C/O 2014 applicant SCARED

[MIZMARLEY]

Hi all,

I'm currently applying and starting to feel a bit overwhelmed and uncertain. I thought if I posted my stats here some of you might comment on what you think my chances are in this year's applicant pool. I can use all the encouragement or advise I can get. I'm currently writing my personal statement and struggling a lot. Thanks.

Undergrad GPA: 3.52
GRE: A pathetic 1010
Organic Chemistry I: C first time, A second time
Organic II: C
Physics I & II: A & A
Biochemistry: A
Genetics: A
Micro: A
Immuno: B
Gen Chem I & II: B & B
Gen Bio I & II: B & B

I have 2 years experience as a tech at a small animal clinic, 6 months tech experience at an equine hospital, 3 months zoo internship in australia, and just started as tech at exotic hospital. I'm just concerned that I will not pass the first round of evaluations with my GRE score and chem grades. Any thoughts?

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[ckgilabert]

i know someone with your stats that got into michigan and minnesota 2 yrs ago. but they had A LOT of club/leadership experience. like president of clubs and stuff.


since you have time, i'd re-take the gre. but that's just my opinon.

good luck, i feel your pain!

 

[luplodw]

I have basically the same stats as you but my GRE score is 1200 (and I'm still planning on retaking it) and I also have leadership experience in school....so good luck to us! haha. I'm sooooo scared!! I hope it's enough!

 

[rouxeny]

.

 

[thereservoirdog]

Everything looks good except your GRE score, which is easily fixable. If you're scared I should be ****ing my pants

 

[CatVet2Be]

Your GPA is competitive and you've taken some good courses and done well. You should look into GRE prep courses, I think that's the one spot in your app that may hurt you but if you can raise your score there shouldn't be a reason you can get past the first cut offs. I wouldn't stress too much over the chem grades, the rest of your upper division bios look solid. I wish my transcript had looked more like that

 

[guppy73]

Welcome to SDN!

I agree with previous posters--your stats aren't as bad as you might think, and your GRE (while maybe not quite "pathetic") could use a bit of bumping up. Where do you plan on applying? Check out the websites for various schools; you should be able to view the stats for accepted applicants. That will give you a good idea of a target GRE score.

There have also been several threads on the subject. Here's one to get going: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=637150&highlight=GRE+prep+advice

Bets of luck & try not to panic! Your experience is varied, and that should definitely help you stand out. Everyone's in the same boat as you, comparing notes & wondering if they're good enough. And--who knows?--next year, you might be like those of us getting nervous about first year.

 

[ImaJerseyGirl]

Everything looks good except your GRE score, which is easily fixable. If you're scared I should be ****ing my pants

Couldn't have said it better myself...

 

[Ninnerfish]

I agree with everybody else. Up that GRE, and you're golden. Your experience is nice and diverse, which schools seem to be big on. Your GPA is fine, and I greatly envy your grades in Physics and Biochem. Given your pretty much straight A's and B's in some really difficult classes, I'd be willing to bet that your performance on the GRE was due more to nerves than lack of ability. Taking it again would probably give you a drastic score increase.

 

[sumstorm]

your academic stats seem similar to mine.

My GRE was ~400pts higher. Could you raise that over the next month? Take it again end of August?

I think you sound like a viable candidate. make sure your PS is positive and hopefully strong LORs.

 

[Martee527]

Everything looks good except your GRE score, which is easily fixable. If you're scared I should be ****ing my pants

No kidding!! Sheesh.

 

[philomycus]

It tooke me awhile to get in (3 yrs), but my GPA was lower than yours and my GRE was a 1030. I took that darn test twice and got the same score. Try to do better on the GREm but never, ever give up. If I can get in, I'm sure you will too.

 

[oilidigigoat]

Hi all! This is my first year applying as well and have lots of nervousness/anxiety about it. I am slightly non-trad.

Graduated in 2006
Civil Engineering:3.28 GPA
Since I have taken 19 pre-requisites and have a 3.84 in those classes:
Organic 1 and Lab:A
Organic 2 and Lab:A
Biochem:B
Biology:A
Micro:A

GRE:1270

Animal Experiences: 8.5 months Vet Tech at SA clinic, 3 months Zoo Internship, Shadowed a Zoo Vet, 1 year Infectious Disease Research Assistant, 400hrs pet store, volunteer at Aquarium, Volunteer at Animal Shelter, Horseback riding.

I worked as a Land Development Engineer for 2 years and I was a Division 1 athlete in college..Im hope that makes me look a tiny bit better since my GPA isn't stellar.

I feel like I emotionally have all my eggs in one basket. What makes me most nervous is that my husband is military..getting out this May..we just moved to Utah, I can't apply WICHE :-( since I havent been here long enough. So residency-wise I'm kinda hurting.

We thought we were moving to Cali. So we changed our home of record (military records and tax purposes) there and are using our families address. We decided we would move there when we got out if I didnt get into Vet School. I dont think that will work for UC Davis admission purposes..since we didnt actually live there. :-( We will see though.

 

[meadow36]

Apply anyway. A lot of people have applied in more than one cycle, and I think the vet schools really like to see the resilience. I think you might get lucky and get in this cycle (expecially if you retake the GRE and do better) but if you don't, just keep plugging away at it and apply next year. Keep taking upper level courses, keep getting good grades, and keep working on your experience. It will happen. My GPA was lower than yours and my GRE was only about 200 points better.

What is your in-state school?

 

[DickVetPlease]

Maybe i'm missing something, but that GRE score looks fine to me. Unless you managed something ridiculous like a perfect verbal, and bombed the quant., in which case you would want to improve that. Other than that though, a 1270 won't keep you out of any vet schools.

I say you go for it. I'm far from an expert, but I bet they would look favorably on your high level of performance on your more recent coursework, especially since it included so many pre-reqs.

 

[DickVetPlease]

Sorry, just realized that the 1270 doesn't belong to the original poster. Just ignore me.

 

[MIZMARLEY]

meadow36, my in-state school is auburn.