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[iheartpandas]

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I agree, do the file review even if you are thinking not to apply next round. Then you'll have it if you change your mind.

I did the phone review last year w/ Dr. Schoenfeld--it was very helpful and she was very encouraging. It actually made me feel totally OK about being rejected!

I kind of think a phone review would give you a little more feedback than you'd get from email--just write down all your questions beforehand and take good notes during the call.

 

[HandD42]

Alright so what kind of questions did you guys ask...besides the obvious of "what should I improve on to be accepted next cycle"

Do you just go through the list....gre too low? gpa too low? Experience too small? research not good enough?

 

[BlacKAT33]

Alright so what kind of questions did you guys ask...besides the obvious of "what should I improve on to be accepted next cycle"

Do you just go through the list....gre too low? gpa too low? Experience too small? research not good enough?

that's what i plan to do lol. i already know what they will say about my gpa so i think im going to focus more on if my personal statement was good and if they wanted to know more detail about my research than what i provided. lastly, i want their advice on which plan B to follow if the time comes for that this spring

 

[GellaBella]

Can we just email them to request an email review or do we need to call?

I wasn't planning on having the review at all but you guys seem so positive about it I think you've got me convinced!

 

[nyanko]

You can just send an email. I figured it was worth hearing a few words about my application mostly to satisfy my curiosity and let me know what a third party thinks of what I have out there, but for me I'm not serious enough about CSU to do a phone review.

Definitely worth it! 🙂

 

[iheartpandas]

Alright so what kind of questions did you guys ask...besides the obvious of "what should I improve on to be accepted next cycle"

Do you just go through the list....gre too low? gpa too low? Experience too small? research not good enough?

Yes, go through the list. Most of your questions will be general, but I had a few specific questions about my essays, such as, "Does that sound like I am whining?" "Should I have bothered to say such and such?" etc.

With my phone review, she basically started at the beginning of my application and went through it section by section, telling me not only what she thought, but also what the three people on the AC who'd read my application had written. She also gave me a bit of insight into the personalities of those three AC members, such as, "Oh, the toughest reviewer said your community service was excellent!" That sort of thing. It's kind of like getting four different opinions on your app.

Also, even if you don't end up at CSU, I would still think it would be helpful to get the feedback to improve your application for next cycle no matter where you apply.

Oh, and I second what BlacKAT33 said--if you have general questions about the application process or want advice on vet school things not directly tied to your application, ask those, too. I got some good advice about what courses to take.

 

[DVMDream]

Wiche decisions are posted!! Earlier than I expected...but exactly what I expected to happen..Rejection. Oh well...I will be joining everyone else in the file review.

 

[HandD42]

Well I put my big girl pants on and scheduled a phone review for Feb 22.

 

[iheartpandas]

Well I put my big girl pants on and scheduled a phone review for Feb 22.

Hey, at least you can still fit into yours. 😉

Hope it goes well!

 

[DVMDream]

Well I put my big girl pants on and scheduled a phone review for Feb 22.

I also did as well...mine is Feb 5th. Crossing fingers that I will be able to better my application for the next cycle (if needed).

 

[gone2dogs]

I finally made my file review appointment too... they are now scheduling appointments in March. I was so nervous last year but it really was a very good experience (I thought at the time, at least)... but this year I am even MORE nervous! It is with the same person again, which I figure is either good or bad... at least I won't get conflicting opinions from different people, but I am worried about what else she will find wrong this year! Or maybe I just didn't fix last year's problems well enough.

Anyway, just thought I'd check in here. Anybody else already do a file review this year? I'm goring to try to go in with even more questions this year to try and get the most out of it.

 

[HandD42]

Well I know this thread is pretty much dead but I just had my file review this morning and thought I would add a few things as good info to know for future applicants reading through this thread (I know I definitely stalked all of the CO 2013 threads).

#1 Definitely do the file review. Fantastic feedback and while it is positive they don't hold anything back.

#2 CSU is definitely looking for advanced bio coursework. I learned this was the (only) reason I was rejected. I went to a small liberal arts college that did not offer any of the traditional -ology courses. ie virology, immunology, histology etc. CSU was unsure how the classes I did take compared to the year 1 DVM course load. They REALLY want to see at least two of these courses taken and good grades in them in addition to all of their 'required' pre vet coursework which I had taken and done well. Just thought that was super good info to know. She said if I take one or two of these this summer I would be a much more competitive applicant.

#3 I did apply to the DVM/PhD program and was rejected. She said she did not have any feedback from that review but they did only accept ONE applicant. I think there was something like 49 of us that applied. So frankly the odds were beyond bad.

Anyway really a great experience and I am glad all the great SDN people encouraged me to do it.

Thanks guys! And congrats on all the successful CSUers that got in this cycle!!!!

 

[gone2dogs]

Thanks for posting HandD42! My review isn't for a few more weeks still, but I am betting I get similar feedback... last year I was told that I needed more upper level bio, but I was only able to take 2 (one was a pre-req still, and the other I got a B in 😱) and one other sophomore level bio class. So I bet the complaint will remain about my lack of upper division bio. The biggest holdup on taking more classes (aside from the obvious money involved) is my local university offers absolutely no bio classes at night, and essentially none in the summer either. There is a university a bit farther away that does offer some, but not only is it more difficult logistically, but I am starting to get paranoid about taking classes at yet another university! I am learning that I am just not that crazy about online classes, but I guess that is another option too (although upper div bio classes seem to be fairly scarce). As it is, I think I am up to 9 transcripts for next cycle.

Anyway, enough babble from me!

 

[GSDgirl]

I didn't want to invade the "CSU c/o 2014" thread with alternate stuff, so I'm bumping this thread instead....

Any other alternates going to (or thinking of going to) the CSU open-house thing on April 9th?

Since CSU doesn't release rankings, I have no idea whether or not I've got a chance to get in off the OOS alternate list. BUT, I'm still tossing around the idea of RSVPing to the open-house. Just wondering if anyone else is planning to attend...

Also, I had my file-review this morning. I would definitely recommend it if you're considering it but not sure. [I was probably just as nervous for my phone file-review as I was for my first interview...lol.] Not too much to share with other (or future) CSU applicants. According to my reviewer, I had an awesome application and "was just stuck in the wickedly competitive OOS pool." It is nice to get feedback though.

[For those of you wondering exactly how many people are on the non-sponsored list, I was told that they started with ~100 students, and so-far 5 have withdrawn their applications. Just FYI. And apparently your ranking on the list is like classified information that the reviewers don't have access to when they discuss your file... I thought that was interesting...]

 

[StartingoverVet]

For those of you wanting instant gratification, or think the file review will help you on any upcoming interviews, you might want to consider an e-mail review.

I sent an e-mail to CSU and they responded the next day (actually less than 12 hours later). The e-mail was pretty informative and probably gives just as good an idea of what you need to improve as a phone or face-to-face. Most of what I heard is mentioned previously on this thread (especially the upper division courses lacking).

Certainly gives you an idea of where other adcoms may consider you weak.

Just food for thought.

 

[gone2dogs]

I thought I might as well check in here and report on my file review which was earlier this month... just like everyone else, it was a positive and useful experience! I was very pleasantly surprised to hear that I have pretty much proven myself academically now (between what I did last year and what I have done since the application) and that the main thing still holding me back is comparatively low vet experience hours. It was really nice knowing exactly what to focus on, and that things I had worked really hard on in the last year where well received (classes and grades, experience, personal statement, supplemental questions which I learned last year were more important than I initially realized, presentation of information in VMCAS). So I am so much more optimistic that I really might be a more competitive applicant next year! I will probably still take one more class, but spend most of my free time and summer getting vet hours. By my estimates I should be able to exceed the target number of hours she gave me by 300-400 hours. I will still be trying more schools, but I am starting to fantasize about getting accepted to CSU in December😀.

It was also reiterated that there were a lot more applicants this year, and that the applicant pool was one of the most competitive they've seen. So three cheers to all who were accepted in a very hard year! I'm glad all of you got accepted this year so I don't have to compete with you again next year!

 

[jesiah]

For those of you wanting instant gratification, or think the file review will help you on any upcoming interviews, you might want to consider an e-mail review.

I sent an e-mail to CSU and they responded the next day (actually less than 12 hours later). The e-mail was pretty informative and probably gives just as good an idea of what you need to improve as a phone or face-to-face. Most of what I heard is mentioned previously on this thread (especially the upper division courses lacking).

Certainly gives you an idea of where other adcoms may consider you weak.

Just food for thought.

how do you go about doing an email review?

 

[nyanko]

I sent an email to Sherry Stewart saying

Hi, I am an applicant who was denied for the current admissions cycle for the DVM/PhD and for the DVM (nonsponsored) and was wondering if I could get an email file review from both programs. I don't really have any specific questions but was just wondering which points of my application were considered strengths and which were considered weaknesses, and what the admissions committees thought of my essays and letters of recommendation.

Obviously if you actually do have specific questions you should put those in, but that little blurb got me a pretty good review, though as I said I had forgotten about the LOR waiving thing so no feedback on that, and like HandD, no feedback on DVM/PhD either.

 

[jesiah]

I sent an email to Sherry Stewart

awesome...i just sent one. thanks 👍