A few VMCAS questions!

[equitate]

Hi all,

I haven't posted too much but I'm a long-time lurker/SDN-lover! This is my first application cycle and the closer we are getting to the VMCAS deadline, the more I am nitpicking and wanting to make sure everything is perfect (same for everyone, I'm sure)! I have a few questions about correctly listing things in VMCAS and would be extremely appreciative if anyone could ease my worried mind!

- Do you really list ALL "200 Level" courses as "Lower Level" courses? For example, my Organic Chem & Biochem courses at UConn were 200 but I certainly don't consider them to be easy/"lower level". Conversely, my Genetics class was a 300 but I don't think it deserves to be called "Upper Level". Is there really a correct way to do this, or am I just over-analyzing?

- Was anyone else involved in a social fraternity/sorority? I plan on listing a few awards/nominations that stem from my experiences with greek life but I'm not sure if it would look too tacky. Examples (with quick descriptions for you guys - not necessarily what I plan to write on the app.):
* Nominated for Homecoming Queen, Fall 2010: Selected to be Delta Zeta's candidate in the university-wide Homecoming Royalty Pageant. (I didn't win this but still think it is an honor that my chapter chose me out of 100+ eligible girls).
* Greek Week Goddess, Spring 2010: Chosen to represent Delta Zeta in the Greek Week Goddess competition. (I actually won this entire competition and it was a huge time commitment - it was judged on my resume/contributions to the University as well as during a pageant with a very large audience that included a toga competition, Question & Answer section, and performing a talent)
* Delta Zeta Diamond Award, Fall 2008: "Awarded to the sister who is the diamond of our chapter, though not nearly noticed enough"
* Delta Zeta Pink and Green Bookworm, Fall 2008 & Fall 2009: "Awarded to the most studious sister".

- Teaching Assistant for PVS 2000, Anatomy and Physiology of Animals --> I have this listed under veterinary experience - what do you think? The professor is a BVMS/Ph.D. and I wouldn't call it animal experience since I dealt with animal *parts*, not live animals - right? More info: I was the first ever undergraduate TA for this course and was chosen because of my performance when I took the class and also because I worked in the professor's lab for over a year. I took the TA position in exchange for Independent Study credit and taught lab sections (classroom instruction and assisted students during dissections/necropsies, gave explanations of specimens) and held review sessions, did some private/small-group tutoring and helped grade exams.

I apologize for the lengthy post but would love to hear your opinions! Thanks so much & good luck to everyone applying!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[that redhead]

I listed the courses as they were listed at my university: 200 levels for chemistries and 300 level for genetics. I don't consider them to be easy or lower level courses either, but I don't see how you would list them if not that way? At best adcoms might think it a mistake and at worst, they might think you're lying or trying to act like your courses were harder than everyone else's, which is not very desirable

I'm really on the fence about the sorority awards. I'm hoping someone else will reply with something that expressed what I'm feeling, because I just don't know about them.

I listed my TA experience as animal experience, even though it was under the supervision of a health professional. We did very basic equine stuff - how to halter and lead, how to deworm, some training exercises, loading, etc - and while I was working with animals under a health professional, it just didn't feel "veterinary" to me. If they want to re-classify it, they can, but I didn't want to seem like I was grabbing at hours. Plus, the focus of the experience was to teach, interact with my peers and assist the teacher. Just my $0.02.

 

[scb44f]

About the awards, I wasn't involved in a sorority, but rather the Residence Hall Association, among other organizations and affiliations. Since I have been involved in Residential Life for the 5 years I've been in college, it is a major part of who I am, and I have several awards as well. I felt it would be a big gap in my application if I didn't list my accomplishments. I think it also serves to show the adcoms that you aren't just one-dimensional (in that you don't "just" do vet-related stuff).

 

[LivestockDoc]

Well, the VMCAS instructions do say to include work with "health scientists" under veterinary experience, so your TA experience should be ok in that category I would think.

Although the Greek awards were probably a lot of fun to win, I think in this context they just sound silly. I wouldn't include any of them unless you can think of a way to show how they relate to your veterinary interests or academics. Having a bunch of girls give you an award because they think you study a lot doesn't cut it. (Official recognition by a professor, on the other hand, definitely belongs in your app.) I think if you include an award that involved you dressing in a toga, it makes you appear as though you don't take the VMCAS application very seriously.

Think more along the lines of Dean's List, scholarship invitations (even if you chose not to pursue them), invitations to honor societies, 4H awards, county fair awards (if animal related), etc.

Good luck!

 

[Kipani]

Lower level courses, I'd just include them as they are (200 = lower level, 300+ upper level). Seems a little odd to me that your organic chem and biochem classes were 200's. If there's something weird like your school only offers these courses in those classes and they aren't upper division for some bizzare reason, I might mention it in your explanation statement but that is just me being thorough. (I know I would personally assume you took the "easier" of the offered courses if I was evaluating, just because I come from a background where the options for ochem were "chem 245" and "chem 341 + 343 and 344 lab". Not saying everyone would, but I'm just the kind of person who doesn't want anyone making assumptions. >_>!)

Sounds like your TA experience would probably qualify as vet experience to me as well. As for the sorority stuff, I'd say only include awards that you can describe that enhance who you are as a person, and not so much like "I was wearing the best dress" (I know that's not what they boil down to, but I know many people take sororities that way is all.)

Like for example, I think your bookworm one might be okay, depending on who awarded it (was it just the officers, or a sponsor and the officers, etc?) and the goddess one might be okay -- but only if you describe them with words highlighting the importance of those awards and their reflection of who you are and what qualities you have that others have recognized.

If you do include them, I'd just make sure that, like I said, you word them in a way that highlights what those awards found in you that are important to your future career and schooling.

Just my $.02!

 

[twelvetigers]

I think that the work with the health professionals applies more to things like research and laboratory work. Being a TA for a course where you only work with dead animal parts very nearly falls into work experience. That said, I think that a lot of schools will see where you have listed things and decide for themselves whether they want t count it for this or that. I would put it under animal experience and assume that they can take it how they want to.

I agree that the greek stuff sounds a little silly. I mean, no offense, but "greek week goddess," "homecoming queen," and "green and pink bookworm award" just don't cream like... maturity? (Almost like I would ask them to name their more respectable awards a bit more professionally, ya know? ) If you do mention those, focus heavily on the classwork part (like you had to get such-and-such GPA or whatever) and not on the part where you're pretty. Which is nice too, but irrelevant here.

On the other hand, *do* put the sorority in your extracurriculars - talk about how much time you devoted to it, and mention you won some awards for participating etc. etc... THAT'S where they'll see that you have a life outside of vet school, and that's important.

And remember, you can do whatever you think is right - that was just my $0.02. Good luck!

ETA: My organics were 3000 level, but my other chemistries and my physics were not. I remember the physics bothering me a little bit. In the end, you're probably just worrying too much. We all tend to do that a lot around here.

 

[NStarz]

ETA: My organics were 3000 level, but my other chemistries and my physics were not. I remember the physics bothering me a little bit. In the end, you're probably just worrying too much. We all tend to do that a lot around here.

My physics classes were 100 level and my organics were 200 level. Stupid physical sciences department. They have to be all weird. My biochem was in the bio department and is a 300 level course.

I agree with the others about the sorority awards. I would include them, but as a part of a broader "sorority" category under extra-curriculars, and not under awards/honors.

 

[equitate]

Thanks for the fresh perspective, guys! Your responses made a lot of sense and sure beat my internal dialogue

- Glad to see that I'm not the only one thinking "WTF" with some of the course level descriptions! I figured that entering them based on the numbers on my transcript was the right way to go - glad you agree! I'm not too worried about writing an explanation statement for ones that I thought should be higher than "lower level", though. I don't recall a more difficult intro to organic chem being offered (thank God - I would've flopped big time! lol).

- Excellent idea to briefly mention the Greek Life awards in a "Sorority" section in Community Activities . Like scb4ff, I was part of this organization for 4 years and it was a huge part of my college experience. I am proud of those awards (mainly for the Greek Goddess competition - not as much the others, but still) and I think it would enhance my application if the description is worded correctly. (Hmm... NEW QUESTION: How are you writing your Awards section? I did my experiences in 3rd person like a resume, but should Awards be in 1st person?)

- I'm still on the fence about the TA position and where to list that. For now, it will stay in vet experience for a few reasons: I was always with a health professional (several, really, when you count the other TAs who were also vets/pursuing PhDs); the class was in the Pathobiology & Veterinary Sciences department; it really reinforced material that will be important in my future career and gave me a brand new interest and very strong desire to teach at some point in my life. Feel free to add your opinions if you disagree, though! Everyone's different viewpoints are extremely helpful.

ANOTHER NEW QUESTION: I spent this summer as a Mare/Foal intern at a very large (~300 horses)/well known Thoroughbred breeding farm. I already have extensive equine experience and was mostly a stablehand this summer but I made a point to shadow the vets whenever they came out (this was one educational aspect that was promised to me when I was hired for the internship so I capitalized on it! I made the vets aware of my interest/intentions of vet school and they were awesome about explaining things to me). I was working 48 hrs/week all summer in the VA heat so I didn't have time/energy to shadow outside of my work hours but I did accumulate ~30 hours shadowing during work. I included this in my vet experience section because I actually saw and learned a lot (colics-including a trip to the clinic, foundered horse, lameness exams and x-rays, tons of ultrasounds/pregnancy checks, Caslicks procedures, joint injections, neurological exams, endoscopic exams, eye injuries, puncture wound that involved the carpal joint, etc.). What do we think - faux pas or acceptable to include this?

THANKS again! You all rock!

 

[twelvetigers]

Just a basic description of the award (if it's not obvious anyway, like Dean's List or something) and the years or timeframe it was given should suffice. IF you had to do something specific, like a research-based scholarship or something, then you should specify that.

I would include the vet stuff from the horse place this summer. Did you separate the animal experience hours from the vet experience hours? I'm assuming that's what you mean. I think that's fine. (IMO )

 

[cmeowb]

Hi all,

- Was anyone else involved in a social fraternity/sorority? I plan on listing a few awards/nominations that stem from my experiences with greek life but I'm not sure if it would look too tacky.

I was, yay for another sister on here who was crazy enough to major in pre-veterinary studies and join one! I feel like no one understands how much time and dedication goes into being in a sorority, and how much of that time goes into charity/philanthropic events. I listed my membership under community activites, and made sure to list as much of the volunteer work as I could in the tiny 480 character space. You just want to show them that being a sister was for more than just social purposes, and emphasize the character-building aspects they provide. Good luck on all your apps!

 

[futurevet3000]

- Do you really list ALL "200 Level" courses as "Lower Level" courses? For example, my Organic Chem & Biochem courses at UConn were 200 but I certainly don't consider them to be easy/"lower level". Conversely, my Genetics class was a 300 but I don't think it deserves to be called "Upper Level". Is there really a correct way to do this, or am I just over-analyzing?

I think we all tend to analyze everything a bit too much... I know I do, and I had the same momentary freak out as you regarding coursework (my school is absurd in credits and level of courses). My orgo was 200 as was my physics and so forth. My only "upper division" courses are in the biology department, and were taken my junior and senior year. So I am sure you are fine, and just follow the directions as listed on the VMCAs, which is what I am doing. The adcoms will know what to do from there (or so I hope...). But you're not crazy, I literally did the same thing...and I am glad I am not the only one freaking out over little things.
I am STILL not able to hit submit and I am pretty much done... something is wrong with me!

 

[LivestockDoc]

i am still not able to hit submit and i am pretty much done... Something is wrong with me!

do it!!!!!!!