Bringing Parents to Interview?

Veterinary School Application Advising Ad
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
ZooVetHopeful said:
Has anyone brought their parent to the interview day? What are your thoughts on this?
Click to expand...
When I interviewed a couple of years ago at Purdue, there was plenty of parents there. My mom is coming with me again. She is going to go chill in the cafe on campus while I do my thing and then we are going to explore.
 
I brought my mom to my mizzou interview, and she probably will come for my IS interview even though I already go to school here 😛 she keeps me level headed.
 
My mom drove me to my interview :pacifier1::happy:

She napped in the car while I was interviewing. It was really nice to have her there. Granted, I didn't really have a choice since I flew in from another state and wouldn't have otherwise had a ride from the airport or a place to stay for the night.
 
My mom came with me to the Davis interview. It was great having mom-daughter bonding time during the 5-6 hour drive up and down CA 🙂 She couldn't come to the info session or tour so she went shopping instead 🙄
 
I think having someone come with you is pretty commonplace. I had a friend of mine who is applying next year come with me to my interview at western, so she was able to check out stuff too. I really think most schools don't mind. they just gotta wait outside during your interview:corny:
 
My mom is driving with me on Saturday to Kansas. She helps keep me solid and it's a long drive between Denver and Manhattan.
 
I didn't have family with me, but I brought my best friend. Actually they volunteered to keep me sane and relatively calm. It worked out really well, even if it wasn't a "fun" trip.

I'm glad my mom wasn't along! She would have just made me more nervous.

I'd say bring whoever you want, as long as they are able to let the day be "about you" and help keep you stress free! They just may need to loiter for the applicant-only things. I saw plenty of parents during interview weeks at school.
 
I go solo! I figured I've made it this far in adulthood without parents shadowing me - though I can understand how it would be very helpful, especially for rides! Lots of parents have been at interviews and it really can't affect your acceptance. Personally, I need my zen and focus. :happy:
 
If you want to bring them along, definitely do it. For myself, my parents tend to really stress me out, so I didn't want to bring them along to any interviews and am planning to do them all solo.. I would have enjoyed bringing along my SO, since he knows how to calm me down, but unfortunately that wasn't possible due to the timing/finances of flying out.
 
There's nothing wrong with bringing someone with you.

I personally didn't because I knew I would be really stressed out and I'm better at maintaining my cool without anyone I know around. The last thing I needed was my mother going "Are you nervous? Are you excited? If you mess this up what happens? Why aren't you eating anything? Are you going to do something with your hair? No it looks nice like that...."
 
My parents drove me to my interview! I was definitely glad that they were there for moral support.
 
TooLove said:
There's nothing wrong with bringing someone with you.

I personally didn't because I knew I would be really stressed out and I'm better at maintaining my cool without anyone I know around. The last thing I needed was my mother going "Are you nervous? Are you excited? If you mess this up what happens? Why aren't you eating anything? Are you going to do something with your hair? No it looks nice like that...."
Click to expand...

Lol 🙂

My dad has been accompanying me. Definitely makes the travel stuff easier/less stressful.
 
I mixed it up for my interviews. My dad came with me to my first one, I stayed with a friend in the city of my interview for the second but went alone, and then traveled with another interviewee to my last one. I didn't really have a preference as far as what was better. I definitely think it was good to have my dad for the first one and it's nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and give you a second opinion. But definitely bring someone with you if you want to unless the school specifically says no guests. There are tons of people that bring one or both parents with them or someone else.
 
I've definitely seen lots of people with their parents at interviews (I even talked to a few who were from the same area as my parents). I went with a friend who was also interviewing at OSU, and I made the trip solo to Mizzou (purely because it's cheaper to buy one plane ticket), but my dad is joining me in Tennessee because we are driving over. I say do whatever will make your weekend easier!
 
I tried to convince my boyfriend to go with me, but I am kind of glad he is not going because he will just stress me out even more. I was trying to convince my mom that she did not have to go, but she insisted. My aunt lives in Iowa, so they may meet up with us when I go for my ISU interview (which is nice because mom does not get to see her very often).

It is really personal decision on if they will stress you out more or calm you down. But like everyone else has said, it really depends on the school and if they encourage visitors or not 🙂
 
I was by myself for all my interviews- just because of cost. Sure, it would have been awesome to have my family come, but I survived 🙂
 
AVC actually says in their interview invitation that parents are welcome to join in on the tour and lunch. If your invitation doesn't say anything and you're really worried about it, it's totally okay to call admissions and ask if your parents can come along.

And as Selisona said, make sure you don't bring them into the actual interview with you. That may seem obvious but I've heard horror stories about applicants doing exactly that. In one case the applicant's mother even started answering questions for him. 😱
 
My dad has and will be going with me to a few interviews, both driving and flying and I'm really glad he was there when we hit that midwestern snowstorm last week. I was nervous enough with my interview at Mizzou, so my dad being there helped a lot given the weather conditions. Renting a car is also tough financially when you're under 25 as I've quickly figured out, so going with someone older helps cut costs with that as well.
 
My dad has and will be going with me to a few interviews, both driving and flying and I'm really glad he was there when we hit that midwestern snowstorm last week. I was nervous enough with my interview at Mizzou, so my dad being there helped a lot given the weather conditions. Renting a car is also tough financially when you're under 25 as I've quickly figured out, so going with someone older helps cut costs with that as well.
 
The first year I applied, I went to my interview at WSU by myself. It was fine, and I got to explore the area some. The rest of the interviews for that year and the subsequent two years I applied, my mom came with. She expressed wanting to come and I told her that I would not mind her tagging along, but she would have to pay her own airfare because I could not afford a ticket for her and myself. She was ok with that. It worked out nicely because then she rented the car (since I was under 25 and they would charge me an arm and a leg), and I just gave her the cash for the car rental. We had some good times, got to see a lot of different places and towns. Found the most amazing steak house in Mississippi.... I would seriously go back just for that. She also was able to help with those things you don't really think of... like does my interview outfit look good both front and back? Hair? Makeup? How does it look? It was also just nice to have someone to talk to before going to the interview, so that I wasn't alone with my thoughts.

But if your mom or dad stresses you out more than helps, then I would recommend leaving them behind. It is already a stressful enough time as it is.
 
I think it's perfectly acceptable to bring your parents to interview day, provided the school is okay with it (most are, I'd imagine). Obviously don't have them come into the actual interview with you, but having them along to provide moral support and give you an extra opinion on the school if you have more than one to choose from can be helpful. They can also help you practice if you want.

I brought both of my parents with me - my dad sat out in the car and read and my mom came on the tour/lunch with me. It was a bit nerve-wracking having them both with me while I was up there (international travel, etc) but it was nice to have someone to go to dinner with and talk about the school with afterwards when I wasn't so stressed.
 
I read a book on medical school admissions and the woman actually recommended not bringing your parents. She was on the board of admissions at some famous med school. I had this same issue, I interviewed at a school 3 hours from my mom but 10 hours from me so she drove me to my interview. Its a touchy subject for parents particularly after they have gone out of their way to help you. I ended up calling the library and finding out their hours, as well as finding out the hours of the on campus museum to give to my mom something to do
 
Scarlettmorgana said:
I read a book on medical school admissions and the woman actually recommended not bringing your parents. She was on the board of admissions at some famous med school. I had this same issue, I interviewed at a school 3 hours from my mom but 10 hours from me so she drove me to my interview. Its a touchy subject for parents particularly after they have gone out of their way to help you. I ended up calling the library and finding out their hours, as well as finding out the hours of the on campus museum to give to my mom something to do
Click to expand...
Why did she have that opinion?

For me, the two interviews I had the people who actually interviewed me never would have known if my parents were there because they stayed in the room. So is there some other reason?
 
She didn't really say what her justification behind that was just that you shouldn't. I interviewed the day before Christmas break so it was pretty empty in the building. They would have been able to tell that my mom brought me so I guess since it is hard to predict whether or not there will be other people there it is best to err on the side of caution. Also I think there is a psychological component of walking in as an adult independent professional and that it would make you feel the part if you did it sans mother. That being said she recommends parents or friends coming with and staying in the hotel room the night before. I am 27 years old and my mom ironed my clothes the night before my interview. The wrinkles were stubborn and did not want to come out when I did it. I wear scrubs everyday so have never had to encounter the hazards of business casual clothing.
 
Scarlettmorgana said:
Also I think there is a psychological component of walking in as an adult independent professional and that it would make you feel the part if you did it sans mother.
Click to expand...

👍 That I totally agree with. Also, I went to Missouri by myself which I think was good because if I couldn't have handled being there by myself for the 2ish days I was there then I definitely couldn't move there. But I think most people have had a little more independence than I have (my parents are just so close to my IS CVM) so I really needed to do that.
 
It is way way more typical/accepted for people applying to vet school to bring family or friends to campus while they are interviewing than it is for people applying to med school. My husband (medical student who applied and got in a year before me) gawked when I first asked him to come with me. My mom didn't really know the difference and was excited about it. The main reason I wanted them there was so they could see the school with me and see where I could potentially be sitting for the next 4 years.

I accompanied a friend/fellow SDNer to an interview at K State and saw the same thing there as I see every year at Mizzou's OOS interviews: many interviewees with a person or two as a support network, someone to talk to, and someone to bounce opinions off of after the fact.
 
My mom booked everything for my Western interview and my dad came with me. It seemed that most people had a friend/family member(s) with them throughout the tour, student panel etc. (basically everything minus the actual interview). I'm very happy I had a family member come with me. It was a way for us to spend time together and it made things much less stressful.
 
I brought my father to all three of mine. He is a vet so I valued his opinion and advice along the way. If you think your parent/parents going with you will make the whole experience less stressful then do it. If you don't feel that way then I would go solo.
 
Bumping this thread, as this is something I am thinking about right now. Other thoughts/opinions on bringing parents with you to interview days?
 
Cephal0pod said:
Bumping this thread, as this is something I am thinking about right now. Other thoughts/opinions on bringing parents with you to interview days?
Click to expand...

All I can say is check with your school. My mom came to most of mine and went on most tours but there were some schools where she wasn't allowed to attend or I ended up traveling alone.
 
Cephal0pod said:
Bumping this thread, as this is something I am thinking about right now. Other thoughts/opinions on bringing parents with you to interview days?
Click to expand...
I love my parents but no way. I would be too worried about them being ok, what they were thinking, how we were getting along, etc. then focusing on me and my interview. I may go with my boyfriend because it would be fun to fly together and tour the school if they allow that. He will honestly tell me how I look and if I'm wearing too much makeup or what not right before. My parents are great for phone support but I would be so distracted if they were physically there.
 
I brought my dad along for my Illinois interview. Partially because I didn't want to do the 6 hour drive (I really hate sitting in a car) and he likes driving. Plus, my dad interviews a lot of people and in general handles my stress better than my mom, who just gets frustrated with me. He wasn't much help for my outfit 😛, but he's typically more chill.

I went alone for my IS because it was only a 1.5 hour drive and I could do that drive in my sleep, and I am really comfortable with that area. I also went alone for UF because of the airfare. At all three interviews (especially Illinois), parents were definitely there. At UF, I even saw a girl bring her boyfriend and kiss him frequently on the tour...

None of my schools specified no parents, and Illinois actually had a presentation geared towards parents/loved ones. As long as the school allows you to bring support, do whatever will make your day easiest for you.
 
My mom is coming with me to OSU....because ... well she wants to. I suggested my SO come and she got all rage filled so for safety sake I am just letting her tag. I'm sure she can go entertain herself for an hour.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
Kittens&Camelids said:
My mom is coming with me to OSU....because ... well she wants to. I suggested my SO come and she got all rage filled so for safety sake I am just letting her tag. I'm sure she can go entertain herself for an hour.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
My husband (boyfriend at the time) and my mom came to my ohio state interview and the dinner the night before. They waited in the lounge while I was in my interview and then came with me on the tour. The interviews were upstairs so your interviewers will have no clue who came with you. There were plenty of other people with friends, family members and SO's there as well as people flying solo.
 
From OSU last year: Lots of parents came to the pre-interview day dinner but not a lot of parents came, or were at least visibly present, on interview day. There were a few parents who attended the financial aid seminar and asked questions. Some parents went on the school tour. Very, very few parents sat with applicants while they were waiting in the grand lounge to be called in for their interviews.

OSU seems okay with applicants having guests and expects them (you can buy extra lunches for your guests on interview day).

What I personally noticed that was kind of off was the presence of very outgoing, talkative parents accompanying applicants who were very quiet throughout the activities. To me it looks bad when the parent seems more interested in what's going on than the applicant. So if you have a parent like that, who dominates the social setting and won't let you talk or whose presence makes you feel disinclined to talk, don't bring 'em.
 
I brought my mom and was very glad I did. She kept me on an even keel, thought of questions to ask that I hadn't considered (and relayed them through me to ask them), and was a great emotional support system right there with me.
 
Can't wait to be a mom whose kid wants them to come to interviews with them :')

My parents have been pretty absent from my life, so I plan on going to interviews alone. It would be nice to have an SO or best friend attend, but that probably won't happen unless I get an interview at my IS 🙂
 
Jess Monster said:
What I personally noticed that was kind of off was the presence of very outgoing, talkative parents accompanying applicants who were very quiet throughout the activities. To me it looks bad when the parent seems more interested in what's going on than the applicant. So if you have a parent like that, who dominates the social setting and won't let you talk or whose presence makes you feel disinclined to talk, don't bring 'em.
Click to expand...

This... and I saw some poor behavior on some parents' parts. It reflected poorly on the applicant they were with. Sizing up other applicants against their kids. Shmoozing with the admissions people and gloating about their kids... and trying to get a hint as to their kids' chances, fishing for compliments about their kids. Like, that kind of behavior was tacky when a child is 5 years old. It's unacceptable for an adult entering a doctorate program. When I was speaking with a vet student representative and asking a couple of questions, a mom was eavesdropping, actually interrupted my conversation and told the vet student to hold on because her daughter needs to hear this too and dragged her over.
 
Last edited:
My mom came with me to my interview and it didn't seem like any of the organizers or student volunteers had a problem with it. None of my interviewers even knew I brought a parent with me. There were also other parents there too so I didn't feel out of place for bringing my mom. I made sure my mom dressed well and acted professionally (not that she isn't normally). There was a mom who was wearing leggings, combat boots and jewelery that was flashy enough to get noticed.... Also someone brought a boyfriend who was on his phone the whole time (well that's what it seemed like to me since his girlfriend was in my group for the day). Just make sure if you do bring someone, they are appropriately dressed and behaved...
 
Minnerbelle said:
When I was speaking with a vet student representative and asking a couple of questions, a mom was eavesdropping, actually interrupted my conversation and told the vet student to hold on because her daughter needs to hear this too and dragged her over.
Click to expand...

:wtf: Yikes. That's crazy. I wondered if there wouldn't be some instances of parents behaving badly, but wow.

Thanks for the responses, all - very helpful!
 
Yeah, at my Western interview someone's dad introduced his daughter to everyone instead of her introducing herself. I get being shy, but it felt weird to me. My parents joined me on the weekend of my Western interview, they dropped me off on campus, then drove to Big Bear, then came back and picked me up once everything was finished. The next day, we explored and went to six flags! It was a nice stress-free family day.
 
My parents couldn't come with me to my interview at Lincoln Memorial, and my bf thought it would be a waste of time, so I went solo. Which was fine with me, I got to explore a bit on my own and while it would have been nice to have someone quite frankly I would have been a lot more stressed out. And I liked the idea of being in a different state on my own. I did see A LOT of parents at the interview events, though. The school makes a point to say they are welcome.
 
Minnerbelle said:
This... and I saw some poor behavior on some parents' parts. It reflected poorly on the applicant they were with. Sizing up other applicants against their kids. Shmoozing with the admissions people and gloating about their kids... and trying to get a hint as to their kids' chances, fishing for compliments about their kids. Like, that kind of behavior was tacky when a child is 5 years old. It's unacceptable for an adult entering a doctorate program. When I was speaking with a vet student representative and asking a couple of questions, a mom was eavesdropping, actually interrupted my conversation and told the vet student to hold on because her daughter needs to hear this too and dragged her over.
Click to expand...
Yikes! So glad my mother isn't that bad.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Doctor-S
Cats and Babies - Tips for New Parents? - Not Medical Advice
Replies
4
Views
1K
that redhead
that redhead
M
Interview Reactions
Replies
12
Views
2K
DogtorAsh
DogtorAsh
keimeko
Transfer from Ohio to Colorado
Replies
6
Views
630
megadorkie
megadorkie
lucynkasmom
c/o 2028 Interview Invites
Replies
7
Views
5K
Future Emo Veterinarian
Future Emo Veterinarian
Charlie Rollin
Best time to tour vet schools?
Replies
3
Views
1K
battie
battie
Top