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Gracie
Student
Waunakee, Wisconsin
1
Question
Updated
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How can I ensure I'm a competitive student for veterinary applications even though I'm doing my first 2 years at Technical College#Spring26?
I'm a senior in highschool and my mind is really set on vet school, I've been working in a clinic and undrstand the field but I always question my academics. How can I ensure I'm competitive enough with good grades, how do I know when I should re-take a class? What helps you be successful in hard classes like physics and calculus? #Spring26
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1 answer
Gurpreet Lally
CareerVillage.org TeamSr. Community Manager at CareerVillage
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Austin, Texas
Updated
Gurpreet’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team
Hi Gracie,
While I'm not a vet, I noticed you hadn't gotten an answer yet so I did some research and wanted to share. I think the definition of a "competitive applicant" will depend on the program but overall, these people tend to have:
1. High GPAs (3.6-3.9) and good grades in their science classes. It's important to note that the bar is higher if you're going to school out of state versus in stae.
2. Strong letters of recommendations
3. Experience working a variety of different animals (some schools have requirements on number of hours you need to do).
I would recommend looking at the schools you're interested in and seeing what the profile of accepted applicants tend to look (example: https://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/education/dvm/applicant-statistics/).
As for retaking a class, it also depends! For prerequisite classes, many vet schools require a grade of C or better to be able to apply. If you get less than a C, you would need to retake it. However, the exact policy depends on the school you are applying to.
As someone who has always found math difficult and needed to take calculus, I have some tips!
1. Schedule your hard classes during a semester/quarter where you are taking easier classes to create balance. This allows you to properly focus on the class that you know is going to be difficult for you. For example, I wouldn't recommend taking calculus and organic chemistry together as they will likely both compete for your attention.
2. Practice, practice, and practice some more on top of that! I ended up getting an A in my calculus class because I dedicated countless hours doing the homework and taking practice tests. Take the time to learn from the mistakes you're making when doing problems and apply those learnings on tests and graded assignments. I'd also recommend learning through YouTube videos (in addition to attending lectures of course) and going to office hours when you have questions!
While I'm not a vet, I noticed you hadn't gotten an answer yet so I did some research and wanted to share. I think the definition of a "competitive applicant" will depend on the program but overall, these people tend to have:
1. High GPAs (3.6-3.9) and good grades in their science classes. It's important to note that the bar is higher if you're going to school out of state versus in stae.
2. Strong letters of recommendations
3. Experience working a variety of different animals (some schools have requirements on number of hours you need to do).
I would recommend looking at the schools you're interested in and seeing what the profile of accepted applicants tend to look (example: https://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/education/dvm/applicant-statistics/).
As for retaking a class, it also depends! For prerequisite classes, many vet schools require a grade of C or better to be able to apply. If you get less than a C, you would need to retake it. However, the exact policy depends on the school you are applying to.
As someone who has always found math difficult and needed to take calculus, I have some tips!
1. Schedule your hard classes during a semester/quarter where you are taking easier classes to create balance. This allows you to properly focus on the class that you know is going to be difficult for you. For example, I wouldn't recommend taking calculus and organic chemistry together as they will likely both compete for your attention.
2. Practice, practice, and practice some more on top of that! I ended up getting an A in my calculus class because I dedicated countless hours doing the homework and taking practice tests. Take the time to learn from the mistakes you're making when doing problems and apply those learnings on tests and graded assignments. I'd also recommend learning through YouTube videos (in addition to attending lectures of course) and going to office hours when you have questions!