Super-Senior Year...

[Syr]

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So I've got a bit of a tough personal situation here. I'm currently finishing up my 4th year in college - unfortunately, it's not "really" my senior year.

I'll be finishing up a degree in biology within two years and finishing my requirements for pre-vet and all that.

My concerns, though, are my GPA(s), and my transfer. I understand most schools want transcripts from every school you've attended - that's fine. My GPA at my 1st school was in the 3s, and now they've...well, declined. My current GPA at my school is 2.67. If I calculate it cumulatively (both schools), my GPA is about a 3.2 or so.

How are they going to calculate this? Will I get past cut-off points? I'm still working on improving my GPA, of course, but I'm wondering how the two-school thing will work out.

Also, is it really true that as long as your GPA is above the cut-off, a phenomenal GRE score can make up for it? (What's the average cut-off, too? I've heard ranges from 3.0 - 3.5...)

One last other question: my dad's a veterinarian, and I've grown up with the whole thing. I've worked there for bits of time, all that. I'm wondering, however, if I'll really be able to apply this experience towards applications - I am looking for other places to get experience just for personal references and things like that, but I'd like to know if I'll be able to use this as a leg up.

 

[david594]

So I've got a bit of a tough personal situation here. I'm currently finishing up my 4th year in college - unfortunately, it's not "really" my senior year.

I'll be finishing up a degree in biology within two years and finishing my requirements for pre-vet and all that.

My concerns, though, are my GPA(s), and my transfer. I understand most schools want transcripts from every school you've attended - that's fine. My GPA at my 1st school was in the 3s, and now they've...well, declined. My current GPA at my school is 2.67. If I calculate it cumulatively (both schools), my GPA is about a 3.2 or so.

How are they going to calculate this? Will I get past cut-off points? I'm still working on improving my GPA, of course, but I'm wondering how the two-school thing will work out.

Basically there are 3 GPA's that schools seem to look at. Cumulative from all college coursework taken. A pre-req GPA looking at your GPA for their specific required classes. And lastly something like GPA for your last 45 credit hours.

From when I was looking it seems like a 3.2 will keep you above most of the automatic-trashcan cut-offs. The two school thing wont be handled in any special way. All course work from both schools will be considered.(with the possibility of a few schools that will ignore classes taken over a certain number of years in the past, but not an issue if you have less than ~6 college classes.

Also, is it really true that as long as your GPA is above the cut-off, a phenomenal GRE score can make up for it? (What's the average cut-off, too? I've heard ranges from 3.0 - 3.5...)

There are a few of us who got in with rather low cumulative GPA(myself included). Best advice I think would be to keep your chin up and work on improving your application in every way you can.

My first question at my OSU interview was pretty much "Explain your poor GPA."

This can be an iffy one. You will generally need 2 recommendations from vets for your application. And some(most?) schools state specifically that they cannot be from family members. So it may not help you much in that regard.

One way it will probably help you will be that being related to a vet, you know what one does and the details that go along with the job. But I think you will still need significant experience to show ad-coms that Veterinary medicine is something YOU really want to do.

 

[bunnity]

Adding to what david said, if you're applying to the vet school that your dad went to, it might help your application a little. I know Penn had a statement that they would give extra consideration (don't remember the wording) for children of alumni.

At the very least, he can probably help you find people to shadow. It can be hard to get an "in" when trying to get your first vet experience, so the fact that you've grown up around it and can use his contacts will probably help you out.

 

[Syr]

Thank you for the responses!

As for the GPA, I know they're worried more about the most recent GPA now - however, I'm still wondering if to get above cut-off, my School 1 GPA -and- School 2 GPA have to be above 3.2, or if my cumulative between both has to be above - the cumulative would be easier, I did surprisingly well freshman year.

Also, if my father had a multi-vet practice (he has 3 other vets working with him), would that be suitable for recommendations, especially if I try to spend more time working when my dad is not? (He only works part-time recently.)

 

[dgm]

As for the GPA, I know they're worried more about the most recent GPA now - however, I'm still wondering if to get above cut-off, my School 1 GPA -and- School 2 GPA have to be above 3.2, or if my cumulative between both has to be above - the cumulative would be easier, I did surprisingly well freshman year.quote]

Obviously I am not in charge of these things, but I'm pretty sure that any automatic cutoff criteria - as David said - would look at either:
a) cumulative GPA (so, school 1 and school 2 together)
b) prereq GPA (regardless of which schools those classes were taken at)
c) last 45 credit hour GPA
or d) some combination of the above

I'm almost that the criteria is not "If School1GPA OR School2GPA < X, send to trash can". However, since your last 45 credit hours are probably all from School 2, where your GPA is 2.67, the GPA from School 2 being low *may* bite you in the ass. But that would be because your last 45 GPA is low, and would be the same even if all your coursework was from the same school.

I definitely don't think you should count yourself out. Obviously you know you should do everything in your power to raise your GPA, and I really hope you wouldn't scrap your vet school plans if a few of us were to tell you "Oh yeah you'll never make the cutoff"! A 3.2 cumulative really is not so bad.

And a phenomenal GRE can help you out, but the difference it makes probably varies from school to school.

 

[sumstorm]

The cut-offs are different for different schools. The one I will attend is 3.3/3.4, but did offer 'alternative eligibility.'

The GPA calcs mentioned above are pretty standard.

As for using vets from the same place as your father...I would want to get at least 1 ref from a completly different source. It will help ad coms see that you know more than just one practice/field and that you are capable of working with 'strangers' and that there isn't any parental influence/pressure on the vets. Note, I am not saying there is or would be, just that an ad com may not know that and may take such a ref with a 'grain of salt.' Also, it might hint at 'can only do it if father helps/sets it up/etc.' Not fair, but potentially realistic.

 

[Syr]

Oh, yeah, I totally see the benefit of outside resources. I'd want to have them anyway, just for my own good. Just wondering if it would be able to provide -any- sort of reference. But yeah, definitely working on finding outside places - humane society right now, but hopefully other clinics in future.

 

[jglovicz]

A stellar GRE score may help you out, but having <3.0 from your current institution (and probably most of your past 45 credits) probably means that you have quite a few Cs (and maybe lower). These are likely in your hard sciences. My concern would not SO MUCH be with the GPA, but more with having weaker grades in important classes. Without having too much background, I would suggest that you retake some "important" classes that you have gotten below a "B-" in and show that you can get As. Depending on your school, this type of work won't be reflected too much in your GPA (at my undergrad institution, grades were averaged), but it will show that you have taken responsibility for your grades and that you have made an effort to learn that material. I think you will be in a better place to explain your poor grades that way (in a "I learned from past mistakes" type fashion). As for the letter of rec, I would use your father for connections (to shadow/tech/etc), but I, personally, would not use someone that works for (or is affiliated with) him for a LOR. Good luck!

 

[TorchWorker]

I am in basically the same situation without the decent overall GPA. My dad is a vet who co-owns a hospital, 9 other vets work there, My GPA is a 2.6, and I am a senior who really needs to continue school in order to have a shot at vet school.

I have tons of experience with large and small animals, I have worked at the hospital since I was 8 (snowdays spent walking and feeding b/c employees couldnt make it to work). I am working in a genetics lab now. I have an F and a D from freshman year which are the main cause of my 2.6 GPA. I have decent experience...I have castrated, taken plenty of blood, given plenty of injections, and worked kennel and hospital at my dads place for years. I have also cared for my dads mules, donkey, and farm property for a few years.

My plan now is to retake a number of courses next year to get my past 45 up and have some A's in important places. To do this, I will give up on finishing my major (ag sci with a double minor in animal science and biology + minor in chem). I switched from horticulture to graphic design to pre vet, so I am a fair sight behind.

Sorry to jack the thread, but as we are in such similar situations, I thought it would be appropriate. My question is this: should I stay on course to finish pre reqs and graduate next year, or retake courses and finish pre reqs for vet school to get my GPA and some A's on my transcript?

If I graduate, my course load will fill up with other things and I wont be able to retake courses at all, which will leave me with a crappy last 45.

If I retake courses I cannot graduate and might not get in to vet school, but without retaking courses, I dont think I will get in at all...

 

[david594]

If I graduate, my course load will fill up with other things and I wont be able to retake courses at all, which will leave me with a crappy last 45.

If I retake courses I cannot graduate and might not get in to vet school, but without retaking courses, I dont think I will get in at all...

If you graduate without retaking anything, how does that leave you with a crappy last 45 gpa? You make it sound like the only way you can pull a good gpa is by retaking the courses you have already taken.

And at this point in the game for you, what real benefit is there from graduating when your on track for versus a semester or two later?

 

[jglovicz]

I am in basically the same situation without the decent overall GPA. My dad is a vet who co-owns a hospital, 9 other vets work there, My GPA is a 2.6, and I am a senior who really needs to continue school in order to have a shot at vet school.

I have tons of experience with large and small animals, I have worked at the hospital since I was 8 (snowdays spent walking and feeding b/c employees couldnt make it to work). I am working in a genetics lab now. I have an F and a D from freshman year which are the main cause of my 2.6 GPA. I have decent experience...I have castrated, taken plenty of blood, given plenty of injections, and worked kennel and hospital at my dads place for years. I have also cared for my dads mules, donkey, and farm property for a few years.

My plan now is to retake a number of courses next year to get my past 45 up and have some A's in important places. To do this, I will give up on finishing my major (ag sci with a double minor in animal science and biology + minor in chem). I switched from horticulture to graphic design to pre vet, so I am a fair sight behind.

Sorry to jack the thread, but as we are in such similar situations, I thought it would be appropriate. My question is this: should I stay on course to finish pre reqs and graduate next year, or retake courses and finish pre reqs for vet school to get my GPA and some A's on my transcript?

If I graduate, my course load will fill up with other things and I wont be able to retake courses at all, which will leave me with a crappy last 45.

If I retake courses I cannot graduate and might not get in to vet school, but without retaking courses, I dont think I will get in at all...

Since you have a poor last 45 credits and a D and an F from freshman year, you will likely have a lot of courses to retake. The way I see it, you should retake the classes in which you did poorly. I also think those classes need to be taken at a 4 year institution. That either means 1) retaking those classes before graduating, or 2) taking those classes as a post-bach. You will have to check with your advisor because I believe as a post-bach you can only register for courses once everyone else has (this may make it hard for you get into lab sections). Also, you will have to start thinking about how you will explain your poor grades in your personal statement/on your application (if you can get a 4.0 or close to it as a post bach, that would help a lot). Good luck!

 

[TorchWorker]

The only benefit to graduating on track is only paying one year extra tuition instead of two. If I dont get into vet school, I will have to go for a 6th year to graduate.

I agree that I should retake courses I have poor grades in. Even if I get my past 45 up while finishing my major, I will still have low grades in some pre reqs. It will be easier to get my grades up taking courses I have already taken, and I think I will benefit most from that option.

 

[david594]

The only benefit to graduating on track is only paying one year extra tuition instead of two. If I dont get into vet school, I will have to go for a 6th year to graduate.

I agree that I should retake courses I have poor grades in. Even if I get my past 45 up while finishing my major, I will still have low grades in some pre reqs. It will be easier to get my grades up taking courses I have already taken, and I think I will benefit most from that option.

Keep in mind that a lot of schools will average the GPA's of repeated courses, so its not necessarily a fast way to increasing your GPA.

I'm still confused on your extra 1 year versus 2 based on when you graduate. Arnt you planning to take the same courses either way? Its just a matter of them being before or after your official graduation date?

 

[DVMorBust]

This is what I'm getting -

For applying this time around, it would be beneficial to up the GPA, and Torch thinks retaking would be most effective, but this would prohibit graduating on time. Otherwise, Torch could graduate on time, but apply with a lower GPA.

...maybe?

So...if you retake classes, and do better in them, do they count towards the final 45? i.e., you took Organic, got a D+, two years ago. Retake it now, get an A, the two average out to a C+/B- AND the A counts towards your most recent 45 credits?

I have no idea why it wouldn't work that way...just curious.