Applying Spring of 2020: WAMC?

[biomajor2019]

Hi everyone!
I was reading through and totally may have put this thread in the wrong spot, and if so, I’m so sorry! I read on SDN a lot, but I don’t post enough to understand (I’m hoping to learn, and post more, though!)

So I am looking for any and all advice, information to give, etc!
Thank you in advance!!!

(At time of application) 22 year old, female NY resident, first time applying!

Cum GPA: 3.40
Science GPA: 3.60
Last 45 GPA: 3.8-3.9 (currently finishing senior year)

Any degrees achieved: I will be graduating with my Bachelor in Biology, summa cum laude this May!

GRE results: taking them this summer!!!

Veterinary experience:

- 20 hours shadowing sa vet

- 15 (and counting) sa/la vet, also does acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and other alternative medicine I can shadow! (I recently began shadowing here 6 hours a week)

- 10 (and counting) as a Vet Assistant/Technician at an sa veterinary hospital (training 4 hours a week, currently, and will begin full time after graduation!)


Animal experience:

- 300 hours volunteer/intern at wildlife refuge
- 160 hours at science center as animal care volunteer (snakes, frogs, fish, turtles)
- 30 hours volunteer at horse center
- 50 hours at animal shelter
-100 hours pet sitting a cockatiel (living in my home)
- 50 hours volunteer at doggy daycare

Research experience: none

Awards/Scholarships:

-NAC All-Academic Team
-I received a scholarship for “showing a promise of making a difference in the world” (only 2 students at my university receive this)
-I received a scholarship for being a woman who is pursuing college while working at least 20 hours a week
-Deans List
-Presidents List
-Presidential Leadership Award: university president chooses students who have high grades and shows active leadership on campus and within the community

(More May be to come with senior awards and banquets approaching in the coming months)

Employment:
- worked for a small company for 5 years, worked my way up to becoming the manager
-pharmacy technician (7 months)
-Vet assistant (recently started but will be working full time as of May for the next 2 years)

Extra curricular:

-President of Student Government (on all 4 years, senior year as Pres)
-Secretary of Vermont State Colleges Student Association
-Secretary of Presidents Student Advisory Committee
-Captain of Cross Country Team
- participant on Alternative Breaks trip: focus was Animal Welfare, spent a week in February volunteering at Forest Animal Rescue building a capuchin monkey cage
- Head of Largest event on campus and Charity event in the county, to benefit the United Way
- work study: library assistant
- work in campus food pantry
-volunteer at blood drives
- volunteer for meals on wheels
-soccer coach for little league 1 year
-track and field coach at high school for 2 seasons (non-paid) - assistant coach 1 season, head coach the 2nd season
-I raise money for the special olympics every year
-Founded and head the first ever Dress for Success event on campus (professional clothing drive for students, LinkedIn headshots, resume triage, hairstylist, makeup artist, pocket inspirations from alumni, raffles, etc)
-Founded and head a scholarship for seniors entering the workforce/graduate school
-on scholarship committee for a leadership-based scholarship

Concerns:
I want to address a few things:

-My cum GPA is low because I was originally a nursing major and during my first semester my grandfather and my childhood best friend both passed away. It was very hard on me and I failed out. From there, I have had great grades, but that semester really sunk my GPA.
-I have no research experience and I feel that not having that + my very average GPA will = Cornell not even blinking an eye at denying me
-I switched from pre med to pre vet pretty late in the game (spring of junior year) so I won’t have a whole lot of hours compared to students who have known they wanted to be a vet since they were young

I’m planning on applying to: LMU, Western, Midwestern, Virginia-Maryland, Iowa, Michigan State, Cornell

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[MixedAnimals77]

Definitely apply to places with last 45 emphasis IA is a great one. Definitely keep working on shadowing hours-currently you have few as you acknowledged and I just want you to make sure you know what you're getting into going to vet school and being a veterinarian. If you do well on your GRE that's important I know for Cornell. Research is not necessary to get admission to a vet school because it is a multifaceted evaluation so doent feel you have to have research to get in or apply.

 

[JaynaAli]

You may already realize (and if so just ignore me), but I just wanted to address your 'applying spring 2020' in your thread title...the admissions cycle is basically an entire year long, so the application period in the summer of 2020 is for students who would start vet school a year later in August of 2021. So two years from now. I only bring it up because you say you are graduating this May...maybe you have big plans for both those years, but if you only plan on one gap year and are wanting to start vet school in August 2020, you probably need to shadow aw much as possible and get ready to apply this summer/fall. I hope that made sense.

 

[biomajor2019]

You may already realize (and if so just ignore me), but I just wanted to address your 'applying spring 2020' in your thread title...the admissions cycle is basically an entire year long, so the application period in the summer of 2020 is for students who would start vet school a year later in August of 2021. So two years from now. I only bring it up because you say you are graduating this May...maybe you have big plans for both those years, but if you only plan on one gap year and are wanting to start vet school in August 2020, you probably need to shadow aw much as possible and get ready to apply this summer/fall. I hope that made sense.

Nope I do realize this! I am graduating this May, and plan on applying next Spring! Thank you for checking in, though!
Since I changed my career path late in the game, I am taking two gap years, so I will be applying a year after graduation!

 

[battie]

-My cum GPA is low because I was originally a nursing major and during my first semester my grandfather and my childhood best friend both passed away. It was very hard on me and I failed out. From there, I have had great grades, but that semester really sunk my GPA.

Your cGPA is actually pretty much there at around average depending on where you're applying. 3.6 isn't bad at all, particularly with your rebound story. There is an explanation statement section where you can explain what happened during your first semester. I wouldn't necessarily dissuade you from applying to any specific school to be honest.

-I have no research experience and I feel that not having that + my very average GPA will = Cornell not even blinking an eye at denying me

Research isn't necessary for any school. It's the cherry on top more than anything.

-I switched from pre med to pre vet pretty late in the game (spring of junior year) so I won’t have a whole lot of hours compared to students who have known they wanted to be a vet since they were young

I agree, definitely the weak point of your application. If you're planning on maintaining the hours you're earning now, however, you'll have solid numbers and (hopefully) solid letters to use when you apply spring 2020. If you can, get variety.

 

[biomajor2019]

Your cGPA is actually pretty much there at around average depending on where you're applying. 3.6 isn't bad at all, particularly with your rebound story. There is an explanation statement section where you can explain what happened during your first semester. I wouldn't necessarily dissuade you from applying to any specific school to be honest.



Research isn't necessary for any school. It's the cherry on top more than anything.



I agree, definitely the weak point of your application. If you're planning on maintaining the hours you're earning now, however, you'll have solid numbers and (hopefully) solid letters to use when you apply spring 2020. If you can, get variety.

Thank you for a detailed response! I will be working full time at this small animal practice as a technician for the next two years, so I am assuming I will have roughly 2,000 veterinary hours upon application season arriving! I have noticed people suggest shadowing veterinarians in other fields. There is a specialists hospital about 20 minutes away from where I will be moving to, for this other job, would this be beneficial to look into for shadowing opportunities? or would it better to shadow large animal, equine, exotic veterinarians?

Again, thank you! I am so glad I made this post to receive feedback from peers!

 

[Panda84]

Hi everyone!
I was reading through and totally may have put this thread in the wrong spot, and if so, I’m so sorry! I read on SDN a lot, but I don’t post enough to understand (I’m hoping to learn, and post more, though!)

So I am looking for any and all advice, information to give, etc!
Thank you in advance!!!

(At time of application) 22 year old, female NY resident, first time applying!

Cum GPA: 3.40
Science GPA: 3.60
Last 45 GPA: 3.8-3.9 (currently finishing senior year)

Any degrees achieved: I will be graduating with my Bachelor in Biology, summa cum laude this May!

GRE results: taking them this summer!!!

Veterinary experience:

- 20 hours shadowing sa vet

- 15 (and counting) sa/la vet, also does acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and other alternative medicine I can shadow! (I recently began shadowing here 6 hours a week)

- 10 (and counting) as a Vet Assistant/Technician at an sa veterinary hospital (training 4 hours a week, currently, and will begin full time after graduation!)


Animal experience:

- 300 hours volunteer/intern at wildlife refuge
- 160 hours at science center as animal care volunteer (snakes, frogs, fish, turtles)
- 30 hours volunteer at horse center
- 50 hours at animal shelter
-100 hours pet sitting a cockatiel (living in my home)
- 50 hours volunteer at doggy daycare

Research experience: none

Awards/Scholarships:

-NAC All-Academic Team
-I received a scholarship for “showing a promise of making a difference in the world” (only 2 students at my university receive this)
-I received a scholarship for being a woman who is pursuing college while working at least 20 hours a week
-Deans List
-Presidents List
-Presidential Leadership Award: university president chooses students who have high grades and shows active leadership on campus and within the community

(More May be to come with senior awards and banquets approaching in the coming months)

Employment:
- worked for a small company for 5 years, worked my way up to becoming the manager
-pharmacy technician (7 months)
-Vet assistant (recently started but will be working full time as of May for the next 2 years)

Extra curricular:

-President of Student Government (on all 4 years, senior year as Pres)
-Secretary of Vermont State Colleges Student Association
-Secretary of Presidents Student Advisory Committee
-Captain of Cross Country Team
- participant on Alternative Breaks trip: focus was Animal Welfare, spent a week in February volunteering at Forest Animal Rescue building a capuchin monkey cage
- Head of Largest event on campus and Charity event in the county, to benefit the United Way
- work study: library assistant
- work in campus food pantry
-volunteer at blood drives
- volunteer for meals on wheels
-soccer coach for little league 1 year
-track and field coach at high school for 2 seasons (non-paid) - assistant coach 1 season, head coach the 2nd season
-I raise money for the special olympics every year
-Founded and head the first ever Dress for Success event on campus (professional clothing drive for students, LinkedIn headshots, resume triage, hairstylist, makeup artist, pocket inspirations from alumni, raffles, etc)
-Founded and head a scholarship for seniors entering the workforce/graduate school
-on scholarship committee for a leadership-based scholarship

Concerns:
I want to address a few things:

-My cum GPA is low because I was originally a nursing major and during my first semester my grandfather and my childhood best friend both passed away. It was very hard on me and I failed out. From there, I have had great grades, but that semester really sunk my GPA.
-I have no research experience and I feel that not having that + my very average GPA will = Cornell not even blinking an eye at denying me
-I switched from pre med to pre vet pretty late in the game (spring of junior year) so I won’t have a whole lot of hours compared to students who have known they wanted to be a vet since they were young

I’m planning on applying to: LMU, Western, Midwestern, Virginia-Maryland, Iowa, Michigan State, Cornell

When you put pet sitting as animal experience what did you do for the "organization name"? I pet sit for a lot of people but I am unsure what to put for the organization name since there is no organization. I was also thinking about just putting on of my "clients" as a contact is that what you did?