Graduating with a bachelors Spring 2027. Current cumulative GPA 3.60, Science GPA 3.45.
All I have to show for work experience is FedEx package handler, Walmart stocker, Kroger cashier, and fast food. While I know these jobs have transferrable skills that I have honed during my time, I feel like I always have to remember some specific, remarkable experience during each of them to be able to answer interview or screening questions. My experience working at these menial jobs feels like a blur, same thing every day, even though I give my all and my supervisors say I go above and beyond, so it makes it hard to pinpoint these very specific times I may have made a difference. This in turn is making it hard for me to write a strong resume or even get past interviews for entry level roles because I just sit there stunned.
Volunteer wise, I have 140 hours from shelter clinics and general housekeeping. While I am responsible for intake and monitoring the conditions of the animals, I was only allowed to shadow with the vet once and I feel the actual animal experience was too little for what schools and even entry level jobs (i.e. vet assistant) are looking for. Any time I inquire about shadowing I’ll get one response, then I’ll reply, follow up via phone and email, and get ghosted.
Staring at the VMCAS feels like a reminder that I’m way out of my league for this. I’ve already given up on my first major (architecture) because I knew I would never get a co-op (3 mandatory at my undergrad) in a million years comparing my portfolio and speaking skills to those of my peers. Now I’m about to graduate with a biology bachelors with $100k+ in debt and no clear path.
On top of all that, my parents are begging me to spend the hundreds of dollars in application fees and the hours writing mediocre essays when I know I don’t stand a chance. And I don’t even know who or where to begin with the 3 LORs, I doubt they’d be anywhere near as impactful as they need to be whether from a supervisor, professor, or the shelter vet. Everyone tells me to brag about myself when asking people for a LOR, but I’m just so average.