When to give up the dream...is it time?

[bumble]

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Sorry this is so long....

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to give some details about my situation and see what you all think... This is such a hard decision and I'm so torn. It makes me cry every time I think about letting my lifelong dream of being a vet go, but I need to move on with the rest of my life eventually.
So I will be 28 later this year and my husband and I are expecting a little one in about a month...

I applied to OVC (only Cdn school I can apply to) in 2008, 2009 and 2011. In between those years I was working full time and after my last application, I finally found a good "big girl" job being done my MSc (though it wasn't a permanent position and now my contract has finished so I will need to find another job after my mat leave is up).
So basically I've been talking to some people (profs, students, admin people) and I have one more chance to apply so I wanted to do everything I can to give myself a good shot (I didn't get an interview the last time I applied).

But going through my stats, if I applied again with the same grades as I did the last three times, there's really no point in applying because requirements have been changed and averages have gone up and I wouldn't make it anywhere. I have to re write the MCAT regardless because my last marks expired since the last time I wrote it.

So I was thinking I'd redo most of my pre reqs and go back to school for 2 semesters (winter 14 and then fall 14). I'd still get a little bit of an income because in the winter I'd still be collecting mat benefits, but then in the fall I obviously wouldn't be able to work full time and I really don't want to put all that financial strain on my husband and I. Though we possibly could manage, it would just be really hard.

But I'd really need to rock out those two semesters plus the MCAT, and caring for a young one at the same time I'm sure won't make it any easier. Plus adding to my student loans instead of paying them off, and then that doesn't even guarantee anything if I'd get an interview or get in. So I could potentially do all that work and spend all that money and it gets me no where.

I was originally going to just do the fall semester this year and then apply for next year, but then I'd be starting school 2 weeks after giving birth (if it was on time) and I don't know how good of a semester I'd have with a brand new baby.

Okay the last point I want to make is that I am having the hardest time ever thinking of Plan B so I really have nothing else to focus on. I'd think with an MSc there must be something I can do and still make a decent living. I would really love too to just be working and paying off my loans and saving up for our future. I know my husband really wants to start looking for a house but if I go back to school, that's not going to happen for a really long time. And he is supporting me with this but I still feel bad for holding him back with what he wants. And he's going to be 30 this year so I know he wants to get on with his life too instead of our future lingering on me and what I'm doing. Plus with us starting a family now... we need extra money for that too.

I'm just so torn. I'd hate to give up since it's all I've ever wanted to do but with all these other factors to consider now, I don't know if it's possible or even worth it.

Anyone have any advice or anything at all to help out???🙁

 

[BlackDog17]

There's not much anyone can say here. No one else can make this decision for you.

To me it sounds like you have a very long list of cons, with the only item in the pro column being pursuing your dream. I guess my question is simply: do you think it's worth it?

You have already given a lot of consideration to the challenges associated with retaking your pre-reqs, but what happens if you do get accepted to vet school? You'll have even more debt, even less time to spend with your family, another four years of sacrifices, and the academic challenges will be significantly more difficult. Is that honestly worth it to you? You're the only person who can really determine whether this is or isn't a situation that you're willing and able to handle.

I'd definitely recommend putting more energy into researching a possible Plan B for yourself. If you can find another career that will make you happy while putting less strain on you and your family, I think that would be a better situation for you.

 

[Frozenshades]

There's not much anyone can say here. No one else can make this decision for you.

👍

Unfortunately for us all, a living must be made, therefore a line must be drawn somewhere between passion and pragmatism. Only you can decide where to draw that line.

Make a list of the pros and cons, and carefully consider what you want in the future and what sacrifices you are and aren't willing to make.

 

[Kyra 6]

I'm not sure if this will help you at all, but I can give you a little ray of hope. You said you are only 28, and though I'm sure that seems older than the average vet student to you, I can assure you, it is still pretty young. I only WISH I was still 28 and considering this path! I am already 35, and I have ZERO college under my belt. So I have ALL my undergrad AND vet school to get through. And I'm still going to take an extra year to make sure I have a solid foundation in experience and math before I start anything. I will be at least 45 when I finally start my career! And I don't even have a MSc to show for all the time I've wasted!

What I'm trying to say is, it is NEVER too late, but sometimes it is not the right time YET. If you have a lot going on in your life right now (like I do - working overseas and buying a house), then put off your dream to deal with that. I have never had children, but I would NOT recommend trying to go to school or work within the first few months after you have one! Not that you couldn't do it, but you will not be able to give either one your full attention, and you'll regret it. Concentrate on your family right now, have the baby and give it a few years to grow. If you were starting from scratch, like me, you would still have seven years before you were my age. Your child will be in second grade by then, and school will be MUCH easier.

Just don't torture yourself by thinking you have to give up your dream for good. You have plenty of time. Enjoy where you are in your life, and don't feel like you have to do everything at once. Never say never...

I wish you all the best... 🙂

 

[twelvetigers]

First, read this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=511197

Then come back and read this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=621632

 

[sunshinevet]

Did you do a file review after your last rejection? Because what they said then would influence my answer. If you were off on multiple accounts - ie they wanted a better GPA, higher MCAT and more experience on your third try, then I would be inclined to let it go. Did you get an interview the other two times?

I would put off making any big decisions until after your child is born. You might find that these things don't seem so important then - or they might seem more important than ever. How you feel then can help shape your future strategy.

 

[SocialStigma]

Did you get an interview before? I ask because if you did, that means your GPA/MCAT was good enough to get you ranked in the top ~200 applicants. If that's the case, reapplying would be much more feasible. Also, OVC doesn't allow repeated courses to be used as prereqs nor courses at a lower level, which would make redoing prereqs really difficult for you.

 

[macita183]

Have you thought about waiting a few years before re-applying? One of the vets I used to work with went to vet school in her late 30s since she wanted to be around while her kids were young. She has no regrets about doing it this way.

 

[kittensmeow]

Is OVC the only school you have ever applied to? I ask this because OVC is a very competitive school for Canadians to get into, so not getting accepted on three separate application cycles doesn't necessarily mean that you would not be a successful applicant at other schools.

If being a vet is your lifelong dream and the thought of abandoning it makes you cry, then perhaps you should consider casting a wider net in your applications? I know going international is a huge financial burden, but instead of re-doing your prereqs and MCAT (i.e. spending more money and not earning) what if you and your husband worked for the next few years and saved up money that could be used towards tuition at a foreign school sometime down the line?

I'll bet there are a number of current vet students on this forum who would not be completing their DVM right now if they had only applied to their IS or IP school.

I don't know your stats, volunteer experience or anything else about you, but if OVC is the only school you have ever applied to, then to me it seems a bit premature for you to conclude that you can never become a vet.

 

[McMasterVet]

Have you considered acquiring residency in another province and applying to their veterinary school? Like SocialStigma said, OVC has quite a few restrictions on how you go about doing your prerequisites, so it might not be the best idea. If I were you, I would wait for this year's application stats to come out and see how you ranked academically and make your decision from there.

 

[bumble]

First, read this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=511197

Then come back and read this thread:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=621632

oh yeah I remember reading about LVT way back. It sucks that OVC only lets you apply 4 times though. So if and when I apply next it's do or die.

@ sunshinevet
(sorry I never figured out how to do multiple quotes in a post...)
They don't do file reviews at OVC at all. You don't know where you ranked before interviews, and you don't know what you need to improve on. I did get an interview the other two times

@SocialStigma
When I got my interviews way back, that was before they changed the pre req requirements, so now people applying have a higher average and marks so I don't think with mine the way they are now, that they'd make it into the top 200 and that's why the last time I didn't get an interview.

@macita183 ad Kyra 6
I guess that's one thing to do... maybe instead of giving up completely just hold off for a while and re evaluate things in a couple years. Though I hate to re do a lot of my vet experience. And the lady that works in admissions told me they were thinking of only counting experiences from the last 5 years, so everything I've done up to this point (and it's been A LOT) wouldn't count for anything anymore if they change that

@kittensmeow
I did apply to RVC in 2011 and I got in, but my husband (at that time still fiancé) really has no interest in moving at all. And I don't think at this point I could move either since there's a baby in the picture now. Plus compared to what vet school costs in Ontario, I don't really want to rack up that much debt. Now if I was rich and single that would be a different story lol.

@McMasterVet
I don't think moving to another province right now is in the cards, but it is something that I've thought of.

@SocialStigma and McMasterVet
Believe me I know all about the restrictions lol. I feel like I could work in admissions for how much I know the ins and outs of what they want for when you apply. I did bug Deanna enough to have a sit down meeting with me, and she went over which courses I could/couldn't take if I were to upgrade. So that was very helpful. But she did look over my past applications too and basically said if I were to apply again without changing anything, then really it would be a waste of an application and I wouldn't get anywhere.


I feel like if I really had a passion for something else or at least an interest in doing something else then I could focus on that and I wouldn't be as bummed about possibly giving this up. I just don't want to end up regretting not applying the last time, and on top of that, all I've ever said to my family was that I wanted to be a vet and I feel like I'd be disappointing everyone, especially myself, and even if they didn't, I would think I was a failure....
I know with any other career I'd be settling, so I just want to find something I can at least tolerate doing and they pays good without me having to go back to school for something completely unrelated.... I mean there has to be something out there for someone with an MSc that pays good right?!?

 

[DVM882029]

i guess if this time it is do or die for your local vet school, what do you have to lose by applying? if you get in you can pursue your dream, and if you don't at least you tried.

 

[485501]

o
(sorry I never figured out how to do multiple quotes in a post...)

At the bottom of each post, there are the three buttons, "Quote" "Multiq" and "Reply." Click the "Multiq" button for each post you want to quote, then hit "Reply" at the bottom of the thread.

Sorry I don't have an answer for your more important issue!

 

[Filly Bay]

At the bottom of each post, there are the three buttons, "Quote" "Multiq" and "Reply." Click the "Multiq" button for each post you want to quote, then hit "Reply" at the bottom of the thread.

Sorry I don't have an answer for your more important issue!

Wow do I feel dumb...all this time I've been right clicking "Quote," opening each in a new tab, and copy & pasting them into one post! How am I supposed to pass my vet school classes if I can't even use a forum...

 

[485501]

Wow do I feel dumb...all this time I've been right clicking "Quote," opening each in a new tab, and copy & pasting them into one post! How am I supposed to pass my vet school classes if I can't even use a forum...

I didn't figure it out either, someone on here taught me how to do it a few months ago.

 

[McMasterVet]

Is doing a PhD out of the picture? You could do one at OVC, which would increase your GPA and, if you choose to do a specialty, help you in acquiring and finishing the specialty.