Would like some feedback on the schools that I am thinking of applying to because of my LOW GPA. Do I stand a chance?
Applying to (maybe 2years from now): Oregon State, Iowa State, Ross U, Saint George U, and Western U
I am a
CA resident
Female, 23. (but will be 25/26 when I apply)
Degrees: B.S. Ecology and Evolution
Overall GPA: 2.86
Science GPA: 2.6 (still need to take Organic, Biochem, and microbio)
Last 45: (still need to take about 22 more units) currently is 3.14
GRE: studying for it now will be taking it in Jan 2018
Veterinary Experience:
-Working Full-time at an animal rehab center as a technician. I get to actually work alongside the vets and physical therapists assisting them but also get to do the actual therapy on our clients. So far for about 3/4ish months but will continue working here until I apply/hopefully get accepted.
- at the rehab center, I've learned to do basic wound care, administer SQ injections, and give medications.
-During the summers when I am not in school, I plan on getting some opportunities to shadow vets in GP's and /or volunteer with horses.
Animal Experience:
-Kennel attendant (full-time) for about 4 months at the rehab place before I got promoted to be a tech
-Ownership of dogs, canaries, parakeets, freshwater fishes, and hermit crabs my whole life.
-During the summers (as a teen), I helped my grandfather tend to his farm (feeding cattle, pigs, cleaning horse stables) all was under his supervision so it wasn't professional/was over a decade ago. Should I include it?
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Would this go under animal or non-veterinary? I worked as an Education volunteer at my local aquarium for 300+ hours. I basically talked to the public about the animals in the exhibits and encouraged discussions about conservation/ sustainable fishing. I also was able to teach guests how to interact with the animals in our touch pools. I had to take a few classes from the aquarium to learn about the animals/anatomy/ how to properly handle them so I don't know if it counts as animal because of that? Besides the sting ray/ bamboo shark pools (I got to be inside), I was always outside of the tank talking to people (hence education volunteer)
Non-Veterinary Experience:
-Dining hall worker (1 year)
-Parking attendant (1 year)
-MESA (STEM) program assistant (1 week)
-STEM program leader (4 months)
- I own a small business on Etsy (selling hermit crab food). I started an instagram page (4 years now) to help advocate and educate new owners on how to properly care for them and my page got big. I saw the need for ready to serve hermit crab food (because the store bought food is crap) so I started my business and still continue to help people through multiple social media platforms giving advice. I feel really passionate about helping people and animals
I am very proud of this project but does it actually count? I did my own research on the nutritional needs for land hermit crabs and that is how I came up with my recipes. (business for over 1 year now)
Research:
-about 12 hours helping a TA sort out samples in a lab setting for a geology thesis she was working on
-Do internships count as research? I did an environmental steward internship where I got to collect data on invasive species and was able to help our campus steward come up with a plan to help remove them so we could increase the population of some of our native insect species that were being affected by invasive plant species. I also did general trail maintenance. Before I graduated, I did not know that I wanted to be a vet so I was really into the conservation type of research.
I also had to conduct my own research for a plant ecology course I took during undergrad. We had to make our own experiments and log them in a journal and at the end of the quarter, we had to write a short proposal (like if it were a thesis).
***All of these are plant/conservation related so that's why I am wondering if this counts? Would really appreciate your feedback!***
Extracurriculars:
Animal rights club (2 years)
Wildlife conservation club (1 year)
Awards/recognitions:
-Hispanic scholarship recipient
- I came out in a short documentary for one of the rescue dogs that I adopted. He was abused /lived with a homeless person. A rescue picked him up and contacted the rehab center that I work at. If the rehab center had not taken him in, he would have been euthanized. He was hopping on his RH leg for a month with a dislocated L hip. He had almost no muscle on his LH because he was hopping on it for so long. He needed an FHO surgery + rehab to be able to function again. I was only a kennel attendant at that moment. This guy literally changed my life and sparked my interest in veterinary medicine/animal rehab. I worked extra hard to learn how to help him out (physical therapy) and with my assistance, he is running around and having the most normal life possible for an FHO case. Because of this entire story, I was featured on this documentary for a pet resource center that just opened up. I don't know if this is even relevant? Or if I can/should include it? The last thing that I want is to sound cocky.
LORs:
-I will be asking 3 of the veterinarians that work at my rehab clinic.
I know my GPA is a mess. I hope I can raise it up by whatever means possible before I apply (at least science GPA/ last 45). My Cum GPA will be a mess since I already have about 210 worth of undergrad credits. With all of this, do I have a chance for even the island schools? Thanks for the help