so i didnt really know what section to put this in, but since it has to do with horses and people in this section are usually pretty helpful, i figured i put it in here! anyway, i am now a junior in high school and in just a few short months, i need to start looking into colleges and what i want to do in the future. because of finances, i am going to a local community college for at least the first year of my college education. i really want to own my own horse barn in the future, but until then i need a job and a carrer. i was thinking of going to school to become a vet tech, then after those two years, go to school and get a bachlors degree in business. i figured by the time i was in my mid 30s, i would be able to start up my business. by then i would have enough money, experience, ect. does this sound reasonable to you? i was also thinking that i could double major the first two years, but considering the fact that only one of the classes would overlap, and i want to work, i think that would put way too much stress on me. i could also do it the other way around, get my bachlors in business, then go the two years to become a vet tech. but i do want to be working with horses all throughout college and i figured working as a vet tech would be more beneficial then as a stable hand for four more years. i just have no idea! any answers and opinions are greatly appreciated, just try not to be too harsh, im only a 17 year old girl trying to figure out my future. thanks! (:
leegalen222014-03-19T11:24:04Z
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A business degree is still your best bet to insure employment and will certainly help you plan for and run any business you may want to start. There is nothing wrong with going to a community college to get the 1st credits out of the way, just make sure that credits from the CC are transferable to any larger university you may want to finish with. Some community collegs are linked to a larger, more prestigious college that automatically take all of your credits. Before you decide to be a vet tech (or spend the $ getting there) please ask around your area and find out what they are getting paid. I have two friends who are vet techs and they make barely over minumum wage. There are a lot of scholarships out there that never get claimed but the secret is finding them. Sometimes the colleges will have counselors that are especially good at tracking them down. In reality, working directly with horses is going to take you further than being a vet tech in being able to run your own stable and being a vet tech will not give you time to go to school. Horses don't really care when you clean their stalls or groom them so that could be a more flexible schedule. You are smart not to go to an equine college. Take it from someone who holds a worthless degree in equine science, it is not valued in the either the equine or the business world. I had to go back for an accounting degree and only then could afford to get back into horses!
First, to get a bachelors degree in business would take you another 4 years even after completing your degree in veterinary technology because the courses don't transfer between the two.
Second, you need to determine how exactly a veterinary technology degree is going to help you in having your own business. Veterinary technicians must practice under a licensed veterinarian, so what type of business would you intend to run where your veterinary technology skills/experience/knowledge would be beneficial.
You need to decide what type of business you are going to want to start and then decide on what degrees will be most beneficial.
i'd go with business degree first. Not to discourage you or anything but a vet tech license is pretty tough to get. You can pass all your classes and get your diploma but to be a licensed vet tech you have to pass a final exam that's really tough. One of my teachers in high school studied vet tech for two years. got his degree and everything but failed the final exam. And for that test passing is like a 75. doesn't mean you shouldn't go for it though. just keep in mind it's a lot of work and A LOT of studying. they ask you all kinds of ridicules things. But even if you dont pass it's not a waste you still have the knowledge you learned and a degree also you can retake the exam in a year
If you have your heart that set on becoming a vet tech, then why not go the whole way and get your DVM or VMD? You'll make a lot more money and have far more career options if you go on to vet school and become licensed to practice than you ever will by getting a business degree and vet tech certificate. Almost all colleges and universities offer pre-professional majors, including pre-med, pre-vet, and pre-law. You should check into the curriculum of the community college you're planning to attend for the first year, and find out if you can take courses towards a pre-vet curriculum at a 4 year college. Make sure you ask about credit transfers, too. And I would take steps now to be sure that becoming a vet or vet tech is really what you want to do. You can start by volunteering at an animal shelter or a horse rescue, or by making arrangements to shadow or follow a practicing vet this summer while you're on break from school. You need to see all sides of veterinary medicine before you can make up your mind and decide if it's for you or not. Not all vets go into clinical practice, you know. Some of them teach and do research. Others go to work for the federal or state governments as animal health officers and inspectors. And there are always some who serve in the military, because the armed forces must have people who can take care of the dogs that are used in combat and for rescue work. ( In addition, the army has to have at least one or two equine vets on staff all the time because they need to have people who can take care of the horses that pull the caisson at Arlington National Cemetary.) There are also vets who work with and work for pharmaceutical companies such as Merck and Intervet. So as I said, you will have lots and lots of career options and choices if you become a vet. And it's worth mentioning that you can always go back to school at a later date after you get your VMD to get a business degree or a degree in another field if you want. People do that all the time. If you really want to work that badly while you're in school, consider signing up for a work/study program or getting a part time job on campus.
As for starting your own business, that will be far easier to do if you're an established professional who has a stable income. I know a vet personally who's a good example of what's possible if you have the right education. She's an equine vet with her own practice, and she and her fiancee bought a large piece of land ( like 20 acres, I think) about a year ago not far from where I live. They plan on turning it into a boarding and training business- they already have horses there. They may wind up doing some breeding too, eventually. Since the guy in the case is a harness race trainer, the arrangement has worked out really well. That's the kind of thing that you could aspire to, if you wanted to.
One thing I would recommend you do is talk to your guidance counselor at school and get some help with your career plans and goals. You're already a junior, and you're going to be taking the SAT's this coming fall when you start your senior year. You should review the curriculum requirements and pre-requisites for getting into college with the counselor too, so that you can take the right courses and have the best chance of getting admitted. And there's no time like the present to start talking to the counselor and your folks about financial aid. Find out what scholarships are available and how to qualify for them. You don't want to ignore scholarship opportunities, because scholarships are free money that will help pay your tuition and other bills. The more you can get in scholarship money, the less you'll need to rely on your folks or on federal or private student loans. One other option you can try, if you really want to go to school for free, is to see if you can get an appointment to one of the service academies. There are 6 of these (West Point, Annapolis, Colorado Springs, Quantico, New Haven, and Kings Point, New York) and the admissions process for them differs considerably from that of most other colleges and universities. All the service academies require potential cadets and midshipmen to take and pass an entrance exam, and to obtain an appointment from their Congressional representatives, their Senators, or from current or retired active duty service members. Because cadets, midshipmen, airmen, or cadet marines are considered to be members of the military, their tuition is paid for by the government and they also receive a stipend while they are in school. ALL of the academies offer pre-professional training for medical, law, and vet school. And if you were to go that route, chances are good that the service you belong to will pay your tuition so that you can go to vet school, too- as long as you agree to serve the requisite 8 to 10 years of active duty after you graduate. It's not a bad deal, it really isn't. The hardest part about it is getting appointed- competition for appointments is keen, because there aren't that many of them available.
You have lots of options right now. I encourage you to investigate all of them before you decide which path you're going to take.