Hi,
I'm am entering into my 3rd year at UCSD and the question that constantly been directed towards me is, "what do you want to do when you graduate?". Luckily, I have 2 more years to figure it all out (since, I plan on taking a year off between undergrad and grad school).
However, I really am considering the veterinary path because I love animals and I think the medicine field is completely awesome. I am currently studying Ecology, Behavior and Evolution so that I can hopefully work with animals or in some type of animal research. But I would love to be a Vet!
I'm just worried about my grades. I know that grades aren't everything--and that experience and a good personal statement are also necessities in applying for any type of grad school. It's just that I have 8 C's. Yes 8. It's a lot and far too many. But I do have B's and a few A's. My gpa is only at a 2.9 right now, and I know it is very low and too low to apply for ANY grad school, especially vet. I do have 2 more years though.
One thing that I do have to explain my grades is that I have chronic back pain that began early freshman year of college due to prolonged injury. For the past two years I have been switched on and off of medications that made me drowsy and would make me sleep for hours. Ultimately they affected my ability to function in school but, I was desperate for medication because I couldn't even sit in a 50 min. lecture without radiating pain down my leg & along my lower back. Working made it even worse, but financially I had no choice, so everything just got worse by mid sophomore year--in which I ended up in the emergency room because I was unable to get out of bed for 4 days.
Avoiding surgery (at least for now), I've been going to physical therapy for a year and now things are starting to improve with monthly epidural procedures. My grades last quarter were better, I even got 2 A's in gen. biology (physiology) and in physics lab.
However, I don't want to be pitied and use my health issues as a way to completely defend my 8 C's, but chronic pain definitely contributed to my lack of success in college thus far. I plan on continuing to work hard and to improve my health and hope that all pays off in my favor. My question therefor is this: If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?
Sorry for the long post. I would truly appreciate any of your honest opinions and ADVICE. 🙂
I'm am entering into my 3rd year at UCSD and the question that constantly been directed towards me is, "what do you want to do when you graduate?". Luckily, I have 2 more years to figure it all out (since, I plan on taking a year off between undergrad and grad school).
However, I really am considering the veterinary path because I love animals and I think the medicine field is completely awesome. I am currently studying Ecology, Behavior and Evolution so that I can hopefully work with animals or in some type of animal research. But I would love to be a Vet!
I'm just worried about my grades. I know that grades aren't everything--and that experience and a good personal statement are also necessities in applying for any type of grad school. It's just that I have 8 C's. Yes 8. It's a lot and far too many. But I do have B's and a few A's. My gpa is only at a 2.9 right now, and I know it is very low and too low to apply for ANY grad school, especially vet. I do have 2 more years though.
One thing that I do have to explain my grades is that I have chronic back pain that began early freshman year of college due to prolonged injury. For the past two years I have been switched on and off of medications that made me drowsy and would make me sleep for hours. Ultimately they affected my ability to function in school but, I was desperate for medication because I couldn't even sit in a 50 min. lecture without radiating pain down my leg & along my lower back. Working made it even worse, but financially I had no choice, so everything just got worse by mid sophomore year--in which I ended up in the emergency room because I was unable to get out of bed for 4 days.
Avoiding surgery (at least for now), I've been going to physical therapy for a year and now things are starting to improve with monthly epidural procedures. My grades last quarter were better, I even got 2 A's in gen. biology (physiology) and in physics lab.
However, I don't want to be pitied and use my health issues as a way to completely defend my 8 C's, but chronic pain definitely contributed to my lack of success in college thus far. I plan on continuing to work hard and to improve my health and hope that all pays off in my favor. My question therefor is this: If I get only A's and B's in my next 2 years of college (and these will be mainly upper division science classes), will I have a chance at vet school?
Sorry for the long post. I would truly appreciate any of your honest opinions and ADVICE. 🙂
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