Career changing

Pre-Vet & Veterinary Medicine
1

<p>Hello everyone,
I hoped I could seek advice here. I'm a recent college graduate with a degree in English. My original intention was to go to law school, but it was more something my parents were pressuring me to do. I've finally crawled out from underneath their feet and have asserted my desire to be a vet. I know I will have to do a lot of core science coursework to meet requirements. I've looked at postbac programs, but my GPA is unfortunately not high enough to stand a good chance of securing admission. I had a very difficult few years in college with health and personal issues. I now feel as though I'm finally doing better, but I look back at my undergraduate academic record with despair. I've considered going to a master's program, performing well, and applying to vet school using the GPA I earn in graduate school. In fact, I think that might be the best option for me given my GPA (2.8) is lower than the required minimum of 3.0 for postbaccalaureate admissions. </p>

<p>The saddest part about all of this is that I'm a very bright and motivated student. My academic record does not demonstrate this in the least. I'm fiercely determined to redeem myself. I'm a talented creative writer and musician, so I thought I could enroll in a graduate program for either of those, earn a great GPA, and then begin my pursuit of a vet medicine career. Any thoughts, anyone?</p>

2

<p>Hi Boomer30,</p>

<p>It’s been a long time since you posted, but in case you’re still out there - </p>

<p>Good for you deciding now that you want to make a change, rather than down the road, stuck in a career that doesn’t interest you.</p>

<p>Having said that, admission to vet school is super competitive, and GPA is a big factor. Visit some vet school web pages and check out the statistics for admitted students. They’re 3.5 + up. That’s a lot of work, especially if you’re trying to work in all the core classes required for vet school when you originally majored in English. </p>

<p>May I ask why the decision to pursue vet school? Do you like science and do you feel like you can excel in advanced science classes and labs? If not, you will be miserable. If you do and you feel you can, then you wouldn’t be the first person to change course and go back to school. In fact, the demographic for vet school now is much older than in past years. I believe the average for first years was 26 years old or above last I read. </p>

<p>Nothing wrong with changing your mind. I do advise contacting a vet school - perhaps your local state school would be a good option, and speak to an adviser. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>