I plan on majoring in either Animal Sciences, Pre-vet, or Biology and going on to become a livestock veterinarian. The schools I’ve narrowed my search down to are Cornell and UPenn. I initially thought Cornell would be better for what I’m interested in but found out that UPenn also has a high-ranking vet school, and is usually ranked as an overall better school. Any advice on this decision?
First, you can’t rely on being admitted to either Cornell or UPenn. Are you trying to select an early decision school?
Next, I don’t know much about the course of study for a livestock vet but wouldn’t it be better to go undergraduate in a place where you could engage in livestock related ECs?
I remember that even back in my day veterinary schools saw right through rich and suburban kids pretending to have an interest in livestock medicine as a backdoor into vet school. If you’re genuinely interested in livestock medicine, then you will want to demonstrate it.
If your real interest is show horses or pets, then embrace that rather than trying to pull a trick that hasn’t worked in 40 years.
I would think the on-campus opportunities in animal science, and the presence of actual livestock would be a plus for Cornell. Unless you already live on a farm, and the access to animals is not important to you.
Two of my college friends became vets (a long time ago) Many vet programs want to see people who have worked with large animals (one friend of mine did this for two years after undergrad before he was accepted into vet school). And I have no idea if this is still the case but it used to be that your best chance to get into vet school was in your home state - you should do some research to see if this is still the case.
In addition, you should research if grads from either school get any preferential treatment in terms of vet school admissions. Many many other schools would be good for pre-vet – your undergrad school doesn’t have to have a vet school as it will be an entirely new application process. For example, my friend who went to Penn eventually went to Cornell vet school.
As to college, either one would be great…if you get in. But with acceptance rates under 15% acceptance is no sure thing for any unhooked applicant. As I tell everyone, you should cast a wide net in terms of college applications.
And Penn and Cornell are very different in terms of environment (upstate NY v Phila) so which do you prefer?
I know someone currently in vet school studying to be a livestock vet. She did her undergrad at UVM which would be an easier place to get into than either of the two you mention. If you are really interested in livestock you should choose a school with access to large animals. I would think that Cornell would be much better for this than UPenn so of those two I would pick Cornell.
I am looking to apply early decision. My sister goes to Cornell so I’m a legacy there. @Otterma, yes I am genuinely interested in livestock like farm animals. I thought I wanted to go to a big city but I’ve been leaning closer and closer to seclusion and small town…
You have to have almost perfect grades to get into vet school. Don’t you think it would be better to go to a less competitive school so you won’t get weeded out with organic chem? Maybe Michigan State, University of Vermont, or Penn State, any other land-grant school. Cornell is the most difficult land-grant school to get into.
I accept that challenge!!
Try to check Cornell’s legacy policy. Not all schools consider siblings to be legacy.
What are your stats?
What other schools are you considering besides UPenn and Cornell?
If that is a photo of you, you might consider changing it.
You might get a scholarship at University of Findlay or Michigan State
What’s your state residency?
Your particular undergrad school has little to do with getting into a DVM program.
I doubt that UPenn’s Vet school and Cornell’s Vet school give a preference to their undergrads.
People wrong think…“I’m gonna go to X school because they have a top med/vet/etc school that I want to go to”. That thinking especially does not work with private schools because they really want their professional school students to come from all over…so they usually do not give a preference to the applicants from their undergrad.
Good advice => “You have to have almost perfect grades to get into vet school. Don’t you think it would be better to go to a less competitive school so you won’t get weeded out with organic chem? Maybe Michigan State, University of Vermont, or Penn State, any other land-grant school. Cornell is the most difficult land-grant school to get into.”
Famous Last Words => “I accept that challenge.”
What if you get weeded out? what’s Plan B?
Unless your sister is on a pre-med/dental/vet, don’t use her experience as something to expect. The pre-health professional track will heavily weed…because NO SCHOOL wants to have THAT MANY (the number of frosh PreHealth) students applying to health professional schools.
What is your home state?
Many of the land-grant publics have vet schools…and they have large animals on campus for you to get the vet-related ECs that you need to be a credible applicant.
I live in Pennsylvania.
SAT Reading: 780
SAT Math: 730
(I will be taking the SATs again to see if I can get this math score up)
A decent amount of ECs w depth, though none that are especially groundbreaking or heroic compared to what I’ve seen on here.
APs: 5 on APUSH, self studied Gov and Macroecon (5 and 4 respectively)
Senior schedule includes: Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Physics, AP CalcAB, AP Bio, AP Lit
I will be visiting JHU though it’s near the bottom of my list. Other schools I’m thinking of are Penn State, North Carolina State, and possibly Texas A&M. Collegeboard says that, given my current stats, these three are safeties while UPenn, Cornell, and JHU are reaches. Thoughts?
P.S. I am OP, changed my picture.
I think you’ve pegged your admissions chance correctly. Wouldn’t you be happier and wiser to include some matches? If you don’t get into your reaches, are there not some less tippy top but still selective schools you would like to attend?
Away from academics (you could do pre-med/vet a lot of places) what are you looking for in a college? Size, location, geographic region, vibe, etc. ?
The only matches I’ve found are UIllinois and McGill (in Canada). I would like a medium or large college. I’d prefer calm rural and quiet but not TOO quiet. In that case I suppose UPenn wouldn’t be the best idea, though I would like a school with some sort of “prestige”. Geographic region doesn’t matter much although it would be helpful to be in the Northeast.
Are you drawn to more preppy, more artsy, cocky, intellectual, (insert your adjective here) or does it not matter?
Doesn’t matter. I would like college to be a place I can go off on my own and grow intellectually, get a lot of reading and thinking done, grow into my own person.
Here’s some suggestions. When I read your comments I’ve really been thinking Emory. It’s in Atlanta but a very nice campus not in the hustle and bustle of the city. Also Wake Forest. University of Rochester would offer you good merit aid with your stats.
Also take a look at University of Vermont and University of New Hampshire. They might not have the prestige you want but are in great locations, nice campuses, access to livestock. UVM gives generous merit aid. UNH gives merit aid but maybe a little less generous. $ saved would come in handy for vet school. You’d have a nice balance of life in great areas with access to amenities and nature at both schools.
McGill is a great school but its not anywhere near rural.