What are my chances?

[fishfinn]

I think you're on track. You should make sure you finish out with A's... it won't pull your GPA up much, but it looks much nicer to finish strong. You also should start thinking about where you can get good LORs from and, if you're lacking those kind of people, start developing those relationships quickly. Since the app is due at the beginning of October, you don't want to be waiting until mid-September to ask people.

Thanks for your input! I'm going to have to work super hard though this Fall with a full 15 credits of mostly biochemistry and microbiology. I'm taking one Spanish class to hopefully give me some easy credits. I have my 2 referees in mind already, but I'm going to wait a little while to ask. Although I feel fairly confident they'll give me a good evaluation.

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[fishfinn]

Typically A+/A is 4.0, A-=3.7 or 3.667, B+=3.33, etc. Since they convert all grades to a common scale for comparison, I'm not sure if they use percentage or what. My actual percentage GPA is a 3.7-3.8, but if you do it credit by credit it becomes 3.62 …

I'm always confused about the "averages accepted" on their website, because they ALL SAY 78-88%. Is that the average of accepted people, or the range of averages they accepted? Their breakdown isn't very helpful, it would be nice to know the average of the last applicant to be interviewed …

I wish I had known this is what I wanted to do when I was in 3rd year! I'll have a year off between (and of course, more if I don't make it this year!)

Yeah it does say that on the website, but like you said a lot of people have averages in the 90%'s! And if there are just 20 people applying with 90 averages then I feel like I have to chance to get in

So, you're done your degree now? Are you still taking classes? I don't know what to do if I don 't get in 4th year when I'm finished my degree... Do you take a 5th year to show that you're continuing your studies and keeping up with a fast-paced academic schedule? Or do you not take classes, and work while getting more animal and vet experience? I don't know which they would prefer....

I've known I wanted to be a vet since I was 5.. I had a 'mini mid-life crisis' at about 13 when I was all uncomfortable about blood and veins and that kind of stuff and I got so freaked out that it would stop me from pursuing my dream. Thankfully I got over that fairly quickly haha

 

[Coquette22]

Do you take a 5th year to show that you're continuing your studies and keeping up with a fast-paced academic schedule? Or do you not take classes, and work while getting more animal and vet experience? I don't know which they would prefer....

That's going to depend on your personal application. IF you get rejected, contact the school and ask what you need to improve on. They'll tell you where your weaknesses are, and then you can use that year to improve on those areas.

 

[das257]

23 years old, female, NY resident

Degrees:
B.S. Animal Science, Cornell University, May 2009
M.S. Biology, Hofstra University, finishing my thesis and defending by the end of summer

GPAs:
Undergrad cumulative: 3.02
Undergrad last 45: 3.25
Prereq: 2.46 thumbdown

GRE:
1370 (Q = 800, V = 570, AW = 4.5)

Veterinary experience:
~3600 hrs SA (2 different hospitals)
200 hrs LA (2 different LA --mostly equine-- vets)

Animal experience:
A lifetime worth of living on a farm and petsitting for neighbors. I think I estimated this at 5000+ hours on my applications last year.

Work experience:
Bartender/waitress, summer 2008
Kitchen assistant in an on-campus house, Sept. 2008 - May 2009

LORs (various combinations of letters going to different schools, depending on how many/what type they take):
Cornell University professor (my undergrad advisor)
Hofstra University professor
Owner/Head vet at SA hospital I worked at on Long Island
Owner/Head vet at SA hospital I worked at in NJ**
LA veterinarian (equine)
LA veterinarian (equine/camelid)

**this vet is my dad; if anyone thinks that it would hinder my application if he wrote a LOR as opposed to one of his colleagues, please let me know.


My concerns:
My GPA sucks. Orgo and microbio kicked my butt.
My experience is very one-sided.

Etc.:
I definitely improved from cycle 1 (complete failure) to cycle 2 (3 interviews, 1 spot on a waitlist). I had a year worth of grad school to add to my application. I had 1500 more SA hours to add. My PS was much better for the 2nd application cycle.


Any thoughts and/or advice are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[StartingoverVet]

Getting an LOR from your Dad is a waste of time. Anything positive he says is immediately discounted, and anything negative is going to be a real downer.

You should be reasonably competitive as your GRE helps balance out the low GPA, and at least your GPA is improving.
Your vet experience is fine. 200 LA should suffice most anywhere.

Probably just a matter of standing out in your PS and interviews to make the difference.

 

[LetItSnow]

**this vet is my dad; if anyone thinks that it would hinder my application if he wrote a LOR as opposed to one of his colleagues, please let me know.

My gut says that if it were me, I'd ask one of his colleagues to write one instead (assuming they know you well). But, if you used him last year and got three interviews ...... I'm not sure I'd mess with the formula much. I always hate to give '6 of one, half dozen of the other' advice, but there you have it.

I think you're likely to continue to see better results. Continuing to be academically active is good, since that's your weakness. And if you've successfully defended your master's thesis by the time the application cycle rolls around that ought to help. It specifically speaks to your academic qualities.

 

[Kmeid]

I'm applying to VMRCVM this year. I'm a junior but a credit-wise senior and can graduate this spring (I'm an undergrad at Virginia Tech too so I'm blessed to know a bunch of people at the Vet School).

20 year old, female, Maryland Resident (so VMRCVM is IS for me)

Degrees:
B.S. in Biology, Virginia Tech
Minor in Leadership and Social Change

Cum GPA: 3.5
Science GPA:3.3 (maybe a little higher by the end of this summer session)
Not sure how I can calculate my last 45. I had mostly A's a few B+'s and B's and a C+ in Ochem II lecture and lab :/ I'm thinking in the 3.35-3.4+ range?


Veterinary Experience:
- worked the last 5 years as a Vet Assistant in a SA hospital
- 60 hours LA vet experience (I've gotten to watch a ton over the years but it was all broken up, I haven't had a constant LA vet experience)


Animal Experience:
- 150+ hours volunteering at a theraputic riding facility for disabled children and the elderly.
- 250+ hours volunteering at Days End Horse Rescue Farm in MD
- 50+ hours of working with the awesome MDL dogs (I walking and play with the vet school research dogs, they're mostly beagles and allll adorable)
- 3 years working as a horse camp counselor
- Horseback rode for 15 years
- Worked in the barn to pay for riding lessons
- 100+ hours volunteered at the Virginia Tech Beef Center
- Worked in the Kennel at the Vet Hospital for 5 years (alternated in treatment and kennel shifts)
- Pet Sitter for 4 years (included frequently watching exotics and pocket pets)
- Lifelong dog owner


Letters of Recommendation
- Dr. Young (PhD not medical or DVM) - Lady I did research for and helped write up her grant summary
-Veternarian I work for who also knows me personally and goes to church with me
- Leadership Professor who I took a class from and also TA-ed for

GRE: Taking it in 2 weeks! I took a Kaplan course for it, from my practice exams I'm sitting at about a 510 verbal and a 610 quant with a 4.5 writing (not wonderful )

Research:
Nursing school tutoring program, studied how the new program helped students and studied trends of exams scores between students who used the program and those who didn't

Equine Digestibility Study - Worked with PhD DVM student who was doing a study at the Vet School, I worked with her throughout the actual study and handled the horses and collected samples, after the study I worked with her in the lab to run DNA extraction in the Vetmed lab at VMRCVM (this was throughout the beginning of the summer up until now)

Currently I just started working on an Ovarian Cancer study. I'm in charge of doing BMI indexes bi-weekly of the mice we are using in the study and keeping records and making charts of their fluctuations throughout the research. I'm doing this for Biology credit as well and am planning on continuing this research throughout the Fall. It's facinating stuff and I really like the professor I'm working with. Her husband (who is also working with the study) is also a Virology Professor at VMRCVM

So I feel pretty comfortable with my research experience


I have a HUGE number of extra curriculars as well
To name a few -
VP of the VT Pre-Vet Club
Ambassador of the College of Science Dean's Leadership Council
Ken Allors Volunteerism Scholarship
Peer Leader (aka TA) for the Residential Leadership Community (I TA-ed for a freshmen leadership class)
Active member of the Newman Community (VT Catholic Church Group)
and a few more...


My concerns:
My GPA isn't stellar, I feel like I'd be a lot more competitive if it were a little higher. The GPA I posted is also contingent on me doing well this summer session (I'm taking 10 credits now to try to boost my GPA before I apply, and I wanted to get Physics out of the way!)

I'm also worried about my GRE score, I'm not a wonderful test taker and I'm especially not gifted at standardized tests. The admissions coordinator told me I should shoot for a 1850 to be safe... I'm not even close to that :/

Also since I'm a junior year wise in school it intimidates me that I'm applying and don't have a degree yet (even though technically I can graduate credit-wise in the spring of this school year)

I want to go into large animal and I'm a little concerned I don't have more recorded vet experience for LA. All the LA vets around here turned me down! What do you all think? I'm more then open to any advice/critique! Thanks

 

[LetItSnow]

I'm also worried about my GRE score, I'm not a wonderful test taker and I'm especially not gifted at standardized tests. The admissions coordinator told me I should shoot for a 1850 to be safe... I'm not even close to that

The max score in each section is 800. Since vet apps do two sections, your max score is 1600. Either you typo'd, or the person you talked to is on crack, or I'm just not understanding something. (You could check the 'successful applicants' thread for GRE scores, but it seems to me that anything in the 1250+ range is above average.)

 

[jmo1012]

The max score in each section is 800. Since vet apps do two sections, your max score is 1600. Either you typo'd, or the person you talked to is on crack, or I'm just not understanding something. (You could check the 'successful applicants' thread for GRE scores, but it seems to me that anything in the 1250+ range is above average.)

VMRCVM converts the writing score into an out of 800 score its weird and they don't really post how they do it unless you ask.


Writing Portion of GRE (Average score)
• 6.0 = 800
• 5.5 = 730
• 5.0 = 665
• 4.5 = 600
• 4.0 = 530
• 3.5 = 465

 

[LetItSnow]

VMRCVM converts the writing score into an out of 800 score its weird and they don't really post how they do it unless you ask.

Ah! Thank you for correcting me!

 

[twelvetigers]

**this vet is my dad; if anyone thinks that it would hinder my application if he wrote a LOR as opposed to one of his colleagues, please let me know.

Most schools frown on using relatives as LOR writers, especially one as close as your own father.

See the first thing on Ohio's page regarding vet references:

http://vet.osu.edu/education/references

Three required references:

(2) Veterinarian (DVM's, non relatives)
(1) Your choice (non relatives)

VMRCVM converts the writing score into an out of 800 score its weird and they don't really post how they do it unless you ask.


Writing Portion of GRE (Average score)
• 6.0 = 800
• 5.5 = 730
• 5.0 = 665
• 4.5 = 600
• 4.0 = 530
• 3.5 = 465

Oklahoma does something similar to this, but I don't know the exact system. Probably fairly close!

 

[strengthtrain]

Undergrad GPA- 2.99
Master in Public health/biomedical GPA after one semester- 3.5
GRE- 1100 (plan to retake next yr)

Extracuricculars
-Animal volunteer hrs- 200hrs (small animals)
-RA for residential life in 2008
--Assistant strength and conditioning coach for UAlbany (DI) aug 2010-present
-Patient care associate at Albany medical center May 2011-present

made contacts with one vet who works for the USDA. another who works for a food animal practice. and one who works with an equine practice. they have all said that i can volunteer and shadow them whenever i want to. so i plan to get alot of hrs in over this next yr.

I for the longest time gave up on gettin into a vet school. but while workin at the med center i realized med school isn't for me and wish to try again for vet school.

What are my chances and what else should i be doing?

 

[squirrelsrule]

Since your GPA isn't the greatest, I'd recommend retaking the GRE to try for a better score. Your GRE score isn't horrible, but you want a really good score to balance out the lower GPA.

Also, you will want a lot of vet experience hours to make up for the lower GPA as well. Find some unique opportunities to make you stand out from the crowd.

 

[sooprnova]

It's scary to do this on the internet, and I'm pretty sure I know where my one big weakness lies, but I'd like some other opinions!

31 years old, female, PA resident

Degrees:
B.A., English large PA state school
Currently taking prereqs elsewhere
GPA 1st school: 3.67
GPA 2nd school: 4.0
Overall: 3.75
Science: 3.45 (really screwed up three science classes in my first attempt at school)
Last 45: 4.0

GRE:
1510 (770 Q, 740 V - don't know AW, just took it yesterday)

Vet experience:
11 hours spay/neuter clinic
30 hours shadow zoo vet
66 hours shadow small animal practice
160 hours shadow another small animal practice

Animal experience:
500+ volunteering at various shelters
335 zoo intern

Work:
13 years work experience. Worked my way up in a large telecom company over the last 8 years, spent the past 5 years in upper management.

LORs
Director from above mentioned job
Genetics professor
Zoology/Anatomy professor
S.A. vet who went to my target school and was on the student admissions board



I know that my biggest area of opportunity is veterinary experience. It's somewhat my fault - when I first started this adventure I was too proud to take an unpaid position and spent a lot of time trying to get either a tech position (for which I wasn't qualified) or a receptionist position (for which I was overqualified). Any ideas on how to present that in my PS?

I'm planning to continue shadowing the SA vet throughout the summer and over the next year, which I'll definitely mention in my application, but any other advice is welcome. This forum is awesome!

 

[LetItSnow]

I know that my biggest area of opportunity is veterinary experience. It's somewhat my fault - when I first started this adventure I was too proud to take an unpaid position and spent a lot of time trying to get either a tech position (for which I wasn't qualified) or a receptionist position (for which I was overqualified). Any ideas on how to present that in my PS?

I don't think I'd use any space trying to point out that you plan to continue getting experience. You won't get 'credit' for it, and you'll use space that I think you're going to find is quite limited. Unfortunately, what you have when you hit the 'Submit' button is what you get.

You are correct about (vet) experience being your biggest weakness. All you can do is put as much effort into building those hours as possible between now and when you apply. Your other stats are quite impressive. That GRE is killer. You may want to consider that when you apply, if you have the luxury to move - that academic success can help you more at some schools than others.

Start thinking about unique experiences/accomplishments you may have as a 31-year-old that younger people won't have. You can leverage those to highlight traits that might be attractive to the admissions folks, both in your app and in an interview.

Just out of curiosity... what telecom (if you don't want to say, that's completely understandable). I've worked at USWest/Qwest/CenturyLink for the last ... oh, 15 years or so, I guess.

 

[Kmeid]

VMRCVM converts the writing score into an out of 800 score its weird and they don't really post how they do it unless you ask.


Writing Portion of GRE (Average score)
• 6.0 = 800
• 5.5 = 730
• 5.0 = 665
• 4.5 = 600
• 4.0 = 530
• 3.5 = 465

Thanks for posting the actual point values! This is very helpful. I'm hoping for at least a 5.0 on it. I've been working on writing practice prompts and I feel like I'm improving. Having the writing boost my score would be really helpful especially since I need the GRE to balance out my mediocre GPA.

 

[sooprnova]

Start thinking about unique experiences/accomplishments you may have as a 31-year-old that younger people won't have. You can leverage those to highlight traits that might be attractive to the admissions folks, both in your app and in an interview.

Just out of curiosity... what telecom (if you don't want to say, that's completely understandable). I've worked at USWest/Qwest/CenturyLink for the last ... oh, 15 years or so, I guess.

I worked for Verizon Wireless. I definitely plan on leveraging my business experience, as it prepared me for dealing with unpleasant people/customers/coworkers, and for making decisions under pressure when there was little time to explore all avenues.

My dream is to one day own my own practice, and I think that the experience I have will be a huge boon to me when/if that ever happens. I spent several years doing most of the new hire interviewing/training/coaching at our center, so I'm really good at building strong teams. I might even go so far as to say that I was a pretty kick-ass boss!

Thanks so much for your input!

 

[Kmeid]

I'm applying to VMRCVM this year. I'm a junior but a credit-wise senior and can graduate this spring (I'm an undergrad at Virginia Tech too so I'm blessed to know a bunch of people at the Vet School).

20 year old, female, Maryland Resident (so VMRCVM is IS for me)

Degrees:
B.S. in Biology, Virginia Tech
Minor in Leadership and Social Change

Cum GPA: 3.5
Science GPA:3.3 (maybe a little higher by the end of this summer session)
Not sure how I can calculate my last 45. I had mostly A's a few B+'s and B's and a C+ in Ochem II lecture and lab :/ I'm thinking in the 3.35-3.4+ range?


Veterinary Experience:
- worked the last 5 years as a Vet Assistant in a SA hospital
- 60 hours LA vet experience (I've gotten to watch a ton over the years but it was all broken up, I haven't had a constant LA vet experience)


Animal Experience:
- 150+ hours volunteering at a theraputic riding facility for disabled children and the elderly.
- 250+ hours volunteering at Days End Horse Rescue Farm in MD
- 50+ hours of working with the awesome MDL dogs (I walking and play with the vet school research dogs, they're mostly beagles and allll adorable)
- 3 years working as a horse camp counselor
- Horseback rode for 15 years
- Worked in the barn to pay for riding lessons
- 100+ hours volunteered at the Virginia Tech Beef Center
- Worked in the Kennel at the Vet Hospital for 5 years (alternated in treatment and kennel shifts)
- Pet Sitter for 4 years (included frequently watching exotics and pocket pets)
- Lifelong dog owner


Letters of Recommendation
- Dr. Young (PhD not medical or DVM) - Lady I did research for and helped write up her grant summary
-Veternarian I work for who also knows me personally and goes to church with me
- Leadership Professor who I took a class from and also TA-ed for

GRE: Taking it in 2 weeks! I took a Kaplan course for it, from my practice exams I'm sitting at about a 510 verbal and a 610 quant with a 4.5 writing (not wonderful )

Research:
Nursing school tutoring program, studied how the new program helped students and studied trends of exams scores between students who used the program and those who didn't

Equine Digestibility Study - Worked with PhD DVM student who was doing a study at the Vet School, I worked with her throughout the actual study and handled the horses and collected samples, after the study I worked with her in the lab to run DNA extraction in the Vetmed lab at VMRCVM (this was throughout the beginning of the summer up until now)

Currently I just started working on an Ovarian Cancer study. I'm in charge of doing BMI indexes bi-weekly of the mice we are using in the study and keeping records and making charts of their fluctuations throughout the research. I'm doing this for Biology credit as well and am planning on continuing this research throughout the Fall. It's facinating stuff and I really like the professor I'm working with. Her husband (who is also working with the study) is also a Virology Professor at VMRCVM

So I feel pretty comfortable with my research experience


I have a HUGE number of extra curriculars as well
To name a few -
VP of the VT Pre-Vet Club
Ambassador of the College of Science Dean's Leadership Council
Ken Allors Volunteerism Scholarship
Peer Leader (aka TA) for the Residential Leadership Community (I TA-ed for a freshmen leadership class)
Active member of the Newman Community (VT Catholic Church Group)
and a few more...


My concerns:
My GPA isn't stellar, I feel like I'd be a lot more competitive if it were a little higher. The GPA I posted is also contingent on me doing well this summer session (I'm taking 10 credits now to try to boost my GPA before I apply, and I wanted to get Physics out of the way!)

I'm also worried about my GRE score, I'm not a wonderful test taker and I'm especially not gifted at standardized tests. The admissions coordinator told me I should shoot for a 1850 to be safe... I'm not even close to that :/

Also since I'm a junior year wise in school it intimidates me that I'm applying and don't have a degree yet (even though technically I can graduate credit-wise in the spring of this school year)

I want to go into large animal and I'm a little concerned I don't have more recorded vet experience for LA. All the LA vets around here turned me down! What do you all think? I'm more then open to any advice/critique! Thanks

Been studying my butt off to take my GRE Saturday! I just took a practice exam and got a 660 quant and a 590 verbal with a 4.5 on the essays (aka 600) Which gave me the magic # VMRCVM told me of 1850! Woohoooo! At least now I know I can do it, it was nice to get the confidence boost. I'm a little intimidated to take it this weekend.

Anyone have any advice for test day? I don't take it till 1pm so I'm not sure what to preoccupy myself with all morning without going nuts!

 

[Bismarck]

Been studying my butt off to take my GRE Saturday! I just took a practice exam and got a 660 quant and a 590 verbal with a 4.5 on the essays (aka 600) Which gave me the magic # VMRCVM told me of 1850! Woohoooo! At least now I know I can do it, it was nice to get the confidence boost. I'm a little intimidated to take it this weekend.

Anyone have any advice for test day? I don't take it till 1pm so I'm not sure what to preoccupy myself with all morning without going nuts!

Just don't get too cocky about practice test results. You could end up higher or lower than your goal score depending on how you handle the exam. If you let the stress get to you (especially if you start panicking about the difficulty of the questions the computer is feeding you) you could be disappointed with your effort/score. Conversely, if you handle the pressure well, you can use that nervous energy to keep your focus strong (afterall, it's hard to get as emotionally invested in a practice test.) I fell into the latter category and cleared a 1400+ on my first go. I suggest once you get into the exam room you run gingerly through the "tutorial" stage to calm your nerves and acclimate to the room/ambiance. Worked for me at least.

As for your routine, I'd suggest getting up around 9am, having a good breakfast, and maybe doing a light exam warmup. I looked through vocab words (especially top 100 words) to refresh my memory. This would also be a good time to make sure you have everything you need for the exam center (ID, directions,etc)

Good Luck!

 

[CorporateFatCat]

Anyone have any advice for test day? I don't take it till 1pm so I'm not sure what to preoccupy myself with all morning without going nuts!

Get a little light exercise and eat a good but not too fatty or filling breakfast/brunch. Go easy on the studying though, there's really no way to "cram" for the GRE. Pack a little snack if you want for your break. Leave plenty of time to arrive at the ETS testing center. Breathe. Goodluck!

 

[nawrlin57]

1. i "stopped" pre-vet by not paying dues, so technically i'm not an "active" member. i still go to meetings & occasional events, but it doesn't count...oh wells.

2. honestly, i didn't volunteer with the kennel place any more because i got bored. it's bad when you start to dread going to a place to do free work that you don't even enjoy doing. and i felt i wasn't learning anything anymore either. and so i knew i had to move on to something more challenging.

the kennel place was my 2nd SAH volunteering at. i stopped volunteering at my 1st SAH because i did not appreciate the way the doctor treated others in the workplace, myself included. I mean, I understand you're a "doctor" and it's your business, but i don't think anyone has the right to talk to another person in a degrading mean way. so i left. and am glad i did so.

after dealing with those instances of small animal, i realize that i couldn't do it. i guess i was just doing what us pre-vets are suppose to, get veterinary experience, and i did. i experienced SA, and figured out it wasn't for me. so i found out about the ZooMed program, and i've stuck with it for a little more than a year now, and i absolutely love it! i've also just started in the ICU to see what the diff is btwn just normal SAH, and so far, i'm really enjoying it! and so i've come to realize i have a problem: i need to do something where i feel a rush of excitement, pressure that is good, and have new challenges constantly [being new cases from diff wildlife or diff. emergencies].

oh and haha no, i have not "stuck" with anything for 4 years. i know it's good to be consistent, but i like to try new things, so i just bounce around clubs to see what they have to offer. like, i'll go to a "Invisible Children" meeting a couple of times, or some wakeboard club meetings, but i'm not really IN it, i'm just interested in what they have to say for some meetings and events.





thanks for the advice y'all! and haha yeah i know...i'm expecting rejection, so i'll be ok with it. but i still have a little hope for it though :]

No offense- but I really don't think you have a chance. Also, I think that you need to re-evaluate your commitment to the field. It sounds like you are a very unsure person and with the demands of vet school both mentally and emotionally, I doubt you will last. All of my friends are 4th year students. I have far more experience, understanding, and academic qualifications than you do and I have already applied twice. I don't meant this to be rude but you need to be prepared to be rejected and have a plan of action in place. Will you apply again? How will you improve your qualifications and overall application? Do you truly think you can handle the curriculum- especially your fourth year when it requires 17+ hours a day of clinical work?
I think you should ask your self these questions and dig a little deeper into how much you wish to pursue this. If this is truly what you feel your calling is, you need to start working at improving your application. Especially your grades. Also, you should try and get a job at a veterinary hospital attached or at least associated to a vet school and then make a darn good impression. It is not bad if this is not the profession for you- you don't sound very dedicated. I strongly encourage you to think about this and think about other professions available working with animals.

 

[nawrlin57]

cGPA: 3.4
last 45: 3.75
current MS of physiology and microbiology student with 3.0
veterinary:
7000+ Small animal including about 2000 in emergency
600 in large animal at UPenn's New Bolton Center
100-exotic veterinary tiger rescue

Research:
currently doing a thesis so several 100 hours in research so far with chickens
~20 hours with a veterinary professor doing artificial insemination in cows

Animal:
internship 200h- at a tiger rescue and volunteer
pre- vet club
whale stranding
gosh- I don't remember- have it all written- I have a lot though
animal shelter volunteer

Clubs/activities:
pre-vet club
marine mammal stranding network
equine rescue league
Alpha Xi Delta
Order of Omega academic honor fraternity
intramural sports

awards:
Leadership excellence x 2
Dean's List
Gamma Sigma Alpha honor for academic excellence

Looking at NC State, Tufts, Missouri, Iowa, Auburn, and VA-MD regional. Anybody have any thoughts or advice?

 

[nawrlin57]

23 years old, female, NY resident


Animal experience:
A lifetime worth of living on a farm and petsitting for neighbors. I think I estimated this at 5000+ hours on my applications last year.

Unfortunately, most schools are not only not going to care about this but they are actually sometimes irritated (from my experience) when you try to include it. The only schools that have actually requested I estimate the amount of time actually spent providing care to animals were Missouri and VMRCVM. Definitely contact the school to see what format they want those experience hours in and if animal ownership is accepted. I come from a similar background- lots of animals growing up, raising a deer, and living on a farm. Good luck

 

[das257]

Unfortunately, most schools are not only not going to care about this but they are actually sometimes irritated (from my experience) when you try to include it. The only schools that have actually requested I estimate the amount of time actually spent providing care to animals were Missouri and VMRCVM. Definitely contact the school to see what format they want those experience hours in and if animal ownership is accepted. I come from a similar background- lots of animals growing up, raising a deer, and living on a farm. Good luck

I know most schools don't care about those hours. I only included them in my post because certain schools I applied to last cycle (i.e. Mizzou) required I list them on my application, and also because it gave a little background on me for those giving constructive criticism.

 

[PetPony]

So, I know I'm not even close to applying, seeing as I haven't even started college yet, but..

I have the opportunity to work with a vet in Germany over Christmas. My family lives there and I will be there for almost a month every year. The vet owns a SA practice, on some days works with LA at farms and he breeds German Shepherds. He already said that if it works out good the first time (this year), then I can come back every year.

Do vet schools accept LORs from other countries? I think it might turn into a good relationship, seeing as we have always brought our dogs there and my dad still does. I might even get to go sometimes in the summer.

 

[deleted387118]

Unfortunately, most schools are not only not going to care about this but they are actually sometimes irritated (from my experience) when you try to include it. Good luck

Really? That was not the impression I got when I applied/interviewed. At least on the large animal spectrum of it. I would think that if you are interested in doing LA as a career that showing your dedication and knowledge would be important - part of that may come from childhood experiences and family ancestry. I find it very interesting that you had the total opposite impression.

 

[squirrelsrule]

So, I know I'm not even close to applying, seeing as I haven't even started college yet, but..

I have the opportunity to work with a vet in Germany over Christmas. My family lives there and I will be there for almost a month every year. The vet owns a SA practice, on some days works with LA at farms and he breeds German Shepherds. He already said that if it works out good the first time (this year), then I can come back every year.

Do vet schools accept LORs from other countries? I think it might turn into a good relationship, seeing as we have always brought our dogs there and my dad still does. I might even get to go sometimes in the summer.

I would definitely take the opportunity, sounds like a good one. I am pretty sure your vet eLORs can come from any licensed vet, doesn't matter the country, but I could be wrong. Even if it wouldn't count for a letter, it's a great opportunity. Plus you'll need 1-2 letters from vets and then the third is anyone that is not related to you. Some schools specify who the non-vet letter can be from, but many do not and say vet letters are good. So, you could still use it even if it doesn't count as a letter from a veterinarian. I am pretty sure it would count, though, it shouldn't matter what country they are from, as long as they are licensed to practice.

 

[sooprnova]

cGPA: 3.4
last 45: 3.75
current MS of physiology and microbiology student with 3.0
veterinary:
7000+ Small animal including about 2000 in emergency
600 in large animal at UPenn's New Bolton Center
100-exotic veterinary tiger rescue

Research:
currently doing a thesis so several 100 hours in research so far with chickens
~20 hours with a veterinary professor doing artificial insemination in cows

Animal:
internship 200h- at a tiger rescue and volunteer
pre- vet club
whale stranding
gosh- I don't remember- have it all written- I have a lot though
animal shelter volunteer

Clubs/activities:
pre-vet club
marine mammal stranding network
equine rescue league
Alpha Xi Delta
Order of Omega academic honor fraternity
intramural sports

awards:
Leadership excellence x 2
Dean's List
Gamma Sigma Alpha honor for academic excellence

Looking at NC State, Tufts, Missouri, Iowa, Auburn, and VA-MD regional. Anybody have any thoughts or advice?

Considering you've applied in the past and weren't accepted, I'd really focus on what you were told when/if you requested a file review. It looks like you have plenty of experience and a decent (but not stellar) GPA, so what were you told that you needed to work on after last cycle and what have you done?

This is going to be most important if you're applying to some of the same schools to which you've previously applied. If you've taken their suggested steps to improve your app, I'd make that a significant part of your PS to show that you can take feedback and apply it.

Good luck!

 

[HelloNello]

I have to ask this question: what is considered a good GPA? I always considered people who have over a 3.4 or 3.5 to have a good GPA, but I see a lot of people on here with 3.6 and above complaining that they dont have a good GPA. What are other peoples opinions? I know that a higher GPA is always better, but at what GPA should you be "proud" (for lack of a better word) to put on your application. When should you be concerned? We all know there is no magical combination of this GPA and that GRE score, but I'm just wondering what other people think.

 

[LetItSnow]

I have to ask this question: what is considered a good GPA? I always considered people who have over a 3.4 or 3.5 to have a good GPA, but I see a lot of people on here with 3.6 and above complaining that they dont have a good GPA.

I think there's a little bit of .... emotional inflationary pressure in stats. You see someone with a 4.0, so your 3.8 doesn't feel as good, even though it is really quite decent. You see someone with 1500 vet hours, so your 750 looks skimpy, even though it's sufficient.

The mean pre-requisite GPA at my school for next year's class is 3.61. The mid-50% of 3.41-3.85. The mean cumulative GPA is 3.73, with a mid-50% of 3.59-3.89.

So for my money, a pre-req GPA of 3.61+ and a cum GPA of 3.73+ is "good". If my school is below average, I suppose you'd want to raise that a bit, and if my school is above average, drop the numbers a bit. You get the idea.

 

[moosenanny]

I was also going to post that a cGPA of 3.7 or higher is my personal cut-off (for undergrad -- my vet school cut-off is much higher). However, aside from what vet school you are aiming for (what LIS emphasized), I also think it matters what undergrad you went to. Some are a lot easier than others, so while I'd say a 3.7 is pretty universally good, a 3.7 can mean quite different things depending on the undergraduate institution.

 

[BubbleheadVet]

So I just wanted to post some stats...I'm not applying until next year so...class of 2013...

Age: 28
School: University of Washington
Year: Junior
Major: BS Microbiology/ Minor in Comparative History of Ideas
Cumulative GPA: 3.91
Science GPA: 3.94 (O-Chem Series, Gen. Chem Series, Bio Series, Cal 1&2, Statistics)
GRE: Not taken yet
Work Experience: (Current) Vet. Assistant Banfield Animal Hospital (SA)
Machinist Mate 1st Class USNR (Leading Petty Officer of Surgemain Division and Coordinator for Surgemain Training Candidate Program)

Prior Work Experience:
-6 years active duty as a Nuclear Trained Machinist Mate onboard the USS Maine (SSBN 741)
-Annual Training with USNR is completed with Analytical Chemistry Lab at PSNS Shipyard

Awards: 2 PACFLT Admirals Letters
3 USS Maine Captains Letters
2* Good Military Conduct
1 Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal
1 Battle "E" (Excellence Award)

Vet Experience: 150+hours with SA (Just got my job with Banfield)
20 hours Equine

Animal Experience: 50 hours Wildlife Shelter

Volunteer Activities: Notetaker-Disabled Students

Student Organizations: Veterans Club

Other Responsibilites: Homeowner, Husband, and the love of my life my newborn daughter Niamh

So I guess I just need some suggestions on what I should try and improve on...I do have a LA clinic right down the road from my home so I hope to be more involved there and I just got a volunteer opportunity with the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture doing some Field Vet stuff...My time is pretty limited due to work, family, and school...plus my commute to school is 3 and a half hours a day...no fun but unfortunately that's what happens when you buy a home at the peak of the housing market...

 

[Kmeid]

Get a little light exercise and eat a good but not too fatty or filling breakfast/brunch. Go easy on the studying though, there's really no way to "cram" for the GRE. Pack a little snack if you want for your break. Leave plenty of time to arrive at the ETS testing center. Breathe. Goodluck!

Thanks for the advice everyone. The run was a great idea. I didn't end up doing quiet as well as I wanted unfortunately :/ I got a 530 verbal and a 610 quantitative. But it should be good enough to get me into grad school at least so I have a solid plan B for next year.

With my 3.5 gpa and an 1140 (+the AW which i haven't gotten back yet, I think I did fairly well though) plus my experience (listed above). Do you all think I have any shot of getting in this year? I'm determined, but I'm afraid my stats may not quiet be high enough yet.

Thanks!

 

[Poppy327]

Thanks!

 

[Bismarck]

Snipped for Brevity

Your stats (particularly GPA) are solid. GRE places you above average at most places, but probably slightly below at Cornell and Davis. Your biggest hurdle will probably be convincing the admissions committee that A) you have a serious interest/passion for veterinary medicine and B) you have had sufficient exposure to the field within the past year or so to fully understand what you getting into. This is difficult even for people with alot of experience to do; it can be quite hard to put words to what feels like an indescribable feeling (so totally get some help doing this!)

You are correct that your hours are low. I would advise you not to freak over some of the other people on the boards as you do not need thousands of hours to get in (though it certainly won't harm you.) My experiences are as follows (gathered over the past 4 years):

- Small animal clinic, 1 veterinarian ; 225 hours
- Zoo, 1 veterinarian; 280 hours
- Feral cat spay/neuter clinics; 100 hrs
- General livestock (dairy, beef, chickens, sheep, pigs); ~700 hours combined
- Pathogenic microbiology research ; ~750 hours by the end of the summer I anticipate

The key is diversity of experience I think. Let the folks evaluating you know that you have seen the profession from several viewpoints. One experience with 1,000 hours is not necessarily as good as three with maybe 200 hours apiece.

Hoped that helped.

 

[PetPony]

Do you put high school awards and extracurricular things that were related to school on the application also? Or only what you did during your college years? Besides the volunteering..

Cause it would be a lot easier to find that stuff now than in a few years..

 

[LetItSnow]

Do you put high school awards and extracurricular things that were related to school on the application also? Or only what you did during your college years?

I did. And it was decades ago for me. It was yet another one of those things that I decided probably wouldn't help me much, but definitely wouldn't hurt.

 

[JustL0sinit]

23 year old male
California Resident
University of California, Irvine
B.S. Biological Sciences
Cum GPA 3.5 (I know its low but I had a horrible frosh year~2.7 and had to climb my way back up and finished with 9 consecutive quarters or soph-senior year of dean's list about a 3.7-3.95 GPA)
Science GPA 3.4ish
Last 3 Quarters: 3.78
GRE 1400, 780 Q, 620V both 90 Percentile

Research
2 Years of undergrad research

Work
1 Year of limb regeneration research involving salamanders

Animal Experience
about 1000 hours of dog sitting, dog walking etc

Vet Experience:
8 hours, just started my day working as unregistered vet tech and will be working 32 hours a week

LOR's
2 Professors at UCI (Research, and Physiology Lab)
2 from the Vets at the clinic that I am working at (haven't asked yet, need to work longer)

So, do I have a chance applying this round, or should I just wait until next year when I have much more Vet experience?

What else should I do in the mean time to increase my chances of being accepted?

 

[Bismarck]

Snippity snip

This answer hinges on how many hours you will get working at the veterinary clinic. If you anticipate having ~400 by the time you submit your application, I'd say go for it as you'll have enough experience to make a case for understanding the profession sufficiently to commit to four years of professional school. Your other stats look good, but I'd make sure to include a brief statement in the explanation statement about why your 1st semester grades sucked and how you've grown and matured. It need not be super elaborate, but it should emphasize why you're ready to handle the veterinary curriculum.

 

[NStarz]

Apparently I'm over the top and don't want competition this cycle! Whoops--maybe someone should have told me what my intentions were first before I thought of my own. Good luck OP

 

[sooprnova]

JustL0sinit--

What is causing you to want to apply to vet school at this point in your life? You seem like you have a lot of animal experience, but have literally just started getting experience in the vet field. The number of hours you can obtain between now and the time applications are due is inconsequential if you don't understand the field you are aspiring. How do you know you want to be a vet? That is the most important question you need to answer before you apply. The vet field is diverse and complicated, and you need to know whether you are able to handle the tough cases and the ethical ambiguities. If you've already figured all that out, then great, but that is what the ADCOMs are going to be thinking when they read your app.

If I were you, I'd consider taking a year off. Your research will help you, but won't replace "vet exp." And your grades aren't awful by any means. I would just make sure that you know what you're getting yourself into, and take it from there. I would be so stressed, honestly, if I were just starting applications right now. You have to write a personal statement, compile all of your vet/animal/employment experience hours, secure LORs and complete supplemental applications. Applications are due in October and it's almost August. Additionally, it may be difficult for you to secure outstanding LORs this late in the game. Consider the fact that you just started working at a clinic and you are expecting to get 2 LORs from vets that you've known for about a day. It takes time to build relationships, and for them to truly be able to speak the most about your character and uniqueness. If you wanted to give them enough time to craft a good letter, you would only have about a month to get to know them. Considering you are only working 12 hours/week, that's a bit of a stretch, and you may end up with less than desirable LORs.

At the same time, if you have the money, why not go for it? You might get lucky :-D

Good luck in whatever you choose. And remember that there's no shame in taking a year off (I'm in my gap year right now!).

My advice is to ignore everything this person said and to apply if you feel as though you understand vet med and if you know it's for you. Whether you have 1000 hours or 100 hours, it all comes down to how you understand your experience and what you've learned from it.

And Dear NStarz, please don't take this the wrong way, but it seems as though you're a bit bitter and maybe you don't want to encourage equally competitive applicants to apply this cycle.

 

[LetItSnow]

The vet field is diverse and complicated, and you need to know whether you are able to handle the tough cases and the ethical ambiguities.

I don't even know what the "ethical ambiguities" are, much less have them figured out.

No offense, but this sounds a bit ... I dunno ... over the top. It IS just vet school. Don't make applying more complicated than it has to be; nobody expects applicants to have all the angles figured out.

So, do I have a chance applying this round, or should I just wait until next year when I have much more Vet experience?

Sure, you have a chance. You have two obvious challenges, experience and LORs. Your almost-300 hours (9 weeks x 32 hours) will be less than most applicants. On the LOR front, it's a tricky balance. You need to give them enough exposure to you to write a reasonable LOR, but you also need to give them time to write one.

All in all, I think it's tight. Not impossible, but probably stacked against you. If you plan to go the research route, and your application is all about research, your odds may be better (because your experience backs that up). If you are planning a clinical route, your odds are probably lower, but you don't lose much by applying other than a bit of cash.

Here's the only concrete advice I have: If you want to do it this time around, tell the vets you work for now that you're hoping to do it and that you're hoping they'll write you a recommendation. That will get it on their radar; they'll pay attention to your work, and they'll be in a position where they'll be more comfortable writing it. If you decide not to do it this time around, don't mention it to them until next summer. Just don't apply this year but wait until the second week of September to ask them for their help.

 

[petdrhpful2015]

23 year old male
California Resident
University of California, Irvine
B.S. Biological Sciences
Cum GPA 3.5 (I know its low but I had a horrible frosh year~2.7 and had to climb my way back up and finished with 9 consecutive quarters or soph-senior year of dean's list about a 3.7-3.95 GPA)
Science GPA 3.4ish
Last 3 Quarters: 3.78
GRE 1400, 780 Q, 620V both 90 Percentile

Research
2 Years of undergrad research

Work
1 Year of limb regeneration research involving salamanders

Animal Experience
about 1000 hours of dog sitting, dog walking etc

Vet Experience:
8 hours, just started my day working as unregistered vet tech and will be working 32 hours a week

LOR's
2 Professors at UCI (Research, and Physiology Lab)
2 from the Vets at the clinic that I am working at (haven't asked yet, need to work longer)

So, do I have a chance applying this round, or should I just wait until next year when I have much more Vet experience?

What else should I do in the mean time to increase my chances of being accepted?

Is the Vet clinic you work at small or mixed (equine)? If it's mixed, then I say you're in great shape, as long as you keep establishing relationships there and challenging yourself to see as much as you can. Even if you're scheduled for 32 hours, if you can swing a few volunteer hours that could be helpful too, i.e. viewing surgeries and other procedures (if the vets are willing). That just shows even more dedication and might encourage the vets to write you better recommendations.

If it is only small animal, I think you just might be lacking in the large animal field, but if you stress research in your application, then maybe that will be overlooked. Obviously I understand this is all easier said than done, but if you do have a free day here and there, see if you can shadow a large animal or equine vet. Even if it ends up being 20 hours, it is something to put on your application to show that you are interested in the veterinary field as a whole.

Last thing...just do your research on which schools you are applying. Some schools stress academics more than experience and vice versa. Your academics are definitely competitive so great job there.

At the end of the day, none of us know if we will get accepted, so what's the harm in trying? It seems like a fairly arbitrary process to me. If you get the chance to interview, maybe you will strike a cord with your interviewer and get the acceptance. A few schools are increasing their class sizes too, so you never know!

Best of luck to you. I am rooting for you!

 

[NStarz]

My advice is to ignore everything this person said and to apply if you feel as though you understand vet med and if you know it's for you. Whether you have 1000 hours or 100 hours, it all comes down to how you understand your experience and what you've learned from it.

And Dear NStarz, please don't take this the wrong way, but it seems as though you're a bit bitter and maybe you don't want to encourage equally competitive applicants to apply this cycle.

Ummm...no? But okay. I'll delete what I said because apparently it was over the top and not correct. I was instructed, when I asked if I should apply last year on this forum, not to do so because I had less than 50 hours of vet experience. I am offering the same advice to this person. I'm trying to get them not to waste their money if they don't know what they're getting themselves into.

Please don't attach assumed intentions to my posts because you don't know me, and you don't know what my intentions are.

And LIS: ethical ambiguities meaning what other people have said in other forums that was apparently okay to mention then but not now. Ie, dealing with euthanasia most prominently.

Okay, I'm peace-ing out. Hope you enjoyed your NStarz bashing for the day. Sorry if I sounded 'bitter' in this post. I'm coming off of an eleven hour work day and had to euthanize two healthy kittens and one healthy puppy last night.


OP: Do whatever you want to. Good luck with your applications if you decide to apply, and if you decide not to apply this cycle, good luck to you next year.

 

[bunnity]

I don't think NStarz said anything wrong. I think there is a tendency on this forum to ONLY be 100% encouraging at all times - there is nothing wrong with being realistic and asking questions. I wondered not so much if this poster could get in, but whether they know, for themselves, what they are getting in for and if that's what they really want. Like I wrote on the "checklist" thread, you should try to experience certain things before making the decision to enter vet med. It is entirely possible that this poster could find vet med boring / gross / depressing / unfulfilling / economically not worth it - and it is better to find this out before applying or before being halfway through vet school.

Now for some ethical ambiguities in case anyone needs help:
-Sick pet, owner has no money, do you give meds donated by another client? This is less than legal but has the potential to help (or hurt) the sick pet.

-Sick but treatable pet, owner wants to euthanize due to lack of money. No options for rehome or rescue, and if you treat for free you could get fired.

-Family cat was never vaccinated for rabies, goes outside and occasionally fights wild animals, now it bit a child. If you report the bite, the cat will be euthanized for rabies testing. (I don't think this is very ambiguous but some would).

-You work at a shelter and the sweetest puppy ever comes it. Parvo positive. You either euthanize or put the entire shelter of dogs at risk.

-You're a vegan vet student but your curriculum requires you to work extensively with food animals and to do terminal surgery.

 

[Dsmoody23]

My advice is to ignore everything this person said and to apply if you feel as though you understand vet med and if you know it's for you. Whether you have 1000 hours or 100 hours, it all comes down to how you understand your experience and what you've learned from it.

And Dear NStarz, please don't take this the wrong way, but it seems as though you're a bit bitter and maybe you don't want to encourage equally competitive applicants to apply this cycle.

One full day of experience and no veterinary LOR is not equally competitive.

I know this thread is supposed to be all affirmation, backrubs and unicorn rides, but it isn't out of line to suggest that someone with virtually no experience in the field has a less than adequate understanding of the work.

 

[GellaBella]

I don't think NStarz said anything wrong. I think there is a tendency on this forum to ONLY be 100% encouraging at all times - there is nothing wrong with being realistic and asking questions. .

One full day of experience and no veterinary LOR is not equally competitive.

I know this thread is supposed to be all affirmation, backrubs and unicorn rides, but it isn't out of line to suggest that someone with virtually no experience in the field has a less than adequate understanding of the work.

Seriously people. don't jump down NStarz throat just because she was being realistic. The person asked for peoples opinions, NStarz gave hers (his?). Just because you don't agree with it doesn't mean you should say "Oh just ignore everything that person just said".

NStarz brought up good points as did others. They didn't say you have to have everything all figured out, they just said to think about a few things.

And seriously, if the OP only has 8 hours of vet experience..it's basically August. They have to submit in early Oct and probably won't have enough experience by then to get the solid vet LOR they need. It doesnt mean they can't and shouldn't try if they really want to, but it does mean that if they don't have a complete understanding of the admissions process, they might not realize the competition their up against and they might decide, after being better informed, to wait a year and save their money.

Who knows, but I think saying that someone is "bitter" and "trying to drive off competition" is kinda crazy, especially based on what that person actually wrote.

 

[twelvetigers]

If you felt that nstarz was incorrect, you have the right to say so. But... there is no excuse for being a complete turd about how you say it. Trying to keep out the competition? Seriously?

Human civility on online forums... imagine that.

 

[Marsala]

One full day of experience and no veterinary LOR is not equally competitive.

I know this thread is supposed to be all affirmation, backrubs and unicorn rides, but it isn't out of line to suggest that someone with virtually no experience in the field has a less than adequate understanding of the work.

...I want my unicorn ride...

 

[LetItSnow]

I was instructed, when I asked if I should apply last year on this forum, not to do so because I had less than 50 hours of vet experience.

Except this person would, presumably, have around 300 hours, not "less than 50". They said they're starting a job of 32 hrs/week. I was admittedly extrapolating, but that rolls out to a bit under 300 hours at application time. Still not much, but ... it's into that realm of might just barely be enough depending on the rest of the app.

And LIS: ethical ambiguities meaning what other people have said in other forums that was apparently okay to mention then but not now. Ie, dealing with euthanasia most prominently.

No worries. I just don't agree with your argument that applicants need to have that all figured out. I know I don't have it all figured out, and somehow I got accepted. That's all. I don't think you need to get defensive and delete your post; especially if it's advice you'd stand by - people need to see different perspectives.

Sorry if I sounded 'bitter' in this post.

You didn't sound bitter to me! I thought your comments were advice honestly given. I just disagreed, that's all. Doesn't make you wrong.