Late evaluation, need advice

[LyraGardenia]

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So for those of you who haven't been following my situation in the c/o 2020 applicants thread, basically one of my three evaluators waited until the night of the deadline to try to submit, and I guess there was some kind of VMCAS glitch (shocking, I know), and he kept trying to submit for around 45 minutes but it wouldn't go through. And I only requested three evaluations, so that leaves my app incomplete. :/ I talked to someone at VMCAS who basically said there's nothing they can do, and it's up to the schools if they'll accept the letter, but that they will verify my coursework even with the missing letter.

I finally talked to all of the schools I applied to today, and most of them (Illinois, K-State, Midwestern, and SGU) said it shouldn't be a problem for him to email the letter to them. The bad news is my in-state, Mizzou, said nope, sorry. 🙁 I wasn't surprised, because I found a list on VMCAS's website from last year of schools that won't accept late evaluations under any circumstances, and they were on it. But it still really sucks, and I don't know what to do now. I'm a third-time applicant, and I'd already decided this would be my last time applying. I just can't handle going through a fourth year of all this stress and waiting and putting my life on hold.

The thought of OOS tuition scares me, but I was willing to take it on if Mizzou rejected me a third time. This, however, was out of my control (although in hindsight, yes, requesting a fourth evaluator and/or giving my evaluators an earlier deadline would have been a good idea). I don't know if I'd be willing to potentially take on OOS debt without being able to apply IS as well. But at the same time I've already put so much time and money into this cycle, so I hate to just give up. So I guess I'm just wondering what you all would do if you were in my situation? Have him send the letter to the OOS schools and see what happens, or accept that vet school must just not be meant to be and move on?

 

[katashark]

Just send the letter to all the schools even though your IS said no. Send it to someone anyway. Yeah, it's the fault of VMCAS, but there's nothing that can be done about that now. I wouldn't give up on your dream of going to vet school just because you might have to go OOS or because something didn't get in on time. You've already waited 3 years. You could also just assume that your IS is a rejection and move on to the OOS prospects. Debt is debt, you'll be in it anyways and your life is still going to work out just fine 🙂 🙂 best of luck to you and whatever you decide. But I would still just send it to everyone in your IS office anyways. I wouldn't accept that vet school is not an option, you do have your OOS options!! Don't give up now 🙂

 

[dyachei]

you've already paid for the applications. I would see the app cycle through

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

Send it to all of them, be persistent. Just maybe they'll be lenient or still look at your app without all 3 and you might still get in. They might even appreciate your persistence.
You've worked hard, it's worth a try.

 

[missdarjeeling]

If I were you, I'd have him send the letter ASAP. Sending it gives you options. You don't need to decide right this second whether you'd want to take on OOS tuition. You have plenty of time to consider all of that before you'd ever need to make a real decision either way. But if you don't have him send the letter now, you're making a final decision that you can't take back. Having the letter sent doesn't mean you're absolutely going to take on OOS tuition and debt, but not sending it means cutting off all your options and having your fees go to waste.

 

[deleted676737]

I agree with everyone else so far. You've already spent hundreds of dollars applying this year... it would be a real shame if that went to waste because you chose to not apply at all. Clearly, you have options with the other schools that said they would accept the late letter. If you want vet school that badly and are okay with taking OOS tuition, I would at least see the cycle through and have him send the letter. It's up to you whether or not you decide to pass it along to Mizzou (I know Kathy said no, but if you persist and calmly explain what happened, well, you never know; they could change their minds in light of the circumstances), but I would continue with the other schools you're applying to this year and just see how things play out.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I think I will have him go ahead and send the letter, although I don't know about sending it to Mizzou as well. Kathy was sympathetic given the circumstances, but firm that they would not accept the late evaluation, and that I was out of luck without three evals.

I think I'm just so stressed and exhausted with this app cycle already, and it's bringing up all the doubts I had about applying this year in the first place. I don't know how much longer I can stand working both of my current jobs, and I want to feel like my life is going somewhere already. It's tempting to bow out, but you guys are right that wasting close to $1000 would be silly. I need to talk to my parents and my boyfriend, too, and get their input. My dad especially has had kind of an attitude that it's Mizzou or bust, and it would be reckless of me to go OOS and take on around twice as much debt.

 

[Gwenevre]

I still think that even if Kathy has said "no no no," it won't hurt to give it one last shot, including a letter explaining your circumstance. I understand Mizzou's policies, but this was majorly a fault of the VMCAS system, and I don't understand how something that out of your hands can shot your opportunity in the foot.

 

[Caiter92]

I would send the letter to all the schools as well, even if ultimately you end up not accepting an OOS offer in the end. You've already spent the money, and I think you should see the cycle through. Good luck! I hope Mizzou changes their mind. It's a really sucky circumstance.

 

[pp9]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I think I will have him go ahead and send the letter, although I don't know about sending it to Mizzou as well. Kathy was sympathetic given the circumstances, but firm that they would not accept the late evaluation, and that I was out of luck without three evals.

I think I'm just so stressed and exhausted with this app cycle already, and it's bringing up all the doubts I had about applying this year in the first place. I don't know how much longer I can stand working both of my current jobs, and I want to feel like my life is going somewhere already. It's tempting to bow out, but you guys are right that wasting close to $1000 would be silly. I need to talk to my parents and my boyfriend, too, and get their input. My dad especially has had kind of an attitude that it's Mizzou or bust, and it would be reckless of me to go OOS and take on around twice as much debt.

It might be a longshot, but is there any way you can get VMCAS to verify that there was a glitch? Perhaps provide documentation? I know they won't likely help you much, but it's worth a try. VMCAS absolutely knows things went wrong left and right. It'd be wrong for them not to help you at this point.

 

[dyachei]

VMCAS absolutely knows things went wrong left and right. It'd be wrong for them not to help you at this point.

And yet, I wouldn't put it past them...I mean, they already have her money

 

[LyraGardenia]

It might be a longshot, but is there any way you can get VMCAS to verify that there was a glitch? Perhaps provide documentation? I know they won't likely help you much, but it's worth a try. VMCAS absolutely knows things went wrong left and right. It'd be wrong for them not to help you at this point.

I'm on hold with them right now. It's been over 20 minutes and they still haven't even told me I'm fourth in line or whatever. I'd say they need to hire more reps, but then they'd probably just make us pay them more.

 

[rockatiel]

Don't give up Lyra! Whether you go to your in state or SGU, you still have a DVM at the end of the day.

 

[katashark]

Plus you can join me at SGU!

 

[LyraGardenia]

Sure enough, I talked to someone at VMCAS and there's nothing they can do for me. They said if he had called them at the time they may have been able to work with him, but he never even contacted me to let me know he had issues, so that's aggravating. On top of that, I got incorrect information from the first person I talked to at VMCAS, and they won't actually verify my coursework with the missing eval. Luckily I only have one transcript, so according to VMCAS it shouldn't be an issue, and hopefully that won't come back to bite me. Ugh, I'm not even surprised, the first woman I talked to sounded very unsure and confused.

 

[pp9]

Sure enough, I talked to someone at VMCAS and there's nothing they can do for me. They said if he had called them at the time they may have been able to work with him, but he never even contacted me to let me know he had issues, so that's aggravating. On top of that, I got incorrect information from the first person I talked to at VMCAS, and they won't actually verify my coursework with the missing eval. Luckily I only have one transcript, so according to VMCAS it shouldn't be an issue, and hopefully that won't come back to bite me. Ugh, I'm not even surprised, the first woman I talked to sounded very unsure and confused.

But if the hotline was closed when he tried to submit....

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. This is the icing on the cake. They know they're selling a pile of crap for an app service and aren't taking any responsibility for the hell they put applicants through this year

 

[LyraGardenia]

But if the hotline was closed when he tried to submit....

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. This is the icing on the cake. They know they're selling a pile of crap for an app service and aren't taking any responsibility for the hell they put applicants through this year

They did offer extended Customer Support hours the night of the deadline. Not sure if that was a new thing for this year, or just how extended the hours were. I also don't know exactly what time on the 15th he tried submitting. I talked to one of the receptionists at his clinic rather than him directly, so I didn't really get the chance to ask questions.

 

[rockatiel]

VMCAS hotlines were open until 11ET

 

[Jess Monster]

I think the extended hours were a new thing this year. In the past, the deadline has been in the middle of the day during normal business hours.

 

[LyraGardenia]

I think the extended hours were a new thing this year. In the past, the deadline has been in the middle of the day during normal business hours.

Ah, of course. Stress makes me forgetful. 😛