Hi,
I'm am entering into my 3rd year at UCSD and the question that constantly been directed towards me is, "what do you want to do when you graduate?". Luckily, I have 2 more years to figure it all out (since, I plan on taking a year off between undergrad and grad school).
However, I really am considering the veterinary path because I love animals and I think the medicine field is completely awesome. I am currently studying Ecology, Behavior and Evolution so that I can hopefully work with animals or in some type of animal research. But I would love to be a Vet!
I'm just worried about my grades. I know that grades aren't everything--and that experience and a good personal statement are also necessities in applying for any type of grad school. It's just that I have 8 C's. Yes 8. It's a lot and far too many. But I do have B's and a few A's. My gpa is only at a 2.9 right now, and I know it is very low and too low to apply for ANY grad school, especially vet. I do have 2 more years though.
One thing that I do have to explain my grades is that I have chronic back pain that began early freshman year of college due to prolonged injury. For the past two years I have been switched on and off of medications that made me drowsy and would make me sleep for hours. Ultimately they affected my ability to function in school but, I was desperate for medication because I couldn't even sit in a 50 min. lecture without radiating pain down my leg & along my lower back. Working made it even worse, but financially I had no choice, so everything just got worse by mid sophomore year--in which I ended up in the emergency room because I was unable to get out of bed for 4 days.
Avoiding surgery (at least for now), I've been going to physical therapy for a year and now things are starting to improve with monthly epidural procedures. My grades last quarter were better, I even got 2 A's in gen. biology (physiology) and in physics lab.
However, I don't want to be pitied and use my health issues as a way to completely defend my 8 C's, but chronic pain definitely contributed to my lack of success in college thus far. I plan on continuing to work hard and to improve my health and hope that all pays off in my favor. My question therefor is this: If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?
Sorry for the long post. I would truly appreciate any of your honest opinions and ADVICE.
I'm am entering into my 3rd year at UCSD and the question that constantly been directed towards me is, "what do you want to do when you graduate?". Luckily, I have 2 more years to figure it all out (since, I plan on taking a year off between undergrad and grad school).
However, I really am considering the veterinary path because I love animals and I think the medicine field is completely awesome. I am currently studying Ecology, Behavior and Evolution so that I can hopefully work with animals or in some type of animal research. But I would love to be a Vet!
I'm just worried about my grades. I know that grades aren't everything--and that experience and a good personal statement are also necessities in applying for any type of grad school. It's just that I have 8 C's. Yes 8. It's a lot and far too many. But I do have B's and a few A's. My gpa is only at a 2.9 right now, and I know it is very low and too low to apply for ANY grad school, especially vet. I do have 2 more years though.
One thing that I do have to explain my grades is that I have chronic back pain that began early freshman year of college due to prolonged injury. For the past two years I have been switched on and off of medications that made me drowsy and would make me sleep for hours. Ultimately they affected my ability to function in school but, I was desperate for medication because I couldn't even sit in a 50 min. lecture without radiating pain down my leg & along my lower back. Working made it even worse, but financially I had no choice, so everything just got worse by mid sophomore year--in which I ended up in the emergency room because I was unable to get out of bed for 4 days.
Avoiding surgery (at least for now), I've been going to physical therapy for a year and now things are starting to improve with monthly epidural procedures. My grades last quarter were better, I even got 2 A's in gen. biology (physiology) and in physics lab.
However, I don't want to be pitied and use my health issues as a way to completely defend my 8 C's, but chronic pain definitely contributed to my lack of success in college thus far. I plan on continuing to work hard and to improve my health and hope that all pays off in my favor. My question therefor is this: If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?
Sorry for the long post. I would truly appreciate any of your honest opinions and ADVICE.
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