"How do I get into Vet School too?"
One of the most popular questions that I think anyone in veterinary medicine gets is: "how do I get into Vet School?" As a previous mentor for several pre-vet students, I know this is a question I've gotten MANY times. So... let's explore that question a bit.
Let me start by saying this: I do NOT work for any vet school. I am a vet student, and my opinions are strictly that - just opinions. They are based off of thousands of conversations, my own experience, and years of hard work in mere HOPES of getting in. I had no guarantee, I had no "early acceptance", and I had no upper hand. I simply just worked really hard.
However, I will put some general info here to offer as guidance. I hope it helps.
Experience!! Go get it. Large animals, small animals, exotics, zoos... specifically medical training. Kennel cleaning may help you, but it won't show you how things are done. Volunteer and "work your way up" if you have to. The earlier you start and harder you work, the better. Also - work with multiple people in the specific field that you want to go into if you can.
Keep your grades up. This should hopefully go without saying. However, a GPA of 3.2 typically won't get you into vet school. Or... really, any type of medical school. Most vet schools have published an average for recent students regarding their GPA's when accepted. If you're chasing vet school, you should definitely check out those stats!
Know the requirements for any vet school in which you may apply to. For example, what courses do they require? Minimum grades? Work experience? Some schools have very different requirements. It's best to know them as early as possible, and have at least an idea of what you're pursuing.
Keep a journal. In this journal, you should ideally record your experiences, locations, hours worked, names of supervisors, contact info, and what you did. For instance, one thing I wrote in my journal was of an experience that I worked in Arizona. There, I helped with a new reproduction technique regarding dairy cattle. I can tell you who I worked under, how to contact them, how much time I spent doing it, and exactly what my role was while there. When I applied to vet school, I didn't have to worry about remembering important details over the last 10 years that I've spent "Chasing DVM". I already had it in front of me.
Find a mentor. Mentors can be super helpful in offering general guidance, meeting new contacts, and overall encouragement.
DON'T LIE! Lying on your application is one of the dumbest things you can do. I've heard it time and time again about fellow students from undergraduate school "fudging their numbers". Experience hours, things they've done, etc. Just be aware that these things are looked into, and you're likely to get caught whether you ever know it or not. Lying is a great way to ruin your reputation, and any further chances of getting into vet school. Just put the hard work in!! Getting INTO vet school isn't easy, but COMPLETING vet school is difficult too. It's worth actually earning. I promise!
ALWAYS be professional. Remember that when you apply to vet school, you never know who has been or IS watching your every move. Your grades, your work, your social media, public conversations... you never know who is around. After all, veterinary school is considered a "professional program". Plus, I once knew a girl who had a photo taken from her PRIVATE social media account and shared in a vet school infographic. She had no idea how the school had gotten it, but the photo was certainly hers.
Vet schools care about their students. It's a huge thing to get accepted, and these schools are branded by each student or graduate with the school's name on their badge. Trust me when I say that what you do, and how you act, matters. At all times.
These are just a few general and broad tips for getting into vet school. Have a specific question? Contact me and let me know! If I don't know the answer, I'll try to find someone who can give the best advice.
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