WAMC

[Chocolate_Coffee_Bunnyz]

[deleted]

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[itsrocky]

So not sugarcoating it, your cGPA is going to be a big hindrance. Doing some research, Virginia actually does not have a GPA cutoff, CSU will replace you in early review, but for Illinois and Arizona, your app is DOA and it won’t even be looked at.

wildlife rescue is awesome experience, but you have got to get some veterinary experience. Not an obscene amount of hours, but you need to do some shadowing here and there so you can demonstrate to the committee that you know what you’re getting yourself into regarding this career.

I truly don’t see your chances being good this year. I strongly implore you to save your money, invest in getting a masters degree with a near 4.0 to show you can perform academically, and work on networking with some vets.

and on top of all of this, I’d make sure you have the tools/accommodations you need to succeed. It’s sadly going to be an uphill battle but it’s doable if you commit.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

I'm not going to sugar coat it-you won't get in anywhere with 0 hours of vet experience. This is a requirement for a good reason, because someone without any shadowing does not understand the field or have an idea of what it actually takes to be a vet not including the debt load that goes along with it and options that are realistic and sustainable for living unless you're independently wealthy.

You would need to do research for appropriate schools as your cGPA is too low for many schools as rocky stated.
Here is CSU's evaluation criteria: https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/.../6/2019/06/dvm-phased-admissions-process1.pdf

Calculating your sGPA depends on the school but is basically any science course and each school depends on if they average repeats or do grade replacement. Your last 45 is approximately the last 45 hours of course work grades.

Also many schools require a letter from a veterinarian, some require an instructor and veterinarian, depends on the school.

My suggestion would be to don't apply this cycle. Save your money. Maybe pursue a master's degree, but most importantly get veterinary experience.

Don't be afraid to explore all aspects of vet med. It will be eye opening.

 

[BigCats]

Agree with the folks above. In addition, you won't even be able to submit your VMCAS app without adding three LORs- just checked on my own app and it hasn't changed. According to the AAVMC's updated COVID-19 chart, CSU and Illinois are not relaxing their DVM letter requirement, Arizona is a "maybe but undecided", and I'm not sure if Virginia needed one in the first place, so that's at least 2/4 schools you'd get auto-screened-out at regardless. I would say don't apply this year- put that energy instead towards getting vet experience and improving academics so that you'll be in a better place for next year.

 

[Chocolate_Coffee_Bunnyz]

What master's program are available? I've kinda looked through some but I'm not sure if they are all created equal in that after getting one, I would have to worry about the vet school's saying "sorry, this isn't a good representation of what we focus on" or something to that effect.

 

[RightMeow!]

I would have to worry about the vet school's saying "sorry, this isn't a good representation of what we focus on" or something to that effect.

Vet schools aren't necessarily focused on what a specific master degree "represents." In fact, they encourage students to study in a topic that they are passionate about and can make a career out of if they are unable to get into a DVM program.

Something complementary like a MPH holds no more weight than a MSW. Instead, it's the rigor with which you've completed the program, your overall performance (including extracurricular) during the program, and how you communicate why that makes you an excellent candidate for the school.

There are so many master's programs available. Please find something that interests you and roll with it rather than suffer through a program you don't like in the name of getting into vet school. Simply being interested in a topic will help with academics, bring out your uniqueness as a candidate, and set you up for success if this vet thing doesn't work out.

 

[EngrSC]

Similar to what everyone else has said, don’t apply this cycle. I graduated undergrad in 2010 with a cGPA of 2.6 or 2.7 (can’t remember) and had multiple acceptances for c/o 2024. No amount of experience will make up for a poor GPA. Admissions committees need to know that you’re capable of succeeding academically.

My situation is a little different than yours. My original degree was in engineering so I needed to return to school to take all of my vet school prereqs. I took more upper division bio courses than I needed to so I could prove my ability to succeed and didn’t apply until my last 45 credit GPA was a 4.0. I think you’d benefit more by getting a masters since you’ve taken all of your prereqs ... but I would do what you need to do to get your ADHD under control before you attempt it. Going into my post-bacc schoolwork I felt like it was do or die - doing poorly was only going to solidify my **** GPA.

I used the explanation statement to discuss health issues I had as an undergraduate student and focused on what I did about it and provided examples to demonstrate how it’s behind me. I think putting several years between those poor grades and now really benefitted me as well.

And get vet experience before you apply. I don’t even know how you’d write good essays without it. The profession is so different than what many people perceive it to be (both good and bad) and you may find that you hate it, or love another area of vet med, or whatever. It may not be a requirement to have a vet LOR or vet hours to apply to vet school with the COVID stuff ... but I can’t imagine how someone can be accepted without it.

Anyway, getting into vet school with a blemished academic history is possible (I’m evidence of that), but I think you’ve got some work to do yet I quoted my successful applicant stats below if you’re curious about my full story.

Low GPAer with multiple acceptances!

My undergrad GPA was a 2.7ish so this goes to show that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself if you’re willing to work for it! Being an older student ready to move on with my life, I applied to a ridiculous number of schools. I was also super worried about how much my academic history would hinder me. I timed my application cycle with my husband being overseas on an unaccompanied tour (he’s career military), giving us the best chances of ending up in the same region of the country when he returns. Of course this would only work if I was accepted so that’s another reason why I applied to so many schools! I wouldn’t recommend being financially reckless (I have the GI bill and savings to pay for vet school so cost was less of a limiting factor), but ultimately you gotta do what’s best for you!

32 y/o female, non-trad, Georgia resident, 1st time applicant

Applied: Auburn, CSU, Davis, UF, UGA, U Illinois, Iowa State, K-State, LMU, LSU, Michigan State, UMN, Mississippi State, tOSU, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Penn, Purdue, SGU, Tufts, VMCVM
Rejected: Davis, Auburn, CSU, U Illinois
Interview waitlisted: UF, tOSU
Invited to Interview: SGU, LMU, K-State, VMCVM, Mississippi State, Purdue, Michigan State, UMN (declined), Tufts (declined), Penn
Waitlisted: Oregon State, Purdue, Mississippi State, Michigan State
Accepted: SGU, LMU, LSU, Oklahoma State, Penn, K-State, VMCVM, Iowa State, UGA
Attending: VMCVM

Cumulative GPA: 3.06
Last 45 GPA: 4.00
DIY Post-Bacc GPA: 3.87 (84 credits, all science)
Science GPA w/o engineering: 3.63
Science GPA w/ engineering: 2.98 (thanks VMCAS)

GRE: 152 V / 160 Q / 3.5 <- don’t half-a$$ the writing portion like I did LOL

Undergrad degree: BS Aerospace Engineering (2010)

Veterinary Experience
- SA general practice with Chinese medicine: 2800 hours
- SA ER: 250 hours
- Avian, exotics & wildlife: 170 hours
- Equine/swine: 100 hours
- Equine/LA/internal medicine: 240 hours
- Low cost clinic: 140 hours

Animal Experience
- Therapeutic riding group for disabled children: 120 hours
- Farrier: 12 hours (corrective shoeing)
- Shelter: 55 hours
- Cat rescue: 300 hours
- Wildlife center: 30 hours
- Pet ownership (only included animals I’ve owned as an adult independently of my parents and super low-balled the hours)

Research
- Nada!

Community Service/Volunteer Things
- 7 years as a board member and caseworker with a non-profit that provides financial assistance to owners and rescuers of dogs in need. We disperse funds to veterinarians directly to be used for non-routine treatment. I’ve worked some super interesting cases and this is where my interest in medicine began.
- 3 years as the Family Adoptions Director (board position) of a breed specific dog rescue. A group of us broke off because we wanted the flexibility to take in mixes of said breed so I was a founding member and the Applications Director for 2 years of the new non-profit. I really enjoyed working with potential adopters so managing the application and adoption process was a natural fit for me.
- Volunteer at an emergency women and children’s shelter

Non-Animal Employment
- 10 years for the same engineering company, first as an intern, then mechanical engineer, and finally as a systems engineer. The highlight was working software test on a really cool program that was awarded a Collier trophy (a pretty big deal).
- Also included the 2 jobs I had as an undergrad student: recycling center for 2 years and mechanics lien company for 2 years.

LORs (tried to pick people in different areas of my life that know me very well)
- SA vet
- Equine/LA vet
- Engineering boss
- President of non-profit I’ve been with 7 years
- A&P I & II and Neuro professor
- Infectious Diseases and Micro professor

Explanation Statement
I used this space to discuss GI issues I had from childhood through my undergrad years. I had a slew of medical tests done when I was an engineering student and, living alone, I developed some very disordered eating habits stemming from anxiety about my GI stuff, which resulted in me being super underweight. I struggled with the decision to include this in my application but ultimately I did. I used the first paragraph to outline the facts: this is what happened and this is what I did about it (cognitive behavioral therapy and working with a registered dietician). In the 2nd paragraph I talked about the things I do today (9 years later) to manage my GI issues and anxiety (basically putting self-care first and confronting the things that make me anxious, both food-related and not). And in the 3rd paragraph I was able to demonstrate how much more functional I am now by discussing the strong grades I’ve earned as a post-bacc student while juggling an engineering career, a cross country move, a periacetabular osteotomy (corrective surgery for hip dysplasia), and making time for veterinary experiences.
These days I’m super open about my struggles and how I got to where I am now. My inbox is always open to anyone struggling, needing a little encouragement, or whatever; and I’d be happy to share my explanation statement with anyone needing an example and/or help with editing theirs. I asked half a dozen people for feedback on mine to be sure it was conveying the right message ... I basically admitted to having anxiety and an eating disorder, which could’ve sunk my ship if not done right. Moral of the story, own what happened and make it a strength (but only if you can demonstrate how you’re a bada$$ now).

Essays
1 - Opened with why I studied engineering, talked about the development of my interest in medicine, included a major takeaway from each of my vet experiences, and closed by saying that I’m seeking an area within vet med where client relationship and continuity of care are valued, as this relationship is most fulfilling to me.
2 - Given my rescue background and having lived in states where shelters are understaffed and at max capacity, I talked about supporting my local shelter and/or rescue(s) in some capacity once I’m a vet. I emphasized that I want to improve the lives of the animals in my community through education, which I hope to do in clinical medicine. I also expressed an interest in teaching the next generation of vets as my contribution to the profession that benefits the community long after I’m gone.
3 - I went with commitment to learning, finding enjoyment and meaning outside of medicine, strong oral and written communication, and integrity.