WAMC c/o 2027- non trad in need of opinions for this cycle and possibly future cycle

[moony22]

Hi everyone! I’m in need of some advice and opinions. I am an Ohio resident, non-traditional applicant. I will graduate in May with an animal science degree and chemistry minor.

I applied for the first time this cycle and have so far been rejected from LMU, SGU, and UPEI. I was placed on the interview waitlist for Kansas. I interviewed with Ross and am waiting to hear back. I’m still waiting to hear from LIU (most likely a rejection because interviews went out today and I didn’t get one), Oregon, CSU (hoping for a chance at vet prep at least but I know it’s a long shot), Iowa, Westernu, and Minnesota.

My gpa is very low due to being non traditional. This is my seventh year in undergrad and I previously was studying digital media. I never really tried in that because I didnt think I’d go to grad school ever so I did the bare minimum and now that is biting me. When I switched to animal science the science courses really kicked my butt because I was homeschooled and honestly did not have the best education through high school. I am also just starting to learn good study habits and have been newly diagnosed with a learning disability I’m trying to overcome. I have worked during my entire college career sometimes over 35 hours a week while taking full time classes. I know vet school is where I truly belong and I want to do whatever it takes to get there. Here are my stats I applied with this cycle:

cGPA: 2.99
Science: 2.8 I would say this is mostly low due to chemistry. I’ve never not passed but have usually gotten C grades excluding gen chem 1. My other sciences are A and B grades.
Last 45: 3.1

Vet Experience:
750 hours of small animal that includes GP and emergency plus exotics
250 of large animal but is mostly equine
100 wildlife

Animal Experience:
Around 450 hours of mostly wildlife and some equine and SA

Research:
60 hours of porcupine behavioral research

Leadership: I am an ASL TA and a tutor for biology and animal science courses as well as math.

Volunteer: around 100 hours of volunteering at a nursing home assisting with music therapy and visiting Deaf residents to sign with them.

Other: I have had various jobs from serving, being a preschool teacher, working on blockbuster films, owning my own media company, working in the wedding industry, a veterinary assistant, kennel assistant, and receptionist.

I had 6 reference letters, one from a vet, 2 from employers and the rest from science faculty.


Disadvantage Statement: I talked about being stalked my first semester of college and being afraid to tell anyone so I ended up failing pretty much everything and how later on I was in a physically abusive relationship and had to withdraw a whole semester to escape the situation. I talked about how those experiences shaped me and I sought therapy for it and how I learned to set boundaries. I also discussed my poor boundaries stemmed from having to help support my family since I was 13 because my parents were alcohol dependent and my dad rarely had a job and how that continued into college. Therapy helped me learn to avoid those situations. I talked about how I know therapy has helped because my dad died earlier this year and I was able to maintain my grades and not withdraw or fail anything because I learned how to put myself first.

Essay: I discussed how becoming a vet was a conscious choice for me not something I have wanted to do since I was a kid. I talked about how I was raised to believe vets were not good people and were just con artists. I was raised in an anti science household so that is where that idea came from. But I talked about how my grandmother always tried to instill a different idea of a veterinarian in my head by taking me with her to low cost clinics. When I was first in college I had an incident with my service dog being attacked in public and I had to take her to a low cost clinic and that moment opened my eyes to what the profession was really like. I also discussed how I gained an interest in exotic medicine and the public health side of things.

Obviously I realize I don’t have a very good shot this cycle but the way my grades are currently I think I will graduate with a last 45 of at least a 3.5 or higher. I have over 300 credits so my overall GPA is going to be hard to raise. If I do not get in this cycle should I just take extra classes or try for a masters? I’ve heard both opinions. LMU wants me to apply for their masters but I’m just not sure if that’s the right option. I’m afraid if I do a masters schools will not look at that and still just focus on my undergrad GPA. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

TIA I appreciate any advice!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[honeypot999]

My honest opinion is you have a lot of red flag statements within your application. The disadvantage statement has really summed up what had happened, but there needs to be a more positive note to how it’s turned around. Secondly, your essay is the biggest red flag to me, I understand that is why you pursued vet school but talking about anti science and anti vet narratives don’t bode well. I know that from personal experience.

I think you’d be a good applicant if you took a masters course because that undergrad gpa is not moving. Your gpa is low, but you need to look at more holistic schools for application next year because your list is all over the place and not very consistent.

For Ross, what was your GRE score? And for LMU, where did you place on Casper?

 

[moony22]

My GRE was 301 and I scored in the 4th quartile. And yeah my essay was difficult to write because I made this decision only a few years ago after I got away from my family’s thinking on science. LMU actually said they liked my statement and their only concern was my gpa

 

[honeypot999]

My GRE was 301 and I scored in the 4th quartile. And yeah my essay was difficult to write because I made this decision only a few years ago after I got away from my family’s thinking on science. LMU actually said they liked my statement and their only concern was my gpa

I think I’m that case that a masters program at LMU would be beneficial to prove that you can handle advanced level courses.

 

[moony22]

Thank you!

 

[katiemcat]

My honest opinion is you have a lot of red flag statements within your application. The disadvantage statement has really summed up what had happened, but there needs to be a more positive note to how it’s turned around. Secondly, your essay is the biggest red flag to me, I understand that is why you pursued vet school but talking about anti science and anti vet narratives don’t bode well. I know that from personal experience.

I think you’d be a good applicant if you took a masters course because that undergrad gpa is not moving. Your gpa is low, but you need to look at more holistic schools for application next year because your list is all over the place and not very consistent.

For Ross, what was your GRE score? And for LMU, where did you place on Casper?

I agree with this. As someone who also dealt with an addict parent and other traumas, I say this in the kindest way possible but be careful not to “trauma dump.” I was told this whole writing my own application essays by an admissions officer. Like honeypot said focus on how these things shaped who you are and how you learned from them, rather than flat out saying “this is why I failed this class.” “You will experience difficulties again in the future, and you need to include how you will be able to get through them without it affecting your academic performance” is something along the lines of what I was told. I also agree that your PS doesn’t exactly prove you know what you’re getting into and what makes you a good fit for the field.

 

[moony22]

I agree with this. As someone who also dealt with an addict parent and other traumas, I say this in the kindest way possible but be careful not to “trauma dump.” I was told this whole writing my own application essays by an admissions officer. Like honeypot said focus on how these things shaped who you are and how you learned from them, rather than flat out saying “this is why I failed this class.” “You will experience difficulties again in the future, and you need to include how you will be able to get through them without it affecting your academic performance” is something along the lines of what I was told. I also agree that your PS doesn’t exactly prove you know what you’re getting into and what makes you a good fit for the field.

I guess I felt in my PS and DS I explained what I learned from it. I don’t think I Trauma dumped as much as I made it sound either and I did have someone from the graduate school at my undergrad help me write it. It definitely was the hardest part of my application though.

 

[MMLJT3]

Hi everyone! I’m in need of some advice and opinions. I am an Ohio resident, non-traditional applicant. I will graduate in May with an animal science degree and chemistry minor.

I applied for the first time this cycle and have so far been rejected from LMU, SGU, and UPEI. I was placed on the interview waitlist for Kansas. I interviewed with Ross and am waiting to hear back. I’m still waiting to hear from LIU (most likely a rejection because interviews went out today and I didn’t get one), Oregon, CSU (hoping for a chance at vet prep at least but I know it’s a long shot), Iowa, Westernu, and Minnesota.

My gpa is very low due to being non traditional. This is my seventh year in undergrad and I previously was studying digital media. I never really tried in that because I didnt think I’d go to grad school ever so I did the bare minimum and now that is biting me. When I switched to animal science the science courses really kicked my butt because I was homeschooled and honestly did not have the best education through high school. I am also just starting to learn good study habits and have been newly diagnosed with a learning disability I’m trying to overcome. I have worked during my entire college career sometimes over 35 hours a week while taking full time classes. I know vet school is where I truly belong and I want to do whatever it takes to get there. Here are my stats I applied with this cycle:

cGPA: 2.99
Science: 2.8 I would say this is mostly low due to chemistry. I’ve never not passed but have usually gotten C grades excluding gen chem 1. My other sciences are A and B grades.
Last 45: 3.1

Vet Experience:
750 hours of small animal that includes GP and emergency plus exotics
250 of large animal but is mostly equine
100 wildlife

Animal Experience:
Around 450 hours of mostly wildlife and some equine and SA

Research:
60 hours of porcupine behavioral research

Leadership: I am an ASL TA and a tutor for biology and animal science courses as well as math.

Volunteer: around 100 hours of volunteering at a nursing home assisting with music therapy and visiting Deaf residents to sign with them.

Other: I have had various jobs from serving, being a preschool teacher, working on blockbuster films, owning my own media company, working in the wedding industry, a veterinary assistant, kennel assistant, and receptionist.

I had 6 reference letters, one from a vet, 2 from employers and the rest from science faculty.


Disadvantage Statement: I talked about being stalked my first semester of college and being afraid to tell anyone so I ended up failing pretty much everything and how later on I was in a physically abusive relationship and had to withdraw a whole semester to escape the situation. I talked about how those experiences shaped me and I sought therapy for it and how I learned to set boundaries. I also discussed my poor boundaries stemmed from having to help support my family since I was 13 because my parents were alcohol dependent and my dad rarely had a job and how that continued into college. Therapy helped me learn to avoid those situations. I talked about how I know therapy has helped because my dad died earlier this year and I was able to maintain my grades and not withdraw or fail anything because I learned how to put myself first.

Essay: I discussed how becoming a vet was a conscious choice for me not something I have wanted to do since I was a kid. I talked about how I was raised to believe vets were not good people and were just con artists. I was raised in an anti science household so that is where that idea came from. But I talked about how my grandmother always tried to instill a different idea of a veterinarian in my head by taking me with her to low cost clinics. When I was first in college I had an incident with my service dog being attacked in public and I had to take her to a low cost clinic and that moment opened my eyes to what the profession was really like. I also discussed how I gained an interest in exotic medicine and the public health side of things.

Obviously I realize I don’t have a very good shot this cycle but the way my grades are currently I think I will graduate with a last 45 of at least a 3.5 or higher. I have over 300 credits so my overall GPA is going to be hard to raise. If I do not get in this cycle should I just take extra classes or try for a masters? I’ve heard both opinions. LMU wants me to apply for their masters but I’m just not sure if that’s the right option. I’m afraid if I do a masters schools will not look at that and still just focus on my undergrad GPA. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

TIA I appreciate any advice!

I had an application review last year with LMU. It was very detailed, and I was able to ask questions. At the time of the application cycle last year, I had only completed one semester of graduate school. LMU told me that they love when students pursue a Masters degree and they really take that into consideration. I wouldn’t be afraid to pursue one if I were you. If you are interested in LMU, think about their masters degree. GPAs are hard. A couple bad grades can really do a number on your GPA. Fool around with the VMCAS GPA calculator and see if a masters degree would help your GPA. I chose a MPH, because I wanted my classes to count towards my science GPA. If you repeated any courses, look at schools that do grade replacements ( at least for their prerequisites). Iowa, SD, and Minnesota are good schools to look at. As far as your essays go, I think you should request application reviews from the schools you applied too for next year. They will evaluate your essays too, and maybe you don’t need to change anything. If you have to, that’s no big deal. You got this. Keep your head up. This may not be your year, but you can make yourself a better applicant each day if you really want it bad enough. This is my third application cycle, and if I have to apply 5 more times I will ( I hope not though) lol.

 

[moony22]

Just wanted to jump back on here and say CSU accepted me to VetPrep!