Does experience DURING application cycle count?

[highhung723]

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I'm applying for the 2013 cycle and was wondering if experience after submitting the VMCAS counts. I will have had enough SA vet (~1000 hrs) and animal experience (~400) by the time I submit my VMCAS, but need to buff up on my LA experience. So if I volunteered/shadowed/worked with LA after I submit the VMCAS, would that still count?

 

[Emiloo4]

I'm applying for the 2013 cycle and was wondering if experience after submitting the VMCAS counts. I will have had enough SA vet (~1000 hrs) and animal experience (~400) by the time I submit my VMCAS, but need to buff up on my LA experience. So if I volunteered/shadowed/worked with LA after I submit the VMCAS, would that still count?

You cannot put hours you haven't done onto your application, no. You can bring it up in interviews if you want.

 

[orca2011]

It depends on the school really. Certain schools will allow you to add extra hours to your file afterwards. I've done it with Penn, Oklahoma State, Tufts, Auburn, Glasgow, and I think even UGA during my first application cycle. Colorado State and Illinois don't let you add anything additional afterwards. Wisconsin's supplemental is due like two months after the VMCAS application date and has essays asking about additional experience, so I just mentioned it there. Mizzou's supplemental is due like a month later and I put extra hours on there. I can't remember if I emailed either Wisconsin or Mizzou anytime after their supplementals were do with an application update. So honestly, just send an email to each school, the worse thing that will happen is they say no.

 

[Bismarck]

You should only list experiences you have completed, not what you intend to do. Think about mentioning it in an interview where appropriate (it'll make you look engaged/busy, etc). You can always call schools and see if they'll add a note to your file but I suspect the majority would be against it on the simple principle of having to add 1000 sticky notes to 1000 folders 😀

 

[ANY2003]

I had just started a LA job when I submitted my VMCAS. I only had 40 hours on my application, but mentioned in the description that I would be doing it for a 6 month, 500 hr commitment. If you haven't even started the internship yet, you can't put it on your application under vet experience. You CAN, however, put it in the "explanation" section. That's sort of the section where you can put anything.

I did something little unique and maybe a little crazy. I got a lot of different experiences after I turned in my VMCAS. So I drafted a letter indicating everything I had done since October, and sent it out to all the schools in early/mid-December. That's usually the time that they start evaluating applications (they use October and November to make sure all the requirements are met and they have all the materials...for the most part). I'm not sure if they even looked at that letter or evaluated it, but it didn't hurt me. I ended up getting into 4/5 schools that I interviewed at. A little obsessive and crazy, yes.

Basically, just do something to indicate your plans and commitments.