Hi there -
I’m currently a junior, just in the process of looking for colleges to visit this spring. I’d like to go into the veterinary medicine field but not sure which colleges offer good Biology/Zoology/CALS programs while also keeping my debt (relatively) low. I’ll pretty much be financing my education.
Extracurriculars: Key Club, Science Club, Envirothon and Science Olmypiad, FBLA, NHS and Boys State Delegate.
Sports: Varsity Tennis and Soccer
Leadership: VP Science Club, VP FBLA, Treasurer of Class (2x ), Treasurer of Science Club, prob VP of Student Council (campaigning)
Classes: AP Physics, AP World (5!) , Honors Chemistry, Honors English, AP Language/Comp, AP Bio, AP Lit, AP Euro
Awards: American Legion Award for Scholarship and Leadership
Grades: 3.9 Unweighted, 4.0 W , top 10%, number ~9 out of 153
Tests: 30 ACT first time around
Also have sought after Internship at local Zoo, youngest person ever to get in, have just over 300 hours.
Have looked at Geneseo and Cornell, loved each and have visits to Binghamton and Ithaca. Could I get in here? Any other ideas? Cornell is my reach school, haha. Looking for colleges with strong life sciences and good admission rates into Vet school. I’ve heard Findlay is good.
I have heard of Michigan State University, University of Kentucky, University of New Hampshire, Findlay, North Carolina State U, Ohio State.
I think all should have merit possibilities. Apply early (Ohio State deadline in Nov 1).
Work on ACT prep this summer and retake at earliest date in fall.
You need to keep costs down for prevet studies because vet school is going to cost alot.
Don’t worry about retaking the act, your score is fine.
UW Madison seems really good for you. They have a strong focus on animal sciences. Plus, it’s relatively inexpensive for being a large institution.
Try using the supermatch function to the left (under find a college).
If you haven’t done it yet, try to get your hands on some good college guide books (ex. Fiske, Princeton Review, Insiders Guide) which you can probably find in your HS guidance dept. or library.
What is your home state? I would guess NY based on the schools you mention. Here is a thread about full tuition merit aid that should have some good options: http://automaticfulltuition.yolasite.com/
@Erin’sDad
Yes, I live in rural New York State, haha.
@happy1 Thanks for the advice. Would you reccomend any one book over another?
I like Fiske the most but Princeton Review covers more schools which is a plus. I’d try to get your hands on the books and look for yourself.
Also in terms of ACT, if you are aiming for Cornell, I may give the test one more shot. You are in good shape for the other schools on your list.
Your parents income will determine financial aid, regardless if it is your responsibility or not.
So your net cost will be greatly influenced based on your parents income / assets
@happy1
Thanks. I’ll be buying the Princeton in the the near future. Do you think I have any chance with a 30 though? I will be retesting but not very optimistic about ability for improvement. @ClarinetDad16 understood.
@happy1 @grm0924 @mommdc
Has anybody heard anything about affordability at Bucknell? I know they have a strong Bio department but $$$
Google the Common Data Set for Bucknell and look at section H.
Since you are in state for NY you might want to consider SUNY ESF, you could major in Wildlife Science and it should more affordable than a private school.
Will you be eligible for need-based aid? Run the NPC at a few schools, like Bucknell, to see what you might be awarded. If the result is more than you and your family can/are willing to pay, then you’ll need to look for merit money. Also, please note that you can only borrow $5,500 your first year (slightly more if your parents are unable to qualify for a loan), then $6,500, then $7,500 for Years 3 and 4; so if you’re truly planning to finance college yourself, you’ll need to look for full rides.
@caroldanvers @LuckyCharms913
Yes, currently focusing on SUNY schools for financial reasons. Which would you all recommend for pre vet, Binghamton or Geneseo? I think I have a pretty good shot at each so… Any advice and/ or reasoning would be extremely helpful!!!
I’d probably pick Binghamton over Geneseo, because Geneseo bio is pretty focused on pre-med, not pre-vet. But you should look at ESF and Oswego, those are the two SUNYs that are more animal focused. Also I am pretty sure ESF and Oswego offer merit scholarships, and I know Binghamton doesn’t offer any merit. I’m not sure about Geneseo and merit.
@caroldanvers
Ok.Thanks, that offers some really valuable insight. I appreciate it.
I believe pre-med and pre-vet have the same requirements for the most part. There is no separate focus.
I’ve actually looked into Bucknell myself. As a higher end institution, their academic merit scholarships are limited and you will only receive need based aid, which depending on your family situation may or may not be enough. It’s expensive.
It is true that pre-med and pre-vet basic requirements are pretty similar, and you can certainly do pre-vet at almost any school. The difference is in the electives and variety of courses available. So a school like Geneseo will have a course in vertebrate biology. A school with more of specialization in animals will also have courses in mammalogy, ichtyology, herpetology, ornithology, etc. So if you really want animals you are just going to have more to chose from, and more of a chance to go in depth, and more professors who know the field. But those courses aren’t required for pre-vet, they just might be more interesting to a potential vet.