WAMC - A Comeback Story!! (1st timer)

[ak1155]

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Hi Everyone!!

I'm brand new to the community and super glad to have found all these resources. Here's a wee bit about me:

I grew up in the rural South, and was a gifted/talented kid all throughout middle and HS (we all know how this is about to go.....)
When I hit college, I moved 600 miles away to College Park, MD at 16. TOO YOUNG to be in college!! At least for me.
After graduating with an Animal Science degree and a HORRIBLE 2.43 GPA, not having any inkling of pre-vet, I decided to start working and trying to figure myself out.
After 3 years away from school, I had learned with certainty that vet school is what I wanted, and enrolled in a completely self-designed postbac consisting of the following - Gen Chem (full series), Bio (full series), Physics (full series), Orgo (full series), Micro, Cell, Molecular, Biodiversity, Anatomy, Animal Phys, Nutrition, Medical Terminology, Statistics, Genetics, etc.

In my postbac of 80 credits and full STEM, I have maintained a PERFECT 4.0 gpa!! Truly wild. Anyway, stats first, then my obvious concerns.

My ideal schools:
VA-MD (my in-state school)
Washington State
Oregon State
Colorado State
Michigan State
Florida
Georgia
Arizona

I'd love to practice large animal/rural farm medicine! Or maybe wildlife, but I know that's a VERY bottlenecked field. Whatever I can get!

Cumulative GPA: 3.09
science GPA: 3.12
last 45: 4.00!!!

Any degrees achieved - B.S., Animal Science,

GRE results: 160/169/5.5

Veterinary Experience:
- Vet Assistant - 1,000 hrs
- Vet Technician - 3,000 hrs

Animal Experience:
- Farm Animal Manager - 1,200 hours
- WWOOF farmer in New Zealand - 800 hours
- Feline Coordinator, ASPCA - 500 hours
- Zoo Intern - 400 hours
- Wildlife Nature Center caretakers - 200 hours
- Rover - 600 hours

Research Experience:
- ongoing 2-year project invesitgating feline IVF rates. Work with molecular biology lab materials, live tissue dissection and storage, primary cell incubation and culturing. Handling and processing of live embryos. Have traveled to numerous conferences giving poster and oral presentations.

Awards/scholarships:
- Towson FDRC grant - Lab Manager of BSL2 Laboratory
- Member of TriBeta Honors Society
- Member of Golden Key Honors Society

Extracurriculars:
- Certified Maryland Master Naturalist
- Officer of Maryland Geocaching Society
- Trained as a certified pastry chef
- Secretary - Towson Student Environmental Organization

Employment:
- Barista, retail, library worker, tutor, babysitter, etdc

I want to tailor my application to schools that will really care about the progress I've made, rather than just looking at the numbers.

Anyway, give me all you've got! We still have 6ish months left till submission time, so I can still pack in some more!!

Thanks for everyone's help 🙂


By the way, here is my explanation statement:

My transcripts show the presence of two discrete periods of academic performance. There is a 2.43 GPA across a 4-year bachelors, and later, a 4.00 GPA across 2.5 years of post-baccalaureate work. It is indeed only the latter record of performance that accurately demonstrates my aptitude for and commitment to success as a veterinary student.

During my bachelor's degree, I lacked personal accountability, academic dedication, and a defined set of career goals. An absence of maturity and forethought led to the development of present-biased priorities, and yielded consistent underperformance both in an out of the classroom. My GPA at this time was entirely self-earned, and will not be ascribed here to any external life circumstances.

Upon postgraduate reflection, I cultivated both financial and emotional responsibility through varied life experience. I spent several years working full-time, exploring many niches of animal and non-animal related jobs, and volunteering both domestically and abroad. During these working years, I explored and eliminated countless potential career paths. I repeatedly found that the challenges, rewards, and relentless demands of the veterinary profession earned my enduring respect and curiosity. After this period of development, I re-committed to a vigorous full-time curriculum to earn an academic record that correctly reflected my level of maturity and diligence.

I returned to school in 2024 as a non-degree student, and self-designed my courseload without the privilege of academic advisement. The newfound certainty of my career goals has proven to fuel a consistent work ethic - one that is resilient to change and adversity. Combining my life experience with my ability to successfully manage full-time coursework, student research, volunteerism, and employment, I am uniquely fortified over my peers to be a devoted and successful future member of this community.

 

[_rae_]

I would probably take Washington off your list. They have a high OOS average GPA, don't interview OOS students, and do not do grade replacement. They're highly competitive because you can get in state tuition after your first year. I would argue the same points for Colorado, especially given it's incredibly expensive for OOS and highly competitive. ETA: Other people who know more about CSU have recommended still applying. I was basing my thought process off cost (CSU is quite expensive for OOS) and the reputation they have for attracting a lot of applications with high GPAs. Listen to the people who know more than me.

If you retook ANY pre-req classes, I would look into schools that do grade replacement. Iowa is one I can think of off the top of my head but there are more.

Your GPAs are going to be the thing that hold you back. Your hours are good, you have research. Make sure you really refine and fine tune your personal statement, and make sure you ask your recommenders if they can write you a positive or good letter.

Up until the cycle actually began, I on-and-off assumed that the cumulative and science GPA's would not ACTUALLY matter once the schools saw that I have two completely separate academic careers. That a years-old 2.5 can blend homogenously with a brand-new 4.0 into a bland 3.09 seems totally ludircous to me. I just need a committee to actually LOOK at my application and realize that those numbers don't tell the complete story!!

I mean this gently, but the way this is worded here feels like you are blaming the system, which vet schools will not look kindly on. This is very standard across higher ed. Yes, it sounds like you were young and unprepared, but own that, and focus on what you did to show an upward trend. Some vet schools love an underdog story, but most won't love a candidate blaming their shortfalls on a system many other candidates successfully work through. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way and I completely understand the frustration, I would just be very cautious about how you word things if you utilize the explanation statement or discuss this in your personal statement.

 

[ak1155]

I would probably take Washington off your list. They have a high OOS average GPA, don't interview OOS students, and do not do grade replacement. They're highly competitive because you can get in state tuition after your first year. I would argue the same points for Colorado, especially given it's incredibly expensive for OOS and highly competitive.

If you retook ANY pre-req classes, I would look into schools that do grade replacement. Iowa is one I can think of off the top of my head but there are more.

Your GPAs are going to be the thing that hold you back. Your hours are good, you have research. Make sure you really refine and fine tune your personal statement, and make sure you ask your recommenders if they can write you a positive or good letter.


I mean this gently, but the way this is worded here feels like you are blaming the system, which vet schools will not look kindly on. This is very standard across higher ed. Yes, it sounds like you were young and unprepared, but own that, and focus on what you did to show an upward trend. Some vet schools love an underdog story, but most won't love a candidate blaming their shortfalls on a system many other candidates successfully work through. I'm sure you didn't mean it that way and I completely understand the frustration, I would just be very cautious about how you word things if you utilize the explanation statement or discuss this in your personal statement.

Thank you so much for your feedback!! I always heard they were a holistic school so I thought I'd try.

I added my explanation statement and some clarification edits because you're right, I don't want people thinking that my private frustrations are going into the app! That part is just for here.

Thank you againi!!

 

[HorseObsessed]

I think your explanation statement is excellent. It takes responsibility but shows that you’re better than your GPA!
I think CSU, LSU, Mississippi state, and LMU should definitely be on your list. Those schools are known for accepting less traditional applicants. I can’t say about the other schools on your list, as some do seem to be strict about GPA, but your last 45 may help you enough to overcome that strictness.

Good luck!

 

[vampyrica]

I think you are a great candidate to apply to CSU and would encourage you to keep it on your list if the OOS tuition is something you can manage!

CSU heavily looks at academic trends, and with your 4.0 last 45, that looks great!

 

[ak1155]

Thank you so much!! That's one of my top schools so I'm so encouraged by that :,)

 

[vampyrica]

Thank you so much!! That's one of my top schools so I'm so encouraged by that :,)

your last 45 is 10x better than mine was when i applied! you put yourself in a good spot given how they evaluate an applicant. i would say keep it!

 

[JaynaAli]

Others have said most of what I would, but I don't think your explanation statement really conveys how young you were for the first part. Being that young doesn't give you an automatic pass, but I do think it's an important differentiating factor that really puts things even more into perspective for your specific situation and does make a poor first performance a little more understandable. Obviously up to you if you want to edit it, but I would consider making your age a little more clear in case it helps your case.

 

[battie]

Absolutely agree with Jayna. Some how delicately putting in there that you were 16 gives it a drastically different perspective to me.

 

[stinkyfreddy]

Maybe add more schools that have the in-state tuition possibility in there!

Mizzou is also a good option, and seems you have good experiences there you can share. I love the pastry chef part, so nice!