I hang out at SDN a lot (student doctor network), reading things that others write about and every now and then adding a comment. I'm more of a lurker than anything. They have threads for acceptances, rejects and accepted student statistics (as well as a ton more). I particularly like the statistics... however, they also tend to make me feel awful. I just am not up to snuff with a lot of them. It's scary, because I'm not a bad student, and so long as my grades to continue to be consistent, I won't be a bad applicant. It's just that there are so many very, very good applicants for vet school, and acceptance is regarded as a "crapshoot" by many.
Which leads me back to the title- I should never read SDN before bed. For some people, maybe it's scary movies that do it. For me it's apparently vet school stats. Last night I of course dreamed that I didn't get in to either school that I applied to (in my dream I had applied VMRCVM and CSUCVM), because I had both got a C in cell biology and didn't have enough shadowing hours. I then woke up earlier than usual and studied cell.
I think I need an intervention. That's really pathetic. I'm cutting myself off from SDN for awhile.
~Melissa
Ha, that's hilarious! Fortunately I didn't know about SDN when I was applying to vet schools (or maybe it wasn't around?), or I would have been the same way. From everything I can tell on your blog, I don't think you have much to worry about!
ReplyDeleteThanks Elliot :) That certainly makes me feel better! It is a fantastic resource... but also sometimes a little more knowledge than I need!
DeleteI had to cut myself off because it was depressing me to see people get accepted after I didn't get twice. Sometimes it's a good support network/entertaining and sometimes it's bad for you...
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this will make you feel any better, but SDN is not representative of the vet school students I see. Yes, some people have crazy stats and will make you feel inferior by comparison, but there's huge variations in everyone's backgrounds. The people who go to SDN and post regularly and share their stats are more likely to be the ones that go above and beyond what the regular person does. That doesn't mean that you aren't doing enough or that you won't get in.
Also, regarding the whole crapshoot thing, I think that refers more to the fact that the application pool changes every year so someone may be a good candidate one year and mediocre the next (happened to me) and you're being evaluated by people who have opinions and biases that will affect their subjective evaluation (ie the quality of your references and essays). Just do the best you can and try to accept that a large part of the admissions process is out of your control.
Good luck!
Thank you- I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I'm sure once I actually go through the process I will have a much better idea of the reality of it, versus the over-and-aboves at SDN. It is very nice to have the perspective of someone who has been through it! No one at my school has applied within the last two years (there was one applicant my first year, and she was exceptional- her parents were both vets), so I always feel as if I'm forging into unknown territory.
DeleteThank you!
Yeah... I only browse SDN now once in a great while. Its a good resource, but it is stressful, I agree! One of my friends had a not so great GPA, and is currently attending vet school. So hey, just breathe. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks dear! I think the stigma sometimes overrules the reality when I SDN and spend too much time stressing. : P
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