Ag20?? - thanks for the tip!

20-12th Man - no need for anybody to be scared off or away from BIMS, but it never hurts to learn from others experiences. BIMS was the degree my son wanted and was heartened to find out he was being dropped... he's moved on and is perfectly fine with the outcome at this point.

another BIMS major who is glad your son had to switch. Ansc will get you the same place. and the advisors are MUCH MUCH MUCH more helpful. Yes Brady is great but way to busy.

I actually got into vet school a year early and wont be getting my BS in BIMS because they cannot help me get out of a 1 hr writing intensive course. (that if i was an ansci would have been absolutely no problem)


I would still talk to advisers but i am pretty sure my friends that were in ansci had to take the animal phys class and not the other. That being said, as someone who has gone through 1st year having the class before will help you tremendously. (I would HIGHLY recommend taking BIMS anatomy or the workshop that becomes available to you after you get accepted, it saved my soul 1st year) and good luck study hard!!

20-12, I dont think Dr.Landis is taking appointments any more but if he is avoid him like the plague. seriously Brady and Dr.Crouch= nice. landis= bitter (which is funny because his wife is so so sweet).

That being said Dr.Landis I think is now dean of the college which would explain why your son didn't stand a chance of seeing him to plea his case agmom.

Thanks who8p!

He's told me the same thing about just having to take the Animal Phys (VTPP 323) course vs the other, but will talk to the adviser to make sure (no mistakes this time). He is also going to take VIBS 305 Anatomy - are you saying he should wait to take that until after he applies to Vet School (wasn't sure there)? It is suggested on the Degree audit, btw. I'm sure he will talk to the adviser about this as well. Greatly appreciate the advise from those that have been there!

He *really* liked the advisers/Professors in ANSC, by the way! All's well, that ends well.

Congrats on getting into VET School!... and a YEAR early!?! WOW - I know it's hard to get in, that's a BIG accomplishment! Sad, they couldn't do anything about the 1 hour writing course (I'll bite my tongue there and be nice)

He wants to be a VET so BAD he can taste it, that's what is keeping him motivated. I ask him "are you sure you want to be a vet??" and he always comes back with "I am going to be a VET!" Studying hard is the only way he can get there.

[This message has been edited by aggiemom2011 (edited 10/25/2008 10:51p).]

if thats his attitude he will get :-)

Yeah I was surprised I got in early, I applied for the experience and then I got accepted, there was no way I way going to pay an extra year of undergrad after that!

The AnSci advisors are trying to work with me right now to get that stupid course taken care of and they have no stake in me getting my degree sad isn't it?

My reccomendation is take anatomy before you start vet school.As far as whichi one to take, its a double edge sword. Undergrad anatomy is the best warm-up to vet school anatomy. but if you think you may struggle then is it worth doing that to your GPA? its sad but true. Also the summer workshop (its based on the undergrad anatomy) they offer is taught but the vet school anatomy profs and you will be a better idea of the questions they ask you. (in undergrad its mostly ID, vet school is MUCH more clinical, as it should be.) So its really up to him and what he thinks is right for him.

because I got in early I didnt have many upper levels and took it over the summer.


on that note you said he is ahead of most of his classmates as far as classes go. Tell him to take a look at what is left for his requirements to get into vet school. If he is going to finish them by the end of his jr encourage him to apply. they average person has to apply like 3 years or something? why not get a jump on that, and they help you figure out your weak spots if you don't get in.

who8p - good tips,thank you!

I'm glad the Animal Science advisors are trying to help you out! Nothing like spending a lot of money for a degree and not be able to receive it because of one course. It says a lot about the advisors in Animal Science, that's for sure (good PR!). Keep me posted, ok

quote:

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He is also going to take VIBS 305 Anatomy - are you saying he should wait to take that until after he applies to Vet School (wasn't sure there)?

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I would take it before applying to vet school (if feasible; if he can apply a year early without taking it he should definitely do that).

I applied my Junior year and got an interview but didn't get in. I hadn't taken Anatomy nor Physiology yet and in my interview they asked me had I taken them. I told them no and they said "Oh ok. Well those are the two classes that most people seem to struggle with so you should see how you do in those" or something like that. It struck me as odd since neither are pre-requisites to applying but eh, that's how it goes.

I took both, got Bs in both, and learned a lot but, on the other side, I took both, and got Bs in both...that's 24 GPA points vs the 32 I probably could've had taking some easier ANSC classes.

Thanks Ag20??! I let him know that

I would like to step in here and say that everyone in BIMS should be aware about the "2 science" or "1 science/1 math" rule. They tell you that in your New Student Conference several times, they have it in writing, and all of the advisors make sure you realize this. No BIMS advisor would ever tell you that it is OKAY not to follow this rule. However, if one of the advisors happened to approve your son's schedule the way he signed up for classes, then it should be explicitly written in his folder and all your son would have had to do is appeal to the Dean and he would have had to let him stay in BIMS. Obviously this wasn't the case.

WALTON LOADS

He was a freshman last year, yes his schedule was approved for the fall. He appealed it with the Asst. Dean, they didn't let him stay. Guess it wasn't written in his folder. Animal Science Dept is happy to have him and he with them. The *only* reason he didn't take the two this fall was because he knew he was going to take 2 physics course this summer in order to concentrate on O'Chem (which has paid off) and to get some of his other electives out of the way. *Trust* me, if he had known, he wouldn't have done that.

Lesson learned. He's moved on. He's never said anything about not liking the BIMS program fwiw. He was disappointed and so was I (It cost a *LOT* of money) and they never would have guaranteed to let him back in because he would have 77 hours by the end of his spring semester (75 hour rule) - why chance taking courses that are not needed ($$$) without some sort of agreement.

Life goes on...

BTHOOU!! Gig'em FTAB!!
~Mom~



[This message has been edited by aggiemom2011 (edited 11/7/2008 10:09a).]

Just my two cents. I graduated in 95 with BIMS and am now a dentist.

If I could do it all over again, I would NOT be BIMS. Yes, you get to take alot of great science classes that will prepare you well for professional school. But those same classes can really hurt your GPA unless you are just one of those who is going to make a 3.8 or whatever no matter what your major.

The BIMS people sell you that their major is so great and so respected by the professional schools. I was originally trying to go to PT school. I go for my interviews and talked to alot of PT school admissions people....they don't care what your major was, and alot of them don't care where you went to school. They have their formula for GPA and that is what they use. I applied to a bunch of PT schools and didn't get into one. I had a 3.3 gpa. I was shocked...and felt like saying, "but I'm a BIMS major at Texas A&M". They really don't care. I remember talking to one guy at an interview, he was a mailman going to a junior college, not a real bright guy, but he had a 3.8. They took him.


So I moved home for a year, evaluated my options, and went to work for a dentist. I applied to dental school and got in and here we are.

I was really, really dissapointed with the job opportunities for BIMS majors. You know what they tell you that you can do with a BIMS degree? Sell pharmaceuticals, or work in a lab. Big whoop. Thank God I got into dental school.


I know your son has his heart set on being a vet. But he better have a backup if it takes him a year or two to get in. BIMS does not give you a good backup. I found that out the hard way.

If I could do it all over again, and was trying to get into med/vet/dental etc school, I would major in biology, and get certified to teach. They I would get all my pre-reqs done, but also have a backup if I didn't get in the first time. OR I would major in business and do my pre-reqs as electives. If you are a dentist or a vet or even a solo MD, and have to run an office, a business degree would be great to have, and would also give you a backup if you didn't get in the first time. Or animal science...the goals are the same. Get as high a GPA as you can, and have a backup. BIMS fails on both accounts.


I don't think the BIMS advisors are bad people..and BIMS is a great degree and badge of honor to have IF you get into professional school. But unfortunately today, that is a pretty big if.


email me if you want to talk more. Oh I just read your new post, animal science is great. I wrote a reccomedation for a guy who is now in dental school, he was in animal science. He had a great gpa, got in to dental school December of his senior year, and coasted the rest of the way. Good choice.

glennstern@cantondental.com




[This message has been edited by Prexy's Moon (edited 11/10/2008 5:40p).]

The only thing I will say about BIMS is that I had a class that was mostly BIMS majors and a lot of them didn't have very good social skills. Just typical introverted bookworms. I think even in biology you'll find more social critters.

Any of you former BIMS people remember Ralph T Smith? He was the BIMS director back in the early to mid 90s.