Can you put your cumulative GPA on VMCAS app?

[annemal22]

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I am a non-traditional applicant and my undergrad GPA is not the best, I have done a Masters and taken other classes since then. . . which makes my cumulative GPA much better. . so my question is, can you put your cumulative GPA on the VMCAS??

 

[BlacKAT33]

yes. i just checked to make sure i answered right lol VMCAS just has one GPA (cum). it is the supplementals that usually ask for prereq, last 45, last 60, or w/e they personally want. some schools also calculate it on their own.

you also put your whole transcript into VMCAS so they will see all of your coursework and all of your grades for undergrad and grad

 

[annemal22]

Thanks! Stinks I didn't think to ask this question before I applied this year, I put my undergrad GPA as the stated GPA on the VMCAS because I thoguht it had to be the GPA from where you had the most credits. Good to know, I will do cumulative this year🙂

 

[BlacKAT33]

Thanks! Stinks I didn't think to ask this question before I applied this year, I put my undergrad GPA as the stated GPA on the VMCAS because I thoguht it had to be the GPA from where you had the most credits. Good to know, I will do cumulative this year🙂

hmm ok hold on. maybe wait for someone else to reply because there is only one GPA spot on VMCAS and i just assumed it was cum. because there is only one. But i guess wait for clarification from someone else who has a GPA from grad school too. IMO it would be odd to leave out grades just because you took them after undergrad

 

[BlacKAT33]

Ok this is what it says

"Overall GPA
If you have attended multiple colleges list the GPA for your primary college. GPAs from other colleges should be listed on the Explanation Statement at the end of this section."

So if your grad school is the same as undergrad i think u could count it....? What does it say on your official transcript? Does it add them together or count them separate?

 

[StartingoverVet]

Actually you have to report the GPA of your primary school. The definition of primary school is fairly "fluid". My undergrad GPA (3.33) was much lower than the grades I received for all my science prereqs (3.88) I took post-grad so I listed the post-grad GPA as my primary school GPA (and that is perfectly acceptable - I checked). If you post-grad work is substantial no reason it can't be listed since it is more recent and/or more relevant (as mine was).

As Blackat says, you have to list all the courses anyway so they usually calculate themselves anyway.

You would have to list your undergrad GPA in the supplemental information if it is not used as primary (as long as other GPAs as appropriate).

 

[annemal22]

Hmmm, so this is tricky for me because my undergrad has more credits to it, my grad work has upper level courses and some pre reqs, and three post grad classes that I took are pre req's so I am not exactly sure what to do?

 

[ColoradoDVM]

I am a non-traditional applicant and my undergrad GPA is not the best, I have done a Masters and taken other classes since then. . . which makes my cumulative GPA much better. . so my question is, can you put your cumulative GPA on the VMCAS??

I think they asked for gpa from your "primary" school or something like that. I was in a similar situation. I think the wording left some room for interpretation. I listed my gpa from my grad program/university, rationale being that MS coursework was the highest degree of difficulty, latest degree being earned. Luckily my undergrad was at another university. I listed my gpa from undergrad in the explanation section and then showed how my grades improved dramatically in grad school, what I changed to make that happen and why the kind of grades I earned in undergrad could not reoccur. I took responsibility for past grades/ also took responsibility for current grades. I ran this by several people before I submitted it and nobody thougtht it was an inappropriate approach.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Hmmm, so this is tricky for me because my undergrad has more credits to it, my grad work has upper level courses and some pre reqs, and three post grad classes that I took are pre req's so I am not exactly sure what to do?

# credits is one criteria, relevance is another. Seems like you can go with the grad work. It is a judgement call so why not show the data that is most advantageous. It's marketing yourself the best you can within their guidelines.

 

[nyanko]

I listed my gpa from my grad program/university, rationale being that MS coursework was the highest degree of difficulty, latest degree being earned.

I did this completely opposite. I took the instructions literally and listed my GPA from the place where I got the most pre-requisite credits, my second bachelors granting institution.

I did detail the other GPAs in my explanation statement. My progression was 2.65 (1st university, freshman/half of soph) -> 3.11 (2nd university, 1st bachelors granting) -> 3.38 (3rd university, 2nd bachelors granting, most of prereqs) -> 3.91 (graduate school) so I made sure to emphasize and point out that progression. My cumulative only ever got to 3.18 though. 😳

As already mentioned though, each school will calculate the GPAs on their own, since you do list all of your coursework on VMCAS, so I think what you put in that spot is not very important.

 

[Okilani]

This is a really good question. Because I have a similar situation as well - I recieved my bachelor's with an average GPA but got a 4.0 in my Masters program... But now, I am postbach at another university doing the science requirements for vet school... SO.... I think I am confused as to how to approach it....

Primary generally means first. But if you are getting feedback that will help portray you as a million bucks, go for it. I am really here to learn about this whole process as well. VMCAs are frightening me.