Advice Needed!

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

KWhippo

New Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Okay so I just got through with being interviewed and denied acceptance to veterinary school.
I'm currently in the process of setting up a 1-year masters (non-thesis) that will hopefully let me take some upper level biology classes and improve my chances for next year.

Despite all this, my science GPA (organic/physics) is very low (2.66). Physics just did not click for me.
Should I try to retake those courses? I never failed anything, but even if I prove I can do upper level biology, my physics/organic GPA really pulls me down.

Any advice? :/

Members don't see this ad.
 
Well, I don't know if I know what you should do....but one question to consider is do you even think you'll do better if you retake them? You said they just didn't click. It's one thing if you think you might actually do a lot better, but if not...then I'm not sure.
 
Okay so I just got through with being interviewed and denied acceptance to veterinary school.
I'm currently in the process of setting up a 1-year masters (non-thesis) that will hopefully let me take some upper level biology classes and improve my chances for next year.

Despite all this, my science GPA (organic/physics) is very low (2.66). Physics just did not click for me.
Should I try to retake those courses? I never failed anything, but even if I prove I can do upper level biology, my physics/organic GPA really pulls me down.

Any advice? :/

A couple of thoughts:

How were your grades in the pre-requisite courses? You need at least a C- (and in some cases a C) to have it count toward your pre-reqs. I would retake any pre-req you got a C or lower in and hold off on the upper level science courses until you can get your pre-reqs in hand. If you can knock the pre-reqs out of the park, then take the upper levels to further prove you're acing the sciences. I know it's hard to stomach but schools really want to know that you can handle the tough science courses because that's the bulk of vet school.

How do you know you're ready to succeed in these classes? Do you have a plan for success? Have you changed your study methods? Have you made the commitment to yourself to do well at all costs (including a social life and maybe fun activities that you already participate in)? I only ask because I was in your shoes before applying to vet school and it took a life overhaul to get my ducks in a row in order to do well enough to get an acceptance. Chemistry was my "just doesn't click" course but I realized I was letting one course ruin my chances for the career I wanted. I changed how I studied, I studied harder and I pared out a lot of the fun stuff in my life to make it happen. If you aren't ready to get As in all of your classes now, I would serious consider stepping back from school for a bit to get yourself some perspective. If you continue to bomb your classes it will only create a deeper hole from which you have to climb.

And lastly, presuming you get all of your coursework in order, how does the rest of your application look? Experience hours, GRE, letters of rec, personal statement? All other aspects need to be fantastic to help counterbalance your GPA.

Good luck :luck:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Members don't see this ad :)
I'm confused. Your science GPA should be more than just organic chemistry and physics. There should be the first couple chem classes, biochem, some biology .......

I feel like "not clicking" is kinda a poor excuse for not doing well, and it vaguely sounds a little like "not my fault!" You need to look beyond what's "clicking" and find a way to succeed in the tough courses that don't interest you or aren't intuitively easy for you.

On the positive side, if you were getting interviews, you're close to getting in. So you might be able to just keep gaining experience, write a better application, and get in without any more academic work at all. Hard to say.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
a lot of weight is placed on that science GPA, and some schools may reject you based on it not being a certain number or greater (ex. not above a 3.0 or not above a 2.75, etc). depending on where the upper level courses weigh in, having a good last 45 hours with an unacceptable science GPA wont get you anywhere. a lot of times the science GPA is a set x, y, and z courses and no amount of others is going to budge that total.

make sure you do a file review with all of the schools you were rejected from and call any schools you might apply to next fall and ask what they would prefer to see. they are usually very open and honest about what an applicant needs to be considered. some might like that non-thesis masters degree, but there will be some that don't care about that if your pre-reqs stink.
 
I'm confused. Your science GPA should be more than just organic chemistry and physics. There should be the first couple chem classes, biochem, some biology .......

My science GPA doesn't include intro chem and bio course because i placed out of them with AP and IB exams from high school. Might be something similar here.
 
Top