FINAL PROJECT: Abstract and Reader's Reponse > So You Want to Go to Vet School? An Introductory Guide on the Veterinary School Admissions Process
Z -- nicely arranged plan for this important and useful document. What about the essay and letters of recommendation? Would this reader be helped by guidance on these components of an application?
Do you have a sense of the competitiveness? As in, are only 20 percent who apply, accepted? How many schools? Apply two years in a row? (These can be in your FAQ section).
Do you have a sense of the competitiveness? As in, are only 20 percent who apply, accepted? How many schools? Apply two years in a row? (These can be in your FAQ section).
May 7, 2017 |
Marybeth Shea
Marybeth Shea
Undergraduate students at the University of Maryland and the Reed-Yorke Pre-Health Advising Office at the University of Maryland lack ample advising resources for students interested in veterinary school. Because of this, there is a need for a better pre-veterinary advising for the many undergraduates interested in the field. Therefore, I have created this guide to provide both the Pre-Health Office and students themselves the information needed to successfully apply to vet school. Being someone who has been preparing for veterinary school admissions for almost 2 years now, I have gained a lot of knowledge on the admissions process and the pre-requisite requirements. I have worked both in a veterinary office and on the campus farm for almost 2 years as well. This guide provides a chronological, step-by-step overview on the admissions process, particularly in regards to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, which is considered the “in-state” school for Maryland residents. Because over 70% of the undergraduate student body are Maryland residents, an overview of VMRCVM’s admissions process is particularly important. Topics of focus in this guide include pre-requisite coursework, major choice, GPA, clinical hours, extracurricular activities, research, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), financing education, and alternative animal careers. Additionally, a visual timeline of the entire admissions process and FAQ sheet will be provided at the end of the document for quick reference. After reading this guide, undergraduates will have the knowledge necessary to become a successful applicant for veterinary school.
READER'S PROFILE:
I imagine a reader who may be late in deciding that he/she is going to apply to vet school, or who has a low GPA and doesn’t believe they have a shot at getting into vet school. This person may be open to other careers if vet school is unattainable.
READER'S RESPONSE:
Numbers do not define my entire application when it comes to veterinary school. Though some schools do have minimum GPA requirements to even be considered for admission, these requirements aren’t completely out of reach (this minimum is usually ~3.0). Vet schools reiterate that admissions are a holistic process, so if I’m lacking in one area – GPA, for example – I can make up for it in another area, like clinical experience. Though I will use what time I have before the admissions cycle to improve my GPA, I will also focus on the other aspects of my application to make myself unique from the rest of the applicant pool. This guide is useful in showing me what I need to do to make up for the areas that I’m weaker in. Additionally, if I don’t get into vet school, or if the financial burden seems too much, I can consider some of the other careers described at the end of the guide.