How to improve? 34 y/o, 2nd time, low GPA, mental health

[kat362]

I am 34 and it’s been over 10 years since completing my prerequisites. I “went out with a bang” and tanked my GPA my last year of undergraduate courses due to mental health concerns. I will address this in my explanation statement, but I need an academic comeback. I know my GPA is really low.
I am also a disadvantaged student (raised in abusive/addiction family), and therefore have been looking into Colorado’s Vet Prep program. However I know they only pick 10.

Cumulative GPA: 3.0
science GPA: ~3.0
last 45: 2.74

Bachelors in Animal Science (2012)

GRE n/a

Veterinary Experience:
- 2400 hours large animal clinical
- 1600 hours small animal clinical kennel and vet assistant
- various other experiences of less than 100 hours each

Animal Experience:
- 1300 hours beef cattle and swine combination
- 650 hours dairy cattle
- 3000 equine
- Various other experiences of less than 100 hours each

Research Experience:
- 4,400 hours research field epidemiology for beef cattle
- 250 hours one health research on brucellosis in livestock
- Oral presentation on FAMACHA in sheep at Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRAWD)
- Author (not primary) on one publication in Journal of Virology about influenza in cattle

Awards/scholarships:
- 4 scholarships
- Pre-Vet club distinguished member award and community service award

Extracurriculars:
- pre-vet club vice president
- Day One Leadership Community
- multiple international mission trips
- Block and Bridle Club
- Baptist Student union bible study leader
- community service with therapeutic riding and humane society

Employment: (other than vet and animal employment)
- 2800 hours at IDEXX laboratories
- 2600 hours Artist


Thoughts on if I need to do anything besides strengthen my GPA? I am thinking of applying next year so that I at least have about a year of academic improvement to show.
Also thoughts on any schools might be a good match for my situation (holistic process)? I hope to one day practice in mixed animal private practice.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[VeggieTrex]

What is your state of residence?

 

[thenontraveler]

As someone who is also coming back from less than stellar grades (cGPA: 3.1, last 45: 3.21, and science: 2.98), I focused on taking more classes as a post bacc and my experiences. I have slowly taken about 30 credits since graduating that has raised my cGPA from 3.01 to 3.1, my science from 2.82 to 2.98 and my last 45 from 2.3 to 3.21.
Some people recommend getting a masters, but i haven't found a masters I truly would want even if vet school didn't work out, so I felt it would be a waste of my money going that route.
As for experiences, do both animal and non animal. Get leadership experiences and really get good hobbies and support groups going for yourself. You will really have to prove you have what it takes to make it.
Do not lean on your background as a crutch. It will not win you any points. You can touch on it, but it should not form the entire 'about me' section of the application. Instead focus on your knowledge and understanding of your chosen area of vet med, focus on how your experiences are a gift and how being an older student has really solidified your career path. Show them who you are now and how that will benefit the vet community as a whole. Do this through your words, but also your actions. If you are interested in helping lower income areas. Start volunteering now in places that serve them. Non vet, vet, doesn't matter. Prove you are more than words. It will stand out and it will help your chances.

But be prepared for lots and lots of failure and rejection. This is my second year and I have been rejected from every school I applied to except 1 each year, and each time I have been wait-listed (waiting to hear back this year still!)

As far as schools to apply to, being more than 10 years out does limit a lot of the schools people recommend for holistic admissions. Definitely apply to your in state since that is where you will always have the best chance, but then it will take a lot of research on your part to determine what other schools fit your budget and unique circumstances.
I would look at each schools website and really look at how you stack up. Some of the schools do grade replacement, some average, and some don't do anything. So you will need to calculate gpas for each one and figure out where your chances lie.
If you can take a couple courses and do well, Michigan might be a good one since they don't look at gpa once you reach their cut off of 3.0 for each section, but all prerequisites must be completed before applying.
University of Arizona has also taken lower GPA applicants as well and they don't have a gpa cut off.
But overall, you will have to put in the work if you truly want to apply places you have the best chance at.
Make a spreadsheet and start plugging in your numbers and come up with a list. From that list see what you can do to become more competitive. Does the school look at extra curriculars as 45% of the app? Starting getting those things going now. Do they value the interview highly? Get your practice on and really make your essays shine.

There is a lot of work to do to get in. And I hope you do!

 

[kat362]

What is your state of residence?

Alabama

 

[kat362]

As someone who is also coming back from less than stellar grades (cGPA: 3.1, last 45: 3.21, and science: 2.98), I focused on taking more classes as a post bacc and my experiences. I have slowly taken about 30 credits since graduating that has raised my cGPA from 3.01 to 3.1, my science from 2.82 to 2.98 and my last 45 from 2.3 to 3.21.
Some people recommend getting a masters, but i haven't found a masters I truly would want even if vet school didn't work out, so I felt it would be a waste of my money going that route.
As for experiences, do both animal and non animal. Get leadership experiences and really get good hobbies and support groups going for yourself. You will really have to prove you have what it takes to make it.
Do not lean on your background as a crutch. It will not win you any points. You can touch on it, but it should not form the entire 'about me' section of the application. Instead focus on your knowledge and understanding of your chosen area of vet med, focus on how your experiences are a gift and how being an older student has really solidified your career path. Show them who you are now and how that will benefit the vet community as a whole. Do this through your words, but also your actions. If you are interested in helping lower income areas. Start volunteering now in places that serve them. Non vet, vet, doesn't matter. Prove you are more than words. It will stand out and it will help your chances.

But be prepared for lots and lots of failure and rejection. This is my second year and I have been rejected from every school I applied to except 1 each year, and each time I have been wait-listed (waiting to hear back this year still!)

As far as schools to apply to, being more than 10 years out does limit a lot of the schools people recommend for holistic admissions. Definitely apply to your in state since that is where you will always have the best chance, but then it will take a lot of research on your part to determine what other schools fit your budget and unique circumstances.
I would look at each schools website and really look at how you stack up. Some of the schools do grade replacement, some average, and some don't do anything. So you will need to calculate gpas for each one and figure out where your chances lie.
If you can take a couple courses and do well, Michigan might be a good one since they don't look at gpa once you reach their cut off of 3.0 for each section, but all prerequisites must be completed before applying.
University of Arizona has also taken lower GPA applicants as well and they don't have a gpa cut off.
But overall, you will have to put in the work if you truly want to apply places you have the best chance at.
Make a spreadsheet and start plugging in your numbers and come up with a list. From that list see what you can do to become more competitive. Does the school look at extra curriculars as 45% of the app? Starting getting those things going now. Do they value the interview highly? Get your practice on and really make your essays shine.

There is a lot of work to do to get in. And I hope you do!

Thanks so much for your input!

 

[genny]

it’s been over 10 years since completing my prerequisites

so some schools require that prereqs be completed within the past 10 years. you may need to retake some (or all) courses, which would probably be a good thing for your gpa. i think that even with an explanation statement, if you don't have any recent coursework (particularly upper division sciences) then you're going to be wasting your money on applications. you can explain your undergrad years, but if you've got nothing post-bac to show an upward trend or improvement, then you don't have anything to back up the assertion that you're capable of handling the academic rigor of vet school. i think that's your biggest hurdle.

 

[kat362]

so some schools require that prereqs be completed within the past 10 years. you may need to retake some (or all) courses, which would probably be a good thing for your gpa. i think that even with an explanation statement, if you don't have any recent coursework (particularly upper division sciences) then you're going to be wasting your money on applications. you can explain your undergrad years, but if you've got nothing post-bac to show an upward trend or improvement, then you don't have anything to back up the assertion that you're capable of handling the academic rigor of vet school. i think that's your biggest hurdle.

thank you! I agree. Some of the schools don't make you retake all of them. I'm hoping I can apply to one of those, and maybe a year of post-bac work might be enough. I hate to wait another two years but it might come down to that as well.