VMRCVM c/o 2019 applicants

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SummerTheLynx

The Bioinformatics DVM student
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Figured several of these threads have been popping up recently, so might as well get one started for my IS :)

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Have you done the supplemental application yet? I am nervous it says to do it in one sitting :bag:
 
Have you done the supplemental application yet? I am nervous it says to do it in one sitting :bag:

It's not bad, it's a few questions about experiences and a short essay about why you would like to attend VMRCVM.
 
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It's not bad, it's a few questions about experiences and a short essay about why you would like to attend VMRCVM.
Oh okay that really isn't too bad then! I gotta admit some of these schools scare me with the essays they want!
 
Oh okay that really isn't too bad then! I gotta admit some of these schools scare me with the essays they want!

Haha, they are. If you have any questions about VMRCVM's application or interview process, definitely ask! I applied and interviewed with them this past cycle, although ultimately I was waitlisted.
 
Haha, they are. If you have any questions about VMRCVM's application or interview process, definitely ask! I applied and interviewed with them this past cycle, although ultimately I was waitlisted.
Thanks I really appreciate it! I heard their interview process is a little crazy, so if I am lucky enough to get one I will definitely take you up on that offer!
 
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Just did the supplemental application!!! It was surprisingly easy too, just the way I like them:love:
 
Also wanted to say that I would be happy to answer any questions. I went through this past cycle, interviewed, was accepted and will be moving down in a few weeks! I also applied to Missouri and Wisconsin and was accepted to Missouri as well.
 
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Man time has really escaped me. I saw this thread and nearly spat out my coffee, figured someone was jumping the gun in their exuberance... but no, it's truly time to apply for 2019! Way to make me feel like a geezer, guys. =)

I'll give the usual introduction, then!

My name is Vanessa, I'm a third year Public Corporate tracker dual enrolled in the MPH program (with a focus in Infectious Diseases). I attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate and have been in the area since 2007 (making me feel even more like a geezer, jeesh). I went in to vet school without a clue in the world what I wanted to do with my life, but since then I've fallen head over heels in love with the field of anatomic pathology and hope to pursue a residency post-DVM.

If you guys have any questions at all about the application process, interviews, etc, I'll try to dust off the ol' memory banks and answer them to the best of my ability (though more recent contenders - like WolvesDragon55 - may be better for that!). I can certainly answer any questions you may have about the program, tracking, extracurricular opportunities and- my favorite - Blacksburg in general!

Give me a holler and I'll do my best to answer you quickly. =)

Good luck with the application process, guys!
 
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@wheatthinners My infatuation with Blacksburg drew me to VT for undergrad and kept me around for vet school. =)
It's a truly beautiful place, the perfect trifecta of Virginia woods, Appalachian mountains, and good ol' country farmlands. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, boating, etc. if you're in to those outdoorsy things. Admittedly, if you're more of a city person, this might not be the place for you! The closest "city" is Roanoke, a full 45 minutes away, and even then I wouldn't call it a real city.

Probably VMR's greatest asset is also its least advertised. Our proximity to Washington DC affords us a host of opportunities exploring veterinary medicine outside of the "traditional" clinical career paths. From the interactions I've had with students at other schools, we're uniquely exposed to the intricacies of careers as veterinary scientists, as well as government and military veterinarians. Our curriculum also seems to be more hands-on than some of the other schools. We don't enter the clinics until 4th year (other than a few mandatory shadowing opportunities), but we start working closely with live animals as early as 3rd semester. I'm not sure when all the other schools begin incorporating live animal use classes into their curricula, but there are a few across the country that leave them until much later.

Finally - if VMR is your in-state school, the in-state tuition makes it worth it. I can't stress this enough--the current economic environment for young veterinarians is not a friendly one. A DVM from any US school will get you where you want to be in your career whether it costs you 100,000 or three times that much. Unless the ramifications of living in a particular location or being with a particular set of people are worth that difference, or unless funds aren't much of a concern to you, then I'm of the (very strong) belief that tuition should be the number one deciding factor in selecting a vet school.
 
@wheatthinners My infatuation with Blacksburg drew me to VT for undergrad and kept me around for vet school. =)
It's a truly beautiful place, the perfect trifecta of Virginia woods, Appalachian mountains, and good ol' country farmlands. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking, camping, fishing, boating, etc. if you're in to those outdoorsy things. Admittedly, if you're more of a city person, this might not be the place for you! The closest "city" is Roanoke, a full 45 minutes away, and even then I wouldn't call it a real city.

Probably VMR's greatest asset is also its least advertised. Our proximity to Washington DC affords us a host of opportunities exploring veterinary medicine outside of the "traditional" clinical career paths. From the interactions I've had with students at other schools, we're uniquely exposed to the intricacies of careers as veterinary scientists, as well as government and military veterinarians. Our curriculum also seems to be more hands-on than some of the other schools. We don't enter the clinics until 4th year (other than a few mandatory shadowing opportunities), but we start working closely with live animals as early as 3rd semester. I'm not sure when all the other schools begin incorporating live animal use classes into their curricula, but there are a few across the country that leave them until much later.

Finally - if VMR is your in-state school, the in-state tuition makes it worth it. I can't stress this enough--the current economic environment for young veterinarians is not a friendly one. A DVM from any US school will get you where you want to be in your career whether it costs you 100,000 or three times that much. Unless the ramifications of living in a particular location or being with a particular set of people are worth that difference, or unless funds aren't much of a concern to you, then I'm of the (very strong) belief that tuition should be the number one deciding factor in selecting a vet school.

WOW girl, wish I still had that kind of enthusiasm to help out the newbies at this point. Your love of Blacksburg and all things VA Tech knows no bounds:p Kudos.

To you newbies, I also offer myself for any questions you might have. I'm a mid 30's, non trad, OOS, mixed animal tracker (food animal/small animal) classmate of Hopeful's. I'm open to forum questions or PMs about any subject really...money, academics, the MMI format, being a jaded Blacksburg resident/displaced city dweller, whatever.
Good luck on your apps this round!
 
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Man time has really escaped me. I saw this thread and nearly spat out my coffee, figured someone was jumping the gun in their exuberance... but no, it's truly time to apply for 2019! Way to make me feel like a geezer, guys. =)

I'll give the usual introduction, then!

My name is Vanessa, I'm a third year Public Corporate tracker dual enrolled in the MPH program (with a focus in Infectious Diseases). I attended Virginia Tech as an undergraduate and have been in the area since 2007 (making me feel even more like a geezer, jeesh). I went in to vet school without a clue in the world what I wanted to do with my life, but since then I've fallen head over heels in love with the field of anatomic pathology and hope to pursue a residency post-DVM.

If you guys have any questions at all about the application process, interviews, etc, I'll try to dust off the ol' memory banks and answer them to the best of my ability (though more recent contenders - like WolvesDragon55 - may be better for that!). I can certainly answer any questions you may have about the program, tracking, extracurricular opportunities and- my favorite - Blacksburg in general!

Give me a holler and I'll do my best to answer you quickly. =)

Good luck with the application process, guys!
Hey Vanessa! I am a 2019 applicant and am interested in pursuing the public/corporate track as well. I am also interested in either the dual DVM/MPH or DVM/PhD program. The supplemental application for those interested in the in the dual DVM/PhD program asks us to give a research question we would like to answer given unlimited funds and how we would go about answering it. I was wondering if you could give me some insight as to how specific I should be when answering this question. I am interested in the spread of emerging infectious diseases and neglected tropical diseases, particularly vector borne diseases like Chagas. Do you think they want a specific question with an organized methodology on how to answer it? Or just something that states your research interests? Any thoughts you might have are much appreciated :)
 
How's everyone doing?? This thread has been suspiciously quiet (though I am sure come interview time that it will be picking up again!).
 
Hey guys! How long should the "why I want to go to VMRCVM" essay be? I don't want it to be too short, but I don't have a ton to write...thanks!!!!!
 
Hey guys! How long should the "why I want to go to VMRCVM" essay be? I don't want it to be too short, but I don't have a ton to write...thanks!!!!!
I wrote somewhere between 250 and 500 words. Without a suggested word limit, I think you are fine writing however much
 
Everything is officially turned in! December can't come soon enough!:)
 
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Now just don't stress about it until you hear something! I just about worried myself sick last year!

For those who asked about the school, I just want to say that I LOVE it here. It is definitely where I was meant to be. It is beautiful and the professors are very supportive.
 
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'10 VMRCVM alum here.

If anyone has any questions about the town or program (especially any of y'all interested in the Public/Corporate track - that is what I did), feel free to PM me :)

The two biggest things that I loved about VMRCVM was Blacksburg itself (I'm a converted country gal, I never want to go back to NoVA) and the faculty, who are all great teachers and very into student welfare.
 
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How's everyone doing?? VMCAS was just verified and now we wait! So nerve wracking. Especially because this is my OSS and a woman I talked to there basically told me not to apply because I am out of state and do not have a 4.0 ??? That just made me want to get in even more! Ha ha
 
How's everyone doing?? VMCAS was just verified and now we wait! So nerve wracking. Especially because this is my OSS and a woman I talked to there basically told me not to apply because I am out of state and do not have a 4.0 ??? That just made me want to get in even more! Ha ha

I've heard this also. Actually someone told me that they didn't interview any out of state females last year, which I can't really believe is true. I really like the school though, so I had to try.
 
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Wow that was extremely thorough! Thanks so much!

I just honestly really want to get accepted into a DVM program, no matter where it is. My instate school and undergraduate school is UC Davis, but it's one of the hardest to get into so I'm looking at other places as well. It's somewhat un-city like here too, so I'm pretty used to that. It seems to be a common trend for many of the vet schools to be rural or semi-rural anyways. The tuition is something I'm kind of worried about, but I feel like I'm pretty good at living frugally to pay off debts for 10 years or so. Admittedly, it's not something I've researched too in-depth at this point, since my main goal is to get in somewhere. Thanks for the heads-up. I know it's definitely hard for new vets to get by since they pay like a medical tuition for nowhere near the payoff later on.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the insight:) . GL on your residencies and further on!
Yeah Davis is my instate school too. They admissions person told me they won't even consider interviewing you unless you have a 3.7.
 
I've heard this also. Actually someone told me that they didn't interview any out of state females last year, which I can't really believe is true. I really like the school though, so I had to try.

This is definitely not true. There are several out of state females in my class.
 
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Hey everyone,

I'm currently at vet school in Blacksburg. Just wanted to add in my two cents for those OOS- it's difficult for anyone to judge what your chances are. It's not as cut and dry as the numbers. It depends on how you measure up against other out of state applicants, which, believe it or not, changes quite a bit from year to year, so essentially you might not have a chance one year but the next year be way higher on their list. In addition, I know that VMCVM takes into account what your in-state school is and how likely you are to get in there. If you have a really tough in-state school that you're less likely to get into, but they still feel you're worth investing in, they'll consider you. Basically, like others have said, try to relax for a couple months longer :)

And good luck to everyone applying this round!
 
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How's everyone doing?? VMCAS was just verified and now we wait! So nerve wracking. Especially because this is my OSS and a woman I talked to there basically told me not to apply because I am out of state and do not have a 4.0 ??? That just made me want to get in even more! Ha ha

I applied last year (obviously didn't get in) OOS, but during my file review, the woman in admissions was very positive about my chances of getting in this year even though I have no where near a 4.0, so don't worry!!!
 
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I applied last year (obviously didn't get in) OOS, but during my file review, the woman in admissions was very positive about my chances of getting in this year even though I have no where near a 4.0, so don't worry!!!
Ha ha okay maybe we both have a chance then because I don't have a 4.0 either!
 
Hey everyone!

Damn, this thread makes me feel old. lol I'm currently a second year student at the VMRCVM, tracking food animal. I was initially on this site as an OOS applicant from Pennsylvania and then I left the scene once I got busy with classes down here. :/ VMRCVM was the only school I got into, but I absolutely love the program here! If you guys have any questions about the food animal track (or tracking in general), classes, applications, or interviews, I'll try my best. I also received the HPSP scholarship from the Army Veterinary Corps if any of you are interested in that. I'm excited for all of you who are applying! Good luck to everyone while you are waiting to hear back!
 
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Also, to those nervous about GPA (like I was...) I applied with a 3.5-something and got in, first try no wait list. You guys got this! lol The awesome thing about the selection process here is that once you are selected for an interview, they give you all a "clean slate" and only the interview matters after that. I guess that kinda sucks if you have a 4.0 and high test scores, but I think it helped me out tremendously. It also means you have to rock the interview. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews on the interviews here, but it was my favorite interview process out of the 7 schools I applied to. Hope that is helpful...
 
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Also, to those nervous about GPA (like I was...) I applied with a 3.5-something and got in, first try no wait list. You guys got this! lol The awesome thing about the selection process here is that once you are selected for an interview, they give you all a "clean slate" and only the interview matters after that. I guess that kinda sucks if you have a 4.0 and high test scores, but I think it helped me out tremendously. It also means you have to rock the interview. I've heard a lot of mixed reviews on the interviews here, but it was my favorite interview process out of the 7 schools I applied to. Hope that is helpful...
May I ask when you started to hear back from them about interviews? January I'm guessing :/
 
Did VMRCVM send out emails confirming the receipt of all application materials this year?
 
May I ask when you started to hear back from them about interviews? January I'm guessing :/

Yeah, I didn't hear back til early January. Same as Cornell. The anticipation over winter break sucked, I remember that pretty clearly. lol
 
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Yeah, I didn't hear back til early January. Same as Cornell. The anticipation over winter break sucked, I remember that pretty clearly. lol

Would you mind sharing a little bit about their interviews? I know they say there a multiple mini ones, but are they as stressful as they sound?
 
May I ask when you started to hear back from them about interviews? January I'm guessing :/

Just a heads up, VMRCVM sends out emails about interviews around December 16th (that's when they sent them out last year, and I may have seen that exact date again for this year), and the interviews are January 17th and 18th.
 
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Would you mind sharing a little bit about their interviews? I know they say there a multiple mini ones, but are they as stressful as they sound?
Personally I preferred MMI over normal interviews. Yes, it can make you think on your feet, but I looked at it as a creative challenge. Stressful yes, as any interview is, but I had fun. I did MMI twice, as Texas A&M does a similar process. I definitely didn't have a 4.0 and got an offer my first application as well, so don't fret too much if you're an OOS applicant.
 
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Just a heads up, VMRCVM sends out emails about interviews around December 16th (that's when they sent them out last year, and I may have seen that exact date again for this year), and the interviews are January 17th and 18th.
Do you mean the interviews were held on Jan 17-18, 2014, or that the interviews will be held on Jan 17-18, 2015? Thanks for the info!
 
This is what they admission office said to expect for this cycle: "For your planning purposes, interview dates will be on January 17 and 18, 2015. Those invited to interviews will be contacted via email around the third week of December."
 
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Oh that's nice they are letting you guys know sooner. :) And I agree with what Frozenshades said. I was nervous about the MMI, but I ended up liking it more than the regular interviews. I think I liked it more because they gave you scenarios to think about and build on, rather than your average/generic interview questions. The scenarios were also more like a conversation, versus trying to sell yourself to the interviewer. The change of pace between interviews was good for the nerves, too. I didn't think it was bad at all. I came out of it feeling pretty decent.
 
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Hey everyone!

I also received the HPSP scholarship from the Army Veterinary Corps if any of you are interested in that. I'm excited for all of you who are applying! Good luck to everyone while you are waiting to hear back!

I am interested in the HPSP as well! I've heard it is really competitive though. Was that your experience? What do they put the most emphasis on?
 
I am interested in the HPSP as well! I've heard it is really competitive though. Was that your experience? What do they put the most emphasis on?
Yeah it was pretty competitive. They only took 18 people for the 3-year HPSP scholarships last year, although that number has been increasing over the years. Not sure if it will be higher this year or not.

They look mainly at 3 categories: Grades, Leadership, and Military background. And by military background, they mean family history of service, or ROTC, or shadowing at a veterinary treatment facility on base. Shadowing looks really good on your application because it shows you are going out of your way to see what the vet corps is all about. Being a student at VMRCVM is awesome from this aspect, because we have quite a few professors here who served in the vet corps who are excellent resources. They can also help you get a position shadowing a the VTF in Fort Belvoir near DC. So being a student here really helps. If you would like more details about applying, you can PM me. :)
 
December is finally here! Hopefully VMRCVM is about ready to send out it invites! Does anyone know if they send them out all at once?
 
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Got my rejection letter from them on the 16th last year...really really hoping for better news this year :(
 
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December is finally here! Hopefully VMRCVM is about ready to send out it invites! Does anyone know if they send them out all at once?
Yes, they send them all out at once, and as dirtanddog said, they were sent out on the 16th last year. If they always send them out on a Monday, then it will be the 15th for this year.
 
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Just received an interview invite via email for 01/18!
 
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