WAMC: low gpa:/

[jessmeadows]

Hi everyone!

I am applying this cycle and just wanted to get some input. I am 21F, first time applicant! I struggled my first three years of college as I had undiagnosed ADD and was just overall struggling. Therefore, my gpa is a little bit lower than the average. But, I am definitely going to use my personal statement to explain my low gpas. I am super passionate about large/farm/dairy veterinary medicine and plan to do that. I also plan to talk about that in my personal statement. I also am planning on doing a masters year if I don't get in this cycle.

Cumulative GPA: 3.28
science GPA: 3.08 🙂dead🙂
last 45: 3.64
Arizona Prereq GPA : 3.42

Any degrees achieved
Getting my B.S. in Biology in December!

School I am planning on applying to:
UTK (IS), Upenn, LMU, Western, Midwestern, Arizona, LIU, CSU, Michigan State

Veterinary Experience:
- 1500 small animal GP vet assistant
- 120 shadowing farm animal truck
- 120 shadowing board certified veterinary dermatologist

Animal Experience:
- 200 hours kennel tech for small animal GP
- 120 kennel attendant at boarding/training facility
- 2000 hours volunteering at horse farm: training, helping with summer camps etc.

Awards/scholarships:
- Pell Grant Recipient
- TN Hope Grant Recipient

Extracurriculars:
- Pre-Vet society
- Feminist Action Movement
- Generation Action
- Dorm Hall Council Treasurer

Other Employment:
- 500 hours reception at medical clinic

Mostly concerned about my GPA. Any tips will be greatly appreciated! I would love any input at all!

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[catsandsnakes]

But, I am definitely going to use my personal statement to explain my low gpas

Just pointing out that explaining your low GPA should be for your explanation statement, not the personal statement! Use your personal statement to explain why you want to be a vet/why you'll make a good vet.

 

[JaynaAli]

Why have you chosen the schools you have on your short list? You have a couple extremely expensive options on there (Midwestern and Penn) and I’m not saying not to apply there, but if you do, be sure you realize the cost of some of these and the effect that level of debt can have on your life. This is especially true if you’re hoping to go to to a lower paying specialty like rural/large animal medicine that doesn’t usually come with as high of a salary as small animal or SA specialty med. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the current political state and possible changes to student loans. Stay abreast of changes in the laws over the next couple weeks to months and consider what those ramifications are in regards to how you’re gonna pay for school.

Your GPAs very well may hold you back, but an upward trend is favorable. Be sure to research how schools calculate GPAs and what they look for in their applicants. Some might put more emphasis on graduate coursework and others may not care about it as much. Apply smartly and make sure you’re meeting all minimums. Try to find those schools that place more emphasis on a strong last 45.

 

[jessmeadows]

Just pointing out that explaining your low GPA should be for your explanation statement, not the personal statement! Use your personal statement to explain why you want to be a vet/why you'll make a good vet.

Yes that is what i meant LOL thanks!

 

[jessmeadows]

Why have you chosen the schools you have on your short list? You have a couple extremely expensive options on there (Midwestern and Penn) and I’m not saying not to apply there, but if you do, be sure you realize the cost of some of these and the effect that level of debt can have on your life. This is especially true if you’re hoping to go to to a lower paying specialty like rural/large animal medicine that doesn’t usually come with as high of a salary as small animal or SA specialty med. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the current political state and possible changes to student loans. Stay abreast of changes in the laws over the next couple weeks to months and consider what those ramifications are in regards to how you’re gonna pay for school.

Your GPAs very well may hold you back, but an upward trend is favorable. Be sure to research how schools calculate GPAs and what they look for in their applicants. Some might put more emphasis on graduate coursework and others may not care about it as much. Apply smartly and make sure you’re meeting all minimums. Try to find those schools that place more emphasis on a strong last 45.

So penn is kinda my hail mary school LOL, like it would be a dream to go there but doubtful it will happen. I know that seems probably stupid with application fees and everything but it's always kinda been my dream school. Midwestern, I chose because it was in that middle range of gpa scores (around 3.6) and i figured it would be better to apply there instead of like a school with higher averages. My thought process was that hopefully I will be able to work in a shortage area and get that $25,000 a year off my student loans. But that is a great point with the current political climate! I will definitely be monitoring that.

If anyone knows of any schools that place most importance on last 45, please let me know🙂

 

[JaynaAli]

My thought process was that hopefully I will be able to work in a shortage area and get that $25,000 a year off my student loans. But that is a great point with the current political climate! I will definitely be monitoring that.

Just to put things in perspective in case you haven’t penciled out actual numbers, if you had to borrow the entire 450,000 cost of attendance at Midwestern [per the VIN cost of education toolkit] (if the government even allows you to borrow that much in the future), current rates are about 9% and that balance will accrue $110 of interest every single day, which is $3,300 per month and 40,000/yr just in interest. Even with 25,000/yr in VMLRP grants, your loan balance would actually grow And income based payments would never touch your principal even with vmlrp. And yes there is theoretically loan forgiveness after two decades but under current rules you’ll still be needing to save for the tax bomb at the end of you go for forgiveness because that ever growing balance will be counted as income the year forgiveness happens. If you didn’t take out a whole 450k, even at OOS Penn COA of 407k, it’s 3000/mo or 36k/yr just in accruing interest. Of course this could all change based upon what the government passes. I think I’ve read that the new proposal for loan repayment may essentially wipe out excess interest if your required payment doesn’t cover the interest that accrues each month so your balance doesn’t increase, but with $3000 in interest accruing every month you’d still probably not be paying enough to actually reduce your balance, just keeping things static because of how much interest accrues on that high of a balance.

Again, not saying don’t apply to these schools because that’s a personal decision only you can make, but to me, those numbers seem crazy for anyone to manage but especially with a rural lifestyle and what I know large animal vets like my best friend make. It’s especially incompatible if you have to take out private loans because there’s a government cap to grad loans that won’t even cover one year, because private loans don’t usually have the forgiveness options. A standard 10 year payoff of 450k Midwestern level debt is $5700/mo at current 9% rates. Even at 6% it’s 5000/mo. But as long as you know what you’d be facing, by all means make whatever decision you think is right for you. Best of luck!

 

[jessmeadows]

A standard 10 year payoff of 450k Midwestern level debt is $5700/mo at current 9% rates. Even at 6% it’s 5000/mo

damn! all that kinda make me wanna puke LOL but thank you for giving me all that information! obviously at the end of the day i would happily go to utk (my IS) but i do fear that is not in the cards for me. i have been focusing a lot on what will more likely accept me more than cost so that is definitely good to keep in mind!!