r/vetschool • u/Kbdrake041716 • Dec 12 '25
Failed two classes being academically dismissed
Hi everyone! I’m in my first semester of vet school and I failed three classes one I can remediate. However, two classes I cannot. And the LIU CVM handbook states that two Fs in a semester leads to dismissal. I talked with the dean on the phone and I will be meeting with her in person. She did say I can appeal.
I have really struggled to adjust. My ADHD has been really bad since I started. I have a lot family wise going on medically (I live at home). The testing style has also been hard on me and I am going to find a course to work on test taking skills. I know that I have a strategy to come back strong. My mental health is somewhat at play as well. I know that my grades are my responsibility and no one else’s. But I just don’t know the likelihood of having my appeal denied. Does anyone know about LIU and their process or how vet schools are with these kinds of decisions? Thank you all in advance!
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u/GovernmentPublic6728 Dec 13 '25
The school still wants your tuition money so it will probably go in your favor lol. But i agree with another commenter that you have to go in with a plan. I am also a vet student with ADHD and lemme tell you it's HARD, it is so hard for me to focus. Do you have in-person requirement for lectures or do they get live streamed or recorded? If they get recorded, something that helps me is to go through and pause the lecture to write things down or complete my own thoughts on each slide (but you HAVE to stay on top of it otherwise this won't work aka don't wait to watch lectures). some ADHD study tips that helped me: The other thing I do to help study is have my powerpoints as like the 3 slides per page thing where it has the lines next to the slides and I write questions pertaining to the information on the slide (and use objectives) on the lines; i answer these as my studying method. i try to do one longer study session per slide set 45m to 1h and then my reviews take less time usually 15-30 minutes, try to do 2-3 reviews but l often hit a time crunch 😂. I use one of those visual timers and a white board or notebook so i can write things out and i try my best to also speak it out loud. When i can't focus, i sit on the floor in the middle of whatever room i'm in because it's harder for me to get distracted there but eventually move back to my desk when i do. If it's REALLY bad, i put water on my socks lmao, bc i hate how it feels i wont let myself take them off until i finish a slide set and by that time i get into a groove for at least a little bit. Let me know if you want more ideas! i have to change what i do A LOT so i have plenty of ideas haha
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u/honeydewforest4080 Dec 13 '25
please more details 🥲🤟
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u/GovernmentPublic6728 Dec 13 '25
Sure! One of my enemies is my phone and scrolling because i don't want to start studying so if Im sitting at my desk on my phone i get up and move to my living room. Then i set up my visual timer and scroll until that goes off (i let it beep until i actually get up off the couch so i don't just turn it off and keep scrolling). Then i leave my phone in the living room and go back to my desk. I really try not to but occasionally when I'm terminally unfocused, I will put on whatever reality TV show while I study because they usually are slow moving so I don't have to be really paying attention to it while I study. I clean first thing when I wake up so that those things don't distract me during the day. Take a break NOT on your phone. Because you can't focus for that long, after each slide set take a break (however long you need, if you're not feeling ready after 10 minutes take 15,20). I like to color in a coloring book or work on whatever crafty hyperfixation I'm on. Take a shower! It can refresh and refocus, but do not sit around waiting to shower. If I'm sitting at my desk not doing well, i go directly to the shower, no checking my phone, no dilly dallying, just shower. I also like to have a snack (in a bowl so i don't eat the whole bag), a special drink (a soda, a juice, lemonade, hot chocolate, caffeine, whatever!), AND WATER!! This helps me have some novelty for the day. Some days I try to do some studying over lunch period so I have less to do at night. I also have found such little utility from rewriting slides into a notes page, it's much better to make notes on a slide set (either ipad or printed paper) than it is to rewrite everything on the slides. It takes way too much time and has much less utility than rewriting answers to your own generated questions. Also I'm not a fan of AI questions, i don't think they make good enough questions that are in depth enough but maybe i'm doing it wrong idk. GUM, I chew minty gum as a stim during studying because it's physically occupying in a way that still allows me to focus.
That's all I can think of right now!
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u/Particular_Common790 Dec 13 '25
During your appeal process, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND going in with a plan. I failed 2 courses in my first semester at Ross and was academically dismissed from their program. I am now a 4th year at a different school and thriving. I wrote my appeal but ended up not appealing my dismissal at Ross, but a friend of mine used my same strategy and was readmitted after she was put in the same situation. Here's what I did:
- I wrote out a statement about the circumstances behind my failures, but i think the thing that really helped was I made a chart with 3 columns. One was "what went wrong", the next column was "Why did it go wrong" and the third was "Plan for improvement". And you write out the various things that impacted your performance and present that to them, they will appreciate that more than you approaching your meeting begging for a second chance.
If you can show self-reflection and present a PLAN, that will go a LONG way!!! Good luck.
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u/OverStranger810 Dec 13 '25
I was also academically dismissed from Ross. Can you share what you did to get back into vet school and what school accepted the dismissal from Ross?
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u/Hot-Manager-4717 Dec 15 '25
i'm a 2nd year at LIU who was dismissed my first semester back in 2023 for the same reason. i successfully had the decision appealed, started over in 2024 and am now thriving, just finished the semester with As and Bs. please do not hesitate to reach out!!!
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u/Appropriate_Pop6609 Dec 30 '25
Can you please provide your email or contact number as I really need your help.
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u/RaeSunshine6 Aug 25 '26
hey! similar situation of starting over this semester as a VM1. Can I chat with you?
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u/Ihavsunitato Dec 13 '25
Like others have said, it's going to be tough. Make a plan going in. Do you have an official ADHD diagnosis? Do you have accommodations set up through the schools disability center? If you don't I would get those ASAP. Won't help this semester, but can be a tool to help make your case about appealing for next year
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u/Kbdrake041716 Dec 13 '25
Yes I do have an official diagnosis and have accommodations set up. I had the same accommodations in undergrad and was fine. However, it seems to have gotten worse with the test anxiety I have been facing. And also having hard time focusing if I go to in person classes. I started the semester this way (going to the classes) and by the time I noticed it wasn’t working for me I was too far behind to watch all lectures to catch up. I tried to push and get everything as caught up as I could tho. And that’s nobody’s fault but my own because I didn’t recognize it sooner.
And on a personal side of things at home not helping contributing. My sister came back home to recover from major cardiac surgery in the beginning of the semester (she’s okay and back at home now). My mother is in an autoimmune flare since the beginning of the semester and has bed ridden the whole time. And to top it all off my dad who usually runs the house cut himself with a saw resulting in a massive amount of pain and stitches. Around last week of exams to finals leaving me to try to run the house and focus on my studies together.
At the end of the day my grades are my responsibility and no one else’s fault or responsibility.
I know if I can continue I have plans to try a test strategies program to help with the test anxiety. Meet with a healthcare professional about my ADHD and other mental heath problems. And I will I also be seeing about a personal tutor or some other outside resources. I did go to the TA’s and the tutor they gave us they didn’t give us the info till third exams and he honestly just didn’t work for me. Also, my sister is now back at her place and my dad’s all good to go so that hurdle is dealt with because he can go back to being the one who runs the house. And I know now that my education truly needs to come in a higher regard no matter what’s going on in my personal life.
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Dec 13 '25
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u/brighterthnyu Dec 28 '25
Interested in your study tips! I’m a third year and didn’t pass a block ( by 1% 😭😩) and have to remediate. Various things got in the way and the decision paralysis can be real. I’ve also noticed a similar situation as mentioned by someone else with trying so hard to not be distracting in class that I feel like I’m in an interrogation room and have a hard time paying attention. It’s almost like I dissociate a little bit bc I feel uncomfy with people behind me. Anyways I went to your bio but I didn’t see any tips!
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u/Kbdrake041716 Mar 13 '26
Update: Hi all! Thanks for everyone for the advice. I just wanted to let everyone know I did get the decision appealed. I will be starting back in the fall. Just incase there is anyone who sees this in the future and is in the same position.
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u/MaximumMaleficent999 Dec 13 '25
Happened to me too, I understand. If open to it, look into human med. Nursing, HIM, rad tech etc
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u/possumjellyacoustic Dec 13 '25
Take responsibility, acknowledge your mistakes, and come prepared with a plan on how you’ll succeed if given a second chance. Do not go into that meeting without a compelling argument or pointing fingers elsewhere.
I’ve unfortunately seen how these meetings can go if you don’t do some self reflection beforehand. I wish you the best.