I’m currently an animal science major at uc Davis and hoping to become a vet. However my gpa is very low. Should I consider tranferring to another school (university of missouri) in the hopes that I may get a higher gpa at a lower tier school?
Animal Science isn’t going to be any easier at UMissouri. You need to figure out the reason you are not performing as well as you think you could, and address that… transferring to Missouri will not solve the problem.
@harvardandberkeley is correct. What is your exact GPA? Identify the problem and address it head-on. Transferring won’t change anything and it will only cost you more money since transfers don’t receive good scholarships. UC Davis is a great school and you should work hard within the available resources to get your grades up.
Davis is known to be one of the most stressful colleges. Are lower tier colleges (which have accepted students with lower stats, such as GPA and SAT scores) easier in a sense since they are geared towards many of those students?
They may seem easier and you may be able to get a higher GPA there, but they teach the same material. If you’re not grasping the material, then it may not be easier. Also, keep in mind, that the reputation of your school matters for like 1%. If you’re at UC Davis now with a 3.0, keep in mind you will be scrutinized more by going to the smaller, lower tier X School and getting a 3.7.
Because a good chunk of the application is based on GPA, wouldn’t it then be better to get a higher GPA at a lower ranked school?
I have also heard that many vet schools do not look at where you went for undergraduate, although Cornell does.
It is better to get a higher GPA but it depends on how much lower we’re talking. So that depends highly on the school. Schools may not care about where you want for undergrad, but they definitely keep it in mind to evaluate the quality of your education and the availability of research opportunities etc.
I currently have a 2.9, which may not even allow me to transfer to another school at all.
You should definitely work to get the GPA up. Have you talked with your professors and/or attempted to get tutoring?
I have gone to office hours but I have not gone to tutoring. I am sure I will be able to bring my GPA up a little bit. However, I am worried that if I end up with a 3.0 or 3.1 I wouldn’t be able to get into vet school.
Once you get into the 3’s, you should be fine and have a decent shot. Just get out of the 2’s.