College

For your bachelor's degree, that can be done at a community college IF the community college offers Bachelor's of Science degrees. Basically what you are going to want to start off doing is working towards a Bachelor's of Science in Biology, with a track in pre-vet. There's really not a big difference from a regular biology major, but you'll be taking more zoology and anatomy classes.

You can take two years at a community college and get your associates, then transfer to a four year college. Just do a lot of research to make sure all of your credits from the community college will transfer to a four year school. Different schools will take different credits.

Also remember that you may not be able to get into a vet school on your first try. Many people have to take a year or two off before getting accepted. Vet schools are very competitive, even more so than medical schools. So when you are in college working towards a major in biology, you want to make sure you keep about a 3.5 GPA. That's mostly A's with a few B's mixed in. However, I do know several people who could not keep a high enough GPA in college and decided to work as vet techs. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Its a wonderful job and very versatile. The people I know who left the vet school path to do this are very very happy doing what they do.

Good luck with all of this! your best bet is to get friendly with the director of vet and medical students are whatever college you go to. They will be able to help you a lot.

As for volunteer hours, I would say work where you can. If all you have available right now is a dog and cat vet, then I would say do that. Any sort of animal experience will help you in the long run, not just hours working with the large animals only. In vet school you will be working with large, small, and exotics until you are able to specialize.

 

A family friend did the vet-tech 'thing' and then worked as a tech while earning her 4 year degree. The majority of vet tech classes were the same as the ones that she needed for her 4 year degree so no waste. Plus she was making a bit more money as a tech than she would have been in a minimum wage job elsewhere and the job experience looked great on her resume. And she was hired on at the business where she teched when she got her 4 year degree.

Just another thought... good luck Sarah!

 

This probably wont make you very happy but...my 4 year degree took me 10 years. =/

I went to school while raising my kids, getting divorced, getting remarried, buying a house, having a new baby, moving out of state and running my little farm.

I took 2 classes a semester and 1 in the summer. Long road but worth it!!

 

Then you should be in good shape Sarah.

How do you feel about internet courses? I did at least 3/4 of mine online. They make them easy to follow today. I personally didnt like math and science online because I stink at them but my English courses and my electives were online and I loved it. Maybe give one a try and see if they work for you, then you can work those in while the kids are at school or napping and at night and on weekends.

Just some more options

 

I like Camelot Farms advice. She had been there, done that, and her comments make sense.

Maybe you could call the UGA department the Vet program is under and talk to them directly. I think it would be a good way to introduce yourself and show a certain initiative, which won't hurt. They can give you advice and help you avoid problems that others have had. They will know what credits will transfer. My college roommate stayed an extra semester at a community college to get an associates degree and considered that extra time and expence wasted. The credits he earned in the extra semester did not transfer.

 

good for you! In high school I wanted to be a large animal vet, till I saw a video of a surgery on a horse. Then I knew I couldnt do it.