This is my second time applying and I think my application has done a complete 180 since last year, wanted to see what others thought.
My biggest blemish was definitely my GPA, but I had max points (TAMU has a point system they score your application on) for vet and animal experience, and above average (of accepted students) points on leadership and my personal statement. I'm currently in a Masters program for Biomedical Sciences to help raise my GPA and I'm halfway finished and have maintained a 4.0!
2nd time IS applicant to Texas A&M University and Texas Tech
Last year stats:
Cumulative GPA: 3.31
Science GPA 3.21
Last 45 GPA: 3.24
No interview for either schools
This years stats:
Cumulative GPA: 3.50 (Undergrad 3.41, Graduate 4.0)
Science GPA: 3.41 (Undergrad 3.28, Graduate 4.0) (unsure if cumulative calculation is correct here, its in this range though)
Last 45 GPA: 3.82
Any degrees achieved:
AS in Agriculture (from a community college)
BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences with an emphasis on Vertebrate Zoology from TAMU
Currently in a program for a MS in Biomedical Sciences also at TAMU (graduating spring 2023)
Vet Experience:
-~1700 working as a vet assistant at a small animal practice
-75 shadowing at exotic clinic
-30 shadowing at mixed large/small/exotic
-8 shadowing at wildlife rehab medicine facility
-~46 shadowing/student assistant for various large animal vets (dairy/poultry vet, wildlife vet, and large animal vets)
Animal Experience
-~135 horse internship
-~75 zookeeper for various exotic/wild animals at a local zoo
-215 large/exotic animal caretaker (I took care of all the large animals at a drive thru zoo, ie zebras, camelids, bison, antelope, deer, ostriches, emus etc...)
-4 as a student assistant for a research project on crocodiles (did a lot of handling of the crocs for health exams, medicating etc..)
-~100 as a ranch hand (horses, cattle, poultry etc..)
->800 as a Kennel technician at a pet boarding facility
-~10 volunteering at a local animal shelter
-50 taking care of peafowl and other bird species for a research lab
Research Activities
-Undergraduate research assistant in a lab focused on behavioral and sensory ecology of avian species
-Did a research project on the effect of urbanization on local wildlife in Costa Rica
-Another research project in my undergrad on X-linked recessive diseases, ie Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy
Awards/Scholarships
-I listed various GPA awards in high school and extracurriculars I was involved in
-4 smaller scholarships in college
-distinguished student award for one semester
Community Service
~126 community service hours for various volunteering within the community
Leadership:
-Currently a student mentor for freshmen students
-Trainer for new students joining the lab I was in during undergrad
-Was the primary pasture keeper at the drive thru zoo I worked at and was in charge of facilitating maintenance projects/budget proposals etc.
-Dance team officer in High school
-Student council in high school
Casper:
4th quartile
Other stuff worth maybe mentioning
First generation minority student, worked all through undergrad and grad school, had pretty heavy workloads all through undergrad (took 19 hours one semester while doing research, participating in an student org, and working), studied abroad for a semester. (I also talked about all these things in my essays)
Concerns: I think my experience is pretty well rounded and diverse, but I'm super worried about my GPA still not being above a 3.5. You can definitely see an upward trend in my grades as I approach the end of my undergrad and definitely in my grad program so I'm hoping that will also compensate some for it.
My biggest blemish was definitely my GPA, but I had max points (TAMU has a point system they score your application on) for vet and animal experience, and above average (of accepted students) points on leadership and my personal statement. I'm currently in a Masters program for Biomedical Sciences to help raise my GPA and I'm halfway finished and have maintained a 4.0!
2nd time IS applicant to Texas A&M University and Texas Tech
Last year stats:
Cumulative GPA: 3.31
Science GPA 3.21
Last 45 GPA: 3.24
No interview for either schools
This years stats:
Cumulative GPA: 3.50 (Undergrad 3.41, Graduate 4.0)
Science GPA: 3.41 (Undergrad 3.28, Graduate 4.0) (unsure if cumulative calculation is correct here, its in this range though)
Last 45 GPA: 3.82
Any degrees achieved:
AS in Agriculture (from a community college)
BS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences with an emphasis on Vertebrate Zoology from TAMU
Currently in a program for a MS in Biomedical Sciences also at TAMU (graduating spring 2023)
Vet Experience:
-~1700 working as a vet assistant at a small animal practice
-75 shadowing at exotic clinic
-30 shadowing at mixed large/small/exotic
-8 shadowing at wildlife rehab medicine facility
-~46 shadowing/student assistant for various large animal vets (dairy/poultry vet, wildlife vet, and large animal vets)
Animal Experience
-~135 horse internship
-~75 zookeeper for various exotic/wild animals at a local zoo
-215 large/exotic animal caretaker (I took care of all the large animals at a drive thru zoo, ie zebras, camelids, bison, antelope, deer, ostriches, emus etc...)
-4 as a student assistant for a research project on crocodiles (did a lot of handling of the crocs for health exams, medicating etc..)
-~100 as a ranch hand (horses, cattle, poultry etc..)
->800 as a Kennel technician at a pet boarding facility
-~10 volunteering at a local animal shelter
-50 taking care of peafowl and other bird species for a research lab
Research Activities
-Undergraduate research assistant in a lab focused on behavioral and sensory ecology of avian species
-Did a research project on the effect of urbanization on local wildlife in Costa Rica
-Another research project in my undergrad on X-linked recessive diseases, ie Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy
Awards/Scholarships
-I listed various GPA awards in high school and extracurriculars I was involved in
-4 smaller scholarships in college
-distinguished student award for one semester
Community Service
~126 community service hours for various volunteering within the community
Leadership:
-Currently a student mentor for freshmen students
-Trainer for new students joining the lab I was in during undergrad
-Was the primary pasture keeper at the drive thru zoo I worked at and was in charge of facilitating maintenance projects/budget proposals etc.
-Dance team officer in High school
-Student council in high school
Casper:
4th quartile
Other stuff worth maybe mentioning
First generation minority student, worked all through undergrad and grad school, had pretty heavy workloads all through undergrad (took 19 hours one semester while doing research, participating in an student org, and working), studied abroad for a semester. (I also talked about all these things in my essays)
Concerns: I think my experience is pretty well rounded and diverse, but I'm super worried about my GPA still not being above a 3.5. You can definitely see an upward trend in my grades as I approach the end of my undergrad and definitely in my grad program so I'm hoping that will also compensate some for it.
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