Am I a (somewhat) competitive applicant for vet school?
I am an 18-year-old female planning to apply during the 2026–2027 veterinary school application cycle, and I was wondering whether I might be considered a somewhat competitive applicant. I know admissions decisions depend on much more than just hours and GPA, and that competitiveness varies by school. However, I often see applicants discussing thousands of hours of experience, so I wanted to get some feedback from others who may have gone through the process.
A little about my background: I was homeschooled throughout my education and began taking online dual-credit courses at age 14. As a result, I graduated high school with my associate degree last year. In August, I started at Texas Tech University, and after completing my summer classes, I will be entering my senior year this fall.
In terms of animal experience, I participated in 4-H throughout middle school and my freshman year of high school, primarily showing livestock and completing various other projects. I stopped after moving to a different state, where continuing 4-H was not a practical option. When I was 16, I began volunteering at a local small animal veterinary clinic. After a few months, I transitioned into a paid position and have now been there for nearly two years (excluding periods when I was away at school, though I returned during breaks). I estimate that I have accumulated approximately 1,500 hours there. At 17, I also began volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center whenever my schedule allowed, where I have accumulated roughly 500 hours. In addition, I have spent the past four years heavily involved in volunteer work through my church. Although I have not yet calculated those hours, I would estimate they total at least a few hundred. My responsibilities have included helping manage food distributions, assisting with event planning, and leading youth small groups. Academically, my overall college GPA is currently a 3.875. I have received only two B’s so far—one in Algebra and one in Chemistry. I have not calculated my science GPA yet, but I expect it to be relatively strong given my coursework. During my first semester of college, I intentionally stepped back from extracurricular involvement because it was my first experience in a traditional school setting, and I was adjusting to some challenging roommate and class situations. However, this past fall I became involved in a research project with one of my professors. The project focused on sheep, and I helped train an AI model to analyze video footage and track sheep behaviors. Through this experience, I accumulated approximately 25 research hours. One area where I know my application is weaker is large animal veterinary experience. I currently do not have significant large animal veterinary hours, although I plan to gain some exposure this summer. My long-term interest is in exotic animal medicine, and I was told by a veterinary student at LSU (my dream school) that clearly communicating that interest in my application may be beneficial.
This is not a “will I get into vet school?” question, I fully understand there’s a lot to be considered. I’m more or so asking if I’d be a somewhat competitive applicant, and if there are people who maybe share similarities with my stats/story.