Choosing schools

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prevetdreamer

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Hey! I am just getting ready to apply for vet school and I'm in the midst of deciding which schools I want to apply to. How many schools is a good number to apply to? I'm thinking about 4 or 5 right now, but I'm not sure if that is a solid number or not. I have already decided to apply to Washington and Oregon. I am taking the GRE next friday and since they send your scores out to 4 schools for free, I really want to pick 2 more schools before then. I have narrowed down my list to about 9. Do any of you have any tips on deciding where to apply? What do you think are important factors? Thanks a ton!

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Hey! I am just getting ready to apply for vet school and I'm in the midst of deciding which schools I want to apply to. How many schools is a good number to apply to? I'm thinking about 4 or 5 right now, but I'm not sure if that is a solid number or not. I have already decided to apply to Washington and Oregon. I am taking the GRE next friday and since they send your scores out to 4 schools for free, I really want to pick 2 more schools before then. I have narrowed down my list to about 9. Do any of you have any tips on deciding where to apply? What do you think are important factors? Thanks a ton!
There is no good number.

Apply to schools that you have a good fit to.
Only apply to schools you would actually attend.
Apply to schools that you can afford to apply and attend.
Apply to schools that you will be able to give full attention to any possible supplemental apps on.

DONT ask people where you should apply. No one can answer that question for you.
 
How many you apply to is really up to you. I pretty much applied to how many schools I could afford to and picked those based if I met the pre-reqs felt and felt I stood a chance of getting accepted to based on previous stats. The more schools you apply, obviously the more chances you have of getting interviews but it is an expensive process. I spent like $800+ on VMCAS apps alone. Then factor in GRE scores, transcripts, supplemental apps (most schools have one) and the cost of traveling if you do receive an interview. I spent like $400 to go to my interview at Illinois.

My first cycle I applied to 5 and was wait listed at four. This time I applied to 9 and ended up getting accepted to 4. This is what I want to do, so I figured I would apply to as many as I could and felt like I stood a chance at getting accepted to. Some I probably shouldn't have applied to, like Wisconsin, but had factors that made me feel like I should take the chance (super cheap OOS tuition was it for Wisconsin). There were definitely schools I liked better than others (based on location, clubs, etc), but I honestly felt that I would make the most of where ever I ended up going. I ended up having choices and picked my IS, which sadly really isn't the cheapest option, but I felt it was the best fit for me. Some people don't have the personality that would allow them to be happy anywhere, so just listen to your heart and head and do what's right for you.

Hope that's kind of helpful.
 
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DONT ask people where you should apply. No one can answer that question for you.

I'm not asking people where I should apply, I just wanted to know if there was anything that helped other people decide where they wanted to apply.

Thanks to both of you though, I think I know where I need to go from here. I think my next step is checking out supplemental app fees, if there are any, and then see if I like the program. I still feel like 4 or 5 is a good number for me, as the price is decent and I can definitely handle it. But we will just have to see what I find when I look closer! Thanks again guys!:)
 
Do not do what I did. I applied to 11. Biggest waste of moolah. I got accepted to two (one of them being my top choice) and waitlisted everywhere else (and rejected by like, 3 or 4). It was the most expensive thing Ive ever done because I had like 4 interviews. My vmcas was 1000 and then you have supplementals which are 50-80 a piece and flying to interviews. Then transcripts cost a bit. And supplementals are a pain to fill out.

Less than ten. More than 3. Those are my reccs. Emiloo was another one who applied to a shizton and she did quite well herself.
 
What schools are the cheapest for you to attend?
What schools are likely to accept you (your in-state school, schools with high out-of-state acceptance rates, schools that tend to accept students with your GPA/GRE/amount of experience).
What location restrictions do you have? (proximity to family, SO preferences, social/cultural fit).
 
Also take a look at how each school you are considering evaluates their applicants.

Some of them start off just crunching numbers, and if you're stats are not high, you're thrown out before essays are read.
Some really like non traditional students who worked while taking classes, some really like traditional students - who always took full course loads.

Everyone has their strong parts in their application - make sure you apply to schools that will appreciate that, and don't waste money applying places that don't.
 
Eh, I'm going to go against everyone else here. If you can afford to apply to more schools, do it. I applied to 15 this year and got into 7 + turned down 4 interviews. The school I am now attending wouldn't have made my top 3 list before interviews, so I don't know if I would have ended up choosing the best school for me if I hadn't applied to so many schools.

One of the problems that I've noticed that people have on here if they don't get in is applying to too few schools. My thoughts were that I'd rather just apply once then have to apply another year, so might as well go full out. I don't necessarily recommend applying to 15 schools but I think 8+ is a good number.
 
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This blog entry talks a bit about choosing schools and different criteria to consider.
 
I agree with NStarz - I took a similar approach. I applied to a lot of schools - because I didn't want to go through the application process more than once, if I could avoid it.

I made a list of all the places I would be willing to attend (if I only got in there). Then ruled out ones that I was missing pre-reqs for - or that analyzed people in a way that didn't bode well for me.

I think actually getting into vet schools takes some amount of luck, no matter how good an applicant you are - just due to the number of applicants. So applying to a few extra schools can't hurt, if you can afford it AND would be willing to attend them.
 
I think factoring in the supplemental apps is a good idea. For example, I was planning on applying to VMRCVM on what their old supplemental app asked for; but when they put up the one for that year it was very different and I knew I wouldn't do well (only 30 minutes to complete in one sitting??? Not for me at all).

Also, if you are OOS, look at how many OOS are interviewed/accepted. Be optimistic, but realistic at the same time.
 
I applied to 2 schools. One was my in-state and the other was the next closest school to me. I wanted to stay within decent driving distance since my husband would not be moving with me because of his job. That way we could drive back and forth on weekends/breaks or whatever. I ended up getting into my in-state so I didn't have to move.
 
I made a list of all the places I would be willing to attend (if I only got in there). Then ruled out ones that I was missing pre-reqs for - or that analyzed people in a way that didn't bode well for me.

That's exactly the approach I took. Without having taken public speaking or animal nutrition, that actually cut down a lot. I think if I had a cheap IS option, then I prob would have only applied to that school, at least for a couple application cycles. But since I didn't, I took the 'cast a wide net' approach so I don't have to reapply and cost myself 1 yr worth of doctor's salary (and tuition increase).
 
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I agree with what everyone says...and everyone is different as far as what they want. I THOUGHT first round that I had to stay close to NC, so I only applied to VMRCVM and NC State and did not get into either. The reality that this could happen again has caused me to decide to apply to 6 schools this cycle, maybe more just depending. Even if a school does not seem like a "perfect option", if it was the ONLY place that said yes to you, would you say yes to them? I would pretty much go ANYWHERE this year had I gotten in this year (hindsight bias)...and I hate that I have to do this app process all over again and wait another entire year...
 
Only apply to schools you would actually attend.

This is very, very important. Every year there is a thread where someone applies everywhere thinking they'll be happy just go go to vet school, then get rejected everywhere except their last choice and agonize about going there. If you don't want to go to a school, don't apply. Very easy. Of course there are factors that change after interviews but some things stay the same. Don't like cities? Avoid Penn. Don't like rural areas? Avoid Iowa.

I made a list of all the vet schools in the country. Then I crossed off all the schools whose pre-reqs I wouldn't meet by the summer prior to matriculation. Then I crossed off schools in the South & Caribbean because I don't like the heat. Then I crossed off schools in the middle of nowhere because I wanted to enjoy large town or city life while still studying. Then I crossed off most of the schools with insane OOS tuition. Finally I crossed of schools whose interview dates occurred while I was abroad.

This left me with about 5 schools: my IS, a cheap OOS, 2 UK schools, and an expensive OOS in a cool location. I ended up with 1 interview for 4 acceptances & 1 rejection. I didn't mind the possibility of taking a second gap year so applying narrowly was fine with me. I would have applied more broadly had I been in my senior year of undergrad instead of my gap year.

My decision-making process would have changed for the second application cycle and I would have taken the last few pre-reqs (animal nutrition, animal science, etc.) to broaden my app pool.
 
Do not do what I did. I applied to 11. Biggest waste of moolah. I got accepted to two (one of them being my top choice) and waitlisted everywhere else (and rejected by like, 3 or 4). It was the most expensive thing Ive ever done because I had like 4 interviews. My vmcas was 1000 and then you have supplementals which are 50-80 a piece and flying to interviews. Then transcripts cost a bit. And supplementals are a pain to fill out.

Less than ten. More than 3. Those are my reccs. Emiloo was another one who applied to a shizton and she did quite well herself.

I completely agree with TW. I admittedly shotgunned because I am slightly older and didn't want to have to apply too many times. I had no idea how competitive I would be (well I think we all have an idea, but deep down you doubt yourself a lot) and I personally applied to schools in areas I wanted to live. I also applied to schools with more OOS spots. I almost applied to GA before I realized they had one OOS spot. So do your homework. I applied to Western knowing they tend to look at the whole application more than some other places, but looking back it was a waste of money because I could have never ponied over the dough for the cost of their program.
Interviews are EXPENSIVE! I had 5 (went on 4) and each cost me a minimum of $500, some upwards of $700. My VMCAS app also cost I think about $1200 and all my supp apps cost about $700. GRE scores cost me around $300.
Each school you apply to adds a HUGE cost to the process, especially if you get interviews!

My advice... do your homework before you waste your money. I totally admit I didn't go about it right, and wasted money. If I would have started younger, I would have only applied to my IS and maybe 2 or 3 others. I got into 5, still waitlisted at 1 and turned down a 5th interview, but it really only takes 1 acceptance!

Can you afford the tuition at that school?
Do you seem competitive for that school?
Would you want to live in that area?
Would you be compatible with their curriculum (PBL vs traditional)?
Are you interested in a special program they offer?

Take your time figuring it out! Research each school!:luck::thumbup:
 
I agree with everyone else, do what you can afford and have time for. If you're not gonna have time to devote to a bunch of supplementals and interviews then don't apply to a bunch of schools. Also, only apply to schools you'd go to. This year I applied to 3, two of which I would attend in a heartbeat and one that I don't think I would have even if it was my only option, just because the tuition would have been twice as much as my other two options. I choose OSU because it's my instate, then Wisconsin because it's a super cheap OOS option, and then Tennessee because I've heard good things about the school and they are one of the last to interview and notify, so I figured if I was rejected to OSU and Wisconsin, it would keep the hope alive a little longer. I was accepted to my #1 choice so didn't have to worry, but while waiting after my interview and thinking I was gonna be rejected, I really got to thinking about my choices, and I would have gone to Wisconsin, but for the extra money it would have been a really hard choice to choose Tennessee. I feel I was a strong applicant so for me I was pretty confident that if I didn't get in this year I would next year, so for me I don't think it would have been worth the extra tuition to get started a year earlier than the choice that was half the cost. Of course during that time I was also seeing everyone accepted so many places and wishing I had applied to those schools.

Another member here who I met at the OSU interview and had awesome stats applied to tons of schools and at our interview she had already been accepted to Michigan. I hadn't applied to Michigan, but wished I had because an acceptance would have majorly boosted my confidence going into the interview at OSU.

So, think about everything and choose the best places for you.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice! It gave me some really great tips and I have tentatively decided where I'm going to apply! I'm going to take a second look at pre reqs, tuition, in state eligibility, curriculum and what not, but here it is: I had already decided on Washington and Oregon, now decided on North Carolina and Mississippi! I am also considering tufts and tuskegee, but neither of them use vmcas and I know tuskegee has a $205 application fee. so I might not apply to either of those. Exciting!!!
 
I thought I had it narrowed down to cost of living, cost of attendance, and other factors.

Then I sent my application into 4 schools. My IS and the 3 other nearest schools.

Texas A&M only takes OOS applicants wit (basically) 4.0 GPA. Not me. I was rejected outright.

Georgia doesn't interview OOS, and takes like THREE OOS applicants total to matriculate.

Oklahoma State put me on their waitlist.

I got into my IS.

From this, I'd say unless you are SUPER competitive (GRE/GPA/Experience/Etc.) apply to your IS and others that are LIKELY to accept you. No Cornell or other schools who's average OOS GPA/GRE is 4.0/1600

I wish I had not wasted my money on TMDAS and Supplemental apps for the two schools who I should have known would not really consider me.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice! It gave me some really great tips and I have tentatively decided where I'm going to apply! I'm going to take a second look at pre reqs, tuition, in state eligibility, curriculum and what not, but here it is: I had already decided on Washington and Oregon, now decided on North Carolina and Mississippi! I am also considering tufts and tuskegee, but neither of them use vmcas and I know tuskegee has a $205 application fee. so I might not apply to either of those. Exciting!!!

Not sure what your stats are like, but keep in mind NCState is an insanely tough school to get in OOS. Keep that in mind...
 
Not sure what your stats are like, but keep in mind NCState is an insanely tough school to get in OOS. Keep that in mind...

In general, I would suggest only applying to NCSU OOS if your GPA is 3.7ish or above, and you have diverse experiences. Their supplemental is relatively long (five or six essays) so it's a decent amount of work and they really don't take many people with lower GPAs. Most OOS I know are 3.8-4.0. Here's the statistics. They're pretty similar for the two years beforehand, too.
 
In general, I would suggest only applying to NCSU OOS if your GPA is 3.7ish or above, and you have diverse experiences. Their supplemental is relatively long (five or six essays) so it's a decent amount of work and they really don't take many people with lower GPAs. Most OOS I know are 3.8-4.0. Here's the statistics. They're pretty similar for the two years beforehand, too.

Agreed. I have a 3.76 and was rejected by NCSU OOS.
 
Thanks everyone for your advice! It gave me some really great tips and I have tentatively decided where I'm going to apply! I'm going to take a second look at pre reqs, tuition, in state eligibility, curriculum and what not, but here it is: I had already decided on Washington and Oregon, now decided on North Carolina and Mississippi! I am also considering tufts and tuskegee, but neither of them use vmcas and I know tuskegee has a $205 application fee. so I might not apply to either of those. Exciting!!!

Tufts app fee is only $75 in case you didn't know. The people there are super friendly but it is an expensive school. Also they put a lot of emphasis on GPA and GRE, just as a heads up. They have a couple of short essays and two longer ones. One is the basic what makes you unique essay and the other you get to pick one out of 3 to write about. They switch those topics up each year I think. Also, they require one vet and two professors that have taught you for LOR. So if you aren't using two professors for VMCAS apps, make sure you get one for Tufts.
 
I was told stick to around 3 schools so you're able to focus on each one and commit the most to each application, but I found with the VMCAS that wasn't really an issue. But for me pre-reqs were the biggest factor. My school only offered 3 credit biochem and I didn't want to spend more money to take animal nutrition online so that ruled out a lot of schools for me. Other wise I agree with everyone else. Location and price.
 
Could someone link me to the topic about "what each vet school known for" thread? Someone mentioned it a while back, but I just cant seem to find it.
 
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