WAMC - lower gpa high experience (reupload)

[oweue]

23 - Trans Male - MA
Previously applied but messed up my transcripts so only got to apply to 4 schools when I wanted to go for 11. Top school is Tufts. I'm interested in small animal, exotics, and wildlife. My ideal career would be small animal + small mammals then volunteering my time with wildlife. Since last application I took one new course and retook a different one. Main grades dragging me down are the classic physics, orgo, and biochem.
****re-uploaded because i completely got my gpa and hours wrong
Applying: Tufts, MSU, CSU, Cornell, PennVet, KSU OSU, U of I, UM, UW, WSU, Midwestern. Debating on Minnesota or not, I was rejected last time, I didn't pass their academic review so likely not going to apply, but I do really like the location.

Cumulative GPA: 3.29
science GPA: 3.12
last 45: 3.48

Any degrees achieved
Bachelors of Science in Marine Biology

Veterinary Experience: 3600h
- 2400h: VA at specialty hospital, GM IM Ophtho
- 600h: VA at specialty hospital, GM, IM, Cardio
- 600h: VA at specialty hospital, surgery
- 300h: VA specialty hospital, IM, this was per diem during college semesters

Animal Experience: 340h
- 240h: volunteer at shelter for exotics cage cleaning/feeding and medication administration for all species
- 140h: pet sitting

Research Experience: 560h
- 200h: research at Chemistry lab working with protein caging during summer in HS
- 360h: research at Chem lab working with testing for false fillers in malaria drugs, summer during HS

LOR:
2 boarded IM DVM
1 professor i worked for in labs for 3 years
1 professor i only had for one semester (COVID sucked in getting close to professors so this is the best I had since 2 years were zoom classes, only my last semester I had in person)
Awards/scholarships:
- Deans list 2023

Extracurriculars:
- Multiple LGBT clubs with leadership in 2
- Community volunteering with community fridge upkeep (until it broke lol)
- Advocating for restrictions on rodenticides
- community outreach for feminine hygine products
- Marine Bio club + Pre Vet club


Honestly just concerned about my GPA. I was told I have a strong application aside from that, but I feel like i did not put in enough effort in my application last year with my supplementals and missing some of the experiences I should have included. I've spoken a lot with the admissions person at Tufts and toured there as well. I know they are one of the more GPA focused schools, but they are saying they are becoming more holistic. I just don't know if I'm wasting my time applying again without having a higher GPA to stand on. Ideally I would just retake courses, but realistically if I don't get in this round I'd be applying for masters (likely one at tufts for conservation med) and rethink vet med even though its all i want :/

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[oweue]

wanted to see if I can boost this and get some more opinions. currently rejected from everywhere (waitlist alternate for KSU and midwestern as well) and waiting on 4 more schools now. right now, I'm planning on a post bacc/retaking in a community college depending on if they offer the courses I need. I re-calculated and even with grade replacements my GPA wouldn't get above a 3.4, and im not even sure I could do better than a B in orgo lol.

 

[taurusdoc]

Hey! You have phenomenal experiences listed and that is something to be very proud of. I applaud you for that.
As for the GPA concerns, I do think that the vast majority of veterinary schools (and medical schools as a whole) unfortunately look at the GPA more than other aspects of the application. Ultimately, the veterinary school admissions committee is looking at whether you would make a good candidate for success in veterinary SCHOOL as opposed to success in the FIELD. While it is so clear to me that you are already successful in the field, a veterinary school that relies on the academic success of their students to gauge their success as an institution may be more concerned with how well you would do academically in comparison with your future career as a doctor.

The two best options in this scenario (in my opinion of course so disregard anything that does not resonate with you) are as follows:
1. Enroll in a post-bacc program to boost your GPA in the courses that are dragging it down.
2. Look into which veterinary schools take a more holistic approach to their admissions process (i.e. the ones that do not factor GPA in as much as other aspects of your application).

Best of luck to you and I am rooting for you regardless of this cycle's outcome.

 

[oweue]

Hey! You have phenomenal experiences listed and that is something to be very proud of. I applaud you for that.
As for the GPA concerns, I do think that the vast majority of veterinary schools (and medical schools as a whole) unfortunately look at the GPA more than other aspects of the application. Ultimately, the veterinary school admissions committee is looking at whether you would make a good candidate for success in veterinary SCHOOL as opposed to success in the FIELD. While it is so clear to me that you are already successful in the field, a veterinary school that relies on the academic success of their students to gauge their success as an institution may be more concerned with how well you would do academically in comparison with your future career as a doctor.

The two best options in this scenario (in my opinion of course so disregard anything that does not resonate with you) are as follows:
1. Enroll in a post-bacc program to boost your GPA in the courses that are dragging it down.
2. Look into which veterinary schools take a more holistic approach to their admissions process (i.e. the ones that do not factor GPA in as much as other aspects of your application).

Best of luck to you and I am rooting for you regardless of this cycle's outcome.

Thank you! my current plan if the last schools reject me is a post bacc, it would only raise my overall a small amount but hopefully get my science and last 45 up. I'm just worried I won't be able to get over a B in the courses (orgo physics and biochem) but that's more of a me problem! I did apply to more holistic schools, i am a bit crunched for where I can apply (no island schools, none in trans unfriendly states). Hopefully next year I can fit all the requirements for MSU, I feel like it would be a great fit they just denied one of my pre-reqs

 

[Cowsrcool]

Based on GPA factors you could eliminate Wisconsin, Washington state, Oregon, Penn, and Cornell. Unfortunately most of these schools either make internal gpa cuts well above your stats or have trends in looking for high GPA applicants, especially for oos seats. We’ve seen this cycle many schools are circling back to GPA cuts before holistic review of applications, making strong GPAs super important and probably will continue for future cycles. I recommend looking into programs that grade replace and maybe even offer you the chance to get rid of old grades if you recomplete them and do better! I think Illinois and Mizzou have opportunities like this.

 

[taurusdoc]

Thank you! my current plan if the last schools reject me is a post bacc, it would only raise my overall a small amount but hopefully get my science and last 45 up. I'm just worried I won't be able to get over a B in the courses (orgo physics and biochem) but that's more of a me problem! I did apply to more holistic schools, i am a bit crunched for where I can apply (no island schools, none in trans unfriendly states). Hopefully next year I can fit all the requirements for MSU, I feel like it would be a great fit they just denied one of my pre-reqs

100% understood on the trans safety front (I am also trans)

 

[oweue]

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Based on GPA factors you could eliminate Wisconsin, Washington state, Oregon, Penn, and Cornell. Unfortunately most of these schools either make internal gpa cuts well above your stats or have trends in looking for high GPA applicants, especially for oos seats. We’ve seen this cycle many schools are circling back to GPA cuts before holistic review of applications, making strong GPAs super important and probably will continue for future cycles. I recommend looking into programs that grade replace and maybe even offer you the chance to get rid of old grades if you recomplete them and do better! I think Illinois and Mizzou have opportunities like this.

Illinois rejected me twice for my gpa, even with grade replacement id probably be lucky to get a 3.5, their cut off seems to be around 3.7. I’d apply again but feels like a losing cycle with them. Mizzou isn’t an option since it isn’t a safe state for me :/

 

[oweue]

wanted to see if I can boost this, I had another file review where they said everything else about my application would get me in, the main thing keeping me back is my GPA. I'm already planning on taking Biochem (retake), cell bio (for MSU upper level bio and CSU). Im debating on doing a A+P course, but it would only be for CSU. Otherwise I could focus more on retaking something like physics. I'm unsure if I want to do a new class vs a retake when in my review they said retakes would possibly look better?

 

[_rae_]

Retakes will benefit you in in regards to schools that do grade replacement. New classes like cell bio and A+P will help your last 45, which I know a few schools are starting to only look at that. I would recommend strongly focusing on grade replacement schools and retaking science classes, since it really seems like your science GPA is what's holding you back.

Also, I picked schools I was applying to based on my trans spouse, so if you have any questions or just want to complain about the unfairness of it all, I 100% get it. ❤️

 

[oweue]

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Retakes will benefit you in in regards to schools that do grade replacement. New classes like cell bio and A+P will help your last [emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]]], which I know a few schools are starting to only look at that. I would recommend strongly focusing on grade replacement schools and retaking science classes, since it really seems like your science GPA is what's holding you back.

Also, I picked schools I was applying to based on my trans spouse, so if you have any questions or just want to complain about the unfairness of it all, I [emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]][emoji[emoji[emoji6]][emoji[emoji6]]]% get it. [emoji[emoji6][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]][emoji[emoji6][emoji6]]]

thank you! I guess it’s hard because all the schools I have listed above are basically the only ones I will apply to (other than some international I’m debating) and each have their own views on it retake vs last 45 should increase since I’m retaking what is tanking my last 45(biochem)

 

[mle4733]

Retakes will benefit you in in regards to schools that do grade replacement. New classes like cell bio and A+P will help your last 45, which I know a few schools are starting to only look at that. I would recommend strongly focusing on grade replacement schools and retaking science classes, since it really seems like your science GPA is what's holding you back.

Also, I picked schools I was applying to based on my trans spouse, so if you have any questions or just want to complain about the unfairness of it all, I 100% get it. ❤️

I’ve started retaking some prereq classes too. For those schools that calculate last 45 GPA and do grade replacement for Prereq GPA, wouldn’t it be best served retaking everything you need to rather than trying a new upper level class? By doing so it would increase BOTH GPAs simultaneously. Am I missing something?

 

[JaynaAli]

I’ve started retaking some prereq classes too. For those schools that calculate last 45 GPA and do grade replacement for Prereq GPA, wouldn’t it be best served retaking everything you need to rather than trying a new upper level class? By doing so it would increase BOTH GPAs simultaneously. Am I missing something?

it really just depends on the situations, imo. In theory if a school did replace AND if you did significantly better on the retake then sure, it could improve both. But considering why you did poorly may also factor in to a decision…did you do poorly the first time because of external factors or was it because you truly didn’t grasp the material? If it was the latter and I wasn’t 100% confident I would likely do significantly better, it may not be worth retaking and you may be better served by taking a new course you’ll more likely get a higher grade in than retaking for minimal improvements to improve a D to a C or a C to a B. You’d just have to play around with the numbers for how every school you’re interested to calculates stuff to see the ultimate effects and determine what may have a bigger impact.

 

[mle4733]

it really just depends on the situations, imo. In theory if a school did replace AND if you did significantly better on the retake then sure, it could improve both. But considering why you did poorly may also factor in to a decision…did you do poorly the first time because of external factors or was it because you truly didn’t grasp the material? If it was the latter and I wasn’t 100% confident I would likely do significantly better, it may not be worth retaking and you may be better served by taking a new course you’ll more likely get a higher grade in than retaking for minimal improvements to improve a D to a C or a C to a B. You’d just have to play around with the numbers for how every school you’re interested to calculates stuff to see the ultimate effects and determine what may have a bigger impact.

Makes sense! Thanks!