WAMC: Very Low GPA, Applying Next Summer

[Samipotts2001]

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TL: DR Hi, I'm a 20 year old, female, Ohio resident currently in undergrad planning on applying next year. My GPA is currently a 2.7, without the classes I'm taking this summer (which should boost it greatly). I also have retaken or plan to retake any classes that I did not pass. To try to help this out, I have really worked on my experiences. I currently have 1,227 animal hours and 542.5 vet hours. I also volunteer at a food pantry and have multiple officer positions for leadership.

GPA
The GPA is the worst part of my application. My cumulative GPA is a 2.7, but should definitely be at least over a 3.0 when I apply. I'm not sure what my science is, but it's probably a little lower. I have had a ton of trouble in school but I'm finally starting to improve.

Experiences
I have 407.5 hours fostering and working with a small animal rescue (mainly working with cats and rabbits). In small animal medicine, I have 142.5 hours. Also, 17 of those hours were in a specialty hospital where I shadowed a surgeon. I shadowed for 13.5 and worked as an assistant 112. I have 175 hours working for a quarter horse breeding barn, where I helped the owner foal out her horses. In livestock, I have 102 animal hours. For 58 hours, I took care of the livestock at my schools animal science barn and 43.5 were on my school's show cattle team. I also have half an hour trimming goats feet for a lady by my house. My last is the 400 vet hours I have working at a specialty equine hospital. I am still working there and should have ~100 more by the end of the summer. I also plan to get some research and exotic hours before I apply. Hopefully if I get the job I'm applying for now, I should also get more small animal vet hours when I go back to school.

Volunteer
While I have volunteered with the animal rescue, I also try to have non animal related volunteering hours. I help out at a food pantry and when I'm home, I deliver food boxes to a couple families that are unable to pick them up. I'm also in my pre-vet clubs volunteer committee and was the committee head for our CFFA's volunteer committee.

Leadership
I was an officer for my school's Block and Bridle last year, and will be the same position this year as well. I'm part of our Student Government Association and this will be my second year as a senator. In our CFFA, I was the committee head for 3 committees last year and will be an officer this year. I was also the committee head for 1 committee my freshman year.

Clubs
I have been a part of my school's Pre-Vet Club since my freshman year. I was also on the Show Cattle Team last year and recently joined TriBeta to have an honor society added as well.

I'm currently thinking about applying to Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, Ross, and UW Madison.

If you have made it this far, thank you so much. If anyone has any tips or anything I can do to help my application anymore, please let me know. Thank you all so much for your help!

 

[flotus]

I know this is not what you want to hear, but I think you also severely lack in animal/vet hours. Most schools report averages well over 1,000 vet hours, not just animal hours. My GPA is 3.6, which is average but not competitive. To help combat this, I have about 6,000 hours of veterinary experience. I have spoken with some colleges who say that even my copious amounts of experience does not make up for my average GPA, and they expect people with lower GPA's to have a large amount of veterinary experience (well over the average) anyway and my hours aren't super impressive. That doesn't mean that I won't get in -- they are just being realistic. The same goes for you.

However, I would not apply until you have well over 1,000 hours of veterinary experience, to make yourself more competitive and to prove to admissions that you are certain about this career. I think they will appreciate the diversity of your hours - now you just need MORE. A lot more.

Also, many schools have strict GPA cut offs. I'm sure you are aware, so make sure you know how to correctly calculate your GPA for each school and include all institutions. If they require a cumulative 3.1 GPA and yours is 3.09, they will immediately reject your application. Make sure you are strategic when you decide to apply.

Applying to vet school is expensive! Make sure you make your application count. Get more hours and make sure your GPA meets the cutoff. You can do this!

 

[katiemcat]

Your GPA is below the minimum to apply to most schools (let alone make it through the GPA cut). Your experience is also below average, as someone else pointed out most applicants have hundreds and thousands of VARIED experience (small animal, large animal, research, ER, etc.) I would not apply this cycle and focus on retaking classes/taking upper levels sciences to get your GPA up past 3.0 and continue to accrue solid veterinary experience.