How low can you go? GPA, that is!

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

rachroo

OSU CVM c/o 2013
10+ Year Member
5+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
453
Reaction score
1
Hi everyone! For those of us who have a "low" gpa for getting into vet school (below a 3.2), is it possible? Does anyone know anyone who got into vet school with a less-than-stellar gpa? What was their gpa, what school were they accepted to, and how did they "make-up" in their application for a low gpa?!? Thanks!

Members don't see this ad.
 
I took "veterinary medicine in society" here at Michigan State which was a 100 level survey of the profession with about 250 students in it. It taught by one of the doctors from the vet school (it was a great class!) They had the director of admissions come in and speak and she told us that one student had been accepted with a 2.8 GPA. I'm sure they made up for it with lots of real world experience which varied greatly. I was just accepted here this year, first try with a 3.15 - your interviewers do not know your GPA and make a recommendation for your acceptance as a numerical score. That is then added to the numerical value for you VMCAS (which is scored on your GPA, experience, personal statement, etc.) I have worked in a small animal clinic for over 5 years, I've worked in a diagnostic lab, a cellular reprogramming lab, as well as owned/raised horses and spent lots of time around cattle. Also make sure you put lots of time into your personal statement! One of my interviewers was very fun to talk with, the other was somewhat timid, but it helped that the more outgoing of the two was a large animal surgeon, and I definitely want to go into production animal medicine. Hope this helps!
 
is...isnt there a particular cut-off point where students with low gpas don't get past during the phase I parts of the application process? meaning, I thought they gathered only those peoples apps with GPAs of 3.4 and above and allowed them to go to the phase II interview process....how do those 2.8-3.15 gpas get through that first part? (I too am a lower gpa person, fyi, but my undergrad was 3.7, so i'm kinda riding on that hope).
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Usually there are different cut-offs for different schools. I believe at Ohio State the automatic cut off is 3.0 in-state, and 3.2 out of state. You can write a petition to the school to be considered if you are below the cut-off though.
 
my GPA has been the bain of my existence. this is my 4th time applying. my overall GPA was ok (3.2ish) but my Science GPA in it's various calculation by school ranged from 2.8 to 3.1. I missed the IL cutoff by 0.02 points the last time i applied, and they told me to go back to school for a year and get straight As in all sciences to raise it. Hence, now with a 3.42 overall and 3.1 science GPA, i made it past their academic first cut, interviewed and was accepted. through the years i've been trying to compensate for the GPA with experience, varied all over the place, research, performing surgery, and having great reccs. but still, if you don't make it past the first cut, you the rest of your app. doesn't even get looked at, and that's where i was running into problems for the past 6 years. arrrggghhhh.
i might add that schools looking to recruit production med vets, etc, might give you extra points for that. there are some schools like cornell and tufts that say they "look at the entire application", even though i know tufts uses a ranking system, and i think that's the reason i got an interview at tufts as well out-of-state.
i would recc. looking into if the school has a cutoff point and apply to ones you have the best chances of getting into if you are worried about your GPA. also, having perfect GREs are sometimes weighted just as high as academics, like at WSU, so you might be able to bypass the GPA cutoff by having good GREs.
 
I'm a current vet student and was accepted at 2 of the 5 schools I applied to with a 3.16 GPA. Minnesota's cutoff was higher than my GPA - I got a rejection from them within a month. I don't know what kept me out of the other two schools, but the GPA probably had something to do with it. I got into my 2nd choice, where I am now. The interviewers were well aware of my GPA and asked me about it, so I told them the truth. I'd never cared about my grades, as I hadn't planned to go to school after college until my senior year (during which I luckily got good grades). I hadn't focused on academics, and had instead run two clubs and been active in many others. I told them that in Vet school I'd be focusing all of that extra time on academics, and while I may not be at the head of the class, I was going to try to.

I know students who've gotten into schools with lower GPAs, and some who've been told (advised) to get a Masters with a strong GPA and reapply. That's always something to consider.
 
is...isnt there a particular cut-off point where students with low gpas don't get past during the phase I parts of the application process? meaning, I thought they gathered only those peoples apps with GPAs of 3.4 and above and allowed them to go to the phase II interview process....how do those 2.8-3.15 gpas get through that first part? (I too am a lower gpa person, fyi, but my undergrad was 3.7, so i'm kinda riding on that hope).
Also, I think there are different minimum cut-offs for residents and non-residents.
 
my GPA has been the bain of my existence.

Same here. I have an overall 3.12, science/required 3.2, last 45 hours 3.4. This is my second year applying, and I was accepted to two out-of-state schools so far. The adcom advisor at NCSU last year told me I had practically no chance of getting into vet school with that GPA, and I might as well get another degree to raise it if I wanted to apply again :)p on him).

I did not decide to do vet medicine until 2 years after graduating, and I really didn't care much what my GPA was while I was in undergrad, as long as I was passing. I've worked SO hard in order to compensate for my GPA by getting tons of hours in various veterinary fields, volunteering, taking a few upper level courses, doing really well on the GREs, getting great letters of rec, and distinguishing myself from the tons of applicants fresh from college with GPAs of 3.8.

Just keep swimming, it can and *will* happen if you sacrifice and strive and try hard enough!!
 
thanks everyone for all your personal stories.
i haven't applied for vet school yet, but am doing so this coming app cycle. i am so intimidated by the process with my f'ing 3.18 cum gpa (thanks a lot first year, i got a 2.54), although i brought up my bio major gpa to 3.55. hopefully it also matters that i went to a competitive school... some say it does, some say it couldn't matter less. i also took org 1 last semester (A), and am taking org 2 this semester (so far am getting an A) at my state school.
what schools have you all gotten into to, if i may ask? the bummer for me is i have no state schools and no contract spots either. what schools, in your experience, are more forgiving of your cum gpa given the rest of your app is stellar?

thanks to all and congratulations on getting in!
 
LSU doesn't even use your cumulative gpa...they just look at last 45 (?) hours and pre-req gpa.
 
Kansas State looks at last 45 and pre-reqs mainly. You still have to give them your cumulative GPA though.
 
Thanks for all who've posted...are there any others?
 
Same here. I have an overall 3.12, science/required 3.2, last 45 hours 3.4. This is my second year applying, and I was accepted to two out-of-state schools so far. The adcom advisor at NCSU last year told me I had practically no chance of getting into vet school with that GPA, and I might as well get another degree to raise it if I wanted to apply again :)p on him).

I did not decide to do vet medicine until 2 years after graduating, and I really didn't care much what my GPA was while I was in undergrad, as long as I was passing. I've worked SO hard in order to compensate for my GPA by getting tons of hours in various veterinary fields, volunteering, taking a few upper level courses, doing really well on the GREs, getting great letters of rec, and distinguishing myself from the tons of applicants fresh from college with GPAs of 3.8.

Just keep swimming, it can and *will* happen if you sacrifice and strive and try hard enough!!

I'm in the exact same situation as you right now, I'm a junior and just decided I want to be a vet. My GPA is 2.42 (lousy electrical engineering!) and I have no experience yet. But this is my first semester with a bio major and my grades will be all A's I'm expecting. Good to see you got accepted :)
 
I'm in the exact same situation as you right now, I'm a junior and just decided I want to be a vet. My GPA is 2.42 (lousy electrical engineering!) and I have no experience yet. But this is my first semester with a bio major and my grades will be all A's I'm expecting. Good to see you got accepted :)

Thanks! The trick, after getting all the experience and working your butt off in other ways, is applying to schools that are looking for well-rounded individuals. I've been rejected by my instate school twice, because GPA is their number one decision maker and they don't do interviews. But I was accepted into two other schools that do interviews, saw me for more than a number, and even though I didn't get a 4.0 in undergrad, I'm going to be a vet alongside all those smarty pants :laugh:
 
I am in the same boat. I was going to graduate with a degree in Animal Science and a minor in Business Administration this summer. Vet school has always been in the back of my head. It came to the front of my head in the past month. So in other words, I will not actually graduate for another year 1/2 or 2. I am also worried about being able to get in. I have a 3.182 overall GPA and my major GPA is 3.55. I was another one of those first semester losers. I have worked my butt off to get my GPA back up. Through out college I have worked a fulltime and parttime job plus went to school fulltime. I wasn't one of those lucky students whose parents paid for everything. My state(TN) does have a vet school but it is VERY competitive. I am going to actually try and apply to Mississippi State also. All of this information has actually given me hope. I was beginning to really stress about my decision.
 
My state(TN) does have a vet school but it is VERY competitive.

I actually think that UTK's admission is less competitive than other schools. A quick check of their admissions stats show that they accept 50 in-state students out of about 125 applicants. That's about a 40% chance for you, which is EXTREMELY good for a vet school. (Out of state is about 15%, which is still pretty good)

So don't worry about it, just try to get your GPA up a little bit and see what happens.
 
I'm a current vet student and was accepted at 2 of the 5 schools I applied to with a 3.16 GPA.
Nonvideas, can I ask what 2 schools were these?

ETA: I got your pm. Thanks!
 
You may want to check out this years and last years successful applicants threads. There are a few people in there who have less than stellar GPAs and really great applications in other ways who are racking up acceptances. :)
 
I was accepted to Ohio with a 3.1. The good thing is that during the interview the interviewers have seen you application at Ohio and so I was able to justify my GPA by pointing out that I chose to attend a competetive school and enrolled in difficult classes.
 
Top