Application Improvement

[Inocencia]

Hi everyone!

I did not get in to any U.S. vet schools this year. I already graduated with my bachelors (3.0 GPA), with 2000 hours of experience in 2 fields (shelter and wildlife), and a 304 best GRE score. I want to improve my application for next year. I am looking to sign up for GRE online courses and am considering Princeton Review, any thoughts on this or another prep course? I am also exploring another field (marine) as an internship.

I know my GPA is miserable. I did poorly on juggling two jobs, volunteering, and school. Should I take some non-degree seeking animal nutrition/anatomy classes to bump it up for the next semester or would that not have an effect on how schools view me?

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[Ashgirl]

Hi everyone!

I did not get in to any U.S. vet schools this year. I already graduated with my bachelors (3.0 GPA), with 2000 hours of experience in 2 fields (shelter and wildlife), and a 304 best GRE score. I want to improve my application for next year. I am looking to sign up for GRE online courses and am considering Princeton Review, any thoughts on this or another prep course? I am also exploring another field (marine) as an internship.

I know my GPA is miserable. I did poorly on juggling two jobs, volunteering, and school. Should I take some non-degree seeking animal nutrition/anatomy classes to bump it up for the next semester or would that not have an effect on how schools view me?

The first step would be file reviews at all the schools you were rejected at. You know your GPA is not great, but it could give you insight on other ways to improve your application. Then, it will be about improving those points as best as you can and then applying as smartly as you can to find schools that put emphasis on the strengths of your application.

My thoughts: 1) What is your last 45 credit GPA like? If it is better than your cumulative, or if you could foresee yourself going back to school and nailing that GPA, then you can apply to schools that specifically only look at that. 2) What schools did you apply to? Did you apply to schools that put emphasis on cumulative GPA or the GRE score? There are schools that now don't even require the GRE, or at least look at it less. 3) 2000 experience hours are awesome, but was that actual vet experience or just animal experience? Either way, it can never hurt (in fact it can really really help!) to diversify your experience. Small animal, large animal, and equine experience is something you should strive to get from now until your next application cycle. 4) Miscellaneous- I don't know your application, but some icing on the cake is strong leadership opportunities, amazing letters of recommendation, and some other things like research, study abroad, work experience, etc.

Good luck!

 

[Inocencia]

Thank you!

1) My last 45 hours are 3.18 when I applied. I am taking a speech class this semester at a community college, which will bump it up to 3.7. I got a D in the first semester that counts toward the 45 hours. IF the community college class counts towards the GPA it will remove the semester with the D and make it a 3.7. Does it do that? Or do they only consider the GPA from my degree into the calculations?
2) The schools did weigh GRE into the consideration. But even if GRE is weighed less, shouldn't I focus on that since it is one of the areas I can fix more easily? I applied to Kansas State (really wanted this school but found out today that I didn't get in. I emailed for an application review), University of Florida (said GRE and GPA were the reasons), Ross (got in but don't really want to go to island school), St. George (haven't heard back yet), University of Sydney (accepted, but they increased tuition and I can't afford that for the career path I will follow), and University of Illinois (denied because of GPA).
3) I work full time as a vet tech at an animal shelter so that is 1400 hours, and 150 hours from when I volunteered there before I was hired.The rest of the hours are volunteering without vet experience.

Thank you so much! I feel better now that I am being proactive instead of moping. I will look into large and equine, maybe even bovine!

 

[Ashgirl]

Thank you!

1) My last 45 hours are 3.18 when I applied. I am taking a speech class this semester at a community college, which will bump it up to 3.7. I got a D in the first semester that counts toward the 45 hours. IF the community college class counts towards the GPA it will remove the semester with the D and make it a 3.7. Does it do that? Or do they only consider the GPA from my degree into the calculations?
2) The schools did weigh GRE into the consideration. But even if GRE is weighed less, shouldn't I focus on that since it is one of the areas I can fix more easily? I applied to Kansas State (really wanted this school but found out today that I didn't get in. I emailed for an application review), University of Florida (said GRE and GPA were the reasons), Ross (got in but don't really want to go to island school), St. George (haven't heard back yet), University of Sydney (accepted, but they increased tuition and I can't afford that for the career path I will follow), and University of Illinois (denied because of GPA).
3) I work full time as a vet tech at an animal shelter so that is 1400 hours, and 150 hours from when I volunteered there before I was hired.The rest of the hours are volunteering without vet experience.

Thank you so much! I feel better now that I am being proactive instead of moping. I will look into large and equine, maybe even bovine!

Oh okay, so you did get accepted at a few schools then? My next question is: Is there a reason that you applied to schools that you didn't have any intention of going to if you got accepted?

There is a recent thread on here that is repeating a lot of things I will say (Accept or Try for IS Next Year), but are you okay with applying again and potentially getting rejected everywhere again, even if it at places you previously got accepted at? Would you be okay with rejecting an acceptance not knowing if you would possibly get an acceptance for one or two or five cycles? It has been said before that schools can look down on you for rejecting an acceptance, so it could be something to consider at least before your next application cycle.

 

[Inocencia]

I intended to go as back-ups to the US schools.. but I researched more into the schools. Sydney increased their tuition, but not all sites were updated to the new cost. The island schools were for desperate measures, but I talked to people about the conditions they lived in while studying and I don't know if I could survive that. I am privileged, pampered, and I was ignorant. I didn't research prior to applying the surrounding areas of the schools. I didn't consider the things I have grown accustomed to (daily showers, air conditioning, electricity, protection from hurricanes). You're so right

 

[britzen]

Thank you!

1) My last 45 hours are 3.18 when I applied. I am taking a speech class this semester at a community college, which will bump it up to 3.7. I got a D in the first semester that counts toward the 45 hours. IF the community college class counts towards the GPA it will remove the semester with the D and make it a 3.7. Does it do that? Or do they only consider the GPA from my degree into the calculations?

My last 45 included every course taken, including non-degree courses taken after graduating with a BA. If your last 45 only includes semesters after the one where you got that D, your last 45 should be a 3.7 according to VMCAS next year.

 

[Inocencia]

My last 45 included every course taken, including non-degree courses taken after graduating with a BA. If your last 45 only includes semesters after the one where you got that D, your last 45 should be a 3.7 according to VMCAS next year.

You're a savior.

 

[Tru108]

I got rejected from every school I applied to last year and it was devastating. After doing file reviews, I learned that my GPA was my downfall. I had already graduated with my bachelors, so many of the schools suggested I either go back to retake the classes I had done poorly in or look into a master's program. I didn't want to do something that would cause me to postpone reapplying for a few years. After careful research, I found a few one-year non-thesis master's programs in biomedical sciences offered at veterinary colleges across the country such as Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Colorado State, Ohio State, and Lincoln Memorial to name a few. Each program helps their students to get into their vet school and helps them better prepare for the rigorous curriculum vet school will offer. I highly suggest doing something like if at all possible. I'm currently doing this program at Iowa State and I feel much more prepared for vet school than I did last year. Hope this was helpful!

 

[Inocencia]

I got rejected from every school I applied to last year and it was devastating. After doing file reviews, I learned that my GPA was my downfall. I had already graduated with my bachelors, so many of the schools suggested I either go back to retake the classes I had done poorly in or look into a master's program. I didn't want to do something that would cause me to postpone reapplying for a few years. After careful research, I found a few one-year non-thesis master's programs in biomedical sciences offered at veterinary colleges across the country such as Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Colorado State, Ohio State, and Lincoln Memorial to name a few. Each program helps their students to get into their vet school and helps them better prepare for the rigorous curriculum vet school will offer. I highly suggest doing something like if at all possible. I'm currently doing this program at Iowa State and I feel much more prepared for vet school than I did last year. Hope this was helpful!

I have not heard of a program like that..I will look into that. If you complete the program, what are the premises that you are accepted into the school? Do you look more appealing to that school compared to a person that has not completed the masters, are you conditionally accepted, do you apply with every other VMCAS applicant? I would think not everyone that does that program gets into the vet school.

 

[Tru108]

I have not heard of a program like that..I will look into that. If you complete the program, what are the premises that you are accepted into the school? Do you look more appealing to that school compared to a person that has not completed the masters, are you conditionally accepted, do you apply with every other VMCAS applicant? I would think not everyone that does that program gets into the vet school.

No, not everyone in the program gets into the vet school. Yes you apply with every other VMCAS Applicant. Yes you look more competitive because they like to see what you did to improve yourself. Most schools know these programs and know how tough the classes are so if you do well it shows them you have the merit to succeed in vet school. And yes, the programs assist your chances of getting into the vet program. For example, I’m an OOS Applicant for ISU but because I’m in this program, some of the administrative staff are familiar with me, and the program put me in the IS pool for Admissions purposes helping my chances of getting in. Some schools offer an automatic interview to their school if you do well in the fall semester.

 

[CoffeeQuestionMark]

Addressing the GRE scores, just BTW I did an in-person prep-course because I doubted my ability to self-motivate myself to study for an online one.
There was another great thing about it, that I missed the first two classes, and received tutoring credit instead allowing myself to do practice exams one-on-one with the tutor. This was the most beneficial thing for me because they can actively be telling you how to go about solving a problem or address any questions that you have. The only area where we didn't get to work on was my essays, which was my lowest score and I'm thinking it is related (I had a 162/160/4 for reference, on an uncomfortably empty stomach after a very stressful drive resulting in almost missing the test). If you have the option where you live to do a classroom prep course or one-on-one with a tutor, do it.

But also, remember that some schools do not look at GRE (Michigan) and some schools do not weigh GPA very high or weight last 45 higher (I wanna say Michigan again doesn't look much at GPA, but may be wrong here)

 

[Inocencia]

I got rejected from every school I applied to last year and it was devastating. After doing file reviews, I learned that my GPA was my downfall. I had already graduated with my bachelors, so many of the schools suggested I either go back to retake the classes I had done poorly in or look into a master's program. I didn't want to do something that would cause me to postpone reapplying for a few years. After careful research, I found a few one-year non-thesis master's programs in biomedical sciences offered at veterinary colleges across the country such as Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Colorado State, Ohio State, and Lincoln Memorial to name a few. Each program helps their students to get into their vet school and helps them better prepare for the rigorous curriculum vet school will offer. I highly suggest doing something like if at all possible. I'm currently doing this program at Iowa State and I feel much more prepared for vet school than I did last year. Hope this was helpful!

Do you apply for vet school after you finish the masters program?

 

[Tru108]

Do you apply for vet school after you finish the masters program?

I reapplied for matriculation Fall 2018. So I'm currently waiting to hear back from a few schools.

 

[Inocencia]

I reapplied for matriculation Fall 2018. So I'm currently waiting to hear back from a few schools.

Good luck!