I think I need some advice. gpa postbac

[simply]

Hello everyone,

I just joined the forum.. I'm kind of confused. So.. my GPA is really bad. 2.9 CUM, science is something like 2.7 (I don't even know how to calculate it). Just a few weeks ago I decided I really want to be a vet. I'm starting my 4th year of undergrad this week.. and I know I NEED to be getting As to be remotely competitive. And I know that if I can't get those grades, I am probably not fit for vet school. (Also I didn't get buddy buddy with any professors so .. no LoR possibilities atm.)

My counselor told me about postbacc programs.. but I looked at the website she gave me.. and all the ones in California have a requirement of GPA over 3.0 OR you have to be disadvantaged somehow. I qualify for neither. Did I miss something, or is this a catch 22? Well, guess it all depends on how I do my last year. I saw that a Cal State has a postbacc program, but I don't know.. is it okay to do a postbac there from a vet school's P.O.V.?

Also, does anyone have any insight on pre-reqs? At my school, you can't retake classes unless you got lower than a C-. If I take some other version of "general chem" or something, would vet schools factor in the grades that I got in the newer class, assuming they were better? (Does this make sense even?)

Sorry for making this so long!! Btw, any suggestions on alternatives to vet school. I think I am a huge long shot. I pretty much wasted my college away. Did well in high school and just slept through college. I wonder if I even have the drive to start studying this fall quarter. (Commuting for 2 hrs through LA traffic is no fun. One way! hahahah but dont want to pay LA rent either. should I just take more loans and spend more time studying?? I dont know.)

Thanks everyone~

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[david594]

You have a year left which is plenty of time to pull your cumulative GPA up over a 3.0 to get into a post-bac program. And another year beyond that could pull your GPA up to something respectable. Depending on what science courses you have already taken and the grades in them you may be best to retake them somewhere. But if you did so-so in gen chem and haven't taken orgo yet then you still have a place to show improvement.

Also, post-bac programs arnt your only option. You could look into pursuing a second bachelors instead, either will allow you to take the classes you need. And depending on your school couldn't you just delay graduating a year to take some extra classes and improve your grades? See about adding a second major or something.

 

[simply]

thanks david.
Yeah, I guess I will just have to do really well this year
I have already finished my pre-reqs so I can't really take anything over again.. the other "pre-req" classes of a different series.. I can't retake those because I already took the ones I took. but my grades HAVE been improving from 1st year. I just really messed up all my science classes' grades!

I googled second bachelors and i'm kind of confused.. I don't really get what it is? Is it just giving you more time to take classes? I'm a biology major and I only have 2 major req. classes left (after fall quarter) and one English class to take. My counselor told me that taking an extra year--it would be really obvious that I'm trying to raise my GPA and that I should just graduate on time and think about post-bac or masters.

Also--my school .. for upper division genetics.. it offers Human Genetics or Microbiology. Which ones would be better to take for vet school?

 

[VAgirl]

thanks david.
Yeah, I guess I will just have to do really well this year
I have already finished my pre-reqs so I can't really take anything over again.. the other "pre-req" classes of a different series.. I can't retake those because I already took the ones I took. but my grades HAVE been improving from 1st year. I just really messed up all my science classes' grades!

I googled second bachelors and i'm kind of confused.. I don't really get what it is? Is it just giving you more time to take classes? I'm a biology major and I only have 2 major req. classes left (after fall quarter) and one English class to take. My counselor told me that taking an extra year--it would be really obvious that I'm trying to raise my GPA and that I should just graduate on time and think about post-bac or masters.

Also--my school .. for upper division genetics.. it offers Human Genetics or Microbiology. Which ones would be better to take for vet school?

I was under the impression that the only (primary?) reason people do post-baccs are to raise their GPAs. So I wouldn't assume that people would be thrown off by you doing a post bacc. Also, if your GPA is low, they will know you're trying to raise it. You're not going to fool anyone anyhow.

I also feel like I've heard post bacc programs can be very expensive. I'd look into costs.

 

[simply]

yeah i thought that too so i was confused, but the counselor said the postbac was a better way to do it?? shrug.

i'm not trying to fool anyone hahah I know I did badly and that's my fault.

 

[BuckleyGirl]

Hey!

I'm currently a post-bac at a great school, had a horrible undergrad GPA (2.8) in history, a few years after graduating college decided to be a vet, went to comunity college to take science classes, did great and applied to some post-bac programs and here I am! So, if you are willing to put in the time then there are a few ways around non-stellar GPAs. Talk to post-bac programs you are interested in to see what they say.

Good Luck!

 

[nyanko]

thanks david.
Also--my school .. for upper division genetics.. it offers Human Genetics or Microbiology. Which ones would be better to take for vet school?

Microbiology isn't equal to Genetics, if you're asking from a prereqs standpoint.

If you're at a CA school you can look on ASSIST to see what courses at your school would correspond with UC Davis's Genetics requirement.

 

[projekt]

If you're not currently doing biology or something like it, you can change your major and start working on a B.S., delaying graduation until year 5. Take nothing but science courses, specifically pre-reqs and useful things like Comparative Anatomy, Vertebrate Histology, Embryology, Ecology, Molecular Biology, Animal Behavior, Cell Biology, and Comparative Physiology.

This will probably require a more focus than you're used to. I also had to recover from a low GPA and getting straight A's is hard. If you don't know how to study seriously, buy a book like "How to Study in College" and see if your school offers classes in study habits and speed reading.

If you get straight A's now, you could pull your GPA up to about a 3.1 by the end of this year. Keep getting straight A's and you could have a 3.34, which is Cum Laude at many schools, by the end of year 5. Then, you'll have 3 semesters on the Dean's list, Cum Laude, your science GPA will be much higher, and your last 45hr GPA will be 4.0. Nothing to shake a stick at. Are you a good test taker? GRE in the 1400s will help you a lot, and if your vocabulary is doing good, take it before you forget those words. And use a prep book, at least.

Anatomy teachers are generally the coolest teachers I've known, so they're bound to be easy to talk to for finding a recommendation. Your other two could come from vets you volunteer with. You're going to volunteer at least 8 hrs a week for the next two years, right?

If your school has a pre-health committee, get started there. They'll interview you before you apply and write an LoR as well. They will also have resources to help you.

Will it get you into Davis? I can't say for sure, because it's a pretty competitive school. But your odds will be good.

 

[sumstorm]

Also note that some schools average grades if a course is repeated, so taking a course to raise a C+ to a B- probably isn't helpful.

 

[nyanko]

Keep getting straight A's and you could have a 3.34, which is Cum Laude at many schools, by the end of year 5.

Not at UCF.

They do their graduation honors on a percentile system, by college. To graduate cum laude from the biomed sciences college the year I graduated, you needed to have a 3.76 I think. It just annoyed me, that's all. Back to regularly scheduled "will-I-get-in" thread now...

 

[lailanni]

You may also want to look at the Caribbean veterinary schools. The average admitted GPA is 3.0. This may be your best bet at this point. They can be as expensive as/more expensive than out of state tution.

You will also need some veterinary experience working with a DVM, either clinical or in research, etc. It's required for a LOR and to help you see if the field is for you.

If you decide all the science and debt isn't worth it, but still would like to work with animals, you could be a veterinary technician. Vet school is 4 years, tech school is (someone correct me) 1 or 2 and some can be done online.

 

[FlyOnTheWall]

my GPA is really bad. 2.9 CUM.. As to be remotely competitive. And I know that if I can't get those grades, I am probably not fit for vet school.

Realistically you won't be able to budge your overall GPA.. So to prove that you can handle the Vet curriculum your best shot is a graduate science degree (post-bac or MS). You need to apply yourself and demonstrate above average performance.

You also didn't mention vet experience. This is essential as well.

 

[david594]

Realistically you won't be able to budge your overall GPA..

I would disagree, speaking from experience he can still change it some. Having a 2.9 after 3 years, if he pulls a 3.8 his final year he can pull his cumulative GPA up to a 3.12. Still not very comptitive but definitely better than a 2.9.

You will definitely need good experience before you apply. The hardest part for you will be to recover your science GPA.

 

[FlyOnTheWall]

I would disagree, speaking from experience he can still change it some. Having a 2.9 after 3 years, if he pulls a 3.8 his final year he can pull his cumulative GPA up to a 3.12. Still not very comptitive but definitely better than a 2.9.

You will definitely need good experience before you apply. The hardest part for you will be to recover your science GPA.

Like I said. You won't be able to pull a 2.9 up enough to be competitive in most schools. It's easy to drop a GPA but next to impossible to improve. You will need to prove your academic ability other ways.. Basically excel in a graduate-level program.

 

[david594]

Like I said. You won't be able to pull a 2.9 up enough to be competitive in most schools. It's easy to drop a GPA but next to impossible to improve. You will need to prove your academic ability other ways.. Basically excel in a graduate-level program.

Your saying with some work he can go from having a non-competitive GPA to a still non-competitive GPA.

My point is that with some work he can go from having a GPA that will disqualify him from any consideration at most schools, to something that will atleast get the rest of his application read. No matter what, he needs to pull his cum undergrad GPA up. Many schools wont factor grad school grades into their GPA calculations, so that wouldn't help the OP.

 

[FlyOnTheWall]

Your saying with some work he can go from having a non-competitive GPA to a still non-competitive GPA.

My point is that with some work he can go from having a GPA that will disqualify him from any consideration at most schools, to something that will atleast get the rest of his application read. No matter what, he needs to pull his cum undergrad GPA up. Many schools wont factor grad school grades into their GPA calculations, so that wouldn't help the OP.

You are right. It's essential this applicant kicks ass this year.. It will go along way to show that when they put their mind to it they can pull a full load of good grades. But if I'm looking at a transcript and see 2.9 GPA work for 3 years and 4.0 for one semester (keep in mind we won't see the spring grades). It won't be enough. If the subsequent year all they have is one year of solid work it still may not be enough (unless the experience, letters, unique circumstances are really engaging). If they find themself with this they can't expect to raise the GPA taking one or two classes a semester. In that situation it may be best to return to school full time and show what they can do at the graduate level. (depends too on where they are with their experience/outside activities).