NATCHEZ — Cathedral graduate Will Jones claims he’s fallen for some of the same teenage slipups as most kids, but his detailed 10-year plan and 4.04 GPA average suggest otherwise.

The starting center of the Cathedral High School football team last year, Jones, 18, said he will not dote on his high school glory days or even his college years to come; he just wants to get to work.

“I’m more excited to get my veterinary license and practice,” Jones said. “I’m ready to start working,”

Jones has known he wanted to be a veterinarian since his freshman year, he said, when he first started working at Gregg Veterinary Hospital in Vidalia.

Jones’ work experience, his high school grade point average and the 29 Jones earned on the ACT helped him become one of only 25 students accepted early into Mississippi State University’s school of veterinary medicine.

The seven-year program condenses undergraduate and veterinary graduate studies, Jones said.

By gaining entry into the program before his high school graduation, Jones will finish veterinarian school a year early, which his mentor, veterinarian Dr. Justin Gregg, suggested will be a good thing.

“As smart as (Jones) is, vet school is still going to be the toughest thing he’s ever had to do,” Gregg said.

Jones said he worked at Gregg’s office for two summers to help him decide if he wanted to be a veterinarian.

“(Jones) told me he had interest (to be a) veterinarian, and he personally asked if he could have a job to see if it was really what he wanted to do,” Gregg said.

Jones started working in kennels, walking dogs and was quickly advanced to a vet technician, Gregg said.

By the time Jones left, he was handling dog appointments and assisting in surgery.

“He will probably (advanced) faster than most people his age would without any experience,” Gregg said.

Jones said he decided early on he wanted to do something relating to science, but he ruled out becoming a physician because of his low tolerance for people who whine.

“I have more of a soft-spot for animals than I do for people,” he said.

Jones said the 300 hours he has put in at Gregg’s office got him more than halfway to the required 480 clinical hours he needs to start his graduate work in the program.

“I got in, in large part, and thanks to Dr. Gregg,” Jones said.

When he completes school, Jones said he wants to be a general practitioner who works with large animals.

“I don’t want to see the same thing every day,” Jones said.

Jones said he liked the large animal route, because he would be working outside more often, such as with horses.

After working in the Miss-Lou to earn revenue for a year or two after completing vet school, perhaps with Dr. Gregg, Jones ultimately wants to start his own practice or join a large practice out of state, Jones said.

And he already knows which states.

“Kentucky has a large horse base, Texas has a (bigger) large animal base and the Carolinas have a balance,” Jones said.

Gregg said it was obvious Jones genuinely liked animals, and he was good with them, even the big, mean ones.

“For the mean animals, we would sick Will on them until he could get his hands on them and calm them down,” Gregg said. “And it helps that he’s is a big ole boy.”

Jones, who starts Mississippi State University orientation today, said he wants to meet with the head of the early entry program while he is in Starkville this week.

He would also like to get a job at the vet school during his undergraduate years to get to know his professors, Jones said.

And with the help of his aunt who lives there, Jones said he is already working on lining up a veterinarian-related job for next summer in Beaumont, Texas.

Jones said its part of his personality to have thought-out career plans.

“I’m not like one of those who likes to make decisions last minute,” he said.

Jones said he still falls victim to some typical teenage behavior, and he already misses football a little, which is more than he thought he would.

“I’ve had the usual teenage stupid moments, but I’m pretty responsible,” he said.

Gregg said he has no doubt Jones’ long-term focus will pay off.

“(Jones is) going to make a wonderful veterinarian,” Gregg said.

Jones is the son of Richard and Sherrie Jones.