What are my chances?

[EquusObsessed]

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Figured I may as well throw up a post here while I slowly work my way through VMCAs...
Female 21
PA resident
3.8 GPA Biochem/Mol Bio major
Have been taking plenty of upper-level bio electives and doing well (mostly A's, with an A- thrown in here or there) such as Mammalian anatomy, Microbiology, Biochem I&II, and will be taking Cell& Tissue, Developmental Bio, Mol Bio, and Virology next year.
Have yet to take the GRE's (planning to do so end of May/start of June).

This is where it gets long:

Experience is where I'm worried- I would like to do equine vet med, and have worked with horses in some capacity since I was seven, owned horses since I was 15, and have dealt with multiple health issues and emergencies in my own horses over the years. However, I have very little "offical" animal experience with horses. I have shadowed a few hours here and there with equine vets, but until this upcoming summer was unable to find an equine vet able to take me on for more than a single day of shadowing. Through my own horses I have dealt with choke and aspirate pneumonia, severe colic, severe leg wounds, a bowed tendon, neurological disorders, dental procedures, and a variety of lameness issues. I have observed wound repair, stomach tubing, utlrasound of the intestines and tendons, endoscopy, euthanasia, and other procedures. I have assisted in x-rays, given IV and IM injections to one of my horses in emergencies where the vet was unable to make it to the barn, and have extensive experience generally handling and holding horses. Unfortunately, the veterinarian involved in most of this experience from a few years back has developed a less-than-stellar reputation in recent years, so I'm not sure how I would report these hours.

The rest of my experience is in small animal medicine, where I have shadowed at a local GP clinic for about three years off and on as my work and class schedule permits. I have probably around 300-500 hours there (I still have to add up my spreadsheet of hours). Due to liability concerns I was very limited in what I was allowed to do beyond watch and ask questions- most of the hands-on learning was disallowed. I feel like many people on this site have a great deal of hands-on experience or hours as a vet tech/assistant. As much as I tried to find positions working in a clinic, most places near me wanted either a certificate/degree through a vet tech program or previous experience.

As far as work experience, I worked at a grocery store one summer, briefly at a barn as a fill-in to care for the 10 boarder's horses, a retail store the next summer, and have worked as a tour guide at a local cavern for the past year (and am continuing this summer). At the cavern, I also take care of a collection of farm animals, including chickens, goats, horses, rabbits, cats, a dog, and a donkey. I dogsit occasionally and also volunteer to teach at a local equine summer camp a few weeks each summer, and this will be my third year doing so.

Extracurriculars/Clubs:
Pony Club C-1 member, Biology Club member, IHSA Novice rider and Secretary, PAWS Club Secretary for one year, although I am switching to general member this year, Pre-Health Professions Club member, and Tri-beta biology honors society member.

I may be forgetting a few things here or there but I just feel like my experience pales in comparison to other applicants.

 

[Lupin21]

Figured I may as well throw up a post here while I slowly work my way through VMCAs...
Female 21
PA resident
3.8 GPA Biochem/Mol Bio major
Have been taking plenty of upper-level bio electives and doing well (mostly A's, with an A- thrown in here or there) such as Mammalian anatomy, Microbiology, Biochem I&II, and will be taking Cell& Tissue, Developmental Bio, Mol Bio, and Virology next year.
Have yet to take the GRE's (planning to do so end of May/start of June).

This is where it gets long:

Experience is where I'm worried- I would like to do equine vet med, and have worked with horses in some capacity since I was seven, owned horses since I was 15, and have dealt with multiple health issues and emergencies in my own horses over the years. However, I have very little "offical" animal experience with horses. I have shadowed a few hours here and there with equine vets, but until this upcoming summer was unable to find an equine vet able to take me on for more than a single day of shadowing. Through my own horses I have dealt with choke and aspirate pneumonia, severe colic, severe leg wounds, a bowed tendon, neurological disorders, dental procedures, and a variety of lameness issues. I have observed wound repair, stomach tubing, utlrasound of the intestines and tendons, endoscopy, euthanasia, and other procedures. I have assisted in x-rays, given IV and IM injections to one of my horses in emergencies where the vet was unable to make it to the barn, and have extensive experience generally handling and holding horses. Unfortunately, the veterinarian involved in most of this experience from a few years back has developed a less-than-stellar reputation in recent years, so I'm not sure how I would report these hours.

The rest of my experience is in small animal medicine, where I have shadowed at a local GP clinic for about three years off and on as my work and class schedule permits. I have probably around 300-500 hours there (I still have to add up my spreadsheet of hours). Due to liability concerns I was very limited in what I was allowed to do beyond watch and ask questions- most of the hands-on learning was disallowed. I feel like many people on this site have a great deal of hands-on experience or hours as a vet tech/assistant. As much as I tried to find positions working in a clinic, most places near me wanted either a certificate/degree through a vet tech program or previous experience.

As far as work experience, I worked at a grocery store one summer, briefly at a barn as a fill-in to care for the 10 boarder's horses, a retail store the next summer, and have worked as a tour guide at a local cavern for the past year (and am continuing this summer). At the cavern, I also take care of a collection of farm animals, including chickens, goats, horses, rabbits, cats, a dog, and a donkey. I dogsit occasionally and also volunteer to teach at a local equine summer camp a few weeks each summer, and this will be my third year doing so.

Extracurriculars/Clubs:
Pony Club C-1 member, Biology Club member, IHSA Novice rider and Secretary, PAWS Club Secretary for one year, although I am switching to general member this year, Pre-Health Professions Club member, and Tri-beta biology honors society member.

I may be forgetting a few things here or there but I just feel like my experience pales in comparison to other applicants.

Vet hours are about understanding what the job entails. As long as you can explain what you took away from the hours you have and show an understanding of the profession, that is what counts. As far as the actual hands on experience, yes it is nice to have, but plenty of people have minimal and that is what clinics are for. I saw the joy on one of my classmates faces today as she ran a line for fluids for the first time. haha

You have a very solid base from my standpoint, so it just boils down to how you can translate all this into your essays.

 

[Coopah]

Figured I may as well throw up a post here while I slowly work my way through VMCAs...
Female 21
PA resident
3.8 GPA Biochem/Mol Bio major
Have been taking plenty of upper-level bio electives and doing well (mostly A's, with an A- thrown in here or there) such as Mammalian anatomy, Microbiology, Biochem I&II, and will be taking Cell& Tissue, Developmental Bio, Mol Bio, and Virology next year.
Have yet to take the GRE's (planning to do so end of May/start of June).

This is where it gets long:

Experience is where I'm worried- I would like to do equine vet med, and have worked with horses in some capacity since I was seven, owned horses since I was 15, and have dealt with multiple health issues and emergencies in my own horses over the years. However, I have very little "offical" animal experience with horses. I have shadowed a few hours here and there with equine vets, but until this upcoming summer was unable to find an equine vet able to take me on for more than a single day of shadowing. Through my own horses I have dealt with choke and aspirate pneumonia, severe colic, severe leg wounds, a bowed tendon, neurological disorders, dental procedures, and a variety of lameness issues. I have observed wound repair, stomach tubing, utlrasound of the intestines and tendons, endoscopy, euthanasia, and other procedures. I have assisted in x-rays, given IV and IM injections to one of my horses in emergencies where the vet was unable to make it to the barn, and have extensive experience generally handling and holding horses. Unfortunately, the veterinarian involved in most of this experience from a few years back has developed a less-than-stellar reputation in recent years, so I'm not sure how I would report these hours.

The rest of my experience is in small animal medicine, where I have shadowed at a local GP clinic for about three years off and on as my work and class schedule permits. I have probably around 300-500 hours there (I still have to add up my spreadsheet of hours). Due to liability concerns I was very limited in what I was allowed to do beyond watch and ask questions- most of the hands-on learning was disallowed. I feel like many people on this site have a great deal of hands-on experience or hours as a vet tech/assistant. As much as I tried to find positions working in a clinic, most places near me wanted either a certificate/degree through a vet tech program or previous experience.

As far as work experience, I worked at a grocery store one summer, briefly at a barn as a fill-in to care for the 10 boarder's horses, a retail store the next summer, and have worked as a tour guide at a local cavern for the past year (and am continuing this summer). At the cavern, I also take care of a collection of farm animals, including chickens, goats, horses, rabbits, cats, a dog, and a donkey. I dogsit occasionally and also volunteer to teach at a local equine summer camp a few weeks each summer, and this will be my third year doing so.

Extracurriculars/Clubs:
Pony Club C-1 member, Biology Club member, IHSA Novice rider and Secretary, PAWS Club Secretary for one year, although I am switching to general member this year, Pre-Health Professions Club member, and Tri-beta biology honors society member.

I may be forgetting a few things here or there but I just feel like my experience pales in comparison to other applicants.

So yeah, check out Davis! Your stats are excellent and we don't care how much experience you have other than that you have some (historically). If you want to apply here or have any other questions my door is always open!

 

[Georgethecat]

Figured I may as well throw up a post here while I slowly work my way through VMCAs...
Female 21
PA resident
3.8 GPA Biochem/Mol Bio major
Have been taking plenty of upper-level bio electives and doing well (mostly A's, with an A- thrown in here or there) such as Mammalian anatomy, Microbiology, Biochem I&II, and will be taking Cell& Tissue, Developmental Bio, Mol Bio, and Virology next year.
Have yet to take the GRE's (planning to do so end of May/start of June).

This is where it gets long:

Experience is where I'm worried- I would like to do equine vet med, and have worked with horses in some capacity since I was seven, owned horses since I was 15, and have dealt with multiple health issues and emergencies in my own horses over the years. However, I have very little "offical" animal experience with horses. I have shadowed a few hours here and there with equine vets, but until this upcoming summer was unable to find an equine vet able to take me on for more than a single day of shadowing. Through my own horses I have dealt with choke and aspirate pneumonia, severe colic, severe leg wounds, a bowed tendon, neurological disorders, dental procedures, and a variety of lameness issues. I have observed wound repair, stomach tubing, utlrasound of the intestines and tendons, endoscopy, euthanasia, and other procedures. I have assisted in x-rays, given IV and IM injections to one of my horses in emergencies where the vet was unable to make it to the barn, and have extensive experience generally handling and holding horses. Unfortunately, the veterinarian involved in most of this experience from a few years back has developed a less-than-stellar reputation in recent years, so I'm not sure how I would report these hours.

The rest of my experience is in small animal medicine, where I have shadowed at a local GP clinic for about three years off and on as my work and class schedule permits. I have probably around 300-500 hours there (I still have to add up my spreadsheet of hours). Due to liability concerns I was very limited in what I was allowed to do beyond watch and ask questions- most of the hands-on learning was disallowed. I feel like many people on this site have a great deal of hands-on experience or hours as a vet tech/assistant. As much as I tried to find positions working in a clinic, most places near me wanted either a certificate/degree through a vet tech program or previous experience.

As far as work experience, I worked at a grocery store one summer, briefly at a barn as a fill-in to care for the 10 boarder's horses, a retail store the next summer, and have worked as a tour guide at a local cavern for the past year (and am continuing this summer). At the cavern, I also take care of a collection of farm animals, including chickens, goats, horses, rabbits, cats, a dog, and a donkey. I dogsit occasionally and also volunteer to teach at a local equine summer camp a few weeks each summer, and this will be my third year doing so.

Extracurriculars/Clubs:
Pony Club C-1 member, Biology Club member, IHSA Novice rider and Secretary, PAWS Club Secretary for one year, although I am switching to general member this year, Pre-Health Professions Club member, and Tri-beta biology honors society member.

I may be forgetting a few things here or there but I just feel like my experience pales in comparison to other applicants.

Overall your application looks strong! I totally get why you included the explanations, but it might be easier for others to view if you also list the experiences in the standard SDN What are My Chances format.

At a first glance, your experience with the procedures and treatments for your own horse would go under animal experience and not veterinary experience. As Lupin21 said, do your best to sell yourself through your essays. That is where you could emphasize the depth of your animal experience and why you are interested in equine medicine.

Do list all of your vet shadowing experiences, even if it was just a day or two. Obviously wait until early September to hit the submit button on VMCAS so that your summer shadowing hours will be counted.

Other job experiences can show your work ethic and skills such as customer service etc.

Now is the time to start lining up your letters of recommendation. Look at what each of the schools that you are interested in require (some require an academic recommendation as well as ones from veterinarians). I'd suggest that when you ask, go ahead and ask if they would be able to write a strong letter of recommendation. When you start shadowing the equine vet this summer, ask if it would be possible to get a letter at the end of summer and how valuable you think it would be given your future career goals.

GPA looks awesome. Do you have a list of schools that you are considering? Once you get your GRE scores back, that might help you determine which schools play to your application strengths.

Best of luck to you!

 

[EquusObsessed]

Overall your application looks strong! I totally get why you included the explanations, but it might be easier for others to view if you also list the experiences in the standard SDN What are My Chances format.

At a first glance, your experience with the procedures and treatments for your own horse would go under animal experience and not veterinary experience. As Lupin21 said, do your best to sell yourself through your essays. That is where you could emphasize the depth of your animal experience and why you are interested in equine medicine.

Do list all of your vet shadowing experiences, even if it was just a day or two. Obviously wait until early September to hit the submit button on VMCAS so that your summer shadowing hours will be counted.

Other job experiences can show your work ethic and skills such as customer service etc.

Now is the time to start lining up your letters of recommendation. Look at what each of the schools that you are interested in require (some require an academic recommendation as well as ones from veterinarians). I'd suggest that when you ask, go ahead and ask if they would be able to write a strong letter of recommendation. When you start shadowing the equine vet this summer, ask if it would be possible to get a letter at the end of summer and how valuable you think it would be given your future career goals.

GPA looks awesome. Do you have a list of schools that you are considering? Once you get your GRE scores back, that might help you determine which schools play to your application strengths.

Best of luck to you!

Ahh yes I will go back and reformat my original post so people can read it. That’s what I get for writing it super late at night.

I have 2 LOR already requested from people I asked a few months back, including my academic advisor, who has had me in several bio classes, and the small animal vet that I shadowed. I was planning on also asking the equine vet I’m shadowing this summer, and my boss at work (the caverns/farm animal care) as one of my schools requires an employer recommendation.

I’m currently looking at roughly ten schools but trying to narrow it down for finacial reasons.
-VAMD Regional
-NC state
-University of Tennessee
-University of Fl
-Iowa State
-University of Illinois
-University of Missouri
And then anywhere between 1-3 of the overseas schools Univeristy of Dublin, University of Edinburgh, or RVC London.

I’m not applying to my IS UPenn for multiple reasons, so I’m a little worried about being all OOS.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Ahh yes I will go back and reformat my original post so people can read it. That’s what I get for writing it super late at night.

I have 2 LOR already requested from people I asked a few months back, including my academic advisor, who has had me in several bio classes, and the small animal vet that I shadowed. I was planning on also asking the equine vet I’m shadowing this summer, and my boss at work (the caverns/farm animal care) as one of my schools requires an employer recommendation.

I’m currently looking at roughly ten schools but trying to narrow it down for finacial reasons.
-VAMD Regional
-NC state
-University of Tennessee
-University of Fl
-Iowa State
-University of Illinois
-University of Missouri
And then anywhere between 1-3 of the overseas schools Univeristy of Dublin, University of Edinburgh, or RVC London.

I’m not applying to my IS UPenn for multiple reasons, so I’m a little worried about being all OOS.

I would go ahead and apply to UPenn. Unless you're super super against living in Philly I know they've given out several scholarships. I'd encourage you to talk more to penwees @staff_wielder @Skimble goes there too I think ugh IDK Raf's tag is since I'm on mobile.

 

[EquusObsessed]

I would go ahead and apply to UPenn. Unless you're super super against living in Philly I know they've given out several scholarships. I'd encourage you to talk more to penwees @staff_wielder @Skimble goes there too I think ugh IDK Raf's tag is since I'm on mobile.

A good part of it is against living in Philly, but a LOT of it is financials. I didn’t know they did scholarships- that makes me a bit more willing to consider it. Just looking at the 60-90k in tuition/academic expenses as an IS compared to almost half that in some places as an OOS turned me off the school a bit. As well as New Bolton being almost an hour away, and my own desire to move south where winter doesn’t exist

 

[MixedAnimals77]

A good part of it is against living in Philly, but a LOT of it is financials. I didn’t know they did scholarships- that makes me a bit more willing to consider it. Just looking at the 60-90k in tuition/academic expenses as an IS compared to almost half that in some places as an OOS turned me off the school a bit. As well as New Bolton being almost an hour away, and my own desire to move south where winter doesn’t exist

I totally get the financial thing. Reasons I'm not going to my IS. Got check out the 2022 thread for Penn-I think one person got a fully ride in there somewhere

 

[SkiOtter]

I would go ahead and apply to UPenn. Unless you're super super against living in Philly I know they've given out several scholarships. I'd encourage you to talk more to penwees @staff_wielder @Skimble goes there too I think ugh IDK Raf's tag is since I'm on mobile.

@raf2769

 

[SkiOtter]

A good part of it is against living in Philly, but a LOT of it is financials. I didn’t know they did scholarships- that makes me a bit more willing to consider it. Just looking at the 60-90k in tuition/academic expenses as an IS compared to almost half that in some places as an OOS turned me off the school a bit. As well as New Bolton being almost an hour away, and my own desire to move south where winter doesn’t exist

I would also still recommend applying there because if you got it and it could still actually be a cheaper option than some places and yes you may want to move south, but it’s only four more years and then you can live wherever you want

 

[MixedAnimals77]

@raf2769

Thanks ski!

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

Ahh yes I will go back and reformat my original post so people can read it. That’s what I get for writing it super late at night.

I have 2 LOR already requested from people I asked a few months back, including my academic advisor, who has had me in several bio classes, and the small animal vet that I shadowed. I was planning on also asking the equine vet I’m shadowing this summer, and my boss at work (the caverns/farm animal care) as one of my schools requires an employer recommendation.

I’m currently looking at roughly ten schools but trying to narrow it down for finacial reasons.
-VAMD Regional
-NC state
-University of Tennessee
-University of Fl
-Iowa State
-University of Illinois
-University of Missouri
And then anywhere between 1-3 of the overseas schools Univeristy of Dublin, University of Edinburgh, or RVC London.

I’m not applying to my IS UPenn for multiple reasons, so I’m a little worried about being all OOS.

Also a PA resident here who applied last cycle. I did not apply to Penn but applied OOS to 8 schools. Applying OOS can be a bit of an uphill battle, just to be completely honest. I ended up rejected from 3 schools, waitlisted at 4, and accepted to only 1, which was international. I was ultimately pulled off the waitlist to two schools, and I am attending UFCVM in the fall, which according to VIN Cost of Education map is $75,000 cheaper than going to Penn. I don't personally regret my decision, but I decided going into it that I would rather not go to vet school than pay full tuition at Penn. I also thought it would be hard for me to turn away an acceptance at Penn if I only got in there and nowhere else, even though logically I knew it would be financially devastating. That's really a personal call though, and your thoughts may be different. I really wasn't aware of the scholarships at the time, so it may be worth applying just to see if you can get one.

 

[Georgethecat]

Ahh yes I will go back and reformat my original post so people can read it. That’s what I get for writing it super late at night.

I have 2 LOR already requested from people I asked a few months back, including my academic advisor, who has had me in several bio classes, and the small animal vet that I shadowed. I was planning on also asking the equine vet I’m shadowing this summer, and my boss at work (the caverns/farm animal care) as one of my schools requires an employer recommendation.

I’m currently looking at roughly ten schools but trying to narrow it down for finacial reasons.
-VAMD Regional
-NC state
-University of Tennessee
-University of Fl
-Iowa State
-University of Illinois
-University of Missouri
And then anywhere between 1-3 of the overseas schools Univeristy of Dublin, University of Edinburgh, or RVC London.

I’m not applying to my IS UPenn for multiple reasons, so I’m a little worried about being all OOS.

Check out these websites for cost comparison, but always follow up with the vet school's actual website for the most up to date information. Also check out other posts in the forum for an up to date list of schools that let you switch to IS tuition after the first year.

Exploring the Cost of a Veterinary Medical Education

Student Debt Center - VIN

 

[EquusObsessed]

Also a PA resident here who applied last cycle. I did not apply to Penn but applied OOS to 8 schools. Applying OOS can be a bit of an uphill battle, just to be completely honest. I ended up rejected from 3 schools, waitlisted at 4, and accepted to only 1, which was international. I was ultimately pulled off the waitlist to two schools, and I am attending UFCVM in the fall, which according to VIN Cost of Education map is $75,000 cheaper than going to Penn. I don't personally regret my decision, but I decided going into it that I would rather not go to vet school than pay full tuition at Penn. I also thought it would be hard for me to turn away an acceptance at Penn if I only got in there and nowhere else, even though logically I knew it would be financially devastating. That's really a personal call though, and your thoughts may be different. I really wasn't aware of the scholarships at the time, so it may be worth applying just to see if you can get one.

This was my thinking. I’m also struggling to scrape up the money to pay for applications to begin with, so if I apply to UPenn (knowing I’d rather go almost anywhere UNLESS they give me a really good scholarship) I have to give up applying to another, more financially feasible school.

 

[davi7010]

Hello,

I'm looking for advice on which school I may have a chance at an acceptance. I struggled with endocrine issues through high school and my undergrad, which has reflected in my grades. I had given up on my chances at vet school because of these limitations. However, over the last year or so I have improved quite a bit, which is also showing in my grades.

Anyways, schools that are looking at an 'average GPA' are likely not an option for me. Even ones looking at the grades of individual prerequisites. I did find the Melbourne vet school which looks at 300 and 400 level courses at a 25:75 ratio. This is extremely beneficial to me, but studying in Australia is also extremely expensive. I am applying to Melbourne but I am looking for other schools I can apply to as well. For North American schools, I have time to repeat some courses before the next round of acceptances if that would benefit me.

So my questions are:

Are there any North American vet schools with a similar focus on 400 level courses that I may have a chance with?

Are there any North American vet school advisers (in general, not from specific schools) that I could speak with to help me determine which schools I could be eligible for and what I need to do for them?

If I do end up with an acceptance to Melbourne, are there any North American schools I could transfer to after a year or two because of the cost?

Thanks for your help!

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

Hello,

I'm looking for advice on which school I may have a chance at an acceptance. I struggled with endocrine issues through high school and my undergrad, which has reflected in my grades. I had given up on my chances at vet school because of these limitations. However, over the last year or so I have improved quite a bit, which is also showing in my grades.

Anyways, schools that are looking at an 'average GPA' are likely not an option for me. Even ones looking at the grades of individual prerequisites. I did find the Melbourne vet school which looks at 300 and 400 level courses at a 25:75 ratio. This is extremely beneficial to me, but studying in Australia is also extremely expensive. I am applying to Melbourne but I am looking for other schools I can apply to as well. For North American schools, I have time to repeat some courses before the next round of acceptances if that would benefit me.

So my questions are:

Are there any North American vet schools with a similar focus on 400 level courses that I may have a chance with?

Are there any North American vet school advisers (in general, not from specific schools) that I could speak with to help me determine which schools I could be eligible for and what I need to do for them?

If I do end up with an acceptance to Melbourne, are there any North American schools I could transfer to after a year or two because of the cost?

Thanks for your help!

The short answer is no, there are no North American schools that focus only on 400 level courses as far as I know. There are some vet schools in the US however that focus on last 45 hours GPA or do not factor GPA into final admissions decisions (although they are looked at earlier in the process). I think in order to give you any specific advice, some additional info would be needed. Where are you from? What are your cumumlative, science, and last 45 hour GPAs? How much veterinary and animal experience do you have? Have you finished most of your pre-reqs or do you still need to take many classes? If you have already taken pre-reqs, how did you do in those classes?

 

[davi7010]

The short answer is no, there are no North American schools that focus only on 400 level courses as far as I know. There are some vet schools in the US however that focus on last 45 hours GPA or do not factor GPA into final admissions decisions (although they are looked at earlier in the process). I think in order to give you any specific advice, some additional info would be needed. Where are you from? What are your cumumlative, science, and last 45 hour GPAs? How much veterinary and animal experience do you have? Have you finished most of your pre-reqs or do you still need to take many classes? If you have already taken pre-reqs, how did you do in those classes?

Its fairly embarrassing, but I think to get the best advice I may as well show my grades so you can see what I am dealing with. I will paste my unofficial transcript below. I'm from Ontario, Canada and my school uses a 12 point GPA scale. I am finishing the last 2 courses of my BSc this summer. The last 3 summers I have worked at a dog rescue with full time vet techs and vets that come in when needed. Though most of that experience was behavioral, I did assist with the medical as much as possible. I did a semestewr coop in high school shadowing a vet from a small animal practice.

Like I said, I have time before the next round of applications. I have put my job with the rescue on hold as I am assuming I will need to spend most of the year improving grades and getting more recent experience with different veterinarians.


Term Subject Course Title Grade Credit Hours R
Spring 2018 BI 405 Community Ecology 000 0.50
Spring 2018 CH 350 Biochemistry I 000 0.50

Fall 2013
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 110 Waterloo UG Unifying Life Processes A-
CH 110 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Chemistry I C-
MA 100 Waterloo UG Intro Calc for Natural Science D
PC 141 Waterloo UG Mechanics for Life Sciences F
PS 101 Waterloo UG Introduction to Psychology I A-
Overall 5.20

Winter 2014
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 111 Waterloo UG Biological Diversity Evolution B
CH 111 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Chemistry II D-
CL 101 Waterloo UG The Greek World C
GG 101 Waterloo UG Intro. to Physical Geography B-
Overall 5.22

Fall 2014
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 236 Waterloo UG Cell & Molecular Biology C
BI 266 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Plants C-
BI 276 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Microbes C
CH 202 Waterloo UG Organic Chem 1: Fundamentals C-
MA 101 Waterloo UG Calculus I for Natural Science C
Overall 5.00

Winter 2015
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 2
BI 226 Waterloo UG Genetics C
BI 256 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Animals C-
BI 296 Waterloo UG Comm/Critical Thinking in Bio C-
PS 102 Online Learning UG Introduction to Psychology II D-
Overall 4.67

Fall 2015
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 2
BI 358 Waterloo UG Animal Form & Function C-
HN 210 Waterloo UG Human Anatomy D
PC 141 Waterloo UG Mechanics for Life Sciences D-
PS 263 Online Learning UG Biopsychology B+
PS 271 Waterloo UG Personality B+
Overall 4.95

Winter 2016
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 338 Waterloo UG Cells: Form & Function C-
BI 346 Waterloo UG Advanced Molecular Biology D+
CH 250 Waterloo UG Bioorganic Chemistry C
PS 260 Online Learning UG Intro to Cognitive Psych B
Overall 4.96

Fall 2016
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 330 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Histology C
BI 417 Waterloo UG Immunology D+
BI 470 Waterloo UG Biomedical Virology B-
MA 241 Waterloo UG Stat Methods for Life Sciences D+
PS 280 Online Learning UG Abnormal Psychology A-
Overall 5.06

Winter 2017
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 400 Waterloo UG Topics in Environ. Toxicology A-
BI 456 Waterloo UG Environ. Physiology of Animals B
BI 459 Waterloo UG Endocrinology B-
CH 203 Waterloo UG Organic Chem II: Structure F
Overall 5.20

Winter 2018
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 396V Waterloo UG Water Policy B+
BI 464 Waterloo UG Plants and People A
BI 468 Waterloo UG Plant Biodiversity & Conserv. A-
CH 203 Waterloo UG Organic Chem II: Structure C
Overall 5.71

 

[RedLauren]

Its fairly embarrassing, but I think to get the best advice I may as well show my grades so you can see what I am dealing with. I will paste my unofficial transcript below. I'm from Ontario, Canada and my school uses a 12 point GPA scale. I am finishing the last 2 courses of my BSc this summer. The last 3 summers I have worked at a dog rescue with full time vet techs and vets that come in when needed. Though most of that experience was behavioral, I did assist with the medical as much as possible. I did a semestewr coop in high school shadowing a vet from a small animal practice.

Like I said, I have time before the next round of applications. I have put my job with the rescue on hold as I am assuming I will need to spend most of the year improving grades and getting more recent experience with different veterinarians.


Term Subject Course Title Grade Credit Hours R
Spring 2018 BI 405 Community Ecology 000 0.50
Spring 2018 CH 350 Biochemistry I 000 0.50

Fall 2013
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 110 Waterloo UG Unifying Life Processes A-
CH 110 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Chemistry I C-
MA 100 Waterloo UG Intro Calc for Natural Science D
PC 141 Waterloo UG Mechanics for Life Sciences F
PS 101 Waterloo UG Introduction to Psychology I A-
Overall 5.20

Winter 2014
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 111 Waterloo UG Biological Diversity Evolution B
CH 111 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Chemistry II D-
CL 101 Waterloo UG The Greek World C
GG 101 Waterloo UG Intro. to Physical Geography B-
Overall 5.22

Fall 2014
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 236 Waterloo UG Cell & Molecular Biology C
BI 266 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Plants C-
BI 276 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Microbes C
CH 202 Waterloo UG Organic Chem 1: Fundamentals C-
MA 101 Waterloo UG Calculus I for Natural Science C
Overall 5.00

Winter 2015
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 2
BI 226 Waterloo UG Genetics C
BI 256 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Animals C-
BI 296 Waterloo UG Comm/Critical Thinking in Bio C-
PS 102 Online Learning UG Introduction to Psychology II D-
Overall 4.67

Fall 2015
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 2
BI 358 Waterloo UG Animal Form & Function C-
HN 210 Waterloo UG Human Anatomy D
PC 141 Waterloo UG Mechanics for Life Sciences D-
PS 263 Online Learning UG Biopsychology B+
PS 271 Waterloo UG Personality B+
Overall 4.95

Winter 2016
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 338 Waterloo UG Cells: Form & Function C-
BI 346 Waterloo UG Advanced Molecular Biology D+
CH 250 Waterloo UG Bioorganic Chemistry C
PS 260 Online Learning UG Intro to Cognitive Psych B
Overall 4.96

Fall 2016
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 330 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Histology C
BI 417 Waterloo UG Immunology D+
BI 470 Waterloo UG Biomedical Virology B-
MA 241 Waterloo UG Stat Methods for Life Sciences D+
PS 280 Online Learning UG Abnormal Psychology A-
Overall 5.06

Winter 2017
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 400 Waterloo UG Topics in Environ. Toxicology A-
BI 456 Waterloo UG Environ. Physiology of Animals B
BI 459 Waterloo UG Endocrinology B-
CH 203 Waterloo UG Organic Chem II: Structure F
Overall 5.20

Winter 2018
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 396V Waterloo UG Water Policy B+
BI 464 Waterloo UG Plants and People A
BI 468 Waterloo UG Plant Biodiversity & Conserv. A-
CH 203 Waterloo UG Organic Chem II: Structure C
Overall 5.71

That is a lot of information to sift thru. You might want to just put down the 3 major GPAS (cum, last 45, Sci). You’re probably going to need to calculate the last two yourself and convert all of them to the American 4.0 scale. There are some websites that can help with the calculation. Once you know those numbers it’ll be much easier to visualize what needs improvement.

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

Its fairly embarrassing, but I think to get the best advice I may as well show my grades so you can see what I am dealing with. I will paste my unofficial transcript below. I'm from Ontario, Canada and my school uses a 12 point GPA scale. I am finishing the last 2 courses of my BSc this summer. The last 3 summers I have worked at a dog rescue with full time vet techs and vets that come in when needed. Though most of that experience was behavioral, I did assist with the medical as much as possible. I did a semestewr coop in high school shadowing a vet from a small animal practice.

Like I said, I have time before the next round of applications. I have put my job with the rescue on hold as I am assuming I will need to spend most of the year improving grades and getting more recent experience with different veterinarians.


Term Subject Course Title Grade Credit Hours R
Spring 2018 BI 405 Community Ecology 000 0.50
Spring 2018 CH 350 Biochemistry I 000 0.50

Fall 2013
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 110 Waterloo UG Unifying Life Processes A-
CH 110 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Chemistry I C-
MA 100 Waterloo UG Intro Calc for Natural Science D
PC 141 Waterloo UG Mechanics for Life Sciences F
PS 101 Waterloo UG Introduction to Psychology I A-
Overall 5.20

Winter 2014
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 111 Waterloo UG Biological Diversity Evolution B
CH 111 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Chemistry II D-
CL 101 Waterloo UG The Greek World C
GG 101 Waterloo UG Intro. to Physical Geography B-
Overall 5.22

Fall 2014
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 1
BI 236 Waterloo UG Cell & Molecular Biology C
BI 266 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Plants C-
BI 276 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Microbes C
CH 202 Waterloo UG Organic Chem 1: Fundamentals C-
MA 101 Waterloo UG Calculus I for Natural Science C
Overall 5.00

Winter 2015
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 2
BI 226 Waterloo UG Genetics C
BI 256 Waterloo UG Life on Earth: Animals C-
BI 296 Waterloo UG Comm/Critical Thinking in Bio C-
PS 102 Online Learning UG Introduction to Psychology II D-
Overall 4.67

Fall 2015
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 2
BI 358 Waterloo UG Animal Form & Function C-
HN 210 Waterloo UG Human Anatomy D
PC 141 Waterloo UG Mechanics for Life Sciences D-
PS 263 Online Learning UG Biopsychology B+
PS 271 Waterloo UG Personality B+
Overall 4.95

Winter 2016
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 338 Waterloo UG Cells: Form & Function C-
BI 346 Waterloo UG Advanced Molecular Biology D+
CH 250 Waterloo UG Bioorganic Chemistry C
PS 260 Online Learning UG Intro to Cognitive Psych B
Overall 4.96

Fall 2016
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 330 Waterloo UG Fundamentals of Histology C
BI 417 Waterloo UG Immunology D+
BI 470 Waterloo UG Biomedical Virology B-
MA 241 Waterloo UG Stat Methods for Life Sciences D+
PS 280 Online Learning UG Abnormal Psychology A-
Overall 5.06

Winter 2017
Program: General Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 400 Waterloo UG Topics in Environ. Toxicology A-
BI 456 Waterloo UG Environ. Physiology of Animals B
BI 459 Waterloo UG Endocrinology B-
CH 203 Waterloo UG Organic Chem II: Structure F
Overall 5.20

Winter 2018
Program: Honours Bachelor of Science Year: 3
BI 396V Waterloo UG Water Policy B+
BI 464 Waterloo UG Plants and People A
BI 468 Waterloo UG Plant Biodiversity & Conserv. A-
CH 203 Waterloo UG Organic Chem II: Structure C
Overall 5.71

I just looked at your ending overall because the 12 point thing confuses me.
According to this website, your overall is currently sitting around between 2.0-2.3 on our scale.

I'll be honest, I do not believe this will be competitive at any U.S. school, especially since many of them have a minimum of 3.0 GPA; some even higher. Even the schools that do not use GPA as an admitting factor still have a minimum of at least 3.0. Note, this is for a good reason. A lot of veterinary courses are brutal, people can and do flunk them, and even fail out of vet school altogether. I would suggest you sure you can consistently maintain your grades at a higher level before going through the application cycle.

Also, consider a graduate program, or perhaps Ross' vet prep program, if you are not able to raise your GPA to where you would like.

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

If I do end up with an acceptance to Melbourne, are there any North American schools I could transfer to after a year or two because of the cost?

Thanks for your help!

Didn't see this at first. @DVMDream ?

 

[davi7010]

I just looked at your ending overall because the 12 point thing confuses me.
According to website, your overall is currently sitting around between 2.0-2.3 on our scale.

I'll be honest, I do not believe this will be competitive at any U.S. school, especially since many of them have a minimum of 3.0 GPA; some even higher. Even the schools that do not use GPA as an admitting factor still have a minimum of at least 3.0. Note, this is for a good reason. A lot of veterinary courses are brutal, people can and do flunk them, and even fail out of vet school altogether. I would suggest you sure you can consistently maintain your grades at a higher level before going through the application cycle.

Also, consider a graduate program, or perhaps Ross' vet prep program, if you are not able to raise your GPA to where you would like.

Each of my courses are listed as 0.5 credits, how many make up the last 45?

I am definitely interested in taking a year to improve my grades and better prepare myself for veterinary school. Do you know of any North American graduate or pre-vet programs I may be eligible for that would help my chances?

Thank you

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

Each of my courses are listed as 0.5 credits, how many make up the last 45?

I am definitely interested in taking a year to improve my grades and better prepare myself for veterinary school. Do you know of any North American graduate or pre-vet programs I may be eligible for that would help my chances?

Thank you

Not sure on the credits. You may have a different credit system (typically 15 credits/semester which equivilates to 1.5 years)

Any master program could be an option. Unfortunately there are so many masters programs out there it would be hard to pinpoint just a few, and they may have all sorts of different requirements. If it is something you are interested in, just browse through graduate programs at whichever universities you would be interested in attending. Colorado has some cool ones but if you are in Canada perhaps it is better to stay in your country.

 

[SkiOtter]

Colorado has some cool ones but if you are in Canada perhaps it is better to stay in your country.

Absolutely stay in province if possible because you’ll get much cheaper tuition.
Also, some vet schools don’t count grad work into your GPAs and some only count a certain amount into them, so check with the schools

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

Each of my courses are listed as 0.5 credits, how many make up the last 45?

I am definitely interested in taking a year to improve my grades and better prepare myself for veterinary school. Do you know of any North American graduate or pre-vet programs I may be eligible for that would help my chances?

Thank you

If you are trying to go to your in-province school (you said you're from Ontario, so Ontario Veterinary College?), I would suggest contacting them directly to see if they will be willing to help you with what you need to do/improve. If you are looking at US vet schools, it will likely take you (and I would highly recommend taking) more than a year to be prepared to apply. First of all, you can't apply to any US vet school with less than a C in any given pre-req, so for you that means re-taking Chem I, Chem II, OChem I, and whatever counts as General Biology courses for your school (the Life on Earth courses?). You'll then have to add taking Physics I and II and any additional pre-reqs for whatever vet school you're interested in. In addition, to raise your GPA to the minimum 3.00 GPA, you'd need to take roughly 18 credit hours (36 courses) and earn all A's. You don't need to participate in any particular graduate or pre-vet programs for this; you can take these courses as a non-degree-seeking student. On top of this, you should be gaining veterinary experience in a wide range of settings (large, small, exotics, equine, wildlife, etc.).

 

[davi7010]

That is a lot of information to sift thru. You might want to just put down the 3 major GPAS (cum, last 45, Sci). You’re probably going to need to calculate the last two yourself and convert all of them to the American 4.0 scale. There are some websites that can help with the calculation. Once you know those numbers it’ll be much easier to visualize what needs improvement.

It looks like my cumulative GPA is ~2.0 - 2.1, my last 45 GPA (if calculated properly) is ~2.8 - 2.9
For the science GPA, which courses are included? Biology, chemistry, physics, math, psychology, geography?

 

[davi7010]

Absolutely stay in province if possible because you’ll get much cheaper tuition.
Also, some vet schools don’t count grad work into your GPAs and some only count a certain amount into them, so check with the schools

Unfortunately, the only school in province is Guelph, which I definitely do not have a shot at. The other Canadian schools are for the other provinces, so it may be best for me to go to the US. It will be more expensive but it is still cheaper to stay in North America and it has more options

 

[DVMDream]

Didn't see this at first. @DVMDream ?

Can't answer this, too many variables when it comes to transferring. I've also never looked at the Australian schools so don't know their curriculum.

 

[SkiOtter]

Unfortunately, the only school in province is Guelph, which I definitely do not have a shot at. The other Canadian schools are for the other provinces, so it may be best for me to go to the US. It will be more expensive but it is still cheaper to stay in North America and it has more options

I meant for any sort of graduate program to raise your gpa. Don’t go internationally for that. Keep your tuition costs (and debt) down in case you have to go internationally for vet school.

 

[kittylady03]

hi everyone! I have been stressing out a little about admissions this past week so I wanted to throw this out there for feedback and advice.
rising junior at University of New Hampshire (super early but I like to be proactive)
Animal Science major
RI resident
current GPA: 3.57, mostly A's and B's except a C in organic chemistry I (A in organic chemistry II)
will be retaking organic chemistry I to improve my grade. will be taking classes such as animal nutrition, animal genetics, diseases of multiple ag species, pathologic basis of disease, endocrinology, upper-level physiology, physics, biochemistry. already took microbiology, calculus, statistics.
veterinary experience: 1 hour so far (haven't had luck finding veterinarians to work with/shadow)
participating in Tufts Adventures in Veterinary Medicine program this summer

does anyone have advice on classes that I'm taking (i.e. taking something else to make my application stronger) and finding veterinary experience? I have some jobs/opportunities lined up for this upcoming academic year, but I'm nervous that I won't meet the 500 average hours
also, I'm traveling to Egypt for four weeks this summer and have the chance to shadow veterinarians there. would this make my application strong, even if I only shadow for maybe 6-10 hours?

thanks and good luck to everyone applying this year 🙂

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

hi everyone! I have been stressing out a little about admissions this past week so I wanted to throw this out there for feedback and advice.
rising junior at University of New Hampshire (super early but I like to be proactive)
Animal Science major
RI resident
current GPA: 3.57, mostly A's and B's except a C in organic chemistry I (A in organic chemistry II)
will be retaking organic chemistry I to improve my grade. will be taking classes such as animal nutrition, animal genetics, diseases of multiple ag species, pathologic basis of disease, endocrinology, upper-level physiology, physics, biochemistry. already took microbiology, calculus, statistics.
veterinary experience: 1 hour so far (haven't had luck finding veterinarians to work with/shadow)
participating in Tufts Adventures in Veterinary Medicine program this summer

does anyone have advice on classes that I'm taking (i.e. taking something else to make my application stronger) and finding veterinary experience? I have some jobs/opportunities lined up for this upcoming academic year, but I'm nervous that I won't meet the 500 average hours
also, I'm traveling to Egypt for four weeks this summer and have the chance to shadow veterinarians there. would this make my application strong, even if I only shadow for maybe 6-10 hours?

thanks and good luck to everyone applying this year 🙂

So the classes you are taking look fine. Just be sure to do well in them. My biggest concern, which you identified yourself, is your lack of veterinary hours. 6-10 hours in Egypt is not really going to strengthen your application. Here are some past threads with advice on how to get more veterinary experience:

How to ask a veterinarian if you can shadow/volunteer for them?
Shadowing help?
Veterinary experience

 

[kittylady03]

So the classes you are taking look fine. Just be sure to do well in them. My biggest concern, which you identified yourself, is your lack of veterinary hours. 6-10 hours in Egypt is not really going to strengthen your application. Here are some past threads with advice on how to get more veterinary experience:

How to ask a veterinarian if you can shadow/volunteer for them?
Shadowing help?
Veterinary experience

Thank you for these forums! I wouldn’t be relying on the experiences in Egypt as the majority of vet experience. I just thought maybe it would give me a diversity element since I’m half Egyptian? It was a random thought I had.
As for veterinary experience, the forum mostly talked about shadowing small animal clinics. Would it be beneficial to also complete a pre-vet internship at an aquarium (Mystic or New England)? I’ve read about the responsibilities and tasks of the internships and they directly state “work under supervision of veterinarian.” I would aim for an internship at a zoo but my local zoos do not offer internships under veterinarians.

 

[SkiOtter]

Thank you for these forums! I wouldn’t be relying on the experiences in Egypt as the majority of vet experience. I just thought maybe it would give me a diversity element since I’m half Egyptian? It was a random thought I had.

It obviously wouldn’t add a substantial vet experience to your app, but I think it could be fun to do and if you get an interview when you apply that it could be an interesting talking point. I say go for it, even though it’s only a smaller amount of hours because it’s a unique experience.

 

[DVMoftheFuture]

Thank you for these forums! I wouldn’t be relying on the experiences in Egypt as the majority of vet experience. I just thought maybe it would give me a diversity element since I’m half Egyptian? It was a random thought I had.
As for veterinary experience, the forum mostly talked about shadowing small animal clinics. Would it be beneficial to also complete a pre-vet internship at an aquarium (Mystic or New England)? I’ve read about the responsibilities and tasks of the internships and they directly state “work under supervision of veterinarian.” I would aim for an internship at a zoo but my local zoos do not offer internships under veterinarians.

Yep, a vet internship at an aquarium is a great idea! Vet schools not only look at how many hours you have but also at the diversity of those hours, and an aquarium internship would be a great way to add diversity!

 

[falco_borealis]

21 year old, Female, IS Wisconsin
I just decided I wanted to be a veterinarian after finishing my sophomore year of undergrad and have been working super hard this last year to get tons of experience in and keep my grades up. I want to go into veterinary science and research which I feel is reflected really well on my essay responses. I will be applying to at least: Wisconsin, Missouri, Tufts, UC Davis

Major: Biology & Chemistry, Minor: GIS and Environmental Studies
Overall GPA: 3.50 (current)
Science and Last 45: 3.72
I have not taken the GRE yet but my average on practice exams are 160/160 so I am hoping for somewhere around there

Veterinary Experience:
~300 hrs Small Animal Practice with Feline Rescue component
25 hrs with Laboratory Vets at a Medical Teaching Hospital
80 hrs International Conservation Organization
~15 hrs Large Animal

Animal Experience:
300+ hrs volunteering with my local Humane Association
I wrote a grant with my DVM mentor to start a Trap and Sterilize program for some local cat colonies which has been fully funded and will begin this coming year, not really sure how to highlight that on my application (Where to include scientific funding in general on the VMCA? Achievements or just list under Research experience like publications?)
~100+ hrs pet sitting, including for many friends on campus since my school allows pets 🙂
480 hrs Falcon Husbandry and Bird Banding
50 hrs Grey Wolf Howl Surveys (not sure if this is animal experience or research?)
15 hrs Volunteering at Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand

Work experience:
Barista (3 months, summer job)
Sea Kayak Guide (3 months, summer job)

Research:
3000+ hrs Raptor research in physiology, behavior, breeding habitat (multiple presentations and science posters and over $5,000 in grant funding)
500 hrs native plant research for my local Native American reservation Natural Resource Department examining the effects of Swan herbivory on seed production
800 hrs wildlife monitoring in the Kalahari Desert for my study abroad program, presented research to Botswana Government
100 hrs quality assurance for the Wisconsin Bird Breeding Atlas
80 hrs trapping and surveying for radio collared Snowshoe Hare (not sure if animal experience or research)

Extracurriculars from college:
Volunteer with local elderly outreach (raking,shoveling) ~40 hrs
Peacemaker Training counselor ~200 hrs
Active member and now Secretary of Student Council (many many hours over my undergrad career)
Orchestra memer (first 2 years)
Wildlife Society Student Chapter member (4 years)
Tutor for underprivileged Elementary Students after school ~85 hrs
Environmental Council member (4 years)
Assist with transfer of pets about to be euthanized from shelters to the shelter I work for using Pilots for Paws chartered flights ~10 hrs
GIS tutor
Write science in the news column for school paper

I guess that's all for now!! My main concerns is being able to communicate my plans to become a Veterinary Scientist and just hoping that my LORs are as good as I think/hope they will be! Really just interested in what others think my chances are like considering this will be my first application cycle and what schools I would be best suited for?

 

[SkiOtter]

I wrote a grant with my DVM mentor to start a Trap and Sterilize program for some local cat colonies which has been fully funded and will begin this coming year, not really sure how to highlight that on my application (Where to include scientific funding in general on the VMCA? Achievements or just list under Research experience like publications?)

Not sure where it would best fit, but research experience is not the place to put it because it is not research.

 

[RedLauren]

Not sure where it would best fit, but research experience is not the place to put it because it is not research.

Achievements?

 

[falco_borealis]

Not sure where it would best fit, but research experience is not the place to put it because it is not research.

I will plan on just listing the amount of money and general focus of the project under achievements I guess.

 

[SkiOtter]

I will plan on just listing the amount of money and general focus of the project under achievements I guess.

Achievements is probably the better place, but your two options listed were achievements or research and I was giving my opinion that it’s not research so prob not that option.

 

[falco_borealis]

Achievements is probably the better place, but your two options listed were achievements or research and I was giving my opinion that it’s not research so prob not that option.

Well, it is a study into the homeless animal population of my region that will collect data in order to produce a final thesis paper and poster at a veterinary conference. I would argue that any project with scientific publishing potential is a research position, especially if funded by research grants.

 

[SkiOtter]

Well, it is a study into the homeless animal population of my region that will collect data in order to produce a final thesis paper and poster at a veterinary conference. I would argue that any project with scientific publishing potential is a research position, especially if funded by research grants.

See, you didn’t mention this in your original post. How is ANYONE supposed to advise you on anything if you don’t include all the relevant information??????
Will YOU be doing the research? Is it a research grant or a grant just to start your TNR program, like from PetSmart Charities that you’re turning into something else?

Contact your in state to see where they want you to put it.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Hello everyone!

First time posting on here, I am applying for the 1st time this cycle. I am a non-traditional applicant and took almost a 2 year gap and started back to school last spring. My concerns are my low GPA 🙁 I did not do well with adjusting to college life after high school and it definitely showed while obtaining my Associate's Degree.
24 yr old applicant, Florida resident
- "Non-Degree" Seeking

Overall GPA: 3.04 (current), this has increased from a 2.77 from Spring 2017
Science and Last 45: ~3.3-3.4
GRE: Q 145/ V 145/ W 4.0 - I do plan on retaking it next month!

Veterinary experience:
All of my current experience is small animal GP, however I do plan on shadowing an equine vet and looking for food animal shadowing opportunities. I have been full-time for over 4 years.
Practice Manager - 2 years
Veterinary Assistant - 2 years
Total calculated - ~9,500

Animal Experience:
Customer Service/Bather at Dog Grooming facility - 4 years
Peggy Adam's Feline Rescue - 7 hrs
Pet Sitting - ~200 hrs

Work experience:
Bartender - 6 months
Barista at Cafe - 4 years

Research:
none

Extracurriculars:
Soccer team throughout high school - 4 years
Travel soccer league - 2 years
Volunteer at nursing home - 20 hrs
Volunteer at local church during Thanksgiving - 4 years or ~20 hrs
Volunteer as camp counselor at Christian summer camp - ~250 hrs

I obviously have concerns with my low GPA, however I am taking 12 credits this summer and this should boost my GPA closer to a 3.12 by the time applications are due. Can any one with a similar situation or just anyone provide some advice or input on how my chances are looking for this application cycle?

I plan to apply to:
University of Florida
Midwestern
Michigan Sate
Minnesota
LMU
Colorado State

Thanks for the advice everyone!!

I definately like where you are going with your exeriences and your previous experience seems solid so you hopefully have an idea with what it all is really about. Your GPA does concern me. You need to kill all your credits and get A's in them I think to really stand a chance, even then I'm not sure what that would boost your last 45 GPA to. I'm concerned with some of the schools you chose...I think UF is great- your IS. MSU is a great choice because as long as you havea 3.0 that's all they care about as far as GPA goes. CSU I would rethink because this is directly from their website "Given the current statistics of admitted candidates, few applicants are admitted with a GPA below 3.2." Really do your research and evaluate each school you plan to apply to and do your research. You've also picked some very expensive OOS schools are you ready to take on $300k+ of debt and have it affect your life for the next at least 10years is not longer? Obviously no one can predict how you will rank within the upcoming applicant pool, but your GPA will most likely hinder you for some schools. Apply wisely is my best advice and kill it in school. Check out this thread to kind of give you a comparison and see if you can find others with similar GPAs and where they applied Successful Applicants Stats - Class of 2022

 

[MixedAnimals77]

21 year old, Female, IS Wisconsin
I just decided I wanted to be a veterinarian after finishing my sophomore year of undergrad and have been working super hard this last year to get tons of experience in and keep my grades up. I want to go into veterinary science and research which I feel is reflected really well on my essay responses. I will be applying to at least: Wisconsin, Missouri, Tufts, UC Davis

Major: Biology & Chemistry, Minor: GIS and Environmental Studies
Overall GPA: 3.50 (current)
Science and Last 45: 3.72
I have not taken the GRE yet but my average on practice exams are 160/160 so I am hoping for somewhere around there

Veterinary Experience:
~300 hrs Small Animal Practice with Feline Rescue component
25 hrs with Laboratory Vets at a Medical Teaching Hospital
80 hrs International Conservation Organization
~15 hrs Large Animal

Animal Experience:
300+ hrs volunteering with my local Humane Association
I wrote a grant with my DVM mentor to start a Trap and Sterilize program for some local cat colonies which has been fully funded and will begin this coming year, not really sure how to highlight that on my application (Where to include scientific funding in general on the VMCA? Achievements or just list under Research experience like publications?)
~100+ hrs pet sitting, including for many friends on campus since my school allows pets 🙂
480 hrs Falcon Husbandry and Bird Banding
50 hrs Grey Wolf Howl Surveys (not sure if this is animal experience or research?)
15 hrs Volunteering at Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand

Work experience:
Barista (3 months, summer job)
Sea Kayak Guide (3 months, summer job)

Research:
3000+ hrs Raptor research in physiology, behavior, breeding habitat (multiple presentations and science posters and over $5,000 in grant funding)
500 hrs native plant research for my local Native American reservation Natural Resource Department examining the effects of Swan herbivory on seed production
800 hrs wildlife monitoring in the Kalahari Desert for my study abroad program, presented research to Botswana Government
100 hrs quality assurance for the Wisconsin Bird Breeding Atlas
80 hrs trapping and surveying for radio collared Snowshoe Hare (not sure if animal experience or research)

Extracurriculars from college:
Volunteer with local elderly outreach (raking,shoveling) ~40 hrs
Peacemaker Training counselor ~200 hrs
Active member and now Secretary of Student Council (many many hours over my undergrad career)
Orchestra memer (first 2 years)
Wildlife Society Student Chapter member (4 years)
Tutor for underprivileged Elementary Students after school ~85 hrs
Environmental Council member (4 years)
Assist with transfer of pets about to be euthanized from shelters to the shelter I work for using Pilots for Paws chartered flights ~10 hrs
GIS tutor
Write science in the news column for school paper

I guess that's all for now!! My main concerns is being able to communicate my plans to become a Veterinary Scientist and just hoping that my LORs are as good as I think/hope they will be! Really just interested in what others think my chances are like considering this will be my first application cycle and what schools I would be best suited for?

I think you stand a decent chance of admittance somewhere and most likely and hopefully your IS. As far as schools you're best suited for there's really no answer for that. Most people don't get to pick a vet school, vet school picks them. Just make sure you do your research into how the schools evaluate you and see if you stand a chance. (Ex:UC Davis for OSS interviews- The Admissions Committee will rank your application based on your GPA’s (most recent 45 semester units & overall VMCAS science GPA), highest quantitative GRE score, and three letters of recommendation.The top 180 interviewees will be comprised of the top 10% of the non-resident applicant pool (approximately 50 applicants) and the top 25% (approximately) of California applicants.)

As far as wanting veterinary science and research and your goal after graduation is to do research you're most likely wanting to do a DVM/PhD combined program which is at least 7 years. If you're asking for schools with PhD or masters programs I think every vet school has some option and you just have to look into them. Research your schools before you apply particularly with cost in mind.

As for improvement, I woud definately get more vet shadowing hours as I think that is the area you are lacking in most. Especially when I think the average applicant had at least 500+ hours in that category if I remember right (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) and having over 1000 hours isn't that uncommon. You also sound like you have more of a general idea of what you want to do but I'm not reading that you understand the whole DVM/ PhD research aspect (maybe I'm wrong)- What is a veterinary scientist to you? You seem to have a great research background so I guess my actual concern is what is your end goal? If it's to do research would you be better off pursuing a PhD only and avoiding the DVM debt? Something to think about. I also question why you're concerned with your LORs. Did you make sure to ask them for a good LOR? Obviously it's a bit nervewracking not seeing what other people are writing about you to these random people on the committees, but if you have a strong connection with these people, dedication, and work ethic those people will shower you with wording love. Trust me.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

@MixedAnimals77 Just so you know, it is OOS, not OSS

 

[MixedAnimals77]

@MixedAnimals77 Just so you know, it is OOS, not OSS

Literally never noticed this I always thought Out of State Student not Out Of State. Plus being sleep deprived currently I'm very amused and fascinated by this revelation. Thanks!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Literally never noticed this I always thought Out of State Student not Out Of State. Plus being sleep deprived currently I'm very amused and fascinated by this revelation. Thanks!

Lol no prob!

 

[falco_borealis]

I think you stand a decent chance of admittance somewhere and most likely and hopefully your IS. As far as schools you're best suited for there's really no answer for that. Most people don't get to pick a vet school, vet school picks them. Just make sure you do your research into how the schools evaluate you and see if you stand a chance. (Ex:UC Davis for OSS interviews- The Admissions Committee will rank your application based on your GPA’s (most recent 45 semester units & overall VMCAS science GPA), highest quantitative GRE score, and three letters of recommendation.The top 180 interviewees will be comprised of the top 10% of the non-resident applicant pool (approximately 50 applicants) and the top 25% (approximately) of California applicants.)

As far as wanting veterinary science and research and your goal after graduation is to do research you're most likely wanting to do a DVM/PhD combined program which is at least 7 years. If you're asking for schools with PhD or masters programs I think every vet school has some option and you just have to look into them. Research your schools before you apply particularly with cost in mind.

As for improvement, I woud definately get more vet shadowing hours as I think that is the area you are lacking in most. Especially when I think the average applicant had at least 500+ hours in that category if I remember right (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) and having over 1000 hours isn't that uncommon. You also sound like you have more of a general idea of what you want to do but I'm not reading that you understand the whole DVM/ PhD research aspect (maybe I'm wrong)- What is a veterinary scientist to you? You seem to have a great research background so I guess my actual concern is what is your end goal? If it's to do research would you be better off pursuing a PhD only and avoiding the DVM debt? Something to think about. I also question why you're concerned with your LORs. Did you make sure to ask them for a good LOR? Obviously it's a bit nervewracking not seeing what other people are writing about you to these random people on the committees, but if you have a strong connection with these people, dedication, and work ethic those people will shower you with wording love. Trust me.

My goal would be to pursue a DVM in order to guide protocols for wildlife conservation efforts/ assisting with wildlife research projects around the world. It would be awesome if I could combine this with epidemiological studies and other population and diversity limiting factor studies from habitat changes to predator/prey interactions and so much more depending on where science guides me. I see your point about WHY do I need a DVM? I am really interested in advocacy for many animal groups from wildlife, to stray populations to ensuring livestock health in rural communities. I would be very interested in the ways I could combine these focuses with being a clinician..... But thats why I am also applying to some MS programs with the hopes of reapplying to a dual DVM/PhD when I have more advanced research and hopefully more vet hours, AND money saved!
I just think I'm paranoid about my LOR after hearing horror stories on here, it's really not rooted in reality most likely. You make a good point!

 

[MixedAnimals77]

My goal would be to pursue a DVM in order to guide protocols for wildlife conservation efforts/ assisting with wildlife research projects around the world. It would be awesome if I could combine this with epidemiological studies and other population and diversity limiting factor studies from habitat changes to predator/prey interactions and so much more depending on where science guides me. I see your point about WHY do I need a DVM? I am really interested in advocacy for many animal groups from wildlife, to stray populations to ensuring livestock health in rural communities. I would be very interested in the ways I could combine these focuses with being a clinician..... But thats why I am also applying to some MS programs with the hopes of reapplying to a dual DVM/PhD when I have more advanced research and hopefully more vet hours, AND money saved!
I just think I'm paranoid about my LOR after hearing horror stories on here, it's really not rooted in reality most likely. You make a good point!

I think if I were you I would just apply for the DVM/PhD straight out of the gate if that's what you want us waiting your time only applying DVM when you want research. I'm not sure pursuing a MS just for research purposes is the way to go-more tuition,etc especially when you already have a ton of research. However I'm not the best person to ask about combined programs. @Glammyre I think can talk more about combined programs or @supershorty

 

[SkiOtter]

I think if I were you I would just apply for the DVM/PhD straight out of the gate if that's what you want us waiting your time only applying DVM when you want research. I'm not sure pursuing a MS just for research purposes is the way to go-more tuition,etc especially when you already have a ton of research. However I'm not the best person to ask about combined programs. @Glammyre I think can talk more about combined programs or @supershorty

@Lupin21 is also in a combined DVM/PhD I believe and there’s a couple people on here who are doing DVM/masters in something programs.

But for research based masters programs, some grad schools have tuition waivers for them where it’s either cheaper or free to go (minus living expenses, but some give a stipend too)
If they already have a ton of research experience though, might just be easier to apply straight to Dvm/PhD programs if that’s the path they want to go.

 

[supershorty]

I see your point about WHY do I need a DVM? I am really interested in advocacy for many animal groups from wildlife, to stray populations to ensuring livestock health in rural communities. I would be very interested in the ways I could combine these focuses with being a clinician.....

Make sure you have a really clear understanding and articulate answer for this - or, more generally, why you need both degrees. That's a very consistent question in the DVM/PhD application process because either degree is a huge commitment, both is obviously more. You can do research as a DVM without having a PhD - why do you need both?

In one of my interviews I was asked derivations of that question at least 3 times.

Writing a grant that was fully funded is impressive - congrats - but agreed with the others that you should contact the programs to find out if that's something that you should put on your application. I'm not sure where it really fits - that's something the schools could advise on - but if nothing else, it's a great thing to talk about in essays or interviews.

 

[Glammyre]

I think if I were you I would just apply for the DVM/PhD straight out of the gate if that's what you want us waiting your time only applying DVM when you want research. I'm not sure pursuing a MS just for research purposes is the way to go-more tuition,etc especially when you already have a ton of research. However I'm not the best person to ask about combined programs. @Glammyre I think can talk more about combined programs or @supershorty

My situation's a little different since OKState's dual degree program didn't require a separate application from the regular veterinary one. Everyone takes years 1 and 2, and then people who are interested in research apply for the dual program in year 2. I started veterinary school interested in pathology, switched interests to public health in year 1, did a summer research program, and kept with research. I remember filling out the grad school application in year 2, but it's not nearly as stressful once you're already in veterinary school and everyone in the department already knows you for a year.

Agree with above that you want a good reason for pursuing both. In my case, I'm interested in One Health as a field and zoonotic diseases in particular. I won't have as good of a grasp of the statistics and epidemiologic tools to study disease in populations without a public health research degree, and I won't know as much about the spread and economic impact of diseases in animals without my veterinary degree. Both degrees are synergistic, and both have/will give me knowledge that could not be had as well by self-study.