Benjamin attends The Ohio State University vet school; he didn’t apply to vet school right away. Instead, he waited one and a half years after completing his B.A. just read his interview below to find out why! However, he was invited for an interview at eight different veterinary schools, and the Ohio state vet program was one of them. Find out everything you want to know about the Ohio State vet school requirements by visiting the school site’s admissions page.
The OSU vet school admissions process is challenging, but don’t let that deter you! Benjamin got into the Ohio State vet program with a GPA of 3.46!
If you are thinking about applying to one of the 30 US veterinary schools, they all have different requirements. Take the guessing out of the equation and having to go back and forth to each school’s website. This book will lay it all out for you in a comprehensive guide. Check it out here: Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR)
- Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 274 Pages - 04/15/2020 (Publication Date) - Purdue University Press (Publisher)
This interview will help you figure out how Ben stacks up against the Ohio State vet school requirements. Although OSU vet school admissions is a highly competitive process, it is possible to gain admittance with planning and hard work!
OSU Vet School Requirements!
Name, veterinary school attended, and year that you started.
Benjamin Singh, The Ohio State University, began August of 2017 (class of 2021)
Who are the animals that you currently share your life with at The Ohio State University vet school?
My roommate’s dog, and currently in the process of bringing my dog to Ohio with me.
If you have pets living with you during vet school, how do you balance caring for them with classes?
None of my own yet, but I do know that it requires a time commitment. Given the workload we take on as vet med students at Ohio State, I will wait before getting one.
Tips for Strengthening your Application for The Ohio State Vet School
Do you think there were any specific experiences or items on your application that helped to strengthen it? What do you think helped with increasing your chances for the Ohio State vet school requirements process?
Having a generally diverse background, ranging from working in small animal practice to assisting with research. Not everything has to be vet med-related. Schools like seeing that we are aware of life outside of our chosen career, and I think having experiences (whether volunteer, employment, shadowing, etc.) that go beyond just vet med is a great way to go about that.
- American College of Veterinary Beha (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 368 Pages - 07/20/2021 (Publication Date) - Harvest (Publisher)
Where did you attend undergrad, and what was your major?
California State University, Northridge; General Biology
Did you apply for vet school after or during your Bachelor’s education?
1.5 years after the completion of my B.A.
Did you attend grad school before getting into the Ohio State vet school?
No. Rather than opt for a Master’s, I attended a local community college with a reputable pre-veterinary program that allowed for a wide variety of hands-on large animal experiences. Vet coveralls are needed during large animal rotations!
At what age did you first apply to the Ohio State vet school?
26
How many schools/application cycles did you apply to before being accepted to The Ohio State University Vet School?
One cycle, I chose to apply to 13 schools.
Were you waitlisted at any schools?
VA-MD, Kansas State University vet school
How many schools invited you for an interview?
8
How many of those gave you an acceptance letter?
3
The Ohio State University vet school requirements are challenging. What were some reasons for choosing this Ohio vet school?
Cost is first and foremost given the current financial reality of the profession and the school that felt like the most appropriate fit for me as a person and student.
Do you remember any specifically challenging interview questions?
None, in particular, most were run-of-the-mill questions about specifics in my application and situational hypotheticals regarding leadership, conflict resolution, etc. The best prep, in my opinion, is to have mock interviews and/or have friends find or come up with challenging questions to hone your ability to answer calmly and coherently when under pressure.
Learn about OSU Vet School Requirements!
What was your GPA (in undergraduate)?
3.46
What was your GRE score? Note: part of the OSU vet school requirements is that they no longer require the GRE. No need to send GRE scores to OSU.
155/159/5.5 (Q/V/AW)
How many extracurricular activities did you list on your application?
Pre-veterinary club, long-distance running, and a few other school clubs
OSU Vet School Prerequisites Always Include A Wide Variety of Experience Hours
Did you have exotic, large, and small animal experience before applying to veterinary school?
Yes, a couple-few hundred hours experience in large and exotics, and ~2500 hours or so of small animal general practice. These were pre-veterinary internships.
What types of paying jobs did you have before getting into The Ohio State University veterinary school?
I worked as a cashier at my undergrad my entire time there before working at a dog training facility for a short time and eventually worked my way into a couple of different clinic positions.
For The OSU Vet School Requirements, You Will Need Veterinary Hours!
Did you volunteer? If so, where?
Regular volunteering at a local shelter volunteered in a herpetology research lab on campus, and volunteered at an exotic animal practice.
How many people read your personal statement before submitting it?
A handful of people, different professors, and advisors mainly to get an idea of what takes other readers had after reading through it.
When did you decide to become a vet?
I was a typical pre-vetter who knew he wanted to work with animals for as long as I remember, although I didn’t see myself straying from small animal medicine like I have (for the time being, at least).
Were you a member of any clubs at your undergraduate school? If so, which ones?
Pre-veterinary club, BEER Club (Biology, Ecology, and Evolution Reading Club)
Ohio State Vet School Clubs Can Help You Gain Hands-On Vet Med Experience
Did you join student clubs in your DVM program at The Ohio State University Vet School? If so, which ones? Were they helpful?
As of right now, I am only active in ASLAP (lab animal). However, our ASLAP club is fantastic. Our officers try to reach out to us with any opportunities, and the wet labs, even just two semesters in, have been a blast. While I am not in any other clubs yet, I know several other clubs host many amazing trips and wet labs that offer unique veterinary experiences.
Who gave you your letters of recommendation? Did you know them well? Did you find the application process stressful? Why or why not?
DVM from my first clinic job
Large animal DVM/professor who was an invaluable mentor to me
DVM from an exotic animal clinic I volunteered at
Undergrad research professor/Associate Dean of biology
Entomology Professor
Pre-vet program director
I chose my letters based on individuals I knew very well and knew me well enough to write me a positive endorsement. It’s my honest opinion that the relationship with who you ask to write your letters is far more critical than that individual’s title(s).
Are you happy that you chose this career? What makes you most pleased about this career choice?
Absolutely. One of the best things so far is that there are so many specialties and subspecialties within those. I didn’t even know about so many types of medicine or consider them as a career path for myself before starting veterinary school. So it’s a bit overwhelming, but also very exciting.
Do you have any advice for students once accepted to this Ohio vet school?
Don’t try and do anything to “prepare” for vet school in your time off leading up to it. Relax, enjoy your free time while you have it, spend time with your friends and loved ones. Once you begin, you hit the floor running, so just celebrate your success and enjoy it as much as you can.
Any study tips that you learned while at this OSU vet school?
At the Ohio State vet school, it varies significantly from professor to professor and, of course, institution to institution. The best thing to do is to keep an open mind and be open to trying different study techniques, even if you’ve been successful up until this point with the same methods. You’ll pick up on the nuances of each class/lecturer, which helps, although there will be times when the material is just dense and bland, and you just have to power through it.
What have been some of your favorite classes within your DVM program, The Ohio State University Vet School?
Clinical Pathology, without a doubt. Learning how to go about reading bloodwork and interpreting what low/high/normal values mean, and piecing it all together like a puzzle is pretty thrilling for me personally, and the entire class is highly clinically relevant (unlike many other courses in our first year)
Note: If you are carrying around a lot of heavy textbooks then getting a few
rolling backpacks for school will help.
What has been the most challenging class in your DVM program so far?
Currently, pharmacology is the class I have struggled the most with since chemistry and mathematics were not my strong suit in undergrad.
As a student, did you have to take out loans for your education? If so, are you concerned about the amount of debt you will have after graduation?
Absolutely. I think it is essential for prospective students to be aware of the financial reality before delving into the profession and making the decision to take on the massive debt associated with a veterinary education.
Is there anything in particular about your DVM program at this OSU vet school that you like?
For the most part, the Outstanding faculty and lecturers and a real sense of camaraderie among students will draw anyone in.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about attending your Ohio vet school?
Tour the school, ask current students any and all questions (don’t be shy, it’s your future you’re talking about here), and ultimately decide if OSU is the school you see yourself attending for the next four years.
At this point, do you think you will have a specialty?
As of right now, I am currently interested in laboratory animal medicine, but I am keeping an open mind.
Do you work a paid job at your Ohio vet school? If not, did you know of anyone who did?
Not personally. Several of my classmates at OSU veterinary school do work part-time to have some extra spending cash. Still, I personally enjoy sleeping a lot when I’m not studying and don’t think I could work my days off without my grades suffering to some extent.
Have you read or listened to anything worth sharing?
I love to read for pleasure whenever I have the chance. Neil Degrasse Tyson’s books are all great reads, and some of my other favorites include The Martian and Solaris. There are a lot of great podcasts out there as well. I highly recommend Radiolab!
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- de Grasse Tyson, Neil (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 222 Pages - 05/02/2017 (Publication Date) - W. W. Norton & Company (Publisher)
Do you have any last words of wisdom, especially for students at this Ohio vet school?
Vet school is tough, but getting in shows, you belong there, regardless of how prominent the impostor syndrome may be at times. When you get in, try and hold onto that fantastic feeling of first getting accepted. There will be a few bumps in the road, as with life in general, but remembering why you’re there in the first place helps a lot. And as cliche as it is, make time for yourself and the things you love. Mental health and awareness are essential when you’re in a program as rigorous as veterinary medicine.
How can people find you?
Singh.1071@osu.edu or Facebook
