Veterinary early admission undergrad programs

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>My daughter wants to be a vet, so we're interested on chances of admission to any of the early admission programs, where if you meet the specified undergrad requirements, you're automatically admitted to the veterinary college when the time comes.</p>

<p>Washington State has one through the Honors college, Colorado State has one limited to 5 students, it looks like Kansas State and Mississippi State also have similar programs.</p>

<p>She goes to a good private school, class rank now about top 12%. Her weighted GPA is 3.82, unweighted about 3.7 - unlike some schools, honors and AP courses only get an additional .125 or .25 GPA weight. (4 of 6 classes a year have been honors or AP).</p>

<p>She took an AP class as a sophomore, but didn't pass the exam, but seems to be more in control of the material in her 2 AP classes this year. So we're hoping she passes the two her junior year (Bio and US History).</p>

<p>She'll also take the SAT again - taken early in her junior year, she got 600 CR and 690 math (only 540 writing though), so hoping for improvement there, especially after taking honors pre-calc this year in preparation for AP calculus next year. (Her senior year, she'll be taking AP Chemistry and Calculus).</p>

<p>She's signed up for a summer program for college credit at the local state university, aimed at gifted students, so she should have 3 transferable credits plus (crossing fingers) the aforementioned AP.</p>

<p>She's not active in a big way at school - a couple of extracurriculars, no leadership positions - NHS, stuff like that. But she does volunteer work for pet adoption drives almost every week, and we plan on trying to get her actively shadowing a local vet this summer.</p>

<p>Are these early admit programs as competitive as the Ivy leagues - positions are few and far between, but on the other hand, these are state schools, not especially well regarded overall?</p>

<p>Anyone have any experience?</p>

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<p>Well first I just want to say congrats on your daughter making the decision to go to vet school! I am sure it will be a very rewarding experience and, if she is an extrememely hard worker, she will one day be a vet in her the field of choice. </p>

<p>However, vet school is very difficult to be accepted into regardless of grades, rank, et cetera. Vet school is more difficult to be accepted into than medical or law school because their are so few vet schools in comparison to number of hopeful attendees. Many hopefuls were in the top 3 or 5 percent of very large high school classes, have 3.8-4.0 grade point averages, were involved on campus, and still may not be accepted.</p>

<p>Now these numbers are not meant to scare you - I simply just want to make you aware of what your daughter is undertaking. If she is still up for the challenge, than I hope she is accepted and has a great DVM experience. </p>

<p>Firstly, please understand that you are never guaranteed to get into vet school. You stated that you were interested in “early admission programs, where if you meet the specified undergrad requirements, you’re automatically admitted to the veterinary college when the time comes.” As far I as I am aware, these colleges simply grant you permission to apply to their program if you have met the requirements. They never automatically grant you admission. In fact, early admission programs are more difficult to gain access into than traditional entrance programs because they accept even fewer students. </p>

<p>Secondly, please be aware that many vet schools do not recognize AP credit. Students who undertake schedules with AP classes in high school are more likely to eventually be excepted into vet school because they will impress undergraduate universities and possibly attend a better university. Additionally, students can enter college as a 2nd or 3rd semester student if they gain enough AP credit. However, AP classes usually cannot replace classes required for entrance into vet school. For example, Cornell University (the number one vet school in the world and an ivy league university) in New York, requires students to take two biology classes before applying to vet school. If students skip the first semester of Biology because they scored well on the AP Bio exam, Cornell still requires these students take two semesters of biology - therefore these students take two advanced semesters of biology. However Cornell’s admissions staff will recognize the students proficiency in biology therefore the AP claa did, in the end, benefit the student. Classes such as United States history however, usually can be used to substitute history general education classes. Honors classes, although somewhat impressive to undergraduate universities, will not be recognized by vet schools and should, if possible, be replaced by AP classes. </p>

<p>Also, be sure to brag to schools! This is the time for your daughter to let every university out there know how great she really is, and why she deserves this!! Things your daughter should absolutely do is record every single hour she spends working with animals. Most vet schools require that those accepted have a certain number of animal experience hours, and also a certain amount of vet experience hours. The average student accepted into the Cornell DVM program had over 1400 hours of experience! So make sure she records these hours and stays on good terms with those who can confirm her work (eithier job related or volunteer related). I suggest, if possibly, that she find a animal or vet related part time job to impress undergraduate and eventually vet schools. </p>

<p>Another thing your daughter should absolutely do is get involved at her high school! Many students who are accepted into prestigious undergraduate universities due to high school work have increase changes of being accepted into vet school. Just think about the student that is always playfully teased for being president of every club :slight_smile: This will eventually pay off for these students in the end. Additionally, these students are more likely to recieve scholarship money because they have demonstrated the ability to be “well-rounded.” Since vet students can go to school anywhere from 7 to 12 years (some student go to school for 4 years after vet school to specialize), I imagine your family would welcome this help with undergraduate costs.</p>

<p>As for are vet schools being as hard to get into as ivy leagues - I guess this just depends. Truthfully, you could apply to eithier University of Pennsylvania or Cornell (which are both ivy league and have vet schools) and have it both ways. One way to find out is to make an account with myroad.com, and go online to check the percent of applicants who get into every university. My advice on your daughter getting in is for her to become very, very ivolved on her undergraduate campus, find a part time job at a stable, vet, pet rescue, et cetera during ger college years, and take difficult classes that will impress vet schools. Also, be sure to start the application early! </p>

<p>Also keep in mind that vet schools do not only look at the overall GPA in a student’s undergraduate years, but also their science GPA (which averages their GPA for just biology, chemistry, and physics classes). Therefore it is critical your daughter not depend on easier liberal arts classes to boost her GPA, because vet schools see right through this method. </p>

<p>Good luck to your daughter in all her DVM adventures!!! If you have anymore questions, I would be happy to answer them.</p>

3

<p>My daughter received an Early Admission to Oklahoma State Univ Vet School as a freshman last year. It was a complex and competitive process which started well before her undergraduate experience, actually during her high school years. You must prepare yourself early. This was only OSU’s 2nd year of Early Admit. In the first year, they accepted 15 Early Admit Scholars, in the 2nd they accepted 20. I suspect it was because of the strict and rigorous expectations, there must be a “fallout” of some of them so they accepted more the 2nd year. They must maintain a 3.5 gpa each semester and are held to very high standards. There are also many rules and restrictions such as how many credit hours can be taken at “other” schools, during summers, and in correspondence or internet classes. All math and science courses must be taken at OSU. She was interviewed by the Dean of the Vet School and other professors. They appeared to select students with extensive experience with animals or who had work experience with vets. My daughter had had a paid job with a small animal Vet Clinic, for 2 years in high school, shadowed a large animal/mixed practice vet, making farm calls for a couple of years during summers, and we own horses and cattle. We have friends that raise rodeo stock and she has worked with them, too. But, I think, most importantly, she finished high school with a 4.13 gpa, participated in sports and extra-curricular activities and also performed community/volunteer services with a local food bank, SPCA, etc. The committee appears to look for well-rounded students with focus and drive. With the early admit, she has a provisional admission. She will “automatically” be admitted if she maintains all program requirements throughout her undergraduate years, is exempt from the GRE, and does not have to compete for a place in her class. She can also be admitted during her 4th undergraduate year, if she has completed all requirements, and substitute her 1st yr of Vet School for the last undergraduate year. It is a very good program, but requires advance preparation and tremendous commitment. If your daughter is serious and very committed, I would recommend this path, but always have a backup plan. OSU Vet School only admits 82 students total each year. If 20 of those spots are already taken by the Early Admit scholars, that only leaves 62 openings. The odds of getting into Vet School are very slim, it seems. There are only 28 Vet schools in the country, compared to over 100 medical schools. You must prepare and be focused. Good luck to her! It can be done.</p>