Non traditional, looking to retake courses and then apply due to low gpa when I was in college 10+ years ago

[pugmom2023]

Non-trad student here,

I’m 34 and I’ve been heavily considering attempting to apply to go to Vet school. I have a BA in biology, classes are 10+ years old and grades honestly were not that great, especially my o chem courses. My biology courses were just ok (some a’s, some b’s) That being said, who here was a non trad student and retaken all pre-req courses and then applied and accepted successfully at any school?

My in state is IL and I would love to go there because I could easily commute but I’m realistic and know that I may have to potentially relocate to another state. Also to be more specific has anyone done the petition to ignore academic record completed over 6 years ago at IL?

What schools would be the most realistic for me to set sights on. I have TONS of vet experience as I’ve been a full time vet assistant in small animal/exotic practices for 10+ years and too many hours to count of equine animal experience as I’ve ridden and competed horses my whole life.

I feel like this is all such a long shot but I figure I’ll never know unless I try.

Literally any input would be appreciated!!!!

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[matthirten13]

Advise you to use this format for better advice:

WAMC Forum- Welcome

Since asking for advice on applications is a regular part of the forum, we have created a place for all those seeking such advice. Note however, this is peer advice meant to help you based on our experiences. Each year, schools are looking to put together a unique class, so this advice is not a...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Hard to gauge your chances with no hours or gpa specified.

Not personally familiar with the IL petition or what chances are in-state IL admission for different GPAs though.

 

[pugmom2023]

I guess more so I’m not looking for what my chances are, but best advice moving forward since it’s been a good decade since I took college courses that I did not do so hot in either. Maybe I posted in the wrong spot of this forum?

 

[supershorty]

What schools would be the most realistic for me to set sights on

I think @matthirten13's point is that this is much easier for people to answer if they know what stats you're working with, as your GPAs and experiences will affect what schools you'd be competitive at.

 

[matthirten13]

I think @matthirten13's point is that this is much easier for people to answer if they know what stats you're working with

I guess more so I’m not looking for what my chances are, but best advice moving forward

Yes, @supershorty is correct and I was mostly asking because you had stated:

What schools would be the most realistic for me to set sights on

This is heavily dependent on specific GPA numbers and hours for different experiences, which is why I requested the format be utilized. I understand it can be uncomfortable to lay all your stats out here. If that is the case, I'd advise you to peruse the WAMC threads and look for people who have similar stats to yourself. This FB group may also be a good resource: Low GPA/Non-traditional Pre-vet and Veterinary Students | Facebook

fwiw, I have not heard of schools selecting against non-trad students because they went back and completed pre-reqs later in life. I expect your relevant experiences and GPAs (cumulative, science, last 45) to be the main determinants in where you can successfully apply. Especially since you re-took your pre-reqs, it is worth reading into how schools factor in retakes. As in, does the school replace the grades or average them.

 

[EngrSC]

I was a non-traditional student with several years between undergrad and prereqs/application cycle. I had only taken a couple prereqs as part of my undergrad degree (Chem, physics), all of which I repeated and took additional upper division courses in the biological sciences. I applied with a really strong last 45 credit GPA (4.0) and focused on schools that weighted that more heavily than cumulative GPA and schools with a more holistic review process. I had some health stuff as an undergrad, so I also used the explanation statement to talk about that … what happened, what I did about it, pointed out the things I’ve done recently that show it’s no longer affecting me like it used to.
I think the key to a successful non-traditional application is making sure every other aspect of your application is strong to make up for a lower than average cumulative GPA. So strong letters of recommendation, As in post-bacc classes, diverse vet experiences, good essays, etc.
Good luck! If I can do it, you can too!