How to Keep Your Confidence Up When Applying to Vet School
Because vet school doesn’t just test your GPA — it tests your mindset.
Even the most dedicated pre-vet student can start to doubt themselves. But here’s the truth: Confidence isn’t something you magically have. It’s something you build — and protect — through the process.
Step 1: Control What You Can, Release What You Can’t
You can’t control every decision an admissions committee makes.
You can control:
The quality of your application materials
How strategically you choose your schools
How prepared you are for interviews
Your mindset throughout the process
Make a list of what you can control and what you can’t. Focus on those things. Everything else? Let it go.
Step 2: Reframe the Way You Talk to Yourself
Your inner voice shapes how you show up.
If it’s saying, “I’m not good enough” — you’ll play small.
Instead, try this shift:
❌ “I don’t have as many hours as others.”
✅ “I’ve built meaningful experience, and I’m still growing.”
I can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Limited spots left :)
Step 3: Keep a “Confidence Vault”
Every time you have a win — big or small — write it down.
This can include:
Positive feedback from a vet or professor
A class you did well in
An animal care challenge you handled well
When doubt hits, open your vault. Proof beats fear every time.
Step 4: Set Micro-Goals
The application process is long. Confidence dips when you only measure success by “Did I get in?”
Instead, set small, achievable goals:
Finish personal statement draft by X date
Shadow for 5 more hours this month
Schedule mock interview
Every goal you hit = proof that you’re making progress.
Step 5: Limit the Comparison Trap
**This might be the biggest one yet.**
It’s hard not to compare yourself to the girl on Instagram who just got into her dream school. But you’re only seeing the highlight reel.
Action Step: Mute accounts that spike your anxiety. Follow people who share both wins and struggles.
Step 6: Remember Your “Why”
On the hardest days, remind yourself why you’re doing this:
The animals you want to help
The communities you want to serve
The difference you want to make in vet med
Confidence comes from knowing your purpose is bigger than any single application cycle.
What do I do?
I keep a picture of a tough case on my desk.
An old Basset Hound that I helped in Vet School. Everyone else had given up on him. But I didn’t. And my dedication to him saved his life and gave him years with his owners.
When you become a vet, you will not save every patient. But that’s when it’s important to surround yourself with your wins.
Start practicing this now.
Confidence isn’t about pretending you’re perfect. It’s about trusting that you have what it takes to keep going — and knowing you’re doing everything in your power to make that acceptance letter happen.
And if you want your own personal cheerleader, hit me up. I’m about to stop taking students for the 2025 application! There’s still time :)