WAMC- 1st time applicant. low gpa, interested in exotic/forensic

[_Aik]

Hi! First time applicant, will be graduating with BS in spring 2026. Interested in exotic/exotic shelter med/forensics. Interested in applying to the following colleges: UF (#1), NCSU (ISS), Mississippi State, Auburn, UT, Georgia, LSU, Virginia-maryland. Worried about GPA, but I have been working on increasing it. Not open to island schools due to chronic disease.

Cumulative GPA: 3.21; if replaces lowest grade, 3.35
science GPA: 3.09; if replaces lowest grade, 3.24
last 45: Currently 3.45
** Classes I still have to take: Animal nutrition, microbio with lab, biochem, evolution, medical terminology, statistical methods, biochem 2 with lab, senior seminar x2

Any degrees achieved
AS in Science with 3.833 GPA, high honors
BS in Biology, will be earned Spring 2026

GRE results: Not taking

Veterinary Experience:
- Veterinary assistant @ small animal clinic- 180.58 hrs
- Veterinary assistant @ small animal/pocket pet clinic- 533.77 hrs
- Veterinary assistant @ small animal clinic- 1188.04 hrs
- Turtle rescue volunteer and intern- 99 hours
- UK Study abroad with large animal, small animal, pocket pets- 250 hrs
TOTAL: 2306.39 hrs

Animal Experience:
- State fair barn staff- 9 hrs
- PetSmart- 1412 hrs
- Humane society volunteer- 23 hrs
TOTAL: 1444 hrs

Research Experience:
- 0, will be doing one-on-one cancer research with my organic 1, organic 2, and biochem 1 professor this summer

Awards/scholarships:
- Graduated High Honors with AS in Science
- Phi Theta Kappa membership
- Dean's List for community college and university (with scholarship)
- President's List for another community college

Extracurriculars:
- Part-time veterinary assistant
- Tutor for organic chemistry
- Internship for turtle rescue
- Humane society volunteer
(do these have to be active?)

Employment:
- Veterinary assistant x3 as stated above
- PetSmart

Low GPA, I've heard of others stating I'll be under the GPA cut off for the schools I selected? I'm open to applying to other schools if it'll give me better chances, if focuses on exotic/shelter med. Ultimately want to know plans for improvement/other colleges if mine aren't good. My ISS is NCSU, would rather not go too far to the west, but I gotta do what I gotta do. I've heard Midwestern, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa is good? Fearful that a majority of those focus on rural/large animal interests.
**No island schools

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[_Aik]

Forgot to mention my LORs:
1. Veterinarian from job, graduated from UF (my #1)
2. Veterinarian from job, graduated from NCSU (my ISS)
3. My organic 1 and 2, biochem 1 professor. Also doing research with her this summer

 

[vampyrica]

** Classes I still have to take: Animal nutrition, microbio with lab, biochem, evolution, medical terminology, statistical methods, biochem 2 with lab, senior seminar x2

Are you apply this cycle or next? If you are applying this cycle, i would recommend not to unless you are taking these classes over the summer and will have grades in before the application deadline.

Most schools have a requirement that only 2 pre-requisite courses may be in progress at the time of application. If you submit, your application will most likely not be looked at due to having 4-5 in progress pre-reqs.

 

[_Aik]

Are you apply this cycle or next? If you are applying this cycle, i would recommend not to unless you are taking these classes over the summer and will have grades in before the application deadline.

Most schools have a requirement that only 2 pre-requisite courses may be in progress at the time of application. If you submit, your application will most likely not be looked at due to having 4-5 in progress pre-reqs.

I will be applying this cycle. The courses I have remaining that are pre-reqs are biochem 1, microbio, and animal nutrition. I am taking animal nutrition this summer. I'll be taking biochem, microbio, and med term in the fall. I'm taking biochem 2 in the spring to improve my GPA.
The only college on my list that requires med term is Virginia-maryland, but it'll be fine since they require all pre-reqs to be finished by spring semester prior to matriculation. The other colleges do not require med term, so I'll have the maximum two classes to finish during the fall, per their requirements.

I did state about statistics, but I've already completed that at a community college that does satisfy the pre-req for cvm. I am only taking another course since my college did not accept my prior stats class for graduation requirements (private uni).

 

[vampyrica]

I will be applying this cycle. The courses I have remaining that are pre-reqs are biochem 1, microbio, and animal nutrition. I am taking animal nutrition this summer. I'll be taking biochem, microbio, and med term in the fall. I'm taking biochem 2 in the spring to improve my GPA.
The only college on my list that requires med term is Virginia-maryland, but it'll be fine since they require all pre-reqs to be finished by spring semester prior to matriculation. The other colleges do not require med term, so I'll have the maximum two classes to finish during the fall, per their requirements.

Okay great! Thank you for clarifying.

Do you know which schools on your list will do grade replacement to calculate their science and pre-req GPAs? If you're open to adding more schools, I would definitely add Iowa and UAZ on your list. UGA is very picky with OOS students and tend to look at higher GPA applicants. Your hours are good IMO, I think there's some variety in there. You can get in with your GPAs but you will have to have very very good LORs and very very good essays.

 

[_Aik]

Okay great! Thank you for clarifying.

Do you know which schools on your list will do grade replacement to calculate their science and pre-req GPAs? If you're open to adding more schools, I would definitely add Iowa and UAZ on your list. UGA is very picky with OOS students and tend to look at higher GPA applicants. Your hours are good IMO, I think there's some variety in there. You can get in with your GPAs but you will have to have very very good LORs and very very good essays.

None of my colleges I listed do grade replacements. The only one that is different is LSU, where they have no cGPA and favors last 45 credits. I am down to add Iowa and UAZ, but I figured it didn't have a strong exotics program/preferred large animal students. I'll definitely give it a look!
Thank you for notifying me about UGA. I'll be sure to substitute it with something else, it was definitely just a filler school on my list (I plan to apply to 7 minimum).

 

[battie]

I've heard of others stating I'll be under the GPA cut off for the schools I selected?

It's very possible, especially as an out of state student. You'll need to check all grade cut off closely.

if focuses on exotic/shelter med.

No school has a focus on exotics or shelter med. Some schools have more options for on site electives and rotations. But you're not in a position to be that picky.

fearful that a majority of those focus on rural/large animal interests.

I would say no school has a total focus on rural/large animal focus because everyone has to pass the NAVLE, which has a significant dog/cat portion. Some schools do want a percentage of their students to go into rural medicine, but it's hard to fill a class with 100% of these students. So even if you don't want to do rural med, you can still apply to the vast majority of these schools.

UF (#1), NCSU (ISS), Mississippi State, Auburn, UT, Georgia, LSU, Virginia-maryland

Why did you choose these schools? What schools are absolutely hard no gos besides international?

As Vamp said, you can yeet UGA right off your list.

What you should do is make yourself some sort of excel sheet or chart with the grade cut offs with each school as your first step to know what schools you can even apply to at all. Unfortunately, your in a position of just trying to get in at all, let alone being choosey about where you go.

Once you have your list of where you are even eligible to apply, you should determine which schools give you the best chance by evaluating which schools have the greatest number of out of state seats and how many people actually apply there. Finally, you need to see which GPA is most important to which schools and focus on applying where your 45 GPA will be most valued.

Your biggest asset is your 45 GPA. You need to do whatever you can to get As the next few semesters. Anything less will bring down your GPAs across the board, but most importantly it will decrease that 45 GPA. If you don't ace the next year of classes, I would recommend not applying this cycle and waiting a year while retaking classes and meeting with admissions committees. My biggest recommendation is to apply with your best application from the get go.

Your subjective components of your application *must* be stellar.

 

[pp9]

** Classes I still have to take: Animal nutrition, microbio with lab, biochem, evolution, medical terminology, statistical methods, biochem 2 with lab, senior seminar x2

Are you apply this cycle or next? If you are applying this cycle, i would recommend not to unless you are taking these classes over the summer and will have grades in before the application deadline.

Aside from the pending course requirements...that is just a lot of pending courses and your stats are not good. The biochems have the potential to tank your stats even further. I don't say that to be mean, but given that you've already struggled, the odds of you doing well in notoriously difficult upper level courses such as biochem are low considering you are taking multiple upper level courses with it.

I'm taking biochem 2 in the spring to improve my GPA.

I've never in my life heard someone say they were taking a biochem to improve their GPA so I would think long and hard about that one. Is biochem really considered a 'gimme' course at your school? If it's not, do not take this. If I was looking to improve my GPA, I would be taking upper level animal science/nutrition/other or repeating courses, and absolutely not taking an extra biochem.

And if it really is a 'gimme' course for you, I'd love to know what school you're at.

 

[_Aik]

I would say no school has a total focus on rural/large animal focus because everyone has to pass the NAVLE, which has a significant dog/cat portion. Some schools do want a percentage of their students to go into rural medicine, but it's hard to fill a class with 100% of these students. So even if you don't want to do rural med, you can still apply to the vast majority of these schools.

Thank you for letting me know this. I've already added more schools to my list.

Why did you choose these schools? What schools are absolutely hard no gos besides international?

Ultimately chose those schools, so I wouldn't have to move so far from North Carolina. Schools that are hard nos would be schools closer to the west coast.

What you should do is make yourself some sort of excel sheet or chart with the grade cut offs with each school as your first step to know what schools you can even apply to at all.

I have just completed this for each college I've looked into. Here is the data:
prGPA = pre-reqs GPA
cGPA = cumulative GPA

Mississippi State: replaces lowest grade for prGPA and cGPA. Only looks at sGPA and cGPA. Minimum GPA required is 3.0.
My prGPA for this school: 3.5
My cGPA for this school: 3.35

NCSU (ISS): looks at cGPA, prGPA, last 45. Minimum GPA required is 3.0
My prGPA: 3.3
My cGPA: 3.21

Virginia-Maryland: replaces only for prGPA. Looks at cGPA, prGPA, and last 45. Minimum GPA required is 3.0
My prGPA: 3.77
My cGPA: 3.21

LSU: Uses both original and retakes for prGPA and last 45. Looks only at prGPA and last 45. Minimum GPA required is 3.0
My prGPA: 3.24

LMU: only looks at cGPA. Minimum GPA required is 2.8.
cGPA: 3.21

Michigan State: replaces grades for prGPA and last 3 semesters. Only looks at prGPA and last 3 semesters. Minimum GPA required is 3.0
prGPA: 3.5

Kansas State: Averages for cGPA. Only looks at cGPA. Minimum GPA required is 3.0
cGPA: 3.35

UF: Looks at cGPA, prGPA, and last 45. GPA required has to be x > 3.0.
My prGPA: 3.2
My cGPA: 3.21
**Applying to this college no matter what

Auburn: looks at cGPA. Minimum GPA required is 3.0
cGPA: 3.21

Iowa State: replaces grades for all three (cGPA, prGPA, last 45). Minimum cGPA is 2.5 and 2.8 for prGPA.
My prGPA: 3.11
My cGPA: 3.35
**Not sure why my prGPA is low (even with grade replacement), but my math is correct.

Illinois: Uses both original and retakes for cGPA and prGPA (only ones looked at). Minimum GPA required is 3.0.
My prGPA: 3.17
My cGPA: 3.21
**Might remove this one off the list, doesn't look good at all.

UAS: replaces grade only for prGPA. Looks at cGPA and prGPA. Minimum GPA required is 3.0.
My prGPA: 3.6
My cGPA: 3.21

Missouri State: uses both grades only for cGPA. Looks at cGPA and last 3 FT semesters. Minimum GPA required is 3.0. States is holisitc.
My cGPA: 3.35

University of Minnesota: averages for prGPA. Looks at both prGPA and last 45. Minimum GPA is > 2.75.
My prGPA: 3.5
**Definitely will be applying to, has great exotic/shelter electives


Now I'll be taking your advice and looking at which colleges are a better fit in terms of acceptance/OOS applicants

 

[_Aik]

just a lot of pending courses

The only courses that are pending for a majority of the schools are the following: Animal nutrition (taking this summer), Microbio and Biochem 1 (taking this fall). The only other course that one other course requires is medical term, which I can take in the spring and be fine according to Virginia-Maryland's website.
When posting on this forum, I forgot that statistics was also a pre-req for a majority of colleges. I have already taken a stats that satisfies the pre-req for cvm admissions. I am taking a second one due to my college not accepting my old one for graduation requirements. Both the old and new statistics course will be an A, so there'll be no change in my GPA calculations there.

you've already struggled

The only course I struggled in Organic Chemistry 1 and Reproductive Physiology. Briefly writing, for that university, my mental took a toll. My grades and mental significantly improved once I transferred out.

Is biochem really considered a 'gimme' course at your school?

My college is a very small, local college. Professors go a long way to assist students in their studies. The professor for BCHM 1 (my organic chem 1, 2, and my mentor for research) is not the same for BCHM 2. However, for the other professor, even though I have not taken a class with her, I can already tell that she is phenomenal and goes a long way for her students. Therefore, I am not afraid of taking the course.

Biochem 2 was chosen because although I have failed organic chemistry 1 in the past, organic chemistry is now my favorite subject. I rave about the class to other students that worry and have assisted with tutoring for organic chemistry 1 and 2. Although BCHM 2 is mostly focused on metabolism, I think I'll enjoy and be fascinated with learning how everything ties together.

To include, BCHM 2 was chosen due to my college being small. Unfortunately, there are no electives that are offered each year. At this moment, I am unsure of which classes will be offered this upcoming spring, but from looking at last spring, it was only core classes available. The only other course I can take is regular nutrition, which is the same professor as BCHM 2.

 

[battie]

Now I'll be taking your advice and looking at which colleges are a better fit in terms of acceptance/OOS applicants

You also need to be tailoring your list based on the GPAs. No point in applying to schools with a 3.75+ out of state GPA average as an example.

To be honest, you should do these calculations for *all* schools you could feasibly apply to, including your less desirable schools. If you're casting a wider net, you may have to compromise some priorities to get an acceptance.

Might remove this one off the list, doesn't look good at all.

If you're referring to your GPA, then you also need to remove Auburn as well.

The only course I struggled in Organic Chemistry 1 and Reproductive Physiology. Briefly writing, for that university, my mental took a toll. My grades and mental significantly improved once I transferred out

PP9 was referring to your overall GPAs being B average. these classes may be your worse, but there's a general overall trend of more Bs or lower than As. She isn't necessarily saying that you struggled from the perspective of failing many classes.

 

[_Aik]

You also need to be tailoring your list based on the GPAs. No point in applying to schools with a 3.75+ out of state GPA average as an example

I'll be getting in contact with each school's admissions office and request last year's OOS applicant data then. I'm unable to find average GPA for OOS online for last year/two years ago.

To be honest, you should do these calculations for *all* schools you could feasibly apply to, including your less desirable schools.

I 100% agree, and have been doing so. I have a lengthy list on my google spreadsheet for schools I'm looking into/fine with applying. If there's a point where I'm researching the college and have noticed more requirements (gpa, courses), then I remove it off my list. Although outdated, I am now using the AVMA admitted stats as a rough guideline for schools I should look more heavily into.

If you're referring to your GPA, then you also need to remove Auburn as well.

I agree!