skewed from years of horseback riding, so I'd try to get feedback from others on this front).

m_b2016 said:
Academic:
Dean's List multiple semesters
Track and Field All Academic Team every semester (I run D1 track at villanova)

Extra Curricular:
Outdoors Club
Student-Athlete Tutor

I feel like Tufts will really like all of these things. Just like any other university with a liberal arts core...they appreciate well-rounded applicants who have interests and strengths outside of vet med. I'd imagine Penn is the same.

Overall I think you have a decent shot -- just try to nail the GREs and bump up those hours a bit more if you can.

m_b2016 said:
Tufts and UPenn are my top two. I'm considering Iowa state as well and possibly Virginia Tech. I'm still looking into a 5th school to apply to. Do you have other suggestions of where I may be more competitive?

Do you know what you're interested in doing after school? And what is drawing you to Tufts & Penn?

raf2769 · Jul 28, 2017

m_b2016 said:
Chances for this cycle?

Undergrad: Villanova University (recently named a top 50 college in the country)
cGPA: 3.5
sGPA 3.3
Last 45: 3.6
major: biology
minors: classics and economics
GRE: practice test score v: 156 and q: 152... taking the real ones in a few weeks

Vet Experience:
300 hours as a veterinarian's assistant at a small animal hospital

75 hours shadowing a large/small animal veterinarian in Belize:
o Performed spays and neuters on a variety of livestock and domestic animals.
o Demonstrated basic suture skills and general understanding of tissue handling, suture patterns, and suture material.
o Administered vaccinations to dogs, cats, cows, horses, pigs, and sheep.
o Learned basic diagnostic and therapeutic management procedures of cows, horses, pigs, and sheep.
o Obtained basic understanding about the science of and applications to animal husbandry, feeding, growth, health, reproduction and breeding, and animal welfare issues.

50 hours of shadowing a conservation veterinarian in Belize:
o Trained, followed feeding schedules, and socialized with animals while practicing various enrichment and education techniques with keepers at the Belize Zoo.
o Discussed ecology, conservation, and general issues related to wildlife in Belize focusing on jaguar, jabiru stork, tapir, and howler and spider monkeys.
o Observed and assisted during a jaguar root canal operation.
o Discussed various wildlife research techniques and methods in relation to conservation.

Animal Experience:
o Worked for 3 months as an animal caretaker in a research lab and was responsible for the husbandry of mice, rats, and zebra fish
o 100+ hours volunteering at a local animal shelter
o 20 hours as a dog walker

Academic:
Dean's List multiple semesters
Track and Field All Academic Team every semester (I run D1 track at villanova)

Extra Curricular:
Outdoors Club
Student-Athlete Tutor

Hey there! I'm here to comment on Penn

Short story: sGPA may be on the low side, other GPAs are average/good, GRE expected scores are average, experience hours are on the slightly lower side.

Your experiences seem to have some diversity, which is really nice. As Pippy said, your goals in the vet field and how these experiences play into those goals is really important. You want to be able to talk confidently about your goals and have the experiences to back up why/how you want to achieve them. So, just because you have a lower number of hours, if you can discuss how they have shaped you as a person, your goals, why you want to be a vet, and all that jazz, you should be good.

As far as GPA/GRE, that's just a numbers game and it really depends on the rest of the applicant field as to how those will work out. Based on your undergrad, I would assume the biology program was rigorous, and that will likely be taken into account when looking at GPA. I really don't know how the admissions committee weighs all of the GPAs and GRE, so it's hard for me to comment on that.

I think you have a good shot at getting an interview! Good luck!!

raf2769 · Jul 28, 2017

Also --- if anyone wanted to start a Penn 2022 thread, I'd be more than happy to help give tips and advice there. Been waiting for that thread all summer...

(but I don't want to start it myself)

love2hunt · Jul 28, 2017

m_b2016 said:
@WildZoo Tufts and UPenn are my top two. I'm considering Iowa state as well and possibly Virginia Tech. I'm still looking into a 5th school to apply to. Do you have other suggestions of where I may be more competitive?

I can comment on VA-MD. You are in the range of the average accepted applicant for the class of 2020, so I would say you're competitive. GRE is no longer required. They like to see well-rounded applicants, so having the track experience and outdoor club leadership is good. I think it's worth applying.

BigRedEquine · Jul 29, 2017

UPDATED!
21 year old, Female, New York resident, 2nd time applicant
Applying to: Cornell (IS), Illinois, VAMD, Purdue, Minnesota, Mizzou, LMU, WSU?, Colorado?, St.George's?

B.S in Animal Science, Minor in Business May 2017 from Cornell

Cumulative GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: ~3.3
Last 45 GPA: 3.75

GRE: taking again in about a week (last year I got 154 V 157 Q and my practice test scores have been improving since then so fingers crossed!)

Veterinary Experience (~1750 hrs)
- 1300 hours shadowing, then working as a vet assistant and receptionist at an AAHA accredited small animal hospital (and counting...)
- 200 hours volunteer at equine emergency hospital
- 200 hours vet assistant at small animal clinic in a rural, low-income area
- 50 hours took a class taught by a veterinarian about dairy cattle health, learned how to perform physical exam/take blood/deliver calves/etc

Animal Experience (~7100 hrs)
- 7000+ hours equestrian/horse show groom/working in horse barns (it's actually way more than that but I'm not including hours from when I was really little lol)
- 60 hours volunteer at wildlife rehab center (and counting...)
- 30 hours taking care of pigs/sheep/chickens/goats for a class

Research:
- 30 hours working on a primate behavior study

Extracurricular:
- Varsity athlete in college (took up 15-25 hours of my week, depending on if we were in season or not)
- Sorority member, was very involved in philanthropy events
- Pre-Vet club
- Teaching assistant for two classes

Work Experience:
- Office assistant at a medical office for about 2 years, made lots of phone calls (people skills!!!)
- Librarian assistant for a year
- Student caller for my school's annual fund (again, people skills!!)

Honors and Awards:
- Four semesters on Dean's List (final 4 semesters)
- Two-time Ivy League champion for my sport
- "Team Player" award from my team (for exhibiting high sportsmanship and leadership qualities)
- Various awards and scholarships from high school

LOR:
- Veterinarian from the practice I've spent the majority of my time at. He's a Cornell graduate and has been my mentor since high school.
- Veterinarian from rural small animal practice
- My pre-vet advisor and professor for two classes that I took
- My coach: she'll be able to speak well about my leadership and personal qualities

bunnymund · Jul 29, 2017

Hey I'm really not sure who to ask but I just took my GRE today and was unhappy with my score: 153V 154M
My GPA could also be better 3.36, last 45 is 3.62. I know its not that high but Brown University only has A, B, C, no credit (no pluses and minuses) which can really bring down your GPA. I also have my master's from Brown in biotechnology (4.0) and I want to know how much weight that will carry as an applicant.
I have about 1,000 hours of animal experience.
2 vet references (large and small), 2 professors from Brown (also worked inter labs), and a vet-tech/shelter coordinator (fostered kittens).
I have many extracurriculars including D1 athlete, working at shelters, etc.
I'm planning on retaking the GRE in 3 weeks and studying for about 20hr/week. I feel like my chances of getting into vet school are contingent on my GRE scores. I don't know anyone in the vet field that can give me advice on this matter so literally anything will help. I'm really hoping to get into UPenn (IS) but will gladly go anywhere that will accept me. If someone could tell me my chances of getting accepted anywhere that would be great.
Thanks!

FrostySparrow · Jul 30, 2017

19yo, Female, AZ resident, 1st time applicant
Applying to: MWU-Glendale*

*Yes, only one I'm applying to due to personal family complications/medical restraints.

AGEC-S from community college, will not be entering with an official B.S. if accepted this cycle.

Cumulative GPA (not including PF/including): 3.87/3.89
Science GPA (not including PF/including): 3.83/3.86
Last 45 GPA (not including PF/including): 3.83/3.91

These do not include 3 courses (Ochem 1/2 & Principles of Biochem), which I will be taking this Fall/Spring.
I don't know if they'll even factor my online Penn Foster courses into my GPAs so I've included what they would be with/without those being considered.

GRE: 150Q, 155V, 5W

Veterinary Experience (~7900 hrs)*
- 5300 hours CSR/vet asst./vet tech at an AAHA accredited small animal/exotic/wildlife hospital.
- 2000 hours managing vet tech at a mobile, low-cost small/large animal/exotic veterinary clinic (and counting.)
- 330 hours intern at local humane society (community reach out, animal experience, veterinary experience, etc.)
- 240 hours CSR/vet tech at small animal clinic
*working on figuring out closer exact and extracting the time I spent at a place that was paying me under the table, some time included was spent as a volunteer prior to employment.

Animal Experience (~6000 hrs)
- 6000+ hours volunteer experience for my local humane society (doesn't nearly include my hours for fostering pregnant dogs/litters of puppies for 4 months at a time, parvos, etc. - was done prior to undergrad, started when I was 12yo)

Extracurricular:
- Hair and Makeup Board Position for my HS Theatre Department for 3 years.
(I'm noticeably weak in this area, my extracurricular was predominantly theatre and volunteering for local shelter)

Research:
- N/A, for my B.S. senior capstone I opted to do Fieldwork Experience, which I did at my place of employment (the AAHA hospital)
(I have no research experience, however this is where I would like to expand upon in vet school, so it does look weird I didn't try to get any

Work Experience:
- N/A, all work experience has been animal/veterinary related.

Honors and Awards:
- All attending semesters on Dean's List
- President's Volunteer Service Award
- U.S. House of Representatives Award
- Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition
- Heart of (hometown name here) Outstanding Young Leader Award

LOR:
- Veterinarian from the practice I've spent the majority of my time at. Washington State graduate, family friend.
- Veterinarian from newer practice I started working at, from Israel.
- My HS biology teacher, mentored me through college courses, has a MS in Biology
- Humane Society volunteer coordinator that helped me start volunteering when I was ~ 12yo.

love2hunt · Jul 30, 2017

sparrow_lily said:
19yo, Female, AZ resident, 1st time applicant
Applying to: MWU-Glendale*

*Yes, only one I'm applying to due to personal family complications/medical restraints.

AGEC-S from community college, will not be entering with an official B.S. if accepted this cycle.

Cumulative GPA (not including PF/including): 3.87/3.89
Science GPA (not including PF/including): 3.83/3.86
Last 45 GPA (not including PF/including): 3.83/3.91

These do not include 3 courses (Ochem 1/2 & Principles of Biochem), which I will be taking this Fall/Spring.
I don't know if they'll even factor my online Penn Foster courses into my GPAs so I've included what they would be with/without those being considered.

GRE: 150Q, 155V, 5W

Veterinary Experience (~7900 hrs)
- 5300 hours CSR/vet asst./vet tech at an AAHA accredited small animal/exotic/wildlife hospital.
- 2000 hours managing vet tech at a mobile, low-cost small/large animal/exotic veterinary clinic (and counting.)
- 330 hours intern at local humane society (community reach out, animal experience, veterinary experience, etc.)
- 240 hours CSR/vet tech at small animal clinic

Animal Experience (~6000 hrs)
- 6000+ hours volunteer experience for my local humane society (doesn't nearly include my hours for fostering pregnant dogs/litters of puppies for 4 months at a time, parvos, etc. - was done prior to undergrad, started when I was 12yo)

Extracurricular:
- Hair and Makeup Board Position for my HS Theatre Department for 3 years.
(I'm noticeably weak in this area, my extracurricular was predominantly theatre and volunteering for local shelter)

Research:
- N/A, for my B.S. senior capstone I opted to do Fieldwork Experience, which I did at my place of employment (the AAHA hospital)
(I have no research experience, however this is where I would like to expand upon in vet school, so it does look weird I didn't try to get any

Work Experience:
- N/A, all work experience has been animal/veterinary related.

Honors and Awards:
- All attending semesters on Dean's List
- President's Volunteer Service Award
- U.S. House of Representatives Award
- Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition
- Heart of (hometown name here) Outstanding Young Leader Award

LOR:
- Veterinarian from the practice I've spent the majority of my time at. Washington State graduate, family friend.
- Veterinarian from newer practice I started working at, from Israel.
- My HS biology teacher, mentored me through college courses, has a MS in Biology
- Humane Society volunteer coordinator that helped me start volunteering when I was ~ 12yo.

Your app looks solid! Great hours and GPA's. GRE is a little low but your other stats will probably offset it, though not sure how much emphasis MW puts on it.

Side note: 7,900 hours of vet experience seems really high. That would mean almost 4 years of full time work. Not saying you don't have that! Just know someone is probably gonna look at it and say "19 years old and 7,900 hours? Hmmm."

supershorty · Jul 30, 2017

bunnymund said:
Hey I'm really not sure who to ask but I just took my GRE today and was unhappy with my score: 153V 154M
My GPA could also be better 3.36, last 45 is 3.62. I know its not that high but Brown University only has A, B, C, no credit (no pluses and minuses) which can really bring down your GPA. I also have my master's from Brown in biotechnology (4.0) and I want to know how much weight that will carry as an applicant.
I have about 1,000 hours of animal experience.
2 vet references (large and small), 2 professors from Brown (also worked inter labs), and a vet-tech/shelter coordinator (fostered kittens).
I have many extracurriculars including D1 athlete, working at shelters, etc.
I'm planning on retaking the GRE in 3 weeks and studying for about 20hr/week. I feel like my chances of getting into vet school are contingent on my GRE scores. I don't know anyone in the vet field that can give me advice on this matter so literally anything will help. I'm really hoping to get into UPenn (IS) but will gladly go anywhere that will accept me. If someone could tell me my chances of getting accepted anywhere that would be great.
Thanks!

How many hours of veterinary experience do you have? And what is your sGPA?

bunnymund · Jul 30, 2017

supershorty said:
How many hours of veterinary experience do you have? And what is your sGPA?

sGPA is a 3.3 and direct vet experience is about 700 hours and counting. I know my grades are not that great but I'm hoping going to Brown and the fact that I have my masters helps my chances. I also hope to do better on the next GRE. What do you think?

Sylvy05 · Jul 30, 2017

I am a traditional college student and am about to start my senior year and am applying to vet school this fall and my GPA is less than stellar. I joint enrolled during my last 2 years of high school so my GPA is split up but from my own calculations I have ~3.31 cumulative (all classes I have taken for my degree with only 1 or 2 classes being unused) and around a 3.25-3.44 depending on the program for prerequisites. My last 45 hours GPA is around a 3.09 and my science GPS for prerequisite science classes only is similar.
I have made mostly B's with 3 C's and 1 F which I included when calculating the GPA's above (I failed gen Chem 2 and retook it and got a C which is one of the three C's I mentioned. I got a 310 on the GRE (158 verbal and 152 quantitative) and a 3 on the written portion. I'm going to retake one more time before submitting my application.
I have over 3,500 hours of shadowing with equine vets and around 350 with small animal and I feel very confident that I'll have good LOR's. I know I screwed up with my GPA and I'm currently trying to fix it. There were no circumstances; I simply had an easy time in HS and it bit me in the butt when I got to college and didn't know how to study and was use to getting A's. I've had a bit of a learning curve but am figuring it out. I'd appreciate some real talk on my chances of getting in to vet school. I've accepted that there's an extremely good chance that I won't get in this go round and am hoping that if that's the case I'll at least have a decent chance on my second try. Thank you in advance.

FrostySparrow · Jul 30, 2017

love2hunt said:
Your app looks solid! Great hours and GPA's. GRE is a little low but your other stats will probably offset it, though not sure how much emphasis MW puts on it.

Side note: 7,900 hours of vet experience seems really high. That would mean almost 4 years of full time work. Not saying you don't have that! Just know someone is probably gonna look at it and say "19 years old and 7,900 hours? Hmmm."

I started working full time when I was 15 and the (managing) tech position is a part time job I've had for that pretty much the entire time.. worked my way to managing.
Which probably explains why it's so high, that's also a rounded up number. I'll be getting my time cards from over the years to ensure accuracy (this all was estimated between me and my bosses) so I'll definitely be sure to skim through those carefully. Thank you so much for the help!

Aqua_girl87 · Jul 30, 2017

I'm feeling a little discouraged lately and am questioning how my stats look.

Any advice and encouragement is warmly welcomed!

29 years old. Non-traditional. North Carolina resident (originally from New Hampshire though). 4th time applicant this cycle (YIKES!)

B.S. in Biomedical Science and Microbiology minor in 2013

Overall GPA: 3.28
Science: 3.16 – 3.24 (depending how you calculate it)
Last 45: 3.49

GRE: V 149, Q 151, AW 4

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Clinic: ~ 5000 (as a veterinary assistant at 2 animal hospitals)
Small Animal/Bird/Wildlife/Exotic Clinic: ~6000 (worked here for 4 years)
State's Veterinary Diagnostic Lab: ~300 (as a Microbiology lab assistant)
Avian Only Clinic: 20 hours (and counting!)
Small Animal Rehabilitation Clinic: 12 hours

Animal Experience:
Kennel and Doggie Daycare Supervisor: ~10,000+
Horseback Riding for 15+ years
Barn/lesson Volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center: ~200
SPCA Barn Volunteer: ~30
Wildlife Center Volunteer: ~20
Fostering/socializing stray kittens last summer and this summer. I successfully rehabed a stray kitten with contracted tendons in her front legs who could not walk or stand over this summer.

Research:
Evaluated the quality of drinking water at the public water works for a semester for my Aquatic Microbiology class

Work Experience:
Library Assistant
TA for General Microbiology lab during my undergraduate
Rock climbing teaching assistant

Awards:
Dean's List for 2 semesters
Canine CPR and First Aid Certified

Extracurricular:
Agility, nose work, and obedience with my rescued boarder collie mix
Equestrian Team in high school
Fish keeping
Choir Singer for 10+ years
Traveling (I've traveled internationally extensively)
Swimming/rock climbing/mountain biking/kayaking/camping, ect.

LOR:
DVM/practice owner that I currently work for
Associate DVM that I currently work with
Training director/agility instructor/facility owner that knows me very well for 2+ years
(I've been out of touch with all of my professors and think they'll just write a generic letter if I ask them at this point)

I didn't do so well my first couple years of college (I was homeschooled prior to college and also had a speech disorder which made the transition to college hard for me) but my grades significantly improved my senior year. I feel pretty ashamed of my below-average GPA and GRE and worry that's my biggest downfall when I apply to vet school (again) this cycle. I was originally planning on retaking a few of my prerequisites that I got C's in over this summer but, unfortunately, my finances kept me from taking more than one class at a time. Instead, I've focused on getting more veterinary experience in areas other than general practice when my work schedule allows.

Side note: I also stutter and being able to work as a veterinary assistant and communicate with clients and the DVM's has been one of the biggest challenges I've had to overcome and the greatest accomplishment in my life. I attended a two-week intensive speech therapy program after finishing my undergraduate and now devote a couple nights a week hosting conference calls to fellow alumni of the program where we give each other feedback and advice on our fluency skills.

finnickthedog · Jul 30, 2017

Aqua_girl87 said:
I'm feeling a little discouraged lately and am questioning how my stats look. Any advice and encouragement is warmly welcomed!

29 years old. Non-traditional. North Carolina resident (originally from New Hampshire though). 4th time applicant this cycle (YIKES!)

B.S. in Biomedical Science and Microbiology minor in 2013

Overall GPA: 3.28
Science: 3.16 – 3.24 (depending how you calculate it)
Last 45: 3.49

GRE: V 149, Q 151, AW 4

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Clinic: ~ 5000 (as a veterinary assistant at 2 animal hospitals)
Small Animal/Bird/Wildlife/Exotic Clinic: ~6000 (worked here for 4 years)
State's Veterinary Diagnostic Lab: ~300 (as a Microbiology lab assistant)
Avian Only Clinic: 20 hours (and counting!)
Small Animal Rehabilitation Clinic: 12 hours

Animal Experience:
Kennel and Doggie Daycare Supervisor: ~10,000+
Horseback Riding for 15+ years
Barn/lesson Volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center: ~200
SPCA Barn Volunteer: ~30
Wildlife Center Volunteer: ~20
Fostering/socializing stray kittens last summer and this summer. I successfully rehabed a stray kitten with contracted tendons in her front legs who could not walk or stand over this summer.

Research:
Evaluated the quality of drinking water at the public water works for a semester for my Aquatic Microbiology class

Work Experience:
Library Assistant
TA for General Microbiology lab during my undergraduate
Rock climbing teaching assistant

Awards:
Dean's List for 2 semesters
Canine CPR and First Aid Certified

Extracurricular:
Agility, nose work, and obedience with my rescued boarder collie mix
Equestrian Team in high school
Fish keeping
Choir Singer for 10+ years
Traveling (I've traveled internationally extensively)
Swimming/rock climbing/mountain biking/kayaking/camping, ect.

LOR:
DVM/practice owner that I currently work for
Associate DVM that I currently work with
Training director/agility instructor/facility owner that knows me very well for 2+ years
(I've been out of touch with all of my professors and think they'll just write a generic letter if I ask them at this point)

I didn't do so well my first couple years of college (I was homeschooled prior to college and also had a speech disorder which made the transition to college hard for me) but my grades significantly improved my senior year. I feel pretty ashamed of my below-average GPA and GRE and worry that's my biggest downfall when I apply to vet school (again) this cycle. I was originally planning on retaking a few of my prerequisites that I got C's in over this summer but, unfortunately, my finances kept me from taking more than one class at a time. Instead, I've focused on getting more veterinary experience in areas other than general practice when my work schedule allows.

Side note: I also stutter and being able to work as a veterinary assistant and communicate with clients and the DVM's has been one of the biggest challenges I've had to overcome and the greatest accomplishment in my life. I attended a two-week intensive speech therapy program after finishing my undergraduate and now devote a couple nights a week hosting conference calls to fellow alumni of the program where we give each other feedback and advice on our fluency skills.

Where have you applied in the past?

downey65 · Jul 30, 2017

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Aqua_girl87 · Jul 30, 2017

finnickthedog said:
Where have you applied in the past?

My first time straight out of undergrad, I applied to Tufts and Penn State only. The last couple times I applied only to NC State (first try I was considered OOS, second try I was IS.)

Jess Monster · Jul 30, 2017

Aqua_girl87 said:
I'm feeling a little discouraged lately and am questioning how my stats look. Any advice and encouragement is warmly welcomed!

29 years old. Non-traditional. North Carolina resident (originally from New Hampshire though). 4th time applicant this cycle (YIKES!)

B.S. in Biomedical Science and Microbiology minor in 2013

Overall GPA: 3.28
Science: 3.16 – 3.24 (depending how you calculate it)
Last 45: 3.49

GRE: V 149, Q 151, AW 4

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Clinic: ~ 5000 (as a veterinary assistant at 2 animal hospitals)
Small Animal/Bird/Wildlife/Exotic Clinic: ~6000 (worked here for 4 years)
State's Veterinary Diagnostic Lab: ~300 (as a Microbiology lab assistant)
Avian Only Clinic: 20 hours (and counting!)
Small Animal Rehabilitation Clinic: 12 hours

Animal Experience:
Kennel and Doggie Daycare Supervisor: ~10,000+
Horseback Riding for 15+ years
Barn/lesson Volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center: ~200
SPCA Barn Volunteer: ~30
Wildlife Center Volunteer: ~20
Fostering/socializing stray kittens last summer and this summer. I successfully rehabed a stray kitten with contracted tendons in her front legs who could not walk or stand over this summer.

Research:
Evaluated the quality of drinking water at the public water works for a semester for my Aquatic Microbiology class

Work Experience:
Library Assistant
TA for General Microbiology lab during my undergraduate
Rock climbing teaching assistant

Awards:
Dean's List for 2 semesters
Canine CPR and First Aid Certified

Extracurricular:
Agility, nose work, and obedience with my rescued boarder collie mix
Equestrian Team in high school
Fish keeping
Choir Singer for 10+ years
Traveling (I've traveled internationally extensively)
Swimming/rock climbing/mountain biking/kayaking/camping, ect.

LOR:
DVM/practice owner that I currently work for
Associate DVM that I currently work with
Training director/agility instructor/facility owner that knows me very well for 2+ years
(I've been out of touch with all of my professors and think they'll just write a generic letter if I ask them at this point)

I didn't do so well my first couple years of college (I was homeschooled prior to college and also had a speech disorder which made the transition to college hard for me) but my grades significantly improved my senior year. I feel pretty ashamed of my below-average GPA and GRE and worry that's my biggest downfall when I apply to vet school (again) this cycle. I was originally planning on retaking a few of my prerequisites that I got C's in over this summer but, unfortunately, my finances kept me from taking more than one class at a time. Instead, I've focused on getting more veterinary experience in areas other than general practice when my work schedule allows.

Side note: I also stutter and being able to work as a veterinary assistant and communicate with clients and the DVM's has been one of the biggest challenges I've had to overcome and the greatest accomplishment in my life. I attended a two-week intensive speech therapy program after finishing my undergraduate and now devote a couple nights a week hosting conference calls to fellow alumni of the program where we give each other feedback and advice on our fluency skills.

Reading this I had a few questions:

Where have you applied in the last four cycles and how far have you gone in the process? Did you interview anywhere? Were you wait listed? Did you have a file review(s) available to you and did you take advantage of it/them? If so, what did the admission people suggest as areas of improvement?

Is your GPA reflective just of coursework you completed in 2013 and earlier? If not, what have your grades looked like since then?

mht2k3 · Jul 30, 2017

sparrow_lily said:
I started working full time when I was 15 and the managing tech position is a part time job I've head for that entire time, which probably explains why it's so high, that's also a rounded up number. I'll be getting my time cards from over the years to ensure accuracy (this all was estimated between me and my bosses) so I'll definitely be sure to skim through those carefully. Thank you so much for the help!

How do you work full time when you are 15? I thought federal law limits you to work about 20 hours a week maximum for anyone under 16

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FrostySparrow · Jul 30, 2017

mht2k3 said:
How do you work full time when you are 15? I thought federal law limits you to work about 20 hours a week maximum for anyone under 16

I was paid "under the table", at the time I didn't know it was a legal issue

, I actually didn't know until I went to a different job. I also was an intern with full-time hours for a summer at that age, which is allowed as long as school isn't in session.
But I changed my application to reflect those hours as volunteer experience, probably for the best

Aqua_girl87 · Jul 30, 2017

Jess Monster said:
Reading this I had a few questions:

Where have you applied in the last four cycles and how far have you gone in the process? Did you interview anywhere? Were you wait listed? Did you have a file review(s) available to you and did you take advantage of it/them? If so, what did the admission people suggest as areas of improvement?

Is your GPA reflective just of coursework you completed in 2013 and earlier? If not, what have your grades looked like since then?

The first time I applied immediately post-graduation to Tufts and Penn State as I was living in NH at the time and had no IS school. Tufts gave me a file review over the phone and said that my GPA was on the low end for OOS applicants and recommended that I get more veterinary experience (I had only been working at an animal clinic for 2 months at the time I applied so I feel that the LOR that I asked for from one of the DVM's was not the strongest). I took a two year gap year where I moved down to NC and eventually landed a job at another veterinary clinic down here. I applied to NC state for my second attempt as an OOS student and didn't realize that my GPA was below their cutoff (stupid me for not double checking!). I did not get a file review at that time. I applied once again to NC state last year as an IS applicant and got to their second round of application reviews before getting rejected again. I did have an individual review session where I was told to retake my GRE, get more varied experience, and boost up my last 45 credit hours if possible (I met the minimum GPA requirement though).

Even though I would have loved to take additional classes (that was my original plan), I was limited with my finances and was only able to take one class at a time while I saved up for another. The GPA listed reflects my undergraduate degree that I earned in 2013. I took Pharmacology last year (got an A) and am in the process of retaking Organic Chemistry I at the moment.

I didn't realize that different schools look at different criteria (until I found this site!) and am now focusing on schools that look more favorably towards your last 45 credits over cGPA. I retook my GRE and did better than my previous attempt. I also was able to fit in some shadowing at an avian only clinic and rehabilitation clinic when my schedule at work allows it.

I'm feeling a little discouraged right now because I would have liked to do more within the past year to improve my application moreso than I did, such as take a few more classes which didn't end up happening unfortunately. I'm very passionate about my job as a veterinary assistant and have come a long way both professionally and personally.

DVMoftheFuture · Jul 31, 2017

22 year old PA resident, 1st time applicant
Applying to NCSU, WSU, Missouri, Purdue, Guelph, Wisconsin, UGA, Florida, and Cornell. Top choice is NCSU. Currently hoping to do zoo med.

B.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and German from Vanderbilt
Currently working on M.S. in Veterinary Science
Overall GPA: 3.82*
Undergrad GPA: 3.77
Science GPA: 3.73*
Last 45 GPA: 4.00*
*These may be different depending on if schools consider my graduate coursework. I'm not entirely sure how that works.

GRE: 164V/159Q/5.0AW

Vet Experience:

400 hrs as an intern in the vet department at a zoo
120 hrs as a shadower at a small animal clinic
60 hrs as a shadower at another small animal clinic
15 hrs assisting a veterinary orthopedic surgeon

Animal Experience:

936 hrs as a fawn care intern at a deer ranch
150-200 hrs of random short-term volunteer experiences - five different shelters and one wildlife rehab center (all but one was volunteer work done on week-long school-sponsored trips)
40 hrs bleeding cattle

Research:

900* hrs (and counting) as a graduate student working on a project looking at bluetongue virus in cattle *just recalculated today and realized the 495 I had put in the original post was way low

Employment:

Worked for a cleaning company June 2012-July 2013 and then again one summer in college
Worked for the dining center first semester of college

Extracurriculars/Awards:

Fencing club
Alternative Winter Break (was a site leader one year and served on their board another year)
Alternative Spring Break
Dean's List (multiple semesters)
Graduated cum laude
Two national honor societies
One German honor society

eLORs:

Zoo vet
Research PI (also has DVM, although not in practice anymore)
Former professor (now retired, was Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education)

Ilovewolfz5 · Jul 31, 2017

deleted

m_b2016 · Aug 1, 2017

WildZoo said:
I'm gonna call in @PippyPony and @raf2769 to comment on Tufts and Penn. Can't recall anyone at Virginia Tech off the top of my head, and I believe @SandstormDVM goes to Iowa. The longer it's been since I applied the more out of the loop I feel on some of the school specifics.
From a general standpoint, your gpa is about average for accepted students at most schools. Are any of your veterinary experiences ongoing? I think that's where I would put my focus - getting more experience.

Both of my vet assistant jobs at the moment are on gong experiences!

m_b2016 · Aug 1, 2017

PippyPony said:
Thanks for the tag, dubz

Science GPA looks on the low side for Tufts, and you may be on the cusp for overall, too. However, I think they'll like that you went to Villanova and will probably view GPA a bit more favorably in light of the reputation of the school.

Have you taken a practice test with the writing component? Tufts is one of the few schools that actually does care about the writing score. Otherwise, quant looks a bit low (I don't quite remember the percentiles, but I think you'll want to try to get that up to closer to your verbal, at least). Verbal is within the median, I believe.

So, 425 cumulative hours? That's on the low side, but I think that's similar to what I had at the time of application (I'd have to check). However, I was also employed and therefore was accumulating hours after the application cycle. Are any of your experiences still ongoing?

I think they'll like the work in Belize. They're really big on international experiences. I'm sure you've looked into this, but there are tons of opportunities to do similar things while in school -- they placed a really big emphasis on it during the interview day. A lot of Tufts vets also go on to work internationally.

Just wanted to say that I think it would be good to clearly delineate the work you did in the research lab when it comes time to describing that on your app. I think this is probably the right spot for it (vs research), but you still have exposure to a research environment, and that's potentially a richer story than a caretaker job elsewhere.

Are any of these still going on at the moment? Overall these hours look a bit low as well (although I'm probably a bad person to comment on animal experience because mine were skewed from years of horseback riding, so I'd try to get feedback from others on this front).

I feel like Tufts will really like all of these things. Just like any other university with a liberal arts core...they appreciate well-rounded applicants who have interests and strengths outside of vet med. I'd imagine Penn is the same.

Overall I think you have a decent shot -- just try to nail the GREs and bump up those hours a bit more if you can.

Do you know what you're interested in doing after school? And what is drawing you to Tufts & Penn?

Hi, thank you for the advice!! I'm drawn to Penn because I've gone to school in the philly area for my undergrad and it would be nice to stay local for vet school. I am originally from Maine though, and Tufts is the closest school there is to home for me, so that's what I was drawn there. I am currently employed at two small animal veterinary hospitals and will continue working at both of them throughout the school year. I just took another practice GRE exam and got 159 v, 158 q, and 4.0 writing. I take the official test next week!

sheltermed · Aug 1, 2017

BigRedEquine said:
UPDATED!
21 year old, Female, New York resident, 2nd time applicant
Applying to: Cornell (IS), Illinois, VAMD, Purdue, Minnesota, Mizzou, LMU, WSU?, Colorado?, St.George's?

B.S in Animal Science, Minor in Business May 2017 from Cornell

Cumulative GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: ~3.3
Last 45 GPA: 3.75

GRE: taking again in about a week (last year I got 154 V 157 Q and my practice test scores have been improving since then so fingers crossed!)

Veterinary Experience (~1750 hrs)
- 1300 hours shadowing, then working as a vet assistant and receptionist at an AAHA accredited small animal hospital (and counting...)
- 200 hours volunteer at equine emergency hospital
- 200 hours vet assistant at small animal clinic in a rural, low-income area
- 50 hours took a class taught by a veterinarian about dairy cattle health, learned how to perform physical exam/take blood/deliver calves/etc

Animal Experience (~7100 hrs)
- 7000+ hours equestrian/horse show groom/working in horse barns (it's actually way more than that but I'm not including hours from when I was really little lol)
- 60 hours volunteer at wildlife rehab center (and counting...)
- 30 hours taking care of pigs/sheep/chickens/goats for a class

Research:
- 30 hours working on a primate behavior study

Extracurricular:
- Varsity athlete in college (took up 15-25 hours of my week, depending on if we were in season or not)
- Sorority member, was very involved in philanthropy events
- Pre-Vet club
- Teaching assistant for two classes

Work Experience:
- Office assistant at a medical office for about 2 years, made lots of phone calls (people skills!!!)
- Librarian assistant for a year
- Student caller for my school's annual fund (again, people skills!!)

Honors and Awards:
- Four semesters on Dean's List (final 4 semesters)
- Two-time Ivy League champion for my sport
- "Team Player" award from my team (for exhibiting high sportsmanship and leadership qualities)
- Various awards and scholarships from high school

LOR:
- Veterinarian from the practice I've spent the majority of my time at. He's a Cornell graduate and has been my mentor since high school.
- Veterinarian from rural small animal practice
- My pre-vet advisor and professor for two classes that I took
- My coach: she'll be able to speak well about my leadership and personal qualities

I don't think anyone has responded to you yet, and I could always just FB message you, but either way

...

I think your app is really solid for schools that put emphasis on last 45. Of the schools you listed, I'm not 100% on which do, but you could always look that up.

Most of my knowledge lies with Cornell, as I'm sure yours does--has your cumulative GPA gone up since last cycle (I'm assuming so due to the last 45)? A 3.4 is obviously below average for them, but they accept people in the 3.0-4.0 range (I'm sure you know all this, just trying to be encouraging lol), and I think as a second-time applicant, along with some really compelling/unique essays, you could have a decent chance with them as well since you're IS. Cornell really likes translatable skills--so if you have a unique hobby, like something artistic for example, try to take that and relate it to how it would make you a better vet. They also love the verbal section of the GRE for some reason, and the director of admissions recommends 70th+ percentile. I've seen people with high verbal scores but pretty mediocre stats otherwise get in. Supposedly verbal scores correlate with success in their program. :shrug:

A lot of what I've said is probably stuff you've already heard, so I'm sorry if it's a bit redundant. I know that if it were me, I'd just want someone to reaffirm the things that I already know to give me some extra hope

You got it this cycle!! Your last 45 is great and you have some great experiences. I think you're applying to more this cycle than last(?), so of course that increases your chances as well. I'm rooting for you!!

BigRedEquine · Aug 1, 2017

sheltermed said:
I don't think anyone has responded to you yet, and I could always just FB message you, but either way ...

I think your app is really solid for schools that put emphasis on last 45. Of the schools you listed, I'm not 100% on which do, but you could always look that up.

Most of my knowledge lies with Cornell, as I'm sure yours does--has your cumulative GPA gone up since last cycle (I'm assuming so due to the last 45)? A 3.4 is obviously below average for them, but they accept people in the 3.0-4.0 range (I'm sure you know all this, just trying to be encouraging lol), and I think as a second-time applicant, along with some really compelling/unique essays, you could have a decent chance with them as well since you're IS. Cornell really likes translatable skills--so if you have a unique hobby, like something artistic for example, try to take that and relate it to how it would make you a better vet. They also love the verbal section of the GRE for some reason, and the director of admissions recommends 70th+ percentile. I've seen people with high verbal scores but pretty mediocre stats otherwise get in. Supposedly verbal scores correlate with success in their program.

A lot of what I've said is probably stuff you've already heard, so I'm sorry if it's a bit redundant. I know that if it were me, I'd just want someone to reaffirm the things that I already know to give me some extra hope

You got it this cycle!! Your last 45 is great and you have some great experiences. I think you're applying to more this cycle than last(?), so of course that increases your chances as well. I'm rooting for you!!

You are the best, sheltermed! I'm really hoping to do well on verbal next week because Cornell admissions told me the same thing. My last 45 increased a ton (last cycle it included a bad semester) and my cumulative increased a good amount also so I'm remaining optimistic. Also have a lot more hours and new experiences since last cycle. Yes, I am applying to more, and being a bit smarter about where I'm applying haha. We'll see!

Best of luck to you this year as well in your new job!

SoFloGryffindor · Aug 3, 2017

hey Everyone
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lb654 · Aug 4, 2017

Hey, Guys! I am currently applying to the following Veterinary Schools this cycle and here are my stats! I'm really scared because I took the GRE twice and did awful in the verbal section but very well in the math section! My main concern is if I should try to take the GRE a third time to boost my score and I was also wondering where I should improve my stats!

Grade-Point Average
GPA overall: 3.562

GRE Score
GRE Score 2: 145 V/159 Q (Still not sure on the AWA since that score didn't come out)
GRE Score 1: 145 V/152 Q (AWA 5.0)

Experience
800+ General Practice Veterinarian
200+ Animal Experience (large animal, zoo experience mainly but some small animal animal experience here)
100+ Research Experience

Extracurricular Activities
Church Services, Teaching Assistant for Animal Nutrition, Campus Ministries

eLOR Letters of Recommendation
- 3 General Practice Veterinarians
- 1 Advisor
- 1 Research Professor

Schools
Auburn, Cornell, Midwestern, Ohio State, Ross, St. Georges, UGA, UPenn, University of Tennesee, Tufts

Dra. Cula · Aug 4, 2017

Hi everyone! I need some feedback, specially with my GRE.

I am planning on retaking it, but since my first attempt was on July 29th I have to wait 21 days to retake it. I think that would be on August 20th. Thank you so much in advance!!

I am a 23 year old female, moving out to Indiana on August 10th, so hopefully I will be evaluated with the in-state cohort.
I was born and brought up in Puerto Rico. I graduated this year and will be a first time applicant.

Applying to: Cornell, Missouri, Purdue, UF, CSU, Iowa, NCS

Bachelors on Integrative Biology.

Cumulative GPA: ~ 3.9 VMCAS (3.88 transcript)
Science GPA: ~ 3.9 VMCAS
Last 45 GPA: 3.89 VMCAS

GRE: Q: 148 V: 152 W: (I still haven't received the scores)

Veterinary Experience (752)
- 664 Small animal clinic 664 hours
- 88 CPRC “Caribbean Primate Research Center” (I worked with non-human primates taking blood samples, giving them their vaccine shots and bathing the baby primates.)

Animal Experience (127)
- 104 Center of manatee Conservation (Prepared food and fed the manatees every morning. I also kept an eye to the quality of the waters)
- 15 Horses (It was a shelter for horses, so I helped with the cleaning of the cages and showering them)
- 8 Cattle farm (shadowing)

Research (986)
- 8. Poster presentation at the 25th Puerto Rico Neurosciences Conference
- 20. Poster presentation at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) in Long Beach, CA. It was for a whole weekend
- 360. REU Internship at San Jose State University, CA (I worked with mice to see the effects of inflammation on muscle mechanical properties)
- 88. CPRC “Caribbean Primate Research Center” (I also did research here. We used to do necropsies on the primates to determine the causes of morbidity and mortality).
- 510. Ecological research of the demography and photobiology of the threatened coral Acropora cervicornis.

Extracurricular: (514)
- Suture Workshop
- 240. Organic chemistry Tutoring
- 40. Veteran’s Hospital Department of cardiology and Surgery
- 68. Biology Tutoring
- 80. General Chemistry Workshop I helped with.
- 38. Salsa dance classes.
- 8. Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico
- 40. Volunteer work needed for high school graduation.

Work Experience: (368)
- 160 Summer Job with the local government
- 48. Low Cost Pet Mobile Vaccination
- 160 Lab assistant

Honors and Awards:
- Accepted abstract and granted a travel scholarship to attend and present at SACNAS, Long Beach, CA.
- REU Program scholar, RUMBA program at San Jose State University
- Dean’s list (2012-Present)
- “Who’s who among students in American Universities and Colleges”, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars University of Puerto Rico Chapter (2014-2015)
- Editing of an Organic Chemistry school writing book.
- Acknowledgement in a PhD thesis for my work done at the ecology lab.
- Accepted and attended at the school specialized on theater “José Julián Acosta” (middle school)
- Accepted and received piano and choir classes at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (elementary school)

Clubs/Organizations:
- Member of the Pre-Vet Student Association (08/2014-Present)
- Member of Airam, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus (08/2015-Present) {An organization for students who want to be doctors}
- Representative of the Natural Sciences Faculty at the General Student Council of my university (08/2016-Present)

LOR:
- DVM who I worked with
- Biology professor
- Organic chemistry professor
- Research PI

MixedAnimals77 · Aug 4, 2017

Dra. Cula said:
Hi everyone! I need some feedback, specially with my GRE. I am planning on retaking it, but since my first attempt was on July 29th I have to wait 21 days to retake it. I think that would be on August 20th. Thank you so much in advance!!

I am a 23 year old female, moving out to Indiana on August 10th, so hopefully I will be evaluated with the in-state cohort.
I was born and brought up in Puerto Rico. I graduated this year and will be a first time applicant.

Applying to: Cornell, Missouri, Purdue, UF, CSU, Iowa, NCS

Bachelors on Integrative Biology.

Cumulative GPA: ~ 3.9 VMCAS (3.88 transcript)
Science GPA: ~ 3.9 VMCAS
Last 45 GPA: 3.89 VMCAS

GRE: Q: 148 V: 152 W: (I still haven't received the scores)

Veterinary Experience (752)
- 664 Small animal clinic 664 hours
- 88 CPRC “Caribbean Primate Research Center” (I worked with non-human primates taking blood samples, giving them their vaccine shots and bathing the baby primates.)

Animal Experience (127)
- 104 Center of manatee Conservation (Prepared food and fed the manatees every morning. I also kept an eye to the quality of the waters)
- 15 Horses (It was a shelter for horses, so I helped with the cleaning of the cages and showering them)
- 8 Cattle farm (shadowing)

Research (986)
- 8. Poster presentation at the 25th Puerto Rico Neurosciences Conference
- 20. Poster presentation at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) in Long Beach, CA. It was for a whole weekend
- 360. REU Internship at San Jose State University, CA (I worked with mice to see the effects of inflammation on muscle mechanical properties)
- 88. CPRC “Caribbean Primate Research Center” (I also did research here. We used to do necropsies on the primates to determine the causes of morbidity and mortality).
- 510. Ecological research of the demography and photobiology of the threatened coral Acropora cervicornis.

Extracurricular: (514)
- Suture Workshop
- 240. Organic chemistry Tutoring
- 40. Veteran’s Hospital Department of cardiology and Surgery
- 68. Biology Tutoring
- 80. General Chemistry Workshop I helped with.
- 38. Salsa dance classes.
- 8. Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico
- 40. Volunteer work needed for high school graduation.

Work Experience: (368)
- 160 Summer Job with the local government
- 48. Low Cost Pet Mobile Vaccination
- 160 Lab assistant

Honors and Awards:
- Accepted abstract and granted a travel scholarship to attend and present at SACNAS, Long Beach, CA.
- REU Program scholar, RUMBA program at San Jose State University
- Dean’s list (2012-Present)
- “Who’s who among students in American Universities and Colleges”, The National Society of Collegiate Scholars University of Puerto Rico Chapter (2014-2015)
- Editing of an Organic Chemistry school writing book.
- Acknowledgement in a PhD thesis for my work done at the ecology lab.
- Accepted and attended at the school specialized on theater “José Julián Acosta” (middle school)
- Accepted and received piano and choir classes at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R. (elementary school)

Clubs/Organizations:
- Member of the Pre-Vet Student Association (08/2014-Present)
- Member of Airam, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus (08/2015-Present) {An organization for students who want to be doctors}
- Representative of the Natural Sciences Faculty at the General Student Council of my university (08/2016-Present)

LOR:
- DVM who I worked with
- Biology professor
- Organic chemistry professor
- Research PI

For your GRE score I would not worry too much about it for ISU and Missouri as it only accounts for a small percentage of your total evaluation especially because your GPA high. CSU I would be slightly concerned as an out of state applicant about your GRE score just because of the high volume of applicants that are OSS applying there. I cannot speak to your other schools, I would imagine NC would be similar to CSU due to the high volume of OSS applicants. I would check with the schools and see when the deadline is to get them scores. If you truly think you can do better the second time go for it. If not it will probably be a slight hindrance for some schools but your GPA is good which helps offset it.

DPTinthemaking15 · Aug 6, 2017

Hey everyone! I am asking the following questions for my wife, so please bare with me. We are both applying to our in-state program (I am a pre-med and she is pre-vet), but she hit a bump in the road this semester and I wanted to see if there are any tips/advice that I can give her.

Long story short, she finished her associates degree when she was 22 and worked in a hospital as a medical coder. Now she is getting her BS degree in Animal Science and has been doing great in all of her classes. Her mom received some bad news this semester, and my wife devoted a lot of time to care for her. In doing all of that, her grades dropped and she received 2 C's in Physics and Orgo I. If I'm not mistaken, her GPA was around a 3.75 (I honestly can't remember at the moment). After talking with her she agreed to take the semester off and focus on her GRE, mental health, and gaining more animal experience. These are her stats so far that I can remember:

Applying to: Florida, Michigan, Auburn, Arizona, MSU, and University of Wisconsin.

Cum GPA: 3.6 (after C's)
Science GPA: 3.2-3.3ish
Last 45: She still has Orgo II and Biochem and 20-30 hours of her BS degree left to finish

GRE: Taking it this Fall

Vet Experience: 1,000 small animal, 100 large animal.

Extra Curricular's: A lot of involvement with a local ministry, SGA rep during college, helped to host a telethon for leukemia patients at St. Jude's Hospital.

LOR's: -Small animal vet she works with
-Two of her Professor's at her University
-A gentleman that assist with the admission process at the vet school she is applying to.

What are her chances of getting into vet school? I feel so helpless because she doesn't have any friends that are vets that can give solid advice. Other than retaking the C's in Physics and Orgo, what else does she need to work on? Thank you guys!

mht2k3 · Aug 6, 2017

DPTinthemaking15 said:
Hey everyone! I am asking the following questions for my wife, so please bare with me. We are both applying to our in-state program (I am a pre-med and she is pre-vet), but she hit a bump in the road this semester and I wanted to see if there are any tips/advice that I can give her.

Long story short, she finished her associates degree when she was 22 and worked in a hospital as a medical coder. Now she is getting her BS degree in Animal Science and has been doing great in all of her classes. Her mom received some bad news this semester, and my wife devoted a lot of time to care for her. In doing all of that, her grades dropped and she received 2 C's in Physics and Orgo I. If I'm not mistaken, her GPA was around a 3.75 (I honestly can't remember at the moment). After talking with her she agreed to take the semester off and focus on her GRE, mental health, and gaining more animal experience. These are her stats so far that I can remember:

Applying to: Florida, Michigan, Auburn, Arizona, MSU, and University of Wisconsin.

Cum GPA: 3.6 (after C's)
Science GPA: 3.2-3.3ish
Last 45: She still has Orgo II and Biochem and 20-30 hours of her BS degree left to finish

GRE: Taking it this Fall

Vet Experience: 1,000 small animal, 100 large animal.

Extra Curricular's: A lot of involvement with a local ministry, SGA rep during college, helped to host a telethon for leukemia patients at St. Jude's Hospital.

LOR's: -Small animal vet she works with
-Two of her Professor's at her University
-A gentleman that assist with the admission process at the vet school she is applying to.

What are her chances of getting into vet school? I feel so helpless because she doesn't have any friends that are vets that can give solid advice. Other than retaking the C's in Physics and Orgo, what else does she need to work on? Thank you guys!

Two C's aren't going to break her chances if the rest of her application is decent. There is a section of the application that is used to explain any issues like what you describe. I'm assuming she isn't applying until next year. Which school is her in-state school? Her cGPA is competitive for most schools, although science is on the low side. Michigan State only looks at last 36 credits + science GPA so if she can do well next year she should be in good standing with them.

DPTinthemaking15 · Aug 6, 2017

mht2k3 said:
Two C's aren't going to break her chances if the rest of her application is decent. There is a section of the application that is used to explain any issues like what you describe. I'm assuming she isn't applying until next year. Which school is her in-state school? Her cGPA is competitive for most schools, although science is on the low side. Michigan State only looks at last 36 credits + science GPA so if she can do well next year she should be in good standing with them.

That is correct. She is applying next year and her in-state school is Auburn. Awesome. Michigan will be a big move for us, but you gotta do, what you gotta do lol. Also, will the GRE be a determining factor? She took a practice test a while back and scored relatively high, but she believes that it won't help that much.

SkiOtter · Aug 6, 2017

DPTinthemaking15 said:
That is correct. She is applying next year and her in-state school is Auburn. Awesome. Michigan will be a big move for us, but you gotta do, what you gotta do lol. Also, will the GRE be a determining factor? She took a practice test a while back and scored relatively high, but she believes that it won't help that much.

Some schools, Michigan state included, don't even look at the gre anymore so it wouldn't help much there unfortunately.
Not sure which schools put heavier weight on it

DPTinthemaking15 · Aug 7, 2017

SkiOtter said:
Some schools, Michigan state included, don't even look at the gre anymore so it wouldn't help much there unfortunately.
Not sure which schools put heavier weight on it

Thank you so much for the reply. I could have sworn I replied to this comment, but I must have been sleep deprived lol. Other than good grades, etc... Is there anything that vet schools look for specifically on an application? I'm not gonna lie, becoming a veterinarian seems crazy hard. Applying to medical school seems easy now, compared to what you guys go through lol.

Coopah · Aug 7, 2017

DPTinthemaking15 said:
Thank you so much for the reply. I could have sworn I replied to this comment, but I must have been sleep deprived lol. Other than good grades, etc... Is there anything that vet schools look for specifically on an application? I'm not gonna lie, becoming a veterinarian seems crazy hard. Applying to medical school seems easy now, compared to what you guys go through lol.

Lot of experience! I'm not sure about the relative difficulties because as has been discussed before it has more to do with the availability of vet schools versus med schools. But all in all I believe you should be proud if you get into either

.

mlew18507 · Aug 8, 2017

I know each school is different and each application year is different but I am curious what the public thinks my chances are of getting in. I took the GRE's Twice last year and got pretty much the same score both times. I got a C in an prep chemistry class and in Chemistry 1 and from then on all A's and B's. ( I had a rough freshman year). I am taking an Animal Nutrition class to be able to apply to Purdue and North Carolina.

I applied last year to UPenn, Michigan, Tufts, Virginia-Maryland, and Colorado with no success. This year I am applying to all plus Purdue and North Carolina.

24 years old. Pennsylvania resident.

Graduated in 2016 with a B.S. in Biology and Minor in Chemistry.

Overall GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.41
Last 45: 3.62

GRE: V: 148; Q: 144; W: 3.0

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Hospital: ~ 1200(as a veterinary assistant)
Small Animal Clinic: ~200

Animal Experience:
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: ~350
Assistant Groomer: ~416
Equine Worm Tester and Lesson Volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center: ~122
Wildlife Center Volunteer: ~335

Work Experience:
Veterinary Assistant (at small animal hospital)
Laboratory Assistant (at a microbiology lab)
Equine Worm Tester caring of animals at a Therapeutic Riding Centerr

Research:
Undergraduate research with professor on Antibacterial Properties of Turmeric and presented at PA State Capitol
Undergraduate research on Lyme Disease Prevalence in Dog Breeds

Extracurricular:
Horse and Rider Club President in College
Aerial Silks Dancer
Brazian Jiu Jitsu
Summer VETS Program at UPenn

Awarded Who's Who Among Students in 2016
Deans list fall 2015
Honors list spring 2016

Thanks so much =)

mht2k3 · Aug 8, 2017

mlew18507 said:
I know each school is different and each application year is different but I am curious what the public thinks my chances are of getting in. I took the GRE's Twice last year and got pretty much the same score both times. I got a C in an prep chemistry class and in Chemistry 1 and from then on all A's and B's. ( I had a rough freshman year). I am taking an Animal Nutrition class to be able to apply to Purdue and North Carolina.

I applied last year to UPenn, Michigan, Tufts, Virginia-Maryland, and Colorado with no success. This year I am applying to all plus Purdue and North Carolina.

24 years old. Pennsylvania resident.

Graduated in 2016 with a B.S. in Biology and Minor in Chemistry.

Overall GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.41
Last 45: 3.62

GRE: V: 148; Q: 144; W: 3.0

Veterinary Experience:
Small Animal Hospital: ~ 1200(as a veterinary assistant)
Small Animal Clinic: ~200

Animal Experience:
Wildlife Rehabilitation Center: ~350
Assistant Groomer: ~416
Equine Worm Tester and Lesson Volunteer at a Therapeutic Riding Center: ~122
Wildlife Center Volunteer: ~335

Work Experience:
Veterinary Assistant (at small animal hospital)
Laboratory Assistant (at a microbiology lab)
Equine Worm Tester caring of animals at a Therapeutic Riding Centerr

Research:
Undergraduate research with professor on Antibacterial Properties of Turmeric and presented at PA State Capitol
Undergraduate research on Lyme Disease Prevalence in Dog Breeds

Extracurricular:
Horse and Rider Club President in College
Aerial Silks Dancer
Brazian Jiu Jitsu
Summer VETS Program at UPenn

Awarded Who's Who Among Students in 2016
Deans list fall 2015
Honors list spring 2016

Thanks so much =)

I'd recommend getting more diverse veterinary experiences. Unless you think you can raise your GRE significantly, I'd focus on places that are not looking at GRE anymore (Michigan State, Virginia, someplace else I forget?). NC-State is going to be tough for you honestly. There were people last year not getting in with near perfect GPA/GRE scores.

mlew18507 · Aug 8, 2017

mht2k3 said:
I'd recommend getting more diverse veterinary experiences. Unless you think you can raise your GRE significantly, I'd focus on places that are not looking at GRE anymore (Michigan State, Virginia, someplace else I forget?). NC-State is going to be tough for you honestly. There were people last year not getting in with near perfect GPA/GRE scores.

I am applying to Virginia, Michigan and now Purdue and they don't require GRE scores. that's weird about NC state because looking at their average GRE scores they seem to be a little more lenient with their GRE score range and my scores are close.. My plan is to take the GRE's again next summer if I don't get accepted anywhere this year. The problem with other VET experience where I live is that the only other vet experience I can get is large animal. I should look into that. thanks for the info =]

dogbones · Aug 9, 2017

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice on my application and specifically whether or not to use the VMCAS explanation statement. I am a post-bacc student and my stats are as follows:

Cum. GPA = 3.59
Science GPA ~ 4.0
Last 45 = 4.0
GRE: 160V/160Q

My transcript from my 4-year degree (graduated in 2009) shows 2 F's and 1 W from summer/winter session courses, each from separate semesters during 2007 and 2008 where that was the only course I was enrolled in. None of the courses are science prerequisites -- all core for my BS degree. Basically, my time management sucked back then for accelerated online courses and I didn't complete them. I have had nearly a 4.0 in the 100 credit hours since then and A grades in all my prerequisite science courses. Should I use the statement to explain these grades? They stand out like a sore thumb, but at the same time I wonder if my grades since then and the 10 years that have passed have redeemed myself enough on their own.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts or input!

Lupin21 · Aug 9, 2017

dogbones said:
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice on my application and specifically whether or not to use the VMCAS explanation statement. I am a post-bacc student and my stats are as follows:

Cum. GPA = 3.59
Science GPA ~ 4.0
Last 45 = 4.0
GRE: 160V/160Q

My transcript from my 4-year degree (graduated in 2009) shows 2 F's and 1 W from summer/winter session courses, each from separate semesters during 2007 and 2008 where that was the only course I was enrolled in. None of the courses are science prerequisites -- all core for my BS degree. Basically, my time management sucked back then for accelerated online courses and I didn't complete them. I have had nearly a 4.0 in the 100 credit hours since then and A grades in all my prerequisite science courses. Should I use the statement to explain these grades? They stand out like a sore thumb, but at the same time I wonder if my grades since then and the 10 years that have passed have redeemed myself enough on their own.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts or input!

nah. Not worth it. You've shown you learned by your continued grades.

Coopah · Aug 9, 2017

dogbones said:
Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice on my application and specifically whether or not to use the VMCAS explanation statement. I am a post-bacc student and my stats are as follows:

Cum. GPA = 3.59
Science GPA ~ 4.0
Last 45 = 4.0
GRE: 160V/160Q

My transcript from my 4-year degree (graduated in 2009) shows 2 F's and 1 W from summer/winter session courses, each from separate semesters during 2007 and 2008 where that was the only course I was enrolled in. None of the courses are science prerequisites -- all core for my BS degree. Basically, my time management sucked back then for accelerated online courses and I didn't complete them. I have had nearly a 4.0 in the 100 credit hours since then and A grades in all my prerequisite science courses. Should I use the statement to explain these grades? They stand out like a sore thumb, but at the same time I wonder if my grades since then and the 10 years that have passed have redeemed myself enough on their own.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts or input!

Definately not use the explanation statement. I would however encourage you to apply to Davis, and other schools that like Last 45 and Science GPA. Two others that come to mind are Iowa and Kansas. And of course your IS. Where are you thinking of applying?

Tamsin21 · Aug 9, 2017

Also some schools allow you to exclude courses over 8 years old. If you took any prereqs past that deadline, they would need to be repeated as it is all or nothing 8 years and older. Not that it will be a massive hurdle for your application at this point, but just something you could look into

Shya · Aug 10, 2017

I'm so excited to finally be posting here. Very nervous, too.

Applying to: Auburn (IS), LMU, and Tennessee.
Kentucky resident!
Female, 20.
Degrees: None! If I am admitted this cycle I will not have a degree. But I am working towards a BS in Biology

Overall GPA: 3.58
Science GPA: 3.35
Last 43: 3.65 - I know it's a last 45 but that would be 1 class of a new semester, so I didn't know which class to use to calculate.

GRE: V159, Q152, 5.0.

Veterinary Experience:
-Small Animal GP: 18 hours
-Exotic/Zoo Medicine: 6 hours
-Lab Animal Medicine: 5 hours
-Emergency Medicine, SA: 800+ hours (All received between now and November, and I still work here)
-Livestock: 200 hours

Animal Experience:
I'm not sure what counts, so if something doesn't count let me know.
-Police Dog training ~10 hours
-Ownership of dogs, cats, lifestock, exotics, etc. my entire life.
-Animal shelter volunteer: ~10 hours
Paws with Progress volunteer: Training a service dog - ~576 hours so far
-Livestock: 4,000+ hours

Non-Veterinary Experience:
- Teaching assistant for a bio lab
-Customer service manager for Wal-mart for 2 years
-Pharmacy technician, on-going (I have two jobs)
-Cashier 1.5 years
-Ownership of a small business.

Research:
Environmental physiology research on black bears, ~30 hr. Ongoing.

Extracurriculars:
Pre-vet club.
Drama club.

Honors/Awards:
-Trustee's Full scholarship
-Several FPS, academic team, and writing awards from high school
-Deans list, three semesters.
-Honors Society

LORs:
-Japanese professor - I made a 105 in both her courses.
-Vet at the hospital I work at
-The owner of the hospital I work at, who is kind of well-known with Auburn. They have published articles about them before.
-Lab animal vet/pre-vet advisor

What are my chances?

What are my chances?

Great!

Good, but some areas could be improved

You're a pretty average candidate, so it could go either way

Not great, but there's room for improvement

Have you considered under water basket weaving?

omg idk

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