Do's and Don'ts of Applying to Vet School

[deleted387118]

Not sure if this has been asked, but how effective would it be to ask two vets from the same hospital for LORs?

There are two vets at the SA hospital I work at and I would feel terrible if I asked one and not the other...

I do not want to comment on the effectiveness but I will tell you what I did in that situation. I was working in a 7 vet practice, all of whom I spent many hours with. I mentioned to each that I was applying this cycle and that if one or two of them felt comfortable I would appreciate a letter recommending me to veterinary school. I said that it did not matter to me who wrote the letter. They got together and decided to submit one from the small animal vets and one from the large. You could easily do something like this -> ask for a LOR from the company and that you are okay with either or both writing a letter.

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[jtom]

I do not want to comment on the effectiveness but I will tell you what I did in that situation. I was working in a 7 vet practice, all of whom I spent many hours with. I mentioned to each that I was applying this cycle and that if one or two of them felt comfortable I would appreciate a letter recommending me to veterinary school. I said that it did not matter to me who wrote the letter. They got together and decided to submit one from the small animal vets and one from the large. You could easily do something like this -> ask for a LOR from the company and that you are okay with either or both writing a letter.

I agree; I had two vets write letters from the same practice but one I worked with on large animals and the other was a small animal vet. However, if both vets are strictly small animal, I would try my best to find a vet at another clinic to show more diversity.

 

[sunnex3]

I agree; I had two vets write letters from the same practice but one I worked with on large animals and the other was a small animal vet. However, if both vets are strictly small animal, I would try my best to find a vet at another clinic to show more diversity.

well my input is a little different from others...

i work at a large 15+ vet specialty/emergency referral hospital. i've worked in various departments, mainly internal medicine and emergency/critical care. i had recommendations from 3 vets from this hospital submitted to VMCAS -- 2 from internal medicine, 1 from emergency/critical care. the only reason why i got 3 recommendations from the same hospital was because they were all EXTREMELY different in how they view medicine, how they practice, how they interact with clients, etc. so i felt that their opinions about me, while consistent (hopefully) would offer different views into my various aspects as an applicant.

now i don't know how well this would work for anyone but it worked well for me - so far i've been accepted to 5/8 schools i've applied to (Penn, Tufts, CSU, RVC, Edinburgh) and waiting to hear back from 3 more (Wisconsin, Davis, VA-MD). but i would think carefully about your situation/practice where you work and make the decision.

 

[RetroUnicorn]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Plotty]

Is it best to get sealed transcripts sent to myself and then personally send them to each school? Or do some schools require that the transcripts are sent directly from that school? Thanks!

 

[NStarz]

Is it best to get sealed transcripts sent to myself and then personally send them to each school? Or do some schools require that the transcripts are sent directly from that school? Thanks!

It really depends on the school. I applied to ~15 and I would say 3/4 of them wanted them sent directly to the school. Best to call the school and check directly.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Do take advantage of the PS readers on SDN. They can be very helpful in giving you feedback.

Do thank them for reading your PS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. Don't shoot the messenger.

Don't be discouraged. They are there to provide you constructive criticism. Get a second opinion if you think the reader is off-the-mark.

Do be sure to contribute to the pre-vet community. Add your opinions to the issues threads, answer questions to other applicants, share your experiences. Don't just ask for help and disappear.

 

[Emiloo4]

Do take advantage of the PS readers on SDN. They can be very helpful in giving you feedback.

Do thank them for reading your PS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. Don't shoot the messenger.

Don't be discouraged. They are there to provide you constructive criticism. Get a second opinion if you think the reader is off-the-mark.

Do be sure to contribute to the pre-vet community. Add your opinions to the issues threads, answer questions to other applicants, share your experiences. Don't just ask for help and disappear.

 

[Tiger369]

Do take advantage of the PS readers on SDN. They can be very helpful in giving you feedback.

Do thank them for reading your PS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. Don't shoot the messenger.

Don't be discouraged. They are there to provide you constructive criticism. Get a second opinion if you think the reader is off-the-mark.

Do be sure to contribute to the pre-vet community. Add your opinions to the issues threads, answer questions to other applicants, share your experiences. Don't just ask for help and disappear.

Very good advice

 

[Kpowell14]

How about Do's & Dont's of personal statements?

 

[twelvetigers]

How about Do's & Dont's of personal statements?

A link in which I link some links.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=644149

 

[tvet]

Stay away from Ross -- their attrition rate is insane!

 

[twelvetigers]

Uh-huh. Thanks for joining the forum just to point that out. Very helpful.

 

[Emiloo4]

Uh-huh. Thanks for joining the forum just to point that out. Very helpful.

 

[Megascops Asio]

Find a way to back up all your application information: essays, personal statement, etc.

After having my computer stolen when my house was broken into two weeks ago, a few friends immediately asked if that meant I lost all of my essays I've been working so hard on. Thankfully, I typed them all in Google Docs, so they were all stored away and waiting for me on the interwebs.

 

[BlackDog17]

Find a way to back up all your application information: essays, personal statement, etc.

After having my computer stolen when my house was broken into two weeks ago, a few friends immediately asked if that meant I lost all of my essays I've been working so hard on. Thankfully, I typed them all in Google Docs, so they were all stored away and waiting for me on the interwebs.

Wow, I would never even have considered preparing for a situation like that! Good thing you were thinking ahead!

 

[OutdoorsBarbie]

Where can I find that book!?!?!

 

[twelvetigers]

...to which book are you referring?

 

[Jonathan M]

Something I wish Id read before I started the whole application process. There should be a primer somewhere on what to do and what NOT to do. It might prevent a lot of headaches for next year's applicants.

DONT rely on the vmcas site to actually work. Ever.

DO get your letters of recommendations in early.

DONT try to sort of get all the requirements for many of the schools. Make sure you get all the requirements for a few you want to apply to.

DO follow up with schools to make sure theyve received all your application materials.

Anyway, those are just a few off the top of my head that were relevant in my own application process. Please add to this list! Maybe when this list is done I'll stick it up somewhere on a website.

Great fox. Pet?

Always looking for more info. Thanks.

 

[Jonathan M]

Do take advantage of the PS readers on SDN. They can be very helpful in giving you feedback.

Do thank them for reading your PS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. Don't shoot the messenger.

Don't be discouraged. They are there to provide you constructive criticism. Get a second opinion if you think the reader is off-the-mark.

Do be sure to contribute to the pre-vet community. Add your opinions to the issues threads, answer questions to other applicants, share your experiences. Don't just ask for help and disappear.

Clausewitz once said, that in war, the two sides are pushed to the breaking point, and the one who wills victory longer, is the one who wins. He said something like this. Never give up.

 

[bdeusebio]

So, I'm sure that talking about religion in your application/interview is a DONT for the most part! However, I'm unsure about the extent of this.

I want to go to WesternU. I'm from a Christian college, and there is therefore a lot of emphasis on service (to the community and globally). I have ECs like faith-based women's groups that I would like to mention, especially cause one of my LORs might be from my mentor. I assume that's fine. I also have some small connections to vets and people from veterinary ministry groups like Christian Veterinary Mission, and although I have never done a mission, I would be interested in travelling and doing some sort of charity or service work in the future. The service stuff for me isn't about trying to convert people or anything, I just feel that it is my responsibility to use what I have to help other people who might need it. I wanted to mention the desire to do charity or mission work in the future, for either secular or faith-based organizations, in some questions about goals for my future. Do you think it is unwise to mention organizations like CVM or Compassion International by name? I want to make it interesting and not vague saying "yeah I wanna help people by doing vet stuff," but I don't want to rub anyone the wrong way based on their pre-existing opinions about such work. I think my ideas fit well with the school's emphasis on compassion, etc. Just not sure if this is too much of a risk...

 

[wildcatj]

So, I'm sure that talking about religion in your application/interview is a DONT for the most part! However, I'm unsure about the extent of this.

I want to go to WesternU. I'm from a Christian college, and there is therefore a lot of emphasis on service (to the community and globally). I have ECs like faith-based women's groups that I would like to mention, especially cause one of my LORs might be from my mentor. I assume that's fine. I also have some small connections to vets and people from veterinary ministry groups like Christian Veterinary Mission, and although I have never done a mission, I would be interested in travelling and doing some sort of charity or service work in the future. The service stuff for me isn't about trying to convert people or anything, I just feel that it is my responsibility to use what I have to help other people who might need it. I wanted to mention the desire to do charity or mission work in the future, for either secular or faith-based organizations, in some questions about goals for my future. Do you think it is unwise to mention organizations like CVM or Compassion International by name? I want to make it interesting and not vague saying "yeah I wanna help people by doing vet stuff," but I don't want to rub anyone the wrong way based on their pre-existing opinions about such work. I think my ideas fit well with the school's emphasis on compassion, etc. Just not sure if this is too much of a risk...

I wouldn't hesitate to bring up that sort of religious basis for your career goals. Most schools have veterinary mission clubs anyways. As long as you don't come off as a religious wacko you should be absolutely fine.

 

[ChittyBang]

I agree with wildcatj. Be true to who you are and what you want to do while remaining professional. Absolutely. I was a youth leader for several years at my former church and I plan to make mention of that experience, for sure.

 

[Chocl8luva]

I have a handful of random less-than-ten-hour animal experiences that I'm uncertain about listing on VMCAS. On one hand, they could add a little diversity, but on the other hand, I'm afraid that too many short term projects would make me look uncommitted. Should I pick and choose? If so, what should I knock out?

7 hours volunteering at my school's horse unit
3 hours feeding pigs at a swine producer (for a class)
10 hours training for showing sheep
10 hours at a humane society at home (over winter break; I had to quit to let an injury heal)
6 hours stomping through swamps to catch baby alligators

 

[485501]

I have a handful of random less-than-ten-hour animal experiences that I'm uncertain about listing on VMCAS. On one hand, they could add a little diversity, but on the other hand, I'm afraid that too many short term projects would make me look uncommitted. Should I pick and choose? If so, what should I knock out?

7 hours volunteering at my school's horse unit
3 hours feeding pigs at a swine producer (for a class)
10 hours training for showing sheep
10 hours at a humane society at home (over winter break; I had to quit to let an injury heal)
6 hours stomping through swamps to catch baby alligators

I'd say put everything on. As long as you have a few long-term projects/experiences, I wouldn't worry about looking uncommitted.

 

[Easnadh]

I have a handful of random less-than-ten-hour animal experiences that I'm uncertain about listing on VMCAS. On one hand, they could add a little diversity, but on the other hand, I'm afraid that too many short term projects would make me look uncommitted. Should I pick and choose? If so, what should I knock out?

7 hours volunteering at my school's horse unit
3 hours feeding pigs at a swine producer (for a class)
10 hours training for showing sheep
10 hours at a humane society at home (over winter break; I had to quit to let an injury heal)
6 hours stomping through swamps to catch baby alligators

I had numerous short animal handling and vet projects on my last application. Adcoms understand that not every single experience is set up to be 100+ hours... some things last a weekend, one day, etc. I also used all of my animal handling classes from school as experience hours. You'll be fine

 

[Chocl8luva]

Thanks guys

 

[y2904]

Hi guys, hope everyone's application is going well. I am not sure whether this has been mentioned or not but....if you are/were ucdavis undergraduate, make sure you have entered your course according to your OFFICIAL transcript, NOT the unofficial you can access through SISWEB! I have just received an email from vmcas after I submitted my application 2 days ago, and they told me that my transcript is not matching with what I typed in. Just revised that section and resent, hoping my application will go through this time

To change your course work to "official" suffix, you can go to this ucd site:
http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/records/transcripts/subject-codes.cfm#w


If someone like to add to this comment, please feel free to do so!

 

[bozepal]

Regarding eLORS, take a look at this because it is a different approach. For example, this blog says that asking for a copy of your letter so that it is not confidential may mean that your letter is not even read seriously by the admissions committee.

https://www.veritasdvmblog.com/lett...plication-to-veterinary-college/#.Uhq8jNL5GSo

I'll end up reiterating much of what has been said here, but that should point out it's importance:

• 
  DO Start Early - I'm so glad I did because even though I knew it was a lot of work...it was more than I thought.
  DO Get your personal statement going. If your a ways from applying jot down great stories or ideas that come to mind. They can help get you started.
  DO Get all sorts of people to look at your statement - I sent to marketing people, attorneys, veterinarians, just about everyone in my email address book. That input was incredible.
  DO early eLOR requests. I did my eLOR requests on August 1. I figured not so early that my references would forget and far enough away that they could get it done. Make sure you send them a separate email letting them know the eLOR is available. In that email you may want to include resume/CV, personal statement, and unofficial transcripts. Offer to get them anything else they need to make a great statement. Ask them to send a copy of their reference for your files.
  DO manage your eLORs. So long as you have a great relationship with your references don't hesitate to "sit on them" to make sure there eLOR is done. The first week of September I went in to one of my references and asked when I could make an appointment to watch him do my reference.
  DO Keep a spreadsheet with your exeperience hours. I did this all along and boy did it save me time. I put the contact info as well as the hours.
  DO Get any supplemental applications. Some are very simple...others are VERY involved.
  DON'T procrastinate. Remember about the time the application is due you will most likely be submerged in school and you don't need the added stress of application worries.
  So in closing...DO prepare and DO start early and DO take a deep breath and step back once in a while to regain your focus.

 

[BlackDog17]

This was my first application cycle reading personal statements for applicants. I enjoyed it and loved being able to offer some advice to new applicants, but I noticed a few issues along the way that could make the process go a lot more smoothly for everyone involved. Here are a few do's and don'ts I have to share:

1. DO use the personal statement readers on SDN. The more feedback you can get on your PS, the better it will be!

2. DO start your PS early, and start sending it to readers as soon as possible. You'll probably need to write multiple drafts, and since most of the readers are students they will have less time to devote to your PS the closer the school year gets.

3. DON'T expect your PS readers to drop everything for you. We have lives of our own, and we're not getting paid for this. Sending me your PS at 9pm on a Friday and expecting me to have it edited so you can submit it by Saturday evening is ridiculous and rude.

4. DO use your own judgement. Every ps reader will have different ideas and opinions. You are not required to adhere to our recommendations. It's up to you whether you want to make the changes we suggest or not. That said . . .

5. DO thank your PS readers, even if you don't like what they have to say.

6. If you're asking someone from another field (e.g. you're pre-med and asking a vet student to read your PS) DO include any prompts or instructions you were given on your application. If your reader is unfamiliar with the admissions process of your specific field, it will help them analyze your ps more effectively.

7. If I have a backload of statements to read and won't get to yours for a couple of weeks, I will let you know. But if you happen to write new drafts during that time, please DO send them to me so I don't waste time reading an old draft that is now completely irrelevant.

8. If English is not your first language, DO start on your PS and send it to readers as early as possible. Unless you're totally fluent, you'll probably have more spelling and grammatical errors that need correcting, or use certain turns of phrase which don't necessarily make sense in English. In that case, reading your ps takes more time, so it's wise to plan accordingly.

9. DON'T be offended if the feedback you receive sounds harsh. It's nothing personal, and we're just trying to help. Remember that constructive criticism is what will help make your ps better!

10. If I email your PS back to you, and that email just so happens to have my full name attached, please DON'T start adding me as a friend on Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, or any other social media. That's just creepy.



For anyone thinking of being a PS reader:

1. DO make sure you have the time to do it. I had WAY more statements to read than I ever thought I would!

2. DON'T assume that you'll still have time to read once school starts, especially if you're starting your first year of vet school! There are a few statements I never got to, and now I feel bad.

 

[DVMDream]

This was my first application cycle reading personal statements for applicants. I enjoyed it and loved being able to offer some advice to new applicants, but I noticed a few issues along the way that could make the process go a lot more smoothly for everyone involved. Here are a few do's and don'ts I have to share:

1. DO use the personal statement readers on SDN. The more feedback you can get on your PS, the better it will be!

2. DO start your PS early, and start sending it to readers as soon as possible. You'll probably need to write multiple drafts, and since most of the readers are students they will have less time to devote to your PS the closer the school year gets.

3. DON'T expect your PS readers to drop everything for you. We have lives of our own, and we're not getting paid for this. Sending me your PS at 9pm on a Friday and expecting me to have it edited so you can submit it by Saturday evening is ridiculous and rude.

4. DO use your own judgement. Every ps reader will have different ideas and opinions. You are not required to adhere to our recommendations. It's up to you whether you want to make the changes we suggest or not. That said . . .

5. DO thank your PS readers, even if you don't like what they have to say.

6. If you're asking someone from another field (e.g. you're pre-med and asking a vet student to read your PS) DO include any prompts or instructions you were given on your application. If your reader is unfamiliar with the admissions process of your specific field, it will help them analyze your ps more effectively.

7. If I have a backload of statements to read and won't get to yours for a couple of weeks, I will let you know. But if you happen to write new drafts during that time, please DO send them to me so I don't waste time reading an old draft that is now completely irrelevant.

8. If English is not your first language, DO start on your PS and send it to readers as early as possible. Unless you're totally fluent, you'll probably have more spelling and grammatical errors that need correcting, or use certain turns of phrase which don't necessarily make sense in English. In that case, reading your ps takes more time, so it's wise to plan accordingly.

9. DON'T be offended if the feedback you receive sounds harsh. It's nothing personal, and we're just trying to help. Remember that constructive criticism is what will help make your ps better!

10. If I email your PS back to you, and that email just so happens to have my full name attached, please DON'T start adding me as a friend on Facebook, LinkedIn, Skype, or any other social media. That's just creepy.



For anyone thinking of being a PS reader:

1. DO make sure you have the time to do it. I had WAY more statements to read than I ever thought I would!

2. DON'T assume that you'll still have time to read once school starts, especially if you're starting your first year of vet school! There are a few statements I never got to, and now I feel bad.

I have one more to add...

DON'T send messages to people who have taken themselves OFF the list of readers asking that person to read your personal statement. Often times the list will get bumped before school starts because people are removing themselves from the list because they can no longer read personal statements. So don't ask them to read your personal statement after they have done that, it is rude.

Also, to add to that since someone did that to me this year and then their mail inbox was full so when I sent them a message saying I could not read their personal statement, they then could not receive the message. DO be sure to clear out you inbox on SDN, especially if you have been receiving a lot of messages/sending a lot of personal statements.

 

[michelle D]

Where do you apply with a low GPA (3.1) 5000 hours of working in a vet office, 200 hours as an animal care intern at the local zoo and 50 hours volenteering at an equine stable ( GRE still have not taken) ( still have to take biochem and immunology with hopes to bring up the GPA a little bit)

 

[WildZoo]

Where do you apply with a low GPA (3.1) 5000 hours of working in a vet office, 200 hours as an animal care intern at the local zoo and 50 hours volenteering at an equine stable ( GRE still have not taken) ( still have to take biochem and immunology with hopes to bring up the GPA a little bit)

Try posting your stats in the "What Are My Chances" thread, which is also a sticky at the top of the Pre-vet forum. People can offer you suggestions based on your stats there

 

[WillowRosenberg]

If I noticed that a school I am applying to seems to have calculated my required science GPA wrong or has a different number than I got using the same classes, is it OK to ask admissions how they got that value, or should I just let it slide and trust that they did everything right (which they probably did, and I am just really paranoid)?

 

[LyraGardenia]

If I noticed that a school I am applying to seems to have calculated my required science GPA wrong or has a different number than I got using the same classes, is it OK to ask admissions how they got that value, or should I just let it slide and trust that they did everything right (which they probably did, and I am just really paranoid)?

I think it would be fine to politely ask for clarification.

 

[Fish pixie]

Ok, I found this out the hard way: DO ask evaluatorsif they are comfortable giving you a good recommendation. Ask them this directly, but nicely.

I asked one person for a recom-mendation; when she said yes, I assumed she was saying yes to giving me a good recommendation. Not so. She didn't say anything horrible about me, but the tepid tone did me no favors. You want recommendeds who are on your side rooting for you & highly recommending you. So little space on that application to shine.

 

[Njnealon]

Ok, I found this out the hard way: DO ask evaluatorsif they are comfortable giving you a good recommendation. Ask them this directly, but nicely.

I asked one person for a recom-mendation; when she said yes, I assumed she was saying yes to giving me a good recommendation. Not so. She didn't say anything horrible about me, but the tepid tone did me no favors. You want recommendeds who are on your side rooting for you & highly recommending you. So little space on that application to shine.

Furthering that, giving them a resume/description of some of your more important activities/achievements never hurts. May give them a good starting point to write something great! Even if the recommender doesn't directly ask for one, I would give one.

 

[PreVet_ISU]

So I had this link before buuut I can't find it now... does anybody know where I can find a list of schools that allow OOS students to apply for IS after their fist year?

TIA

 

[MustangJumperPony]

So I had this link before buuut I can't find it now... does anybody know where I can find a list of schools that allow OOS students to apply for IS after their fist year?

TIA

I don't have a link, but Missouri gave us a list. They said they called each school that claimed that you can apply for IS tuition, and confirmed whether or not students can reliably achieve that. Those schools are: Ohio State, UC Davis, Washington State, NC State, and Missouri.

 

[PreVet_ISU]

Nice @MustangJumperPony , thanks!

 

[Foxhunter]

So, I'm sure that talking about religion in your application/interview is a DONT for the most part! However, I'm unsure about the extent of this.

I want to go to WesternU. I'm from a Christian college, and there is therefore a lot of emphasis on service (to the community and globally). I have ECs like faith-based women's groups that I would like to mention, especially cause one of my LORs might be from my mentor. I assume that's fine. I also have some small connections to vets and people from veterinary ministry groups like Christian Veterinary Mission, and although I have never done a mission, I would be interested in travelling and doing some sort of charity or service work in the future. The service stuff for me isn't about trying to convert people or anything, I just feel that it is my responsibility to use what I have to help other people who might need it. I wanted to mention the desire to do charity or mission work in the future, for either secular or faith-based organizations, in some questions about goals for my future. Do you think it is unwise to mention organizations like CVM or Compassion International by name? I want to make it interesting and not vague saying "yeah I wanna help people by doing vet stuff," but I don't want to rub anyone the wrong way based on their pre-existing opinions about such work. I think my ideas fit well with the school's emphasis on compassion, etc. Just not sure if this is too much of a risk...

I would be honest, up-front about it. But don't let it be the only thing about you. From personal experience at my school I know religion is pretty taboo. When the faculty adviser for CVF retired, none of the current faculty would take it on (with the exception of one PhD who still felt like a vet should be involved). We had to bring in a veterinarian from the community to be an adviser (she's amazing though). While I think we have Christian faculty, they don't make it known.

Idk. You just don't want the only thing they remember to be "that Christian girl."

 

[chocolatenala]

My parents want me to apply to pretty much all of the vet schools here in the USA (I have a pretty average gpa so we're a little nervous) but would that look bad/can admissions see how many other schools I apply to?

 

[WildZoo]

My parents want me to apply to pretty much all of the vet schools here in the USA (I have a pretty average gpa so we're a little nervous) but would that look bad/can admissions see how many other schools I apply to?

It would likely be a waste of time and money...consider all the supplemental applications you would have to do (and pay for), plus the VMCAS costs, and you would likely have to turn down interviews because of conflicts. I've heard conflicting info on whether or not the schools know where else you've applied, and whether or not they care. Obviously you can apply to as many schools as you want, I just personally wouldn't do it.

 

[NStarz]

My parents want me to apply to pretty much all of the vet schools here in the USA (I have a pretty average gpa so we're a little nervous) but would that look bad/can admissions see how many other schools I apply to?

I applied to 15 and it was a bit overkill in hindsight. I would say 7-8 is probably a good number if you're unsure of your chances. It's better to apply smart than hard.

 

[DVMDream]

My parents want me to apply to pretty much all of the vet schools here in the USA (I have a pretty average gpa so we're a little nervous) but would that look bad/can admissions see how many other schools I apply to?

Guaranteed you will be throwing away money doing this. Should you get interviews, there will possibly (likely) be some point where you have to turn a few down because of conflicts with interviews at other schools. That is money down the drain. Apply to schools that you fit and fit you, not just willy nilly in the hope that something sticks.

 

[Skimble]

My parents want me to apply to pretty much all of the vet schools here in the USA (I have a pretty average gpa so we're a little nervous) but would that look bad/can admissions see how many other schools I apply to?

There are also likely schools that you don't have the prereqs for or you don't meet minimum requirements for OOS applicants. I agree with others that you should apply smarter not harder. Consider every aspect of each school such as cost and location. You may find there are some schools you may not ever want to go to based on those reasons. As silly as it sounds, I'm terrified of tornados, so I removed Mizzou and Kansas from the list of possibilities very quickly. I printed out the chart from VMCAS that lists prereqs by school, and first crossed off schools that I didn't have all the prereqs for, then I crossed off schools I knew I didn't want to go to due to cost or location (or whatever). Then I looked that the remaining schools as far as cost, the cost of living, local schools (I have a child), crime rate, trends as far as GPA & GRE for OOS applicants and ability to gain IS tuition. I narrowed it down to 6 schools, which was too many IMO, I should have only applied to 5.

 

[Gemgrrrl]

My parents want me to apply to pretty much all of the vet schools here in the USA (I have a pretty average gpa so we're a little nervous) but would that look bad/can admissions see how many other schools I apply to?

I don't know if they can see it, or if they care - but I don't think that's a good strategy. Most applicants don't meet the requirements for all the schools in the U.S. Some have minimum GPA requirements, especially for OOS. Some have different prerequisite requirements than other schools (ex: TAM requires a 300-level statistics class). At the very least, you should look at which schools you meet the requirements for and which ones you don't. There's no point in wasting hundreds of dollars applying to schools that will reject you without even looking at your entire application.

Try to be realistic, and apply to schools that are a good fit for you. Keep in mind that many applicants apply more than once and, if you don't get in this round, there are things you can do to strengthen your application for the next cycle.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

These may have been covered already!

DO ask more than three evaluators (if you can) to write you a letter. This can save you when one person is unable to submit your letter for whatever reason.
DO finish the application early. You don't have to submit it early, but try to avoid entering coursework/experiences the day the app is due.
DO expect VMCAS to crash more and more often the closer you are to the due date (see point above).
DO follow through with all transcripts, GRE scores, and other materials you send out. Make sure they are received.
DO record any and all communications you have with VMCAS and the schools via email or phone (this is more important for VMCAS).
DO read the VMCAS instructions thoroughly and continue to refer back to them.

 

[DVMDream]

DO develop a competitor application service for veterinary schools and force VMCAS to fix their bull****.... @LetItSnow is in charge of this project. Please refer to him for all information and details.

 

[battie]

When choosing which schools to apply to, do consider when they do interviews. If you apply to too many, their interviews will overlap.