Things to do to help get into vet school

Pre-Vet & Veterinary Medicine
1

<p>Hey! I'm a Freshman in college, and looking for things I can start doing to better my chances of getting into vet school. Here are some of the things I was thinking.</p>

<ul>
<li>Work hard and achieve a good GPA, preferably around 3.5+</li>
<li>Study hard for the GRE, take courses to help study for it</li>
<li>During the school year, join ECs. Which ones would be best? I was thinking about starting up an exotic animal/animal welfare club once I get to college, but am not sure how much interest it would generate. I guess anything with animals.</li>
<li>Work at animal hospitals, animal shelters, wildlife rehabilitation, stables</li>
<li>Internship at ____ (not too sure about this, any place I can look up more info? My cousin is a vet and offered to have me come stay with her one summer and internship at her practice)</li>
<li>For letters of recommendation, use professors? From what classes would be best? Maybe the place you internshiped at as well, I will have my cousin write me a letter.</li>
</ul>

<p>Anything else I could do to help myself stand out? I also heard you can offer to work for a vet school once you have completed your degree, and in return they will help pay your tuition. Is this true? That would literally be a godsend.</p>

2

<p>Hi Individualized. Wow, imho you seem absolutely right on track to meet your goals! My D is a college freshman planning for vet school in 4 years and she is doing all the things on your list. She is also looking at study abroad opportunities for pre-vet students for hands-on experience. I’m not sure that that experience would be viewed any differently from interning/working/volunteering in the US, but she’s always wanted to visit Africa.
What is your undergraduate major? What is your home state?
Your cousin being a vet and open to you interning with her is a remarkable opportunity!</p>

<p>Best of luck!</p>

3

<p>Thanks! What program were you thinking about using? That sounds like it would be a lot of fun, I’d really be interested in that. :slight_smile: I will e-mail UF and ask them if that would be viewed differently.</p>

<p>My undergraduate major is Biology, and my home state is Virginia. I am in CC currently but will be going to Florida next year (hopefully).</p>

4

<p>Check the Pre-vet board thread “vets in the wild”. There are several programs mentioned there. I don’t have any first hand experience with any programs at this time, and I haven’t researched beyond what is in the thread I mention because D has decided to wait until Sophomore year summer at this point.</p>