Pre-Vet Student HELLPPP!!!

[jj2009]

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[No Imagination]

Really don't think you're particularly competitive with a 2.7 (actually, you may be below the min. required GPA).

Don't know anything about the caribbean schools, but you will probably have trouble getting in their as well.

I did the grad route. Bumped my GPA up big time, but just getting a grad degree isn't going to seal the deal. In fact, you can probably come out with a 4.0 in your grad degree, and still have trouble (as grad grades tend to be inflated, and adcoms know that).

If you really want to get in, what I would do (hell, what I did), is plan on either doing a Masters and plan on taking an extra year to retake the classes you did poorly in (assuming your PI will even let you). Or, realize that its going to take 3 years anyway, and go for a PhD.

G/L

 

[HopefulAg]

Basically what s/he said. A 2.7 is below the minimum GPA to even apply for most schools to my knowledge. You should go for a Masters or re-take those classes to get your GPA up.


GPA is a pretty big factor in vet school applications. I have a 3.4 and got denied last year, which I kind of expected as a 3.4 is relatively low comparatively. Possible, just a much decreased chance.

 

[LucyLoo]

Basically what s/he said. A 2.7 is below the minimum GPA to even apply for most schools to my knowledge. You should go for a Masters or re-take those classes to get your GPA up.


GPA is a pretty big factor in vet school applications. I have a 3.4 and got denied last year, which I kind of expected as a 3.4 is relatively low comparatively. Possible, just a much decreased chance.

I agree mostly with this, but you have to take into consideration that vet schools tend to give more weight to different parts of the app. I know I applied to schools that only looked at your last 45 credit hours and pre-req/science GPA. I steered way clear of any school that really focused on the overall GPA.

 

[lailanni]

I'd say the odds are against you in the US schools.

Do look into the Caribbean schools - their average is 3.0 and they take below a 3.0 so they're your best shot right now honestly.

If you really want to go to a US school, I'd do a masters. Several schools will average grades when you re-take a class, so re-taking them may not gain you anything.

Seriously looking into the Caribbean will save you time and money (not having to get a masters to boost your GPA stats).

 

[twelvetigers]

See if Florida averages or replaces grades for classes that you re-take. That would make a big difference...

 

[sofficat]

Hello fellow Floridian!
A few things...
First- I know you are really eager to go to vet school and that is so great! BUT, you have to realize it'll take a little while for someone with your stats and DON"T LET THAT GET YOU DOWN! Don't give up just because it's going to be probably 2-4 more years before you're accepted (you haven't applied yet, right? so your first chance will be 2010?) Anyways... I just wanted to make sure that you stick with this. In 10 years it won't matter and you'll either be a vet or be stuck with a job you don't love (or hate) and wish you went through with this. (I only say this because a lot of people will just give up and I don't want you to do that!)
Second- it's great that you are shadowing, but you're going to have to get down and dirty and really get hands on in the vet world. It'll help A LOT on your application if you have 3000 hours of being a head tech at a 10 vet hospital (or whatever,... I'm just giving you an example of what will help you stand out). Plus- any unique vet/animal experience helps. UF loved that I raised squirrels (even though I didn't get an interview 🙄) ...but they told me that helped me stand out and was a big plus in my application.
Third- It's harsh reality but your GPA is not good. The caribbean might be a good choice but think about family and personal reasons before you make that your only choice (husband trying to find a job in the caribbean? sick grandpa you need to be close to home for?) There ARE more important things then getting into any vet school right now.
My personal opinion?? (like you haven't gotten enough of it) Retake the classes you did poorly in, plan to get a masters but apply in the meantime (after you up your gpa with repeated classes). You can finish your masters and end up with a strong application (remember... with your 2000+ hours of superior vet experience 😉) and if you get lucky you'll get in before you graduate with a master degree.

GOOD LUCK!!! Don't give up on your dream. It seems harsh now, but when you're retired looking back on life you'll know these few extra years won't matter.

 

[tastrophe]

If you really want to get in, what I would do (hell, what I did), is plan on either doing a Masters and plan on taking an extra year to retake the classes you did poorly in (assuming your PI will even let you). Or, realize that its going to take 3 years anyway, and go for a PhD.

G/L

Wow, I *wish* it only took three years to get a PhD. There are always exceptions, and I suppose it's field-specific, but that is really not the norm.

EDIT: combined PhD/med programs notwithstanding

 

[Fairyblastt]

Hum, I disagree with the previous advice to go to grad school with the idea you'd drop out halfway if you get in (assuming that's what you meant). From what I hear, a lot of the US vet schools look very poorly on screwing over you PI/lab/school like that. Wouldn't show you in your best light, KWIM? That said, going to grad school is an excellent way to improve your stats (well, I hope anyway ).

I'm applying to vet school now half-way through my masters (I'll finish in May). But keep in mind there are huge differences btwn different schools/departments when it comes to grad school. Nobody that I currently know in my department, has done their phd in 4 years, for example (I think the average right now is 5 years). And more than a few master's students are taking the full 2.5 years we're allowed before the dept. funding runs out. So when you can expect to finish is a very important question that'll depend on the class requirments, logistics of the research, whether you TA, etc etc.

Also, I just thought of this, but if you're one of those people that took a million and a half classes in undergrad... I very much doubt that going to grad school would raise your gpa much. I think I'm doing a total of 35-40 credits total, and it hasn't been enough to move my gpa much at all. So getting a high gpa in grad school might allow you to be able to show that you can handle vet school classes (which at your current gpa, you might have difficulties convincing the adcoms of that), but it might not get you over the gpa cutoff. Retaking classes (if they'll just outright replace the grade) and doing really well on the GRE would be a better bet (esp. as you would probably have to pay for grad school yourself).

 

[No Imagination]

Wow, I *wish* it only took three years to get a PhD. There are always exceptions, and I suppose it's field-specific, but that is really not the norm.

Wow, sorry, reread what I wrote, and it was a bit ambitious.

What I was going for, is it will take the OP 3 years to get the Masters (2 years + 1 year to retake the classes he did poorly in). I meant, since it would take him 3 years anyway, might as well (add another year) and go for a PhD (in the sciences you don't need a MS to get into a PhD program) EDIT - At many schools, anyway.

I do know people who pulled it off in 3, but thats NOT me... im trying desperately to finish it off, right at the 4 year point.

 

[Fairyblastt]

in the sciences you don't need a MS to get into a PhD program

Hum, this is true, but I don't know if it works with a lower gpa though. Usually they want something to show them that you're ready and able to handle the work (just like vet school). I just checked the admissions info for my program, they prefer at least a 3.0 for both masters and phds (unless you can demonstrate that you're ready via high gre etc etc). Grant you, there are a lot of differences btwn schools.

One thing with the masters vs phd though, I think the adcoms would be very interested in why you were doing the phd. And I don't think that 'to raise my gpa' would be a good enough answer... And that answer might not even work for a masters either, come to think about it.

 

[No Imagination]

100% right fairy.

I went into my PhD program, letting my PI know my intentions, and he supported them. I asked him, and he agreed, to write in my LoR that he knew I wanted vet school, and whole heartily supported the decision.

As far as the "Why did you do a grad program", I think that is easier to get around. "Sir, Vet school has always been my dream, I did poorly in undergrad for (whatever reasons), but I was determined to show I have improved".

"uh, I meant I want to go into industry and be a lab animal research vet".

Whatever route you choose, you need to know your own background story for the adcoms, and support it.

Finally, some vet schools will outright NOT take you if you are not finished or finishing the degree at the time of admissions. Many will, out of support for your grad school, not let you 'drop out' just to go to vet school.

 

[sofficat]

Is there a specific reason you need to quit your masters when you get into vet school? I'm assuming that it probably has to do with the specifics of a masters degree (I think someone had mentioned that in an earlier post). At first I was thinking to finish your masters in vet school (some of my classmates are doing that... but now that I think of it I think they all did their undergrad at their vet school. I guess that makes a huge difference). I wasn't implying to quit your masters, but I guess it's not very simple to transfer either.


*so i have a few tabs open with the internet and the title of this one is "Pre-vet Student HELL..." Kind of appropriate, doncha think? 😳)

 

[nyanko]

Is there a specific reason you need to quit your masters when you get into vet school? I'm assuming that it probably has to do with the specifics of a masters degree (I think someone had mentioned that in an earlier post). At first I was thinking to finish your masters in vet school (some of my classmates are doing that... but now that I think of it I think they all did their undergrad at their vet school. I guess that makes a huge difference). I wasn't implying to quit your masters, but I guess it's not very simple to transfer either.

I am in a MS program at UCD (first year) and plan to apply to vet school at UCD as well. My MS program has a 2 year "limit" basically. You can apply for more quarters if you need more time to finish your thesis, but they have the right to basically kick you out if you aren't done in a reasonable time. I can not IMAGINE trying to do research and put together a MS thesis while in my first year of vet school. Therefore, if I were applying this year (I'm not) and I got into vet school and decided to go, I'd have to quit the MS program before I finished my thesis, even though it IS at the same school (and my advisor is even in the SVM).

This could vary at different schools or across programs, but it's how it is for me here. 🙂

 

[Neoformans]

Hmm.. I'm doing my MSc right now and I'm pretty sure that all the grad students that I know of do not have a GPA below 3.5. It might be difficult for you to find a PI who's willing to take you with a GPA of 2.7 because all scholarship applications depend on your academic acheivements.

Also, I don't know if going into research to do a MSc or PhD is such a good idea if the only reason is to bump up your GPA. Research is backbreaking work and requires a lot of independent study. An alternative to doing a research degree might be a course-based MSc. They might be easier to get into and since you take way more courses in a course-based MSc, if you end up getting good grades in all of them, it might work better in bumping up your GPA rather than a research-based degree.

 

[CBRGrl]

You might consider doing a coursework based masters program to help boost your GPA and show adcoms you can handle upper division coursework. That's the biggest thing you will have to do to overcome your stats. As far as I know (Im in a master's program right now). They don't average your grad school GPA with your undergrad. In fact, CSU doesn't even get your GPA at all from VMCAS, just a list of the courses you've taken and the grades you got (not sure about other schools).

I know people always say that "grad school classes are inflated and wont help you...blah blah blah" I completely disagree. Im getting an MS in biomedical sciences right now and some of my courses are much harder than anything I did in my BS (because grad classes assume you've already taken up though 300 level..at least the one's Im in now). My best advice is to not give up and dont let people tell you that pulling up your GPA wont matter because of the courses you've already taken. Take a full load of upper division courses through a master's degree and prove to the adcoms you can handle it! Good luck 🙂

P.s. Just as an example of a coursework based masters, CSU has a 1 year program geared toward pre-professional students (ie: vet/med):
http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/bms/planB.htm

 

[VUprevetbubsy]

I too am kind of in the same boat. GPA is a little higher, but seriously considering a masters (maybe Public Health) before vet school. What are the admissions standards for grad schools? I guess I didn't really think they were that much easier to get into..

 

[nyanko]

Admissions standards for graduate schools vary pretty widely. Many well-respected PhD programs are just as competitive or moreso than DVM programs, while some less-respected MS programs will take almost anyone. PhD programs and high-ranking research-based MS programs usually want to see some research experience and may forgive a somewhat-lower GPA if your rec letters & research are excellent. It also depends on your field and who you want to work with (and whether they want you in their lab or not).

I don't know anything about coursework-based MS programs, so I can't answer for that, though.