WAMC? Where should I apply? FT app, low gpa, high hours/research

[bottlenose]

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Hey! I'm going to be a first time applicant next cycle, but I wanted some advice on where I should apply/how I am looking as an applicant. Frankly, I am really nervous that I'm not particularly competitive. Some backstory, I was sexually assaulted in my first semester of undergrad, and it ruined my grades for about a year; I also have a semester of medical withdrawals because of what happened. I know that I have to include this in my application somehow, but I don't know how as of right now. Anyway, there is a clear upward trend in my grades, as seen in my last 45. My focus in grad school is ecology/evolutionary bio/endocrinology in wildlife. I want to be involved in research in vet school, but I don't want to get a DVM/PhD for personal reasons. I am really interested in pursuing a mixed animal specialty, if possible. Thank you for reading and for the help 🙂
Cumulative GPA: 3.31
science GPA: 3.4
last 45: 3.73

Any degrees achieved
Bs in Animal Biology
Currently getting my Ms, with my research focus on acute stress response in wildlife

Veterinary Experience:
- Equine internship with 350 hours, worked at a repro center
- Vet assistant at a SA clinic, 1000+ and counting
- shadowing at mixed animal clinic, 50 ish hours
- worked intake at a shelter, 300 hours

Animal Experience:
- 450 Hours working at a dog daycare
- Field work with passerines, 100 hours (and counting, currently my research is part of a larger grant propsal, but my focus is on urban stressors in birds)
- Grew up in 4H? Should i include this? I showed horses my entire life

Research Experience:
1 Past presentation author (work is about inaccuracies in field research)
1 future presentation (probably more in the next 6 months)
1 Published author -- manuscript is about stress response in Peromyscus
2 manuscripts currently under review -- one about stress response in passerines, one about stress respnse in peromyscus again
at least 500 hours doing lab work, all molecular biology techniques in wildlife (species depending on the project)

Awards/scholarships:
- N/A

Extracurriculars:
- Pre-vet club throughout undergrad
- part of my school's IHSA team throughout undergrad
- Undergrad volunteer in ecology/evolutionary bio lab

Employment:
- customer service job at the beginning of undergrad

Summarize any concerns you have
My GPA has always been a concern, I have worked really hard to have an upward trend in my classes since my SA. I have been working my ass off to keep my grades up and broaden my experiences, but I have this itching fear that I will never be competitive enough. I don't really know where to apply, but I want to aim for schools that take grad school GPA into consideration/research experience, since I feel like my research is my strong suit.

 

[battie]

it ruined my grades for about a year; I also have a semester of medical withdrawals because of what happened

You can look into schools that forgive or forego your first year of grades or courses that are x years old. However, you would then need to retake any prerequisites that fall in that time frame.

This changes year by year, so I'm not sure which of these schools offer this option.

I don't know how as of right now.

There is an explanation statement that's part of your VMCAS. Normally I would say if you write an essay about something, be prepared to discuss it in an interview; however, not 100% sure that would apply to the explanation statement due to the inherent nature of the events stated in those essays. Would want to check with the individual schools.

Not for nothing, you'd likely be competitive at schools that favor most recent GPA and unique or research experiences