Pre-Vet Tips: High School Edition

Vet school is hard, but getting into vet school is even harder I may argue at this point of my educational career. As I’m filling out my vet school applications I can’t change the past, but I do wish I did things differently back in high school. I also wish I would’ve known more about vet school going into my undergraduate years as well. If I could go back to my high school self here are some things that I would tell her.   

Dear High School Self, 

Take those AP Classes and take the AP exam even if you think you won’t do well!  I seriously was kicking myself once I realized how far behind in credits I was compared to my classmates at UW-Madison. Why does it matter you may be asking? Enrolling for classes is all based on the amount of credits you have, meaning if you have more credits, you get first dibs. If you are like me with only one AP class and a late orientation, you get last picks. It’s not just getting stuck with morning classes, it means getting stuck taking classes I didn’t even need to be considered a full time student, starting the chemistry track late and basically getting last choice  all throughout college. Even if you don’t get the credits from the AP tests, hopefully when you have to take the actual college course, it will be easier. 

Start shadowing a veterinarian now!  Every weekend or whenever you can after school, seriously go shadow a vet. Spring break to Florida? Nah, spring break at your local vet office! I don’t have nearly as many hours as I wanted to have. I simply don’t have the time as an undergrad or a car to go shadow veterinarians during the school year. These numbers are also a crucial aspect of your veterinary application, some schools even setting a minimum. Note: Animal experience under a veterinarian is in a different category from animal experience without a veterinarian. 

Track Your Hours! Get a notebook that you will keep from the very start of exploring the veterinary career to the end. Write down every experience you do with animals and veterinarians. What to write down exactly? Write down the EXACT date, what you did, who with, where at, and for how many hours, to make it easy classify it as experience with a vet or to not too.  You are also going to want to track any volunteer experiences, even if they don’t involve animals! Track all the clubs you are in. Keep dates and records of all your past jobs. Any achievements and/or scholarships you get, write that all down too! 

Get A Job  This one I did and am so happy I listened to my parents. College is not cheap and vet school is no cheaper. Save up your money and you will thank yourself later when you aren’t having to take out loan after loan for undergraduate and with vet school still in your future. Don’t save money up just for tuition either, think about rent too as on college campuses rent can get pricey. Also having a job shows commitment, you build professional relationships that usually can become references, and it helps you learn how to manage your time early. 

Actually Study A lot of the times you can not study for a test and still pass it right? Well, that is going to change when you get to college! Take time to actually study for your high school tests, and learn what strategies work for you and what ways don’t. Will these strategies change over the years and for different classes? Yes they will, but at least you will have an idea and aren’t starting fresh. Also, good grades in high school will help you get scholarships and into the undergraduate college of your dreams. 

When you hit Freshman year of college… Talk to your professors, even if you are doing well in the class. Get a number from someone sitting next to you in the lecture hall in case one of you has to miss class so you still get the notes. Not everyone is going to be your friend. Still work on getting animal and vet hours!

Attend a Pre-Vet Camp  This could be while you’re in high school (a lot more options) or while you’re in college. Not only is this a good learning experience to see if this is what you really want to do, it also adds  a bunch of experience hours that you will need. Not to mention, attending a vet camp is so much fun and you make great friends! 

Breathe.  School is stressful, I know. You will get through it though, and you will do your very best so don’t beat yourself up too much. There’s a long road ahead and you got this, just take one year at a time, one semester at a time and one day at a time. Download some meditation or yoga apps, start therapy, and do not forget to take time to breathe. 

When I told my mom about this article she was like why are you going to give all this to your competitors??? There are a ton of bright eyed, bushy tailed, pre-vetters out there who don’t need their world to come crashing down during their junior year of college as they realize they didn’t prepare enough. If my tips can reach one future student and help them become a great veterinarian, this article’s purpose has been met. I can’t wait to have pre-vet students to come and shadow me when I am a practicing veterinarian, and I will tell them everything I know and everything I wish I knew to help them. 

Good luck baby pre-vetter, you got this! 

 

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• high school
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• vet school
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