OP, When you mention biotech, was that intended as an umbrella generic expression for wanting a school that has strong biology that goes beyond typical biology and extends to areas like biomedical engineering, biomedical science ?. If you are headed for veterinary school, what sort of career do you envision? Are you interested in allied areas like animal science, food science, etc? Are you interested in veterinary science or just becoming a vet? If a vet, are you interested in large animals and livestock or domestic animals/pets?
Earlier posts mentioned the usual idea that it’s all about grades and scores and not where you go to school. I don’t think that is correct at all. First, and most basic, the school you attend could support your goals (for you, not for the student body in general) or not. If there is a good fit and you like the school, or you find you have great opportunities to do what you want, you are likely to do better in general, which will help scores and grades. Also, the wrong fit and you may decide that you weren’t that interested in pursuing a career that will add years to being in school. Further, good fit or not, you may decided to pursue another direction entirely. If so, the school you attend may all of a sudden matter a whole lot more than you thought it would. Further, just like high school isn’t just all about getting into college-it is 4 years of your life also, college isn’t just all about getting into professional school-it is another 4 years of your life. Don’t squander them by ignoring the passage of time and focusing only on readying yourself for another stage.
There are only 30 accredited veterinary schools (as opposed to nearly 5 times that number of medical schools) so in some ways gaining access is a bit like applying for college again. On the plus side, the accredited programs are all good although they can have different focuses. But, getting in isn’t just about scores and grades, something that may be true for medical school but isn’t so for vet school. If you are certain about veterinary school, you would probably do best if, regardless of major, you were able to access courses like zoology, microbiology, upper-level anatomy & physiology, animal science/animal production, nutrition, and histology courses. Also access relevant experiences, not just for the sake of your application but also for the sake of better understanding of the field and determining your level of interest.
People also talk about choosing schools where you’ll get the highest GPA. Those are bound to be weaker schools with weaker students. I think that advice is misguided always. Opportunities go to places where there are more people who appreciate those opportunities. I bet that achievements are far greater when students are surrounded by bright challenging peers then when they are surrounded by people who aren’t really very academic or intellectual. By achievement, I don’t mean GPA. I mean actual achievement, learning, remaining engaged in academic pursuits. Seeking out a way to shine in a small pond for the sake of it makes little sense to me. Finding yourself surrounded by peers who impress you is the best thing you can do. They will motivate you; Provide you with future collaborators, allow you to build networks that will continue to inspire you for life. Only a fool chooses to be the “smartest” in the room, and just imagine what that room would be like!