Well... *Rant/Vent*

I don't know if I want to be a vet anymore...

Well, actually, I know that I want to be a vet, I'm just afraid that I don't have what it takes.

I just found out that I made a D+ in general chemistry 2, and I was hoping for at least a C. If you have anything below a C, there's no hope of getting into vet school at all.

So, I guess I have to come up with another life plan, or retake the class and study my butt off and hope that it comes out good in the end.

The only problem is, we are only allowed 2 retakes and I'm already using one for my Biology 2 class because I made a D in that class last semester...

And even if we retake something, it still shows up on our vet school application.

I really don't want to change my major because I love Animal Science, I just hate Biology and Chemistry...

I'm just really sad, because I know I want to be a vet, but wanting isn't going to get me there. I know I'm smart enough, but I don't know if I have the work ethic to get me there. I'm not good at studying, and if I don't figure out how to study soon then I might as well just drop out of college. (and I'm not doing that, I'm just sayin'.)

Anyway, there was really no point to this other than to get it off of my chest.

It just sucks that everything I do right now relies so heavily on my future and that stupid vet school application that I'm already dreading.

Maybe I should just go to grad school and do reproductive physiology or something. That was my original back up plan, but grad school sounds awful.

I don't know what I'm going to do yet :(

You don't need to feel tied to one major, if you struggle with those subjects look for something your better at. Just make sure you don't quite your practically halfway done with your lower division. My daughter ended up changing her major, its pretty normal.

And get your butt to the library, seriously my daughter lives in the library but it has paid off.

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

You don't need to feel tied to one major, if you struggle with those subjects look for something your better at. Just make sure you don't quite your practically halfway done with your lower division. My daughter ended up changing her major, its pretty normal.

And get your butt to the library, seriously my daughter lives in the library but it has paid off.

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I don't feel "tied" exactly, I just know if I change my major it wouldn't be the right thing because I'd always wonder "what if I had stuck with animal science???" It's mostly just the work ethic thing... if I actually put the time and effort into this then I would do fine, I just have to find my motivation to do just that.

It's okay to vent. You don't need to give up the dream yet, is there a way you take an intensive Chemistry session over winter break to give yourself a better understanding? Does your college have any tutoring/mentoring programs that could help motivate you and get better study habits? They have every reason to want you to succeed, see what you can find out. If you don't already have an advisor, ask in the admissions department, and they will know what to do to hook you up. You already have the love for animals and the desire, now you just need a boost in the studying/motivation area.

Well you can work at an animal shelter if you are up to it. The guy who works at my shelter has a degree in Animal Science and that wow'd the people at the interview so he got hired.

I haven't been in college long, Bri, but I have gotten bad grades in my lifetime..well never below a C but you get what I'm saying. Giving up on a dream is the easy way out, and that may not be what you want to hear, but as your friend I can tell how much you want this and I know it's difficult, but with that kind of 'giving up' attitude, you won't get it. It seems impossible now, but the things you are saying that is limiting you are fixable. Maybe right now it doesn't seem like it now, but they are. It takes effort and persistence, but I promise you it will work out IF YOU TRY. However, that is all up to you. I am one of those dreamers who sees everything as possible, with a little effort. I'm sure some people think that's irrational, but to me, it's far from it.

Hell, maybe you won't become a vet, you might find something else similar you love. But don't sell yourself short because it's too hard or because of one bad grade. I believe you can do it. You'd make a damn good vet.

I know it sounds dorky, but can you find a really good study skills course?? My local community college offered one, and it really paid off for me. It showed me how to take notes really well (efficiently and effectively), and it made me better at studying for things. I read chapters before we got to them in class, so I was prepared for what we were going over, I reread them when we were done with them. Highlighted if I felt I needed to. Some people don't like high lighting in their books. Sometimes it helped me, other times it seemed like I highlighted everything, lol.

Look into something like that. And definitely, get to the library. Spend time there studying. I know college is also about fun, but you want to be able to say you spent your money and time well there. I know that my first round of college experience didn't go well, and it wasn't until I went back at it a 2nd time, when I was 25, that I did well. I was paying for it out of my own pocket, not my parents' pockets, that I actually was motivated to do well. It was the first time I ever made Dean's List... and I never made honor roll in school (except for in 6th grade, once). It kept me going strong though, and I kept my butt on Dean's List the entire time I was there. I got tutors and spent a lot of time in the library. Science was my downfall, Physics to be precise, so I put a lot of time into that subject.

Don't give up on your dream, just find out what you need to do to be successful at it. Have fun, but remember you need to buckle down and study and be serious as well.

Does your college offer tutor help? Hang in there & ask for help. Where there is a will there is a way don't give up your dream.

Thank you everyone, you all have helped me feel a little better about this.

Yes, we do have a tutoring center at my school, and people that will help with studying skills even. I know how to study, highlighting and reading stuff over and over and over, as well as flashcards, really help me, I just have to put the time into doing that and not study the night before an exam anymore.

I think I might go back and retake Chemistry this summer. I was going to take Organic Chemistry, at least the first half, over the summer anyway, but I might just redo Chem at a community college then and start organic in the fall.

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If you have anything below a C, there's no hope of getting into vet school at all.

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Nah, not true. There are no such absolutes. I failed a general chemistry class in college (Yes, an F). I retook it. Of course all that showed up on my application. I graduate from veterinary school in less than 6 months.

The 'vet school dream' is a marathon, not just a 5K. One slip up is not the "end-all be-all"...but you do have to make up for such mistakes in the long run. I am not sure exactly how far along you are in your degree, but it sounds as though you are still in the first half. Make that second half better than the first! It will take a lot of focus and commitment, but if this is truly what you want, then it will be worth it.

A good understanding of biology is important to this career, moreso than chemistry. I would definitely get a tutor when you retake that class. Maybe it doesn't come to you easily, but most of us can do well if we just put in the time and effort necessary to learn the material. Remember that your professors are great resources, too! Let them know that you want to do better and see what suggestions they have to help you improve. Studying in groups can also be really helpful for some, depending on your learning style.

Veterinary medicine is not the only animal career out there, so make sure you've spent some time investigating what veterinary medicine is really like and what the costs are....with regards to time, finances, work-life balance, school debt:salary ratios, etc. I would not dream of discouraging someone from pursuing this career path, but I would encourage them to do their utmost to understand what it is TRULY like. :)

Best of luck to you!!

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Originally Posted by Kater

Nah, not true. There are no such absolutes. I failed a general chemistry class in college (Yes, an F). I retook it. Of course all that showed up on my application. I graduate from veterinary school in less than 6 months.

The 'vet school dream' is a marathon, not just a 5K. One slip up is not the "end-all be-all"...but you do have to make up for such mistakes in the long run. I am not sure exactly how far along you are in your degree, but it sounds as though you are still in the first half. Make that second half better than the first! It will take a lot of focus and commitment, but if this is truly what you want, then it will be worth it.

A good understanding of biology is important to this career, moreso than chemistry. I would definitely get a tutor when you retake that class. Maybe it doesn't come to you easily, but most of us can do well if we just put in the time and effort necessary to learn the material. Remember that your professors are great resources, too! Let them know that you want to do better and see what suggestions they have to help you improve. Studying in groups can also be really helpful for some, depending on your learning style.

Veterinary medicine is not the only animal career out there, so make sure you've spent some time investigating what veterinary medicine is really like and what the costs are....with regards to time, finances, work-life balance, school debt:salary ratios, etc. I would not dream of discouraging someone from pursuing this career path, but I would encourage them to do their utmost to understand what it is TRULY like. :)

Best of luck to you!!

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Thanks for the tips, glad to hear this from someone who is going through vet school and has been through what I'm going through.

I am a sophomore right now, halfway done with my sophomore year.

I'm going to step up my game, but if it seems I can't do that after next semester, I think that I will have to look into other options, a school change, or a career change.

I didn't mean to sound like I was raining on your dream, just saying you need to finish college no matter what, if one door closes make another one open. Really you need to put in the time in the library, your an intelligent young lady and this is the time in your life to set yourself up for your forever, make the most of it, have no regrets.

I wanted to be a vet since I was 5 years old. I went to school for four years and got a Pre-Vet degree. I decided in my third year that I wasn't going to be a vet - there were many reasons but I too was afraid that my grades wouldn't be good enough for vet school. My first year I failed 2 classes and redeemed myself after that and did well the next 3, but my GPA wasn't as good as I had liked. I ended up doing something completely different, and I'm glad that I did. If it's meant to be it will be, and maybe you're meant to do something else. I would have never thought in a million years that I'd be a funeral director, but now I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I know that I'm meant to be here. Or all hope is not lost, you just need to, like Kater said, do all you can the next few years in school, do as much volunteer work as you can and keep working towards your dream.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do. :)

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

I didn't mean to sound like I was raining on your dream, just saying you need to finish college no matter what, if one door closes make another one open. Really you need to put in the time in the library, your an intelligent young lady and this is the time in your life to set yourself up for your forever, make the most of it, have no regrets.

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I didn't take it that way, I know you were trying to help :). And yes, I know. I know I am smart enough to do this, I just really have to work hard at it.

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Originally Posted by k9krazee

I wanted to be a vet since I was 5 years old. I went to school for four years and got a Pre-Vet degree. I decided in my third year that I wasn't going to be a vet - there were many reasons but I too was afraid that my grades wouldn't be good enough for vet school. My first year I failed 2 classes and redeemed myself after that and did well the next 3, but my GPA wasn't as good as I had liked. I ended up doing something completely different, and I'm glad that I did. If it's meant to be it will be, and maybe you're meant to do something else. I would have never thought in a million years that I'd be a funeral director, but now I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I know that I'm meant to be here. Or all hope is not lost, you just need to, like Kater said, do all you can the next few years in school, do as much volunteer work as you can and keep working towards your dream.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever you decide to do. :)

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I didn't know that you had done pre-vet, Ashley. I'm glad things worked out for you and you found out what you were meant to do.

I'm going to see how next semester goes... but I'm trying to keep myself positive that I will do better.

Bri, its never to late to start new. With new motivation you can get your grades up. Anything science wise is going to take a lot of effort but it will be so worth it. I know chemistry is a pain... Organic chemistry you'll be able to relate more to. Biology, however, is very important to know and understand if your going into vet care.

You can do it! I know you can. Just put in the time and effort; know that how much you studied was the best you could do.

Don't give up on your dream. You're way too young for that. You'll regret it if you do. Just keep trying. We know you can do it!

Thanks again, everyone :)

I think I've decided what I'd like to do with my life if becoming a vet doesn't work out, but then again, I am also going to need a day job with what this plan is :p.

I think I want to start my own rescue and help people out. I love fostering Duke and then being able to find him a good home, I just wish there was more I could have done for him. There is a rescue that I'm trying to get involved in here in the area, and after seeing what they do, I think I would like to try it in the future.

As for the day job, if vet school doesn't work out, then maybe I can be a vet assistant or something. I'll be qualified to do that after my degree is finished, or I'm sure I can at least find something with animals that I want to do.

But for now, I'm going to work harder and keep trying to be a vet. If I decide that I don't think I can do it, then we'll see wherever else life takes me :).