2019 Application, WAMC (mostly for my instate school)?

[carryonbag]

Hi all, I'm a California in-state potential applicant for this upcoming cycle. Very non-traditional: 30s, have had a successful career in business management/tech for the past 10+ years, have always been interested in animals/medicine (sigh, childhood dreams do not die!). Not necessarily looking to do a career "switch" as much as a "shift" to use my entrepreneurial skills to bring some innovative improvements in the field of veterinary medicine. Committed to getting my DVM (so not in the "should I go to vet school or not" phase anymore). Hoping to get some thoughts from you guys on how you think my candidacy might fare in this upcoming application cycle? I'm planning to apply to my in-state, but are there other schools that nontraditional applications might have a better shot at?

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
science GPA: 3.73
last 45: 3.92

Any degrees achieved: BA - Business Admin; MBA

GRE results: 161/163/5

Veterinary Experience:
- 350 hours: veterinary assistant, small animal clinic
- 150 hours: shadowing exotics vet
- 10 hours: shadow acupuncture specialist (dvm), (dog)
- 20 hours: shadow lab animal vet

Animal Experience:
- 80 hrs: feeding and administering oral medication (farm animals - horses, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, etc)
- 100 hrs: volunteer at animal shelter

LOR: ochem 1,2 professor, 2 DVMs

Research Experience: N/A


Summarize any concerns you have: I'm hoping not to have to move out of state (assume that my best chances are with my in-state anyway) - I know I'm limiting myself quite a bit here, but my family situation makes it hard for us to be uprooted at this time. Also, I obviously have fewer qualifying hours on vet-related work, although I've done very well on the very unrelated business side of my career! Not sure how much of a ding this might be for my in-state school, and curious if there are other schools that may be (or traditionally has been) more interested in non-traditional applicants?

Thank you!!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[SkiOtter]

@Coopah

 

[Coopah]

Hi all, I'm a California in-state potential applicant for this upcoming cycle. Very non-traditional: 30s, have had a successful career in business management/tech for the past 10+ years, have always been interested in animals/medicine (sigh, childhood dreams do not die!). Not necessarily looking to do a career "switch" as much as a "shift" to use my entrepreneurial skills to bring some innovative improvements in the field of veterinary medicine. Committed to getting my DVM (so not in the "should I go to vet school or not" phase anymore). Hoping to get some thoughts from you guys on how you think my candidacy might fare in this upcoming application cycle? I'm planning to apply to my in-state, but are there other schools that nontraditional applications might have a better shot at?

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
science GPA: 3.73
last 45: 3.92

Any degrees achieved: BA - Business Admin; MBA

GRE results: 161/163/5

Veterinary Experience:
- 350 hours: veterinary assistant, small animal clinic
- 150 hours: shadowing exotics vet
- 10 hours: shadow acupuncture specialist (dvm), (dog)
- 20 hours: shadow lab animal vet

Animal Experience:
- 80 hrs: feeding and administering oral medication (farm animals - horses, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, etc)
- 100 hrs: volunteer at animal shelter

LOR: ochem 1,2 professor, 2 DVMs

Research Experience: N/A


Summarize any concerns you have: I'm hoping not to have to move out of state (assume that my best chances are with my in-state anyway) - I know I'm limiting myself quite a bit here, but my family situation makes it hard for us to be uprooted at this time. Also, I obviously have fewer qualifying hours on vet-related work, although I've done very well on the very unrelated business side of my career! Not sure how much of a ding this might be for my in-state school, and curious if there are other schools that may be (or traditionally has been) more interested in non-traditional applicants?

Thank you!!

Hi there! I am a current student at UC Davis which would be your in-state. I am also a nontraditional student and they kind of love that. I have several classmates that are married and a few with extremely young children (one's being born this summer!)

I wouldn't worry about the hours as long as you meet the minimum of 180, which you do.

Your stats look good and I expect when you apply you'll get an interview. After that it's 100% dependant on your interview so just nail that! Feel free to ask me about any questions you have regarding Davis or vet school related or non traditional related.

 

[carryonbag]

@Coopah

I see @Coopah everywhere in these forums.

Hi there! I am a current student at UC Davis which would be your in-state. I am also a nontraditional student and they kind of love that. I have several classmates that are married and a few with extremely young children (one's being born this summer!)

I wouldn't worry about the hours as long as you meet the minimum of 180, which you do.

Your stats look good and I expect when you apply you'll get an interview. After that it's 100% dependant on your interview so just nail that! Feel free to ask me about any questions you have regarding Davis or vet school related or non traditional related.

Coopah - I remember seeing your name in a few other Davis threads, you must be somewhat of a local celebrity on these threads, so thanks for taking the time to give your thoughts!

I'm delighted but also surprised to hear about them loving nontraditional - I think of all the stats I've looked like it seems that Davis has the youngest classes - is there such a stereotype, or am I misreading stats?

Yes, I'm hoping to clear their rigid first round scoring algorithms and then charm them in the interviews >_<
Did you get the sense that the interview questions were geared at technical knowledge (either clinical, health science content, etc.)?

Curious to know your story of transition to vet med too if you care to share - congrats on making the leap

 

[SkiOtter]

I see @Coopah everywhere in these forums

She’s our resident Davis student

 

[Coopah]

She’s our resident Davis student

Pretty much the only current student

 

[SkiOtter]

Pretty much the only current student

Exactly

 

[Coopah]

I see @Coopah everywhere in these forums.

Coopah - I remember seeing your name in a few other Davis threads, you must be somewhat of a local celebrity on these threads, so thanks for taking the time to give your thoughts!

I'm delighted but also surprised to hear about them loving nontraditional - I think of all the stats I've looked like it seems that Davis has the youngest classes - is there such a stereotype, or am I misreading stats?

Yes, I'm hoping to clear their rigid first round scoring algorithms and then charm them in the interviews >_<
Did you get the sense that the interview questions were geared at technical knowledge (either clinical, health science content, etc.)?

Curious to know your story of transition to vet med too if you care to share - congrats on making the leap

Of course!

Yes classes are pretty young, but we also have quite a few older classmates as well. We have one 40 year old and a number of 30+ (sorry I don't have exact figures)

With your scores I imagine you will pass the first round! I'll cross my fingers for you. We signed non-disclosure agreements so I can't tell you about the questions but I can say you didn't need to know anything vet med related to do well. It's more figuring out how you think under stress. I had a blast but others came out in tears. Just perspective I guess.

I thought I wanted to be a vet when I was little but pretty much hated science in high school so I decided to go into statistics. I got a mathematical science degree with a concentration in probably and statistics. I worked in finance for a few years and hated it worse than basically anything. I would go entire weeks without leaving the apartment. If I didn't have a dog I wouldn't have left the bed either. So I decided to say screw it and went back to school at night for my prerequisites. I also volunteered on the weekends. I did school work at work work and made everything jive well enough.

After I got here it was a rough start. Everything changed. I got divorced, I was in school full-time, I was on the opposite side of the country and I didn't know anybody. Luckily I made a deal wonderful friends and life has never been better. People say vet school is hell but honestly, it's some of the best times of my life. There's been a lot of changes but I'm very happy with all of them.

Sorry for the long ramble but I couldn't help myself

 

[carryonbag]

Of course!

Yes classes are pretty young, but we also have quite a few older classmates as well. We have one 40 year old and a number of 30+ (sorry I don't have exact figures)

With your scores I imagine you will pass the first round! I'll cross my fingers for you. We signed non-disclosure agreements so I can't tell you about the questions but I can say you didn't need to know anything vet med related to do well. It's more figuring out how you think under stress. I had a blast but others came out in tears. Just perspective I guess.

I thought I wanted to be a vet when I was little but pretty much hated science in high school so I decided to go into statistics. I got a mathematical science degree with a concentration in probably and statistics. I worked in finance for a few years and hated it worse than basically anything. I would go entire weeks without leaving the apartment. If I didn't have a dog I wouldn't have left the bed either. So I decided to say screw it and went back to school at night for my prerequisites. I also volunteered on the weekends. I did school work at work work and made everything jive well enough.

After I got here it was a rough start. Everything changed. I got divorced, I was in school full-time, I was on the opposite side of the country and I didn't know anybody. Luckily I made a deal wonderful friends and life has never been better. People say vet school is hell but honestly, it's some of the best times of my life. There's been a lot of changes but I'm very happy with all of them.

Sorry for the long ramble but I couldn't help myself

I LOVE this story, Coopah! Isn't life kind of crazy? You can never predict what can happen, but you can make decisions based on knowing what you want for yourself. The rest of it you just take it one step at a time. I'm so inspired by your determination go towards what you want, even though I'm sure there are a multitude of things that made you doubt yourself (probably great/better paying job, etc.). I didn't hate my previous career - in fact I felt like some of it felt very natural and fitting for me. But I knew for a long time that I wanted to be vet med more, and I still think I can combine the two to do something unique for the industry.

Hope to get to meet you one of these days! I'll hit you up if I have anymore questions.

 

[Coopah]

I LOVE this story, Coopah! Isn't life kind of crazy? You can never predict what can happen, but you can make decisions based on knowing what you want for yourself. The rest of it you just take it one step at a time. I'm so inspired by your determination go towards what you want, even though I'm sure there are a multitude of things that made you doubt yourself (probably great/better paying job, etc.). I didn't hate my previous career - in fact I felt like some of it felt very natural and fitting for me. But I knew for a long time that I wanted to be vet med more, and I still think I can combine the two to do something unique for the industry.

Hope to get to meet you one of these days! I'll hit you up if I have anymore questions.

Anytime you're nearby I'd love to give you an insiders tour! PM me if you ever feel like it.

 

[EngrSC]

@carryonbag I’m non-trad 30s also, 10-year career engineer, applying for the first time this cycle. Did you only apply to Davis last cycle or did you apply elsewhere? I’m curious to know where all you applied if you don’t mind sharing