Need help getting on track.

[JenSD]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So the whole reason I initially got into Biology was to be a vet. Well somewhere along the way I just really lost my path. I think my GPA is what really set me off. In High School I never received a C in anything and I had a good GPA (3.66) with a lot of AP courses. In college I have no idea what happened. Well here's the (ugly) stats.

Overall: 3.11
In Major: 2.64, but should hopefully be 2.8 after this semester.
Degree: B.S. Biology
Courses (that the schools typically want) that I have: speech, english, 1 yr biochemistry + lab, 1 yr. inorganic chemistry, 1 semester organic chemistry, 1 yr. physics, 1 yr. intro bio (cell + organismal), and a lot of upper division work in stuff like animal behavior, ornithology, botany, terrestrial arthropods, etc.

Also to note: I'm graduating in less than a month, and should have three publications out:

- 2 on Harvestmen spiders
- 1 on the Golden Tanager

From that stand point it doesn't sound awful. I do a lot of stuff academically but the GPA just isn't there. I may be able to raise it some more, but it would have to be at a community college.

But back on track... I really don't know how I got so disheartened but I think being a Vet is something I should have continued to try for. I have some animal related experience - 20 hours of shadowing a vet, 50 hours at a local humane society, and three months of experience as a dog groomer (unfortunately the company did not treat their animals well so I resigned). I have no idea where to go from here. I need to start working since I'm graduating, and courses really can't be an option unless it's 100% necessary. So with that information I guess my questions are:

1) Is there any job I could take that would give me dual experience and $? I do need to make a living now. And if not, how much volunteer experience should I be shooting for?

2) Are there any vet schools that would consider me? Or any programs that would strengthen my application to them? I'm willing to go anywhere, but preferentially the US and Caribbean.

I've asked these questions at my school but I've been met with answers like: get all A's (and pray), and stay another year or two in school (which would total 6 or 7 years for me). These answers are extremely unreasonable for many reasons, I need to work with what I have and start from there.

Help is very much needed. Me --> 😕

 

[moosenanny]

I know this doesn't answer your questions specifically, but there are certainly people with lower-end GPAs that get accepted, so don't count yourself out just yet! However, these people have typically "made up for it" in some way, usually with an amazing array of veterinary experiences, or stellar GRE score.

50 hours of shadowing just won't cut it, even if you had a 3.5 or greater. I'd suggest concentrating on improving your experiences. I'd shoot for 100+ hours shadowing a small animal vet, 100+ hours shadowing equine, and 100+ hours shadowing a large animal vet.

Also, I'm assuming the papers you published were due to large amounts of research. If done under a PhD, you can count that as "vet experience" on your VMCAS application as well. So that may boost your number of vet hours, although you should still get as much clinical experience as possible.

You can apply for tech jobs or kennel assistant jobs as a way to gain experience and money at the same time, however, I've never held such a position, so others can probably comment further here . . .

 

[nohika]

I'm not the most experienced person to answer this question, but I figured I'd give it a shot.

If I was in your position, I'd try to find a full-time job as a vet assistant and go to school part-time. I know you said it's not feasible, but I think it would do you well to keep taking courses part-time to raise your GPA. What's your sGPA? Your last 45? I actually think there's one school that doesn't look at your cGPA (Missouri? Michigan? Mississippi? I think it started with an M.)

I think at this point what you really need is vet experience. Tons of it. Diverse amounts to make up for your lower cGPA. Try to get in with a local SA vet, and try to get "in" with a large-animal vet, too. See if you can get wildlife experience, or other varied experience.

...Blackat, others, am I at least headed in the right direction? 😛

 

[libster06]

The people above are right, GPA matters, but experience can make you a very competitive applicant. I would venture to say right now with your experience you're listing that you may fall through the cracks. I like to think vet schools give everyone a fair shot and read all applications thoroughly, but you're definitely going to have to get more experience or think about all you've done in your college career that will count as experience and beef up your app.

Definitely it would help to get a full-time job at a vet clinic. Research definitely counts, and since you were a biology major I'm sure you have labs that could count as animal experience.

Also, the personal statement essays can count for a lot too. Side question, have you checked into the specific pre-requisites of schools you want to go to? I only ask because some schools require some pretty out-there stuff (I know because I lost a spot because of unknown, missed pre-reqs). For one, I think you may need another semester of Organic, but as I said, check the schools you want to go to. Secondly, check to see that your electives will cover it, a lot of schools require Genetics and Microbiology, which I didn't see up there on your list.

 

[twelvetigers]

(I know because I lost a spot because of unknown, missed pre-reqs).

Only, curious, but what were you missing? You said it was for TAMU, right?

 

[BlacKAT33]

I'm not the most experienced person to answer this question, but I figured I'd give it a shot.

If I was in your position, I'd try to find a full-time job as a vet assistant and go to school part-time. I know you said it's not feasible, but I think it would do you well to keep taking courses part-time to raise your GPA. What's your sGPA? Your last 45? I actually think there's one school that doesn't look at your cGPA (Missouri? Michigan? Mississippi? I think it started with an M.)

I think at this point what you really need is vet experience. Tons of it. Diverse amounts to make up for your lower cGPA. Try to get in with a local SA vet, and try to get "in" with a large-animal vet, too. See if you can get wildlife experience, or other varied experience.

...Blackat, others, am I at least headed in the right direction? 😛

i think your advice was good 🙂


Ok well, your cGPA is low but its not impossible...the sci GPA scares me a little bit though. I have no clue what schools will say about that, i've heard of people being accepted with a 2.8 or 2.9 sciGPA....hopefully you really can get it up to a 2.8 after this semester (although, i dont see how this is possible because it took me 2 years to raise my GPA 0.2) How can you graduate and have one semester of courses raise you 0.2?

In terms of academics though, the one thing i noticed (besides only 1 semester of organic chem) was that all of the upper level sci courses you named weren't the "pure" bio courses. I'm not sure what to call them, but schools really like things that you will need to know later...like virology, immunology, genetics. So one thing you can do is take less ecology more hardcore biology. Not for the 1 point of raising your GPA, because no matter what it will always be "low" only for the fact that you are about to graduate and have accumulated sooo many credits its impossible a lot. The would at least show them you can handle a tough bio course...i probably dont need to mention you should really strive for all As in these.

Like others mentioned your research probably gives you many vet hours. But you really need more animal experience or clinical vet experience.

Since you're graduating...you do need a job to survive! unless you're living back with your parents. The job you choose depends on how much support you're getting. It's hard to live on your own with a vet tech job. If you are going to be on your own I would just get a job that pays well, techs at biotech companies get paid more than starting vet tech jobs. this would also keep you in the science field. So the job just depends on your independence.

Then i would recommend taking the hard bio courses that i listed about. Like i said, it wont do much for your GPA but you need to show them you can get As in these tough upper levels..that aren't ecology based!

Then the obvious-outstanding PS, eLORs, supplementals, GRE scores!, and pick your schools wisely

good luck! 😀

edit: forgot to add something impt! get involved in something animal related after work and/or weekends!! the hours add up after a long time and it shows you're committed. If you get paid well at a full time job then you can afford to volunteer on saturdays without pay so clinics should be more willing to take you on since you're free. if you can get paid too, even better!

 

[moosenanny]

By taking more "hard-core" upper division bio classes, as others have said, not only will it show you can handle these classes, but if you do well in them, it will raise your last 45 GPA. Some schools concentrate on this stat heavily, and ignore cGPA. Look closely at the GPA types schools calculate, and try to work that to your advantage!

 

[parietal]

Overall: 3.11
In Major: 2.64, but should hopefully be 2.8 after this semester.
Degree: B.S. Biology
Courses (that the schools typically want) that I have: speech, english, 1 yr biochemistry + lab, 1 yr. inorganic chemistry, 1 semester organic chemistry, 1 yr. physics, 1 yr. intro bio (cell + organismal), and a lot of upper division work in stuff like animal behavior, ornithology, botany, terrestrial arthropods, etc.

Also to note: I'm graduating in less than a month, and should have three publications out:

- 2 on Harvestmen spiders
- 1 on the Golden Tanager

From that stand point it doesn't sound awful. I do a lot of stuff academically but the GPA just isn't there. I may be able to raise it some more, but it would have to be at a community college.

Your overall GPA won't kill you, but you really need to calculate your prereq GPA. (That's the GPA for all of the classes your vet school requires, science and non-science.) If it is close to your major GPA, you may have some work ahead of you.

Vet assistant jobs usually pay very little. Considering you seem to have quite a bit of research already, you might do well to get a job as a lab assistant or researcher in one of your areas of expertise, especially if it is related to animals in some way. Volunteer or shadow as much as possible or even look at getting a vet assistant job on the weekends.

If you are missing some prereqs, that's awesome. You didn't list micro or genetics. Lots of schools require those, too, as well as anatomy/physiology, cell bio, nutrition, etc. Take them part time while you're working and do your damnedest to get As and bring up your prereq GPA. If you don't have many prereqs left, take some upper-level medical-based bio classes: immunology, physiology, virology, etc., to prove that you can do the work. However, most of these courses will NOT be available at community colleges...

Many schools also consider your last 45 (or 30 or 60) credits, so if you don't have a very strong average there, you'll need one.

You're also going to need to take the GRE and do as well on it as humanely possible.

If your prereq GPA isn't as bad as your major GPA (i.e., above a 3.0 or so), you MAY be able to avoid more classwork and just rely on the GRE. But like others have said, you'll still need LOTS of experience.

It also depends on your in-state school's admissions policies. If you're lucky, you'll live in state that doesn't weigh grades as heavily. But those that don't look at cumulative grades -- it's Minnesota, nohika -- may not help you much, because they tend to look more closely at science/prereq GPAs.

Good luck!

Edited to add: BlackKAT and I posted at the same time, but said pretty much exactly the same thing. 😀

 

[nohika]

It also depends on your in-state school's admissions policies. If you're lucky, you'll live in state that doesn't way grades as heavily. But those that don't look at cumulative grades -- it's Minnesota, nohika -- may not help you much, because they tend to look more closely at science/prereq GPAs.

Darn! Geez, so many M schools...are there any others I'm missing? Go figure it's the one I didn't list!

 

[parietal]

Darn! Geez, so many M schools...are there any others I'm missing? Go figure it's the one I didn't list!

Nope, I think Minnesota is the only M school you didn't list. 😀

 

[twelvetigers]

Aren't there only four? There are three O schools!

 

[libster06]

Only, curious, but what were you missing? You said it was for TAMU, right?

I was notified in December that I needed a Biochemistry II class.... my University does not offer anything like that. I could have taken a Cell Bio course to replace the Biochem II requirement, but the time the class given this semester here conflicted with a Technical Writing class I was enrolled in, also for A&M.

I also needed a Statistics course, which I had planned to take, but after I found out the stuff about Biochem II I just dropped it so that I could finish up everything for my actual BS in Animal Science from my university. SUPER complicated... but it all worked out 🙂

 

[HopefulAg]

No offense but on the TAMU website it straight up says you need 5 hours of Biochem.

http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/bims/dvm/subreq.shtml

Not sure how it's a secret requirement.

 

[that redhead]

You and I are very similar. I have a 2.9 overall right now, and I'm sure my science GPA isn't pretty. I've decided to take an extra year of classes to help boost my GPA. I've really buckled down this semester and believe (if all continues to go as it has) that I will get an A in both of my classes Nutrition II Genetics). I will be taking the GRE this summer and you'd better bet I'm going to be studying as hard as I can. I'm hoping the bulk and array of my animal/veterinary experience will be my saving grace, but at this point, getting all As from here on out is my main goal. It should be yours, too.

My recommendation to you would be to squeeze in some more classes. I hate to say it, but if you can get in university instead of community college AND harder science courses, it would be in your best interest. They want to see that you can handle the rigors of vet school so prove that to them! Working as a veterinary technician isn't exactly the highest paying job out there, but the more experience you can get, the better your chances. Good luck!

 

[gilch]

Honestly, if you are open to going to the Caribbean, I'd say that would be your best bet. Your cGPA is not so bad that you absolutely have to, but if you're not willing/able to raise at least your last 45 or sGPA, this will save years of getting vet/animal experience to make you stand out. If I were you, I'd contact someone at SGU or Ross (or one of the others...is there a St. Matthew's?) and ask them what you would need to do to be a competative applicant. From what I hear, the Caribbean schools take a wider range of applicants. From that pool, they have a high attrition rate, but if you graduate, you'll be just as good a vet as those of us coming from anywhere else.


If you're set on going to a US school, I think the others have given great advice.

 

[libster06]

No offense but on the TAMU website it straight up says you need 5 hours of Biochem.

http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/bims/dvm/subreq.shtml

Not sure how it's a secret requirement.

Yea, and while I recognize that, and also take responsibility for that major oversight, my advisor should have known about it also (since I am not the first student at my school to go on to vet school at A&M) and have forewarned me when I started out as a freshman that I needed a special course like that... neither he nor I had a clue and thanks to me going to a different university, it just didn't pan out. I could have taken an equivalent, but as i stated previously, there was a time conflict and an all around unfortunate circumstance. Although its not a "secret requirement," it's also not a common one, nor one that was even offered at my school.

 

[parietal]

Honestly, if you are open to going to the Caribbean, I'd say that would be your best bet. Your cGPA is not so bad that you absolutely have to, but if you're not willing/able to raise at least your last 45 or sGPA, this will save years of getting vet/animal experience to make you stand out. If I were you, I'd contact someone at SGU or Ross (or one of the others...is there a St. Matthew's?) and ask them what you would need to do to be a competative applicant. From what I hear, the Caribbean schools take a wider range of applicants. From that pool, they have a high attrition rate, but if you graduate, you'll be just as good a vet as those of us coming from anywhere else.


If you're set on going to a US school, I think the others have given great advice.

Very true. Keep in mind, however, that the Caribbean schools are not AVMA accredited. There are other issues as well: St. George's and St. Matthew's can't yet offer federal U.S. loans (unless that has changed, I know they were trying), so all student loans must be private with HIGH interest rates. Ross has kind of a reputation for not being super helpful to students and the island supposedly is kind of sketchy.

It's an option to consider, but if you're going to go that route, make sure to look at the AVMA-accredited foreign schools in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. They have alternate entry programs for graduates of U.S. schools, but I honestly have no idea of their average GPAs.

I think you said originally you wanted to stay closer, but I'm not sure if you knew the Caribbean schools were not accredited.