What are your thoughts?

[Punchap]

Hello:

I've recently posted on this forum, and value all of your thoughts and advice.

First off, I am a first-year student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. I was attracted to Case for its excellent science department. I am an Ohio resident therefore I am aiming to go to OSU for vet. school.

I am planning to take summer courses at OSU. Upon checking out their available courses, I became really jealous of all of the animal science classes they have to offer. I feel that in the future I may decide to transfer. Do you think this would be a good idea? Does the vet. school admissions committee prefer candidates from their own school or outside colleges?

Also, do any of you attend OSU or have suggestions on which courses would be particularly beneficial to take? I appreciate all of your responses. Thanks.

Punchap

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[hummer32]

OSU, like all vet schools I would assume, doesn't give preference to its own students for admission. What courses you opt to take is pretty much your choice. If you want to take pre-req. classes, then you're looking at Bio, Chem, Physics, etc. I'm in my junior year here, and the animal science and eeob departments have great animal-related classes; they are not required for vet school admission, though. If you haven't already, check out OSU's Vet School Admission page. It gives a brief admission guide(it used to be better, but they changed it last year). If you click on 'Application Instructions' under How to Apply, you'll get a .pdf file listing all the pre-req. courses they require and a more detailed admission guide.

 

[cudvm2005]

I don't know your interest, but I would recommend taking a course in animal reproduction or theriogenology or production medicine or something along those lines. I am a third year student at Cornell, and have a pretty extensive background in biology, but not repro. That is the only advantage I have seen the animal science majors having over someone with a non animal science background. They have had the exposure to repro, where most of us have not.

As an aside, my opinion on doing an undergrad degree at a school with a vet school is that it's not ideal. There will likely be a lot more pre-vet people at that school, and though many will not finish, a good deal will. And when it comes time to apply, you will be applying with all those people and asking for letters of recommendation from all the same faculty and have very similar experiences. Basically, the adcomms will likely be comparing you not only with all other applicants, but also to the smaller subset of pre-vets from your school. If you are the top of those people, you won't have to worry, but if you fall in the middle or end, you probably won't make it in. But if you're coming in as the only applicant from another school, you have a little more breathing room. If you do go to undergrad at a school with a vet school do not underestimate the power of connections. Get in there and get to know a lot of people, work in the hospital, get into activities, go to lectures, etc. etc. It's sad but true. And it is so terribly competitive that you have to do what it takes so to speak. You need to stand out from all the other pre-vets at that school, not an easy task to undertake.
Sorry so long winded, but I'm up to my ears in estrous cycles!
good luck
Joanne

 

[Punchap]

Thank you for your responses.

I really appreciate all of your insights. I don't think there are many pre-vets here at Case; everyone is going the pre-med. route. I will do my best with what I have, thanks.

Also, if you think of anything else you can think of, please let me know.

Punchap