Iowa State University CVM c/o 2020 applicants!

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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elephantlover93 said:
Guys I have a HUGE issue :( Iowa is being a jerk about accepting my comparative anatomy as their perquisite of mammalian anatomy/physiology. We focused mainly on the cat and how other vertebrates compare to it. What should I do or say to get them to accept it? Would anyone who got accepted last cycle be willing to say that they got in with a comparative anatomy credit? SOS
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I actually had a similar issue for this cycle, but it has since been resolved.

Iowa State eventually accepted my course, but only because the syllabus indicated that it had particular emphasis on mammalian systems. From what they told me, it sounds like there has to be an explicit statement in the syllabus or course description that the focus of the course was 50+% on mammals.

They did change their stance on comparative anatomy courses this year, and I can tell you from my experience with admissions that they, for sure, are not blindly accepting all of them anymore.
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ketoone said:
I actually had a similar issue for this cycle, but it has since been resolved.

Iowa State eventually accepted my course, but only because the syllabus indicated that it had particular emphasis on mammalian systems. From what they told me, it sounds like there has to be an explicit statement in the syllabus or course description that the focus of the course was 50+% on mammals.

They did change their stance on comparative anatomy courses this year, and I can tell you from my experience with admissions that they, for sure, are not blindly accepting all of them anymore.
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I just got done speaking with someone and their response was very rude. They told me that everything I have said is vague at best and that I need to have my professor write a letter stating everything that we did or else they aren't even going to look at my application. If there is a rating section I for sure will be giving them a low rating. This is ridiculous.
 
elephantlover93 said:
I just got done speaking with someone and their response was very rude. They told me that everything I have said is vague at best and that I need to have my professor write a letter stating everything that we did or else they aren't even going to look at my application. If there is a rating section I for sure will be giving them a low rating. This is ridiculous.
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Ouch! I'm sorry to hear that they're giving you a rough time. Seeing if your professor could send them something directly was actually going to be my next suggestion if they won't accept the class based on the syllabus and description. It is rather annoying having to jump through the extra hoops with comparative anatomy courses. I'm thankful that my issue was resolved relatively easily... I had noticed at the very beginning of the cycle that the human/mammalian anatomy requirement on the website had changed to say that not all comparative courses would necessarily meet the requirement, so I checked with them quite early on.

I really hope that you can work this out with Iowa State! It would be a huge shame if you couldn't apply just based on this one small technicality... :(
 
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ketoone said:
Ouch! I'm sorry to hear that they're giving you a rough time. Seeing if your professor could send them something directly was actually going to be my next suggestion if they won't accept the class based on the syllabus and description. It is rather annoying having to jump through the extra hoops with comparative anatomy courses. I'm thankful that my issue was resolved relatively easily... I had noticed at the very beginning of the cycle that the human/mammalian anatomy requirement on the website had changed to say that not all comparative courses would necessarily meet the requirement, so I checked with them quite early on.

I really hope that you can work this out with Iowa State! It would be a huge shame if you couldn't apply just based on this one small technicality... :(
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Yeah that requirement was not on there before. It must have been a very recent change. I talked to my professor and she said "I'll talk to those bozos! This has never been a problem before" :) Hopefully they won't be and at me for pestering them and spite me even though it should count :poke:
 
fredandcessna said:
Are your GPAs calculated yet? I'm in committee review, but my GPAs are not yet calculated. Not sure what this means.
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No they're not yet... my thought was they might be trying to move through the academic reviews pretty quickly, and that's why they aren't there? But then again, if they didn't calculate it, what are they basing decisions off?
 
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heyyimhayley said:
No they're not yet... my thought was they might be trying to move through the academic reviews pretty quickly, and that's why they aren't there? But then again, if they didn't calculate it, what are they basing decisions off?
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My thoughts exactly! Maybe they have calculated them but are just being lazy updating the supplemental application status pages. Reading through some of the threads from last year it appears that's what happened. I JUST WANT TO KNOW! The next few months can't go by quickly enough! I'm so anxious!!!
 
heyyimhayley said:
No they're not yet... my thought was they might be trying to move through the academic reviews pretty quickly, and that's why they aren't there? But then again, if they didn't calculate it, what are they basing decisions off?
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If you're in committee review already, then I'm sure your GPAs have been calculated (first cutoff is based on GRE/GPA, after all); they may simply be slower in actually updating the portal. ;)
 
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Update to ISU applicants: I contacted ISU via the messaging system, and they said VMCAS just got the calculated GPAs to them on Monday, and the programmer has started to enter them in! So you should be seeing your GPAs on your supplemental application status page soon!
 
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CT resident, in committee review!!
 
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I submitted my ISU app July 9, verified July 20, and my GPAs have yet to be posted as well (though I did get my GRE score situation sorted out. They just forgot to check the box to allow me to see them posted. I almost had a heart attack that ETS didn't send them correctly!)
 
heyyimhayley said:
Congrats!! CT, represent :) You, me and @Koala1010 are the CT residents who have posted so far.
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I'm feeling a bit discouraged after reading about the contract funding. I didn't realize that they might not tell us before we have to decide where to go (assuming we get in to more than one school. . . BIG assumption). :(
 
CaitKelly said:
I'm feeling a bit discouraged after reading about the contract funding. I didn't realize that they might not tell us before we have to decide where to go (assuming we get in to more than one school. . . BIG assumption). :(
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So the issue is that the CT budget is not guaranteed to include the contract slots, and you don't know that until after you go.

BUT you do know your ranking before you decide. So if you're in the top 5, you know there's a good shot you'll have the funding (they've had it every year since the program started, it's just never guaranteed.) I think if I'm top 5 I'll be assuming I get the funding and base my decision(s) on that.
 
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heyyimhayley said:
So the issue is that the CT budget is not guaranteed to include the contract slots, and you don't know that until after you go.

BUT you do know your ranking before you decide. So if you're in the top 5, you know there's a good shot you'll have the funding (they've had it every year since the program started, it's just never guaranteed.) I think if I'm top 5 I'll be assuming I get the funding and base my decision(s) on that.
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Oh I didn't realize they would tell you your ranking first. Awesome! Thanks
 
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Falconette85 said:
Congratulations! :)

How do they inform you that you are in commitee review?
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I didn't get an email or anything, but I logged in to my supplemental application to check and the status had been changed from "In academic review" to "in committee review".
 
Just checked my portal on a whim... I'm officially in committee review! OOS!
 
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fredandcessna said:
Congratulations!
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Thank you! :) I know it's really not much (especially compared to the two interview invites I've recently received... honestly didn't think I'd even get that far), but it is exciting nonetheless. One hurdle down!
 
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ketoone said:
Thank you! :) I know it's really not much (especially compared to the two interview invites I've recently received... honestly didn't think I'd even get that far), but it is exciting nonetheless. One hurdle down!
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Even the littlest status change is exciting! The only update I've had is moving into committee review at Iowa State, but I am IS here in Iowa. Still waiting to hear from Kansas, Illinois, Minnesota and Washington!
 
Does anyone know the odds of being declined an interview as an IS applicant? My GPA is extremely average, and while I'm already in committee review, I'm worried I won't get an interview because of this. I know October is when they sent out most IS interview invites at ISU last year, so I'm anxious as it's already the middle of October. Someone calm my nerves! :boom:
 
fredandcessna said:
Does anyone know the odds of being declined an interview as an IS applicant? My GPA is extremely average, and while I'm already in committee review, I'm worried I won't get an interview because of this. I know October is when they sent out most IS interview invites at ISU last year, so I'm anxious as it's already the middle of October. Someone calm my nerves! :boom:
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Last year they did IS interviews in November though. This year, the first interview day is December. I have a feeling you won't hear until mid-Nov, not Oct. Interview question, I'm not sure, but they did post how many people got interviews last year, but I'm not sure how to find that again.
 
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heyyimhayley said:
Last year they did IS interviews in November though. This year, the first interview day is December. I have a feeling you won't hear until mid-Nov, not Oct. Interview question, I'm not sure, but they did post how many people got interviews last year, but I'm not sure how to find that again.
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Ugh that's right....
 
Vdubs03 said:
I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the interview weekends are these listed on this page.

http://vetmed.iastate.edu/information-students-applying-fall-2016-entry
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I believe they recently updated all the dates on the website, they must have forgotten that page. Hayley is correct, and I believe the four interview weekends are as follows:
December 5-6
January 16-17
January 23-24
January 30-31

I'm IS here and some of my friends in the ISU CVM c/o 2019 said generally, the first interview weekend is for IS applicants, but not always. Some OOS will be interviewed here, and some IS will be interviewed later. But generally, the trend has been this. As for the website, that's so confusing, and I hope they update it so the dates match up! We don't need any more confusion!+pissed+
 
My GPAs were finally posted today! Still in committee review. Anyone else get their portal updated?
 
Yep - my GPA was updated. They're still telling me my summer transcripts are due 2/1 but I already submitted them. Wondering if this is a standard message or unique to me?
 
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only my cumulative gpa is now posted but still nothing for science and last 45.
 
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CaitKelly said:
Yep - my GPA was updated. They're still telling me my summer transcripts are due 2/1 but I already submitted them. Wondering if this is a standard message or unique to me?
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Are you sure they don't mean your fall transcripts? I had a mistake on mine too, and I messaged them via the messaging system and she fixed it right away! I would ask them about it!!!
 
All of my GPAs are up on my portal. They're all a bit lower than I anticipated... :unsure:
 
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fredandcessna said:
Mine too... I'm not sure how they calculated them. Oh well!
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I mean, my GPAs are definitely on the lower end, anyway. But I guess they're not that awful if I passed into committee review. :shrug:

The way ISU calculates science GPA can be especially brutal if you didn't absolutely nail your chemistry courses -- unfortunately, I was pretty much a straight-B student in my chemistries, so that does drag it down some. Then again, if you look at the average admitted GPAs (and the ranges, too), they're definitely lower than most other vet schools, possibly as a byproduct of how they run their calculations...?
 
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ketoone said:
I mean, my GPAs are definitely on the lower end, anyway. But I guess they're not that awful if I passed into committee review. :shrug:

The way ISU calculates science GPA can be especially brutal if you didn't absolutely nail your chemistry courses -- unfortunately, I was pretty much a straight-B student in my chemistries, so that does drag it down some. Then again, if you look at the average admitted GPAs (and the ranges, too), they're definitely lower than most other vet schools, possibly as a byproduct of how they run their calculations...?
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This makes sense! I'm definitely the same way - lower GPA, but not SUPER low. But lower than average. You may be right! I am in committee review too, however, so I can't complain yet! Can't believe it's already mid-October :nailbiting::claps:
 
Mine were updated too! Science is a lot lower than I expected... I see other people have this too. Do they factor chemistry as more than your other sciences maybe? I'm just a little confused on how it's a point and a half lower than when I do it myself.

EDIT: just realized when I take away labs and my summer course, I get within a few decimals of what they got, so I think that's what it is.
 
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CaitKelly said:
Yep - my GPA was updated. They're still telling me my summer transcripts are due 2/1 but I already submitted them. Wondering if this is a standard message or unique to me?
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I messaged them about this: "The February deadline is just the deadline for summer and fall grades since we don't factor in summer grades into your GPA. I see that the course is verified, although I won't do anything with it yet."
 
heyyimhayley said:
Mine were updated too! Science is a lot lower than I expected... I see other people have this too. Do they factor chemistry as more than your other sciences maybe? I'm just a little confused on how it's a point and a half lower than when I do it myself.
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http://vetmed.iastate.edu/academics...ge-entering-fall-2016/coursesgre-requirements

The courses with an asterisk are those ones that are factored into the science GPA. This includes five chemistry courses (gen chem 1 and 2, organic chem 1 and 2, and biochem), three biology courses (gen bio, genetics, and mammalian anatomy), and one physics. So, yeah, if you didn't do so hot in your chemistries, that can certainly lower your science GPA down quite a bit.
 
ketoone said:
http://vetmed.iastate.edu/academics...ge-entering-fall-2016/coursesgre-requirements

The courses with an asterisk are those ones that are factored into the science GPA. This includes five chemistry courses (gen chem 1 and 2, organic chem 1 and 2, and biochem), three biology courses (gen bio, genetics, and mammalian anatomy), and one physics. So, yeah, if you didn't do so hot in your chemistries, that can certainly lower your science GPA down quite a bit.
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Yeah that's why for me, I had AP for gen bio, and I haven't taken mammalian yet, so my whole GPA was like 90% chemistry. I still can't figure out exactly how they calculated it though, but I've gotten around that number, so close enough.

I'm also really confused because my cumulative GPA for them is higher than what my university reports. It went up a little this summer, but they said they don't include summer grades already so I have no idea why it's so high. Not that I'm gonna complain about that one though...
 
So random, but I just used web archive to see if I could find the interview stats from last year, and I realized that as of May 2015, they had their interview dates for this cycle listed as:

November 7-8, 2015
First interview weekend

December 5-6, 2015
Second interview weekend

January 16-17, 2016
Third interview weekend

January 23-24, 2016
Fourth interview weekend

I wonder why they changed it :(

On a good note, I'm spamming this thread like crazy, but I did find the demographics if anyone is curious.
 
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heyyimhayley said:
So random, but I just used web archive to see if I could find the interview stats from last year, and I realized that as of May 2015, they had their interview dates for this cycle listed as:

November 7-8, 2015
First interview weekend

December 5-6, 2015
Second interview weekend

January 16-17, 2016
Third interview weekend

January 23-24, 2016
Fourth interview weekend

I wonder why they changed it :(

On a good note, I'm spamming this thread like crazy, but I did find the demographics if anyone is curious.
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So is this correct, or were the ones I listed correct? There are different dates on different parts of the website :shrug:
 
fredandcessna said:
So is this correct, or were the ones I listed correct? There are different dates on different parts of the website :shrug:
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The ones you listed are I believe. I posted that to prove that they changed it since May (that was a screenshot from web archive). I only see the ones that begin in Dec. on the webiste anywhere.
 
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CaitKelly said:
Yep - my GPA was updated. They're still telling me my summer transcripts are due 2/1 but I already submitted them. Wondering if this is a standard message or unique to me?
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Same happened to me and it's totally fine! She told me it was more for them to make sure to not forget to add it to your GPA
 
Also, my GPAs are finally up and my science is scraping by not adding labs into the mix really impacts it I guess... oh orgo how I loathe you...
 
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