What are my chances?

[Jessikaran]

Thinking of applying next cycle, just wondering if I would be competitive and what i should work on!! any help is appreciated! Also any suggestions on good target schools would be great, I'm all over the place with where i want to apply. My ISS is Cornell

My stats so far:
cumGPA: 3.61
Science GPA: 3.44
Last 3 semesters: 3.68
GRE: 157V/158Q/4.5 A

Vet experience:
-450 SA (private clinic & emergency clinic & working in a spay and neuter clinic abroad)
-550 LA/Equine (including specialities like dentistry and ophthalmology )

Animal Experience
-500 hrs Alpaca farm
-1800 hrs Equine/LA
-150 hrs Wildlife in Africa
- 250 hrs kennel including small animal and exotics
-500 hrs pet ownership (if that counts for certain schools?)

Research:
200 hrs Camelid Genetics lab
150 hours Research on Wild cats in South Africa

Involvement:

high school:
national honors society
deans list all four years
vice president of spanish club
high school yearbook undergraduate section editor for 3 years
pharmacy technician for 3 years
american eagle associate 1 year

college:
pre vet society activities Chair 2 years
club softball 2 years
deans list multiple semesters
sigma eta alpha honor society
colleges against cancer 2 years
freshman mentor program
Published Op-Ed paper in 2013
TA for into biology, 2 years
Mentor for disadvantaged middle school kids, 1 year

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[neocia]

Thinking of applying next cycle, just wondering if I would be competitive and what i should work on!! any help is appreciated! Also any suggestions on good target schools would be great, I'm all over the place with where i want to apply.

Looks strong to me! Your GRE could be slightly higher. Keep up the good grades - challenge yourself with upper level bio/chem classes. You can try to get a wider range of experience but looks like you have some wonderful experiences so far! I think your chances are good!

 

[Chordata25]

Hey everyone! This year is going to be my 3rd time applying (though the 1st time was a mistake since I was not ready whatsoever) and I plan on doing file reviews when the schools allow them, but I want to get some feedback on my stats now so I can start working on it. I plan on retaking my GRE for the 4th time (since I am apparently terrible at this thing) and getting more vet and research experience.

Upenn is my IS. I have a BS in Humanities, minor in Bio, and a MS in Biology.
I applied to Upenn, Cornell, Minnesota, and VMRCVM. Didn't get interviews at any.


Cum. GPA: 3.32
Science GPA: 3.22
Last 45 GPA: 3.9
(These should be slightly higher this cycle since I was still working on my last semester last cycle and got a 4.0)

GRE: V 153, Q 149 A 4.5
V 150, Q 151 A 4.0
V 152, Q 152 A 4.5


Vet Experience:
700 hours at a SA clinic with 5 doctors (I plan to return to this place for more)
400 hours as an animal caretaker for lab animals at a vivarium
150 hours LA at a dairy farm that has cattle, goats, sheep, alpacas
150 hours SA emergency room at UPenn

Animal Experience:
300 hours of black bear research trapping with NJ Fish and Wildlife
400 hours of pet sitting service for SA
300 hours at Philadelphia Zoo as animal care intern for small/exotics
500 hours at local SPCA for SA
2500 hours pet ownership. I've owned small animals and exotics


Research:
250 hours of oral and nasal bacteria of black bears (I have this published in a journal)
70 hours of aerobic bacteria found in unpasteurized milk with a multi-farm comparison
50 hours of animal behavior research on white-nosed coatis at the philadelphia zoo
180 hours on an undergrad thesis about ethics of factory farming
(Since then I have also done ~480 hours of testing ticks for various diseases at my university)

Other activities:
Assistant manager at 2 different jobs, a couple university jobs, research awards, my research publication, pre-vet club, other science clubs, Big brothers/Big Sisters, cosplay (I sell costumes and compete in competitions)

So what are my chances? Thanks for any feedback!

 

[WildZoo]

Hey everyone! This year is going to be my 3rd time applying (though the 1st time was a mistake since I was not ready whatsoever) and I plan on doing file reviews when the schools allow them, but I want to get some feedback on my stats now so I can start working on it. I plan on retaking my GRE for the 4th time (since I am apparently terrible at this thing) and getting more vet and research experience.

Upenn is my IS. I have a BS in Humanities, minor in Bio, and a MS in Biology.
I applied to Upenn, Cornell, Minnesota, and VMRCVM. Didn't get interviews at any.


Cum. GPA: 3.32
Science GPA: 3.22
Last 45 GPA: 3.9
(These should be slightly higher this cycle since I was still working on my last semester last cycle and got a 4.0)

GRE: V 153, Q 149 A 4.5
V 150, Q 151 A 4.0
V 152, Q 152 A 4.5


Vet Experience:
700 hours at a SA clinic with 5 doctors (I plan to return to this place for more)
400 hours as an animal caretaker for lab animals at a vivarium
150 hours LA at a dairy farm that has cattle, goats, sheep, alpacas
150 hours SA emergency room at UPenn

Animal Experience:
300 hours of black bear research trapping with NJ Fish and Wildlife
400 hours of pet sitting service for SA
300 hours at Philadelphia Zoo as animal care intern for small/exotics
500 hours at local SPCA for SA
2500 hours pet ownership. I've owned small animals and exotics


Research:
250 hours of oral and nasal bacteria of black bears (I have this published in a journal)
70 hours of aerobic bacteria found in unpasteurized milk with a multi-farm comparison
50 hours of animal behavior research on white-nosed coatis at the philadelphia zoo
180 hours on an undergrad thesis about ethics of factory farming
(Since then I have also done ~480 hours of testing ticks for various diseases at my university)

Other activities:
Assistant manager at 2 different jobs, a couple university jobs, research awards, my research publication, pre-vet club, other science clubs, Big brothers/Big Sisters, cosplay (I sell costumes and compete in competitions)

So what are my chances? Thanks for any feedback!

To me your experiences look great, so it may be the academics that are holding you back. Definitely try to bump your GRE up a few points - at the very least I would say get a book or use a website that is meant to help study for it, but if you can afford it it might not be a bad idea to take a class. For your GPA, if you have a couple classes that you got C's or lower in, you may consider retaking them, especially any sciences. And then you want to tailor where you apply to fit your stats. Look for schools that do grade replacement when you retake a class, and ones that favor last 45 GPA.

But of course the file reviews are going to be tons more helpful than anything we say here.

 

[Chordata25]

To me your experiences look great, so it may be the academics that are holding you back. Definitely try to bump your GRE up a few points - at the very least I would say get a book or use a website that is meant to help study for it, but if you can afford it it might not be a bad idea to take a class. For your GPA, if you have a couple classes that you got C's or lower in, you may consider retaking them, especially any sciences. And then you want to tailor where you apply to fit your stats. Look for schools that do grade replacement when you retake a class, and ones that favor last 45 GPA.

But of course the file reviews are going to be tons more helpful than anything we say here.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to have to research more about which schools favor what since I'm starting to run out of money for all these applications. Hopefully this is the year!

 

[Skimble]

@Chordata25 - check out Colorado state. They don't see overall GPA and heavily favor upward trends (and it's an amazing school!)

 

[orca2011]

@Chordata25 - check out Colorado state. They don't see overall GPA and heavily favor upward trends (and it's an amazing school!)

Really? I thought they did since their applicants have a 3.6 on average.

 

[Skimble]

Wait, I think I mixed that up. They don't see GPA per course, they see the GPA per semester. I don't know if they see overall GPA. They do like upward trends though and there are a few people in the successful applicant thread from last year that don't have great overall GPA's but have stellar last 45 and were accepted to Colorado. Obviously there are always outliers, but it's at least worth looking into.

 

[DVMDream]

Hey everyone! This year is going to be my 3rd time applying (though the 1st time was a mistake since I was not ready whatsoever) and I plan on doing file reviews when the schools allow them, but I want to get some feedback on my stats now so I can start working on it. I plan on retaking my GRE for the 4th time (since I am apparently terrible at this thing) and getting more vet and research experience.

Upenn is my IS. I have a BS in Humanities, minor in Bio, and a MS in Biology.
I applied to Upenn, Cornell, Minnesota, and VMRCVM. Didn't get interviews at any.


Cum. GPA: 3.32
Science GPA: 3.22
Last 45 GPA: 3.9
(These should be slightly higher this cycle since I was still working on my last semester last cycle and got a 4.0)

GRE: V 153, Q 149 A 4.5
V 150, Q 151 A 4.0
V 152, Q 152 A 4.5


Vet Experience:
700 hours at a SA clinic with 5 doctors (I plan to return to this place for more)
400 hours as an animal caretaker for lab animals at a vivarium
150 hours LA at a dairy farm that has cattle, goats, sheep, alpacas
150 hours SA emergency room at UPenn

Animal Experience:
300 hours of black bear research trapping with NJ Fish and Wildlife
400 hours of pet sitting service for SA
300 hours at Philadelphia Zoo as animal care intern for small/exotics
500 hours at local SPCA for SA
2500 hours pet ownership. I've owned small animals and exotics


Research:
250 hours of oral and nasal bacteria of black bears (I have this published in a journal)
70 hours of aerobic bacteria found in unpasteurized milk with a multi-farm comparison
50 hours of animal behavior research on white-nosed coatis at the philadelphia zoo
180 hours on an undergrad thesis about ethics of factory farming
(Since then I have also done ~480 hours of testing ticks for various diseases at my university)

Other activities:
Assistant manager at 2 different jobs, a couple university jobs, research awards, my research publication, pre-vet club, other science clubs, Big brothers/Big Sisters, cosplay (I sell costumes and compete in competitions)

So what are my chances? Thanks for any feedback!

Question:

Does your cum GPA and Science GPA include courses taken for your MS?

I ask because most schools (from what I remember) only look at undergrad courses for cumulative GPA, not sure about the science GPA though.

However, there are many schools that recommend that if you have a low GPA, getting a master's is the way to go and you have already done that. Definitely see what the file reviews tell you as that will be your best source of information for improving.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Really? I thought they did since their applicants have a 3.6 on average.

Michigan State lists an average cumulative GPA on their Class of 2018 page, but they also ignore cumulative GPAs in the admissions process. Maybe it's to help you get an overall picture of the average applicant they admitted/accepted an offer.

Another school suggestion: Your experience looks really good to me. Look into Illinois. You will likely still need to increase your GPAs, but once you make their initial academic cutoff (which is usually around a 3.4ish for both cum and science), they no longer use your GPAs when making admissions decisions. It's all non-academic factors from that point, and they place a very high value on good experience. Plus, they allow you to delete your first year of courses from their GPA calculations, if that's something that might help you. They will also use your graduate GPA in your science GPA calculation, although I think they limit how many courses they will use for that.

 

[thecatastrophist]

Michigan State lists an average cumulative GPA on their Class of 2018 page, but they also ignore cumulative GPAs in the admissions process. Maybe it's to help you get an overall picture of the average applicant they admitted/accepted an offer.

Another school suggestion: Your experience looks really good to me. Look into Illinois. You will likely still need to increase your GPAs, but once you make their initial academic cutoff (which is usually around a 3.4ish for both cum and science), they no longer use your GPAs when making admissions decisions. It's all non-academic factors from that point, and they place a very high value on good experience. Plus, they allow you to delete your first year of courses from their GPA calculations, if that's something that might help you. They will also use your graduate GPA in your science GPA calculation, although I think they limit how many courses they will use for that.

Actually, as a graduate student I *think* I can confirm this is actually a little different than it sounds on the website. I was originally under the impression they only counted graduate classes for credit toward the science GPA if you petitioned it, and would only do it for so many classes. They counted some (but not all) of my science classes from my master's degree toward my science GPA without me petitioning for it. I think the process of applying it is for non-graded courses like thesis research and independent study, which will not be used for your GPA unless you send in documentation for it. They also use your graduate GPA in your cumulative GPA, which some schools will not. It was beneficial because my undergrad GPA was ~3.5 and my graduate GPA was 4.0. It's not as beneficial for others. If you'd like to apply there, I'd suggest trying to get a higher GPA score to offset the lower science GPA, and definitely utilize the option to delete first-year grades if that will improve your GPA. The only policy there is that the grades have to about six years old or so, and you cannot have any pre-requisite courses included in the grade deletion. Shouldn't be a huge problem for you since your a graduate student--first year of undergraduate was probably about six years ago now. If you decide to apply to IL, I'd suggest you re-take your GRE though. Yes, once you're invited to an interview, your GPA isn't used at all for admissions decisions. So, focus on what you can improve to give yourself the best chance of making it past that phase I cutoff.

I've been told by students at IL that they really like research. So, your diverse experiences and research would give you an advantage during the phase II (non-academic) part of their evaluation. If you like what you see about the curriculum, IL might be a good choice for next cycle.

 

[Chordata25]

@Jilary and @pinkpuppy9 Thank you for the suggestions! I'll be sure to read up a lot on those schools more since I haven't considered them in the past.

Does your cum GPA and Science GPA include courses taken for your MS?

Unfortunately, its does. My undergrad science GPA was a 2.9 since I messed up on some freshman classes badly and then retook a few. So I'm not really sure how VMCAS factored those in. I feel pretty stupid now for not realizing that schools may only look at undergrad for certain scores. I always assumed they would look at the whole picture. I understand now how I didn't get interviews.

Thanks again for the feedback, I'm going to try to improve my application as much as I can with the resources I have.

 

[Chordata25]

Actually, as a graduate student I *think* I can confirm this is actually a little different than it sounds on the website. I was originally under the impression they only counted graduate classes for credit toward the science GPA if you petitioned it, and would only do it for so many classes. They counted some (but not all) of my science classes from my master's degree toward my science GPA without me petitioning for it. I think the process of applying it is for non-graded courses like thesis research and independent study, which will not be used for your GPA unless you send in documentation for it. They also use your graduate GPA in your cumulative GPA, which some schools will not. It was beneficial because my undergrad GPA was ~3.5 and my graduate GPA was 4.0. It's not as beneficial for others. If you'd like to apply there, I'd suggest trying to get a higher GPA score to offset the lower science GPA, and definitely utilize the option to delete first-year grades if that will improve your GPA. The only policy there is that the grades have to about six years old or so, and you cannot have any pre-requisite courses included in the grade deletion. Shouldn't be a huge problem for you since your a graduate student--first year of undergraduate was probably about six years ago now. If you decide to apply to IL, I'd suggest you re-take your GRE though. Yes, once you're invited to an interview, your GPA isn't used at all for admissions decisions. So, focus on what you can improve to give yourself the best chance of making it past that phase I cutoff.

I've been told by students at IL that they really like research. So, your diverse experiences and research would give you an advantage during the phase II (non-academic) part of their evaluation. If you like what you see about the curriculum, IL might be a good choice for next cycle.

Thanks for elaborating on that. That sounds like a good course of action to consider. I may have to wait for the following cycle if they are stringent on the full freshman year being 6 years ago, however, since that was fall 2009-spring 2010 for me (I did my master's degree in a year). I was trying to save taking classes as a last resort since I am tight on money but it's looking like it has to happen for sure if I want to get in.

 

[thecatastrophist]

@Jilary and @pinkpuppy9 Thank you for the suggestions! I'll be sure to read up a lot on those schools more since I haven't considered them in the past.


Unfortunately, its does. My undergrad science GPA was a 2.9 since I messed up on some freshman classes badly and then retook a few. So I'm not really sure how VMCAS factored those in. I feel pretty stupid now for not realizing that schools may only look at undergrad for certain scores. I always assumed they would look at the whole picture. I understand now how I didn't get interviews.

Thanks again for the feedback, I'm going to try to improve my application as much as I can with the resources I have.

VMCAS, I believe, factors in every course attempt. So, even if you did a grade replacement with your UG when you retook a course, they'll count both the F and the A for the purpose of your GPA. Some schools will only calculate retakes (I don't know which), while most others do not. You need to look at each individual school.

You'll need to ask UIUC about the grade deletion thing. I'm just going off memory of what I saw, since I opted to keep all of my grades. You should also maybe see if their admissions office will sit down with you and review your stats. They can tell you if you need to re-take any classes or what not. I'd say make your choice as to where your applying (do some thorough research and see which schools have admissions processes that benefit you most). Then, contact each one by one and see whether or not they think that a retake will improve your chances. Not all C's will necessitate a retake, but you might improve your chances if you retake some core pre-requsities.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Thanks for elaborating on that. That sounds like a good course of action to consider. I may have to wait for the following cycle if they are stringent on the full freshman year being 6 years ago, however, since that was fall 2009-spring 2010 for me (I did my master's degree in a year). I was trying to save taking classes as a last resort since I am tight on money but it's looking like it has to happen for sure if I want to get in.

http://vetmed.illinois.edu/educatio...ine-degree/admissions/special-considerations/ they allow you to do both the first year and anything older than six years!

 

[Chordata25]

You should also maybe see if their admissions office will sit down with you and review your stats.

Thanks, I'm already starting to look into it!

http://vetmed.illinois.edu/educatio...ine-degree/admissions/special-considerations/ they allow you to do both the first year and anything older than six years!

Thanks for the link!

 

[ckurtzzz]

how about me?

I am at 3.41, entering spring semester sophomore year.
major GPA 3.28 (cell bio)
major GPA 3.75 (classics)
Dual degree, BS/BA

Gen Chem 1,2 B-, C+
Orgo 1 B
Intro to Cell A-
Genetics B-
Labs: all As except for a B+ in Chem 2

Taking GRE next summer. My SATs were 800/740/700. I anticipate doing well on the GRE and will be taking a course to prepare.

200 hrs SA shadow
3 years working at pet store, small animal manager/breeder and sales associate in all departments
300 hours volunteering SA at SPCA, also volunteer in charge (unofficially) of farm animals
100 hrs volunteering Equine rescue
Foster for SPCA, difficult dogs and bottle raising puppies/kittens (not included in volunteer hours)

Involved with American Gerbil Society, experienced breeder and rescuer
Have owned animals my entire life, including a rescued horse
Been riding for 12 years

Studied abroad in Rome for a semester at a research intensive program
VP of Humans vs. Zombies (likely Pres. for the next two years)
active with service dog training club at university
member of Pre-vet society
member of Campus Cats (help TNR ferals)
Conversational in Italian and ASL

I need to do some LA shadowing, and I'm planning on shadowing at an exotics practice as well. I am working on applying for a clinic position at the local SPCA when they reopen in a few months. I may instead get a job as a groomer, and use the training to volunteer grooming dogs at the shelter.

Also want to do a pre-vet service trip, possibly to Mexico, next year.

I know the GPA isn't great. I'm going to be relying heavily on experience and GRE, but I have diverse experience. My grades have been improving, and I improved from Gen Chem to Orgo which is kind of a big deal.

First choice is NC State (really really really want to go there). IS is Tufts (really, really, really don't want to go there. Hate snow). Worth mentioning that if I don't get in anywhere first round, I will likely move to NC and take a gap year or two to establish residency. I don't want to, as I want to get going, but I have it out there as an option.

 

[thecatastrophist]

how about me?

I am at 3.41, entering spring semester sophomore year.
major GPA 3.28 (cell bio)
major GPA 3.75 (classics)
Dual degree, BS/BA

Gen Chem 1,2 B-, C+
Orgo 1 B
Intro to Cell A-
Genetics B-
Labs: all As except for a B+ in Chem 2

Taking GRE next summer. My SATs were 800/740/700. I anticipate doing well on the GRE and will be taking a course to prepare.

200 hrs SA shadow
3 years working at pet store, small animal manager/breeder and sales associate in all departments
300 hours volunteering SA at SPCA, also volunteer in charge (unofficially) of farm animals
100 hrs volunteering Equine rescue
Foster for SPCA, difficult dogs and bottle raising puppies/kittens (not included in volunteer hours)

Involved with American Gerbil Society, experienced breeder and rescuer
Have owned animals my entire life, including a rescued horse
Been riding for 12 years

Studied abroad in Rome for a semester at a research intensive program
VP of Humans vs. Zombies (likely Pres. for the next two years)
active with service dog training club at university
member of Pre-vet society
member of Campus Cats (help TNR ferals)
Conversational in Italian and ASL

I need to do some LA shadowing, and I'm planning on shadowing at an exotics practice as well. I am working on applying for a clinic position at the local SPCA when they reopen in a few months. I may instead get a job as a groomer, and use the training to volunteer grooming dogs at the shelter.

Also want to do a pre-vet service trip, possibly to Mexico, next year.

I know the GPA isn't great. I'm going to be relying heavily on experience and GRE, but I have diverse experience. My grades have been improving, and I improved from Gen Chem to Orgo which is kind of a big deal.

First choice is NC State (really really really want to go there). IS is UVM (really, really, really don't want to go there. Hate snow). Worth mentioning that if I don't get in anywhere first round, I will likely move to NC and take a gap year or two to establish residency. I don't want to, as I want to get going, but I have it out there as an option.

You'll have to look, but my advice is not not anticipate relying on a good GRE score to make up for a below-average GPA at most places. Your GPA isn't really too bad, and you're still early on in your academic career. I'd suggest fixing it. Also, as far as I know, schools don't look at major GPAs. They'll look at science GPA, last 45, and cumulative GPA for the most part. Some schools will also look for "upward trends", so I'd suggest to aim for that.

That said, I wouldn't necessarily do a prep course right away unless you really need it. ETS offers a power prep software and prep booklet for free. Do a practice test and see how the score looks. The GRE is way different than SAT IMO, but if you're good at standardized tests and timed writing, it isn't something you need to worry about.

Focus on getting more experience. 200 is below-average in most places, and some schools have a minimum higher than that. Time
is on your side for that one. Take some time during breaks and if you have free time at school to get more clinical shadowing. 1,000 isn't a hard and fast number, but many people aim for that.

 

[ckurtzzz]

It's really not that bad? That's a relief. I thought it was terrible! That C+ in Gen Chem isn't pretty, but I was struggling with a panic disorder at the time. Is it a good idea to explain that I had that because it explains the grade, or to not explain it because I need to show I'm up to the stress of vet school? I'm fine now, but would the school realize that?

Calculated my science GPA: 3.06 not including Calculus

Ok, good to know about the course. My adviser keeps pushing the course but I wasn't really sure.

And as far as 200 hours goes, there will certainly be much closer to 1000 by the time I apply. I am definitely going to aim for a clinic job, since I don't have time to work and rack up experience hours unless they're concurrent.

 

[WildZoo]

how about me?

I am at 3.41, entering spring semester sophomore year.
major GPA 3.28 (cell bio)
major GPA 3.75 (classics)
Dual degree, BS/BA

Gen Chem 1,2 B-, C+
Orgo 1 B
Intro to Cell A-
Genetics B-
Labs: all As except for a B+ in Chem 2

Taking GRE next summer. My SATs were 800/740/700. I anticipate doing well on the GRE and will be taking a course to prepare.

200 hrs SA shadow
3 years working at pet store, small animal manager/breeder and sales associate in all departments
300 hours volunteering SA at SPCA, also volunteer in charge (unofficially) of farm animals
100 hrs volunteering Equine rescue
Foster for SPCA, difficult dogs and bottle raising puppies/kittens (not included in volunteer hours)

Involved with American Gerbil Society, experienced breeder and rescuer
Have owned animals my entire life, including a rescued horse
Been riding for 12 years

Studied abroad in Rome for a semester at a research intensive program
VP of Humans vs. Zombies (likely Pres. for the next two years)
active with service dog training club at university
member of Pre-vet society
member of Campus Cats (help TNR ferals)
Conversational in Italian and ASL

I need to do some LA shadowing, and I'm planning on shadowing at an exotics practice as well. I am working on applying for a clinic position at the local SPCA when they reopen in a few months. I may instead get a job as a groomer, and use the training to volunteer grooming dogs at the shelter.

Also want to do a pre-vet service trip, possibly to Mexico, next year.

I know the GPA isn't great. I'm going to be relying heavily on experience and GRE, but I have diverse experience. My grades have been improving, and I improved from Gen Chem to Orgo which is kind of a big deal.

First choice is NC State (really really really want to go there). IS is Tufts (really, really, really don't want to go there. Hate snow). Worth mentioning that if I don't get in anywhere first round, I will likely move to NC and take a gap year or two to establish residency. I don't want to, as I want to get going, but I have it out there as an option.

Keep in mind that the GPA cutoff for NC State for OOS students is 3.4 for all 3 categories (cumulative, science, and last 45 hours). Definitely something to think about as you move forward.

 

[ckurtzzz]

Yeah, that's certainly an issue. Considering moving there for a couple years first and applying as a resident.

Say I were to make the cutoff, and applied first round as OOS. If I was denied, would I still be able to move there and apply IS in a few years?

 

[MustangJumperPony]

Say I were to make the cutoff, and applied first round as OOS. If I was denied, would I still be able to move there and apply IS in a few years?

Yes, you can do that.

 

[WildZoo]

Yeah, that's certainly an issue. Considering moving there for a couple years first and applying as a resident.

Say I were to make the cutoff, and applied first round as OOS. If I was denied, would I still be able to move there and apply IS in a few years?

Yes,and their website is actually one of the most detailed in what they are looking for, so it will probably be helpful for you if you are set on going there

 

[ckurtzzz]

Yeah I took a look at it. I was posting here more to see if people thought it was attainable

 

[WildZoo]

Yeah I took a look at it. I was posting here more to see if people thought it was attainable

It's certainly possible. Your cGPA is above the cutoff, make sure your last 45 will be too. How many science credits have you taken? You can use this to calculate how many more you need to take and what grades you need to get to bring your science GPA up to a 3.4.

It's just a very competitive spot, I know people who got into every other school they applied to and we're waitlisted at NCSU. Try to ace the rest of your prereqs, do well on the GRE, and make sure you have at least two vets who can write you an excellent recommendation. Large animal and exotics shadowing, which you mentioned, should be good as far as getting diverse experience goes.

 

[ckurtzzz]

I've taken Intro to Bio, Gen Chem 1 & 2, Genetics, and Orgo 1, as well as the associated labs. Didn't do well in Gen Chem but I've been doing much better in Orgo.

Have microbio, molecular bio, cell bio, physiology, tissues, and biochem left. Also stats and nutrition, if those count

 

[thecatastrophist]

It's really not that bad? That's a relief. I thought it was terrible! That C+ in Gen Chem isn't pretty, but I was struggling with a panic disorder at the time. Is it a good idea to explain that I had that because it explains the grade, or to not explain it because I need to show I'm up to the stress of vet school? I'm fine now, but would the school realize that?

Calculated my science GPA: 3.06 not including Calculus

Ok, good to know about the course. My adviser keeps pushing the course but I wasn't really sure.

And as far as 200 hours goes, there will certainly be much closer to 1000 by the time I apply. I am definitely going to aim for a clinic job, since I don't have time to work and rack up experience hours unless they're concurrent.

The GRE prep course you mean? Yeah, at least I wouldn't recommend it. It's helpful if you haven't seen the material in a long time or if you're not great at taking tests for whatever reason. But there are resources to do it out there for cheaper. If you take a practice test online and don't like your score and feel like you need help, it may be something to consider. But, the GRE really only covers basic college math (no caluculus), vocabulary (I wouldn't suggest flashcard apps, I think they're testing your ability to infer meaning through etymology much of the time), and writing (they'll have you analyze an argument and support a position). All stuff you can manage with practice and preparation.

A 3.06 GPA is a little low, so you'll want to aim higher as you continue your studies. It looks like you only have a handful of classes so far. Aiming for an A in each future class will help bringing this average up. You might want to consider retaking Chem 2, but people have gotten in with C's on their transcript. They just show their academic performance is good by performing well in other classes.

 

[ckurtzzz]

I definitely won't be getting any more Cs. I really think I can maintain Bs and As.

Checked that calculator and I need to maintain an average 3.51 science... only slightly terrifying

Thank you all, major load off my mind!

 

[BABKAK]

Hello,


I am planning to apply to Vet schools next cycle and wanted to get an idea of where I stand now and what I need to do in the next year ( a lot I think), to become a strong applicant. One question I have is: is it better to have a variety of experiences, or to focus and have more hours? I don’t want to look like I can’t commit to a position, but I find myself moving from experience to experience so that I look like I have done more.

I am a 30 year old female with a PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University. I worked for about 3 yrs after graduating at a chemical research start up company, so I have “real world” research experience. For undergrad I went to a small state school in NY, BS Chemistry and I took a bunch of Bio courses.

I will be applying to Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Purdue.

Undergrad cum GPA: 3.77
Major (chemistry) GPA: 3.89
Science GPA: 3.72
Gradate GPA: 3.06 I spoke to Michigan, and they said that grad school courses are included in the last 30 or 45
Last 45: 3.47

Still need to take 4 courses to complete requirements. My grad GPA is really throwing things off for the last 45.
Need to retake the GRE, last time I took it was before it changed format but this was my score:

Verbal: 570
Quant: 700
AW: 4.5

Research experience:
12,800 hrs in chemistry
None involving animals, but part of my PhD was researching chemotherapeutics.

Veterinary experience:
560 hrs SA Clinic
30 hrs Animal shelter veterinarian

Currently working as an assistant at a SA clinic, so this number should be closer to 1800 by the time I apply.

Animal Experience
765 hrs Dog walker
6hrs LA handling
Pet ownership (not sure how to calculate) Grew up with animals, cats and dogs. Had a 15 year old Labrador.

I am currently trying to find a LA vet to shadow so hopefully I will be able to fill out those numbers. I also may have an opportunity to volunteer at the local aquarium over the summer. Hopefully with the addition of these experiences my application will be more complete.

Any input would be appreciated

 

[r_scott1275]

Hi everyone! I've been watching these forums for a while and would love some input!
First off I graduated from the University of Akron with a BA in Psychology. Applied for various grad schools with interests in neuro mechanisms and animal behaviors. Unfortunately, my valiant attempts to get into grad school has failed. Becoming a vet has always been something I wanted to do, but alas being young and foolish I thought I was meant to do other things. Therefore, this fall I am returning to school at the Ohio State to complete the rest of my prereqs and finally apply to vet school in 1-2 years. So here are my stats:

Undergrad GPA: 3.47
Major GPA: 3.45
Science GPA: [Unknown for now, I'll work my tail off for a 4.00]
GRE: Average across the board Q-151, V-153, W-4.5

Research:

• Spent my final semester studying long-term, visual spatial working memory in isopods. Roughly 100+ hours.

Vet/Animal Experience:

• Going on Vida trip this summer
• 850+ hours working at dog boarding/daycare
• 50+ hours dog training
• 25+ hours humane society volunteer
• Owned pets of various kinds throughout lifetime, including time on Uncle's farm.

Work Experience:

• Worked 25+ hours a week throughout college.
• Worked for a dog boarding/daycare as kennel help
• Worked for a drycleaners as crew
• Currently working as an office manager for a storage/UHaul business

Academic Honors/Extracurricular:

• Member of the International Psychology Honors Society
• Member of the Society of Leadership and Success
• University Band -1 year
• Graduated Cum Laude
• Deans List for 2.5 years
• Volunteers at local elementary to assist in special education classrooms for the past 8 years
• Volunteers at local soup kitchens- 1 year

In high school (if it matters!):

• Concert band/pep band/marching band 4 years
• Bowling team 1 year
• Softball 4 years
• USN Sea Cadet Corps 5 years (multiple trainings: medical, homeland security, and trips to Hawaii, DC, Annapolis. Final rank: Petty Officer 2nd Class; Unit LPO, recruit training PO, medical LPO)

That's all there is right now. I've been applying for different jobs at local vet clinics and research centers which are few where I live. Next week I'll be visiting my personal vet to see about getting some shadowing time in. Once I move to Columbus this fall I'll be able to find a job and more animal opportunities on and off campus. I do want to address that I spoke to an OSU advisor who told me to pursue the prereqs only and not a degree.
Would love some input whether to agree with the advisor or not. Also I was wondering if the Vida trip will help boost my vet school application (still going on it, but I've read so many different reviews from people my head is spinning and my bank account is sweating ).

 

[MustangJumperPony]

That's all there is right now. I've been applying for different jobs at local vet clinics and research centers which are few where I live. Next week I'll be visiting my personal vet to see about getting some shadowing time in. Once I move to Columbus this fall I'll be able to find a job and more animal opportunities on and off campus. I do want to address that I spoke to an OSU advisor who told me to pursue the prereqs only and not a degree.
Would love some input whether to agree with the advisor or not. Also I was wondering if the Vida trip will help boost my vet school application (still going on it, but I've read so many different reviews from people my head is spinning and my bank account is sweating ).

Overall, I think you'll have a decent chance once you have your pre-reqs done (assuming that you do well in them) and once you get vet hours. If you think you can do better on the GRE, consider retaking it. Definitely start shadowing at vet clinics, and try to get some diverse experiences - large and small animal or ER, specialties, exotics - you don't need to do everything, but 2-3 different things will definitely help you.

I think you'll be fine just doing pre-reqs. You already have a bachelor's degree, so it's not worth the time and money to get another one if you're just taking courses and then applying to vet school.

I went on a VIDA trip last year and absolutely loved it! It was an incredible experience and a great way to be able to do things that I won't be allowed to do until 2nd/3rd year of vet school here. Some people say that US vet schools don't like the trips because the methods they teach for doing things aren't the way you'll learn here. I don't think that should be a significant concern. You won't do enough catheter placements and suturing to really make the "wrong" way of doing things stick with you, and you'll have a few years before relearning it the way your school wants you to. I was asked about my trip in several interviews and I think it really helps increase your cultural knowledge. The human-animal bond is so different in Central America vs. in the US/UK, and I think it's important to learn about that/vet med in other cultures. In the US, we kind of live in a bubble with regards to how primitive veterinary care can be in other countries, so I definitely think the experience is valuable. However, I do not think that it will make or break your application.

 

[KCgophervet]

So just an FYI vet experience does not equal animal experience. They are two separate categories and you will want to boost your vet experience by hundreds of hours in order to be competitive. I know you already have plans to do so, but just making sure you're aware that the VET hours are far more important at this stage than the animal hours.

 

[r_scott1275]

Thanks for the input on everything!! Sorry about earlier too, I had to summarize & shortcut a lot of things in my post due to a dysfunctional computer and poor wifi.
Wanted to add that I have networked with several different types of vets thanks to my job and previously being a dog trainer. Vet hour plans include a vet at the Cleveland Zoo, a holistic vet, my own personal vet, and a large vet hospital that specializes in multiple fields including neurology.
Thus, I do have plans to get the hours in. Now it's a matter of freeing my work schedule some!

 

[bakedjps]

Hello! I'm applying this cycle for the class of 2020, and I would like to know my chances with these stats specifically

Academics:
cGPA: 3.0
sGPA: 3.0
last 45 GPA: 3.8
Verbal: 162 (89%)
Quant: 165 (90%)
Writing: 4.5 (80%)

Vet hours:
250 volunteer spayneuter clinic
250 wildlife medicine internship
400 veterinary assistant at small animal clinic

Animal hours:
20 hrs animal shelter
300 hrs lab animal tech

Research:
750 hrs biophotonics (publication)
350 hrs bioengineering senior design project
1100 hrs molecular bio lab

I know gpa is weakest part of my profile. I've been retaking a couple prereqs so the sGPA may be a tiny bit higher for schools that do grade replacement (~3.2). Other than that, I'm basically looking at schools that don't look at cGPA (UC davis, louisiana, iowa, kansas) and a couple other ones.

Also I'm really interested in research!!

Thanks in advance guys! really appreciate the help this thread has provided me.

 

[ThreeLeggedDogs]

Hello! I'm applying this cycle for the class of 2020, and I would like to know my chances with these stats specifically

Academics:
cGPA: 3.0
sGPA: 3.0
last 45 GPA: 3.8
Verbal: 162 (89%)
Quant: 165 (90%)
Writing: 4.5 (80%)

Vet hours:
250 volunteer spayneuter clinic
250 wildlife medicine internship
400 veterinary assistant at small animal clinic

Animal hours:
20 hrs animal shelter
300 hrs lab animal tech

Research:
750 hrs biophotonics (publication)
350 hrs bioengineering senior design project
1100 hrs molecular bio lab

I know gpa is weakest part of my profile. I've been retaking a couple prereqs so the sGPA may be a tiny bit higher for schools that do grade replacement (~3.2). Other than that, I'm basically looking at schools that don't look at cGPA (UC davis, louisiana, iowa, kansas) and a couple other ones.

Also I'm really interested in research!!

Thanks in advance guys! really appreciate the help this thread has provided me.

I had slightly lower stats than you in just about everything and was successful this time as my first cycle (OOS at K-State). Like you, I had published research experience so I think that was helpful. I read that GRE score is something like 40% of KSU's decision, so I think applying there is a great idea. I would also consider Michigan State if I were you, they don't look at cGPA either (I interviewed there but haven't heard back yet). I think I've heard Minnesota doesn't either.

 

[bnaseam]

This cycle would be my second time applying.

Graduated cum laude fall semester 2014 from UGA, Biological Sciences major
GPA: 3.65
Science GPA: 3.55
Last 45 hours: 3.69
GRE: 157 (V), 156 (Q), 4.0 (W)

Vet Experience:
800 hours small animal - plan to get more over the next year
75 hours equine
75 hours Humane Society spay/neuter clinic

Animal experience:
150 hours poultry science laboratories
50 hours trapping feral cats
50 hours kennel work
10 hours grooming assistant
400 hours animal rescue work
100 hours vet tech assistant

Employment:
200 hours note taker

Research:
200 hours traumatic brain injury behavioral research with pigs - ongoing
150 hours molecular biology research

Pre-vet club member, member of advertising committee
Improv club member
Regenerative Bioscience Center fellow
Six time Dean's List

I'm planning on getting a job for the next year so I will get more experience. I'm a Georgia resident, so my top choice would be UGA. I'll probably also apply to Auburn and South Carolina.

Thanks for the input!

 

[StartingoverVet]

This cycle would be my second time applying.

Graduated cum laude fall semester 2014 from UGA, Biological Sciences major
GPA: 3.65
Science GPA: 3.55
Last 45 hours: 3.69
GRE: 157 (V), 156 (Q), 4.0 (W)

Vet Experience:
800 hours small animal - plan to get more over the next year
75 hours equine
75 hours Humane Society spay/neuter clinic

Animal experience:
150 hours poultry science laboratories
50 hours trapping feral cats
50 hours kennel work
10 hours grooming assistant
400 hours animal rescue work
100 hours vet tech assistant

Employment:
200 hours note taker

Research:
200 hours traumatic brain injury behavioral research with pigs - ongoing
150 hours molecular biology research

Pre-vet club member, member of advertising committee
Improv club member
Regenerative Bioscience Center fellow
Six time Dean's List

I'm planning on getting a job for the next year so I will get more experience. I'm a Georgia resident, so my top choice would be UGA. I'll probably also apply to Auburn and South Carolina.

Thanks for the input!

Looks good to me, although I have no idea about the new GRE scoring system.
Make sure you have a great PS. Otherwise the only nitpick is the slightly lower science GPA - a question might be Did you take upper level science classes and do well?

Did I mention to work on your PS?

 

[missdarjeeling]

Okay, freaking out a little bit. Planning on applying this next cycle, and I know I have work to do, still, as far as experience is concerned. I'm a career changing non-trad, and it's hard to figure out how much I need to make up for. I'm hoping to apply to VMRCVM (IS) and a few others, though I haven't made any final decisions on which ones.

Academics:

I hold a BA from Princeton in Slavic Languages & Lit. and a minor in Russian & Eurasian Area Studies. Got my MA at the University of Chicago in linguistics. I recently completed all but one of the pre-reqs (biochem) at SUNY Geneseo.

Undergrad GPA: 3.51
Graduate GPA: 3.87
Post-bac GPA (also last 45): 3.69
Science GPA: 3.66
Cumulative GPA: 3.64

GRE:
Old scores (expired now): 710 V, 700 Q, 5.5 AW
I haven't retaken it yet, but for what it's worth, my scores for both verbal and math on practice tests have been consistently around 160-165.

Vet Experience:
- ~1500 hours working in a small animal emergency/specialty hospital with a primary assignment in surgery (got to see and assist with ophtho sx as well as ortho, soft tissue, and critical/emergency) and lots of work in emergency
- 5 hours volunteering as surgical assistant at a shelter (schedule conflicts and funding issues on their end prevented me from doing more)

Animal Experience:
- ~30 hours volunteering in cattery at another shelter
- dog walking and minding

Employment:
- Administrative Assistant/Department Manager for a department at a large state university (2 years)
- Freelance translation and transcription
- Library catalogue work

Other:
- languages: native fluency in Spanish, advanced Russian (including simultaneous and consecutive Russian-to-English interpretation), basic/intermediate competency in a handful of other languages
- research experience in my old field
- miscellaneous high school honors/clubs (honors societies, scholarships, debate/mock trial awards, Governor's School)
- played music for Amnesty International fundraisers
- danced in semi-pro dance company with performances in Chicago and New York

Some notes -- My whole time doing my pre-reqs, I was working and commuting 30 miles each way every day to class. I had an awesome science GPA, but last spring semester killed me with mostly B+s, a B in Physics II, and a B- in Orgo 2. I'm married, and that one semester, we had two deaths on my husband's side of the family - one of them a child - one month apart, and my stepdaughter (who doesn't live with us) was hospitalized. We also had a serious financial problem, and I had car problems that prevented me from getting to campus multiple times. It was a waking nightmare. I don't even know how I'd address something like that without sounding like a lunatic who's telling tall tales.

We recently relocated to Virginia for my husband's job, which basically messed up my plans for getting large animal experience this spring and summer through connections I had made at my old hospital. I can't afford to take my last pre-req until I've been here long enough to qualify for in-state tuition. Recently put in for an equine vet assistant job, so we'll see what happens. I haven't had any luck trying for clinical research or research assistant positions in [human] hospitals and schools. We just recently had a medical crisis with stepdaughter, and that situation obviously demanded my energy and attention to the exclusion of just about everything else, so now that I have some attention to spare to focus on this again, I'm panicking that I won't have enough time to fill in the gaps in my experience.

So how screwed am I if I can only get, say, 50-100 hours in shadowing other types of practices? How understanding are adcoms of the challenges non-trads face?

 

[onisteverina]

@missdarjeeling ... I think you are far from screwed. You have a good amount of experience in small animal.. and it is good that it is in emergency/specialty (I'm not sure how true this is.. but I feel like its more difficult to get that type of experience).. If you think you are only able to get another hundred hours or so, I would probably try to get some large animal experience (I saw you are applying for jobs in LA.. but shadowing would be a good option if the job doesn't work out).

About the non-trad thing.. I *think* that adcoms like non-trad students.. we have a good amount of career changers in our class coming from diverse backgrounds. I did all.. like every single one... of my pre-reqs in a post-bacc program while working full time.. so my evening classes were very part time (which I've heard is frowned upon a bit.. question about ability to handle intense work load), but it worked out. I think they understand life is a little different for full-time students and people changing career paths. And I wouldn't worry about a couple B's honestly... your GPA and tentative GREs are good.

 

[missdarjeeling]

@missdarjeeling ... I think you are far from screwed. You have a good amount of experience in small animal.. and it is good that it is in emergency/specialty (I'm not sure how true this is.. but I feel like its more difficult to get that type of experience).. If you think you are only able to get another hundred hours or so, I would probably try to get some large animal experience (I saw you are applying for jobs in LA.. but shadowing would be a good option if the job doesn't work out).

I was wondering how much it might matter that I got to see some specialty stuff. Good to know that it might help a little. It definitely was fascinating and really allowed me to see a couple of different aspects of small animal, and I'm really grateful for the experience. As for large animal, that equine assistant job is the only job opening I've found so far, so if I don't get it, shadowing will probably be it. I live close to DC and am a little worried about being able to find opportunities that'll be within a realistic distance. But it's something I need to do, not just for the application but because I don't want to be far behind my potential classmates in being comfortable handling large animals. Have you noticed a significant difference in how people do with the hands-on parts of the curriculum depending on their previous experiences?

About the non-trad thing.. I *think* that adcoms like non-trad students.. we have a good amount of career changers in our class coming from diverse backgrounds. I did all.. like every single one... of my pre-reqs in a post-bacc program while working full time.. so my evening classes were very part time (which I've heard is frowned upon a bit.. question about ability to handle intense work load), but it worked out. I think they understand life is a little different for full-time students and people changing career paths. And I wouldn't worry about a couple B's honestly... your GPA and tentative GREs are good.

Thanks so much for your input. I'm very glad to hear it worked out for you. Full-time work while doing the pre-reqs is brutal. I could only manage one semester before cutting down to part-time work. I'm relieved to hear they'd be a bit more understanding. Trying not to worry about that one semester, but you know how overwhelming the pressure can be. Thanks again for your response!

 

[onisteverina]

I was wondering how much it might matter that I got to see some specialty stuff. Good to know that it might help a little. It definitely was fascinating and really allowed me to see a couple of different aspects of small animal, and I'm really grateful for the experience. As for large animal, that equine assistant job is the only job opening I've found so far, so if I don't get it, shadowing will probably be it. I live close to DC and am a little worried about being able to find opportunities that'll be within a realistic distance. But it's something I need to do, not just for the application but because I don't want to be far behind my potential classmates in being comfortable handling large animals. Have you noticed a significant difference in how people do with the hands-on parts of the curriculum depending on their previous experiences?

Honestly, I only had about 10 hours of equine experience on my application... so basically zero.. but I think anything is better than nothing, so take whatever you can get (even if it means driving a bit to get few days of shadowing in) and mention every little chunk of hours. There is a huge range of experience in my class.. a good amount grew up riding horses or being around farm animals, so I prefer to pair up with one of those people (or at least ask them questions) when doing large animal stuff... mainly because they have a better idea of how to read a large animal. I don't know that it is a huge disadvantage, because some of those same people don't know how to handle small animals either. I'm not sure how I would feel if I was actually interested in practicing large animal medicine.. because I can't say that I'm confident around them yet (semi-comfortable, yes). The important thing is to just be open to learning.. they will teach you what you need to know (down to the basics of appropriate ways to approach an animal.. where to stand to be safe.. etc).

Side note.. it might not also hurt to get some hours shadowing at a general small animal practice (or one that sees exotics/pock pets/mixed/whatever).. just to get first hand experience on how they are different. Just more stuff to talk about in interviews and PS. Good luck!

 

[bnaseam]

Looks good to me, although I have no idea about the new GRE scoring system.
Make sure you have a great PS. Otherwise the only nitpick is the slightly lower science GPA - a question might be Did you take upper level science classes and do well?

Did I mention to work on your PS?

Definitely will work on the PS, when I meet to review my previous application I'll ask about it. I did take upper level science classes and did well. My last two semesters were almost all upper level science classes and my lowest grade was an A-. The thing that drove my last 45 hours GPA down was a C+ in physics. Thanks for your input!

 

[futurevet21]

trying to decide whether to apply this year or wait until next round! Any advice would be appreciated!

Junior at good sized research university
bio major
GPA: 3.25
science GPA: ~3.0
hopefully my GPA will go up a little after this semester. I'm also worried that VMCAS will calculate my GPA to be lower because I had to retake a couple classes (calc 3 & ochem 1)

Haven't taken the GRE yet, but I plan on studying and trying to do pretty well

Vet experience: will be ~450 hours when I apply
~300 hours with small animal vet shadowing for surgeries- really good quality experience
~100 hours with same vet for appointments
plan to get experience with a large animal/equine vet this summer (probably ~40 hours)

Animal experience: ~750 hours
~50 hours shelter volunteer
~300 hours petsitting
~400 hours summer job in petting zoo

Research experience: ~1330 hours
~300 hours undergraduate research working on stream research (which was published in a government report)
~300 hours in same lab working on plant genetics research
~250 hours lab assistant for different plant bio lab
will get 480 hours more this summer from bio research fellowship
I also took two research-based classes, presented research from one at American Society for Microbiology annual meeting. I don't think this would count in my hours though since it was for a class...
I am worried because none of my research is animal-related, except the stream one which involved insect larvae.

Other:
-president of pre-vet club
-helped start a free summer camp for at-risk youth
-chem minor, art minor, women's studies minor

 

[Bailbru]

Undergrad overall GPA 3.38 GRE 144 math, 146 verbal, 4 writing. My stats were not superb but I got into MIssissippi and declined Alabama. My competition was a lot of 4.0's. I worked full time at undergrad at various places like animal shelters, wildlife rehab center, emergency vet hospital, and normal vet hospital. All while taking 17 plus credits of science math classes every semester since day 1. Plus I served in the military, and did great at interview. It's all about well rounded applicants, not just strong student. Apply broadly. Some schools want 4.0's, others want more, beyond academics. It's not what you can learn, but what you can do. I maintained competitive GPA taking full course load and worked towards understanding veterinary medicine beyond what most gain from shadowing here and there.

 

[Bailbru]

I also did undergraduate research at my university and research internship at medical school for 3 months. I think that's why they overlooked my GRE because at that time I was working full time, school full time, research, vet school apps, and studying for GRE. In the end I made it. My last 45 GPA was 3.56 all biology courses and some math. Science and math 3.4, overall 3.38. Good luck

 

[Tortaspie]

Hey you guys want to see a land slide? Here we go...

cGPA: 2.72
sGPA: 2.6ish
Medical lab science major

My GPA sucks I know. I plan on retaking some general classes that I got D's in several years ago. I am a senior so I still got some classes I need to take which I plan on doing well in. If I have to take additional classes after I graduate, I will.

I purchased an online program for studying for the GRE. I plan on studying all summer and trying to score as high as possible. If I have to take it a few times I will.

Veterinary experience: this summer I plan on getting a job in a clinic or volunteering as much as I can. Where I live none of the vet clinics ever seem to hiring.

I did shadow a small animal/equine vet for 2 weeks.

I was able to occassionally shadow a zoo veterinarian.

Animal experience:
300 hours working on a junior zoo crew over 2 summers
100 hours working as a zoo corps volunteer, as well as in a program called TLC, where I took care of the zoos educational animals

Laboratory experience: by the time I graduate as a MLS in about a year I should have around 400+ hours of laboratory experience

Research:
I am currently involved in research that involves studying giardiasis in beavers and helping to relocate beaver families to distant mountain streams, as to change the kill policy.

Other volunteer work:
I am currently volunteering for nature abounds as a turtle ambassador. I try to educate people about turtles and tortoises and spread awareness about problems involving chelonians.

I am also a "watch the wild" volunteer for nature abounds.

I want to be an exotic/herp veterinarian

 

[Bailbru]

Hey you guys want to see a land slide? Here we go...

cGPA: 2.72
sGPA: 2.6ish
Medical lab science major

My GPA sucks I know. I plan on retaking some general classes that I got D's in several years ago. I am a senior so I still got some classes I need to take which I plan on doing well in. If I have to take additional classes after I graduate, I will.

I purchased an online program for studying for the GRE. I plan on studying all summer and trying to score as high as possible. If I have to take it a few times I will.

Veterinary experience: this summer I plan on getting a job in a clinic or volunteering as much as I can. Where I live none of the vet clinics ever seem to hiring.

I did shadow a small animal/equine vet for 2 weeks.

I was able to occassionally shadow a zoo veterinarian.

Animal experience:
300 hours working on a junior zoo crew over 2 summers
100 hours working as a zoo corps volunteer, as well as in a program called TLC, where I took care of the zoos educational animals

Laboratory experience: by the time I graduate as a MLS in about a year I should have around 400+ hours of laboratory experience

Research:
I am currently involved in research that involves studying giardiasis in beavers and helping to relocate beaver families to distant mountain streams, as to change the kill policy.

Other volunteer work:
I am currently volunteering for nature abounds as a turtle ambassador. I try to educate people about turtles and tortoises and spread awareness about problems involving chelonians.

I am also a "watch the wild" volunteer for nature abounds.

I want to be an exotic/herp veterinarian

You won't get into any stateside vet school with that GPA. Minimum for most is 2.9, and thats at the very low end. You may need to take a lot of postbacc classes. Its not easy picking up your GPA as a senior from that compared to if you were a sophomore. You have a shot with atleast a 3.2 and superb GRE. Just being honest. You have to prove to committee that you can make it through vet school. If those are the grades you get in undergrad, which is significantly easier than veterinary school, it shows them you didn't work hard enough, or learn from your mistakes from failed study habits.

 

[Bailbru]

Hello! I'm applying this cycle for the class of 2020, and I would like to know my chances with these stats specifically

Academics:
cGPA: 3.0
sGPA: 3.0
last 45 GPA: 3.8
Verbal: 162 (89%)
Quant: 165 (90%)
Writing: 4.5 (80%)

Vet hours:
250 volunteer spayneuter clinic
250 wildlife medicine internship
400 veterinary assistant at small animal clinic

Animal hours:
20 hrs animal shelter
300 hrs lab animal tech

Research:
750 hrs biophotonics (publication)
350 hrs bioengineering senior design project
1100 hrs molecular bio lab

I know gpa is weakest part of my profile. I've been retaking a couple prereqs so the sGPA may be a tiny bit higher for schools that do grade replacement (~3.2). Other than that, I'm basically looking at schools that don't look at cGPA (UC davis, louisiana, iowa, kansas) and a couple other ones.

Also I'm really interested in research!!

Thanks in advance guys! really appreciate the help this thread has provided me.

You need to apply to schools that focus on last 45 GPA. Mississippi is great school

 

[bakedjps]

You need to apply to schools that focus on last 45 GPA. Mississippi is great school

Yea that's what I'm doing! I looked at Mississippi before, from their website it seems like they look at a ton of different GPA's? I feel like I probably wouldn't be qualified to apply there

 

[Bailbru]

Yea that's what I'm doing! I looked at Mississippi before, from their website it seems like they look at a ton of different GPA's? I feel like I probably wouldn't be qualified to apply there

MSU is one of the hard one's to get into. I feel that they have a cut off GPA standard, which you seem to fit based on last 45 hours. Then its all about interview and experience. They want well-rounded applicants with good work ethics. I would definitely add MSU-CVM to the list of schools to apply to. Pick 3-4 schools, one your instate, then Mississippi, tuskegee, and one by the great lakes such as one in michigan. apply broadly based on what pre-reqs you have completed already. Every school needs certain ones, so choose wisely. Avoid cut throat schools that focus mostly on GPA, GRE like Penn/Cornell/Davis/Texas. I chose MSU over my instate because I want to be the best surgeon in my time, so you gotta go to the best school to get you ready for hands on skills on top of studying. 2+ 2 program all the way!!!