What are my chances?

[mmmdreamerz]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I was looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!

Ultimately, no matter where you apply your GPA is a big part of your application, unfortunately. That being said, different schools look at different GPAs and emphasize/weigh them differently. You have to keep in mind that some schools have a 3.0 cutoff for cumulative GPA, so make sure you pay attention to that.

You have good experience with decent variety and being an LVT only helps (anything that is different/makes you stand out is good!).

Last 45 GPA is usually the last three semesters...doesn't have to be exactly 45 hours.

I suggest ROCKING the GRE. Do whatever you have to do to get some really amazing scores. Magoosh was super helpful to me.

Illinois, Kansas, LMU...tend to look at the whole picture when it comes to applicants (just off the top of my head).

Make sure you apply to your IS if you have one...

NC State takes something like only 20 OOS applicants every year. UPenn tends to be pretty number heavy too. Ohio loves diversity and seems to be trying to trending towards more holistic evaluation, but it seems like they can still be pretty numbers focused as well.

Is it impossible? No. There are a lot of awesome success stories on here of people getting in with low GPAs, but it might be harder and you might need multiple cycles to get in.

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[vettech327]

Ultimately, no matter where you apply your GPA is a big part of your application, unfortunately. That being said, different schools look at different GPAs and emphasize/weigh them differently. You have to keep in mind that some schools have a 3.0 cutoff for cumulative GPA, so make sure you pay attention to that.

You have good experience with decent variety and being an LVT only helps (anything that is different/makes you stand out is good!).

Last 45 GPA is usually the last three semesters...doesn't have to be exactly 45 hours.

I suggest ROCKING the GRE. Do whatever you have to do to get some really amazing scores. Magoosh was super helpful to me.

Illinois, Kansas, LMU...tend to look at the whole picture when it comes to applicants (just off the top of my head).

Make sure you apply to your IS if you have one...

NC State takes something like only 20 OOS applicants every year. UPenn tends to be pretty number heavy too. Ohio loves diversity and seems to be trying to trending towards more holistic evaluation, but it seems like they can still be pretty numbers focused as well.

Is it impossible? No. There are a lot of awesome success stories on here of people getting in with low GPAs, but it might be harder and you might need multiple cycles to get in.

thank you so much for your insight/helpful reply! I am looking to take the GRE possibly in mid June and I have already started studying a little bit for it! So hopefully that will be a good grade and help me out more. Is the GRE similar to the SAT? i have asked a few people and they have given me mixed opinions on it. I got a 2260 on the SAT in high school (out of 2400), so I am hoping to do that well on the GRE (or even better!)

P.S my in state school is Cornell... so don't see a point in wasting an application there :/

 

[mht2k3]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I was looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!

FWIW, NCState will automatically throw out your application if you dont have above a 3.4 in cGPA, science and last 45 GPAS.

Education – DVM – Admission Eligibility | NC State Veterinary Medicine


to answer your question about last 45 GPA, most schools will go back to the semester that gives you 45 credits and then use that entire semester to determine your last 45. so if you had 42 credits in your last 3 semesters and then took 12 credits in that fourth to last semester, then they would calculate your "last 45" GPA based on those 54 credits.

 

[bombai]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I wasn't looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!

For my application, the schools took the last 45 units I took, even though they didn't fit nicely into three semesters. You might check with different schools as it may be done differently in different places. VMCAS also calculates that automatically, I believe.

I say that it never hurts to apply to a ton of schools. You can always decline later . Just make sure you would go to the school if you got in .

 

[tbirdd123]

P.S my in state school is Cornell... so don't see a point in wasting an application there :/

In my (very) humble opinion, I would think you would have equal (if not better) chance at Cornell IS vs UPenn OOS or a few of your other schools OOS, I'd argue its worth the application! Unless your cGPA is below their minimum for IS applicants, I'm not sure what it is or if they have one.

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

This might not be what you want to hear, but I think you're going to have a really tough time getting into vet school. I would be prepped for it taking multiple cycles, if at all. Would you consider Ross or other schools like that? I honestly think those would be your best best.

The reason I say this is because even your last 45 GPA is not even at the average of most schools. If you were getting a 3.5 at least, that would indicate to them you can handle the course load. Additionally, I'm under the impression that biochem and microbio are some of the upper level bio classes that admissions wants to see students do well in. Since you haven't taken them, they don't know whether you will continue your current trend, or get awesome grades.

I hate to be a downer, but the excuse that your grades weren't super awesome because you didn't know you wanted to go to vet school isn't the strongest. I think that although some people get in with your GPA, their rationale might be something like mental health, family circumstances, etc. But I could be wrong.

 

[Teepster87]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I wasn't looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!

I'm not totally on top of all the changes they've made for the next cycle, but you might stand a decent chance with MSU. They won't be considering the GRE anymore. And don't consider cumulative GPA either. Just keep doing your best to raise up the last 45 GPA.

And didn't see if this was addressed elsewhere, but I was always told that to calculate last 45 you go back as many semesters to reach the threshold as needed. So I think 4 full semesters in your case.

 

[WizardOfPaws]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I wasn't looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!

I had basically the same GPAs as you and will be attending Midwestern in the fall.
I started off as a petroleum engineering major (so much calculus and physics) and didn't know I wanted to be a vet until junior year. It took a lot of effort but I still graduated in the usual 4.5 years with a degree in animal-science and one in biology but those first few years of engineering classes will forever hold my GPA back.

It's definitely possible and my interviewers were both horrified and amazed when I explained why my GPA was significantly lower than other applicants.

You'll have to apply smartly, only schools that look at mostly your experience and take into account the diversity on your application.
I would honestly go ahead and throw out NCState, UPenn, and Minnesota. Kansas looks at the last 45 so they would probably be a good reach school along with Cornell since it is your instate.

Lincoln Memorial, Iowa, Midwestern, Western, and Illinois are pretty good about looking at the full applicant. Also the international schools!
Don't waste money, time, and effort applying to schools that are just going to throw out your application.

I ended up taking a gap year since I graduated in December and worked at a couple of non-profits who let me do sooooo many things. I gained 1700 wildlife/large animal hours in 6 months because we were so short staffed then another 1000-ish at our humane society.

You're going to want to get some unique experiences and learn how to sell yourself. I know when I went to an interview, I talked to a girl that had dual-citizenship and spoke fluent Portuguese (and something else...Ukrainian or Russian maybe) but she didn't put it on her application or mention it in the interview. Tri-lingual is a BIG selling point. You can reach multiple people.

You are a certified vet tech which means you'll have more knowledge than like 70% of people going through the process. Plus you'll be ahead of the game when it comes to certain classes in vet school.
You were also a student athlete. Sell it!


If I were you I would definitely apply to like 2-4 schools this first round but also look for a masters program (as a backup career) or some volunteer/job opportunities that you'll enjoy to fill the time just in case you don't get in.
If you're dead-set on NCState, Minn, or Penn you might have a higher chance by moving and establishing residency but you would also need to take a few side classes to boost your last 45 GPA

 

[ziggyandjazzy]

Hi everyone! I am posting in this thread because I will be applying this cycle in hopes of attending vet school starting Fall 2018! I have a really bad GPA and I am worried that this will greatly affect my chances of getting into a school. I am hoping to apply to between 10 and 12 schools (maybe even more if you think it won't look too desperate). I have a lot of experience hours and a decent variety of experience. I am currently a Licensed Veterinary Technician (and have been for 2 years). I am hoping that this qualification will help in my application and hopefully give an acceptance (only 1 acceptance=VET SCHOOL! which is the saying that is keeping me motivated lol) anyway, below are my STATS so far. I don't have a pre req GPA created yet because of the fact that every school seems to have different pre req requirements. Also, I have questions about the last 45 GPA: the past 3 semesters I have decreased my credit load (to help increase gpa) so I have taken 14 credits each semester for the last 3 semesters. That is only 42 credits.. so will they count only 1 class from another semester? I'm just a little confused how this works? If anyone can help me out with this confusion that'd be much appreciated!!

22 years old, NY resident, will be a 1st time applicant

Degree:
AAS in Veterinary Science Technology (graduated in May 2015)
BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology (graduating May 2018)

GPA:
Cumulative: ~2.9 currently (hoping to make it a 3.0 after this spring semester) also, this GPA is low because of my course load in tech school (took about 18-20 credits per semester while working and being a student athlete) and I wasn't looking too far into the future at 18 years old so my mindset was C's get degrees in tech school (I know horrible, horrible mindset)
Last 45 (well 42 because I am confused lmao): 3.2 (again hoping to make it about a 3.3 or 3.4 after this semester)
Science GPA: 3.0

I am taking Biochem, Microbiology with lab, and a few other upper level bio course electives in Fall 2017 and Spring 2018.

VETERINARY EXPERIENCE:
-about 2,550 hours of small animal experience--> about 1,800 as a licensed vet tech and ~850 as vet tech student.
-about 500 hours of large animal experience from tech school
-about 60 hours of research experience from shadowing a research vet at NYU

ANIMAL EXPERIENCE:
-volunteered at North Shore Animal League America for about 3 years in high school (so about 250 hours)
-did a lot of pet sitting in high school (about 250 hours--low estimate)

NON VET WORK EXPERIENCE:
-work as a cashier/sales associate at CVS/Pharmacy spring 2012-present.
-babysitting jobs in high school
-assistant coach for girls soccer for 2 years (coached ages 8-10 yrs old)
-soccer referee for 2 years
-employee at the school fitness center while in tech school

OTHER THINGS I DID IN SCHOOL:
-was a student athlete while in tech school (soccer)
-was a participant in NSAVT in tech school
-played many intramural sports while in tech school

I work A LOT while in school, so this is why my grades are sub-par. In tech school, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian, so I kind of just had the mindset of "just pass all of your classes, so you can become a vet tech." Grades didn't really matter to me while in tech school, I was more interested in actually learning the aspects of vet med and doing what it takes to be a good technician, instead of being entirely book smart (I know kind of a mistake on my part, but you can't change the past). My transcripts show that CLEARLY I am better at hands-on things (lab classes) than lectures, since all of my lab courses are A's and my lecture courses range from A's, to C's (many, many B's -___-).

I am hoping that my LORs (two from vets that i have worked for and 1 from my academic advisor), my course load throughout tech school, and my experience will help get that 1 acceptance I need.

I am thinking of applying to the following schools:
NC state, UPenn, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Ross.
I am also thinking of considering applying to Purdue, Wisco, and/or Iowa??

If someone could please help me stay optimistic in believing there is even the slightest chance for me to get into vet school and if you could help me decide where to apply. I am trying to apply "smart," like to schools that aren't all about GPA and stuff, but it's hard to find out that info for me?? (maybe I am looking in the wrong places).

Thanks in advance for taking the time in reading this horribly long post and also thank you in advance for anyone that has any feedback for me (constructive or optimistic, ill take it all! lol)

I wish everyone else luck in their futures as (hopefully) veterinarians!

This might not be what you want to hear, but I think you're going to have a really tough time getting into vet school. I would be prepped for it taking multiple cycles, if at all. Would you consider Ross or other schools like that? I honestly think those would be your best best.

The reason I say this is because even your last 45 GPA is not even at the average of most schools. If you were getting a 3.5 at least, that would indicate to them you can handle the course load. Additionally, I'm under the impression that biochem and microbio are some of the upper level bio classes that admissions wants to see students do well in. Since you haven't taken them, they don't know whether you will continue your current trend, or get awesome grades.

I hate to be a downer, but the excuse that your grades weren't super awesome because you didn't know you wanted to go to vet school isn't the strongest. I think that although some people get in with your GPA, their rationale might be something like mental health, family circumstances, etc. But I could be wrong.

 

[finneganfox]

Short version: lower GPAs than I would like due to adjusting to college and mental health, unsure whether to re-take GRE and which schools would be an absolute long-shot. Applied last year to IS (UGA) and was rejected. Interested in pursuing LA.

Female, 26 years old, Georgia Resident
B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Hispanic Studies
M.S. in Animal Science from UGA, focus on ruminant nutrition

Cum GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: 3.24
Last 45: 3.58

GRE: (2013) Verbal: 162 (90th percentile), Quant: 155 (59th percentile), Writing: 4.5

LOR's –(last cycle): Master’s Advisor at UGA, Master Committee Member I worked with on research (LA vet at UGA), and SA Vet I worked for

Schools Applying to: UGA, NC State, VT, Lincoln Memorial, Auburn, and looking into applying to at least one UK school (last cycle only applied to UGA)

Vet Experiences
-840 hours employed as SA vet assistant
-255 hours interning at SA vet
-77 hours volunteering for low-cost surgical vet
-165 hours shadowing LA vets
-150 hours collecting samples under vet guidance for Master's research

Research
-roughly 2200 hours on Master’s research that did not directly involve animal interaction and work with a veterinarian (running digestibility trials, planting and managing forage, etc)

Animal Experience
-3000 hours volunteering SPCA in spay and neuter clinic, animal care, adoption events, and fostering (not included in hours- should I?)
-895 hours working as livestock caretaker on farm
-150 hours as volunteer horse leader at therapeutic riding barn
-630 hours working as animal caretaker at boarding and daycare facility
-112 hours as Graduate TA for Animal Science Practicum labs (livestock and equine)
-220 hours handling cattle for research purposes, including slaughter
-lots of equine experience, rode from ages 8-18

Other Employment
-worked for UGA VTH administration for past 8 months in Oncology and Soft Tissue services
-will work for daycare and boarding facility for foreseeable future!

Honors/Awards
-Georgia Feed and Grain Scholarship 2016
-member of Spanish academic honors society

Extracurricular Activities
-Roller derby (lots of outreach with them as well)
-Scottish dance
-Run my own Etsy shop

Any help and advice would be SO appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Georgethecat]

Short version: lower GPAs than I would like due to adjusting to college and mental health, unsure whether to re-take GRE and which schools would be an absolute long-shot. Applied last year to IS (UGA) and was rejected. Interested in pursuing LA.

Female, 26 years old, Georgia Resident
B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Hispanic Studies
M.S. in Animal Science from UGA, focus on ruminant nutrition

Cum GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: 3.24
Last 45: 3.58

GRE: (2013) Verbal: 162 (90th percentile), Quant: 155 (59th percentile), Writing: 4.5

LOR's –(last cycle): Master’s Advisor at UGA, Master Committee Member I worked with on research (LA vet at UGA), and SA Vet I worked for

Schools Applying to: UGA, NC State, VT, Lincoln Memorial, Auburn, and looking into applying to at least one UK school (last cycle only applied to UGA)

Vet Experiences
-840 hours employed as SA vet assistant
-255 hours interning at SA vet
-77 hours volunteering for low-cost surgical vet
-165 hours shadowing LA vets
-150 hours collecting samples under vet guidance for Master's research

Research
-roughly 2200 hours on Master’s research that did not directly involve animal interaction and work with a veterinarian (running digestibility trials, planting and managing forage, etc)

Animal Experience
-3000 hours volunteering SPCA in spay and neuter clinic, animal care, adoption events, and fostering (not included in hours- should I?)
-895 hours working as livestock caretaker on farm
-150 hours as volunteer horse leader at therapeutic riding barn
-630 hours working as animal caretaker at boarding and daycare facility
-112 hours as Graduate TA for Animal Science Practicum labs (livestock and equine)
-220 hours handling cattle for research purposes, including slaughter
-lots of equine experience, rode from ages 8-18

Other Employment
-worked for UGA VTH administration for past 8 months in Oncology and Soft Tissue services
-will work for daycare and boarding facility for foreseeable future!

Honors/Awards
-Georgia Feed and Grain Scholarship 2016
-member of Spanish academic honors society

Extracurricular Activities
-Roller derby (lots of outreach with them as well)
-Scottish dance
-Run my own Etsy shop

Any help and advice would be SO appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Overall I'd say that you have a pretty strong application.

Will you be able to attend the workshop that UGA is doing this year instead of file reviews in May? Attending the workshop would be my first suggestion, because I doubt that everyone who was not admitted will attend so maybe it will be almost as good as a personal file review. Depending on how that goes maybe you could still talk one on one with Parker regarding any questions you still have. Previous classes have indicated that Parker was very helpful in advising on how to strengthen their application.

For UGA purposes, is your science gpa including all of your science classes or just UGA's science pre-req's? You might want to check for NC State, because they have a 3.4 cut off for cum gpa, last 45 hours gpa, and required course work gpa. And historically their OOS admitted gpa stats were in the 3.8 range. Hopefully others will chime in with suggestions for schools that have a more holistic approach to applications.

Your GRE score is good, but if you could bump up the quant score a little that would maybe help compensate for a slightly lower than average gpa.

Your vet hours look good. Any chance that you could log some more hours with large animals since you've indicated that is the area you intend to pursue? Or make sure that you emphasize your experience with your masters degree and how that helps prepare you for being a large animal vet. Were any of the hours you spent volunteering at the SPCA spay/neuter clinic vet supervised? If so, move those hours to vet hours.

Don't know if it's possible to ask your LOR's if they wrote strong letters of recommendation or not. But in the past there have been stories from applicants that were surprised to hear in file reviews that their letters were either lukewarm or not positive.

For the personal statement (however that is going to be this year) and the supplementals, I'd suggest having just a couple of people read over it, not so many people that you are overwhelmed. English majors typically are a good choice.

Hope this helps and wishing you the best of luck next year.

 

[FutureMarineAnimalVet]

Hi everyone, I understand this question is asked a lot but this is my first post and figured I would just start here. I am a bright student who is a sophomore at a school in Florida, and I'm actually having a hard time in my science classes which I know is a major drawback. I have always been science oriented and have always enjoyed anything and everything animal related. My freshman year I decided I wanted to be on a pre-vet track and began shadowing veterinarians and am currently volunteering at a 24/7 emergency animal hospital. My relevant grades are as follows: Inorganic Chem I = C-, Inorganic Chem II = C, Biology I and II = B's, Cellular/Molecular Biology = C-, Economics = A, English I/II = A, Calc I = A, Calc II = C, marine biology = A, geology = A, ALL CHEM AND BIO LABS = A, and I am currently in Organic Chem I which will likely be a C or B. I have thousands of hours of animal experience and quite a few hundred veterinary experience however, so the only aspects going against me (largely I believe) are my grades so far. I am very very nervous that I will not be able to get accepted, and honestly do not know where to go from here. Some questions are:
-Do I in reality have a chance of getting into veterinary school?
-Could I potentially apply to PA or Med school?
-What are your suggestions on what I do from here?
-I understand I have the option to retake classes, but I only have a short time left in undergrad and I do not know if I'd be able to have the opportunity to take more again afterwards.
-I know these details may be vague, so I guess I am also looking for insight to how "bad" can grades be when experience and background as a whole is appealing?
Thank you all so so much! I appreciate any and every little bit of help (I really want honest feedback!)

 

[TrashPanda]

Hi everyone, I understand this question is asked a lot but this is my first post and figured I would just start here. I am a bright student who is a sophomore at a school in Florida, and I'm actually having a hard time in my science classes which I know is a major drawback. I have always been science oriented and have always enjoyed anything and everything animal related. My freshman year I decided I wanted to be on a pre-vet track and began shadowing veterinarians and am currently volunteering at a 24/7 emergency animal hospital. My relevant grades are as follows: Inorganic Chem I = C-, Inorganic Chem II = C, Biology I and II = B's, Cellular/Molecular Biology = C-, Economics = A, English I/II = A, Calc I = A, Calc II = C, marine biology = A, geology = A, ALL CHEM AND BIO LABS = A, and I am currently in Organic Chem I which will likely be a C or B. I have thousands of hours of animal experience and quite a few hundred veterinary experience however, so the only aspects going against me (largely I believe) are my grades so far. I am very very nervous that I will not be able to get accepted, and honestly do not know where to go from here. Some questions are:
-Do I in reality have a chance of getting into veterinary school?
-Could I potentially apply to PA or Med school?
-What are your suggestions on what I do from here?
-I understand I have the option to retake classes, but I only have a short time left in undergrad and I do not know if I'd be able to have the opportunity to take more again afterwards.
-I know these details may be vague, so I guess I am also looking for insight to how "bad" can grades be when experience and background as a whole is appealing?
Thank you all so so much! I appreciate any and every little bit of help (I really want honest feedback!)

What's your overall GPA? Science GPA?

What's your in-state school?

How many veterinary hours do you have? What will your veterinary hours look like when you apply?

I know these details may be vague, so I guess I am also looking for insight to how "bad" can grades be when experience and background as a whole is appealing?

It really depends on how bad the grades are and how appealing the rest of the application is. The best thing to do is to look at websites of schools where you might apply and compare their admissions statistics to your own. Also, if you search for "successful applicants" in this forum, you'll see threads where successful applicants post their stats.

One last thing, watch out for C minuses- if they're pre-reqs, you'll probably have to retake them to be eligible to apply.

EDIT: Just noticed your question about med school/PA school. The requirements of those are very different. You generally need a higher GPA for med school than vet school, though some DO schools have lower stats. You'll need to take the MCAT. If you're concerned your stats aren't high enough for vet school, it's unlikely they'll be high enough for med school. I don't know as much about PA school applications, but you generally need to work (paid work, not volunteer) for a while to apply. They're all very different careers so decide on what you really want and go for it- don't just apply randomly. The MD/DO/PA route is definitely more lucrative, so if you can see yourself happy in one of those careers, I suggest going for it. If you haven't already, shadow to help you decide.

 

[Lupin21]

Hi everyone, I understand this question is asked a lot but this is my first post and figured I would just start here. I am a bright student who is a sophomore at a school in Florida, and I'm actually having a hard time in my science classes which I know is a major drawback. I have always been science oriented and have always enjoyed anything and everything animal related. My freshman year I decided I wanted to be on a pre-vet track and began shadowing veterinarians and am currently volunteering at a 24/7 emergency animal hospital. My relevant grades are as follows: Inorganic Chem I = C-, Inorganic Chem II = C, Biology I and II = B's, Cellular/Molecular Biology = C-, Economics = A, English I/II = A, Calc I = A, Calc II = C, marine biology = A, geology = A, ALL CHEM AND BIO LABS = A, and I am currently in Organic Chem I which will likely be a C or B. I have thousands of hours of animal experience and quite a few hundred veterinary experience however, so the only aspects going against me (largely I believe) are my grades so far. I am very very nervous that I will not be able to get accepted, and honestly do not know where to go from here. Some questions are:
-Do I in reality have a chance of getting into veterinary school?
-Could I potentially apply to PA or Med school?
-What are your suggestions on what I do from here?
-I understand I have the option to retake classes, but I only have a short time left in undergrad and I do not know if I'd be able to have the opportunity to take more again afterwards.
-I know these details may be vague, so I guess I am also looking for insight to how "bad" can grades be when experience and background as a whole is appealing?
Thank you all so so much! I appreciate any and every little bit of help (I really want honest feedback!)

Some schools require a C, not C-, so that is something to look into. cumGPA, sciGPA and last 45 are important as well as GRE scores. You have to calculate these to have a better understanding of chances.

 

[MDB74]

Hi everyone, I understand this question is asked a lot but this is my first post and figured I would just start here. I am a bright student who is a sophomore at a school in Florida, and I'm actually having a hard time in my science classes which I know is a major drawback. I have always been science oriented and have always enjoyed anything and everything animal related. My freshman year I decided I wanted to be on a pre-vet track and began shadowing veterinarians and am currently volunteering at a 24/7 emergency animal hospital. My relevant grades are as follows: Inorganic Chem I = C-, Inorganic Chem II = C, Biology I and II = B's, Cellular/Molecular Biology = C-, Economics = A, English I/II = A, Calc I = A, Calc II = C, marine biology = A, geology = A, ALL CHEM AND BIO LABS = A, and I am currently in Organic Chem I which will likely be a C or B. I have thousands of hours of animal experience and quite a few hundred veterinary experience however, so the only aspects going against me (largely I believe) are my grades so far. I am very very nervous that I will not be able to get accepted, and honestly do not know where to go from here. Some questions are:
-Do I in reality have a chance of getting into veterinary school?
-Could I potentially apply to PA or Med school?
-What are your suggestions on what I do from here?
-I understand I have the option to retake classes, but I only have a short time left in undergrad and I do not know if I'd be able to have the opportunity to take more again afterwards.
-I know these details may be vague, so I guess I am also looking for insight to how "bad" can grades be when experience and background as a whole is appealing?
Thank you all so so much! I appreciate any and every little bit of help (I really want honest feedback!)

First of all, what's your GPA? A mediocre grade on any individual test is never going to sink you. Plenty of people have made it in after struggling with Ochem. You're a sophomore, there's no point in freaking out right now. Focus on getting good grades, upping your vet hours and making good connection for LORs. You have plenty of time to put together a really good app, lot's of people hadn't even decided they wanted to do vetmed by their second year (myself included).

I'm very confused by the Med/PA question. All three of these options are VASTLY different professions with different requirements for getting in. Med school probably requires a higher GPA than you have but could be achievable. PA requires a ton of clinical exp hours and is a vastly different scholastic experience than Med/Vetmed (which at least somewhat resemble each other for the first 2 years). There's a lot more nuance to the differences between them (that I could take 10 paragraphs to write out) but the point is, this isn't 1985, and vet/PA school can't really be approached as backups to med school as you need a unique competitive application to each. Find what you want to do and focus your energy on that.

 

[LabLuv004]

Short version: lower GPAs than I would like due to adjusting to college and mental health, unsure whether to re-take GRE and which schools would be an absolute long-shot. Applied last year to IS (UGA) and was rejected. Interested in pursuing LA.

Female, 26 years old, Georgia Resident
B.S. in Biology, B.A. in Hispanic Studies
M.S. in Animal Science from UGA, focus on ruminant nutrition

Cum GPA: 3.42
Science GPA: 3.24
Last 45: 3.58

GRE: (2013) Verbal: 162 (90th percentile), Quant: 155 (59th percentile), Writing: 4.5

LOR's –(last cycle): Master’s Advisor at UGA, Master Committee Member I worked with on research (LA vet at UGA), and SA Vet I worked for

Schools Applying to: UGA, NC State, VT, Lincoln Memorial, Auburn, and looking into applying to at least one UK school (last cycle only applied to UGA)

Vet Experiences
-840 hours employed as SA vet assistant
-255 hours interning at SA vet
-77 hours volunteering for low-cost surgical vet
-165 hours shadowing LA vets
-150 hours collecting samples under vet guidance for Master's research

Research
-roughly 2200 hours on Master’s research that did not directly involve animal interaction and work with a veterinarian (running digestibility trials, planting and managing forage, etc)

Animal Experience
-3000 hours volunteering SPCA in spay and neuter clinic, animal care, adoption events, and fostering (not included in hours- should I?)
-895 hours working as livestock caretaker on farm
-150 hours as volunteer horse leader at therapeutic riding barn
-630 hours working as animal caretaker at boarding and daycare facility
-112 hours as Graduate TA for Animal Science Practicum labs (livestock and equine)
-220 hours handling cattle for research purposes, including slaughter
-lots of equine experience, rode from ages 8-18

Other Employment
-worked for UGA VTH administration for past 8 months in Oncology and Soft Tissue services
-will work for daycare and boarding facility for foreseeable future!

Honors/Awards
-Georgia Feed and Grain Scholarship 2016
-member of Spanish academic honors society

Extracurricular Activities
-Roller derby (lots of outreach with them as well)
-Scottish dance
-Run my own Etsy shop

Any help and advice would be SO appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I would say you stand a decent chance of getting in. I have similar stats and I am heading to RVC in the fall. I would recommend applying to schools that have less of a GPA cut off than NC State. I know LMU is very interested in the whole applicant, not just grades. Also some schools place a lot of emphasis on the interview and they use that when looking at your application more than grades. So if you can get yourself an interview and nail it, then you're in a good place.

I think the most important thing you need to address on your application (maybe in whatever personal statement type-questions they will have this year) is that you can handle the rigor of vet school. I had that question by every interviewer that had access to my grades. Try to show you can handle the demands of a busy academic schedule.

Lastly I would consider applying to Ross or another island school. They tend to be more forgiving in GPA than many US schools.

 

[FurryFriends]

I graduated undergrad with a pretty low gpa of 3.0. I took a little break after graduating before I decided to go back to school to show I can make good grades. I recently just finished an unformal post-bac re-taking science classes I got C's in, as well as, some other upper division science courses which made my last 45 credits shoot up to a 4.0! I plan to apply later on this year to UF. I guess my question is do I make a good applicant? Here's some of my other info:

Animal Experience/Shadowing:
-50 hr volunteering at an equine rescue
-200 shadowing various vets + a year's worth of working in a vet's office (not sure how many hrs but I'm sure a good amount)

Work Experience:
-veterinary assistant (1 yr so far)
-customer service (3 yrs)

Letters of Recommendations:
-I can get 2 from the vets I work for and 1 from a professor

 

[Animal Midwife]

Edited because irrelevant for topic.

 

[Emmy Senpai]

I graduated undergrad with a pretty low gpa of 3.0. I took a little break after graduating before I decided to go back to school to show I can make good grades. I recently just finished an unformal post-bac re-taking science classes I got C's in, as well as, some other upper division science courses which made my last 45 credits shoot up to a 4.0! I plan to apply later on this year to UF. I guess my question is do I make a good applicant? Here's some of my other info:

Animal Experience/Shadowing:
-50 hr volunteering at an equine rescue
-200 shadowing various vets + a year's worth of working in a vet's office (not sure how many hrs but I'm sure a good amount)

Work Experience:
-veterinary assistant (1 yr so far)
-customer service (3 yrs)

Letters of Recommendations:
-I can get 2 from the vets I work for and 1 from a professor

Your 200 hours shadowing vets counts as vet experience, not animal experience, so make sure you have that correct on your application or you could risk not getting an interview because of it. Veterinary assistant counts as vet experience as well. Definitely look into getting more hours and diversity this summer!
As for your grades, going back to school and improving your grades will definitely help you. Good luck!

 

[Posey]

I graduated undergrad with a pretty low gpa of 3.0. I took a little break after graduating before I decided to go back to school to show I can make good grades. I recently just finished an unformal post-bac re-taking science classes I got C's in, as well as, some other upper division science courses which made my last 45 credits shoot up to a 4.0! I plan to apply later on this year to UF. I guess my question is do I make a good applicant? Here's some of my other info:

Animal Experience/Shadowing:
-50 hr volunteering at an equine rescue
-200 shadowing various vets + a year's worth of working in a vet's office (not sure how many hrs but I'm sure a good amount)

Work Experience:
-veterinary assistant (1 yr so far)
-customer service (3 yrs)

Letters of Recommendations:
-I can get 2 from the vets I work for and 1 from a professor

First off congrats on the 4.0 in your last 45 credit hours! That's tough and should reflect nicely on your application.

What is UF's policy on the re-taken course grades? Do they completely replace the old grades in the GPA calculation or get averaged? Some schools do replace, and you may want to consider whether it is worth applying to them as back-ups (there is a thread somewhere on here that lists them if you search).

Can you increase your experience hours? Your time as a veterinary assistant should definitely help with the overall hours, but if you have a chance for more shadowing or volunteer experience that might boost things.

Also, get people you trust to read and critique your personal statement. A strong personal statement will help you stand out.

Best of luck!

 

[Coopah]

I graduated undergrad with a pretty low gpa of 3.0. I took a little break after graduating before I decided to go back to school to show I can make good grades. I recently just finished an unformal post-bac re-taking science classes I got C's in, as well as, some other upper division science courses which made my last 45 credits shoot up to a 4.0! I plan to apply later on this year to UF. I guess my question is do I make a good applicant? Here's some of my other info:

Animal Experience/Shadowing:
-50 hr volunteering at an equine rescue
-200 shadowing various vets + a year's worth of working in a vet's office (not sure how many hrs but I'm sure a good amount)

Work Experience:
-veterinary assistant (1 yr so far)
-customer service (3 yrs)

Letters of Recommendations:
-I can get 2 from the vets I work for and 1 from a professor

I have a very similar experience to this. I also got a 4.0 in science classes and last 45 in post bac. The only difference is I had never taken any of the science classes before because it was irrelevant to my major in undergrad. As a result my science GPA was very high as well(~3.79). I retrieved an interview from UF so it is definitely possible, but ultimately received a rejection because my cGPA was so low. So it depends. I did receive acceptances from UC Davis and Kansas, and did well at all schools that weight last 45 and science GPA heavily in the admissions process. So I'd choose your schools carefully, good luck.

 

[FurryFriends]

First off congrats on the 4.0 in your last 45 credit hours! That's tough and should reflect nicely on your application.

What is UF's policy on the re-taken course grades? Do they completely replace the old grades in the GPA calculation or get averaged? Some schools do replace, and you may want to consider whether it is worth applying to them as back-ups (there is a thread somewhere on here that lists them if you search).

Can you increase your experience hours? Your time as a veterinary assistant should definitely help with the overall hours, but if you have a chance for more shadowing or volunteer experience that might boost things.

Also, get people you trust to read and critique your personal statement. A strong personal statement will help you stand out.

Best of luck!

Thank you so much! Hopefully all my efforts are worth it The university in which I retook some courses were just added onto my GPA, not replaced, however, I don't know if UF will recalculate my GPA. I'm also unsure as to how the 3 different gpas (cGPA, sGPA, and last 45) are weighted in their application process. UF is also my IS so I'm also not sure how much of an advantage that is for me.

And yes, I'm trying to find a large animal vet to shadow at the moment, but there aren't too many close by me :/

But thanks for your response. I will definitely take your advice on the personal statement. That's a part that is worrying me too. Luckily my sis is excellent at critiquing any essays I write.

 

[FurryFriends]

I have a very similar experience to this. I also got a 4.0 in science classes and last 45 in post bac. The only difference is I had never taken any of the science classes before because it was irrelevant to my major in undergrad. As a result my science GPA was very high as well(~3.79). I retrieved an interview from UF so it is definitely possible, but ultimately received a rejection because my cGPA was so low. So it depends. I did receive acceptances from UC Davis and Kansas, and did well at all schools that weight last 45 and science GPA heavily in the admissions process. So I'd choose your schools carefully, good luck.

That's really interesting because those are two very high standing GPAs. Do you think maybe UF doesn't weigh your last 45 credits too high? But congrats on your other acceptances At least the saw your potential

 

[FurryFriends]

Your 200 hours shadowing vets counts as vet experience, not animal experience, so make sure you have that correct on your application or you could risk not getting an interview because of it. Veterinary assistant counts as vet experience as well. Definitely look into getting more hours and diversity this summer!
As for your grades, going back to school and improving your grades will definitely help you. Good luck!

Duly noted Thanks

 

[Coopah]

That's really interesting because those are two very high standing GPAs. Do you think maybe UF doesn't weigh your last 45 credits too high? But congrats on your other acceptances At least the saw your potential

I'm not sure how highly they weigh the different GPAs. I know it was enough to get an interview and nothing more. I would definately consider applying to different schools in addition to UF. Best of luck to you.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Location Michigan

Age 37

Degrees B.A. Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

Schools Applying To Michigan State University (IS)

Cum GPA Not needed for MSU
Last 36 GPA ~ 3.5811
Science GPA ~ 3.0854
**both of these might be a little higher depending on how my current semester ends.

Veterinary Experience
100 hours Job shadow LA
736 hours Volunteer SA
1416 hours Veterinary Assistant SA
This job came after being hired after job shadowing and volunteer work at the same clinic

Animal Experience
12+ hours Canine Blood Donor center at MSU Veterinary Hospital – my dog donates and the tech lets me hold him instead of getting an assistant due to my vet assistant experience
Lifelong Pet owner (dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, hedgehog, rat, lizard, fish, duck)
Successfully rescued, hatched, and released a nest of turtle eggs (I was 16 at the time)
Horseback riding class
Horseback riding – leisure as youth/adult
240 hours Summer internship at a conservation organization (bats, owls, skunks, a sloth, flying squirrels, and a snake) – will be completed by August 2017

Other Experience
Caregiver to disabled spouse

Letters of Recommendation (tentative)
Veterinarian I worked for
Veterinary Technician I worked with
College Professor
Military Superior
Internship Supervisor

Awards/Recognition
Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society
President’s List
Dean’s List
Army Achievement Award for diffusing a situation
Various other Army medals/awards – not sure if they are relevant to application

Research
Research student in Chemistry – Rhodium Complexes

Employment
Assistant Manager at clothing store
Police Cadet
Military 8 years, 1 deployment overseas
Substitute Teacher
MHSAA Competitive Cheer Judge
Business owner - online

Extra-Curricular Activities
Girl Scout Troop Leader (previous)
Hockey Team Manager (previous)
5k Charity races
Quilter / Knitter

GRE 156 Verbal, 152 Quantitative
-GRE doesn’t really matter to me anymore as MSU no longer requires it

Future plans to improve my application:
Retake two math classes to increase Science GPA – these are really my only low classes.
Look for another internship/vet assistant job to gain more hours

My concerns
- Age
- Only applying to one school, but due to having a family, I don’t have the option to relocate so this is a minor concern.
- I feel competitive, but I don’t know so I’m hoping for some honest/constructive opinions.

 

[mht2k3]

@BlueGoose (Forgot to quote)

what math classes are you retaking? I'm pretty sure MSU only uses their pre-requisites when calculating the science GPA. AFAIK there is only one math class as a pre-requisite. I would say that your science GPA is going to be the biggest stumbling block. Now that they got rid of the GRE, even more weight its going to be placed on the last 36 / science GPA.

I'm not sure if they changed it since last year, but last year they definitely used the SIS score to filter out people, so I would do everything possible to raise your science GPA up. If there are other science pre-reqs that you didn't do well in and could retake to raise it up over the summer I might do that.

The admissions staff there are very nice. You might want to call/email them with your information and see if they have any suggestions or see if they can give you more insight into what exactly the admissions criteria will focus on this year.

Age shouldn't be a concern, it actually might help you. I was 36 when I applied. I ended up getting into MSU and talking to people there it seemed they like nontraditional students.

 

[love2hunt]

Location Michigan

Age 37

Degrees B.A. Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

Schools Applying To Michigan State University (IS)

Cum GPA Not needed for MSU
Last 36 GPA ~ 3.5811
Science GPA ~ 3.0854
**both of these might be a little higher depending on how my current semester ends.

Veterinary Experience
100 hours Job shadow LA
736 hours Volunteer SA
1416 hours Veterinary Assistant SA
This job came after being hired after job shadowing and volunteer work at the same clinic

Animal Experience
12+ hours Canine Blood Donor center at MSU Veterinary Hospital – my dog donates and the tech lets me hold him instead of getting an assistant due to my vet assistant experience
Lifelong Pet owner (dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, hedgehog, rat, lizard, fish, duck)
Successfully rescued, hatched, and released a nest of turtle eggs (I was 16 at the time)
Horseback riding class
Horseback riding – leisure as youth/adult
240 hours Summer internship at a conservation organization (bats, owls, skunks, a sloth, flying squirrels, and a snake) – will be completed by August 2017

Other Experience
Caregiver to disabled spouse

Letters of Recommendation (tentative)
Veterinarian I worked for
Veterinary Technician I worked with
College Professor
Military Superior
Internship Supervisor

Awards/Recognition
Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society
President’s List
Dean’s List
Army Achievement Award for diffusing a situation
Various other Army medals/awards – not sure if they are relevant to application

Research
Research student in Chemistry – Rhodium Complexes

Employment
Assistant Manager at clothing store
Police Cadet
Military 8 years, 1 deployment overseas
Substitute Teacher
MHSAA Competitive Cheer Judge
Business owner - online

Extra-Curricular Activities
Girl Scout Troop Leader (previous)
Hockey Team Manager (previous)
5k Charity races
Quilter / Knitter

GRE 156 Verbal, 152 Quantitative
-GRE doesn’t really matter to me anymore as MSU no longer requires it

Future plans to improve my application:
Retake two math classes to increase Science GPA – these are really my only low classes.
Look for another internship/vet assistant job to gain more hours

My concerns
- Age
- Only applying to one school, but due to having a family, I don’t have the option to relocate so this is a minor concern.
- I feel competitive, but I don’t know so I’m hoping for some honest/constructive opinions.

I only applied to one school this last cycle as well for family reasons, so I know the feeling. It did not affect my application, it was just a case of all my eggs being in one basket. From what I've seen on here and in some vet school stats lists, age is not a problem either, and may even be a positive.

Your GPA's are both lower than average for c/o 2020, no getting around that. Honestly though, with all your job experiences and vet hours, I think that will really help boost your application. You'll for sure as heck stand out!

 

[Florida_Future_DVM]

I graduated undergrad with a pretty low gpa of 3.0. I took a little break after graduating before I decided to go back to school to show I can make good grades. I recently just finished an unformal post-bac re-taking science classes I got C's in, as well as, some other upper division science courses which made my last 45 credits shoot up to a 4.0! I plan to apply later on this year to UF. I guess my question is do I make a good applicant? Here's some of my other info:

Animal Experience/Shadowing:
-50 hr volunteering at an equine rescue
-200 shadowing various vets + a year's worth of working in a vet's office (not sure how many hrs but I'm sure a good amount)

Work Experience:
-veterinary assistant (1 yr so far)
-customer service (3 yrs)

Letters of Recommendations:
-I can get 2 from the vets I work for and 1 from a professor

UF looks heavily at GRE on top on GPA so if you do well on that, it will help. You are definitely going to need more hours (more diversity if possible). They consider around 1000+ hours in 2-3 areas competitive. Also be sure to find something unique to put on your application!

 

[Vet_Squared80]

@BlueGoose (Forgot to quote)

what math classes are you retaking? I'm pretty sure MSU only uses their pre-requisites when calculating the science GPA. AFAIK there is only one math class as a pre-requisite. I would say that your science GPA is going to be the biggest stumbling block. Now that they got rid of the GRE, even more weight its going to be placed on the last 36 / science GPA.

I'm not sure if they changed it since last year, but last year they definitely used the SIS score to filter out people, so I would do everything possible to raise your science GPA up. If there are other science pre-reqs that you didn't do well in and could retake to raise it up over the summer I might do that.

The admissions staff there are very nice. You might want to call/email them with your information and see if they have any suggestions or see if they can give you more insight into what exactly the admissions criteria will focus on this year.

Age shouldn't be a concern, it actually might help you. I was 36 when I applied. I ended up getting into MSU and talking to people there it seemed they like nontraditional students.

For math, the pre-req page states either a single or a split class. I took split classes before (Algebra/Trig) and had a foreign instructor that was hard to follow. I passed both, but feel this is really weighing me down and is an area I could easily improve on.

I did meet with an admissions person at MSU. They no longer use the SIS calculator, so there isn't any way to know how competitive I'd be based on that score. :/ The admissions person stated that they are using the GPAs to filter people out now. I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but I wasn't given an indication that my GPA was bad when I was there. As a side note, the math was suggested as a re-take but I've been advised by several people not to re-take math during the summer as the classes are condensed where I currently go, hence the waiting until the fall to re-take. Not my first choice but if I didn't do well, that would hurt me not help me.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I know age seems like a silly thing but when I"m in classes with kids that are closer to my kids' age than my own, it's sometimes hard to keep perspective on that issue.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

I only applied to one school this last cycle as well for family reasons, so I know the feeling. It did not affect my application, it was just a case of all my eggs being in one basket. From what I've seen on here and in some vet school stats lists, age is not a problem either, and may even be a positive.

Your GPA's are both lower than average for c/o 2020, no getting around that. Honestly though, with all your job experiences and vet hours, I think that will really help boost your application. You'll for sure as heck stand out!

Thanks! It's definitely nerve wracking. Maybe its some of the professors who question my judgement in only applying to one school. As if I didn't know that limits my options and it may take me longer to get in.

 

[love2hunt]

Thanks! It's definitely nerve wracking. Maybe its some of the professors who question my judgement in only applying to one school. As if I didn't know that limits my options and it may take me longer to get in.

Lol yep I know that feeling as well. They aren't the ones who would have to move a family out-of-state, though, so their opinion doesn't matter! Not to mention paying OOS tuition...

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Lol yep I know that feeling as well. They aren't the ones who would have to move a family out-of-state, though, so their opinion doesn't matter! Not to mention paying OOS tuition...

Exactly! And since my husband's job is what currently pays for my school, this also seems like an unwise decision. I had a veterinarian once tell me that the goal is for your family to not hate you when its all said and done, because you're not just doing this for you when you have a family.

 

[love2hunt]

Exactly! And since my husband's job is what currently pays for my school, this also seems like an unwise decision. I had a veterinarian once tell me that the goal is for your family to not hate you when its all said and done, because you're not just doing this for you when you have a family.

That's it right there. We're of the same mindset. If we lose the family in the process, being a veterinarian becomes a lot emptier.

Good luck to you this application cycle, hope to see you post in the successful applicants thread!

 

[finnickthedog]

Location Michigan

Age 37

Degrees B.A. Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

Schools Applying To Michigan State University (IS)

Cum GPA Not needed for MSU
Last 36 GPA ~ 3.5811
Science GPA ~ 3.0854
**both of these might be a little higher depending on how my current semester ends.

Veterinary Experience
100 hours Job shadow LA
736 hours Volunteer SA
1416 hours Veterinary Assistant SA
This job came after being hired after job shadowing and volunteer work at the same clinic

Animal Experience
12+ hours Canine Blood Donor center at MSU Veterinary Hospital – my dog donates and the tech lets me hold him instead of getting an assistant due to my vet assistant experience
Lifelong Pet owner (dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, hedgehog, rat, lizard, fish, duck)
Successfully rescued, hatched, and released a nest of turtle eggs (I was 16 at the time)
Horseback riding class
Horseback riding – leisure as youth/adult
240 hours Summer internship at a conservation organization (bats, owls, skunks, a sloth, flying squirrels, and a snake) – will be completed by August 2017

Other Experience
Caregiver to disabled spouse

Letters of Recommendation (tentative)
Veterinarian I worked for
Veterinary Technician I worked with
College Professor
Military Superior
Internship Supervisor

Awards/Recognition
Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society
President’s List
Dean’s List
Army Achievement Award for diffusing a situation
Various other Army medals/awards – not sure if they are relevant to application

Research
Research student in Chemistry – Rhodium Complexes

Employment
Assistant Manager at clothing store
Police Cadet
Military 8 years, 1 deployment overseas
Substitute Teacher
MHSAA Competitive Cheer Judge
Business owner - online

Extra-Curricular Activities
Girl Scout Troop Leader (previous)
Hockey Team Manager (previous)
5k Charity races
Quilter / Knitter

GRE 156 Verbal, 152 Quantitative
-GRE doesn’t really matter to me anymore as MSU no longer requires it

Future plans to improve my application:
Retake two math classes to increase Science GPA – these are really my only low classes.
Look for another internship/vet assistant job to gain more hours

My concerns
- Age
- Only applying to one school, but due to having a family, I don’t have the option to relocate so this is a minor concern.
- I feel competitive, but I don’t know so I’m hoping for some honest/constructive opinions.

I think you have a shot. I believe with the SIS being eliminated that their cut off for review is now a 3.0 sci and last 36 so you're above that line. I think that MSU is good at looking at the whole application, not just the grades so while you may be below the average fo 2020, I wouldn't let that be too discouraging.

You can find my full stats in the successful applicants thread but I applied with lower gpas than you. I did have a ton of animal exp and good gre scores (which mattered at the time) to help offset that.

I encourage you to continue building on your experience and make sure you're formkng relationships with people who will provide you with great eLORs. Personally, I didn't retake any classes because I decided it cost too much for what would ultimately be a minimal boost to my gpa, but if they advised you to retake a particular class and/or its going to be a significant boost then I think that's a worthwhile thing to do as well. Are you applying this cycle though? I notice you mention possibly not retaking the class until the fall and your new grade would not be included for your gpas in this cycle if that is the case.

I think applying to one school is fine and even smart if that one school is the only realistic option for you. No point wasting money applying elsewhere only to later decline the offer because it's not feasible for your family. I only applied to one school both times I applied and some people certainly questioned that, but it was the right decision for me. I wouldn't have wanted to accept an offer at another school.

 

[Posey]

Thank you so much! Hopefully all my efforts are worth it The university in which I retook some courses were just added onto my GPA, not replaced, however, I don't know if UF will recalculate my GPA. I'm also unsure as to how the 3 different gpas (cGPA, sGPA, and last 45) are weighted in their application process. UF is also my IS so I'm also not sure how much of an advantage that is for me.

And yes, I'm trying to find a large animal vet to shadow at the moment, but there aren't too many close by me :/

But thanks for your response. I will definitely take your advice on the personal statement. That's a part that is worrying me too. Luckily my sis is excellent at critiquing any essays I write.

Call UF and ask them how they calculate GPA and whether they replace or average GPA for repeated coursework. That's the best way to get a correct answer. Since that's your instate it's well worth a phone call to get a feel for how they evaluate an application. It may help you identify ways to strengthen your application that nobody on here suspects, or (hopefully) you may find that you're solid the way things are now.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

That's it right there. We're of the same mindset. If we lose the family in the process, being a veterinarian becomes a lot emptier.

Good luck to you this application cycle, hope to see you post in the successful applicants thread!

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Vet_Squared80]

I think you have a shot. I believe with the SIS being eliminated that their cut off for review is now a 3.0 sci and last 36 so you're above that line. I think that MSU is good at looking at the whole application, not just the grades so while you may be below the average fo 2020, I wouldn't let that be too discouraging.

You can find my full stats in the successful applicants thread but I applied with lower gpas than you. I did have a ton of animal exp and good gre scores (which mattered at the time) to help offset that.

I encourage you to continue building on your experience and make sure you're formkng relationships with people who will provide you with great eLORs. Personally, I didn't retake any classes because I decided it cost too much for what would ultimately be a minimal boost to my gpa, but if they advised you to retake a particular class and/or its going to be a significant boost then I think that's a worthwhile thing to do as well. Are you applying this cycle though? I notice you mention possibly not retaking the class until the fall and your new grade would not be included for your gpas in this cycle if that is the case.

I think applying to one school is fine and even smart if that one school is the only realistic option for you. No point wasting money applying elsewhere only to later decline the offer because it's not feasible for your family. I only applied to one school both times I applied and some people certainly questioned that, but it was the right decision for me. I wouldn't have wanted to accept an offer at another school.

Thanks! I did see your info as I think you responded to another one of my posts a little while back. What you said is pretty close to what the advisor stated in our meeting. It was indicated that MSU is getting away from grades and hours, since everyone has those for the most part, and going for an overall candidate that will bring something unique to the school. I'm hoping that works in my favor since I have plenty of life experience! Lol.

I do intend to apply this cycle as I have completed all the pre-reqs necessary. I'm just forward thinking to the next round *just in case*. The only reason math was suggested as a potential re-take is because it could easily boost my GPA for the next round of applications if I don't get in the first time.

 

[wallydo]

Thanks! I did see your info as I think you responded to another one of my posts a little while back. What you said is pretty close to what the advisor stated in our meeting. It was indicated that MSU is getting away from grades and hours, since everyone has those for the most part, and going for an overall candidate that will bring something unique to the school. I'm hoping that works in my favor since I have plenty of life experience! Lol.

I do intend to apply this cycle as I have completed all the pre-reqs necessary. I'm just forward thinking to the next round *just in case*. The only reason math was suggested as a potential re-take is because it could easily boost my GPA for the next round of applications if I don't get in the first time.

I was pulled off the waitlist at MSU (IS) this cycle, but learned a decent amount about their new admissions process in one of the classes I took this semester. I wasn't sure if I would be needing to re-apply on not so I was trying to educate myself as early as possible. They definitely seem to be approaching the admissions process with a more holistic approach I think this will help in a lot of student's favor and bring a lot of unique individuals to our school. I wish you all the very best this cycle, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

 

[Teepster87]

I was pulled off the waitlist at MSU (IS) this cycle, but learned a decent amount about their new admissions process in one of the classes I took this semester. I wasn't sure if I would be needing to re-apply on not so I was trying to educate myself as early as possible. They definitely seem to be approaching the admissions process with a more holistic approach I think this will help in a lot of student's favor and bring a lot of unique individuals to our school. I wish you all the very best this cycle, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Lol, did I speak in this class as part of a panel?

 

[wallydo]

Lol, did I speak in this class as part of a panel?

You didn't! What other class did you do a panel for?

 

[FutureMarineAnimalVet]

What's your overall GPA? Science GPA?

What's your in-state school?

How many veterinary hours do you have? What will your veterinary hours look like when you apply?



It really depends on how bad the grades are and how appealing the rest of the application is. The best thing to do is to look at websites of schools where you might apply and compare their admissions statistics to your own. Also, if you search for "successful applicants" in this forum, you'll see threads where successful applicants post their stats.

One last thing, watch out for C minuses- if they're pre-reqs, you'll probably have to retake them to be eligible to apply.

EDIT: Just noticed your question about med school/PA school. The requirements of those are very different. You generally need a higher GPA for med school than vet school, though some DO schools have lower stats. You'll need to take the MCAT. If you're concerned your stats aren't high enough for vet school, it's unlikely they'll be high enough for med school. I don't know as much about PA school applications, but you generally need to work (paid work, not volunteer) for a while to apply. They're all very different careers so decide on what you really want and go for it- don't just apply randomly. The MD/DO/PA route is definitely more lucrative, so if you can see yourself happy in one of those careers, I suggest going for it. If you haven't already, shadow to help you decide.

Right now my GPA is 3.4 and science GPA is 3.2. As of now I have about 350 hours of actual veterinary experience and when I'd apply I would have roughly at least 1000. When it comes to animal handling/care/husbandry experience, I have 1508 hours from internship/volunteering with exotic marine animals like penguins, belugas, sea lions, and seals.

 

[ERVetTech]

21 year old female-AZ resident

Hoping that my breadth of experience will make up for my very average GPA, but would definitely appreciate any words of wisdom!

Undergrad: Major in Veterinary Science, Minors in Biochemistry and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
cGPA: 3.37
SciGPA: 3.5
Last 45 GPA: 3.6

GRE: Taking in June, but took an extensive prep course so I'm feeling good about it

Veterinary Experience:
3500 hours- Small Animal Emergency/Specialty Veterinary Assistant
600 hours- General Practice Small Animal Kennel Tech/Veterinary Assistant
100 hours- Equine General Practice and Surgery
100 hours- Wildlife Veterinary Volunteer on South-African Veterinary Expedition
40 hours- Large Animal/Equine Practice
40 hours- Bovine dystocia assistant and preg checks under veterinarian supervision
40 hours-Volunteer Veterinary Mission Trip in Mexico
50 hours- High School Veterinary Camp that included large animal AI, vaccinations, surgical experience, and veterinary skills labs
Certified Veterinary Assistant through high school program

Research Experience:
40 hours- assisting with surgery, tissue collection, and care of ovine specimens for research involving embryonic pancreas development and response to heat stress

Animal Experience:
5000 hours- Western Horsemanship lessons and competitions, as well as care for my own horses
500 hours- Western Horsemanship Riding Instructor using my personal horse
60 hours- Raising 3 orphaned Yorkshire piglets including bottle feeding, castration, and veterinary care
20 hours- Wildlife care volunteer at Wildlife Rehabilitation
20 hours- Equine Therapeutic ranch volunteer
20 hours- Horse rescue volunteer
10 hours- Bovine heart dissection teaching assistant
10 hours- Night-shift farrowing assistant
10 hours-Sow AI breeding assistant
40 hours- High School Livestock Judging

eLORS:
Emergency Vet
Equine Vet
Large Animal Vet/Professor
Anatomy and Physiology Professor (Also a DVM)
Research Supervisor
Veterinary Assisting Program Teacher

Honors:
1st in the Nation at National FFA Veterinary Science Competition
1st in State at AZ FFA Veterinary Science Competition for 3 consecutive years
3rd in State at AZ FFA Horse Evaluation Competition
2nd High Placing Individual at High School State Mock Trial Competition
University of Arizona Wildcat Excellence Scholarship
Hope I. Jones Veterinary Scholarship
National FFA Zoetis Veterinary Scholarship
Dean's List for multiple semesters

Activities:
Pre-Veterinary Club Member
Arizona Global Health Project Member and Veterinary Service Trip Leader
Science Camp/Children's Museum Veterinary Volunteer
High School FFA Veterinary Science Alumni Coach
Arizona State Veterinary FFA Student Chair and Event Coordinator
Homeless Shelter Volunteer- handing out pet food/supplies

Interest:
Emergency Mixed Practice and Surgery

 

[Lupin21]

21 year old female-AZ resident

Hoping that my breadth of experience will make up for my very average GPA, but would definitely appreciate any words of wisdom!

Undergrad: Major in Veterinary Science, Minors in Biochemistry and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
cGPA: 3.50
SciGPA: 3.49
Last 45 GPA: 3.80

GRE: Taking in June, but took an extensive prep course so I'm feeling good about it

Veterinary Experience:
3500 hours- Small Animal Emergency/Specialty VA
600 hours- General Practice Small Animal Kennel Tech/Veterinary Assistant
100 hours- Equine General Practice and Surgery
100 hours- Wildlife Veterinary Volunteer on South-African Veterinary Expedition
40 hours- Large Animal/Equine Practice
40 hours- Bovine dystocia assistant and preg checks under veterinarian supervision
40 hours-Volunteer Veterinary Mission Trip in Mexico
50 hours- High School Veterinary Camp that included large animal AI, vaccinations, surgical experience, and veterinary skills labs
Certified Veterinary Assistant through high school program

Research Experience:
40 hours- assisting with surgery, tissue collection, and care of ovine specimens for research involving embryonic pancreas development and response to heat stress

Animal Experience:
5000 hours- Western Horsemanship lessons and competitions, as well as care for my own horses
500 hours- Western Horsemanship Riding Instructor using my personal horse
60 hours- Raising 3 orphaned Yorkshire piglets including bottle feeding, castration, and veterinary care
20 hours- Wildlife care volunteer at Wildlife Rehabilitation
20 hours- Equine Therapeutic ranch volunteer
20 hours- Horse rescue volunteer
10 hours- Bovine heart dissection teaching assistant
10 hours- Night-shift farrowing assistant
10 hours-Sow AI breeding assistant
40 hours- High School Livestock Judging

eLORS:
Emergency Vet
Equine Vet
Large Animal Vet/Professor
Anatomy and Physiology Professor (Also a DVM)
Research Supervisor
Veterinary Assisting Program Teacher

Honors:
1st in the Nation at National FFA Veterinary Science Competition
1st in State at AZ FFA Veterinary Science Competition for 3 consecutive years
3rd in State at AZ FFA Horse Evaluation Competition
2nd High Placing Individual at High School State Mock Trial Competition
University of Arizona Wildcat Excellence Scholarship
Hope I. Jones Veterinary Scholarship
National FFA Zoetis Veterinary Scholarship
Dean's List for multiple semesters

Activities:
Pre-Veterinary Club Member
Arizona Global Health Project Member and Veterinary Service Trip Leader
Science Camp/Children's Museum Veterinary Volunteer
High School FFA Veterinary Science Alumni Coach
Arizona State Veterinary FFA Student Chair and Event Coordinator
Homeless Shelter Volunteer- handing out pet food/supplies

Interest:
Emergency Mixed Practice and Surgery

This all looks good. However, I don't see what you have listed for your research exp as research. You needed to have been involved in analysis and such for that to be considered research in my opinion. What you have sounds like more vet experience instead.

 

[ERVetTech]

This all looks good. However, I don't see what you have listed for your research exp as research. You needed to have been involved in analysis and such for that to be considered research in my opinion. What you have sounds like more vet experience instead.

Thank you for your reply! That's mainly what I'm doing now, but this summer I will be in charge of running blood/tissue analysis/preparing specimens. Thank you for the advice though, that's a very good point.

 

[Lupin21]

Thank you for your reply! That's mainly what I'm doing now, but this summer I will be in charge of running blood/tissue analysis/preparing specimens. Thank you for the advice though, that's a very good point.

Perfect. You have a very well rounded app. The last 45 will also put you in a good spot. Good luck with the GRE and success in the coming cycle!

 

[CelestialVeterinarian]

I posted in here before but I feel like my candle is burning out.

I'm a junior, hoping to apply to Michigan State University. I haven't been doing so hot in school AT ALL!

Last semester I got an A, two B's and a C- in Orgo.

This semester I got an A-, B-, C and another C- for Orgo 2.

My parents passed away, my dad in 2012 my senior year of HS and my mom last year just before I got my associates. I feel like after their deaths and struggling with working to pay bills I never had before whilst being full time hurts me a lot but I have to get it done. I'm tearing up just writing this too. I don't know what to do.

I'm willing to retake the classes, I'll be 22 this year and I feel so far behind. I know age shouldn't matter but I just feel so slow... school is consuming me and I can't do anything with my life and that's what frustrates me too.

I just needed to vent and I need some feedback. It's rough being an orphan and trying to be an adult. I know MSU is hard to get into but I honestly have no other interests than Veterinarian Medicine. I have the job Shadowing, volunteering and experience, it's just my grades...

No GRE score yet.

 

[TrashPanda]

Right now my GPA is 3.4 and science GPA is 3.2. As of now I have about 350 hours of actual veterinary experience and when I'd apply I would have roughly at least 1000. When it comes to animal handling/care/husbandry experience, I have 1508 hours from internship/volunteering with exotic marine animals like penguins, belugas, sea lions, and seals.

I'm guessing since you're in Florida, that U of F is your in-state school? They look at GPAs a bit more than most schools and their average GPAs are fairly high. They have extensive stats from accepted applicants on their site, so you should definitely take a look. IIRC, they also value GRE highly so doing well on that could help make up for your GPAs.

If you can get your last 45 GPA up, that would help a lot since some schools consider it highly or only look at the last 45 GPA. If you search this forum, you can find a lot more info about those schools.

Your veterinary and animal experience hours look good. Just make sure you have some in multiple areas of veterinary medicine.

 

[ahallowell]

21 year old female-AZ resident

Hoping that my breadth of experience will make up for my very average GPA, but would definitely appreciate any words of wisdom!

Undergrad: Major in Veterinary Science, Minors in Biochemistry and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
cGPA: 3.50
SciGPA: 3.49
Last 45 GPA: 3.80

GRE: Taking in June, but took an extensive prep course so I'm feeling good about it

Veterinary Experience:
3500 hours- Small Animal Emergency/Specialty Veterinary Assistant
600 hours- General Practice Small Animal Kennel Tech/Veterinary Assistant
100 hours- Equine General Practice and Surgery
100 hours- Wildlife Veterinary Volunteer on South-African Veterinary Expedition
40 hours- Large Animal/Equine Practice
40 hours- Bovine dystocia assistant and preg checks under veterinarian supervision
40 hours-Volunteer Veterinary Mission Trip in Mexico
50 hours- High School Veterinary Camp that included large animal AI, vaccinations, surgical experience, and veterinary skills labs
Certified Veterinary Assistant through high school program

Research Experience:
40 hours- assisting with surgery, tissue collection, and care of ovine specimens for research involving embryonic pancreas development and response to heat stress

Animal Experience:
5000 hours- Western Horsemanship lessons and competitions, as well as care for my own horses
500 hours- Western Horsemanship Riding Instructor using my personal horse
60 hours- Raising 3 orphaned Yorkshire piglets including bottle feeding, castration, and veterinary care
20 hours- Wildlife care volunteer at Wildlife Rehabilitation
20 hours- Equine Therapeutic ranch volunteer
20 hours- Horse rescue volunteer
10 hours- Bovine heart dissection teaching assistant
10 hours- Night-shift farrowing assistant
10 hours-Sow AI breeding assistant
40 hours- High School Livestock Judging

eLORS:
Emergency Vet
Equine Vet
Large Animal Vet/Professor
Anatomy and Physiology Professor (Also a DVM)
Research Supervisor
Veterinary Assisting Program Teacher

Honors:
1st in the Nation at National FFA Veterinary Science Competition
1st in State at AZ FFA Veterinary Science Competition for 3 consecutive years
3rd in State at AZ FFA Horse Evaluation Competition
2nd High Placing Individual at High School State Mock Trial Competition
University of Arizona Wildcat Excellence Scholarship
Hope I. Jones Veterinary Scholarship
National FFA Zoetis Veterinary Scholarship
Dean's List for multiple semesters

Activities:
Pre-Veterinary Club Member
Arizona Global Health Project Member and Veterinary Service Trip Leader
Science Camp/Children's Museum Veterinary Volunteer
High School FFA Veterinary Science Alumni Coach
Arizona State Veterinary FFA Student Chair and Event Coordinator
Homeless Shelter Volunteer- handing out pet food/supplies

Interest:
Emergency Mixed Practice and Surgery

Awesome to see someone else on here with the exact same cum/sci/last45 GPA as myself! Sometimes the 4.0 cum GPAs get a little intimidating. Obviously, you have a very wide range of experiences which will greatly help you. Where are you interested in applying?! Best of luck!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[ERVetTech]

Awesome to see someone else on here with the exact same cum/sci/last45 GPA as myself! Sometimes the 4.0 cum GPAs get a little intimidating. Obviously, you have a very wide range of experiences which will greatly help you. Where are you interested in applying?! Best of luck!