Need Some Advice...

[Cataholic]

Point being... you have to do something you love.. regardless of pay... if making money is something that is important to you, then a vet tech is not the route you wish to take.

That is such foolish, youthful advice. Most of us need $$ to live. That one also loves what one does is a blessing. But, to say "regardless of pay..." yikes.

[Alysser]

I agree with Danielle, if you really hated Science, you wouldn't enjoy Vet Tech School anyway.

I to, am a little concerned with your decision. No one here is saying you HAVE to go on to Vet School, hell, you don't even need to be a Vet with the Animal Science Degree. I was in the FFA and we learned that there was plenty of other things that can be done. I am pretty sure you can be an RVT with that too, if that's what you really wanted. You can work in agriculture, research, Veterinary Science, go on to Grad school, etc. You just have a LOT more options with the Bachelors. You may be worried about loans, but you already have some from UT anyway, you're almost done, I think you should just finish to.

Last year, I was so ready to give up on being a Science Major because of one math class, one math class. I actually went as far as changing my major to Xray Technology, something my parents wanted. I knew and still to this day know I would have regretted that a hell of a lot. If I got lucky and had gotten a job in that field (with a little research I learned that it is not so easy anymore), I would have been miserable thinking of what could have been if I had just worked a little harder. I always think of selling myself short, and still do sometimes, but it always comes down to my ultimate goal. I've learned from my internship and newer experiences what I was meant to do and just because I don't do well in a MATH, doesn't mean I can't achieve it. I may be in under grad a little longer, I may have to go to grad school, I may have to move to some remote area for a little while for a job, but at least I know if I keep my grades up, gain experience, do internships, and keep learning I can come up with some sort of resume, get a entry level position in the Fish and Wildlife service or some other Gov't Agency related and start from there (or even look in the private sector). Life wasn't meant to be easy, and that took me FOREVER to realize. and guess what? I passed my math class!

I wish you luck in whatever you decide...just my point of view.

[Jessika]

That is such foolish, youthful advice. Most of us need $$ to live. That one also loves what one does is a blessing. But, to say "regardless of pay..." yikes.

Well you obviously need money to live. The point I was making is if you want a huge salary, then being a vet tech is not the profession you want to be in. And being a tech is definitely one of those jobs you must love, regardless of the pay, because you don't make a lot. Period. But someone has to do it. I don't consider this "youthful, foolish" advice when this is very relevant.

[Asiel]

Dropping out would be the biggest mistake you can make. The first year of vet school is always the hardest, once you get into the next yrs and start real hands on work it gets so much more interesting. Everything worthwhile in life is hard work but very satisfying when you graduate and know you're set for life in a job you love---imagine getting paid for doing something you love.
Taking " a rest" is something you will regret-- some students do go back but most never do. And don't kid yourself, vet techs do not do almost the same work a vet does and some are not very well paid for the work that they do.
I think you should reread all the great advice you were given and just make up your mind that you will do this no matter what it takes....giving up might make you happy for a few yrs but down the line you will always regret it.

[Jessika]

And don't kid yourself, vet techs do not do almost the same work a vet does and some are not very well paid for the work that they do.

Totally missed this part of the post... I echo this: Vet techs absolutely do not do anywhere close to the same job as a vet, hence the huge difference in pay. Do we work harder physically during the work hours? Yes. In the US anyway, we are forbidden to diagnose, prognose, perform surgery or prescribe medications. These are things only a vet can do. And those 4 things is a huge bulk of what goes on in this medical field. And this is for a registered tech. You are even further limited as to the duties you are allowed to do if you aren't registered!!

We are a support staff, we support and help the vet. But we are not vets...

Any job you go to school to train for or work towards is going to leave you with debt. You have to ask yourself if that's something you can see yourself doing long-term. I strongly recommend against dropping out of school altogether, though!! That would be a huge mistake and you would very likely end up regretting it later.

I don't recommend doing what my friend did... started uni fresh out of high school, ended up switching majors every year for her first 4 or 5 years in uni... cost her parents thousands upon thousands of dollars... she finally graduated this past year. If you're not sure... stick in school, get some gen ed classes out of the way, work toward your associates or bachelors degree... then crack down on a major when you KNOW what you want to do.

I "took a break" after high school, a 5 year break, but when I finally went to college again it was because I knew in my heart this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

[wolf_Q]

I haven't read this entire post so forgive me if this has already been said. But have you ever worked in an animal related job before? I know you have and love animals but that's not the same thing as working with them. I've known plenty of people who love and have animals and tell me they could never do my job (groomer) and people who love and have animals and have tried to be a bather and couldn't handle it. Maybe you should try getting a job as a grooming assistant/bather or possibly vet assistant (if they have those there? I think here you can be an assistant without a degree but not a tech) and see if you can honestly handle that before you jump into vet/vet tech school as I know it's quite pricey. Also it would give you good experience for future training anyway, and it's a paycheck. You can get a job as a bather without any experience at most places, they will teach you. Cleaning up poop/dealing with difficult animals/getting bit is not something everyone can handle, even animal lovers.

[pomtzu]

my daughter thought she wanted to be a vet until she volunteered with a vet for a year every Saturday, he was pretty relaxed and let her do everything he did, even surgeries

ARE YOU SERIOUS???????? Yikes - it's a wonder this guy didn't lose his license, and I'm pretty certain he would have, if this fact was publicly known. Definitely not a vet that I would recommend to anyone, or take any of my animals to.

[moosmom]

I know this is kind of off the mark. You've gotten a lot a really good advice here. When I graduated from high school I had planned to go to college to become a paralegal. Unfortunately, my brother's college education took top priority. I've been working since I was 15 years old. I found that the workplace experience far outweighed any education I could have gotten. I became good at what I did through experience. I later went on to work at the 1 thing I had a great passion for... writing. I'm not saying you should quit school all together and go to work. I also put myself through paramedic school. I worked full time during the day as a secretary and went to school at night. I knew that no matter what I would always have something to fall back on. Because being a secretary didn't pay that well, I worked both jobs for 20
years. I was a single parent raising a child. I think what you need to do is talk to an advisor and see if they can give you guidance. I wish you much luck, Bri. And remember, the 1 person you know that no matter what, will be there always for you is yourself.

[pomtzu]

He's a great vet all his patients love him he was always by her side it was mostly spays and neuters she assisted he let me come in and watch too they were pretty straightforward, this is a great guy people would bring in pets to put down and he would say okay and take them home.

He may have been a great vet and loved by all, but that doesn't change the fact that what he was doing was most definitely illegal and highly unethical. I shudder to think that he was allowing just a volunteer (and a kid, at that), to participate in surgical procedures.