Academic Ranking in Admissions Process

[lordhelpmeee]

Hi All! As I'm sure many of us are anxiously waiting for admissions decisions I have had thoughts popping up about academic ranking during the admissions process for many of the schools. I know many schools "rank" applicants based on GPA initially and then go on to read applications that align with GPA cutoffs. I have a lower cGPA (3.3) with higher science, last 45, and a 4.0 graduate GPA. This is my first cycle, and I'm well aware of my challenges with my GPA for admissions. I have been already been denied from Illinois due to GPA, and they let me know they did not read my application. I'm nervous that my GPA will put me out of question for several other schools and my application will not get read. I am understanding of the massive increase in applications recently and know that admissions staff does not have time to read every application they receive. Does anyone have insight on this process? Do lower GPA apps just not get read by some schools? I know this is school dependent, but wondering if there is a sliver of hope that other aspects of my application will outshine my GPA. I just don't know if it will be read.

Edit: This isn't meant to be a WAMC post, just looking for insight from people who may have similar thoughts or experience.

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[Quinnley]

I’m also curious to see what people know about this process!
Anecdotally: I have a 3.2 cGPA and have passed academic review at Mississippi State—from unofficial sources, this means they moved on to the other aspects of my application and are done considering my academics.
I also did KIRA for University of Arizona, which about 20% of their applicants were invited to do this year, but I’ve been sitting on their interview waitlist ever since. No insight as to whether being waitlisted is due to my GPA or some other factor.
I also have six rejections so far (UC Davis, Melbourne, Edinburgh, Massey, North Carolina State, and South Dakota State) that I was either told were due to GPA or had no reason attached.
That’s what I know!

 

[JaynaAli]

You said it yourself, this is going to vary vastly from school to school. Some make initial cuts based upon GPA alone, some consider everything from the start…many have numeric grading schemes they may or may not publish. Your best bet as an applicant is to read the schools websites thoroughly and be aware of how each school does things. If you’re outside of their criteria, you’re just donating them your app fees and wasting money. Even among schools that make a first cut based upon GPA alone, some may make the cut based upon a number of apps (meaning they take the top X number of apps and toss everyone else), and others might have a firm GPA cutoff and look at everyone who meets that cutoff regardless of how many apps it is. Some consider GPA at all stages, some
may not consider GPA much if at all after you make an initial cutoff. It’s widely variable.

With that said, what one school has historically done might not be the way it’s always done in the future. Things had been shifting with some schools saying they were going to look at things more “holistically” and no longer considering GRE and whatnot, but with the recent downward trend in NAVLE pass rates, I wonder if they’ll reverse that and double down on GPA requirements/emphasis. That’s just supposition though from someone who has been around here reading posts for over a decade.

 

[goldenbear2024]

Hi All! As I'm sure many of us are anxiously waiting for admissions decisions I have had thoughts popping up about academic ranking during the admissions process for many of the schools. I know many schools "rank" applicants based on GPA initially and then go on to read applications that align with GPA cutoffs. I have a lower cGPA (3.3) with higher science, last 45, and a 4.0 graduate GPA. This is my first cycle, and I'm well aware of my challenges with my GPA for admissions. I have been already been denied from Illinois due to GPA, and they let me know they did not read my application. I'm nervous that my GPA will put me out of question for several other schools and my application will not get read. I am understanding of the massive increase in applications recently and know that admissions staff does not have time to read every application they receive. Does anyone have insight on this process? Do lower GPA apps just not get read by some schools? I know this is school dependent, but wondering if there is a sliver of hope that other aspects of my application will outshine my GPA. I just don't know if it will be read.

Edit: This isn't meant to be a WAMC post, just looking for insight from people who may have similar thoughts or experience.

I also have the same question as you. I'm gonna be totally honest and say I have around a 3.2 cGPA at Berkeley (w a chem degree) and I also have been rejected from Davis (IS) and Illinois for the same reason. My personal statement kinda touched on that and talked about the competition I faced amongst my peers but my love for vet med developed when I worked in a clinical setting and became more in touch w myself (culture, queerness, etc.) that I had lost in Cal's craziness. I explained this in my explanation statement too but again Davis and Illinois just rejected right off the bat so I'm really not sure how they factor in rigor because I do think my experiences are stronger. I am trying to stay hopeful while increasing my GPA by taking classes not at Berkeley (lol) and just getting more experiences! I do think that certain schools do read everything all together so hoping for those.

As much as I see the problem with standardized testing, I am frustrated that schools might be leaning towards GPA because of the massive grade deflation that happens at Berkeley. GPA varies so much between school to school and I could not afford to go to a school that is a bit more lenient since this is a public school.

 

[gartersotter]

I've searched on multiple admissions committees for several vet schools, and while I don't have much more to add beyond what was stated here, I do want to point out that even in the "holistic" review process, GPA counts for something. With so many applicants at every school, it really can be one or two relatively minor differences that knock you out of the running.

Yes, the downward trend in NAVLE pass rates across multiple vet schools is concerning to a number of people involved in the AAVMC and is prompting a closer look at more rigid GPA requirements in some places.

 

[pp9]

I have a lower cGPA (3.3) with higher science, last 45, and a 4.0 graduate GPA.

3.3 is going to be tough right now, and it's impossible to know how things will be in the future. I also am guessing that schools are going to tighten up admissions standards going forward. Some schools already have by default (applicants have gradually increased in numbers and academic stats with time), other schools have tried to relax things a bit in recent years and are paying the price.

For some perspective, I was sweating a bit with a 3.5ish (I don't remember) 10 years ago and had to apply twice. The schools I chose were not intensely competitive GPA-wise, either. The stories of people getting in with below 3.0's or low 3.0's are becoming verrrrry uncommon. A 3.3 has been on the lower side of the bell curve for as long as I can remember.

I'm nervous that my GPA will put me out of question for several other schools and my application will not get read.

It probably will, depending on the school and the applicant pool they have. Most (all?) schools make an initial cut based on GPAs. This is not new and has always been the first step. Like you have come to learn, some schools look at absolutely nothing else in your app during the first cut.

If you really want to get in and do this, I would do file reviews and start drafting a plan to improve your GPA. Veterinary school admissions often need some strategy - you have to get to know these schools and know what they want. Pre-med students often cast a massive net and see who bites. Pre-vets usually have to do a bit more in terms of planning and choosing, especially if you already know your stats are going to be a hurdle for you. For example, you should figure out which schools would weigh your graduate GPA the most and go from there.

As much as I see the problem with standardized testing, I am frustrated that schools might be leaning towards GPA because of the massive grade deflation that happens at Berkeley. GPA varies so much between school to school and I could not afford to go to a school that is a bit more lenient since this is a public school.

I hear you on the grading scale discrepancies among schools (or even among professors at the same school). I went through the same frustrations, however discrepancies are unlikely to be significant enough that you would have ended up with a dramatically different GPA elsewhere.

I disagree with the idea that vet schools shouldn't weigh GPA heavily. Veterinary school is a four-year, extremely rigorous and demanding curriculum. If you are having trouble with an undergrad level course load, you become a risky bet during the admissions process. Sure, there are variables that might have affected performance, and we get that. At the end of the day, however, GPA has always been a critical component of a veterinary school application. Always. I don't think everyone needs a 4.0, but you do need to have stats that offer reasonable assurance that you will be able to handle the academic load. GPA is the only objective way to determine that.

Getting a rejection stings, but the fact of the matter is that your stats are not competitive for UC Davis. UC Davis has been one of the most competitive (almost notoriously) schools for as long as I can remember. I always support giving your IS a try, no matter what school it is, but you are extremely unlikely to get into UC Davis with a 3.2. This is the equivalent of me being frustrated that I didn't quality for the NY marathon.

Ok, a bit of a dramatic comparison, but the principle still stands. I also didn't actually try to qualify, and never will. Lol.

I'm really not sure how they factor in rigor because I do think my experiences are stronger

Are you referring to your veterinary experience? If so, I don't think you're understanding the admissions process at these schools. Your veterinary experience is not considered at all during the initial application evaluations at either school.

 

[lordhelpmeee]

I have definitely noticed the significance of GPA now more than I did previously. I knew it would be pose a challenge for me and I have spent the last 5 years doing things to correct that. I am a non-traditional student and unfortunately did not realize vet med was for me until after I completed undergrad. A few upper level math courses required for my degree severely tanked my GPA in my first two years. I went back to school last year and have been taking pre reqs (doing really well!) and at this point those A's are like a drop in the ocean for my GPA. This is my last semester taking prereqs and I will be lucky if my GPA raises to a 3.4. I think that is what's frustrating coming from a non-traditional student standpoint. I can do all of this work, but getting A's is not making much of a difference in GPA due to the amount of credits I have. And I understand the perspective of admissions, they want people they know will succeed. But my performance in Calc shouldn't define my ability to do well in school and shouldn't cut me out of admissions before they see the full picture. In my opinion, that's just the sucky thing about this process. I still have 8 schools left to hear from, so all I can do is wait and hope. And if it doesn't work out, try again! Sorry for the soap, I really do understand the significance of grades and doing well in such a rigorous program. I just wholeheartedly believe that GPA only tells you so much about an applicant and how they will succeed in the field.

It probably will, depending on the school and the applicant pool they have. Most (all?) schools make an initial cut based on GPAs. This is not new and has always been the first step. Like you have come to learn, some schools look at absolutely nothing else in your app during the first cut.

If you really want to get in and do this, I would do file reviews and start drafting a plan to improve your GPA. Veterinary school admissions often need some strategy - you have to get to know these schools and know what they want. Pre-med students often cast a massive net and see who bites. Pre-vets usually have to do a bit more in terms of planning and choosing, especially if you already know your stats are going to be a hurdle for you. For example, you should figure out which schools would weigh your graduate GPA the most and go from there.

 

[channie]

I have definitely noticed the significance of GPA now more than I did previously. I knew it would be pose a challenge for me and I have spent the last 5 years doing things to correct that. I am a non-traditional student and unfortunately did not realize vet med was for me until after I completed undergrad. A few upper level math courses required for my degree severely tanked my GPA in my first two years. I went back to school last year and have been taking pre reqs (doing really well!) and at this point those A's are like a drop in the ocean for my GPA. This is my last semester taking prereqs and I will be lucky if my GPA raises to a 3.4. I think that is what's frustrating coming from a non-traditional student standpoint. I can do all of this work, but getting A's is not making much of a difference in GPA due to the amount of credits I have. And I understand the perspective of admissions, they want people they know will succeed. But my performance in Calc shouldn't define my ability to do well in school and shouldn't cut me out of admissions before they see the full picture. In my opinion, that's just the sucky thing about this process. I still have 8 schools left to hear from, so all I can do is wait and hope. And if it doesn't work out, try again! Sorry for the soap, I really do understand the significance of grades and doing well in such a rigorous program. I just wholeheartedly believe that GPA only tells you so much about an applicant and how they will succeed in the field.

I agree, it sucks knowing that how I performed in school 6 years ago has the most impact on me getting into vet school. I get they need to see you can academically perform well in vet school, but there are so many other factors that make someone a great vet. I have a 4.0 in my masters, which is a lot more rigorous than some of my undergrad courses were, but some schools only see how poorly I performed in classes in like sophomore year of college. I’ve spent so much time after undergrad gaining real life veterinary experience that most people don’t get when they go to vet school straight out of undergrad, working full time while also being a full time masters student. Trust me when I say I can handle rigor. But I have that cGPA looming telling admissions committees I’m not capable. We got this though!! There will be one school out there that sees how much work we have put into getting here and I won’t stop until I get there!

 

[pp9]

I have definitely noticed the significance of GPA now more than I did previously. I knew it would be pose a challenge for me and I have spent the last 5 years doing things to correct that. I am a non-traditional student and unfortunately did not realize vet med was for me until after I completed undergrad. A few upper level math courses required for my degree severely tanked my GPA in my first two years. I went back to school last year and have been taking pre reqs (doing really well!) and at this point those A's are like a drop in the ocean for my GPA. This is my last semester taking prereqs and I will be lucky if my GPA raises to a 3.4. I think that is what's frustrating coming from a non-traditional student standpoint. I can do all of this work, but getting A's is not making much of a difference in GPA due to the amount of credits I have. And I understand the perspective of admissions, they want people they know will succeed. But my performance in Calc shouldn't define my ability to do well in school and shouldn't cut me out of admissions before they see the full picture. In my opinion, that's just the sucky thing about this process. I still have 8 schools left to hear from, so all I can do is wait and hope. And if it doesn't work out, try again! Sorry for the soap, I really do understand the significance of grades and doing well in such a rigorous program. I just wholeheartedly believe that GPA only tells you so much about an applicant and how they will succeed in the field.

So this is why I said you should start coming up with a plan for raising your GPA, and/or start researching which schools would work with what you can offer now. Some schools average all attempts at classes. Some schools take the most recent attempt. Some schools allow you to 'delete' courses that are over __ years old, so they wouldn't be included in your GPA at all - you would have to retake any prereqs you delete, of course, but this can really help if you bombed some gen-ed courses/non-prereqs. Not all schools consider graduate GPA in the same way. Some schools don't consider cGPA at all, some don't consider last 45 at all. some consider all three (cGPA/sGPA/last 45).

This next bit is not completely directed at you, but is still relevant: I really think the 'strategy' part of the application process has been lost among the last few classes of applicants. I have been surprised to see how many posts here and in the APVMA group (and in the conversations I've had in person with prevets) that suggest there was little to no research or planning/thought that went into their application/school choices. When I read the post of yours I have quoted above, I very much got the impression that you have no idea that there are certain schools you would absolutely be more competitive at based on the small amount of info you've provided here. Of course, it's a forum, and I may be inferring too much. I'm just seeing this so often, especially this year in particular.

my performance in Calc shouldn't define my ability to do well in school and shouldn't cut me out of admissions before they see the full picture.

You specify one class you may have done poorly in (calc) as something that shouldn't be a roadblock for you, but with a 3.3 cGPA, calc wasn't the only class that you had trouble with. You are correct that GPA doesn't give you the whole picture of an applicant, but veterinary school applications have always been competitive and that will never change. I do not think we will ever see a world where you do not need to be academically competitive to get into vet school, med school, law school, etc.

Even as someone who was academically average at best, I never quite understood the thought process behind 'My stats weren't high enough to get into this competitive program, so it's the program's fault for wanting high stats.' That's what these posts (not just yours) ultimately are coming down to.

I agree, it sucks knowing that how I performed in school 6 years ago has the most impact on me getting into vet school.

See, this is exactly what I'm saying. You have old coursework that is holding you back. With you saying this, I have to assume you didn't know certain schools would delete this coursework upon petitioning, or you did know and chose not to apply to those schools anyways. You need to figure out which schools make the most sense with what you are working with (strategy).

 

[lordhelpmeee]

I'm not sure if you remember, but I specifically stated in my original post that this was not a WAMC post. I'm not looking for advice on my specific stats and I'm not looking to be attacked for how I performed when I was 18 years old. My undergraduate degree is specific and I did not "bomb" any of my gen ed courses, so retaking prereqs would not be beneficial for me at this point. I have already spend 8 grand on taking pre reqs for vet school that were not required for my degree (o chem, genetics, anatomy, etc). I am aware of schools that allow you to negate early years of grades, but that would require me to go back and take gen bio, gen chem, english, etc. It's not that easy, and frankly, it's not advice I asked for. The purpose of this post was to gain insight from people with similar experiences, and clearly you did not have this experience. Additionally, for you to insinuate I've done little to no research on schools is WILD. I've spent the last four years delaying my first application cycle so I could be the best possible candidate for the schools I am applying to. I have done significant research on where I would have the best chance of getting in based on the strong points of my application, and have taken extra classes to ensure that I would be eligible to apply to those schools. Nowhere in my post did I state my school list so you have no ground to stand on with your statements. Was Illinois the best bet for me to get in? Probably not. But the vast majority of the schools I applied to are ones that seriously factor in science, last 45, and grad GPAs. Going back to what I was originally stating in my post, I am WELL AWARE of how much grades matter. I have done my fair share of research and meeting with admissions staff at schools to determine where I would be more competitive. I created a plan years ago for me to be where I am today, so I'm not in need of you to explain how YOU think I can do better.

So this is why I said you should start coming up with a plan for raising your GPA, and/or start researching which schools would work with what you can offer now. Some schools average all attempts at classes. Some schools take the most recent attempt. Some schools allow you to 'delete' courses that are over __ years old, so they wouldn't be included in your GPA at all - you would have to retake any prereqs you delete, of course, but this can really help if you bombed some gen-ed courses/non-prereqs. Not all schools consider graduate GPA in the same way. Some schools don't consider cGPA at all, some don't consider last 45 at all. some consider all three (cGPA/sGPA/last 45).

This next bit is not completely directed at you, but is still relevant: I really think the 'strategy' part of the application process has been lost among the last few classes of applicants. I have been surprised to see how many posts here and in the APVMA group (and in the conversations I've had in person with prevets) that suggest there was little to no research or planning/thought that went into their application/school choices. When I read the post of yours I have quoted above, I very much got the impression that you have no idea that there are certain schools you would absolutely be more competitive at based on the small amount of info you've provided here. Of course, it's a forum, and I may be inferring too much. I'm just seeing this so often, especially this year in particular.


You specify one class you may have done poorly in (calc) as something that shouldn't be a roadblock for you, but with a 3.3 cGPA, calc wasn't the only class that you had trouble with. You are correct that GPA doesn't give you the whole picture of an applicant, but veterinary school applications have always been competitive and that will never change. I do not think we will ever see a world where you do not need to be academically competitive to get into vet school, med school, law school, etc.

Even as someone who was academically average at best, I never quite understood the thought process behind 'My stats weren't high enough to get into this competitive program, so it's the program's fault for wanting high stats.' That's what these posts (not just yours) ultimately are coming down to.


See, this is exactly what I'm saying. You have old coursework that is holding you back. With you saying this, I have to assume you didn't know certain schools would delete this coursework upon petitioning, or you did know and chose not to apply to those schools anyways. You need to figure out which schools make the most sense with what you are working with (strategy).

 

[lordhelpmeee]

I agree, it sucks knowing that how I performed in school 6 years ago has the most impact on me getting into vet school. I get they need to see you can academically perform well in vet school, but there are so many other factors that make someone a great vet. I have a 4.0 in my masters, which is a lot more rigorous than some of my undergrad courses were, but some schools only see how poorly I performed in classes in like sophomore year of college. I’ve spent so much time after undergrad gaining real life veterinary experience that most people don’t get when they go to vet school straight out of undergrad, working full time while also being a full time masters student. Trust me when I say I can handle rigor. But I have that cGPA looming telling admissions committees I’m not capable. We got this though!! There will be one school out there that sees how much work we have put into getting here and I won’t stop until I get there!

Sounds like we have really similar experiences! I'm rooting for you!!!

 

[channie]

Sounds like we have really similar experiences! I'm rooting for you!!!

100%!! This is my second time applying and I’ve already interviewed with Arizona so far in the cycle. I’m confident that there are schools out there that will look at everything else you have to offer outside of a cGPA. Best of luck to you!!

 

[genny]

Do lower GPA apps just not get read by some schools?

Additionally, for you to insinuate I've done little to no research on schools is WILD.

Not that wild, given that you asked the above question. Schools with published gpa cutoffs will not read your app if you’re below their cutoff.

 

[lordhelpmeee]

Not that wild, given that you asked the above question. Schools with published gpa cutoffs will not read your app if you’re below their cutoff.

At least in my own research, schools don't publish their internal GPA cutoff, only the "minimum" which most times is 3.0 or 3.1. That is why I asked the question in the first place.

 

[pp9]

I'm not sure if you remember, but I specifically stated in my original post that this was not a WAMC post. I'm not looking for advice on my specific stats and I'm not looking to be attacked for how I performed when I was 18 years old. My undergraduate degree is specific and I did not "bomb" any of my gen ed courses, so retaking prereqs would not be beneficial for me at this point. I have already spend 8 grand on taking pre reqs for vet school that were not required for my degree (o chem, genetics, anatomy, etc). I am aware of schools that allow you to negate early years of grades, but that would require me to go back and take gen bio, gen chem, english, etc. It's not that easy, and frankly, it's not advice I asked for. The purpose of this post was to gain insight from people with similar experiences, and clearly you did not have this experience. Additionally, for you to insinuate I've done little to no research on schools is WILD. I've spent the last four years delaying my first application cycle so I could be the best possible candidate for the schools I am applying to. I have done significant research on where I would have the best chance of getting in based on the strong points of my application, and have taken extra classes to ensure that I would be eligible to apply to those schools. Nowhere in my post did I state my school list so you have no ground to stand on with your statements. Was Illinois the best bet for me to get in? Probably not. But the vast majority of the schools I applied to are ones that seriously factor in science, last 45, and grad GPAs. Going back to what I was originally stating in my post, I am WELL AWARE of how much grades matter. I have done my fair share of research and meeting with admissions staff at schools to determine where I would be more competitive. I created a plan years ago for me to be where I am today, so I'm not in need of you to explain how YOU think I can do better.

This is obviously a very sensitive topic and the rejections sting badly. A lot of us have been in your shoes already, which is kind of why we are here. Threads like this pop up almost every cycle, and the feedback is generally the same. The phrasing and wording you chose to use has absolutely given the impression that you don't know how admissions tend to work ("Do lower GPA apps just not get read by the schools?"). You are not being attacked. At all.

If you're going to start a thread on a public forum about how you are concerned that you are being overlooked based on academic stats, you are going to get feedback that is related to your concern. That feedback is going to involve a blunt conversation about what you (and anyone else, for that matter) needs to consider if they are not academically competitive. This isn't about me telling you your 'chances,' this is me saying 'Hey, this is what you need to think about if you think your GPAs are too low.' I do have experience with my academics being the reason I was rejected. That's why I responded in the first place.

At least in my own research, schools don't publish their internal GPA cutoff, only the "minimum" which most times is 3.0 or 3.1. That is why I asked the question in the first place.

So you know there are internal cutoffs (correct, they are not published) but still weren't sure you'd be considered if you were below the cutoff? That doesn't make sense. If you don't meet the initial cutoff, you get cut automatically. Simple as that.

 

[battie]

If the entire point of this thread is:

Does anyone have insight on this process?

Pretty open ended question that has been partially answered. However, it's also so open ended I'm not sure what you're looking for since PP9 did give a decent answer.

But in general, you have essentially two sources to take info from: the schools and the population of vets or pre-vets that have come before you. I recommend using these sources in this order:
1. Using school websites to determine if they're appropriate to apply to.
2. Contacting schools to ask specific questions about their application process.
3. Recently admitted students that have gone through the admissions process.
4. Vets who graduated from these schools (me and @pp9)
5. Other pre-vets that have appropriately utilized the above list and subsequently have verifiable info you don't have.

Only the schools truly know their systems and they will never be 100% transparent due to risk of lawsuits if they are. There's too much subjectivity in acceptances *because* schools do utilize subjective data in acceptances.

Do lower GPA apps just not get read by some schools?

Absolutely

sliver of hope that other aspects of my application will outshine my GPA

Don't know. You'd need to do a WAMC. All I know is you've got a 3.3 cGPA and a 4.0 gGPA. Depending on the schools you applied to, you may or may not have a shot.

The purpose of this post was to gain insight from people with similar experiences, and clearly you did not have this experience

All you know about PP9 is she has a 3.5 cGPA and applied twice. So you really cannot make this statement.

I'm going to start off by saying: please assume positive intent when people are answering. Us old folks hang around here because we want to help. There was not a personal attack on you; there were specific statements about how you could improve for next cycle based on the information given.

I don't know if folks like us (PP9, Genny, etc.) can help you. You asked an open ended question as if we can give you specific information. But then PP9 did give specific information (i.e. deleting old grades) and you throw her in the fire for it because she doesn't know you. Well, yeah, she can't know any of this because you were vague and looking for answers we can't give without pointing out potential negatives of your application (not you as a person). Because vet school is now so competitive, it's not a game of acceptances and then rejections, it's a game of rejections and then acceptances.

I'm down to do a hard reset of the conversation as I'm not entirely sure what your question is at this time. I'm saying this in an effort of as clear communication as can be done. I have a general reason for this, but since PP9 was attacked for her general statements backing up her response, I'm going to withhold that until there's more firm communication ground.

 

[lordhelpmeee]

As a general reply to all, I appreciate the advice and understand you don't have negative intentions, though some may be harsh. The point of the post was not to receive advice direct to my situation and stats, though my wording may have been confusing and I apologize for that. It's sometimes hard to get your point across over a screen. I know that some schools rank GPA internally and do not post that number for obvious reasons. I only applied to schools where my cGPA is above the minimum requirement, but there is no way to know what a school's internal cutoff is (if they are a school that weeds out those above the minimum but below the internal cutoff GPA). I do know that internal cutoffs are dependent upon a number of things, and was just expressing concern about not knowing if my application will be read due to those unknown cutoffs. I just wanted to create a place to talk about it with others who may be feeling similarly.

 

[pp9]

expressing concern about not knowing if my application will be read due to those unknown cutoffs

Like you said, you just won't know, and there's nothing to be done about that. That's the gamble, and the odds get worse for you the lower your stats are. Everyone who has ever applied to vet school has taken this gamble. You can guess based off of published class stats if they are available, but that's not perfect either.

Some schools might give you more insight during file reviews. I was rejected from U of I (and all schools I applied to, actually) my first try, and Dr. Foreman gave me an incredible file review. I did what he told me to do, and I got in the next year. I don't know if he still does them, or if they are as candid and conversational as mine was. If you end up without an acceptance this year, a file review is a good opportunity to get as much info as you can.

some may be harsh

I am blunt and I own that. Sugar coating won't help you here.

 

[Doctor Ham]

Hi. AdCom member here. I can only speak for my institution, so grain of salt. But when we the committee receive the applications, every single one is read by multiple people. It is a tremendous amount of work and takes time. On my end, we actually don't see the GPA, but I do see the transcripts with grades. This allows me to see the trends and the performance in different semesters. An upward trend and solid performance in the science coursework is going to carry more weight than straight A's in "soft" classes. I don't care if you got a C in organic chemistry. I do care if you got lower than a C in anything and A) did not repeat it and B) have no explanation for it.