Class of 2022 Hopefuls

[Emmy Senpai]

Question about entering extracurricular experiences: should we enter activities from high school? I was thinking about entering the ones that were most relevant and I dedicated the most time to, but I'm not sure how much info from high school I should include on the app.

I listed everything I felt was important from high school. I left out monthly awards like "best at social studies award", but I included my medals from taking the National Latin Exam and such, which was brought up in one of my interviews. Include anything that you'd like the admissions committee to know about you and your achievements!

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[Trilt]

I listed everything I felt was important from high school. I left out monthly awards like "best at social studies award", but I included my medals from taking the National Latin Exam and such, which was brought up in one of my interviews. Include anything that you'd like the admissions committee to know about you and your achievements!

I definitely put in semesterly HS awards. Do I think my excellence in drafting and Spanish II got me much kudos? Nah. But ****, it's an award, there is little downside to including it.

 

[Devastating]

When it comes to the miscellaneous yearly/semesterly HS awards, i put those in as one consolidated entry (with all the individual subjects etc. noted in the description). Way easier on both you and the reader, probably But def list every good thing you can think of. The first time I applied, I didn't even realize you could include high school things.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Ok, posting here as some of the other applicants may or may not have these same questions. Sorry its so long, but I wanted to be thorough so you know exactly what I"m asking. All help is appreciated!

1. I thought I would mark yes to the following question because I was put on probation for failing grades my freshman year in college. But when I click yes, the following prompt opens and it seems like it is geared more towards an arrest or something else based on the wording. Does anyone have experience with being on academic probation for failing grades and filling out this part of the application???
“Have you ever been disciplined for academic performance (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?
If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, you must provide an explanation. Include 1) a brief description of the incident and/or arrest, 2) specific charge made, 3) related dates, 4) consequence, and 5) a reflection on the incident and how the incident has impacted your life.”

2. Is it necessary to put down parent info? I’m a non-traditional student whose parents have no bearing on my current status as an adult over 30. If there is relevant information to include, I’m happy to do it, I just don’t know how beneficial it is. It doesn’t show me the questions they ask, so I don’t know if it just for financial consideration or something else.

3. Explanation statement – debating on whether to include something here that wouldn’t already be included in questions 1 above and 5 below. Thoughts?

4. Student Reported GPA from Primary School – Is that the most recent school you attended or where the bulk of your credits come from. This is a big difference in GPA for me depending on which I put down.

5. The following question seems like it is geared more towards traditional students, but I’m thinking of using it to discuss my time as a stay at home mom and caregiver to a disabled spouse, because yeah, I've spent a lot of time not employed or in school for really good reasons. Thoughts?
“Has there been any interval longer than 3 months during which you were not enrolled as a student or employed?”

 

[dyachei]

1. it includes academic probation in the list, so I would answer it yes and give what explanation with it
2. parental info helps with some types of loans. Even if you aren't a dependent (health professions i think)
3. if it's important for the school to know, add it here. If it isn't, don't worry about putting something in here. schools often don't want "excuses" for things. But if you had a year where you were sick and your grades suffered (different from the academic probation) or something similar, it may help you.
4. bulk of credits, I would think
5. You can use it to explain that. you'll have to explain something as you're not a traditional student and your path to becoming pre-vet is something schools tend to care about.

 

[Bottle of Bear]

Ok, posting here as some of the other applicants may or may not have these same questions. Sorry its so long, but I wanted to be thorough so you know exactly what I"m asking. All help is appreciated!

1. I thought I would mark yes to the following question because I was put on probation for failing grades my freshman year in college. But when I click yes, the following prompt opens and it seems like it is geared more towards an arrest or something else based on the wording. Does anyone have experience with being on academic probation for failing grades and filling out this part of the application???
“Have you ever been disciplined for academic performance (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?
If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, you must provide an explanation. Include 1) a brief description of the incident and/or arrest, 2) specific charge made, 3) related dates, 4) consequence, and 5) a reflection on the incident and how the incident has impacted your life.”

2. Is it necessary to put down parent info? I’m a non-traditional student whose parents have no bearing on my current status as an adult over 30. If there is relevant information to include, I’m happy to do it, I just don’t know how beneficial it is. It doesn’t show me the questions they ask, so I don’t know if it just for financial consideration or something else.

3. Explanation statement – debating on whether to include something here that wouldn’t already be included in questions 1 above and 5 below. Thoughts?

4. Student Reported GPA from Primary School – Is that the most recent school you attended or where the bulk of your credits come from. This is a big difference in GPA for me depending on which I put down.

5. The following question seems like it is geared more towards traditional students, but I’m thinking of using it to discuss my time as a stay at home mom and caregiver to a disabled spouse, because yeah, I've spent a lot of time not employed or in school for really good reasons. Thoughts?
“Has there been any interval longer than 3 months during which you were not enrolled as a student or employed?”

1) answer the question as is, maybe ignore second part. But describe what happened, when, what was the result and how you learned from it.

2) up to you to put parent information unless it's necessary. Any parent information for financial aid can be made on the FAFSA.

3) explanation statement is up to you. Can give you more room to elaborate on whatever, but isn't necessary.

4) whatever school you've done more prerequisite work at I'd wager, I've done work at a community college recently, but I used my undergraduate college as my primary.

5) more geared towards nontrad students. Could definitely use it

 

[mht2k3]

2. Is it necessary to put down parent info? I’m a non-traditional student whose parents have no bearing on my current status as an adult over 30. If there is relevant information to include, I’m happy to do it, I just don’t know how beneficial it is. It doesn’t show me the questions they ask, so I don’t know if it just for financial consideration or something else.

i'm a nontraditional student and put down my parental information. I think they want it even if your parents aren't supporting you. The VMCAS application has nothing to do with financial aid fwiw.

4. Student Reported GPA from Primary School – Is that the most recent school you attended or where the bulk of your credits come from. This is a big difference in GPA for me depending on which I put down.

I think there is an answer to this in the FAQ on their site and iirc it says use the school where you received your bachelors OR the school where the majority of your pre-reqs are completed. I ended up doing the later, but honestly I dont think it matters for anything. GPAs are computed differently from this anyways and I doubt anyone really cares what it says.

5. The following question seems like it is geared more towards traditional students, but I’m thinking of using it to discuss my time as a stay at home mom and caregiver to a disabled spouse, because yeah, I've spent a lot of time not employed or in school for really good reasons. Thoughts?
“Has there been any interval longer than 3 months during which you were not enrolled as a student or employed?”

I think this applies to nontraditional students as well. They want to know if you have spent time not employed after you are out of school in that case. I used this to talk about traveling around south america after finishing a job in Argentina, and I definitely think you can use it to talk about being a caregiver.

 

[Liquid_Phoenix]

Ok, posting here as some of the other applicants may or may not have these same questions. Sorry its so long, but I wanted to be thorough so you know exactly what I"m asking. All help is appreciated!

1. I thought I would mark yes to the following question because I was put on probation for failing grades my freshman year in college. But when I click yes, the following prompt opens and it seems like it is geared more towards an arrest or something else based on the wording. Does anyone have experience with being on academic probation for failing grades and filling out this part of the application???
“Have you ever been disciplined for academic performance (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?
If you answered "Yes" to the previous question, you must provide an explanation. Include 1) a brief description of the incident and/or arrest, 2) specific charge made, 3) related dates, 4) consequence, and 5) a reflection on the incident and how the incident has impacted your life.”

2. Is it necessary to put down parent info? I’m a non-traditional student whose parents have no bearing on my current status as an adult over 30. If there is relevant information to include, I’m happy to do it, I just don’t know how beneficial it is. It doesn’t show me the questions they ask, so I don’t know if it just for financial consideration or something else.

3. Explanation statement – debating on whether to include something here that wouldn’t already be included in questions 1 above and 5 below. Thoughts?

4. Student Reported GPA from Primary School – Is that the most recent school you attended or where the bulk of your credits come from. This is a big difference in GPA for me depending on which I put down.

5. The following question seems like it is geared more towards traditional students, but I’m thinking of using it to discuss my time as a stay at home mom and caregiver to a disabled spouse, because yeah, I've spent a lot of time not employed or in school for really good reasons. Thoughts?
“Has there been any interval longer than 3 months during which you were not enrolled as a student or employed?”

1. Just fill out the portion about academic probation. They may have left a drop down for an arrest in the event you had been arrested at the school lol.

2. I am also over 30, not a dependent, and did not include their info on my application or FAFSA at all. If you are not their dependent, over 26, or married, there is no reason to add their info unless you want to.

3. If you need more room to EXPLAIN anything on your application you can put it in this box. This does NOT include more info you wish to add for the 3 questions you have to answer instead of the personal statement. I used that section to explain my first attempt at college (haha)

4. I used the (primary) school where I did all of my science pre-reqs to apply to vet school. This happened to be my current school and my school with the most credits earned. It also happens to be the one with the best GPA

5. Definitely explain the times you didn't have a job and the reasons you listed. Just keep it to the point, thorough but short and sweet.

 

[echoing]

For sending GRE scores, Colorado specifies to send to both CSU and to a VMCAS code. If some of the other schools I'm applying to send the score to both VMCAS and the school with one purchase, do I have to do that separate VMCAS code? Seems kinda crazy considering each one is $27 to send...

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Thank you @dyachei , @Bottle of Bear , @mht2k3 and @Liquid_Phoenix - Your answers helped a lot!!!

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Feel free to link me to other posts if these questions are elsewhere, but I couldn't find the answer I was looking for.

What does this mean? Does this mean the classes I just took that ended last week and last fall have to go directly to the schools I'm applying to? Why would this need to happen if the classes are completed already? I understand that I will need to send pre-Fall 2016 & Spring 2017, official transcripts directly to VMCAS. Test scores, supplemental applications and supplemental fees (if applicable) and Fall 2016 & Spring 2017 transcripts are to be sent directly to my designated colleges prior to deadline.

How do transcript requests work? Some of the schools only do requests online and/or only supply a digital copy of transcripts but I see that I have to have the VMCAS letter of request attached and the schools are supposed to send in a physical copy to VMCAS. How exactly does this whole process work?

 

[finnickthedog]

Feel free to link me to other posts if these questions are elsewhere, but I couldn't find the answer I was looking for.

What does this mean? Does this mean the classes I just took that ended last week and last fall have to go directly to the schools I'm applying to? Why would this need to happen if the classes are completed already? I understand that I will need to send pre-Fall 2016 & Spring 2017, official transcripts directly to VMCAS. Test scores, supplemental applications and supplemental fees (if applicable) and Fall 2016 & Spring 2017 transcripts are to be sent directly to my designated colleges prior to deadline.

I think that may be a typo because your transcripts for class that are already complete should be going to VMCAS. I mean, I suppose they could have changed that but it would make no sense so I'm betting the years are listed wrong and they just didn't change it from last year. I would contact VMCAS if you're unsure.

How do transcript requests work? Some of the schools only do requests online and/or only supply a digital copy of transcripts but I see that I have to have the VMCAS letter of request attached and the schools are supposed to send in a physical copy to VMCAS. How exactly does this whole process work?

VMCAS should have instructions about how to do this somewhere (or you can ask them if it's unclear/you can't find it) but if you can't attach the request form, I believe you add your VMCAS ID# to the mailing address and because the address gets printed on the transcript they can match it that way. I had to request mine online last year and I did it that way.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

I think that may be a typo because your transcripts for class that are already complete should be going to VMCAS. I mean, I suppose they could have changed that but it would make no sense so I'm betting the years are listed wrong and they just didn't change it from last year. I would contact VMCAS if you're unsure.

That's what I thought too. It didn't make sense to me either, lol. Glad I"m not as stupid as I feel trying to fill this thing out.

VMCAS should have instructions about how to do this somewhere (or you can ask them if it's unclear/you can't find it) but if you can't attach the request form, I believe you add your VMCAS ID# to the mailing address and because the address gets printed on the transcript they can match it that way. I had to request mine online last year and I did it that way.

Perfect! Thanks

 

[Emmy Senpai]

I definitely put in semesterly HS awards. Do I think my excellence in drafting and Spanish II got me much kudos? Nah. But ****, it's an award, there is little downside to including it.

I definitely understand! I just didn't feel like mine were relevant and just stuck to the awards I was most proud of

 

[aggievethopeful2021]

Just wanted to pop in and say good luck class of 2022 hopefuls! If anyone needs help editing or someone to read their personal statement/ 3 questions, I'd be more than willing to help!! I've edited/given advice on several of my friends over the years.

 

[deleted793949]

This will be my second time applying, a little nervous after looking at vet school stats and how after 2 & 3 applications the statistics for accepted students dwindles... Not much will have changed between this year and last. I was planning on applying this year w/o the hopes of getting in for continuity and really changing up my skills to apply a 3rd time. Anyone have any advice?

 

[Bottle of Bear]

This class needs to sign a petition to change topgun's name to topgunner. All them threads, damn!

 

[SkiOtter]

This class needs to sign a petition to change topgun's name to topgunner. All them threads, damn!

I TEXTED CDO THAT EARLIER.

 

[Liquid_Phoenix]

This class needs to sign a petition to change topgun's name to topgunner. All them threads, damn!

I TEXTED CDO THAT EARLIER.

 

[SkiOtter]

This class needs to sign a petition to change topgun's name to topgunner. All them threads, damn!

Also, there was one more, but it was a duplicate Michigan State thread, so I summoned dy and lupin and they were merged

 

[Calvin_the_dog]

So I feel like I'm applying to an insane amount of schools, (CSU, OSU, Washington State, Iowa, Minnesota, Auburn, UT, NC State, and UFlorida). The first couple based on where my husband might be with the military and the back half where I am wanting to go if I don't get in a school near my husband. Will the schools see all my applications and be like WTF

Also I'm working this summer at the zoo in town as an assistant registrar. The office is in charge of med records and observation records. I'll be working under a vet tech, and will be working in the same office as the veterinarian. Although as registrar I'm mainly doing paperwork, I will be able to ask questions to the vet and occasionally observe her. I also will be responsible for observing and documenting zookeepers behaviors with the animals. Should this count as vet or animal experience hours or neither?

 

[ahallowell]

So I feel like I'm applying to an insane amount of schools, (CSU, OSU, Washington State, Iowa, Minnesota, Auburn, UT, NC State, and UFlorida). The first couple based on where my husband might be with the military and the back half where I am wanting to go if I don't get in a school near my husband. Will the schools see all my applications and be like WTF


Also I'm working this summer at the zoo in town as an assistant registrar. The office is in charge of med records and observation records. I'll be working under a vet tech, and will be working in the same office as the veterinarian. Although as registrar I'm mainly doing paperwork, I will be able to ask questions to the vet and occasionally observe her. I also will be responsible for observing and documenting zookeepers behaviors with the animals. Should this count as vet or animal experience hours or neither?

I sure hope not! I'm applying to 10/11 schools. I'm a second time applicant and after working in industry for 4 years I'm ready to go to vet school, anywhere that I can! The vet I shadow with now applied to 17.

I interned at the zoo and although I mainly worked with training, feeding, enrichment, once a week the veterinarian would have the interns shadow around our section of the zoo for check-ups or even watch a surgery at the hospital. So when I first applied I had a majority of my hours under animal experience and then whatever I did under the vet I put under veterinary hours. I think it's ok to split an experience that way.


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[PrincessButterCup]

I'm 99% positive that schools can't see where you apply.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

I'm 99% positive that schools can't see where you apply.

I did have one school ask on their supplemental where else I applied.

 

[Aqua_girl87]

Is anyone else finding it a challenge to personalize the 3 prompts in the VMCAS application (compared with the personal statement that they did away with)?

 

[sheltermed]

Is anyone else finding it a challenge to personalize the 3 prompts in the VMCAS application (compared with the personal statement that they did away with)?

Yeah, I'm not applying this year (as of now, at least), but the character limit seems really, well, limiting for the questions they're asking.

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[Calvin_the_dog]

^^^Thanks everyone, sometimes you just need some affirmation. This application has been haunting me.

Is anyone else finding it a challenge to personalize the 3 prompts in the VMCAS application (compared with the personal statement that they did away with)?

^^^

I've totally been thinking the same thing. I've considered turning the "challenge you've faced" question into a personal challenge but the whole solution and do different part wouldn't be applicable at all.

 

[Lupin21]

Yeah, I'm not applying this year (as of now, at least), but the character limit seems really, well, limiting for the questions they're asking.

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You can do it! Limiting the words makes what is written pretty profound actually. We get beaten over the head with this in regards to writing abstracts. haha
Get something written, and then just keep editing it down until what you have is the essence of what you have to say written masterfully.

 

[Aqua_girl87]

I'm just struggling with answering the questions and giving examples/details with such a limited amount of space.

 

[Great Butts]

It's good that you guys are starting early, at least. I would recommend writing however and whatever you can, just to answer the question, and then setting it down and walking away from it for several days. Come back and start whittling away/rewriting from there. Stop, walk away for a few days again, and return. Keep doing this all summer long.

You'll start to get a lot of fatigue by just sitting there and staring at your own writing, so it's good to start early and give yourself time to slowly chip away at it.

I'm the world's stronkest procrastinator, but I did this one thing just for myself and it's been the best thing I've slapped onto my application.

 

[pig]

Alright, I have a stupid question. When entering your experiences, is supervisor title referring to Dr./Mr./Ms. or their actual position (e.g. attending veterinarian)?

 

[WildZoo]

Alright, I have a stupid question. When entering your experiences, is supervisor title referring to Dr./Mr./Ms. or their actual position (e.g. attending veterinarian)?

It's referring to their position

 

[pig]

It's referring to their position

That's what I was thinking, thanks

 

[Great Butts]

It's referring to their position

LOL I definitely used that field to put Dr./Ms./etc. I feel like an idiot now.

 

[WildZoo]

LOL I definitely used that field to put Dr./Ms./etc. I feel like an idiot now.

Hey well, no harm no foul

 

[Devastating]

LOL I definitely used that field to put Dr./Ms./etc. I feel like an idiot now.

Same

 

[cohen2000]

Alright, I have a stupid question. When entering your experiences, is supervisor title referring to Dr./Mr./Ms. or their actual position (e.g. attending veterinarian)?

I put Dr./Mr./Ms. also

 

[Liquid_Phoenix]

Alright, I have a stupid question. When entering your experiences, is supervisor title referring to Dr./Mr./Ms. or their actual position (e.g. attending veterinarian)?

I went back to look at my app...I put their name and position. I feel like it asked for your supervisor and then gave a place to enter their position and contact phone number?

 

[pig]

I went back to look at my app...I put their name and position. I feel like it asked for your supervisor and then gave a place to enter their position and contact phone number?

It asks for first name, last name, and title, followed by contact info. At first I assumed it meant their position until I absentmindedly entered Dr. into one of them, so I started second-guessing myself...

 

[WildZoo]

I mean, I could be wrong, it's been almost 3 years since I filled out VMCAS. Usually if a form is asking for that kind of title it has a dropdown menu though. It probably won't make much of a difference.

 

[Liquid_Phoenix]

It asks for first name, last name, and title, followed by contact info. At first I assumed it meant their position until I absentmindedly entered Dr. into one of them, so I started second-guessing myself...

Ahhhhh I see what you mean and why you might be confused!!

In the title area I wrote their position for the job (i.e. Practice owner, Attending Veterinarian, Supervisor etc). I definitely agree with @WildZoo

 

[Vet_Squared80]

How far back should employment experience go? I've heard 10 years, which is standard for a resume, or all of it since high school. I'm a non-trad so putting in 20 years of employment seems like overkill to me. But I'm putting some info from high school on the awards section, so I don't know if it would look weird to have that but leave off employment from that far back.

 

[mht2k3]

How far back should employment experience go? I've heard 10 years, which is standard for a resume, or all of it since high school. I'm a non-trad so putting in 20 years of employment seems like overkill to me. But I'm putting some info from high school on the awards section, so I don't know if it would look weird to have that but leave off employment from that far back.

(as a non traditional student) I put in all my jobs during and then after college. It probably cant hurt to put stuff from high school but if you already have a ton of jobs listed I dont think its necessary

 

[PippyPony]

How far back should employment experience go? I've heard 10 years, which is standard for a resume, or all of it since high school. I'm a non-trad so putting in 20 years of employment seems like overkill to me. But I'm putting some info from high school on the awards section, so I don't know if it would look weird to have that but leave off employment from that far back.

I am also a non-traditional applicant. I put in everything starting from freshman year of college onwards.

It did start to feel a little ridiculous because I worked at one company for almost a decade in a variety of different positions, so I ended up trying to bucket things the way I would probably do on a resume (i.e. just hit the major highlights). I listed everything, but only provided detailed descriptions for the roles that were most relevant to my application -- basically anything animal-related or that demonstrated the skills I talked about in my personal statement.

Good luck; that part of the app takes a huge amount of time.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Good to know. I guess I better get on that list of past employment. Hopefully I can remember it all!

 

[Liquid_Phoenix]

Good to know. I guess I better get on that list of past employment. Hopefully I can remember it all!

I am a non-trad too and I only went back about 10 years. Honestly, I think it's just a preference and what you find to be the most important. (Just remember that what you might think is irrelevant, your schools might find interesting.) I didn't even put down awards I had received in HS. Could I have? Of course, but I'm too old for those to be relevant.

 

[Lupin21]

Haha. I was also non trad. I put only the main jobs I held. I didn't add the donut shop and video store from my teens. Yup. I am old enough to have worked in a video store. lol

 

[johnsmith123]

Have any applicants this year had issues getting VMCAS to work? I keep getting this error:

• Incorrect username or password
• Forgot your username or password?

after logging in. It lets me see parts of the application, but I can't actually change anything on them. Tried changing my password, clearing cache, changing browsers, etc. Have had a few emails with VMCAS and they can't seem to replicate the error, so we haven't figured out what to do yet. Just trying to see if anyone else here has had similar issues to see if there is a solution out in the wild. I made my vmcas account a few days before the application officially opened because I went to the website and the application was open, even though it wasn't supposed to be. It closed back down shortly after. I have a feeling this is the root of the problem, but really don't know.

 

[wallydo]

Have any applicants this year had issues getting VMCAS to work? I keep getting this error:

• Incorrect username or password
• Forgot your username or password?

after logging in. It lets me see parts of the application, but I can't actually change anything on them. Tried changing my password, clearing cache, changing browsers, etc. Have had a few emails with VMCAS and they can't seem to replicate the error, so we haven't figured out what to do yet. Just trying to see if anyone else here has had similar issues to see if there is a solution out in the wild. I made my vmcas account a few days before the application officially opened because I went to the website and the application was open, even though it wasn't supposed to be. It closed back down shortly after. I have a feeling this is the root of the problem, but really don't know.

I feel like you used to be able open a "trial" application before the actual cycle opened just to see what the platform looked like, but then you needed to create an application after it actually opened. Does this ring a bell for anyone else? Any chance starting a new application would work?

 

[Vet_Squared80]

I didn't even put down awards I had received in HS. Could I have? Of course, but I'm too old for those to be relevant.

This is totally how I feel! Even though I've got some cool stuff from HS, I feel like it doesn't matter anymore. We'll see how I feel when I get to that part of the app.