Low GPA Success Stories w/LMU, ISU, and VMCVM

[Julia243]

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Hi Everyone,

I am trying to gather some more info about the following vet schools, particularly from applicants who have been offered a spot at LMU, ISU, or VMCVM, have had a low undergrad GPA, or had a low GPA and went to get a graduate degree. If anyone would be willing to share there experience and stats (undergrad and grad GPA, volunteering hours and where they volunteered, essay topics, or tips etc) I'd really appreciate it!

 

[indysadventures]

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to gather some more info about the following vet schools, particularly from applicants who have been offered a spot at LMU, ISU, or VMCVM, have had a low undergrad GPA, or had a low GPA and went to get a graduate degree. If anyone would be willing to share there experience and stats (undergrad and grad GPA, volunteering hours and where they volunteered, essay topics, or tips etc) I'd really appreciate it!

Hi- I think it would be helpful if you elaborated a bit on what you mean when you say “low GPA,” which will make it easier for others to help you!

The “low” GPAs I’ve seen reported here are subjectively assessed by the poster, and have ranged from 2.5-3.5, and anyone’s advice will vary highly depending on where you fall in that spectrum!

Also, is it only your cumulative GPA you’d consider low, or is it also your science GPA or last 45? Again, advice will vary depending on what each of these looks like, so any additional information is helpful!

 

[Julia243]

Hi- I think it would be helpful if you elaborated a bit on what you mean when you say “low GPA,” which will make it easier for others to help you!

The “low” GPAs I’ve seen reported here are subjectively assessed by the poster, and have ranged from 2.5-3.5, and anyone’s advice will vary highly depending on where you fall in that spectrum!

Also, is it only your cumulative GPA you’d consider low, or is it also your science GPA or last 45? Again, advice will vary depending on what each of these looks like, so any additional information is helpful!

For sure, in terms of low GPA, I'm thinking anything in the range of 2.5-3.0 in regards to either science or cumulative. An upward trend in the last 45 is definitely something I wanted to see if anyone had that may have contributed to admission decisions in their favor.

 

[baibuffy1]

For sure, in terms of low GPA, I'm thinking anything in the range of 2.5-3.0 in regards to either science or cumulative. An upward trend in the last 45 is definitely something I wanted to see if anyone had that may have contributed to admission decisions in their favor.

So I think based off of your thoughts of low GPA, I fall in that category. I’m a first time applicant this current cycle and I legit only applied to the three schools listed in this forum due to my science GPA barely making the cutoff for most schools. For reference, my IS is Ohio.
I’m graduating this May with my BS in Animal Science with an emphasis in Pre Veterinary Medicine and a double minor in bio and chem. According to VMCAS, my cGPA was a 3.20, science GPA 2.90. I didn’t calculate my last 45 myself but I know it is an uptrend trend. According to ISU calculations, it’s a 3.37. This past fall my semester GPA was a 3.55 and I made the Dean’s list. I had kind of a lot happen during my undergrad, which I explained in the explanation statement - my grandfather suddenly passed during midterm week of my freshman year, my dorm situation sophomore year was extremely toxic, as well as my great grandma, great aunt, and dog all dying that year as well.
Where my uni is located, and with the amount of pre-vet kids we have, it’s difficult to find a clinic job. Due to only being home in the summers, it made it difficult to find one at home too, and I didn’t have a job at a clinic in high school unfortunately. This led me to have a shortened amount of vet hours - 717 hours to be exact. I did end up getting two different jobs last year, one at a SA GP and the other a SA ER. And was lucky to get a lot of hours this past summer and good LORs from 2 vets as well (from the GP).
I’ve been doing research since my sophomore year ranging from COVID studies to cell culture and applied with 90 hours. My other stats were:
Volunteer: 35 hours (this was another weak spot of mine)
Extracurricular: 1,538 hours
Employment (non-animal related): 4,162 hours
Animal/non-vet hours: 2,380 hours
Other food for thought is that I scored in the 4th quartile for CASPER. I was rejected from VMCVM in early December and rejected from LMU with no interview yesterday. Only school left to hear from is ISU on the 14th.

 

[supershorty]

I have moved this thread to the WAMC subforum, as it seems most appropriate there.

OP, I suggest posting your stats in the format recommended in this subforum, as you will likely be able to get the most useful information that way.

 

[Kirb]

Although I can’t comment a specific story, I’ll add that if you’re invited to interview for VMCVM, the interview is the only factor that determines whether you get into the school. This is stated on their website: “At the time of interview, all pre-interview ranking scores are set to zero”.

This would mean as long as you’re invited to interview, your gpa would no longer have an impact on whether you get in or not.

 

[oinkoink11]

I was accepted to LMU this cycle, rejected from VMCVM, waiting for Iowa. 23F
cGPA: 3.17
science GPA: 2.98
last 45: 3.31

Around 3k hours small animal serving low-cost clients and 2k hours with various swine veterinarians (in clinical, research, academia). Also spent a lot of time with our university farm vet/professor but didn’t put it down officially.

I have ~13k hours with livestock (sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs) at multiple farms, university & production & private. About 500 hours equine and 500 hours with lab rodents. I was a TA for an animal management class, co-founded a hiking club, and volunteered at a human hospital, dog rescue, and cat cafe. I also have various sales/retail experience.

I’m currently on my second gap year but most of my hours were obtained during school… definitely bit off more than i can chew during that time.

I am led to believe I got accepted because I want to focus in swine/production medicine and that was the foundation of my PS. I worked with all kinds of swine vets, farmers, and researchers. I am also Asian so not many of us here in the field lol. Most of my experiences were extremely hands-on and I had great mentors who wrote my letters of rec.