<p>OK.. here is the thing, i am currently a junior in high school. I've been doing some research on vet studies. my grades are not that good (GPA 2.7) and i really want to become a vet. Can someone please tell me a college/university that offers vet courses and that they may accept me?</p>
<p>What state are you in? </p>
<p>When you’re an undergrad, you major in what you want, but also include required pre-vet courses. Many colleges offer a “pre-vet curriculum”…especially the schools that also have vet schools.</p>
<p>I have to be honest with you…a student who has a 2.7 GPA is not likely going to become a vet. The undergrad courses will likely be too hard for you to get a high GPA in college to be accepted into vet school. Admissions to vet school is very competitive.</p>
<p>1) It would help to know your state. Here in NC, for example, there are some decent schools (e.g. WCU) that wouldn’t disregard your application and would provide decent prep for vet school. Much also depends on your SAT/ACT scores, since the majority of public schools have a simple GPA/SAT cutoff formula for admissions. Sometimes high test scores can somewhat offset a relatively low GPA.</p>
<p>2) Consider community college for a year or two. Many students outside California scorn this option, but if you want an above average school, this might be your best option given your GPA. On the other hand, if you are only a rising junior, you likely have time to pull your grades up (about 3 semesters) – be sure to do well this year!</p>
<p>3) mom2collegekids is correct that vet admissions is highly competitive. It requires exactly the same courses as pre-med plus several more, as well as a couple hundred hours of veterinary experience. There are only 28 vet schools, so admissions is competitive. On a positive note, most vet schools admit between 25% and 30% of their in-state applicants, which is not too bad if you meet the criteria. </p>
<p>If that seems daunting to you, consider the vet tech path, the veterinary equivalent of a nurse. The training is much shorter (2 years compared to the 7+ for a vet), and although the pay is admittedly much less (average is ~$30K), the job outlook is extraordinarily good. You may also want to consider animal science, which has very good job prospects. </p>
<p>4) Consider working or volunteering at an animal clinic as soon as possible. Many students think they want to become vets until they actually see the down and dirty of the practice – vets get bitten, scratched, and relieved on, and they have to deal with everything from euthanizing pets to digging out worms to cleaning teeth to getting rid of maggots in a dog’s skin. It’s certainly not for everyone!</p>
<p>My daughter wanted to be a vet when she was little, so I took her along for our annual visit (our dog’s annual visit!). The vet was a lovely younger woman, so I told her that my daughter thought she would like to be a vet some day. The Dr. said that she loved her job, but that if you don’t have your own practice, you don’t make much money, and most of the time, the animals do not like what you are doing to them.</p>
<p>I loved that advice. It goes along with some of what Warbler said. We used to joke at Iowa State–the first college of vet med in the nation I think–if you couldn’t be a vet you could be an M.D.</p>