WAMC - 3rd time applicant, <avg GPA

[fauna]

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Hi, 23yo F, working on my third application cycle! I am a Florida resident, lived here my whole life but I did do some work in Massachusetts for less than a year but I have since moved back to FL. Finished undergrad in December '23, and now work full-time as a specialty surgery assistant. First cycle-- applied to 9 schools, waitlisted by LSU, rejected by all others with no interview invites. Second cycle-- applied to 12 schools, interviewed LSU and UF (IS) waitlisted by both, rejected everywhere else. Rejected from LSU despite being waitlisted the first time and having a really positive advising session with them between cycles 1 and 2. I think maybe I got alt for an interview at Kansas and Tennessee but don't quite remember bc it never led anywhere lol. This cycle, I will not apply to nearly as many schools. Previously, I thought casting a wide net would help my chances but it's far too expensive. I will definitely apply to UF, LSU, and LMU again, open to applying to 1-2 more if people have good suggestions for me. The dream would be UF and my focus is trying to be a more appealing applicant to them-- awaiting a packet review but it has been a challenge for me to schedule that. I am hesitant about LMU due to cost, location, no teaching hospital but I feel my chances are stronger with them. Forgive me if my descriptions are a bit clunky-- I honestly have not really used the WAMC forums before so I am not sure how in-depth people normally go.

Cumulative GPA: 3.44
science GPA: 3.11
last 45: -can't find rn sorry, prob similar to my cumulative-

Any degrees achieved:
B.S. Cell and Molecular Biology
A.A. Liberal Arts

GRE results: n/a

Veterinary Experience:
from most recent to earliest experiences
- jan 2025-now, >40 hours/week: specialty surgery assistant in FL, functions primarily as a scrub nurse, currently training in anesthesia. many emergency soft tissue cases. 640 hours. would expect to be around 1,200 hours by the time I apply though. compensated
- may 2024-dec 2024, 40hrs/week specialty surgery assistant in MA- again, scrub nurse, more orthopedic cases though, no emergencies really. 1200 hours compensated
- november 2022-april 2024, started part-time, later did full-time GP lead vet assistant 1800 hours compensated
- intermittent over the course of a couple years 2020-2022, shadowed at a small animal GP, 160 hours volunteer

Animal Experience:
- may 2022-august 2022- zoo internship, animal ambassador department, heavy emphasis on enrichment, animal behavior, operant conditioning. 480 hours
- high school years- volunteer at humane society, 120 hours

Research Experience:
limited work assisting in an animal behavior lab studying spiders literally only like 30 hours. i watched tapes of spiders and cleaned their enclosures.

Awards/scholarships:
- merit scholarships
- community service awarded upon graduating HS (don't know if i should leave this on here)

Extracurriculars:
- PRIDE Alliance
- Pre- Vet Society


Employment:
- Starbucks Barista, 1500 hours, part-time during college
- Movie Theater, 1000 hours, part-time during HS, not sure if I should leave this on my app

Concerns: GPA has been the biggest concern this whole time. Still undecided if I need to pursue a Masters or just take some new-to-me science/biomedical undergrad classes or retake some C classes, which would be things like Orgo and Physics. Besides this, as a student, I was just a painfully "B" student when it came to my rigorous science electives. I aced a couple of my science classes but it was mostly B's and that's why my GPA looks the way it does. I have been told that this isn't bad it is just not competitive enough in the sea of applicants. I hope at least that the fact that I majored in cell and molecular bio is a standout, as this was pretty rigorous.

I feel like between cycles 1 and 2 I made an exponential leap in my non-academic portions-- better experience, better LORs, better statements. From cycle 2 to 3, however, it feels like I haven't made enough of a difference other than just continuing to work.
Interviews-- in retrospect, I think I did really well in my UF interview though I was a nervous wreck at the time immediately following it. I am eagerly awaiting my packet review so I can get some answers on if it was my interview that held me back from acceptance or my GPA, which I would find to be more likely. I will admit my LMU interview was trash, I had terrible internet issues and could hardly answer the questions so I was surprised to even get waitlisted.

 

[fauna]

bumping this thread to see if anyone has any opinions! to add, my LORs last cycle were as follows: 1. Cancer Biology Professor, she is also a chairman if the cell/molecular bio department which is my major. I asked her to specifically touch on a big project for the class I did speaking on Veterinary Oncology and more specifically canine osteosarcoma. 2. DVM-DACVS— Lead surgeon at the specialty practice
3. DVM- doctor I worked for at GP when I was Lead Vet Assistant, asked her to speak to my leadership skills specifically
Ideally I would get these letters again. Feeling a bit unsure though as it haa been a while since I have been in contact with my GP doctor and the professor

 

[pp9]

Well it's not your experience, and we can't know if it's your LORs/written portions without being able to read those. Right off the bat, I have to assume its your GPA(s) holding you back. The science one in particular, and maybe the fact that your last 45 isn't as high as some schools might want to see in light of the low science GPA?

It's encouraging to be waitlisted, even though it may not feel that way. What kind of feedback did you get in that advising session?

 

[JaynaAli]

Is there another/better option than these letter writers? You said it’s been a while since you’ve been in contact with them, but do you think they’re still the best people to speak on your behalf or do you have other, newer experiences you could use instead? I do think that the longer you’ve been away the harder it is for people to write a super strong letter just because memories fade over time, but really, what they (vs others) say is going to be what’s most important. I’d assume these people would just tweak what they’ve used previously, but it’s impossible to tell whether that’s good or not so good.

 

[fauna]

Well it's not your experience, and we can't know if it's your LORs/written portions without being able to read those. Right off the bat, I have to assume its your GPA(s) holding you back. The science one in particular, and maybe the fact that your last 45 isn't as high as some schools might want to see in light of the low science GPA?

It's encouraging to be waitlisted, even though it may not feel that way. What kind of feedback did you get in that advising session?

My feedback isn't until Monday-- I will have to give an update when they do! I feel the same way that it's the GPA that is my biggest obstacle. I know you're not the admissions board lol but, do you have any thoughts on taking new undergrad science classes? It would ideally be a way to raise both the last 45 and my science GPA but the downfall being it would take me another year to see the pay-off and I am not so sure the pay-off would be all that substantial.

 

[fauna]

Is there another/better option than these letter writers? You said it’s been a while since you’ve been in contact with them, but do you think they’re still the best people to speak on your behalf or do you have other, newer experiences you could use instead? I do think that the longer you’ve been away the harder it is for people to write a super strong letter just because memories fade over time, but really, what they (vs others) say is going to be what’s most important. I’d assume these people would just tweak what they’ve used previously, but it’s impossible to tell whether that’s good or not so good.

Yeah, this has been a big point of worry for me this cycle. I had the same thought-- maybe they have my letter saved somewhere in their computer and they can do a tweak and resubmit. I would like to get a new reference but I am not confident about swinging it in time for the next cycle. I have only worked at my current practice since January and I think I have made a good impression as an employee but I have not made a connection with the doctors that I think I would need for them to be able to actually write something meaningful.

 

[pp9]

My feedback isn't until Monday-- I will have to give an update when they do! I feel the same way that it's the GPA that is my biggest obstacle. I know you're not the admissions board lol but, do you have any thoughts on taking new undergrad science classes? It would ideally be a way to raise both the last 45 and my science GPA but the downfall being it would take me another year to see the pay-off and I am not so sure the pay-off would be all that substantial.

It depends on a lot of factors. Definitely see what the feedback is, but if they say your GPAs are the biggest issue, repeating classes would be the only way. Which classes you repeat would probably depend on the school and what GPAs they consider (prereq GPA vs. all science/math classes, for example). I personally would worry about taking multiple courses that I've struggled with at once, too, so keep that in mind with scheduling/planning.

 

[fauna]

What kind of feedback did you get in that advising session?

Well, the packet review was so positive, it is almost frustrating. She opened by saying she did an extensive look through all of my application (I will say, that alone, I appreciate so much) and she doesn’t have a whole lot to say and she won’t really be telling me things I should do. She thinks I all around have a great application— good feedback on my statements and my interview. I asked (in a more delicate way) if it was my GPA that held me back and she said “it’s a factor” but I did have an upward trend, especially towards the end I did really good in my science classes and she said that was taken note of.

The biggest thing that surprised me was she said to make use of the explanation statement. I haven’t been using them bc I felt it was higher risk than reward, didn’t want to sound like I was making excuses. She said they want to know why I withdrew Chemistry in my first semester in 2020. The reason is I wasn’t doing good! It was online, my first semester of college, I had to learn the format. So I will say that I guess but she just advised that I use the statement to show how I have learned and grown. Makes sense!

She said there is no need for me to do a Master’s. I said my plan was to retake one class and then take a new class. She said I was best off with taking new classes only. How helpful that will be ultimately? unclear.

She said my writing is very good, I could tighten up my statement some more and I completely agree. Interviewers “enjoyed speaking with me” but said I could have had a better, “broader” answer about OneHealth :| That felt kind of randomly specific to me as it was literally one question and also I knew they were going to ask about that so I had a prepared, researched answer. Weird but I don’t think that’s what held me back.

Genuinely, I should feel happy— She kept saying I was a great applicant. But I am really frustrated and defeated right now because it sounds like I was as good as I can be, and I was perfectly fine, and I still did not make it. There is no reason that has anything to do with me specifically and more just to do with the sheer amount of competition. I just have to try again and expect a different result.

ETA: I was happy to hear that they are pleased with what I have done between cycles and how I am choosing to gain experience, which is nice to hear. I sometimes have doubts about what I should be doing lmao so hearing I am doing something right is really nice

 

[pp9]

Well, the packet review was so positive, it is almost frustrating. She opened by saying she did an extensive look through all of my application (I will say, that alone, I appreciate so much) and she doesn’t have a whole lot to say and she won’t really be telling me things I should do. She thinks I all around have a great application— good feedback on my statements and my interview. I asked (in a more delicate way) if it was my GPA that held me back and she said “it’s a factor” but I did have an upward trend, especially towards the end I did really good in my science classes and she said that was taken note of.

The biggest thing that surprised me was she said to make use of the explanation statement. I haven’t been using them bc I felt it was higher risk than reward, didn’t want to sound like I was making excuses. She said they want to know why I withdrew Chemistry in my first semester in 2020. The reason is I wasn’t doing good! It was online, my first semester of college, I had to learn the format. So I will say that I guess but she just advised that I use the statement to show how I have learned and grown. Makes sense!

She said there is no need for me to do a Master’s. I said my plan was to retake one class and then take a new class. She said I was best off with taking new classes only. How helpful that will be ultimately? unclear.

She said my writing is very good, I could tighten up my statement some more and I completely agree. Interviewers “enjoyed speaking with me” but said I could have had a better, “broader” answer about OneHealth :| That felt kind of randomly specific to me as it was literally one question and also I knew they were going to ask about that so I had a prepared, researched answer. Weird but I don’t think that’s what held me back.

Genuinely, I should feel happy— She kept saying I was a great applicant. But I am really frustrated and defeated right now because it sounds like I was as good as I can be, and I was perfectly fine, and I still did not make it. There is no reason that has anything to do with me specifically and more just to do with the sheer amount of competition. I just have to try again and expect a different result.

ETA: I was happy to hear that they are pleased with what I have done between cycles and how I am choosing to gain experience, which is nice to hear. I sometimes have doubts about what I should be doing lmao so hearing I am doing something right is really nice

My first application cycle was pretty similar - I got minimal constructive feedback in my file reviews because my application ‘was fine.’ The good news is that you didn’t have any serious red flags brought up. You can address lol the minor things fairly easily while retaking courses