Inquiring about VET SCHOOL - what steps can I take next?

College Confidential Community
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<p>I hope this is in the right place to post this. :></p>

<p>FIRST:
I'm in community college at the moment. Going to be graduating with an associate's in biology in the spring. I have a passion for animals, and not "I like cats", but I am really interested in their anatomy and physiology. I've always had a lingering desire to work at a zoo. I have been looking at veterinary schools closely lately, and I'm aware of the difficulty it is to be accepted. I would really like to study zoo medicine. I am willing to put all the hours in that are necessary to be accepted.</p>

<p>I figured out that I wanted to do this recently. Before that, I thought I wanted to pursue psychology. I've figured out now that I would like to have a minor in psychology, rather than have it be my major. I've only recently started volunteering and avidly taking animal-related classes and higher-level biology courses.</p>

<p>I have volunteered at a locally-run cat shelter that operated out of a three-story home in the middle of the woods. I scooped cat litter (30-40 boxes a day) and vacuumed/cleaned cat beds. It was a really unsanitary environment. There were about 15 cats per room, each room being the size of a small bedroom. The staff running it became hostile when I questioned the environment, and I only ended up volunteering for one semester. I have 48 hours logged there.</p>

<p>I also recently started volunteering at a family-owned farm once a month. The farm has two donkeys, four goats, two rabbits, and about fifty chickens. It involves brushing down the goats and donkeys, collecting chicken eggs, feeding all of the animals, and lightly cleaning up (mix up the hay, sweep the chicken coop, shovel poop). But that's about the extent of it.</p>

<p>I sent around emails to about ten different veterinary clinics and shelters, but it is really difficult to find anywhere that is accepting new volunteers or even letting people shadow. I'm concerned this is going to backfire since it looks like I'm not doing much volunteering or gaining much animal experience.</p>

<p>SECOND:
After I graduate with my biology degree, I would like to transfer. But I don't know what program I should be applying for. I anticipate graduating with a 3.4GPA. It seems low for someone who wants to go to vet school, but I struggled in my first year. I didn't take it seriously and ended up dropping out, then I couldn't figure out what I wanted to major in. Finally I figured out biology and ever since then my grades have been very good; my science and chemistry classes average out to a 3.71. My SAT score was 1520. I did very well in the english portions, but really bombed the math section. I have the volunteer experience I mentioned early. I unofficially tutor about once a week during the academic year. I will also have a year of a yoga club by the time I apply. I'm also a registered pharmacy technician and CPR certified.</p>

<p>These are the schools I'm looking at with their programs:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Animal studies, then will gain acceptance to Pre-Veterinary Medicine</p></li>
<li><p>University of Connecticut
Not sure which would be more beneficial:</p></li>
<li><p>Biological Sciences</p></li>
<li><p>Ecology and evolutionary biology</p></li>
<li><p>Molecular and cell biology</p></li>
<li><p>Physiology and neurobiology</p></li>
<li><p>Central Connecticut State University
Biomedical sciences (would also go for their master's)</p></li>
<li><p>Clark University
Biology following a Pre-Health track</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I have spoken with multiple advisers who all tell me completely different things. This is also granted I'm accepted. I have automatic acceptance into UMASS and am very confident about being accepted to CCSU. Not sure about Clark or UCONN though.</p>

<p>THESE ARE MY ULTIMATE QUESTIONS:</p>

<ol>
<li>How can I gain more experience with animals? Any suggestions?</li>
<li>Vet school accepts any major, but I want to choose the science major that will challenge me the most and prepare me for vet school. What would be the best program to be in if I intend to apply for vet school?</li>
<li>Do you have any suggestions to help my chances of vet school?</li>
</ol>

<p>Any help would be super great!</p>

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<p>I think you should choose a major you enjoy- a major where you will excel and earn good grades. You should see if you live near a local horse rescue. Rescues often need volunteers to help them care for he animals. Also, your local city animal shelter is always an option. Keep trying to make contact with a local vet to shadow because you will need that under your belt. </p>

<p>Regardless of the major you choose, you must complete the prerequisites for vet school. I notice that some require calculus, others require some type of college-level algebra/trig, while some just require statistics. The requirements vary- so you need to check into this and make sure you comply with your target schools. </p>

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<p>involvedmomfl - That’s good advice. I would love to major in ecology and evolutionary biology but I feel like the classes I would be taking wouldn’t challenge me like vet school. I want to pick a major that will really prepare me. I have looked at UPenn and Tuft’s prerequisites and have began to line up my classes with that.</p>

<p>I’m not sure if there are any real horse rescues in the area. There are many different family horse farms but most seem to be reluctant to have outside help. I had a friend looking high and low for a farm to volunteer on and she had to travel an hour out of the way to another state to get the experience.</p>

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<p>^</p>