THE BATTALION Page 11
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1977
Enrollment down due to career alternatives, competition
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AirM med school applicants
find competition keen, hut
fare well state-wide
By KARIN KNAPP
Students who want to go to medical school face frustration and
keen competition, but there are alternative careers for those who
don’t get accepted, said Texas A&M University pre-medical advisor
Dr. Gilbert Schroeter.
“Many of our students who have not been successful in gaining
admittance to medical school pursue graduate work in another area,
such as biology, chemistry, zoology or psychology,” Schroeter said.
“Some may keep applying to medical schools, but others decide
they’d rather stay in graduate school.”
Schroeter is chairman of the Pre-Medical Pre-Dental Advisory
Committee in the College of Sciences. Each medical school has its
own formula for selecting students, based on grades, Medical College
Admissions Test (MCAT) scores and interviews, he said.
In 1977, 85 out of 154 A&M applicants were accepted for admission
to medical school. This represents 55 per cent of those who applied.
Schroeter said this is a good record. Data from three years ago
shows that the number of A&M applicants who were accepted com
pared very favorably to the number of accepted applicants from other
large Texas institutions, he said. More recent data was not available,
and Schroeter said some schools may not want the information pub
licized.
A&M students who took the MCAT in spring, 1977, scored slightly
higher than the national average and the average of other Texans who
took the test, Schroeter said. The MCAT, given each year in the
spring and fall, involves an entire day of testing in four areas: biology,
chemistry, physics and science.
The MCAT has been changed this year and is much harder and
longer, Schroeter said. “The old test predicted the student’s success
in the didactic (classroom) aspects of medical school. The new MCAT
is designed to predict a student’s success in the clinical area as well.
Where the old test was a recall of factual knowledge, the new test
demands analysis as well.”
Scores in physics and science problems were right at the national
average, Schroeter said, but this will not affect the A&M curriculum.
“If we did gear the courses toward those areas, we would be dictat
ing the course content for a select number of students,” he said.
The new MCAT was first administered last spring. Fall, 1976,
scores on the old MCAT were three points below the national aver
age, although the test was “easier” then, Schroeter said.
“I can’t explain the higher scores in the spring, except perhaps it’s
because there is no general information portion on the new exam,
said Schroeter. “That was the area where students generally fell
down. The general information portion included questions on litera
ture, English, vocabulary and other information.
This year, 608 students are declared pre-medical majors and 106
are pre-dental, Schroeter said. This does not include students who
are majoring in other subjects with the intent to apply to medical
school, he said.
There are fewer declared pre-medical students this fall than last,
Schroeter said, although he did not have exact figures.
“One explanation for the drop in pre-med enrollment may be that
we are counseling students to seriously consider 4-year programs
leading toward a degree in their alternative choice for a career, he
explained. “Another reason is the competition. It’s very keen and
more and more people are realizing this.
Schroeter said the attrition rate is also quite high for declared
pre-medical students. Some students enroll in pre-medical studies
and find after several semesters that they don’t have the motivation to
continue, Schroeter said. He added that the curriculum is rigorous
and many students, knowing the competition that exists for admission
to medical schools, become frustrated and change majors.
“A highly motivated student, though, will go on and apply to medi
cal school irregardless of the competition,” he said.
Some students have the motivation and a very intense desire to
become physicians, but have less than competitive grades and MCAT
scores. Schroeter said chances of such a student getting into medical
school are slim.
"You have to get the attention of an admissions committee,” he
said. “They just won’t ask you for an interview if you can’t catch their
eye with those scores. ”
A&M’s pre-medical curriculum is a rigorous three-year program
involving a course load of 103 hours, with emphasis on sciences,
Schroeter said. The curriculum does not lead toward a degree, but
students from the program who are accepted into medical school may
submit a transcript after completion of the first year of medical
school, he explained. Depending on the grades, Schroeter said these
students may be eligible for a degree in zoology.
Students who don’t get into medical schools may go into the allied
health field of nursing, osteopathy (manipulative therapy), medical
technology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and dental
hygiene, Schroeter said. Entrance into most of these programs re
quires an admissions test, but grade requirements are not as strict, he
said. He added, however, that competition for acceptance into these
programs is keen.
(See “Openings”, p. 12)
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Applicants are reminded that
only one out of four
are accepted to vet school
By DEB KILGORE
Only one out of every four students that apply to Texas A&M’s
College of Veterinary Medicine is accepted.
While 600 qualified students applied to the college for fall 1977,
350 were interviewed and 138 were accepted. The majority of those
accepted were 22 years old and had applied at least twice. They had
a 3.51 grade point ratio and four years of college preparation.
Since 75 percent of all qualified students are rejected. Dr. William
W. Bay, associate dean of the college, counsels students about their
chances of acceptance. He encourages students to enroll in degree
programs that will “make them the happiest,” since there is no one
specific degree plan for aspiring veterinarians.
“Enroll in the degree program that is your first choice, fulfill 66
semester hours, including certain required courses for vets, and then
apply to the vet school,” Bay says. “At the end of the college program
if you aren’t accepted, you can pursue another field.”
Despite the difficulty of entering vet school. Bay does not discour
age students from applying unless they have no chance of acceptance.
The decision whether or not to apply is left to the student.
“Each applicant knows exactly how many students can be ac
cepted, how to apply, what their competition is likely to be, how they
Students are urged to enroll
in degree programs that will
make them happiest.
Dr. William B. Bay, associate dean of the
College of Veterinary Medicine, counsels
pre-veterinary students on how to apply, how
to improve their chances of being accepted
and what degree plan to follow.
Battalion photo by Deb Kilgore
Handbook describes odd jobs
By ROBIN LINN
There are several careers your
folks may not have suggested for
you, such as bowling pin machine
mechanic, funeral director, neon
sign repairer and piano tuner.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s
Occupational Outlook Handbook
describes these and 850 other jobs.
The yearly publication gives the
title and description of the job. It
also gives an employment outlook,
how much to expect in wages, work
ing conditions and sources of
additional information.
“The difficulties young people
experience when making the transi
tion from school to work has been
recognized by leaders in govern
ment and education as a serious na
tional problem,” states the forward
of the book.
The book also advises readers not
to rule out a potentially rewarding
career simply because the outlook is
not favorable. It stresses that
readers discuss their abilities and
aptitudes with their counselor.
The book divides jobs into two
groups, service-producing indus
tries and goods-producing indus«<
tries.
The handbook states that most of
the nation’s workers are in indus
tries that produce services: educa
tion, health care, trade, repair,
maintenance, government, trans-
portatiou and insurance.
Goods-producing industries such
as raising food crops and building
and manufacturing require one-
third of the country’s work force, ac
cording to handbook information.
See “Gov’t”, p. 12
will be selected and what the statistics are,” Bay says.
There is also no job counseling for students rejected by the vet
school.
“I don’t advise students concerning other job opportunities, and I
don’t make any job placements. The departments they’re in do job
counseling,” Bay says.
“I try to counsel students as to why they weren’t accepted by
analyzing what their deficiencies are. There is no single factor causing
rejection. However, there are two areas we look at very hard: subjec
tive evaluations and academic qualifications,” Bay says.
“We evaluate students to see if they really want to be veterinarians
and to know what they’ve done to demonstrate interest.”
To qualify academically, a student must complete 66 semester
hours, including the certain required courses, maintain a 2.5 grade
point ratio, take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and pre
ferably be a Texas resident. Bay says.
Applications must be made between Dec. 15 and Feb. 1 for the
following year. Students can re-apply each year, although only 138
will be selected.
“We accept only 138 students each year since it’s all we can ac
commodate with our facilities, faculty, financial resources and ani
mals,” Bay says. However, we have the largest entering and graduat
ing class of any college of veterinary medicine in the nation,” he says.
While 21 veterinary colleges exist in the United States, there is
only one vet school in Texas, at A&M.
“Most Texas residents who want to enter vet school will have to
enter A&M’s vet school, since it is the only one in Texas and most
out-of-state schools have very limited enrollments,” Bay says. “Only a
few out-of-state schools have contracts with surrounding states to
educate out-of-state students.”
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MSC ACTIVITIES CALENDAR 845-6941
OR:
PF:
VT:
Tuesday, November 1
AC: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” 8 p.m. 701
Rudder
Rock Climbing Seminar, 7:30 p.m.
501 Rudder
Senator Waiter Mengden, 12:30 p.m.
206 MSC
Warner Bros. Cartoons, “Rockin’ in the
USA,” all week (
Wednesday, November 2
Thursday, November 3
Arts: Rice Percussion Ensemble, 8 p.m.
Rudder Theater
CV: “Seven Faces of Dr. Lao,” 8 & 10:30
p.m. 701 Rudder
OR: Winter Camping Seminar; 7:30 p.m.
504 Rudder
Friday, November 4
AC: Clint Eastwood Weekend — “A Fistful
of Dollars,” “Play Misty for Me,” 8 p.m.
Rudder Theater
BC: John Vandiver, 8-12 p.m. in the Coffee
house
CPAS: Julian Bream, 8 p.m. Rudder Audi
torium
Saturday, November 5
AC: Clint Eastwood Weekend — "Magnum
Force,” “Where Eagles Dare,” 8 p.m.
Rudder Theater
Arts: “The Sorrow & The Pity,” 2 p.m.
Rudder Theater
BC: John Vandiver, 8-12 p.m. in the Coffee
house
TC: Wurstfest Trip, Sign-up in 216 MSC
Sunday, November 6
AC: Clint Eastwood Weekend — “Kelly’s
Heroes,” 2 p.m. Rudder Theater
Monday, November 7
Arts: “Women in Love,” 8 p.m. Rudder
Theater
Gl: “Genetic Engineering," Dr. Arthur
. Caplan, Noon 701 Rudder
Rec: ACU-I Games Tournament all week,
Sign-up in 216 MSC
VT: “The Mathis Session," “The Flying
Deuces,” Warner Bros. Cartoons, ail
week
Tuesday, November 8
AC: “Macbeth,” 8 p.m. Rudder Theater
Wednesday, November 9
AC: “Adam’s Rib," 8 p.m. Rudder Theater
BA/GI: "Is Intelligence Genetically and Racial
ly Determined” — Dr. William Shockley
and Dr. Richard Goldsby, 8 p.m.
Rudder Auditorium
C&A: Brown Bag Seminar at Rudder Mall
Rec: Greased Pig Chase, 7 p.m. Animal
Science Pavillion
Thursday, November 10
CV: “Carrie,” 8 & 10:30 p.m. Rudder
Theater
Friday, November 11
TH: Rash Cadillac, Meisburg and Walters,
8 p.m. G. Rollie White
Saturday, November 12
AC: "Network,” 8 p.m. Rudder Auditorium
“Gumball Rally,” 12 p.m. Rudder
Theater
AC - Aggie Cinema
BA - Black Awareness
BC - Basement Coffeehouse
C&A - Crafts and Arts
CV - Cepheid Variable
Gl - Great Issues
OR - Outdoor Recreation
PF - Political Forum
Rec - Recreation
TC - Travel Committee
TH - Town Hall
VT - Video Tape