What are my chances?

[love2hunt]

I was planning to take a year off before vet school but I'm now reconsidering!

21 year old female, Oregon resident
Degree: BA in Biochemistry with Environmental studies minor (May '18)
current Cum GPA: 3.86
Science GPA: 3.84

Vet experience:
700ish: volunteer at a non-profit vet clinic assisting mostly with walk-ins and administrative duties but also surgeries

Animal experience:
650ish: worked two summers at a nature center. cared for resident raptors and herps in addition to wildlife rehab (mostly birds). Administered meds, food, and monitored wellbeing. Handled raptors and reptiles for presentations. Interacted with a couple vets when bringing animals in to be seen but not extensively
80: volunteered on waterfowl sanctuary
Don't know if this counts but fostering kittens for the clinic

Research:
I will be working this summer on a project that involves mice. I have the opportunity to meet and interact with lab animal vets. Will be around 280 hours of work.
Tanzania biology field research
Independent lab research on horse feed composition

GRE:
I haven't taken! As I am just now starting to consider applying this fall. Ugh! I got a 33 on the ACT but a 30 was a much more typical score for me. How much does this score weigh in?

LORs:
Biology prof or committee letter. Which would be better?
Vet at the non-profit clinic
Probably previous employer at the nature center or owner of the clinic. Which would be better?

Other:
Studied abroad in Tanzania. Conducted 2 week long research on impala and shorter project on brittlestars
I was an intern at a family planning clinic in TZ for a few weeks. some hours volunteering at a local hospital.
2 season d3 varsity athlete
service based scholarship that requires 140 hours community service per semester (which I do at the clinic)
merit, need based financial aid and chemistry scholarship
Short study abroad in Berlin on multiculturalism

Worries:
All of my vet experience is at the same clinic. How can I improve this over the next few months? Shadow other vets? I'm mostly interested in wildlife which I have done a lot of. The lab vet experience could be good although I am pretty darn sure I don't want to do that lol.
I haven't taken the GRE
I'm just beginning to look at the specifics of applying! And getting overwhelmed. Yikes.

Planning to apply to Oregon, Washington, and NC. Possible a few others on the lower price range like TAMU, Wisconsin, Missouri, UC. Thanks!

All of my vet experience was from the same place as well, excepting a few hours I counted working with our farm vet in high school. Biggest thing will be to see what the schools you are applying to are looking for. Do they want breadth/depth/both? Assuming your in-state school is also your cheapest option, gear your application towards them, as it's probably your best chance of getting accepted somewhere.

The application process is a little overwhelming! By a little I mean a lot. Write down everything you need to get done to be an applicant. Then, make a timeline and prioritize what comes first. I'd plan on starting to study for the GRE asap and get that completed. If you do worse than you want, you'll have time to retake it before submitting your application. I didn't start even studying for the GRE until May of last year (and my last math class was 7 years prior), so compared to me you are ahead of the game!

As far as I know, ACT scores do not matter.


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[ziggyandjazzy]

All of my vet experience was from the same place as well, excepting a few hours I counted working with our farm vet in high school. Biggest thing will be to see what the schools you are applying to are looking for. Do they want breadth/depth/both? Assuming your in-state school is also your cheapest option, gear your application towards them, as it's probably your best chance of getting accepted somewhere.

The application process is a little overwhelming! By a little I mean a lot. Write down everything you need to get done to be an applicant. Then, make a timeline and prioritize what comes first. I'd plan on starting to study for the GRE asap and get that completed. If you do worse than you want, you'll have time to retake it before submitting your application. I didn't start even studying for the GRE until May of last year (and my last math class was 7 years prior), so compared to me you are ahead of the game!

As far as I know, ACT scores do not matter.


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How do I go about finding out whether they want depth or breadth for Oregon state? It seems the school might to a fair amount of LA so I think it would be a good idea to connect with some vets over the summer and spend some hours there. I will also talk to my research supervisor about lab animal vets as well.

I merely included my ACT score as a metric that I have done decently on standardized tests in the past. I do plan on getting the GRE done ASAP. I have a few weeks of school left and then go to Berlin to study for a month so it would probably be hard to get any done during May. Any study suggestions so late in the game?

 

[love2hunt]

How do I go about finding out whether they want depth or breadth for Oregon state? It seems the school might to a fair amount of LA so I think it would be a good idea to connect with some vets over the summer and spend some hours there. I will also talk to my research supervisor about lab animal vets as well.

I merely included my ACT score as a metric that I have done decently on standardized tests in the past. I do plan on getting the GRE done ASAP. I have a few weeks of school left and then go to Berlin to study for a month so it would probably be hard to get any done during May. Any study suggestions so late in the game?

I pulled this straight off the Oregon State CVM website: "What type of veterinary experience and exposure are necessary?: It is preferred that applicants receive substantial exposure to multiple disciplines within the veterinary field. These include clinical practice with large and/or small animals, research, industry, zoological or exotic animal medicine, public health and food safety."

So, based on that, looks like they want both! However, I would recommend you just get straight on touch with the admissions department and ask. That's the best advice for anyone applying anywhere. Hopefully someone else can chime in who has more experience with Oregon State than I do.

Ah, I see what you mean now about the ACT scores. If you do well on standardized tests, I'd think you'll have a leg up on the GRE.

I used Magoosh, and I know a lot of other people on here did, too. I think it probably helped my Quantitative score, but I did not use the Verbal study stuff as I found it pretty unhelpful. Other people on here swear by it. Something you could be working on now would be vocabulary. Magoosh has a GRE vocabulary flash card app that definitely did help me on the test.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

I pulled this straight off the Oregon State CVM website: "What type of veterinary experience and exposure are necessary?: It is preferred that applicants receive substantial exposure to multiple disciplines within the veterinary field. These include clinical practice with large and/or small animals, research, industry, zoological or exotic animal medicine, public health and food safety."

So, based on that, looks like they want both! However, I would recommend you just get straight on touch with the admissions department and ask. That's the best advice for anyone applying anywhere. Hopefully someone else can chime in who has more experience with Oregon State than I do.

Ah, I see what you mean now about the ACT scores. If you do well on standardized tests, I'd think you'll have a leg up on the GRE.

I used Magoosh, and I know a lot of other people on here did, too. I think it probably helped my Quantitative score, but I did not use the Verbal study stuff as I found it pretty unhelpful. Other people on here swear by it. Something you could be working on now would be vocabulary. Magoosh has a GRE vocabulary flash card app that definitely did help me on the test.

In talking to a few people, they were waitlisted due to low hours or not diverse hours. If I sent them an email to ask about amount and diversity of hours, would I just tell them about my particular situation and ask whether they think I need more diverse experience or not?

Also I took college chemistry while I was in high school. Would that factor into my GPA?

 

[Coopah]

In talking to a few people, they were waitlisted due to low hours or not diverse hours. If I sent them an email to ask about amount and diversity of hours, would I just tell them about my particular situation and ask whether they think I need more diverse experience or not?

Also I took college chemistry while I was in high school. Would that factor into my GPA?

Did it get put on your transcript? My AP classes weren't factored into my GPA, but if you took an actual college course and got a grade then yes, it will count. Always feel free to ask the admissions department questions, they are your best resource!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Did it get put on your transcript? My AP classes weren't factored into my GPA, but if you took an actual college course and got a grade then yes, it will count. Always feel free to ask the admissions department questions, they are your best resource!

It is from a different college then I currently attend and it's put on my transcript as just "Credit received". Would I have to get the actual transcript from the other school?

 

[Coopah]

It is from a different college then I currently attend and it's put on my transcript as just "Credit received". Would I have to get the actual transcript from the other school?

Yes, all transcripts are required!

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Yes, all transcripts are required!

Dang it, that will bring down my GPA

 

[ahallowell]

Dang it, that will bring down my GPA

Yup! It'll count toward your GPA and you'll have to get the transcript for that transferred course. I just asked AAVMC this exact question last week. Wish I knew back in high school that those classes would count towards vet school admissions. Sigh!


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[deleted806434]

In talking to a few people, they were waitlisted due to low hours or not diverse hours. If I sent them an email to ask about amount and diversity of hours, would I just tell them about my particular situation and ask whether they think I need more diverse experience or not?

I just wanted to chime in here since I applied to Oregon this year. This is anecdotal advice, but my hours weren't that much different total than yours (closer to 800 total) and about 650 were in small animal. The rest of the 150 were spread between 4 other areas of vet med. So I get the impression that Oregon wants you to have exposure to multiple areas, but you don't necessarily need extensive experience in each of them. I think gaining exposure to a couple more areas of vet med over the summer would serve you well. Otherwise I think your application is pretty solid.

However, I would recommend that you ask admissions for their advice as it will be the most reliable

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

I just wanted to chime in here since I applied to Oregon this year. This is anecdotal advice, but my hours weren't that much different total than yours (closer to 800 total) and about 650 were in small animal. The rest of the 150 were spread between 4 other areas of vet med. So I get the impression that Oregon wants you to have exposure to multiple areas, but you don't necessarily need extensive experience in each of them. I think gaining exposure to a couple more areas of vet med over the summer would serve you well. Otherwise I think your application is pretty solid.

However, I would recommend that you ask admissions for their advice as it will be the most reliable

That's super useful advice, thank you! Are you IS for OR? I'm not sure I can scrape together 150 hours with different types of vets. I maybe have about 10 hours I didn't list with a zoo vet and a wildlife vet. However, I do think my animal experience is closer in line with vet work than a lot because I administered and cared for sick wildlife. I've started talking with an animal who works at my clinic who also works at a LA clinic, which I didn't know. Hopefully I could get 50 or so hours with her. The small clinic I volunteer for asked if I could work some as a vet tech this summer but I don't think that will be that possible due to my research position. I will be able to pick up some with a lab animal vet. Not sure what else I could add on!

 

[deleted806434]

That's super useful advice, thank you! Are you IS for OR? I'm not sure I can scrape together 150 hours with different types of vets. I maybe have about 10 hours I didn't list with a zoo vet and a wildlife vet. However, I do think my animal experience is closer in line with vet work than a lot because I administered and cared for sick wildlife. I've started talking with an animal who works at my clinic who also works at a LA clinic, which I didn't know. Hopefully I could get 50 or so hours with her. The small clinic I volunteer for asked if I could work some as a vet tech this summer but I don't think that will be that possible due to my research position. I will be able to pick up some with a lab animal vet. Not sure what else I could add on!

Sorry I didn't mean that you needed to get exactly 150 more hours lol. If possible I would try to get more hours with the wildlife vet if that's what you are planning to do in the future, but otherwise I think your plan looks good for the LA and lab animal! I do want to mention that I think my hours were the worst part of my application though. So the more the better, but it's possible to get in with less than ideal.

I'm OOS for Oregon but I'm sure we are evaluated on the same criteria as IS I just didn't have to interview.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Sorry I didn't mean that you needed to get exactly 150 more hours lol. If possible I would try to get more hours with the wildlife vet if that's what you are planning to do in the future, but otherwise I think your plan looks good for the LA and lab animal! I do want to mention that I think my hours were the worst part of my application though. So the more the better, but it's possible to get in with less than ideal.

I'm OOS for Oregon but I'm sure we are evaluated on the same criteria as IS I just didn't have to interview.

I guess I've been advised poorly about pre-vet because I didn't know how important hours were/thought I had a lot. I'm in a scholarship program that requires 10 hours per week of community service and that 2 out of 3 summers are with non-profits. All of my volunteer work has been at the vet clinic or with animals but it seems like I need more. Maybe this summer I will prioritize using my extra time on hours instead of GRE prep. Ah the stress! When you say you think your hours were the weakest point, is this because most OSU applicants had more? or admitted ones had more? Thanks for your help! Also, are you planning to go to OSU?

And unfortunately, I go to school in the mid-west and there aren't any wildlife vets nearby. When I go home for a couple weeks I may be able to shadow someone!

 

[deleted806434]

I guess I've been advised poorly about pre-vet because I didn't know how important hours were/thought I had a lot. I'm in a scholarship program that requires 10 hours per week of community service and that 2 out of 3 summers are with non-profits. All of my volunteer work has been at the vet clinic or with animals but it seems like I need more. Maybe this summer I will prioritize using my extra time on hours instead of GRE prep. Ah the stress! When you say you think your hours were the weakest point, is this because most OSU applicants had more? or admitted ones had more? Thanks for your help! Also, are you planning to go to OSU?

And unfortunately, I go to school in the mid-west and there aren't any wildlife vets nearby. When I go home for a couple weeks I may be able to shadow someone!

In general people on here say 1000 hours veterinary experience and 1000 hours animal experience is about average, but I'm not sure where those numbers come from. Not sure about Oregon specifically (I don't think that info is on their website), so that is something you would have to ask admissions. I'm going to WSU

 

[Sam&Cheese]

Hi,
I am 22 years old and will be graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in two weeks. I have always wanted to be a veterinarian but talked myself out of it, deciding business would be the best thing to do at the time. I began working in a kennel at an animal hospital in July 2012. In December 2014, I took changed positions at the same clinic as a phone operator. I have since taken on other responsibilities from entering notes to working in the pharmacy. I have come to the decision that being a vet is what I really want. I wish I'd have decided to do this years ago, back in high school. I am afraid that I won't get in. My grades haven't been the best, because business was a bore for me and I got side tracked with a full time job. I live in Florida, so UF is the closest option. I have heard it is very competitive and I worry I won't stand a chance at UF or possibly any other school. My GPA at the end of the Fall 2016 was 2.8 (sad, I know). I will get 2 A's in my final classes but it won't shift my GPA enough. I just applied to a 4-year college that will offer my pre-requisite courses.

I need honesty, do I have a chance? I realize that is hard to determine or judge but I need some direction. I have talked to several advisors but haven't gotten a chance to meet one on one to go over my transcript.

 

[LetItSnow]

Best to post in this thread (it is sticky'd at the top of the pre-vet forum page): What are my chances?

There are ways to mitigate previous poor academic performance (especially if you're just getting going on pre-reqs), but they may come with downsides (such as applying elsewhere at a potentially higher tuition).

G'luck.

 

[Emmy Senpai]

Hi,
I am 22 years old and will be graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in two weeks. I have always wanted to be a veterinarian but talked myself out of it, deciding business would be the best thing to do at the time. I began working in a kennel at an animal hospital in July 2012. In December 2014, I took changed positions at the same clinic as a phone operator. I have since taken on other responsibilities from entering notes to working in the pharmacy. I have come to the decision that being a vet is what I really want. I wish I'd have decided to do this years ago, back in high school. I am afraid that I won't get in. My grades haven't been the best, because business was a bore for me and I got side tracked with a full time job. I live in Florida, so UF is the closest option. I have heard it is very competitive and I worry I won't stand a chance at UF or possibly any other school. My GPA at the end of the Fall 2016 was 2.8 (sad, I know). I will get 2 A's in my final classes but it won't shift my GPA enough. I just applied to a 4-year college that will offer my pre-requisite courses.

I need honesty, do I have a chance? I realize that is hard to determine or judge but I need some direction. I have talked to several advisors but haven't gotten a chance to meet one on one to go over my transcript.

Most vet schools require a 3.0 or above. For my IS contract school, they required a 2.5 GPA for admission. It won't be easy, but it has been done before. There are a couple people on the successful applicant threads every year who fall below a 3.0 GPA, but they have EXTENSIVE veterinary hours to offset the grades.

 

[mht2k3]

Hi,
I am 22 years old and will be graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in two weeks. I have always wanted to be a veterinarian but talked myself out of it, deciding business would be the best thing to do at the time. I began working in a kennel at an animal hospital in July 2012. In December 2014, I took changed positions at the same clinic as a phone operator. I have since taken on other responsibilities from entering notes to working in the pharmacy. I have come to the decision that being a vet is what I really want. I wish I'd have decided to do this years ago, back in high school. I am afraid that I won't get in. My grades haven't been the best, because business was a bore for me and I got side tracked with a full time job. I live in Florida, so UF is the closest option. I have heard it is very competitive and I worry I won't stand a chance at UF or possibly any other school. My GPA at the end of the Fall 2016 was 2.8 (sad, I know). I will get 2 A's in my final classes but it won't shift my GPA enough. I just applied to a 4-year college that will offer my pre-requisite courses.

I need honesty, do I have a chance? I realize that is hard to determine or judge but I need some direction. I have talked to several advisors but haven't gotten a chance to meet one on one to go over my transcript.

Have you taken any of the required pre-reqs or do you still need to take them all? Have you taken any science courses (Animal Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry, Other Life Science, Other Science, Physics)? If you still have all of your pre-reqs to take and haven't taken a ton of science courses in those categories, you are still in decent shape. You will have to apply smartly and look at schools that only look at last 45/science GPAs and dont look at cGPA as much (Michigan State, Minnesota, Davis come to mind). This is under the assumption that you can get almost all As in your pre-reqs going forward.

You will want to get your gpa above 3.0 since many schools use that as an initial cut-off, but if you still have to take all of your pre-reqs and you do well in them you should be able to manage that. I had around a 3.0 in my original bachelors, but got around a 3.95 in my pre-reqs as a postbac and was accepted at 3 schools.

If you kick ass in your pre-reqs, get a ton varied experience hours, and do well on your GRE you will have a really good shot of getting accepted somewhere. good luck!

 

[ahallowell]

Hey all - I'm not really sure where to post this question but hopefully this is the right thread. My significant other has played a large part in what schools I apply to since he will be coming with me. He recently informed me that he doesn't feel comfortable moving to Iowa State and asked if I could replace it with another school closer to a city like UC Davis or Wisconsin (we are from Philly so he needs to be around things to do). I'm dedicated to applying to ten schools so I want to pick one or the other (plus both these schools are reaches for me).... does anyone have any insight to which school would be best for someone interested in food safety/public health and preventative medicine... I'm leaning towards Wisconsin because they mention a more holistic approach to their application where Davis is primarily number focused from what I hear. Some quick stats that may help: BS veterinary medicine MS food safety, last 45 GPA 3.85, science GPA 3.55, cum GPA 3.57, vet hours in multiple disciplines 1090, GRE still need to take since it recently expire (hoping for 75-80 percentiles) .... any thoughts!?! Appreciate your help!


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[Coopah]

Hey all - I'm not really sure where to post this question but hopefully this is the right thread. My significant other has played a large part in what schools I apply to since he will be coming with me. He recently informed me that he doesn't feel comfortable moving to Iowa State and asked if I could replace it with another school closer to a city like UC Davis or Wisconsin (we are from Philly so he needs to be around things to do). I'm dedicated to applying to ten schools so I want to pick one or the other (plus both these schools are reaches for me).... does anyone have any insight to which school would be best for someone interested in food safety/public health and preventative medicine... I'm leaning towards Wisconsin because they mention a more holistic approach to their application where Davis is primarily number focused from what I hear. Some quick stats that may help: BS veterinary medicine MS food safety, last 45 GPA 3.85, science GPA 3.55, cum GPA 3.57, vet hours in multiple disciplines 1090, GRE still need to take since it recently expire (hoping for 75-80 percentiles) .... any thoughts!?! Appreciate your help!


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Well, if you do really well on the GRE davis might not be a bad choice. They consider last 45 the most, then science, then Quant GRE. If you snag an interview it's a blank slate and they choose solely based off how well you did in the MMI. I'm not sure about other schools as far as food animal, sorry.

 

[ahallowell]

Well, if you do really well on the GRE davis might not be a bad choice. They consider last 45 the most, then science, then Quant GRE. If you snag an interview it's a blank slate and they choose solely based off how well you did in the MMI. I'm not sure about other schools as far as food animal, sorry.

Thanks Coopah! My strategic plan is to apply to schools where I have the best chance of getting in (if my significant other agrees on the location) and then hopefully once I'm accepted pick the school that's the cheapest. Regardless if the school is mainly food animal focused, I'm sure I'll get a great education at any of the schools. I might have to take the GRE first to help me make the decision lol


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[Coopah]

Thanks Coopah! My strategic plan is to apply to schools where I have the best chance of getting in (if my significant other agrees on the location) and then hopefully once I'm accepted pick the school that's the cheapest. Regardless if the school is mainly food animal focused, I'm sure I'll get a great education at any of the schools. I might have to take the GRE first to help me make the decision lol


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Yeah I feel you. You'd probably have a good shot at Kansas too, but I doubt your SO would like the location. I applied there and only after my SO was like "where the hell would I work?"

 

[ahallowell]

Yeah I feel you. You'd probably have a good shot at Kansas too, but I doubt your SO would like the location. I applied there and only after my SO was like "where the hell would I work?"

Funny you mention that! I still have Kansas State on my list. I had to be very persuasive about K-State, but he can tell that I really love the school. Especially after all the great things the vet I work for has said about them. Luckily he can keep his current job and work remotely. It's just a matter of things to do.... I argue that Kansas City is only 2 hours away hahaha


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[mmmdreamerz]

Hey all - I'm not really sure where to post this question but hopefully this is the right thread. My significant other has played a large part in what schools I apply to since he will be coming with me. He recently informed me that he doesn't feel comfortable moving to Iowa State and asked if I could replace it with another school closer to a city like UC Davis or Wisconsin (we are from Philly so he needs to be around things to do). I'm dedicated to applying to ten schools so I want to pick one or the other (plus both these schools are reaches for me).... does anyone have any insight to which school would be best for someone interested in food safety/public health and preventative medicine... I'm leaning towards Wisconsin because they mention a more holistic approach to their application where Davis is primarily number focused from what I hear. Some quick stats that may help: BS veterinary medicine MS food safety, last 45 GPA 3.85, science GPA 3.55, cum GPA 3.57, vet hours in multiple disciplines 1090, GRE still need to take since it recently expire (hoping for 75-80 percentiles) .... any thoughts!?! Appreciate your help!


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Is Ohio State on your list?

 

[ahallowell]

Is Ohio State on your list?

It was! It was actually one of my top choices, but the SO said no-way... I'm still trying to change his mind. My list as of now is UPENN (IS), University of Minnesota (loveeeee), Michigan State University (also love), Colorado State (SO loves) Virginia-Maryland, University of Illinois, Kansas State, Cornell, Tufts, Wisconsin/UC Davis. If there are any schools I should reconsider and possibly switch out let me know.


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[TrashPanda]

Hey all - I'm not really sure where to post this question but hopefully this is the right thread. My significant other has played a large part in what schools I apply to since he will be coming with me. He recently informed me that he doesn't feel comfortable moving to Iowa State and asked if I could replace it with another school closer to a city like UC Davis or Wisconsin (we are from Philly so he needs to be around things to do). I'm dedicated to applying to ten schools so I want to pick one or the other (plus both these schools are reaches for me).... does anyone have any insight to which school would be best for someone interested in food safety/public health and preventative medicine... I'm leaning towards Wisconsin because they mention a more holistic approach to their application where Davis is primarily number focused from what I hear. Some quick stats that may help: BS veterinary medicine MS food safety, last 45 GPA 3.85, science GPA 3.55, cum GPA 3.57, vet hours in multiple disciplines 1090, GRE still need to take since it recently expire (hoping for 75-80 percentiles) .... any thoughts!?! Appreciate your help!


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I think you're right in the range where it makes sense to apply to Davis if that's where you really want to go, but unfortunately, I think you're also in the range where you wouldn't get an interview. They only look at last 45, sciGPA, and quant GRE (in that order), and they say that an average GPA of 3.80 (last 45 and science) is "competitive" for OOS applicants while yours is 3.70. In previous years, accepted OOS applicants had GPAs around 3.9. IIRC correctly, this year there was someone with about a 3.85 average GPA and a good GRE, and they were waitlisted for an interview and ended up not getting one. They are really, really numbers-based. But who knows what next year's cycle will look like, so you never know- they don't have a strict numbers cut-off, but instead invite the top ~10-15% of OOS applicants for interviews.

I don't know that I'd say UC Davis is close to a city. Davis is pretty quiet, Sacramento isn't exactly exciting, and San Francisco is about 2 hours away. But if 2 hours away from a city is good enough for your SO, that opens a lot of doors to other schools.

I would recommend Ohio State since Columbus is a pretty nice city from what I hear, and you can get IS tuition after the first year (though that first OOS year is a killer). They have a lot of OOS spots and I think you'd be competitive there.

Watch out for Wisconsin- they recently upped their tuition so it'll be almost $200,000 (just tuition, not including cost of living) over four years. They let this year's accepted students know, but information online is out-dated.

As for holistic admissions there, they're definitely less numbers-based than Davis, but they have very few OOS spots (though their waitlist tends to move a lot). I was accepted with stats below their averages, so I guess they're holistic. They don't interview, but they do have a supplemental with some short essays.

Any reason why you're applying to ten schools? That's a lot! It may be difficult to attend interviews with that many.

 

[bombai]

It was! It was actually one of my top choices, but the SO said no-way... I'm still trying to change his mind. My list as of now is UPENN (IS), University of Minnesota (loveeeee), Michigan State University (also love), Colorado State (SO loves) Virginia-Maryland, University of Illinois, Kansas State, Cornell, Tufts, Wisconsin/UC Davis. If there are any schools I should reconsider and possibly switch out let me know.


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I am not sure the reasoning behind the "NO" for Ohio. I had never been to Ohio and absolutely LOVED it. And I'm from the west coast. If your SO has not been to Columbus, I would perhaps see if he/she would be willing to have you keep it on the list (or just put it on!) and then, if you get in, have another conversation about it. It was SOOO difficult for me to decline my spot to Ohio State. The people there are AMAZING and the area is spectacular. Just some thoughts for you .

 

[TrashPanda]

It was! It was actually one of my top choices, but the SO said no-way... I'm still trying to change his mind. My list as of now is UPENN (IS), University of Minnesota (loveeeee), Michigan State University (also love), Colorado State (SO loves) Virginia-Maryland, University of Illinois, Kansas State, Cornell, Tufts, Wisconsin/UC Davis. If there are any schools I should reconsider and possibly switch out let me know.


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I don't know what your financial situation is and certainly don't mean to pry, but those are some of the most expensive schools in the US. If you end up at a less expensive school in a place your SO doesn't love, they could spend $10-20k on travel per year to get away and still come out significantly ahead.

If tuition is a concern for you and you haven't already done this, sitting down with your SO and going over tuition, interest rates on loans, average starting salaries, etc. may make them more open to other locations.

It's difficult for both people, for sure. My SO is coming with me (yay!) and we're not married so my tuition and loans are not his problem, but I also wouldn't want him stuck in an area he hated. I ended up applying almost solely based on cost, and luckily it all worked out.

Especially since you're planning on applying to a lot of schools, I wouldn't recommend eliminating schools based on your SO's preferences just yet. Apply, see what happens, and maybe they'll change their mind once they visit or loans become a little more "real."

 

[bombai]

@ahallowell I 100% am in alignment with TrashPanda. Apply to schools and then figure it out. There are too many factors involved and things can change quickly. Getting in-state tuition is huge, and there are a handful of schools that allow that (WSU, The OSU, and maybe some others). And stats aren't everything. Cornell, for example, might be an option. They seem to look at things more holistically than UC Davis. You really never know what a school is looking for (other than schools like Davis, which is based on numbers). If a school sees something in you, your numbers can often be lower than the average applicant. Averages are just that (some low, some high, some in-between). You just never know! I would keep an open mind at this point. It is only April. You first need to get accepted. Once that happens, you can decline as many schools as you wish.

 

[Sam&Cheese]

Have you taken any of the required pre-reqs or do you still need to take them all? Have you taken any science courses (Animal Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Inorganic Chemistry, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry, Other Life Science, Other Science, Physics)? If you still have all of your pre-reqs to take and haven't taken a ton of science courses in those categories, you are still in decent shape. You will have to apply smartly and look at schools that only look at last 45/science GPAs and dont look at cGPA as much (Michigan State, Minnesota, Davis come to mind). This is under the assumption that you can get almost all As in your pre-reqs going forward.

You will want to get your gpa above 3.0 since many schools use that as an initial cut-off, but if you still have to take all of your pre-reqs and you do well in them you should be able to manage that. I had around a 3.0 in my original bachelors, but got around a 3.95 in my pre-reqs as a postbac and was accepted at 3 schools.

If you kick ass in your pre-reqs, get a ton varied experience hours, and do well on your GRE you will have a really good shot of getting accepted somewhere. good luck!

Thanks for the response! I still have all of the science pre-reqs to take, so I plan to kick as much ass as possible in them. I have 5 years of working full time in an animal hospital, I need to work on other sources of experience though.

 

[ahallowell]

I think you're right in the range where it makes sense to apply to Davis if that's where you really want to go, but unfortunately, I think you're also in the range where you wouldn't get an interview. They only look at last 45, sciGPA, and quant GRE (in that order), and they say that an average GPA of 3.80 (last 45 and science) is "competitive" for OOS applicants while yours is 3.70. In previous years, accepted OOS applicants had GPAs around 3.9. IIRC correctly, this year there was someone with about a 3.85 average GPA and a good GRE, and they were waitlisted for an interview and ended up not getting one. They are really, really numbers-based. But who knows what next year's cycle will look like, so you never know- they don't have a strict numbers cut-off, but instead invite the top ~10-15% of OOS applicants for interviews.

I don't know that I'd say UC Davis is close to a city. Davis is pretty quiet, Sacramento isn't exactly exciting, and San Francisco is about 2 hours away. But if 2 hours away from a city is good enough for your SO, that opens a lot of doors to other schools.

I would recommend Ohio State since Columbus is a pretty nice city from what I hear, and you can get IS tuition after the first year (though that first OOS year is a killer). They have a lot of OOS spots and I think you'd be competitive there.

Watch out for Wisconsin- they recently upped their tuition so it'll be almost $200,000 (just tuition, not including cost of living) over four years. They let this year's accepted students know, but information online is out-dated.

As for holistic admissions there, they're definitely less numbers-based than Davis, but they have very few OOS spots (though their waitlist tends to move a lot). I was accepted with stats below their averages, so I guess they're holistic. They don't interview, but they do have a supplemental with some short essays.

Any reason why you're applying to ten schools? That's a lot! It may be difficult to attend interviews with that many.

Thank you so much for the response! Very helpful. Maybe it's not so much about applying to UC Davis or Wisconsin, but persuading my SO about Ohio...Ohio has a lot to offer with tuition, preventative medicine MS/PhD program, food safety research, location, large OOS pool, and I obviously enjoy the comradery of BIGTEN schools.

I'm at the point where I want to apply to as many schools as I can handle so I have the best shot of getting in. I applied to four schools back in 2012 and this will be my second-time applying. Needless to say it's a daunting process. After working in a corporate role for the last three years I've never been more anxious about getting accepted to veterinary school. Although I value everything I've learned in my current role, it has made me realize that my heart will always be with veterinary medicine. Luckily my job will help me in applying to all these schools since I have saved up the load of money I'm going to drop on applications, I have a solid amount of vacation time, and a ton of free flyer miles. Basically, I really want this to be my last time applying. The vet I work with now applied to 17 schools so he would only have to go through it once.


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[ahallowell]

I am not sure the reasoning behind the "NO" for Ohio. I had never been to Ohio and absolutely LOVED it. And I'm from the west coast. If your SO has not been to Columbus, I would perhaps see if he/she would be willing to have you keep it on the list (or just put it on!) and then, if you get in, have another conversation about it. It was SOOO difficult for me to decline my spot to Ohio State. The people there are AMAZING and the area is spectacular. Just some thoughts for you .

That's a great suggestion. We have discussed the idea of him traveling to interviews with me for places he's skeptical of. He's really excited about Colorado and Minnesota. But applying to Ohio, hopefully getting an interview, bringing him with to check it out all seems like a great idea! I'm pretty sure he doesn't like Ohio solely for the sport team aspect if a penn stater is up to attending Ohio he shouldn't complain lol I've always wanted to visit Columbus. I've only heard amazing things!


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[ahallowell]

I don't know what your financial situation is and certainly don't mean to pry, but those are some of the most expensive schools in the US. If you end up at a less expensive school in a place your SO doesn't love, they could spend $10-20k on travel per year to get away and still come out significantly ahead.

If tuition is a concern for you and you haven't already done this, sitting down with your SO and going over tuition, interest rates on loans, average starting salaries, etc. may make them more open to other locations.

It's difficult for both people, for sure. My SO is coming with me (yay!) and we're not married so my tuition and loans are not his problem, but I also wouldn't want him stuck in an area he hated. I ended up applying almost solely based on cost, and luckily it all worked out.

Especially since you're planning on applying to a lot of schools, I wouldn't recommend eliminating schools based on your SO's preferences just yet. Apply, see what happens, and maybe they'll change their mind once they visit or loans become a little more "real."

Thank you for your guidance, TrashPanda. It's nice to hear about others who are bringing along their SO! Adds an entire new dynamic with selecting schools. But I think you're right. Apply to the schools I think are best and if he feels uncomfortable with any I can bring him along so he can see how it is. And if he is still stubborn show him how the finances play in. It's crazy, but going to Ohio would be cheaper for me than my IS, UPENN (especially with the whole state budget cut. Who knows how that's going to affect the in-state subsidiary, financial assistance, etc.)


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[ahallowell]

@ahallowell I 100% am in alignment with TrashPanda. Apply to schools and then figure it out. There are too many factors involved and things can change quickly. Getting in-state tuition is huge, and there are a handful of schools that allow that (WSU, The OSU, and maybe some others). And stats aren't everything. Cornell, for example, might be an option. They seem to look at things more holistically than UC Davis. You really never know what a school is looking for (other than schools like Davis, which is based on numbers). If a school sees something in you, your numbers can often be lower than the average applicant. Averages are just that (some low, some high, some in-between). You just never know! I would keep an open mind at this point. It is only April. You first need to get accepted. Once that happens, you can decline as many schools as you wish.

Great point! I will focus on applying to schools that I'm interested in and are the best financially regardless of location. If I get any interviews then I will loop him in. Such a stressful process. The application hasn't even opened yet and I'm ready for it to be over. I really appreciate the guidance you and TrashPanda provided. You can't really get this honest feedback from anywhere else.


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[bombai]

Great point! I will focus on applying to schools that I'm interested in and are the best financially regardless of location. If I get any interviews then I will loop him in. Such a stressful process. The application hasn't even opened yet and I'm ready for it to be over. I really appreciate the guidance you and TrashPanda provided. You can't really get this honest feedback from anywhere else.


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Anytime! Happy to help! One of the things I found was that it was really difficult getting to know a school until I went there for interviews. Websites and research may help, but going there was much more helpful (for me). I received 14 offers for interviews and was able to make every single interview with some smart planning on my part (looking at dates and choosing dates that didn't conflict with dates I knew were set, etc)... I ended up declining some interviews after hearing back from my in-state school, but it is possible to go to a lot of interviews (even when they only give you one date option). Get that spreadsheet out! . The hardest part about the whole process for me was choosing a final school. Anyways, good luck and let us know if you have any more questions .

 

[TrashPanda]

Thank you for your guidance, TrashPanda. It's nice to hear about others who are bringing along their SO! Adds an entire new dynamic with selecting schools. But I think you're right. Apply to the schools I think are best and if he feels uncomfortable with any I can bring him along so he can see how it is. And if he is still stubborn show him how the finances play in. It's crazy, but going to Ohio would be cheaper for me than my IS, UPENN (especially with the whole state budget cut. Who knows how that's going to affect the in-state subsidiary, financial assistance, etc.)


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Happy to help! I'm super happy that my SO is coming with me, but it did add an extra layer of stress to the application process. Feel free to PM if you have any questions or want to discuss/rant about applications or relationship stuff or whatever. Of the schools on your list, I applied to Wisconsin, Davis, and OSU.

 

[lilylilac]

But applying to Ohio, hopefully getting an interview, bringing him with to check it out all seems like a great idea! I'm pretty sure he doesn't like Ohio solely for the sport team aspect

if a penn stater is up to attending Ohio he shouldn't complain lol I've always wanted to visit Columbus. I've only heard amazing things!

If I can handle living in Columbus and being a massive Michigan fan, anyone can haha. The school is great and has a fairly large food animal program. We're also close to the ODA office which you can extern at. The city of Columbus itself is also full of anything you could ever want, from theater to sports to music to a ton of restaurants.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Hey all - I'm not really sure where to post this question but hopefully this is the right thread. My significant other has played a large part in what schools I apply to since he will be coming with me. He recently informed me that he doesn't feel comfortable moving to Iowa State and asked if I could replace it with another school closer to a city like UC Davis or Wisconsin (we are from Philly so he needs to be around things to do). I'm dedicated to applying to ten schools so I want to pick one or the other (plus both these schools are reaches for me).... does anyone have any insight to which school would be best for someone interested in food safety/public health and preventative medicine... I'm leaning towards Wisconsin because they mention a more holistic approach to their application where Davis is primarily number focused from what I hear. Some quick stats that may help: BS veterinary medicine MS food safety, last 45 GPA 3.85, science GPA 3.55, cum GPA 3.57, vet hours in multiple disciplines 1090, GRE still need to take since it recently expire (hoping for 75-80 percentiles) .... any thoughts!?! Appreciate your help!


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This is a super good idea for a thread I feel like. I'm just starting to consider schools because, as I said previously, I planned to apply fall 2018 but changed my mind. My SO will also likely come with me. Looking more in depth at WSU I started to think, how in the hell would he ever get a job here?? I think he would pretty much be fine with lots of different places, but if a town is too small, I feel that could be a major hit.

 

[Coopah]

This is a super good idea for a thread I feel like. I'm just starting to consider schools because, as I said previously, I planned to apply fall 2018 but changed my mind. My SO will also likely come with me. Looking more in depth at WSU I started to think, how in the hell would he ever get a job here?? I think he would pretty much be fine with lots of different places, but if a town is too small, I feel that could be a major hit.

What does your SO do for work? Pullman is small but there's a large engineering firm there and I'm sure a lot of other job opportunities as well. You might try to do a precursory job search in the area before ruling a school out.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

What does your SO do for work? Pullman is small but there's a large engineering firm there and I'm sure a lot of other job opportunities as well. You might try to do a precursory job search in the area before ruling a school out.

I'm not ruling it out. It is what I deem a "future problem". He is currently still in school and graduating at the same time I am with a computer science degree. So likely he would need an entry level programming job.

 

[Coopah]

I'm not ruling it out. It is what I deem a "future problem". He is currently still in school and graduating at the same time I am with a computer science degree. So likely he would need an entry level programming job.

Um, I'm slightly familiar with that, and you can basically get that anywhere. Everyone needs those. Unless he's looking for something highly specific, like Google, or programming little chips inside cell phones, or something.

 

[mrd006]

So, I don't have the best GPA anyway (around a 3.3) but I am going to have a 3.0 for this semester. I am applying for the 2018 cycle and am scared this is really going to hurt me. I am taking 2 summer classes and am retaking the GRE in June. I am graduating in December. Any tips, words of advice, or encouragement?

I am planning on applying to UF, NCSU, LMU, and Virginia-Maryland.

 

[TrashPanda]

So, I don't have the best GPA anyway (around a 3.3) but I am going to have a 3.0 for this semester. I am applying for the 2018 cycle and am scared this is really going to hurt me. I am taking 2 summer classes and am retaking the GRE in June. I am graduating in December. Any tips, words of advice, or encouragement?

I am planning on applying to UF, NCSU, LMU, and Virginia-Maryland.

Your GPAs look competitive for NCSU (in-state) and LMU. I'm not too familiar with VA-MD, but they'd be a bit below average for there. They're definitely quite low for UF- especially for OOS students, they really like to see high GPAs. I wouldn't recommend applying to UF, personally. UF has very complete admissions statistics on their websites, and almost every school has something that will help you determine how competitive your application is.

Getting a 3.0 one semester won't help you, but it's also not the end of the world. Your summer classes will count for this cycle, so make sure you do well! Some schools will also consider fall classes.

It's definitely harder to get in with a low GPA, but it's not impossible. You just have to make sure that the rest of your application makes up for that. Work on getting a high number of quality hours in diverse areas of vet med, and make sure your essays, experience descriptions on VMCAS, and LORs are as good as can be.

 

[mrd006]

Your GPAs look competitive for NCSU (in-state) and LMU. I'm not too familiar with VA-MD, but they'd be a bit below average for there. They're definitely quite low for UF- especially for OOS students, they really like to see high GPAs. I wouldn't recommend applying to UF, personally. UF has very complete admissions statistics on their websites, and almost every school has something that will help you determine how competitive your application is.

Getting a 3.0 one semester won't help you, but it's also not the end of the world. Your summer classes will count for this cycle, so make sure you do well! Some schools will also consider fall classes.

It's definitely harder to get in with a low GPA, but it's not impossible. You just have to make sure that the rest of your application makes up for that. Work on getting a high number of quality hours in diverse areas of vet med, and make sure your essays, experience descriptions on VMCAS, and LORs are as good as can be.

You make me feel a little better! I'm always trying to get experience. By the way, I see that you were accepted. Congrats!

 

[TrashPanda]

You make me feel a little better! I'm always trying to get experience. By the way, I see that you were accepted. Congrats!

Glad to hear it, and thanks! It might also help to search for the "successful applicants" threads from previous years. You can see what GPAs and experience people had for various schools.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Um, I'm slightly familiar with that, and you can basically get that anywhere. Everyone needs those. Unless he's looking for something highly specific, like Google, or programming little chips inside cell phones, or something.

No he's not looking for anything specific. A lot of the jobs are done remotely I think as well. He wouldn't limit where I would apply to schools, though it could become a consideration down the line.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

It was! It was actually one of my top choices, but the SO said no-way... I'm still trying to change his mind. My list as of now is UPENN (IS), University of Minnesota (loveeeee), Michigan State University (also love), Colorado State (SO loves) Virginia-Maryland, University of Illinois, Kansas State, Cornell, Tufts, Wisconsin/UC Davis. If there are any schools I should reconsider and possibly switch out let me know.


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You should definitely apply to Ohio State. Columbus is an awesome city and the CVM is fantastic.

 

[wallydo]

You should definitely apply to Ohio State. Columbus is an awesome city and the CVM is fantastic.

Truth. Columbus is amazing! I spent 2 weeks at OSU Dublin and feel in love exploring the area. Also, it's slightly warmer than Michigan so even more awesome in my book. Maybe mmmdreamz will let me visit her. ;-)

 

[mmmdreamerz]

@wallydo Yes!!! Come visit me wally!

 

[vettech327]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I wasn't looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!