<p>We're up, we're down, we're floating off the ground!!</p>
<p>DS attends McDaniel College...a great school with a very supportive environment and wonderful professors. However, he does not like the type of kid that goes there...too egocentric, too cocky, too mean-spirited, and often too drunk and vulgar. He also isn't enjoying the more classical education that the college offers...much seems irrelevant to him...and the very substantial required core isn't appealing to him.</p>
<p>Because he was a highly ranked competitive swimmer until just recently and spent most of his non-academic life at the pool, traveling, etc., he never had the chance to hold a paid job. Now he's working for a wonderful, well-respected, large veterinary clinic outside of Wash DC and is just loving every single minute of it. Every day he goes in beaming and comes home telling me how much he's learning and how much he feels he's making a real difference. My son's personality is nurturing and gentle and caring and would support a career in this field. However, I'm not confident that he could make it academically as a veterinarian; more likely he'd have to be a veterinary technician or technologist (these are different paths). Non-veterinarian courses of study generally are 2 year "dead-end" associate's degrees; though some schools offer 4 year vet technology or pre-vet studies degrees. I am certain a 4 year degree would be safer, but in the long run it should be his choice.</p>
<p>Does anyone know anything about a career of this type? Or colleges (other than community colleges) that offer programs of study? Also, I don't think vet technicians or technologist make a great deal of money...does anyone have knowledge of this? I think if DS moved to a 4 year school he could transfer some/most (I hope) of his Freshman year credits...but I'm not sure.</p>
<p>I'd particularly appreciate input from people well versed in this general career path, vet professionals (if you frequent this board), and others who may have experienced something like this. We're under the gun to start tuition payments at McDaniel for the coming fall term, and I don't want to put out the money there, if he should decide he wants to do something else. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm beginning to look online while he works, but any help I can get from my wonderful friends here will help calm my nerves. Maybe the possibility of an impending transition is one of the reasons DS has been so snaggle-toothed lately. :D</p>
<p>vet school is more competitive than medical school- and they earn less .
Thats great that he likes his job but I don't think he needs to transfer, just as you don't necessarily need a science related degree to apply to medical school, you don't for vet school, however you do need the prerequisite courses.</p>
<p>Why doesn't he ask the vets and other staff at the clinic for suggestions?</p>
<p>Thanks! I don't think DS is up to getting into a veterinary doctor program; he simply wants to work in the field with education to support him. What we're looking for is an idea of what options are out there. Ideally, it would be a 4-year program in pre-veterinary or veterinary technology. That way, he could earn a bachelor's degree, transfer in his freshman credits (currently with about a 3.0 avg), and pursue what he enjoys.</p>
<p>I've suggested he talk with the vets and other staff about his goals.</p>
<p>Kity, why is it that vet school is more competitive than med school? And why are more young people seeking out vet degrees than med degrees...particularly since the $$ payoff is less? Is it altruism??</p>
<p>There are fewer vet schools than med schools, making it more competitive given the number of students applying. Here in Florida we have 5 meds schools, (MD) a school of osteopathy (DO) and only one vet school. Now in my part of the country, with managed care, there are many more vets making more money than MD's, especially MD's in primary care. The malpractice is much less for vets, and there is not that much of an impact in vet insurance. So its more cash fee for service. Heck, we have veterinary opthamologists. </p>
<p>The vets your son works with can give him info on being a vet tech or vet assistant. I know there are a few 4yr programs. He won't get what he needs at a LAC, though. Too bad there weren't true VA's (ie PA's for vets.) That would be ideal!! Vet assistants now are not quite to the level as PA's.</p>
<p>Orange,
Colorado State University has a nationally renown veterinary school plus all kinds of programs that feed into it, such as equine science, animal science, zoology etc. </p>
<p>I attach a link -- it can give you ideas on the type of classes/programs that are available and the kinds of careers they can lead to. </p>
<p>Quinnipiac in Connecticut also has a very well regarded pre-vet, vet sciences program. Drawback there is on campus housing is NOT available to upperclassman.</p>
<p>I LOVE the people that work at our vets office and at the emergency vets place...the front office people are kind, caring, and are wonderful with the animals</p>
<p>Not everyone needs to be the "top" of each profession, where would vets be without the support staff, where would doctors be without the front desk people dealing with the upset patients etc</p>
<p>I find people that work with animals, in whatever capacity wonderful</p>
<p>
[quote]
why are more young people seeking out vet degrees than med degrees...particularly since the $$ payoff is less?
[/quote]
[quote]
Now he's working for a wonderful, well-respected, large veterinary clinic outside of Wash DC and is just loving every single minute of it. Every day he goes in beaming and comes home telling me how much he's learning and how much he feels he's making a real difference.
[/quote]
I think you answered your own question before you asked it!</p>
<p>I don't really know about options outside of actual veterinary programs. There is not a 'pre-veterinary' major (not at my Ds college anyway and they have a veterinary school). There are various degrees with pre-vet options - one in animal science. But the hopeful Vet students are encouraged major in anything they want (something that gives them an alternative career path if they do not get into the vet school) so long as they meet the prerequisites for a veterinary program (pretty science heavy). My D is double majoring in zoology and biology because that is what she loves but has one friend who is majoring in Animal Science and another is majoring in business. Grades are important but also experience such as your son is getting working in the field. My D is also working at a Vet clinic and loves it.</p>
<p>There are only 28 Vet schools in the US and they give priority to instate students. OSU (Oklahoma not Ohio) vet school accepts only 80 students a year and @ 56 spots are reserved for instate students.</p>
<p>Wish I could be of more help. I am excited for your son that he has found something that causes him to go in 'beaming' every day. makes me smile just typing it - that is what I have always wanted for my two.</p>
<p>My D is prevet at a LAC (Willamette). I would disagree with em on the sciences issue. Basically it is the same track for four legs as it is for two. It is much harder to get in to vet school as their aren't that many. Depending on where you locate or what you specialise in money will vary considerably. </p>
<p>If you son just likes to work with animals and you don't think he is cut out for vet school ( my D's fallback position is med school) after college he can go the voctech route to be a vet's assistant. </p>
<p>It doesn't sound like he really likes where he's going, maybe it's time to look elsewhere. </p>
<p>Hopping in here, I'm usually on the Service Academies board. I have a vet tech associates degree--got it in the '70s when it was a new field, I was actually in the first class in this major through the school I went to. Realized I'd never make a living wage, so finished a BA in Biology and have worked for a large pharmaceutical for many years in R&D. Vet school is VERY difficult to get into for all the reasons stated. I know a lot of vets, some here at my company and some in private practice. There are a lot of large specialty practices in some areas now, which I think could be fairly lucrative for a technician and I know are more lucrative for vets than regular small private practices. If your s wants to pursue this, I would definitely recommend going for the 4-yr degree, there are some schools that offer that. In PA, there is Delaware Valley College and I think also Penn State, among others. If he pursues the 4-yr program, he is in position to apply to vet school if he would eventually choose to do that.</p>
<p>At the time I got my degree, I didn't feel like going to school for 8 years for a veterinary degree. In retrospect, I wish I had (although it's not something I regret now). There is a lot of opporunity in certain industries for both vet techs and veterinarians that offer a very comfortable living.</p>
<p>Orange, how wonderful that your son loves his job! I have a niece who's a vet tech and two other family members who are vets. They all love it! One word of caution I'd give is that a lot of kids who work summers in these vet offices love the job initially but it's the type of job that should really be experienced for a while before making the decision to change career paths, and colleges, as it isn't the type of job that appeals to all kids longterm (even if they love it at first!). :) It sounds like he has just recently started this job, so I'd give it a bit before rushing into anything.</p>
<p>In any case, it's too late to transfer for September anyway so my suggestion would be to have him continue with it for the summer, then if he's still enjoying it, he can seek a similar position when he returns to McDaniel in September, for the school year, and start the transfer search and process for the following year, or perhaps for the spring if that's possible. Best of luck to him!</p>
<p>It's great that your son has found something he loves doing!</p>
<p>One thing I would keep in mind, however, is that vet techs are generally not that while compensated (nor are most vets--many grads come out of school with $120k or more in vet school and start at out with salaries of around $50k-$75k, and that's in LA, with it's high COL!). From what I've seen, vet techs. make between $12-$17 an hour, with new grads. starting in the $10-$15 range. Some older vet techs report making as much as $20/hour, but I think that's a bit of an outlier. Would your son be comfortable living on low wages? Does he have any medical or other problems that would make living paycheck to paycheck particularly dangerous?</p>
<p>On the wildlife route one poster mentioned: I won't recommend it. My school has a pretty strong wildlife bio proigram, and the school itself always makes a point of telling interested students that they need a masters at least to have any shot at all at a career in the field and that--even with that master's job competition is uncertain and fierce.</p>
<p>If your son will transfer, does he has any particular financial, geographic, or other restrictions?</p>
<p>I for one am saddened that so much emphasis is placed on how much $$ a person will make</p>
<p>If we put down those that work in the vital jobs, or put down the jobs because they aren't big $$ makers, where would we as a society be?</p>
<p>SOme people are not cut out, for a wide variety of valid reasons, for 4 year schools, to be vets or astronauts or lawyers</p>
<p>THe support staff for those professions are as important as the professional themselves</p>
<p>I would rather my Ds do something they love, doing some good in life, living in a cute small apartment- I would be darn proud if they found a way to do what makes them happy while at the same time taking care of themselves</p>
<p>That woman at the vets yesterday, who took care of me and my dog when my dog died was a Godsend, and she obviouslly had a lot of compassion and love of what her work was, no matter the $$</p>
<p>Went to UC Davis in the late 60s with the hope of becoming a vet (didn't make it, along with most of the other applicants.) Still took the "pre vet" curriculum along with all the pre meds, pre dental and other biology types ending up with a degree in zoology. Took an Animal Health Technology course at a community college (2 year program but I did it in 1 because of my zoology degree). Combination of these degrees got me a position at a major pharmaceutical company as well as a job with the animal support facility at the veterinary school. Some large animal facilities (horse barns, livestock operations) also find vet techs useful.</p>
<p>I'm the poster who provided you the links to bereavement support websites to help you through the passing of your beloved dog.</p>
<p>Just wanted to let you know that I'm not into the "big bucks"...I'm disabled and can no longer work at my prior career (high tech), and hubby is fairly low paid. We live in Fairfax Co., VA, and our household income is 48% below the median in our zip code area. :( But, somehow, we manage to survive. And, we are both college-educated, plus.</p>
<p>I don't want our son to go thru what we've dealt with. My only financial concern, unlike the concern that you have with your dear daughters, is that someday my DS will probably be called on to support "the wife and kids". And, I'd feel a whole lot more comfortable knowing that he could do that easily than rely on spouse to continue in the work force after they start a family...I want him/them to have options.</p>
<p>My dad was a factory worker...bright as could be...but nonetheless a factory worker. While, of course, society needs contributions of all types, it helps to be in an occupational group that permits you to have a decent life. DS has about a 3.0 at the end of his freshman year...so a 4-year school is very do-able for him...it's just that it's hard to cover the bases on potential majors when you go to a small school.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input. I support your belief that $$ isn't everything. :p</p>
<p>Orange Blossom,
I know Virginia Tech has a pre-veterinary program. Since are from the DC area, perhaps you could call the school and ask them for advice. They have been very helpful answering questions about a variety of things and in the summer, they might have more time available to do so. Good luck to your son. I had considered becoming a vet at one time in my life, have a deep love for animals.</p>
<p>csleslie, I have a friend who went to Davis and did become a vet- he was a consolation when my D was having a tough time with Ochem, told me he only passed because of the curve- lots of students bombed.</p>
<p>Since OP son has taken just a year of college and a rough year at that, it might be more useful to continue on his LAC path ( one of the strengths of LAC IMO is a broad education), and indentify what it is about the office work he likes. Is it the animals? the people he works with, the direct connection between work and results?
Those qualities can be found in other areas as well as a small animal clinic.</p>
<p>I would also just leave with the thought that it is enough to raise our kids and help support them through college- worrying about how they are going to someday support a family, is up to them :)</p>