Rocky first 2 years at a CA CC...Recommendations for redemption?

[CloudCranium]

Hi,
I'm currently at the end of my 4th semester/sophomore year in community college. I started working for a veterinarian as a kennel assistant last fall, and since then have been promoted to veterinary assistant. Despite having had this job for ~two years, it wasn't until I worked there for about a year that I realized I want to work with animals. I've always loved science, medicine, biology, etc., but planned on becoming a general physician or dermatologist until I got vet experience and fell in love.

My question is this: What can I do to amp up my application when I apply to vet school in ~3 years? I still have another year at my community college until I can transfer to a UC for biology, during which time I will be taking calc, physics, o chem, and a few bio classes. The grades I'm concerned about are a W in trig (1st semester), C in trig (2nd sem), B in general chem (3rd sem), D in precalc (3rd semester), B in precalc (this sem), & a C in integrated biology (this sem). I am livid about the fact that I'm getting a C in biology, the subject that I love, because I procrastinated. I have a fire burning under me now and want to do all I can to achieve my dream. My overall GPA after this semester will be a 2.8, unless my D from last semester is replaced with the B from this one. I plan to volunteer at a shelter, as well as an ocean-life rehabilitation center. What else can I do to get where I want to be? Thanks

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[LetItSnow]

Hi,
I'm currently at the end of my 4th semester/sophomore year in community college. I started working for a veterinarian as a kennel assistant last fall, and since then have been promoted to veterinary assistant. Despite having had this job for ~two years, it wasn't until I worked there for about a year that I realized I want to work with animals. I've always loved science, medicine, biology, etc., but planned on becoming a general physician or dermatologist until I got vet experience and fell in love.

My question is this: What can I do to amp up my application when I apply to vet school in ~3 years? I still have another year at my community college until I can transfer to a UC for biology, during which time I will be taking calc, physics, o chem, and a few bio classes. The grades I'm concerned about are a W in trig (1st semester), C in trig (2nd sem), B in general chem (3rd sem), D in precalc (3rd semester), B in precalc (this sem), & a C in integrated biology (this sem). I am livid about the fact that I'm getting a C in biology, the subject that I love, because I procrastinated. I have a fire burning under me now and want to do all I can to achieve my dream. My overall GPA after this semester will be a 2.8, unless my D from last semester is replaced with the B from this one. I plan to volunteer at a shelter, as well as an ocean-life rehabilitation center. What else can I do to get where I want to be? Thanks

The most important thing is the obvious one: You need to start getting all A's from here on out. I mean, don't beat yourself up over a B here or there, but you need to start proving you can cut it academically, which means getting A's. That has to be your first priority.

Other than that, keep working if you can manage it with school. The aqua rehab thing is a great application piece if you can manage that while in school. Ditto the shelter stuff. While you're doing those things, keep in mind that you'll need letters of recommendation when you go to apply - so foster good relationships with the right people. But make sure that whatever you do, you start getting A's.

You've got time to get your GPA up to a competitive level, and there are schools that look at pre-reqs and last-45-credits where you can still shine. So I wouldn't beat yourself up - just acknowledge that you didn't do well, take ownership of it (which it sounds like you do), and turn it around. You've got time.

 

[Staffie]

A good GRE score, particularly a good Quantitative score, would really help. You've struggled with math, so I suggest you get a GRE study book or two and start learning how to do the math problems now. A good GRE can help offset a lower GPA. You do have time to build your GPA, but it does look like the GRE could give you a hard time, so give yourself time to prepare.

LIS is right. You need to get A's in your science classes. Going from a community college to a UC for upper division bio classes will be tough. If you get A's there, that will go a long way to showing you can handle vet school.

If I were you, I would focus on these academic aspects. You've got plenty of time to build and diversify your experience hours, and you can even take a year or more after graduating to work on it. But without showing you can academically handle vet school, it won't matter if you have 10,000 hours in 5 different areas of vet med, you still won't get in. Focus on your academics, they're much harder to fix later.

 

[lailanni]

Solid advice above. Focus on your GPA and fill in with experience hours. Kick butt on the GRE. If you keep your grades where they're at, you'll have a very difficult time getting in (if at all, I know some schools had a GPA cutoff, I'm not sure if that's still in existence).

Research your state school (or your vet school options if you don't have a state school) and check out their accepted class average stats. Aim for better than that. If you can get there with a good amount of experience hours that'll be your best shot.

 

[Gemgrrrl]

Hi,
I'm currently at the end of my 4th semester/sophomore year in community college. I started working for a veterinarian as a kennel assistant last fall, and since then have been promoted to veterinary assistant. Despite having had this job for ~two years, it wasn't until I worked there for about a year that I realized I want to work with animals. I've always loved science, medicine, biology, etc., but planned on becoming a general physician or dermatologist until I got vet experience and fell in love.

My question is this: What can I do to amp up my application when I apply to vet school in ~3 years? I still have another year at my community college until I can transfer to a UC for biology, during which time I will be taking calc, physics, o chem, and a few bio classes. The grades I'm concerned about are a W in trig (1st semester), C in trig (2nd sem), B in general chem (3rd sem), D in precalc (3rd semester), B in precalc (this sem), & a C in integrated biology (this sem). I am livid about the fact that I'm getting a C in biology, the subject that I love, because I procrastinated. I have a fire burning under me now and want to do all I can to achieve my dream. My overall GPA after this semester will be a 2.8, unless my D from last semester is replaced with the B from this one. I plan to volunteer at a shelter, as well as an ocean-life rehabilitation center. What else can I do to get where I want to be? Thanks

A lot of people have a hard time when they first start college - it's a big adjustment. Especially when you don't see the point of it all because you have no idea what you want to do. So don't beat yourself up too much about the past. Just make a plan and focus on checking off all the boxes. The first step is grades. Use an online target GPA calculator to see where you can realistically expect to be when you apply, and what you're grades need to be in order to get there. Honestly, you're probably going to need to get mostly A's if you want to be competitive. You're going to need to retake pre-calculus. The W probably won't affect you much at all.

It would be a good idea to really think about why you've gotten the grades you have so far, and do what you can to correct that now. Community college classes are generally less demanding than at a 4 yr college. If you're getting C's and D's at CC, you might be in for a rough time of it at a 4 yr. Develop your time management skills, and figure out the best way for you to study based on your personal learning profile. Usually the counseling center at your school will have some tests you can take to determine what kind of learner you are. Get a tutor if you need to.

 

[that redhead]

The good news is that you still have time to bring your grades up. I think it's great that you're motivated to do well now, but make sure you have a plan in place for how that's going to happen so that you can succeed long-term. For me, I had to cut back on my work hours (despite the fact that it was getting me veterinary experience), reduce my loafing time (internet, TV, Netflix, whatever it is that is a time suck for you) and learn how to study! That last one is huge because it took me a long time to realize that I actually didn't have any good study strategies. I started attending discussion, did the problems (huge for orgo) and looked into methods I hadn't tried before, like watching Youtube videos or drawing my own diagrams. It's important to be adaptable, too - what works for one class may not work for another; don't sit around waiting for it to suddenly be helpful!

Good luck