What are my chances?

[Despoina]

I posted last time but didn't receive and feedback so I thought I'll re-post with my GRE scores included this time!

26 yr old, Female, NYC resident
B.S. in General biology, Clarkson University
A.A.S in Veterinary Science Technology, SUNY Delhi
Applying to: Tufts, UPenn, UC Davis, St. Georges, Cornell (ISS), RVC, OSU, MSU, Virgina

CUM GPA (Clarkson): 2.73
CUM GPA (Delhi): 3.62
Last 45 hours: ~3.6
GRE: 157/V ; 153/Q ; 4.0/A

5 eLors:
- 2 from clinical veterinarians who I work with at the facility
- 1 from the assistant director, also a DVM, of veterinary services at the facility
- 2 from professors from my veterinary technology school

Veterinary experience:
I am a licensed veterinary technician working at a research facility, taking care of the animals ranging from common research animals, large farm animals, to small lab animals. September would be my 1 year anniversary there. I also have ~1200 hours of specialized clinical experience in oncology and neurology from my externship at a large animal ER specialty hospital. While I was in school at SUNY Delhi, I had different projects including NHP data organization, laboratory mentoring, and maintaining a breeding colony. I also recently obtained my Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician certification and will be taking my Laboratory Animal Technician certification next month as well.

I know my GPA is pretty low from my first college and my semester GPA fluctuated a lot. But my second degree, a year or two later, was solid across the board. I graduated Cum laude and won numerous awards, one from Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharm. as well. I took all the veterinary courses that was offered at my school and have tried to gain as much experience as possible in the laboratory animal field. I'm just wondering how much my GPA from my first college would affect me.

Thank you for your help!

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[andie6]

Hi, I'm a nontraditional student who has taken a little while off of school, but wanting to apply to vet school next year (2016) and I'd just like some opinions on if I should even bother. In 2009 I graduated with a B.S. in Biology with a 2.79. Then I started my Master's in Marine Environmental Science, of which I did 2 semesters with a GPA of 3.6. I then decided that wasn't the path for me and I joined the military. I served for 4 years, during which time I served 1 year overseas in the middle east, became a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician, retook a class I did poorly in undergrad (bringing my gpa up to a whopping 2.8), and also took an animal nutrition course (getting an A). I got out of the military after my 4 years because I wanted to go to vet school. I still have to retake the gre, since I took it so long ago (2009), but I'm confident I can do well. I'm currently working at a zoo as a zookeeper to get experience, I'm getting to shadow the vet that comes once a week, and learn a lot about the zoo animals (I'm interested in wildlife medicine). I'm trying to find a job working with a veterinarian, but until I do I thought the zoo would be good experience. I'm hoping to get a lot of good experience between now and next year which would maybe, possibly make up for my poor undergrad grades, or if it will even make a difference if a school won't look at me with my gpa. If anyone has any thoughts I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[MantisCat]

29 yr old, Female, Denver CO
First time applicant to VMCVM, Cornell, CSU

A.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science
Finishing up B.S in Biology at CU Denver

Cumulative GPA: 3.68
Last 45 hours: 3.8 ish
GRE: 166/V ; 150/Q ; 4.0/A

3 eLORs - 1 from exotic vet, 1 from immunology professor, 1 from laboratory supervisor

4o0 ish hours working and volunteering at a mixed small and exotic practice vet
100 ish hours at animal shelters/wildlife rehab
8 year military experience
Currently work as a clinical laboratory technician doing diagnostic testing in a hospital blood bank
Experience as Learning Assistant for General Genetics course
Officer in Pre-Vet Club

I feel my obvious weaknesses are my sucky GRE Quant score >< and my lack of experience with large animals. If I don't get in this cycle, I'm going to work on those.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Hi, I'm a nontraditional student who has taken a little while off of school, but wanting to apply to vet school next year (2016) and I'd just like some opinions on if I should even bother. In 2009 I graduated with a B.S. in Biology with a 2.79. Then I started my Master's in Marine Environmental Science, of which I did 2 semesters with a GPA of 3.6. I then decided that wasn't the path for me and I joined the military. I served for 4 years, during which time I served 1 year overseas in the middle east, became a nationally registered Emergency Medical Technician, retook a class I did poorly in undergrad (bringing my gpa up to a whopping 2.8), and also took an animal nutrition course (getting an A). I got out of the military after my 4 years because I wanted to go to vet school. I still have to retake the gre, since I took it so long ago (2009), but I'm confident I can do well. I'm currently working at a zoo as a zookeeper to get experience, I'm getting to shadow the vet that comes once a week, and learn a lot about the zoo animals (I'm interested in wildlife medicine). I'm trying to find a job working with a veterinarian, but until I do I thought the zoo would be good experience. I'm hoping to get a lot of good experience between now and next year which would maybe, possibly make up for my poor undergrad grades, or if it will even make a difference if a school won't look at me with my gpa. If anyone has any thoughts I would greatly appreciate it.

Hi! Just a few things that came to mind when reading your post:

1. What schools are you interested in? Different schools approach admissions differently, especially when it comes to repeated courses and how they calculate those grades. If you repeat pre-reqs to raise your GPA (which I recommend you do), you can play this to your advantage. Look for schools that will allow you to delete old coursework (Illinois, for example) or that completely replace old grades with your repeat grades (as opposed to just averaging them). If you ended up deleting a year of coursework, you'd have to repeat any pre-reqs you deleted with that year anyways.
2. It sounds like some of your coursework will be at least 7 years old by the time you apply. A few schools have expiration dates on prerequisite coursework, so just keep an eye out for that. Most are 10 years, but just make sure you can meet that requirement.
3. Zookeeping is great experience, but it would only be animal experience. Animal experience can only help you, but veterinary experience is what you need. The average for applicants hovers around 1000 hours (and the more varied, the better). Having a ton of experience won't entirely make up for a low GPA, which brings me to my next point...
4. Your GPA is rather low, but that certainly doesn't mean you have no chance. You may just have to work harder/longer to get accepted. Watch out for minimum GPAs, some schools automatically cut any student below a 2.75 or 3.0. Some schools might even cut off a bit higher. By cutting off, I mean rejecting right off the bat without further consideration.

To help offset a 2.8, you'd need significant amounts of really high quality/unique experiences, awesome essays/interviews, and great letters of recommendation. It's definitely not impossible, but it will take some planning. Those two semesters of graduate work will help boost you and potentially make more schools available for you to choose from. I'm not sure if schools average undergraduate and graduate GPAs as one lump cumulative GPA, though.

 

[AllieLane]

Hi everyone, glad that I found this thread! I am a non-traditional applicant and working on my application for c/o 2021, so I'd love to get some suggestions on what I should be working on in the year before I apply (or if I should apply at all!).

25 yr old female, Illinois resident
Will apply: Illinois, UPenn, Cornell, Purdue, KSU, Wisconsin-Madison, probably a few more

GPA: 3.5 ish
Science GPA: 3.7 ish (could be higher since I am still in school)
Had a MA in psychology and just started a MS in animal science
GRE: 157/V; 167/Q; 4.5/AW

And I still need a few pre-req (general chem, physics, and org chem depending on the school I will apply).

Experience:
Vet: NONE
Research: more than 1000 hrs research experience, including fish, lab mice, cattle, poultry, sheep and goats
Animal: around 200 hrs in animal shelter (cats, dogs, rabbits & birds), zoos
Leadership: graduate student government, university diversity committee
Employment: 1.5 yrs part-time job in library, a couple of short-term internship

eLORs: 2 from university professors (academic advisor in undergraduate and graduate school), 2 from volunteer supervisors, 1 from employer, NONE from vets

As you may see I was on the academic track for many years before I decided to do vet med about a year ago. I was once in a PhD program but quit after four years when I finally figured out that graduate school is not the best choice for me. Since I still enjoy working with animals, I decided to switch to vet med and started a master's program in animal science. That's why I have so much research experience but nothing on the clinical side.

I am applying for c/o 2021, so I still have one year to get some clinical experience and LORs from vets. I have been searching for a while and applied to almost all the animal hospitals and clinics in this small town but got nothing. I guess one thing could be that I am available only on Saturdays and I can only volunteer. I am also volunteering at animal shelters and zoos, but the problems is I have no opportunity to work with vets at these places. Plus I still have some pre-req to get, and I can only squeeze them into my graduate school schedule with all other courses and my research, because there are no CC within driving distances where I can take them. Labs are required for chemistry and physics so online courses are not an option either. Not to mention that I will need my advisor's permission to take these undergrad courses. So at this point I even kind of doubt if I am being realistic about the vet school thing, and what are my chances to be admitted after working like crazy for the upcoming year. Tuition is not a concern - as long as I can get into somewhere and graduate, I can figure out a way to pay for the student loans (I don't have any debt for now).

I am determined and will definitely keep looking for vet shadowing & animal internship, but would also like to hear from you. Any advice will be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

 

[thecatastrophist]

Hi everyone, glad that I found this thread! I am a non-traditional applicant and working on my application for c/o 2021, so I'd love to get some suggestions on what I should be working on in the year before I apply (or if I should apply at all!).

25 yr old female, Illinois resident
Will apply: Illinois, UPenn, Cornell, Purdue, KSU, Wisconsin-Madison, probably a few more

GPA: 3.5 ish
Science GPA: 3.7 ish (could be higher since I am still in school)
Had a MA in psychology and just started a MS in animal science
GRE: 157/V; 167/Q; 4.5/AW

And I still need a few pre-req (general chem, physics, and org chem depending on the school I will apply).

Experience:
Vet: NONE
Research: more than 1000 hrs research experience, including fish, lab mice, cattle, poultry, sheep and goats
Animal: around 200 hrs in animal shelter (cats, dogs, rabbits & birds), zoos
Leadership: graduate student government, university diversity committee
Employment: 1.5 yrs part-time job in library, a couple of short-term internship

eLORs: 2 from university professors (academic advisor in undergraduate and graduate school), 2 from volunteer supervisors, 1 from employer, NONE from vets

As you may see I was on the academic track for many years before I decided to do vet med about a year ago. I was once in a PhD program but quit after four years when I finally figured out that graduate school is not the best choice for me. Since I still enjoy working with animals, I decided to switch to vet med and started a master's program in animal science. That's why I have so much research experience but nothing on the clinical side.

I am applying for c/o 2021, so I still have one year to get some clinical experience and LORs from vets. I have been searching for a while and applied to almost all the animal hospitals and clinics in this small town but got nothing. I guess one thing could be that I am available only on Saturdays and I can only volunteer. I am also volunteering at animal shelters and zoos, but the problems is I have no opportunity to work with vets at these places. Plus I still have some pre-req to get, and I can only squeeze them into my graduate school schedule with all other courses and my research, because there are no CC within driving distances where I can take them. Labs are required for chemistry and physics so online courses are not an option either. Not to mention that I will need my advisor's permission to take these undergrad courses. So at this point I even kind of doubt if I am being realistic about the vet school thing, and what are my chances to be admitted after working like crazy for the upcoming year. Tuition is not a concern - as long as I can get into somewhere and graduate, I can figure out a way to pay for the student loans (I don't have any debt for now).

I am determined and will definitely keep looking for vet shadowing & animal internship, but would also like to hear from you. Any advice will be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

You're going to have to be persistent. Illinois definitely will require some clinical experience even if you express interest in veterinary research.

Big, important thing: Illinois (and most other schools) WILL require a recommendation from a vet. There's no way around it. You don't have to have a paid position in a clinic, but I'd definitely say just call and ask for shadowing opportunities. It doesn't have to start as a permanent thing. If they can't take you long term, just see if you can come in for a few days at a time. Keep doing that until you find a vet willing to mentor you.

As for pre-read, I'd say talk to your advisor and work something out. Take something over the summer if you can when your schedule's lighter.

Edit: I'm also not sure how realistic c/o 2021 will be depending on your deficiencies. Physics can definitely be taken in a year but if you have no chemistry classes, that usually takes about two years. If you can't finish those by the time you'd matriculate, you'll want to look at c/o 2022 instead.

 

[AllieLane]

You're going to have to be persistent. Illinois definitely will require some clinical experience even if you express interest in veterinary research.

Big, important thing: Illinois (and most other schools) WILL require a recommendation from a vet. There's no way around it. You don't have to have a paid position in a clinic, but I'd definitely say just call and ask for shadowing opportunities. It doesn't have to start as a permanent thing. If they can't take you long term, just see if you can come in for a few days at a time. Keep doing that until you find a vet willing to mentor you.

As for pre-read, I'd say talk to your advisor and work something out. Take something over the summer if you can when your schedule's lighter.

Edit: I'm also not sure how realistic c/o 2021 will be depending on your deficiencies. Physics can definitely be taken in a year but if you have no chemistry classes, that usually takes about two years. If you can't finish those by the time you'd matriculate, you'll want to look at c/o 2022 instead.

Thank you so much for your response! In terms of pre-req, I already have one semester of org chem and one semester of biochem in my sleeve. I am planing one finishing physics and general chemistry in 1 year/3 semesters (my advisor agreed that I can take two courses next summer). But if I need one more semester of org chem (or even two more if they need to be "series"), I don't have a plan for it for now.

Maybe I should also consider c/o 2022. My current advisor will have no problem for me to stay 3 yrs for a master's degree. It's just it sounds like a waste of time for me to spend 7 years on two master's degrees. Also I took a lot of my pre-req back in 2010 and 2011, so by 2018 that will be seven or eight years ago. Anyways I will keep looking for shadowing/internship and see how far I can get by next fall.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions, they are super helpful and I really appreciate it!!

 

[andie6]

Hi! Just a few things that came to mind when reading your post:

1. What schools are you interested in? Different schools approach admissions differently, especially when it comes to repeated courses and how they calculate those grades. If you repeat pre-reqs to raise your GPA (which I recommend you do), you can play this to your advantage. Look for schools that will allow you to delete old coursework (Illinois, for example) or that completely replace old grades with your repeat grades (as opposed to just averaging them). If you ended up deleting a year of coursework, you'd have to repeat any pre-reqs you deleted with that year anyways.
2. It sounds like some of your coursework will be at least 7 years old by the time you apply. A few schools have expiration dates on prerequisite coursework, so just keep an eye out for that. Most are 10 years, but just make sure you can meet that requirement.
3. Zookeeping is great experience, but it would only be animal experience. Animal experience can only help you, but veterinary experience is what you need. The average for applicants hovers around 1000 hours (and the more varied, the better). Having a ton of experience won't entirely make up for a low GPA, which brings me to my next point...
4. Your GPA is rather low, but that certainly doesn't mean you have no chance. You may just have to work harder/longer to get accepted. Watch out for minimum GPAs, some schools automatically cut any student below a 2.75 or 3.0. Some schools might even cut off a bit higher. By cutting off, I mean rejecting right off the bat without further consideration.

To help offset a 2.8, you'd need significant amounts of really high quality/unique experiences, awesome essays/interviews, and great letters of recommendation. It's definitely not impossible, but it will take some planning. Those two semesters of graduate work will help boost you and potentially make more schools available for you to choose from. I'm not sure if schools average undergraduate and graduate GPAs as one lump cumulative GPA, though.

Thanks for your feedback. That's all good stuff for me to consider and look out for. One more question, do you think retaking some courses online would be accepted by schools to replace an old grade? Or do they not accept online courses?

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Thanks for your feedback. That's all good stuff for me to consider and look out for. One more question, do you think retaking some courses online would be accepted by schools to replace an old grade? Or do they not accept online courses?

Most schools accept online lectures for pre-reqs, but it's always best to double check with the ones your interested in! I took physics and biochem online and had no problems, myself.

 

[ThePetDoctor]

Thank you so much for your response! In terms of pre-req, I already have one semester of org chem and one semester of biochem in my sleeve. I am planing one finishing physics and general chemistry in 1 year/3 semesters (my advisor agreed that I can take two courses next summer). But if I need one more semester of org chem (or even two more if they need to be "series"), I don't have a plan for it for now.

Maybe I should also consider c/o 2022. My current advisor will have no problem for me to stay 3 yrs for a master's degree. It's just it sounds like a waste of time for me to spend 7 years on two master's degrees. Also I took a lot of my pre-req back in 2010 and 2011, so by 2018 that will be seven or eight years ago. Anyways I will keep looking for shadowing/internship and see how far I can get by next fall.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions, they are super helpful and I really appreciate it!!

I don't know which ones off the top of my head, but some schools only require 1 semester of ochem and 1 of biochem (Ohio State is one of them, although 2 semesters of biochem may be needed if the first didn't cover all the topics). I'd definitely look at all the schools and make sure the classes you already took are applicable (which I'm sure you have already done but it's a friendly reminder!) :]

 

[rockatiel]

I have no shame with posting again. NONE.

21 yr old, Female, Louisiana
First time applicant to LSU, Miss, and Ross

BA in Liberal Arts with honors thesis

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
Sci: 3.4
Last 45 hours: 3.8 ish
GRE: 152/V ; 148/Q ; 4.0/A

3 eLORs - 2 from vets, 1 from ochem professor,

8o0 ish hours working and volunteering at a mixed small and large practice vet
500 ish hours at animal shelters
Served on board of trustees for rescue
SGA; planned campus wide cleanup
Blue Key Honor Society
4700 pet ownership
Student council
30 hours research experience

Just submitted my app... How do I look

 

[katashark]

23. Female. Arizona.
First time applicant to.....a lot of schools.

BA in Science of Earth Systems
Concentration: Oceanography
Double Minor: Marine Biology and Natural Resources
Graduated Cum Laude with distinction in research

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.6
Last 45: 3.8

GRE: V/161, Q/159, W/5.5

4 eLORs: vet, supervisor, research supervisor, undergraduate advisor/professor

Vet: ~600hrs (small animal, exotics, sea turtles)
Animal: ~3000 (penguins, turtles, tortoises, birds, horses, fish, invertebrates)
Research: ~3000 (fish, snails, great white sharks, hammerheads, oceanography, volcanology, forest ecology)

[Looking for marine medicine, aquatics, etc]

 

[katashark]

I have no shame with posting again. NONE.

21 yr old, Female, Louisiana
First time applicant to LSU, Miss, and Ross

BA in Liberal Arts with honors thesis

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
Sci: 3.4
Last 45 hours: 3.8 ish
GRE: 152/V ; 148/Q ; 4.0/A

3 eLORs - 2 from vets, 1 from ochem professor,

8o0 ish hours working and volunteering at a mixed small and large practice vet
500 ish hours at animal shelters
Served on board of trustees for rescue
SGA; planned campus wide cleanup
Blue Key Honor Society
4700 pet ownership
Student council
30 hours research experience

Just submitted my app... How do I look

I'd say you look good. If you don't get in, maybe another GRE? More experience? That's pretty much all I can think of! Best of luck to you!!

 

[LuckySpartan]

I have no shame with posting again. NONE.

21 yr old, Female, Louisiana
First time applicant to LSU, Miss, and Ross

BA in Liberal Arts with honors thesis

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
Sci: 3.4
Last 45 hours: 3.8 ish
GRE: 152/V ; 148/Q ; 4.0/A

3 eLORs - 2 from vets, 1 from ochem professor,

8o0 ish hours working and volunteering at a mixed small and large practice vet
500 ish hours at animal shelters
Served on board of trustees for rescue
SGA; planned campus wide cleanup
Blue Key Honor Society
4700 pet ownership
Student council
30 hours research experience

Just submitted my app... How do I look

I would say your Sci-GPA is a bit low as well as your Cumulative GPA but your last 45 is competitive. Your GRE scores need a little improvement but you have decent experience hours. I am not familiar with the stats of the schools you are applying to but if you don't get accepted, I would retake the GRE and improve your Science GPA

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

Most schools accept online lectures for pre-reqs, but it's always best to double check with the ones your interested in! I took physics and biochem online and had no problems, myself.

Where did you find physics and biochemical online? I haven't looked in awhile, so no clue what's available.

 

[Caiter92]

Where did you find physics and biochemical online? I haven't looked in awhile, so no clue what's available.

I'm taking Biochem online through Colorado state. Physics is online through Mizzou and Michigan State. There are others schools too, those were just the two I was looking into when I was considering applying to schools I would need Physics II for.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Where did you find physics and biochemical online? I haven't looked in awhile, so no clue what's available.

Michigan State (I'm most familiar with this school) offers both online. Oregon offers a bunch of online classes too, as well as UC Berkeley.

 

[hazelmoo]

23. Female. Arizona.
First time applicant to.....a lot of schools.

BA in Science of Earth Systems
Concentration: Oceanography
Double Minor: Marine Biology and Natural Resources
Graduated Cum Laude with distinction in research

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
Science: 3.6
Last 45: 3.8

GRE: V/161, Q/159, W/5.5

4 eLORs: vet, supervisor, research supervisor, undergraduate advisor/professor

Vet: ~600hrs (small animal, exotics, sea turtles)
Animal: ~3000 (penguins, turtles, tortoises, birds, horses, fish, invertebrates)
Research: ~3000 (fish, snails, great white sharks, hammerheads, oceanography, volcanology, forest ecology)

[Looking for marine medicine, aquatics, etc]

Can I have your life, please?? ^_^ Sharks are my favorite!

 

[katashark]

Can I have your life, please?? ^_^ Sharks are my favorite!

Hahaha, but sharks are my favorite!!!

 

[jcc3sa]

Hi folks, your thoughts are appreciated...

25, Male, Virginia
First time applicant; applying to VA-MD, Penn, UF, Mich, Iowa St, Tufts, and Minnesota

BS Biology, BA Envi Sci from the University of Virginia
Overall GPA: 3.32 (ouch...)
Science GPA: 3.5-3.6, depending on school
Last 45: 3.77 (thankfully almost exclusively upper division science coursework)

GRE: 164V, 160Q, 4.5AW

4 eLORs: SPCA head vet & medical director, veterinary surgeon (DACVS), Lab PI (Assoc. Prof of Cell Biology), Lab PI and former cell/molec and biological imaging prof (Assoc. Prof of Biology)

Vet: ~450 hrs b/w veterinary surgery clinic (all SA), emergency clinic (all SA), animal shelter (all SA), wildlife hospital; anticipating taking a week off from work in Oct. or Nov. to shadow at a LA surgery clinic for a week
Animal: ~1000 b/w interning at the Va Zoo and the Va Living Museum in high school
Research: ~4000 b/w the following: Rickettsia and Borrelia vector analysis, sequencing, RFLP development, and fieldwork; studying Mycobacteriosis in striped bass in terms of extent of pathology and ecological conditions contributing to exacerbation of disease in the Ches Bay; investigation of the role of cytoplasmic dynein in the retrograde transport of axon cargo in hippocampal and cortical rat and murine neurons (this is my current research position; salaried, working full time); studying the dynamics and evolutionary ramifications of sexual selection in Anolis lizards

Anticipating a career studying zoonotic disease transmission (bit hackneyed at this point, I'm sure...). My primary interest revolves around the implications of agricultural expansion on the exacerbation of disease transmission between wildlife and livestock, and the subsequent effects on public health.

 

[jcc3sa]

You actually look good to me. Yeah, the cumulative GPA is a tad low, but I've certainly seen worse (*coughmewithmy3.2cough*), and both your science and last 45 hours GPAs are at least within competitive range. Your GRE is fantastic. I feel like your large amount of research experience will be a major asset to you, too, and I'd be content with the animal experience you've got. The veterinary experience is a smidge low, but if you do manage to go shadow the LA clinic and can rack up some hours there, I think you will be fine on that front. I'd also advocate looking to possibly apply to programs where last 45 hours and science GPAs are weighed more heavily than cumulative.

In all honesty, I think you definitely have a pretty darn decent shot this cycle, despite the lower cumulative GPA. If you don't get accepted, maybe start foraying into one or two more fields of vet med -- even if it's only for a couple of days or so -- and diversify and, if possible, retake any pre-reqs with lower grades if you've got any (I do understand that this may not necessarily be of much help to you depending on your particular situation, as I have a lower cumulative GPA as well but all of my poor grades were in non-science classes 4+ years ago).

Good luck!

EDIT: Sorry, just saw that you did the list the schools you're applying to. I think those are good choices with your stats.

I'm in a similar situation with regards to cumulative gpa. Been out of school for two years working in research full time, so to be honest I don't know how much sense it would make to take additional classes (especially since my Cs were in random humanities courses during my first three semesters). I'm hoping the large animal shadowing works out next month, since I'm so biased towards SA for vet hours. However, since my goal is to pursue veterinary research/public health, I'd like to think that the majority of my experience hours are in the right place.

Good luck to you too!

 

[FeenyFee]

I posted on this thread a while back with my stats (GPA and GRE) but I decided to take time off to really gain experience in the vet field and volunteer to strengthen my application. I wanted to know if you think there are any weak spots or what I should focus more on -- this is what I should have done before I apply next May to UF, Auburn and NC (and a few more that I am still researching). Any advice is appreciated!!

Major in biomedical sciences, minor in psych
Overall GPA: 3.85
Science GPA: 3.72 (not sure about this so I lowballed it. I got a B- in orgo 1 and that was my lowest)
Last 45: 3.90+
GRE: V150, Q147, 4.0 (My Q is in the 28% percentile) Working on this for sure.

Experience that I already have:
35 hrs shadowing small animal vet
100 hrs research in chem/bio lab
35 hrs research in micro lab
52 hrs volunteer receptionist for ACS Hope Lodge
4 hrs shriners (worth putting if it was a small one time thing?)
1500+ hrs of riding dressage and working as a stablehand in exchange for lessons
HOBY ambassador in high school

Experience that I should be gaining in this gap year:
Vet-
850 hrs of working as a vet tech in a small animal clinic that also sees goats *one good LOR from the vet I work for
50 hrs shadowing avian exotic vet
50 hrs shadowing large animal vet

Animal-
200 hrs of volunteering at Big Cat Rescue
100 hrs of volunteering at a horse sanctuary
450 hrs working at doggie daycare and boarding facility *LOR from trainer and owner of facility


Is there something else I should focus on besides getting my GRE scores up? I feel like I should have some leadership experience but I already graduated so I can't really do anything in a club.

 

[postbaccpostup]

Hello All!
I've been tracking these threads for months and can officially post now that the VMCAS Gods have assigned me my calculated GPA
If anyone is free to glance over my stats and give me some gleam of reassurance/gentle critiques, I'd be more than grateful.

26 yr old, Female, California
Non-trad first time applicant to Davis, Western, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Ohio, Cornell, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, UPenn, Michigan
('cast a wide net,' they said, 'it'll increase your chances' they said)

B.S. in Pure Mathematics (minors in African Studies and Music)
Post-Bacc toward Microbio B.S. (soon to be gen Bio B.A)

Cumulative GPA: 3.48
Overall Science: 3.77
Last 45 hours: 3.85
GRE: 157/V ; 163/Q ; 4.0/A

4 eLORs - 2 from small animal vets, 1 from ochem professor, 1 from cell bio professor
+1 from additional small animal vet for Cornell's supplemental app

Vet Experience:
2600 hrs at SA clinic as a vet assistant
600 hrs at GP/Emergency/Specialty hospital (SA) as a vet assistant
+~20 hrs shadowing a vet student friend at a rehab clinic, assisting an ultrasound specialist

Animal Experience:
30 hrs volunteering on a farm at my community college
880 hrs volunteering at an animal shelter when I was younger, with rabbits
30 hrs working with/shadowing a horseback riding coach

Work Experience:
800 hrs as a barista
960 hrs as an admin assistant for a restaurant
400 hrs as a math professor's assistant in undergrad

Volunteer Experience:
1600 hrs as a performing member/Fundraising Chair of college performance group (japanese drumming)
250 hrs volunteering in various capacities in Ghana during my study abroad year (tutoring mostly)
80 hrs volunteering with a political grassroots campaign

Personal Statement: I could barely fit in everything I wanted to say while also including my explanation of career-change...rereading it now that my application is verified, I probably could've reviewed it a couple more times. D'oh.

Now that everything's out there and submitted, all I can feel is ACK why did I apply to Cornell/UPenn/NCSU ...ACK ACK ACK [insert Cathy cartoon]
At this point allll I want is to be able to copy-paste this post into the Class 2020 stats thread with good news. All I want.

If anyone has thoughts on my stats...thank you in advance.
It's gonna be a long couple of weeks as we wait for responses.

 

[katashark]

Hello All!
I've been tracking these threads for months and can officially post now that the VMCAS Gods have assigned me my calculated GPA
If anyone is free to glance over my stats and give me some gleam of reassurance/gentle critiques, I'd be more than grateful.

26 yr old, Female, California
Non-trad first time applicant to Davis, Western, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Ohio, Cornell, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, UPenn, Michigan
('cast a wide net,' they said, 'it'll increase your chances' they said)

B.S. in Pure Mathematics (minors in African Studies and Music)
Post-Bacc toward Microbio B.S. (soon to be gen Bio B.A)

Cumulative GPA: 3.48
Overall Science: 3.77
Last 45 hours: 3.85
GRE: 157/V ; 163/Q ; 4.0/A

4 eLORs - 2 from small animal vets, 1 from ochem professor, 1 from cell bio professor
+1 from additional small animal vet for Cornell's supplemental app

Vet Experience:
2600 hrs at SA clinic as a vet assistant
600 hrs at GP/Emergency/Specialty hospital (SA) as a vet assistant
+~20 hrs shadowing a vet student friend at a rehab clinic, assisting an ultrasound specialist

Animal Experience:
30 hrs volunteering on a farm at my community college
880 hrs volunteering at an animal shelter when I was younger, with rabbits
30 hrs working with/shadowing a horseback riding coach

Work Experience:
800 hrs as a barista
960 hrs as an admin assistant for a restaurant
400 hrs as a math professor's assistant in undergrad

Volunteer Experience:
1600 hrs as a performing member/Fundraising Chair of college performance group (japanese drumming)
250 hrs volunteering in various capacities in Ghana during my study abroad year (tutoring mostly)
80 hrs volunteering with a political grassroots campaign

Personal Statement: I could barely fit in everything I wanted to say while also including my explanation of career-change...rereading it now that my application is verified, I probably could've reviewed it a couple more times. D'oh.

Now that everything's out there and submitted, all I can feel is ACK why did I apply to Cornell/UPenn/NCSU ...ACK ACK ACK [insert Cathy cartoon]
At this point allll I want is to be able to copy-paste this post into the Class 2020 stats thread with good news. All I want.

If anyone has thoughts on my stats...thank you in advance.
It's gonna be a long couple of weeks as we wait for responses.

Hey we applied to 7 of the same schools. Good luck!

 

[thinkpawsitive]

Hey everyone! I'm a first time applicant for 2020 and new to SDN so bear with me!

21 yr old, female, NC resident
applying to NCSU (top choice), UGA, VA-MD, Purdue
graduating with a BS Biology in May 2016

Cum GPA: 3.90
Science GPA: 3.86
Last 45 GPA: 3.87
GRE: 159/Q, 160/V, 4.0/A

3 eLORS
1 from a veterinarian at a mixed animal practice I work for
1 from the PhD scientist I assisted with research
1 from the advisor for the Student Alumni organization at my college that I served on executive council for

Veterinary Experience:
700 hours at a mixed practice clinic (small animals, small exotics, birds, small ruminants) as a veterinary assistant
140 hours at a non-profit spay and neuter clinic as a clinic assistant

Research Experience:
100 hours assisting with genetics research doing PCR on song sparrow DNA

Animal Experience:
140 hours doing husbandry as a program animals intern at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (native NC wildlife - mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates)
130 hours volunteering at an animal shelter

Involvement:
6 months in Northern Italy through a full immersion study abroad program
Pre-Veterinary Society - Treasurer
Student Alumni Associates - Executive Fundraising Chair
Zeta Tau Alpha - Activities chair
Phi Kappa Phi - top 10% honor society
Rho Lambda - women's greek honor society

Work Experience:
Sales Associate at a wedding dress shop
Hostess

Personal statement: Mostly attested to how my interests in mixed practice and exotic work began when I interned with wildlife and grew when I then became employed at a mixed practice. Spoke about how I had first intended to major in Psychology and how my strengths with people will not be lost on the communication and empathy needed to be a successful veterinarian. Also touched on how working in genetics research gave me an appreciation for the non-clinical aspects of vet med.

My largest concern is my lack of specific large animal experience but I am hoping some of my other strengths will help to balance that out. We do see a large variety of animals at my mixed practice including goats, pigs, african serval cats, and a couple monkeys, not to mention all the normal exotic pets, and I tried to emphasize that in my personal statement.

I am hesitant to post as there is nothing more I can do for this application cycle, but I feel like getting some feedback may help my sanity! Good luck to all my fellow applicants!

 

[m24ca]

Hey there everybody! I lost my account info, including my email account, but I'm prxm08 from about a year ago. Most of the old stuff isn't too relevant. Long story I screwed up a while ago, it tanked my GPA, I took a break, worked, got my life on track, and grades are sharp now. I did a lot of research since the last post (which I should've done before -_-) and found out that I can likely afford Davis and Missouri in addition to A&M (my in-state). Davis is looking unlikely, but I discovered that Missouri has the 6 year grade forgiveness! I'm not too too familiar with the way it works- I haven't found anyone here who has talked about using it- but I'd like some opinions. My GPAs are just guesses, but I've set the curve for ochem, physics, and bio so far this semester, and haven't had less than a 4.0 in the last 42 semester hours.

These stats will all be as of my application next fall:
My cum without forgiveness will be a 3.1
My cum with forgiveness will be a 3.8-4.0

My science without forgiveness will be a 3.1
My science with forgiveness will be a 3.8-4.0

My last 45 without forgiveness will be a 3.8-4.0
My last 45 with forgiveness will be a 3.8-4.0

My GRE will likely be 80th percentile verbal, 70th percentile quant, 4 writing. I took a practice test and think that I can realistically get the quant up to 80-85th with some time, money and effort if it's going to make that much of a difference. I know that Mizzou doesn't care that much about it, but if a 4.0 last 45, 85% quant would give me a fighting chance at Davis, even with a 3.1 science OOS, I think I could make it happen.

310 hours of small animal vet experience
120 hours large animal vet experience

Nonvet experience
300 small animal experience
200 large animal
50 poultry

LORs from two of the vets that I've worked under,and employer.

Several years of work experience as an electrician and electrical crew leader
Founded the pre-veterinary club at the school that I'm attending
Scholarship for high achieving science majors
Scholarship for general academic achievement


I was hesitant about Mizzou at first, but after doing some research, it looks like a great school. I'm about to look in to scheduling a visit. I just want to know if I'm deceiving myself by thinking that I might actually be a strong applicant, or if I'm missing something. This feels a bit too good to be true.

Thanks for yall's input!

 

[fredandcessna]

21 year old, Female, Iowa resident
B.S. in General biology, Iowa State University
Applying to: Iowa State, University of Minnesota, Kansas State, University of Illinois, and Washington State

CUM GPA: 3.36
Last 45 hours: ~ 3.5
GRE: 157/V (68%) ; 154/Q (63%) ; 4.5/A (80%)

4 eLors:
- 2 from clinical veterinarians who I worked with at a clinic
- 1 from the volunteer coordinator at the animal rescue league I volunteered at for 6 years
- 1 from a professor whom I had for undergrad

Veterinary experience:
I have worked at two vet clinics as a veterinary assistant, and I am still currently working in this position.
I interned at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic (~500 hours work)
Volunteered at an animal rescue league working with small animals, exotics, cats, and dogs (~200 hours)

Total, I have probably around 1000 hours working with animals of all types, EXCEPT large animals.

My GPA is my main concern. I am very confident in my letters of reccomendation, and feel my GRE scores are strong enough. While I have a decent amount of experience, I feel the variety of animals I've worked with is where I shine.

My main question is, do you feel my experience, GRE, etc. will make up for my GPA being less-than-average? I want honesty, and appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

 

[battie]

29 yr old, Female, Denver CO
First time applicant to VMCVM, Cornell, CSU

A.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science
Finishing up B.S in Biology at CU Denver

Cumulative GPA: 3.68
Last 45 hours: 3.8 ish
GRE: 166/V ; 150/Q ; 4.0/A

3 eLORs - 1 from exotic vet, 1 from immunology professor, 1 from laboratory supervisor

4o0 ish hours working and volunteering at a mixed small and exotic practice vet
100 ish hours at animal shelters/wildlife rehab
8 year military experience
Currently work as a clinical laboratory technician doing diagnostic testing in a hospital blood bank
Experience as Learning Assistant for General Genetics course
Officer in Pre-Vet Club

I feel my obvious weaknesses are my sucky GRE Quant score >< and my lack of experience with large animals. If I don't get in this cycle, I'm going to work on those.

I think you're pretty solid for CSU (don't know much about the other schools). They don't look at your cumulative GPA, but look at the trends. If you've kept a steady upward trend, then you'll be pretty solid.

Where did you shadow at? I'm from Aurora, so it's interesting to know where people get their experience at around the metro area.

I don't know which ones off the top of my head, but some schools only require 1 semester of ochem and 1 of biochem (Ohio State is one of them, although 2 semesters of biochem may be needed if the first didn't cover all the topics). I'd definitely look at all the schools and make sure the classes you already took are applicable (which I'm sure you have already done but it's a friendly reminder!) :]

There are 13 schools that only require one semester of Organic! I don't have organic II, so I had to think about that when applying.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

21 year old, Female, Iowa resident
B.S. in General biology, Iowa State University
Applying to: Iowa State, University of Minnesota, Kansas State, University of Illinois, and Washington State

CUM GPA: 3.36
Last 45 hours: ~ 3.5
GRE: 157/V (68%) ; 154/Q (63%) ; 4.5/A (80%)

4 eLors:
- 2 from clinical veterinarians who I worked with at a clinic
- 1 from the volunteer coordinator at the animal rescue league I volunteered at for 6 years
- 1 from a professor whom I had for undergrad

Veterinary experience:
I have worked at two vet clinics as a veterinary assistant, and I am still currently working in this position.
I interned at a wildlife rehabilitation clinic (~500 hours work)
Volunteered at an animal rescue league working with small animals, exotics, cats, and dogs (~200 hours)

Total, I have probably around 1000 hours working with animals of all types, EXCEPT large animals.

My GPA is my main concern. I am very confident in my letters of reccomendation, and feel my GRE scores are strong enough. While I have a decent amount of experience, I feel the variety of animals I've worked with is where I shine.

My main question is, do you feel my experience, GRE, etc. will make up for my GPA being less-than-average? I want honesty, and appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

Keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between veterinary and animal experience. Were you supervised by a vet at the wildlife clinic and the rescue league?

You GPA is a little low, so I'd suggest you continue to get more veterinary experience. 1000 hours is the average number for the average applicant who has a GPA of ~3.5, if that puts things into perspective. GRE scores always help, but they typically aren't heavily weighted. You're also really going to want that large animal experience.

 

[fredandcessna]

Keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between veterinary and animal experience. Were you supervised by a vet at the wildlife clinic and the rescue league?

You GPA is a little low, so I'd suggest you continue to get more veterinary experience. 1000 hours is the average number for the average applicant who has a GPA of ~3.5, if that puts things into perspective. GRE scores always help, but they typically aren't heavily weighted. You're also really going to want that large animal experience.

Thanks for the feedback! The animal rescue league was NOT supervised by a veterinarian, but the Wildlife clinic WAS supervised by a veterinarian! Hope this helps! I also just found out I am now in committee review for my top school, so I passed the academic review!!!

 

[heyyimhayley]

Keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between veterinary and animal experience. Were you supervised by a vet at the wildlife clinic and the rescue league?

You GPA is a little low, so I'd suggest you continue to get more veterinary experience. 1000 hours is the average number for the average applicant who has a GPA of ~3.5, if that puts things into perspective. GRE scores always help, but they typically aren't heavily weighted. You're also really going to want that large animal experience.

Just curious where that statistic is coming from the 3.5 GPA/1000 hours? I'd be interested in seeing if the number of hours decreases for higher GPAs and increases for lower... I mean it makes sense, I'm just curious if there is data.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Just curious where that statistic is coming from the 3.5 GPA/1000 hours? I'd be interested in seeing if the number of hours decreases for higher GPAs and increases for lower... I mean it makes sense, I'm just curious if there is data.

It's just a general number that seems to pop up a lot. I don't know that there is any compiled data for all schools or anything like that, but most schools seem to hover around a 3.5-3.6 for admitted GPAs.

Just looking at a few random schools: Illinois 3.6, Colorado 3.6, UC Davis 3.7, UT 3.67. In general, most schools seem to have an upward trend, so 3.5 might be getting a little low now. Not all schools list the average experience hours admitted applicants had. 1000 hours is a really good number to shoot for, regardless. 1000 hours seems to be a good number based off of this thread alone, though. I've seen a few schools "recommend" at least 500.

I don't think GPA and hours would always correlate like that (it might for some people, but not the whole pool). A 4.0 GPA likely doesn't need 2000 hours to be competitive, but that doesn't meant that they won't have them.

 

[cheathac]

The average in state Purdue GPA for the class of 2019 was a 3.78..... that really has me nervous but all I can do is try my best.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

The average in state Purdue GPA for the class of 2019 was a 3.78..... that really has me nervous but all I can do is try my best.

I think most schools are starting to reach 3.7 as their average admitted GPA now. It kinda makes me glad I got in now...who knows where we'll be in 5-6 years. Just remember that an average means there are people above and below that number!

 

[AshleyTa89]

Hi! I've never posted here but I saw a lot of people helping out with advice so I figured I would try, I'm sorry because I know this seems to be a real common question, so... What are my chances?
I am not the typical pre-vet student, I am 26 (will be 28 at time applying) so a little older than most people applying I think. I am planning to apply the fall of 2016. My main question is about my GPA. After high school I went to community college because it was a requirement for living at my house. I did not do so well and eventually dropped out after 2 and a half years. After taking a few years off of school to figure out what I wanted to do I decided being a vet was the only thing I really wanted. I had tried to avoid it due to the all the money, but at the end of the day if I can be happy what with what I'm doing that is what matters most to me. So here is where my GPA is
Community college- 70 credits 2.3 GPA (only 1 science class which I got an A in)
My last year of community college I did really well (looking just at that year I averaged about a 3.5) which got me into a 4- year college.
My current GPA at my four-year college after this semester will be a 3.1. Still on the low side but I'm working on it. I work 30 hours a week at a job that is 2hrs away because I have no help with money I have to work that much.
Vet experience-400 hours and growing
General Animal experience-between 13,000 and 15,000 (not including fostering or pet owning I know most schools don't count it. Full-time work for 9+ years at a dog boarding/grooming/training/daycare facility)
Will take GREs this winter.

So... I guess that is where I am at. I don't want to give up because this is what I want but I know I am not the ideal candidate, I would prefer to stay in the country mainly due to family, although I think 4 years on an island sounds amazing. However, realistically what are my chances? Should I just give up on vet school and look into vet tech school, at least I still get to work with animals at a vet.

Thanks!!!

 

[fredandcessna]

Hi! I've never posted here but I saw a lot of people helping out with advice so I figured I would try, I'm sorry because I know this seems to be a real common question, so... What are my chances?
I am not the typical pre-vet student, I am 26 (will be 28 at time applying) so a little older than most people applying I think. I am planning to apply the fall of 2016. My main question is about my GPA. After high school I went to community college because it was a requirement for living at my house. I did not do so well and eventually dropped out after 2 and a half years. After taking a few years off of school to figure out what I wanted to do I decided being a vet was the only thing I really wanted. I had tried to avoid it due to the all the money, but at the end of the day if I can be happy what with what I'm doing that is what matters most to me. So here is where my GPA is
Community college- 70 credits 2.3 GPA (only 1 science class which I got an A in)
My last year of community college I did really well (looking just at that year I averaged about a 3.5) which got me into a 4- year college.
My current GPA at my four-year college after this semester will be a 3.1. Still on the low side but I'm working on it. I work 30 hours a week at a job that is 2hrs away because I have no help with money I have to work that much.
Vet experience-400 hours and growing
General Animal experience-between 13,000 and 15,000 (not including fostering or pet owning I know most schools don't count it. Full-time work for 9+ years at a dog boarding/grooming/training/daycare facility)
Will take GREs this winter.

So... I guess that is where I am at. I don't want to give up because this is what I want but I know I am not the ideal candidate, I would prefer to stay in the country mainly due to family, although I think 4 years on an island sounds amazing. However, realistically what are my chances? Should I just give up on vet school and look into vet tech school, at least I still get to work with animals at a vet.

Thanks!!!

Don't give up! You're definitely in the running. While your GPA is on the low side, it sounds like your experience is quite detailed. I don't know about your GRE or what your letters of recommendation will look like obviously, but in my opinion, it seems your lower GPA won't hurt as badly as it would some other individuals because of all of your experience. Good luck to you!

 

[Jess Monster]

I think most schools are starting to reach 3.7 as their average admitted GPA now. It kinda makes me glad I got in now...who knows where we'll be in 5-6 years. Just remember that an average means there are people above and below that number!

I've always been curious if anyone checks admission stats for accuracy. Given the number of other errors one finds on admission websites and in admission materials, I wouldn't be surprised if that occurs. Plus, I've always seen the whole GPA/GRE stats as a bit of a pissing contest between schools and an easy place for statistical manipulation to occur. I am also cynical... and there have been scandals at some schools about misreporting admissions numbers (not vet schools to my knowledge).

 

[pinkpuppy9]

I've always been curious if anyone checks admission stats for accuracy. Given the number of other errors one finds on admission websites and in admission materials, I wouldn't be surprised if that occurs. Plus, I've always seen the whole GPA/GRE stats as a bit of a pissing contest between schools and an easy place for statistical manipulation to occur. I am also cynical... and there have been scandals at some schools about misreporting admissions numbers (not vet schools to my knowledge).

I'm sure it occurs....I talked to a dean of one of the vet schools who said schools are always one-upping each other if they can. I know GPAs are going up in general, but to see that a lot of schools are hitting/passing 3.7 seems high to me. Idk, maybe I'm in denial

 

[coffeelauren]

I know I'm a literal early (only a freshmen undergrad) but I was just wondering if I'm on the right track here.
My GPA technically is 3.85 but that is only based off of two classes that I took over the summer. I think i can get an A in my nutrition, gen bio, and algebra courses this fall, but I'm worried about philosophy. I have no idea what our grades are and i missed a couple assignments. I'm worried I'll end up with a C at the end and won't be able to fix it. Do you think that will hurt my chances a lot? I know it would demolish my GPA.....

As for other stuff, I'm involved in a lot of on campus clubs, but the only vet related thing I've been doing so far is trying to build a relationship with a clinic that provides reduced cost veterinary services to low income people (I live in a pretty urban area, so I drive into a relatively uncomfortable part of town to volunteer with this clinic once a week) and they capture feral cats and spay and neuter them. Last week the clinic suggested I apply for a job there and gave me an application. Do you think I'm on the right track here? The clinic does do surgeries, but it's not a traditional animal hospital and a LOT of what they do is spays/neuters.

 

[katashark]

I know I'm a literal early (only a freshmen undergrad) but I was just wondering if I'm on the right track here.
My GPA technically is 3.85 but that is only based off of two classes that I took over the summer. I think i can get an A in my nutrition, gen bio, and algebra courses this fall, but I'm worried about philosophy. I have no idea what our grades are and i missed a couple assignments. I'm worried I'll end up with a C at the end and won't be able to fix it. Do you think that will hurt my chances a lot? I know it would demolish my GPA.....

As for other stuff, I'm involved in a lot of on campus clubs, but the only vet related thing I've been doing so far is trying to build a relationship with a clinic that provides reduced cost veterinary services to low income people (I live in a pretty urban area, so I drive into a relatively uncomfortable part of town to volunteer with this clinic once a week) and they capture feral cats and spay and neuter them. Last week the clinic suggested I apply for a job there and gave me an application. Do you think I'm on the right track here? The clinic does do surgeries, but it's not a traditional animal hospital and a LOT of what they do is spays/neuters.

Your GPA is based off of 2 classes, also a C in philosophy won't kill you at all. Even if it messes up your GPA a little bit, your science GPA, 45 credits before vet school, and your overall gpa will matter more than 1 C you got your freshman year. Sure, it'll mess up one semester's GPA, but you also have 3 other classes you are taking this semester. I do not think it will hurt your chances at all, provided you do well in your upcoming years in college and supplement with experience. You have plenty of time to build the relationship and start working for the clinic. It counts as veterinary experience if it is supervised by a vet.

 

[coffeelauren]

Alright, thanks! I feel good, and even enjoy my math and science classes, but I've been stressing out a lot about this philosophy. Thank god it's my last gen ed....

 

[katashark]

Alright, thanks! I feel good, and even enjoy my math and science classes, but I've been stressing out a lot about this philosophy. Thank god it's my last gen ed....

I really wouldn't stress yourself too much about it. A C in a freshman year Gen Ed class doesn't do much.

 

[themountainsarecalling]

--

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

GRE wasn't as good as I would have liked...but I also took it with a 102 fever and couldn't justify spending the money to take it again when my score is decently okay

I feel your pain here. I took it during the discount period when they changed the format, so really didn't want to retake it. My daughter ended up scheduled for heart surgery just before the test. I just had to suck it up or cancel and pay full price for a new test date.

 

[ckurtzzz]

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I'll put it here, as I think it's relevant.

I've been dual degree in undergrad, BS Cell Bio and BA Classical Studies.

I'm considering graduating a year early with only a degree in Classics. I would then take a couple years, get a ton of vet/animal experience, finish pre-reqs, get residency somewhere with a school, and apply in a few years. My science GPA is about a 3.2, my overall a 3.37. If I graduate next semester with my BA my GPA would likely make it to a 3.4 and I would graduate cum laude. Also taking the pre-reqs as a part time student will allow me to do better in them as I'll have more time and energy to devote to them.

Would this harm my chances of getting into vet school? Right now I'm thinking NCSU or OKS, maybe UGA.

 

[coffeelauren]

I really wouldn't stress yourself too much about it. A C in a freshman year Gen Ed class doesn't do much.

alright, well that makes me feel sorta better. It's just there's barely any grades, so i feel like theres nothing i can do to keep the grade up. But yeah hopefully a C won't affect my GPA too much if there's just one.

 

[RedWall]

I have no shame with posting again. NONE.

21 yr old, Female, Louisiana
First time applicant to LSU, Miss, and Ross

BA in Liberal Arts with honors thesis

Cumulative GPA: 3.4
Sci: 3.4
Last 45 hours: 3.8 ish
GRE: 152/V ; 148/Q ; 4.0/A

3 eLORs - 2 from vets, 1 from ochem professor,

8o0 ish hours working and volunteering at a mixed small and large practice vet
500 ish hours at animal shelters
Served on board of trustees for rescue
SGA; planned campus wide cleanup
Blue Key Honor Society
4700 pet ownership
Student council
30 hours research experience

Just submitted my app... How do I look

Hi! Just curious, how come you limited yourself to just 3 schools? I think your stats are not too bad, especially for schools weighing last 45 more heavily

 

[katashark]

alright, well that makes me feel sorta better. It's just there's barely any grades, so i feel like theres nothing i can do to keep the grade up. But yeah hopefully a C won't affect my GPA too much if there's just one.

Yeah, you don't have a lot of credits currently. So, once you have more credits of As and Bs, then the effect of the C will be masked.

 

[coffeelauren]

Yeah, that's what I'm concerned about, is the initial effect on my very few credits haha. I could be worrying about nothing. I'm thinking worst case scenario here. I just have no idea what my grade is because the professor will not grade anything for the life of her.

 

[TheNerdiestRedneck]

Hello there!
I am a Junior at Randolph-Macon College in VA, and I was just wondering what suggestions anyone may have for classes to take in between graduating my current school and applying for vet school.
I will likely only graduate with a 3.0ish GPA (B.S. Bio major and Chem minor), so I plan on taking off a year or two after I graduate to try and strenthen my academics a bit, and gain more experiance. I've had a ton of animal experience throughout my life, have been working with vet for about 7 months now, and have an internship at a different clinic during our January term, so I already will have quite a bit of experience by the time I graduate. I will also use my time off to study hard for the GRE to try and get a really good score.
I will probably enroll in Purdue's Animal Nutrition class while I'm still in undergrad, but what other online classes are there that I could take? And does anyone know of any programs or in-person courses in VA that would be beneficial for me to take?
I know I don't really have to worry about any of that for another year and a half or so, but I'm a planner lol.