Undergraduate /
Common App - Topic of Your Choice (Willie Jack) [4]
Willie Jack is the best friend a girl could ever want. He's trustworthy, a great listener, and loves me unconditionally. Of course, the fact that Willie is a dog probably has a lot to do with these valuable traits, but seriously, he's a better person than most humans I know.
My family adopted Willie for my fifth birthday, and although he wasn't a puppy (the shelter told us he was around one-year-old), I really didn't care because he was mine. We brought him home, bought him food and toys, and soon enough, he became a part of the family.
Willie was without a doubt the greatest birthday present I have ever received. He has become such an irreplaceable part of our family that I view him as more of a brother than a family pet. Most of the time, it's simple to forget that Willie is a dog. In fact, I often tell people that he isn't; he's a little boy in a grey fur coat who happens to enjoy raw liver.
Not only has Willie taught me compassion for animals and how to care for others, but he also led me to my decision to become a veterinarian. After experiencing first hand the magical effect that pets have on their owners, I decided that becoming a veterinarian is truly the best way to give back to our furry companions.
I've always had a passion for animals, so I believe that it's only natural that I become a veterinarian. In order to develop this passion, I've worked at a veterinary clinic for a short time. Although my technical duties only entailed cleaning the kennels, doing laundry, and bathing and walking dogs, I enjoyed myself immensely and got a behind the scenes look at the animal hospital. I even got to watch surgeries if I finished all of my work in time. I also recently participated in a program at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, where I sat in on lectures prepared for the program, went on field trips to zoos and animal shelters, and learned various tricks of the trade, including simple suturing and bandaging. But one of the most exciting facets of the Tufts program was the rotations, in which I shadowed a 4th year veterinary student for the day. These rotations gave me insight into what vet school is really like, and I couldn't be any more excited. Both of these experiences, working in a vet's office and attending the Tufts University summer program cemented my desire to study veterinary medicine.
Along with my interest in animals, is in interest in science itself. I've always loved nature and learning about how the world works. Every year of high school, my favorite class has always been a science. I was especially fond of my two years of marine science class because I was able to learn about an ecosystem 15 minutes away from where I live.
