Timing of prerequisite courses/GPA questions

[LaurenKittie]

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Hey guys! Sorry I have so many questions, but you're all being very patient and helpful so yay ^_^
Anyway, what I was wondering is...by the time I start filling out my VMCAS and supplemental and such, I will still have one semester of organic and biochem to take. Will most vet schools expect this? Do I have until a certain date to take these courses? And after I'm done, do I send them another transcript?
My other question, is that since I have an undergrad degree from one college, but I'm now taking classes at a community college, will the GPA from both be combined? Is this something I'm going to have to calculate myself?
I have a lot of transcripts because so far I'll have taken classes at FOUR colleges...(I transferred after my freshman year, then my undergrad college, then 2 different community colleges, YIKES).
Thanks for the help!

 

[GellaBella]

Most veterinary schools (if not all) allow you to have some prereqs outstanding, although you will need to indicate when you are taking them. Some schools simply require that all your prereqs be done by the time you matriculate into the vet school, others say that all required courses must be completed by the end of the spring semester before you matriculate into the vet school, so you'll need to check for the schools you are thinking of applying to, but yes, you will need to send additional transcripts showing that you did indeed complete those courses.

As far as GPA, different schools have different ways of doing things. You will be asked for your GPA from your primary undergraduate college on the VMCAS application, and then several of the supplementary applications I've seen so far have asked me to compute my combined GPA from all schools attended as well as my GPA for the last 45 credit hours.

and I feel your pain with the transcripts...I will have transcripts from 6 schools. no fun.

 

[primatevetjess]

Hi, me again 😛 Very slow day at work, so I'm spending all of my time on SDN.

Yes, it is expected and okay to have some courses to finish up when you submit the VMCAS. After I submitted mine, I took Statistics and Genetics that fall, and Biochem the following Spring. I just sent new transcripts after each semester. Most schools stipulate that you must be done with all prereqs the Spring before matriculation, but I know there are a couple that let you finish up as late as the Summer before.

The GPA question on VMCAS asks for your primary school GPA. For me, this was the one most recently attended and where I took most of my relevant prereqs. So I got to put 3.94, when my total cum was quite a bit lower. There is a section on the bottom of that page where you put your GPAs from other schools.

Don't worry about tons of transcripts. I had five (two universities and three community colleges)!

 

[rileyroo]

i think i read somewhere that Ohio St. requires you to have a certain percentage of prereqs completed prior to applying. can anyone vouch for this and maybe provide information regarding that requirement?

EDIT: this is what i was referring to from OSU's aavmc page:

"Applicants must complete the required pre-veterinary
medical courses listed below by the end of the fall
term of the application year in order to be interviewed. (We
will accept one prerequisite to be completed in Winter
Quarter/ Spring Semester.)"

so if you are doing phys 1, phys 2, biochem 1, and biochem 2 for Fall 09/Spring 10, you can't apply to OSU this Fall??

 

[nyanko]

so if you are doing phys 1, phys 2, biochem 1, and biochem 2 for Fall 09/Spring 10, you can't apply to OSU this Fall??

If Biochem 2 is a prerequisite for them, then that's what it sounds like.

This might be a bit of a derail and might be a little bit incendiary, but I actually get kind of personally annoyed about people holding off on stuff like biochem until after the application goes in. I've seen people deliberately do that so that their sciences GPA is higher and I won't lie, I think less of them for it. 😉

I sort of understand if you're applying jr year and that's the only way you can possibly do it or whatever, but I can't help feeling like it's kind of "legally cheating," for lack of a better expression.

 

[rileyroo]

If Biochem 2 is a prerequisite for them, then that's what it sounds like.

This might be a bit of a derail and might be a little bit incendiary, but I actually get kind of personally annoyed about people holding off on stuff like biochem until after the application goes in. I've seen people deliberately do that so that their sciences GPA is higher and I won't lie, I think less of them for it. 😉

I sort of understand if you're applying jr year and that's the only way you can possibly do it or whatever, but I can't help feeling like it's kind of "legally cheating," for lack of a better expression.

i'm hoping this is just a general statement and not directed at me. 😉 i'm a nontraditional student and this is my third year of prereqs. i completed my first 2 semesters of chemistry the 1st year, then 2 semesters of organic last year, and this is the first chance for me to take biochem. idk how else you would recommend someone going about it and not consider it "legally cheating" unless you think students should only apply after they have completed all of their prereqs. i personally don't agree with the cheating statement. i may be able to see your point of view for traditional students, but not for nontraditional students who have graduated and returned to do prereqs. i think those who completed a bachelor's in a non-science degree before deciding to pursue veterinary medicine, might follow a similar path for completing prereqs. (2 semesters intro chem, 2 semesters organic, then biochem). my biochem course requires completion of organic chemistry 2, so i couldn't have taken biochem prior to this fall semester. i have never heard of anyone having something against this method. i know everyone's schedules are different and prereqs aren't taken the same way (especially those completing them during pursuit of a bachelor's) but this is how it has worked out for me, and i think there are others out there who are completing biochem this fall (during the app. process) as well. on a side note, it's not even certain that i will be able to apply this year. so if it makes you feel any better, nyanko, if i have to wait until next year to apply, all of my prereqs will be complete at the end of the spring 2010 semester, prior to applying for the 2015 cycle. 🙂

 

[nyanko]

It's not directed at you, more at the type of people who populate the pre-allo forums, really, who actually do these things intentionally to pad GPA and such. I can definitely see their point as well - it's perfectly legal so why not do it? That doesn't mean I have to think it's fair or like it. 😉

Signed,
a non-trad who finished all the prereqs before applying, and took both organic chem 1 and 2 over the same summer to do so. 😉

 

[rileyroo]

It's not directed at you, more at the type of people who populate the pre-allo forums, really, who actually do these things intentionally to pad GPA and such. I can definitely see their point as well - it's perfectly legal so why not do it? That doesn't mean I have to think it's fair or like it. 😉

Signed,
a non-trad who finished all the prereqs before applying, and took both organic chem 1 and 2 over the same summer to do so. 😉

summer wasn't an option for me, but i definitely commend those who complete organic courses in summer terms!! 🙂