Pre-req and last 45 GPA questions

[AussieDr]

I will be applying soon and am just wondering how schools calculate the pre-req GPA requirements. For example U of MN says, "Two English/writing courses will be considered in the prerequisite course assessment, totaling six to eight credits." How do they choose which two English/writing courses to use in the assessment if you've taken several? The same for the Liberal Education courses, how do they pick which ones to use in the pre-req GPA calculation?

Also, when they look at your last 45 credits, do they look at 1st semester of senior year for that? Or not as 1st semester is done after the application is due?

Thanks!

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[LetItSnow]

I will be applying soon and am just wondering how schools calculate the pre-req GPA requirements. For example U of MN says, "Two English/writing courses will be considered in the prerequisite course assessment, totaling six to eight credits." How do they choose which two English/writing courses to use in the assessment if you've taken several? The same for the Liberal Education courses, how do they pick which ones to use in the pre-req GPA calculation?

Also, when they look at your last 45 credits, do they look at 1st semester of senior year for that? Or not as 1st semester is done after the application is due?

Thanks!

Depends entirely on the school, and I don't think they are necessarily consistent in how they go about it. When I applied to UMN they just used the first classes on my transcript that fit the requirement (I only know that because I didn't get accepted my first time 'round, met with the admissions director, and she showed me the calculations).

Last 45 credits is more straightforward. They take the most recent information they have for you and start counting backwards to 45. Whatever semester that lands in, they use all the classes from that semester up to the most current they have. (So it's really last 45+ because it includes any other classes in that semester that they get to 45 in. I imagine they do it that way because otherwise how would they decide what class to use in that semester? Best grade? Worst grade? Average of all?)

They would not include that fall semester because, as you noted, those grades come in too late to count in that initial application assessment.

 

[AussieDr]

Thanks!

I have another question, I see that when some people list their stats they list their "science gpa", do some schools look at your gpa for JUST science classes with none of the other pre-req classses included? And if they do look at just your science gpa, is it just the science classes that are pre-vet req's or do they look at all the scince classes you have taken?
Is there a list somewhere of which schools place an emphasis on the science gpa without having to go through each schools info? I am in the process of trying to figure out which schools to apply to and those schools would not be a good fit for me as I struggled with chemistry Schools that place a higher emphasis on the last 45 credits would be a better fit for me I think.

Thanks again!

 

[Frozenshades]

Thanks!

I have another question, I see that when some people list their stats they list their "science gpa", do some schools look at your gpa for JUST science classes with none of the other pre-req classses included? And if they do look at just your science gpa, is it just the science classes that are pre-vet req's or do they look at all the scince classes you have taken?
Is there a list somewhere of which schools place an emphasis on the science gpa without having to go through each schools info? I am in the process of trying to figure out which schools to apply to and those schools would not be a good fit for me as I struggled with chemistry Schools that place a higher emphasis on the last 45 credits would be a better fit for me I think.

Thanks again!

This, like everything else vet school application, is annoying and specific to each school. Some mean science GPA and stick all your science classes into the calculation, others will only use prerequisite classes.

I can't speak for it personally as I never used it, but I know people say the VMSAR (http://www.thepress.purdue.edu/titles/format/9781557536792) is a good resource. Other than that unfortunately yeah you sort of just have to dig through schools websites or contact them to get information; it can be a very time consuming process to narrow down where you want to apply.

 

[Carebea1899]

It might be better to contact the admissions department for the school you are interested or see if they have an admissions seminar on youtube for you to watch. I say this because LSU looks at your pre-req GPA and your last 45 hour GPA, yet for your pre-req GPA they can try and give you the 'best' GPA. For example if you took basic 101 English (which is required) and got a C, but then took 204 Fiction English and got an A they would count the fiction class for the GPA, and then any upper level science classes (Chemistry, Biology, Animal Science) that you took above, I believe, a 3000 level and received an A in that class they would add it to the pre-req GPA. This I was informed of through an in-state admissions lecture and it should still hold true (this was a year and a half ago).

So each school can vary significantly more in GPA grading than just 'science', 'pre-req', or last 45 hour.

 

[Breezy2015]

Question: are graduate courses taken into consideration for last 45?

 

[WildZoo]

Question: are graduate courses taken into consideration for last 45?

That depends on the individual school. Basically you would need to contact them, or ask about specific schools here and someone might be able to answer.