Iowa c/o 2017 Applicants!

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Awe, thanks 🙂 I got an email that I had a message on the website. The website showed the rejection in the messaging section.

Gotta admit that hearing that you got rejected today is making me a little sick. My email is being watched and my heart skips with each email. So far they are all ShoeMint and Groupon
 
Gotta admit that hearing that you got rejected today is making me a little sick. My email is being watched and my heart skips with each email. So far they are all ShoeMint and Groupon

Oh, I am very sorry to make you worry. I am sure you are good. I never got out of academic review, if that makes you feel better. I am guessing they were struggling with my initial undergrad GPA which was pretty terrible. I know what you mean about the emails, I set up my account to filter groupons into another folder and not notify my phone because it was making me crazy.
 
Is anyone applying as a NE resident? If so, have you heard anything yet? Last year around this time they sent out an email saying when we could expect to hear about interviews but I haven't gotten anything yet. Just freaking out a little over here.
 
Hey,
I applied as a Nebraska resident and I haven't heard anything yet either so you're not alone! All the waiting is driving me crazy! lol
 
Hey,
I applied as a Nebraska resident and I haven't heard anything yet either so you're not alone! All the waiting is driving me crazy! lol

Thanks for letting me know! I went to undergrad OOS and don't know anyone applying this year that I could ask. Last year they sent out invites/rejections on the 21st but a few days earlier they sent out an email saying how many applicants they had and how many interview slots there were.

Did you get a letter saying you were a resident? I got one last year but not this year which is kind of freaking me out.
 
Thanks for letting me know! I went to undergrad OOS and don't know anyone applying this year that I could ask. Last year they sent out invites/rejections on the 21st but a few days earlier they sent out an email saying how many applicants they had and how many interview slots there were.

Did you get a letter saying you were a resident? I got one last year but not this year which is kind of freaking me out.

Yeah, It's coming up fast and I'm getting really nervous lol. I did get the nebraska resident letter but this is my first year applying and I didn't go to UNL for my undergrad so I think that's why. I'm not 100% sure but I think you only have to do the residency thing once so if you didn't get one it could be because you did it last year.

Has your application status page thing changed at all yet? Mine hasn't changed since they added the gpa calculations.
 
Yeah, It's coming up fast and I'm getting really nervous lol. I did get the nebraska resident letter but this is my first year applying and I didn't go to UNL for my undergrad so I think that's why. I'm not 100% sure but I think you only have to do the residency thing once so if you didn't get one it could be because you did it last year.

Has your application status page thing changed at all yet? Mine hasn't changed since they added the gpa calculations.

No change on the status page since after they got my VMCAS app. I bet with the blizzard coming through we won't hear anything this week about interviews.
 
No change on the status page since after they got my VMCAS app. I bet with the blizzard coming through we won't hear anything this week about interviews.

Ughhh I didn't even think about that. You're probably right... Maybe we will get lucky and hear something on the 21st.
 
Does anyone know if they are offering more interviews? I still haven't heard anything 🙁
 
Does anyone know if they are offering more interviews? I still haven't heard anything 🙁

Hi Sarah, I have not heard anything either. My status says committee review still.

I want to say there is one more round of invites, but I am not 100% on that.

I hope we hear some good news.
 
check out the interview forum.

there is like ONE interview on there for the last weekend of invites, otherwise they are all jan 19-20th dates.

that would lead me to believe there are still invites to come, but who knows.
 
I just got an interview notice today, so keep your hopes up
 
I think there are more, because when I signed up for my interview there were some for the 26th for the 27th that we could have chosen!
 
Hi all,
I am deciding on Texas vs Iowa. I have heard great things about both. While everyone i've talked to said they would go to their school again here are the few things I've heard.

It seems that a main area of complaint is live animal experience besides 4th year. While I'm sure this isn't necessary, it is nice to see a live animal every so often to remind you why you are going to school and break up classroom time. Can anyone tell me about the animal experience at either school .

Also can any one tell me about living in Ames vs College station. Is there anything fun that students do in the summer, boating, lakes etc??

How about the profs at the school, are they interested in how the students do/ try to make classes as fun as possible (I know the main reason we are here is still to learn!)

Lastly how about the people. Everyone in Texas seemed super friendly, but I didn't get to spend really any time in Iowa. Are the people pretty outgoing and friendly there overall.

Any iowans or Texas input would be very greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance !!!!!!!
 
It seems that a main area of complaint is live animal experience besides 4th year. While I'm sure this isn't necessary, it is nice to see a live animal every so often to remind you why you are going to school and break up classroom time. Can anyone tell me about the animal experience at either school.
There is a small animal clinical foundations course fall of first year -- you spend a few hours every week learning how to restrain dogs, do various types of physical exams (general, ortho, neuro, etc.), auscultate, draw blood, etc. There's a survey you complete beforehand to determine your clinical comfort level, and groups are arranged to contain people with a ton of small animal experience + some + none (note: this may have changed since I took it in 2009). There's also a 1-week large animal clinical foundations elective course that is held immediately after spring semester and immediately prior to fall semester; it is held off-site at the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center in Clay Center, Nebraska. I didn't take it but I've heard it's a good introduction to working with production animals.

There isn't really any hands-on animal experience second year; you're basically trapped in class or lab all day, every day. Third year, you've got junior surgery (required in fall, elective in spring) and various electives (bovine palpation, exotics, etc.).

With that said, there are a ton of animal experience opportunities for all years in most clubs in the form of wetlabs. Examples -- equine handling, equine castration, equine dentistry, cat handling, small mammal handling, etc. There are also opportunities through the Feral Cat Alliance (in the form of monthly or so spay/neuter clinics), foal watch, cow/calf watch, equine ICU, small animal ICU, and the Wildlife Care Clinic, to name a few.
Is there anything fun that students do in the summer, boating, lakes etc??
Sorry, this made me laugh a bit. It depends on your definition of fun, I guess -- if boating/lake access is really important to you, I've been told that Iowa's lakes are rather disappointing if you're big into that sort of thing. With that said, there are a few lakes with boat access (i.e. anything larger than a canoe or kayak) in/around Ames, but that's really as far as I can comment on that.

Otherwise, a lot of people (especially OOS'ers) tend to go home over summer, work, do research (especially through the Summer Scholars program), take some sort of veterinary trip (RAVS, study abroad [ISU offers a number of very good trips], VIDA, etc.), find an internship/job/shadow in their area of interest, and so on. It really just depends on what you want to do (work or relax) and what you consider fun summer activities.
How about the profs at the school, are they interested in how the students do/ try to make classes as fun as possible (I know the main reason we are here is still to learn!)
Some of the professors go out of their way to help us succeed, most do want us to succeed but don't necessarily go 'that extra mile', some don't seem to care, and some really don't care. Some of the classes are super fun (at first) and others are a necessary evil, even with a really good professor. I think you'll read similar things about professors/classes at every other veterinary school.
Lastly how about the people. Everyone in Texas seemed super friendly, but I didn't get to spend really any time in Iowa. Are the people pretty outgoing and friendly there overall.
It's extremely hard to quantify an entire population; there are both super friendly and not-so-friendly people here, just like anywhere else I've visited -- in the U.S. or abroad. With that said, I've heard (at interviews and from OOS classmates) that Iowans are friendly in general. Just keep in mind that Ames is a college town, with a ton of undergrads and graduate students from all over the country/world, so everyone you meet (nice or otherwise) isn't necessarily an Iowan.
 
Any good advice to help prepare for the ISU interview?? Or a behavioral interview in general? Im so afraid :scared:
 
Any good advice to help prepare for the ISU interview?? Or a behavioral interview in general? Im so afraid :scared:

Me too. I keep looking at the interview page and haven't been able to think of good answers in a week. Really glad I at least have some idea of the potential questions!

They all seem really negative
 
For you looking for advice on preping for the interview, i interviewed in 2009 and 2012, i scored 23 out of 25 points in 2009, obviously i don't know about 2012 yet but i used this site under the interview portion to get my prep questions. They want to see you pull from different experiences so I would pick 1-3 experiences that fit the theme of the question and that way i could answer however it was asked. Once i was comfortable with the questions from this site, i just googled behavioral questions and played around with them. Honestly, if you know yourself well you will do well! I also the below to help me get ideas of expereinces that could show i had what they were looking for! You will all do great!
The behavior-based interview looks at experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities and focuses on the following competencies.

Acts Autonomously and Confidently - Makes decisions independently when warranted; is capable of working on one’s own when necessary. Takes charge when circumstances warrant and makes difficult decisions. Respects the right and responsibility of others to make decisions that rightfully belong to them.

Demonstrates Integrity - Acts in a manner consistent with the principles of the veterinary profession and the courage of one’s convictions. Builds trust with others through daily actions and decisions; increases one’s credibility by treating others with respect. Makes principled decisions.

Demonstrates Adaptability and Resilience - Responds to competing demands or abrupt changes with a positive outlook. Stays optimistic and resilient in the face of adversity, change, and ambiguity. Uses a large repertoire of skills, experiences, and behaviors to handle a wide variety of challenges and opportunities.

Uses Sound Judgment - Makes decisions on the basis of logic, evidence, and sound professional judgment/experience/accepted practice. Seeks data when needed and investigates issues. Makes timely decisions based on one’s professional judgment, even when faced with ambiguity and imperfect data.

Thinks Innovatively - Seeks new ideas and weaves them together to create new approaches to problems/challenges. Mitigates future problems by anticipating trends and consequences, considering alternatives, possibilities and options, and applying systems-level thinking.

Communication skills will also be evaluated.

The two member interview panel consists of faculty and veterinarians from industry, organizations, government and private practice. The panel will not have seen any of the applicant's materials so the applicant needs to be prepared to introduce themselves and give a brief description of their background. Interviews are scheduled for one hour and allow time for the applicant to ask questions.
 
Is anyone still in review? I know all the interviews are sent, but I hate waiting 😡
 
Thanks! that was helpful, I will use this to help with my preparation for my interview.

For you looking for advice on preping for the interview, i interviewed in 2009 and 2012, i scored 23 out of 25 points in 2009, obviously i don't know about 2012 yet but i used this site under the interview portion to get my prep questions. They want to see you pull from different experiences so I would pick 1-3 experiences that fit the theme of the question and that way i could answer however it was asked. Once i was comfortable with the questions from this site, i just googled behavioral questions and played around with them. Honestly, if you know yourself well you will do well! I also the below to help me get ideas of expereinces that could show i had what they were looking for! You will all do great!
The behavior-based interview looks at experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities and focuses on the following competencies.

Acts Autonomously and Confidently - Makes decisions independently when warranted; is capable of working on one’s own when necessary. Takes charge when circumstances warrant and makes difficult decisions. Respects the right and responsibility of others to make decisions that rightfully belong to them.

Demonstrates Integrity - Acts in a manner consistent with the principles of the veterinary profession and the courage of one’s convictions. Builds trust with others through daily actions and decisions; increases one’s credibility by treating others with respect. Makes principled decisions.

Demonstrates Adaptability and Resilience - Responds to competing demands or abrupt changes with a positive outlook. Stays optimistic and resilient in the face of adversity, change, and ambiguity. Uses a large repertoire of skills, experiences, and behaviors to handle a wide variety of challenges and opportunities.

Uses Sound Judgment - Makes decisions on the basis of logic, evidence, and sound professional judgment/experience/accepted practice. Seeks data when needed and investigates issues. Makes timely decisions based on one’s professional judgment, even when faced with ambiguity and imperfect data.

Thinks Innovatively - Seeks new ideas and weaves them together to create new approaches to problems/challenges. Mitigates future problems by anticipating trends and consequences, considering alternatives, possibilities and options, and applying systems-level thinking.

Communication skills will also be evaluated.

The two member interview panel consists of faculty and veterinarians from industry, organizations, government and private practice. The panel will not have seen any of the applicant's materials so the applicant needs to be prepared to introduce themselves and give a brief description of their background. Interviews are scheduled for one hour and allow time for the applicant to ask questions.
 
Thanks Cuit..

I'm sure you are right, anywhere you go you will find some great profs/some not so great, and same with the people. Anyone else have any input from my above post from gointovetschoo?? Thanks
 
Hey guys! So I have an interview on the 27! Does anyone know if there is a dinner or anything the night before? I don't remember reading anything saying that there was in my messages in the portal but I just want to make sure. Thank you in advance!
 
Hey guys! So I have an interview on the 27! Does anyone know if there is a dinner or anything the night before? I don't remember reading anything saying that there was in my messages in the portal but I just want to make sure. Thank you in advance!

Nope, no dinner the night before, just all the activities the day of your interview. Good luck!
 
Nope, no dinner the night before, just all the activities the day of your interview. Good luck!

Thanks! How was the interview? I've been reading some of the interview feedback questions and now I am getting slightly nervous. 😳
 
They will ask you 4 questions and they are identical to what's on the interview feedback. I just made a list of the general questions (sometimes combining a few if you could basically answer them the same way), came up with what life examples I could use for each one and that was it. I wouldn't prep too much because it could come off being forced. My interviewers were really nice and relaxed, it obviously can depend on who you get, but I didn't hear anyone come out saying they felt like they were getting grilled.
 
One more question. I'm from OOS, so I plan on flying into Des Moines airport and just driving to Ames. Where is a good place to stay, and are there hotels near the school?
 
Is anyone still in review? I know all the interviews are sent, but I hate waiting 😡

I'm still in committee review. How about you? I realize that it's past time to probably be receiving invites with the upcoming interview dates, but the status makes me hopeful.
 
I'm still in committee review. How about you? I realize that it's past time to probably be receiving invites with the upcoming interview dates, but the status makes me hopeful.

Me too! This is driving me nuts!
 
Don't lose hope! Just got an interview invitation today! It's this Sunday, so they said since it was such short notice we could do a Skype interview. Very considerate of them!
 
Don't lose hope! Just got an interview invitation today! It's this Sunday, so they said since it was such short notice we could do a Skype interview. Very considerate of them!

I am doing one too! Super nervous about it
 
So...anyone know where we go to register? Also, if my interview is at 1pm, then I register for the afternoon program starting at 12:30 right? Or does that mean I'm going to miss something?

I feel like I'm missing some information.
 
So...anyone know where we go to register? Also, if my interview is at 1pm, then I register for the afternoon program starting at 12:30 right? Or does that mean I'm going to miss something?

I feel like I'm missing some information.

They have all the information about the interviews on their website. I believe you would be in the afternoon interviews
 
Trying to come up with answers to past interview questions. Blanking. Trying to come up with questions for the interviewers. Stressing. Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh
 
Trying to come up with answers to past interview questions. Blanking. Trying to come up with questions for the interviewers. Stressing. Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh

Me too! Maybe having them ahead of time is bad... I keep overthinking my answers, trying to guess what they are looking for. uggg.
 
Anyone from NYC or nearby have an interview???🙂
I'm from the NYC metropolitan area (I live near the Hudson River, to the North). I am actually at ISU right now, staying in the Memorial Union Hotel. I'd recommend staying here if you can, they gave me a pretty good price and its right on the ISU Campus (not the Vet School Campus) so you can get a feel for the area. I took the Executive Express Shuttle instead of renting a car or w/e, and it was really easy. The vet school is only about a mile away, so walking there is not a problem.
 
Now I'm extra stressed about going to interview because my cat has the Panc and is hospitalized. She will be pet sat by a friend this weekend but I would rather be with her. I hate this, especially because there's not any concrete way to stop her from getting sick again.
 
I'm from the NYC metropolitan area (I live near the Hudson River, to the North). I am actually at ISU right now, staying in the Memorial Union Hotel. I'd recommend staying here if you can, they gave me a pretty good price and its right on the ISU Campus (not the Vet School Campus) so you can get a feel for the area. I took the Executive Express Shuttle instead of renting a car or w/e, and it was really easy. The vet school is only about a mile away, so walking there is not a problem.


Thanks! Let me know how the interview goes...mine is next sunday! 🙂
 
I'm from the NYC metropolitan area (I live near the Hudson River, to the North). I am actually at ISU right now, staying in the Memorial Union Hotel. I'd recommend staying here if you can, they gave me a pretty good price and its right on the ISU Campus (not the Vet School Campus) so you can get a feel for the area. I took the Executive Express Shuttle instead of renting a car or w/e, and it was really easy. The vet school is only about a mile away, so walking there is not a problem.
Just for clarification, Memorial Union is actually not walking distance from the Vet School (I walked... but I am going to take a taxi next time, it took around 35 minutes to walk).
 
Just noticed that my GPAs on the status page have changed to now include fall semester grades. Interesting.

And I sound like a crazy checking the status page when there's obviously not going to be any updates yet.
 
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