She Applied to Vet School More Than 20 Times. Here’s What Changed.

Danielle Henry’s path to veterinary school wasn’t a straight line. It was more than 20 applications, years of persistence, and a decision to invest in herself differently.

Today she’s a third-year student at the University of Michigan College of Veterinary Medicine, earning thousands of dollars in DVM scholarships, and thriving academically. But before Michigan, there was the Master of Veterinary Science program at Illinois, and in this episode of Beyond the Classroom, Danielle talks openly about what that experience actually did for her.

She walks through how the Master of Veterinary Science prepared her for vet school’s curriculum, how she strengthened her applications after years of rejection, and what her mindset looked like going into what became her final application cycle. She also shares what the Michigan interview process was like and the moment she found out she got in.

If you’ve ever wondered whether another degree is worth it, or whether persistence alone is enough, Danielle’s answer is nuanced and will provide insight that will help others.

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What You’ll Hear in This Episode

  • How Danielle found the Master of Veterinary Science program and why she chose it
  • What Problem-Based Learning is โ€” and how it mirrors vet school
  • How the MVS curriculum prepares you for the pace and structure of a DVM program
  • What she did differently to strengthen her applications
  • Her experience interviewing at Michigan โ€” including the pre-interview email
  • The moment she got her acceptance
  • Her closing words for anyone still in the thick of it

ABOUT BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

Beyond the Classroom is a video series from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine featuring the real stories of Master of Veterinary Science students, alumni, and faculty.


๐Ÿ‘‰ Talk with our team: vetmed.illinois.edu/mvs/home/contact-us/
๐Ÿ‘‰ Apply: vetmed.illinois.edu/mvs/home/apply-now/

Growing with Purpose: What’s New in the MVS Program

2026 master of veterinary science cohort

Five years ago, the Master of Veterinary Science program welcomed its first cohort: eight students, one pathway. This year, Online Programs and Extension supports 199 students across six degree and certificate pathways.

A New Way to Complete the MVS Online

Our biggest update: a one-year online pathway built around the veterinary school admissions timeline. Students start in May and finish within a calendar year: 12 credit hours over the summer, then 10 in each of fall and spring, culminating in a capstone project.

It’s accelerated and intentionally rigorous. Students should expect to work hard and think independently, with a team of faculty and staff helping them stay on track.

Growing Without Losing What Matters

As enrollment has grown, we’ve protected what makes the program work: personal connection. Foundational courses maintain roughly a 1:8 instructor-to-student ratio. Maintaining that model has meant growing our team too: more faculty, facilitators and staff, along with continued investment in academic advising, student support and individualized learning.

Students earned an average 3.79 GPA in Spring 2026, while juggling coursework, jobs, research and vet school applications.

What’s Ahead

We’ll welcome new students online and on campus, support returning students toward graduation, and keep building learning experiences that extend beyond a traditional classroom.

Interested in what comes next? Explore our MVS and Certificate in Veterinary Science pathways and meet our faculty and staff.

Master of Veterinary Science
2938 Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building
2001 South Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, IL 61802
217-300-7439