Gpa

[cubs11]

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i have a gpa from my undergrad degree and i have a gpa from grad courses. are these gpa's considered separately, or are they combined somehow regarding the application process and adcom review?

 

[cyrille104]

Most people combine them for their "total GPA" on the application, but the schools separate them out anyway. GPA for grad school generally doesn't matter as much, usually because they're not as purely academic as undergrad classes and because they tend to hand out As more easily. So, they want to see the two separate GPAs...but it's ok if you combine them in your app (especially if it makes you look better 🙄)

 

[philomycus]

.....they tend to hand out As more easily.

I beg your pardon???

Not for my Master's they didn't.

 

[twosoakers]

i would say that in the liberal arts, they are handed out easily. in the sciences...HELLS NO. i fought for the grades i earned in the four veterinary classes i took at purdue, as well as the various anatomy courses i've taken in human medicine. and the ****ty thing is, purdue only looks at your undergraduate grades, as every school i applied to has, including tufts, colorado, and kansas. my graduate grades were only factored into the decision i received from western.

i've written about this on posts before. the old-school mentality is "get it right the first time, or get lost." it's elitist, and it apparently misplaces students into veterinary programs, as purdue lost five students the first semester (due to something as easily processed as histology) and several more the second (due, apparently, to immunology).

there is prejudice in veterinary candidate selection, based on undergraduate gpas. most veterinary schools ask for an "explanation essay" regarding undergrad grades, but they don't read them. they only read essays that move through the "gpa strainer," which entirely defeats the purpose of writing the essay in the first place.

so, cubs, it's a hard knock life (especially if you balled undergrad), but you can still get in, just maybe not at the schools that weed you based on one set of criteria. so $&*# em. 😉

um...that is if you're worried about your undergrad grades. um. yeah.

 

[clawsbeatskin]

I beg your pardon???

Not for my Master's they didn't.

I actually worked harder for my A's in graduate school than I ever did as an undergrad. I really wish this misconception would disappear, especially on this forum. There are too many of us who can set the record straight. It's kind of a slap in the face to say A's are "handed out" in grad school.

purdue only looks at your undergraduate grades, as every school i applied to has, including tufts, colorado, and kansas.

Colorado does look at graduate gpa, according to Dr. Sherry Stewart.

 

[Max Power]

of course it's different for everyone, but it does happen a lot in grad school. My friend friends in physics can attest to it (some got 5 credit hours for lab work that they didn't even show up to all semester). I think they know this and seperate the grades just in case.

 

[cyrille104]

Well, whatever your personal experience, that's the general attitude of vet schools towards graduate GPAs. Grad GPAs are not weighted as much. Of course they LOOK at them, but undergrad GPA is far more important. It's in the admissions poilicies of many of the schools online - look it up. I never said that As are handed out in grad school, by the way.

Colorado is different because of their holistic admissions process, but even there I think undergrad GPA is still more important. The main value of having a Masters for vet schools admissions is that you're more educated, more experienced in the field, and have more "life experience".

 

[wivet2011]

GPA for grad school generally doesn't matter as much, usually because they're not as purely academic as undergrad classes and because they tend to hand out As more easily.

Close enough

 

[philomycus]

Well, whatever your personal experience, that's the general attitude of vet schools towards graduate GPAs. Grad GPAs are not weighted as much.

This part I wasn't disagreeing with. But I never got "handed an A" in my Master's Bio. program.

Most people combine them for their "total GPA" on the application, but the schools separate them out anyway. GPA for grad school generally doesn't matter as much, usually because they're not as purely academic as undergrad classes and because they tend to hand out As more easily.

And yeah, you said it. It may be true at some schools with a Master's in education (for example) but I've seen this gernalization on this board a couple of time about Master's degrees. The only people saying it have never been to grad school for science. Anyone out there with a MS ever been "handed and A"? Point made.

 

[cyrille104]

Make all the points you want, but I'm not the one making admissions decisions.

 

[clawsbeatskin]

Make all the points you want, but I'm not the one making admissions decisions.

But you are the one helping to further one of the worst misconceptions of graduate education.

 

[twosoakers]

if colorado factored in graduate gpa, i would have received an interview.

Colorado does look at graduate gpa, according to Dr. Sherry Stewart.

 

[wivet2011]

if colorado factored in graduate gpa, i would have received an interview.

So, what your saying is that all Colorado considers in picking applicants to interview is their gpa!? 😱 Man, I should have applied there then!

 

[twosoakers]

no, that's not what i'm saying. i'm saying that i've taken four first-year veterinary courses with an outstanding gpa. i have thousands of hours in research and clinical, in various areas. above average gre scores. blah blah blah. but because of my undergrad gpa, i was immediately denied. in most schools, gpa and gre are core to the first cut. it's the same for graduate programs. what also is a factor is the school you previously attended. school statistics are political. purdue is currently raising the requirements for its engineering program by upping high school gpa requirements (which make the school only open to more "elite" students, and thus the program more "elite."). i'm certain that most vet schools run the same way.

oh, and yes, i AM bitter. 🙂

 

[wildfocus]

oh, and yes, i AM bitter. 🙂

twosoaks, don't feel bad. i actually didn't get into colorado's 4-year program either (there were only 30 spots for the 1200 out of staters who applied). i only get to go b/c i am in the joint program. (which means by my reckoning that the dvm program was harder to get into this year than the very competitive dvm/phd program!!)

for the op - i'm not sure how the application processes *really* work, but i do know that you can get in without a 4.0 (or even 3.5). best always to call the school and find out what they think about your particular situation.

 

[philomycus]

Make all the points you want, but I'm not the one making admissions decisions.

1. I know they (95% of them) don't take grad gpa into consideration. Oh well. No big deal. I agreed with you there.
2. I'm not unhappy about it. I'm too old to worry about crap I can't do anything about.
3. The ONLY gripe was you saying A's are eaisly handed out in grad shcool. And for my Master's in bio, that IS crap.

 

[clawsbeatskin]

if colorado factored in graduate gpa, i would have received an interview.

Colorado doesn't interview out of staters.

From their website: For the past few years, only selected, eligible Colorado applicants have received an interview.

 

[wildfocus]

Colorado doesn't interview out of staters.

From their website: For the past few years, only selected, eligible Colorado applicants have received an interview.

true - they went off of applications alone for out-of-staters. unless one applied for the joint dvm/phd program - then there were 7 hours worth of interviews and meetings! (which was actually cool, b/c i really got a feel for the place).

 

[cyrille104]

Colorado doesn't interview out of staters.

From their website: For the past few years, only selected, eligible Colorado applicants have received an interview.

oh yeah! haha

I still maintain that it's EXTREMELY bizarre for them not to hold interviews for everyone if they claim a "holistic" admissions process.

 

[twosoakers]

Colorado doesn't interview out of staters.

From their website: For the past few years, only selected, eligible Colorado applicants have received an interview.

touche'.

do they offer therapy for being pissed at veterinary adcoms?

 

[wivet2011]

no, that's not what i'm saying. i'm saying that i've taken four first-year veterinary courses with an outstanding gpa. i have thousands of hours in research and clinical, in various areas. above average gre scores. blah blah blah. but because of my undergrad gpa, i was immediately denied. in most schools, gpa and gre are core to the first cut. it's the same for graduate programs. what also is a factor is the school you previously attended. school statistics are political. purdue is currently raising the requirements for its engineering program by upping high school gpa requirements (which make the school only open to more "elite" students, and thus the program more "elite."). i'm certain that most vet schools run the same way.

oh, and yes, i AM bitter. 🙂

That's kinda what I figured...

Also, I think we've already beaten the school topic to death, but I really don't think it plays that big of a role in the selection process. I went to a state school (not very prestiges unless you're a business major 🙂) and got into every vet school I applied to. What really matters is the big picture (i.e. they look at every aspect of your application).

 

[twosoakers]

twosoaks, don't feel bad. i actually didn't get into colorado's 4-year program either (there were only 30 spots for the 1200 out of staters who applied). i only get to go b/c i am in the joint program. (which means by my reckoning that the dvm program was harder to get into this year than the very competitive dvm/phd program!!)

for the op - i'm not sure how the application processes *really* work, but i do know that you can get in without a 4.0 (or even 3.5). best always to call the school and find out what they think about your particular situation.

thanks for the sweet remarks, wild. i have no doubt that it was equally if not more so challenging to get into the phd program, so never shortchange yourself. you've done something most of us can only dream of, and you deserve it.