First time applicant- 24 year old female, ND resident.
Applied: Michigan, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Colorado, Iowa, and Illinois
Rejected: All but Iowa
Waitlisted: None
Interviewed: Iowa
Accepted: Iowa
Attending: Iowa!
B.A.- Fine Studio Arts
Cum GPA @ time of application: 3.34
Last 45 credit hrs: 3.76
Science GPA @ time of application: 2.5-7 (depending on how calculated- I had a rough few first years getting into the study habits)
GRE (Revised): 158V, 156Q, 5 AW (In Old GRE scoring that's approx. 660V & 770Q)
Veterinary Experience:
103 hours
-between a mixed practice clinic with 4 vets (spent my time mostly with 1 small animal vet there), and a small animal clinic (opened by another small animal vet from the mixed clinic)
Animal Experience:
175 hrs- Humane Society Volunteer
112 hrs- Humane Society Employee
3200 hrs- Pet Care Technician @ Doggy Daycare/Hotel
150 hrs- Assistant Groomer @ D D/H
42 hrs- Feral Cat TNR program internship/co-creator
168 hrs- Feral kitten fostering
80 hrs- poultry farm, equine handling, rabbits, rodents, other misc.
Extracurricular/Community Activities:
Choir, SADD (member & board of officers), Tri-M, Reality Check Teacher (SADD sponsored program), Humane Society Fundraising, Yearbook Photographer, Young Democrats of America, Dog Walk Park Monitor, Science Club, Vice President of Art Club, "Best Pet" Contest Judge for community, Creator/Organizer/Submitter/Presenter/MC for 4 Gallery Opening events, Belly Dance Troupe member, Violin, Community Action Carnival, Prairie Paws Carnival, JC's Best Dance Crew, President of Art Club, Belly Dance Troupe Leader
eLORS:
-Vet from the small animal clinic
-Art Department Head of department, professor, secondary advisor
-CLS department chair, professor, work-study boss, advisor
-Boss from Doggy Daycare/Hotel (excluded this one when only 3 accepted)
Awards and Honors:
-National Honor Society
-"Named" Scholarship through my college
-x2 Awarded scholarships
-President's Educational Award
-Dean's List (listed x5 times)
-Published Poem
-Painting sold to permanent college collection
-Taught an Honor's class
-Named College Fellow in Fine Arts
-Named Outstanding Student of the Fine Arts
-Junior Marshal of ceremonies
Employment (Non-Animal/Vet related):
-Private In-Home Caregiver to elderly (4yrs)
-High School Library Aid (2yrs)
-College workstudy in Biology Department (6yrs), Chemistry Dept (1yr), Biology lab TA (1 yr)
-Editorial Cartoonist for newspaper (4yrs)
-Belly Dance Instructor (paid- 1 yr)
-Art Department's Office Manager (1yr)
-Art Department's Gallery Co-Chair (1 yr)
Personal Statement:
My primary focus was what inspired not only my interest in veterinary medicine (such as my family), but also my interest in different specialties I am considering (Holistic medicine, dermatology, emergency medicine) . I used my experience of living in a small, rural, midwest town to explain my understanding of the profession- such as how the practical, inexpensive approach is often more important than cutting edge techniques. I also tied it all back to my creative/artistic capabilities.
Interview:
Mostly centered around my experiences working at the doggy daycare/hotel and handling the customers, how my creative/artistic abilities corresponded to my scientific thinking, and my experiences as a belly dancer. They also inquired about my majors and how I ended up with the major I have and how all of that influenced my decision to apply (I started as a Biology major, changed to a CLS major, added an Art major and will graduate with only an Art major. But I was pre-vet all the while). That led to me telling them about my love of microbes and my plush microbe collection...
Bottom-line: I made them laugh several times, so I knew it went well