Minnesota

Veterinary School Application Advising Ad
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Mine is Sat the 8th ... so I'll post on how it goes. Also in the morning, so no freaking out all day. Kinda wondering about this whole "behavioral interview" thing ... any ideas or interpretations? Oh, I'm OOS too ... and for others who might be interested:

GPA (all) are around 3.3
GRE: 700 Q and 630 V

off the top of my head, I have no idea how much experience, but rough estimate:
400 SA
50 LA
500+ research (I work in a stem cell lab ... lots of mice)

I'm thinking I just cut by on the academic, and my subjective got me the interview ... no idea, just really excited.
 
The behavioral interview is exactly like those lists of questions that you can find if you google "behavioral interview". Here are the questions I remember being asked in 2006:

-tell us about a time when you had to come up with an innovative solution to a problem
-tell us about a time when you had to work with a difficult person
-tell us about the best presentation you ever made
-from a scientific viewpoint, what is it that draws you towards veterinary medicine?
-tell us about a time when you made a promise to someone that was really hard to keep
-sometimes it's hard to do what's right- tell us about one of those times, and how you stuck to your convictions
-tell us about a crisis that you were involved in and how you handled it
-tell us about a goal that you worked really hard to acheive, despite distractions or setbacks
-tell us about a goal that you failed to achieve

They started with an introductory discussion about why you're interested in vet med, what type of medicine you think you'd like to go in to, etc- but the majority of the interview consisted of the behavioral-type questions.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions!
 
My interview is on the 23rd... I am really going to have to think hard about how I'm going to answer those Q's...!
 
StealthDog said:
The behavioral interview is exactly like those lists of questions that you can find if you google "behavioral interview". Here are the questions I remember being asked in 2006:

-tell us about a time when you had to come up with an innovative solution to a problem
-tell us about a time when you had to work with a difficult person
-tell us about the best presentation you ever made
-from a scientific viewpoint, what is it that draws you towards veterinary medicine?
-tell us about a time when you made a promise to someone that was really hard to keep
-sometimes it's hard to do what's right- tell us about one of those times, and how you stuck to your convictions
-tell us about a crisis that you were involved in and how you handled it
-tell us about a goal that you worked really hard to acheive, despite distractions or setbacks
-tell us about a goal that you failed to achieve

They started with an introductory discussion about why you're interested in vet med, what type of medicine you think you'd like to go in to, etc- but the majority of the interview consisted of the behavioral-type questions.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions!
Click to expand...

D'oh! Where were those questions when I was practicing for my Iowa one? They asked me many of those, and I could really have used to have thought about the creative solution one ahead of time. That one threw me. I talked about something anyhow, but I'm not sure how creative it was. I tried to spin it at the end, though, to fit the question. Fingers crossed that it worked!😀
 
am really going to have to think hard about how I'm going to answer those Q's...!
Click to expand...

The way they did it at my interview was that each interviewer had a big packet of questions, two or three questions per page. As they flipped through, they picked one question per page to ask me. So, my interview could have been completely different from someone else's!

Don't be too nervous, the interviewers are all really nice and no one tries to make you squirm or rush or anything. It's not exactly fun, but it's not too scary either. 🙂
 
I was told my letter went out JANUARY 8th and they couldn't tell me anything over the phone!:scared: Nothing like not having a clue...
 
I was told my letter went out JANUARY 8th and they couldn't tell me anything over the phone!:scared: Nothing like not having a clue...
 
I found out that the letter I missed from January 8th was one saying I was missing a transcript and nearly kept me from the entire application process! Luckily it got figured out now. 😳 I guess I still have a chance...
 
If they wanted to see your first semester transcripts, they must be interested. Otherwise, wouldn't they have just sent a rejection, instead of a nice letter asking for you to send them in? 🙂
 
First of all, good luck to everyone who has interviews coming up!! :luck: I know StealthDog and seaturtlegirl have already said similar things, but I just wanted to let you know you can also PM me with any questions/freaking out/comments etc. etc. I'm currently a first year student at MN, and reading through all these posts it's all coming back how it felt a year ago when my interview was coming up (Feb. 9th will be the 1 year "anniversary" 🙂). One word of advice: don't forget your suit at home like I did when you're flying out the night before your interview so that you have to get up really early the day of your interview and try to go find a new one. 😉

Finally, like seaturtlegirl I'll be helping give tours etc. on the interview weekends, so I look forward to meeting you guys! 🙂
 
I'm staying at the Radisson University Motel. What's the best/easiest/fastest/cheapest/etc. way to get to the interview?
Can't rent a car.
 
I think that's the hotel on the Minneapolis campus. In that case, there's a bus (free) that runs to the St. Paul campus where the vet center is.
 
msmrtrthnyllb said:
I'm staying at the Radisson University Motel. What's the best/easiest/fastest/cheapest/etc. way to get to the interview?
Can't rent a car.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming that's the one on Washington near the U. You can simple hop on a campus connector bus (a big maroon and white bus that says "CAMPUS CONNECTOR" on it and is free to public and college students). It shuttles people back and forth from the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Campuses.

As you exit the Radisson from the front (an Applebee's will be on your left and a starbucks on your right), take a right and cross the street to the corner with a coffee shop called "Expresso Expose". Cross Harvard Street and you'll see a bus stop shelter. It will probably be full of kids, it's a popular stop (It is in front of a building called Moos Towers). Just wait for any campus connector (some say limited stops, I'm not sure where they stop anymore, I haven't had to use that bus service in two years thanks to my Peugeot. ). You can enter the bus from the front or back, since it's free. Make sure you're going east, not west! The bus will have 5 or six stops before you'll want to get off. You'll cross over onto the Saint Paul campus, and depending on where you need to be (I'm assuming the Pomeroy Student Center), you can get off on the Gortner/Buford stop.

Here's a map so you'll know where to walk to.
http://www1.umn.edu/pts/maps/spcc.htm
 
RaptorRehaber said:
I'm assuming that's the one on Washington near the U. You can simple hop on a campus connector bus (a big maroon and white bus that says "CAMPUS CONNECTOR" on it and is free to public and college students). It shuttles people back and forth from the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Campuses.

As you exit the Radisson from the front (an Applebee's will be on your left and a starbucks on your right), take a right and cross the street to the corner with a coffee shop called "Expresso Expose". Cross Harvard Street and you'll see a bus stop shelter. It will probably be full of kids, it's a popular stop (It is in front of a building called Moos Towers). Just wait for any campus connector (some say limited stops, I'm not sure where they stop anymore, I haven't had to use that bus service in two years thanks to my Peugeot. ). You can enter the bus from the front or back, since it's free. Make sure you're going east, not west! The bus will have 5 or six stops before you'll want to get off. You'll cross over onto the Saint Paul campus, and depending on where you need to be (I'm assuming the Pomeroy Student Center), you can get off on the Gortner/Buford stop.

Here's a map so you'll know where to walk to.
http://www1.umn.edu/pts/maps/spcc.htm
Click to expand...
Thank you very very much.
 
You're so welcome! Most people are intimidated or overwhelmed by our Minneapolis campus being in a metro location, especially out of state drivers (boo! 😉) but I, personally, prefer bussing or biking to get anywhere in Saint Paul or Minneapolis. The U built a buss/bike only bridge and connecting road between the two campuses which is great for cyclists who don't want to deal with kids on mountain bikes or stupid drivers. I hope you have a great time, I can't stress my love for these two cities enough, although my heart will always be in Saint Paul, we move a little slower (and friendlier) here.
 
msmrtrthnyllb said:
I'm staying at the Radisson University Motel. What's the best/easiest/fastest/cheapest/etc. way to get to the interview?
Can't rent a car.
Click to expand...

RaptorRehaber gave you excellent directions! Just wanted to let you know, too, that if you'd prefer to not take the Campus Connector, I think they (the school) are trying to arrange rides for the out of state students who need it. Just a thought -- good luck! :luck:
 
hey msmrtrthnyllb, when are you interviewing? Just wondering ...
 
Guess I'll see you there then! Yay!
 
Anybody else interviewing with me on the weekend of 2/15 + 2/16?
 
I interview on 02/23... and am staying at Days Inn University in Minneapolis. I'm flying into MSP (lindbergh terminal)... we were planning to take the lightrail to get as close to our hotel as possible, then take a cab. I think Days Inn is one of those that don't offer a shuttle to the St. Paul portion of the campus.. any other ideas on the best way to get to campus? besides cab? Thanks!

=)
 
adOggy07 said:
I interview on 02/23... and am staying at Days Inn University in Minneapolis. I'm flying into MSP (lindbergh terminal)... we were planning to take the lightrail to get as close to our hotel as possible, then take a cab. I think Days Inn is one of those that don't offer a shuttle to the St. Paul portion of the campus.. any other ideas on the best way to get to campus? besides cab? Thanks!

=)
Click to expand...

That's super easy. Just walk behind your hotel! Walk out the door closest to 25th Ave SE (the side facing The Leaning Tower of Pizza, which has really great 2-4-1's from 4:30-6pm every day!) and walk towards the parking lots behind University Village and your hotel (the apartments above, around the leaning tower) and go left towards the "Bus only road" parallel to University.

http://www1.umn.edu/pts/maps/ebcc.htm

That's the map. A campus connector will pick you up at the bus shelter. I lived in University Village two years ago, my window actually faced Days Inn, aside from the violent neon signs glaring in on me every night, it's a really convenient place to get on and off the campus connectors. Once on the connect just follow the advice I gave the other person about the Saint Paul campus.
 
msmrtrthnyllb said:
Assume I'm an idiot. How cold is it there, really?
I'm Floridian, born and raised.
Click to expand...

Ever see the movie Fargo? They say the MN accent is from it being too cold to let the words get too far from your throat, lest your tongue should freeze. I wouldn't assume you're an idiot, just in for a big surprise.
 
msmrtrthnyllb said:
Assume I'm an idiot. How cold is it there, really?
I'm Floridian, born and raised.
Click to expand...

Right now it's an awesome temperature (from a cyclist perspective) of 32 degrees. It's snowing gross heavy wet snow right now but it shouldn't stick around. We've had really bizarre weather lately (40 one day, -12 the next).

Bring clothes for cold winter weather and maybe fallish weather to be comfortable. (For someone who doesn't embrace the cold like we do).
 
Anyone know how many people (IS/OOS) that MN interviews?
 
Stalker that I am, I actually counted the number of people from the OOS list of interview dates and times, and came up with about 180. Which is less than their stated 230, but hey, better chances for those of us going, I suppose. I have no idea IS though ...
 
From a New Yorker's perspective - yep. It's WAAAYYY too cold (though not so much today). That said, I think it's worth every bit of frostbite and -40...I love it!!!! 👍
 
wi girl said:
Stalker that I am, I actually counted the number of people from the OOS list of interview dates and times, and came up with about 180. Which is less than their stated 230, but hey, better chances for those of us going, I suppose. I have no idea IS though ...
Click to expand...

I'd do the same thing (counting numbers)! Is it 230 TOTAL that they interview?
 
I counted the OOS numbers too, and also got 180...I'm a stalker too!
 
carrbear21 said:
I'd do the same thing (counting numbers)! Is it 230 TOTAL that they interview?
Click to expand...

I'd say that 230 isn't total, because that's ... (pause for mental math here) 60 for in-state, which is effectively their IS class, isn't it? Maybe they say 230 as a max, but really liked only 180 this year? 🙂 And that potentially came out really poorly, sorry. Umm ...

I think the better question is when are we going to get decisions? I've heard "
We will be notifying students via mail, either way, during the first or
second week of March."

From Karen, but I'm also the girl who heard that from WI, and then two hours later got an email stating that WI decisions will be out March 3rd ... so apparently I don't have the "please tell me things" mojo per say.
 
Are there any MN'ers that have the list for resident interviews that could tell us how many were on there? Does it matter really for us OOS folks? Last year there were 36 non-resident accepted so if 180 is the magic number then there is 1 spot for every 5 interviewees. Yikes!
 
I don't think IS numbers matter for OOS applicants; they seem pretty determined to keep the number at 36 or so. But I am curious to see how many they interviewed. 1 in 5 isn't too terrible, is it?
 
Too true. But that's better than the original 1 in 25, pre interview (rough estimate).
 
180 OOS apps for 36 seats.... [sigh]. this makes me feel sad! :scared:
 
VelcroSky said:
Are there any MN'ers that have the list for resident interviews that could tell us how many were on there? Does it matter really for us OOS folks? Last year there were 36 non-resident accepted so if 180 is the magic number then there is 1 spot for every 5 interviewees. Yikes!
Click to expand...


Okay, I admit, I've been doing this same obsessive numbers game (and was one of the people counting the OOS spreadsheet!), and I'm thinking they have to accept more than 36 people to fill 36 spots due to those who decline admission....so we're looking at *slightly* better than 20%, right?? 🙂
 
I'm going to jump on MnInIl's bandwagon (yay for better stats!). I love, also, that we are all interviewing, and we're all anal enough to count the number of other people interviewing. I wonder if they like a particular type of candidate?? 🙂 I have to believe that not EVERYONE does that ....
 
yep, they sure do. see pg 31 of their most recent AVMA Self Study report:
http://www.cvm.umn.edu/img/assets/8965/AVMA Report.pdf


MnInIl said:
Okay, I admit, I've been doing this same obsessive numbers game (and was one of the people counting the OOS spreadsheet!), and I'm thinking they have to accept more than 36 people to fill 36 spots due to those who decline admission....so we're looking at *slightly* better than 20%, right?? 🙂
Click to expand...
 
For those who don't want to look in the doc posted, in 2006, 84 offers were made OOS. Quick math tells me that we're competing 1 out of slightly less than 3. Hmmm ...

PS: I am now looking for similar data on WI (my other choice, really) and have found something new to obsess over, instead of writing my thesis outline. Take that (!) Office of Undergraduate Biology!!
 
I am interviewing at Minnesota this Saturday and am planning on attending the pizza party and tour of the equine center on friday. What type of attire does everyone feel is acceptable for the tour and party on the day before the interview? Jeans, tennis shoes? Dress pants/dress shirt? :idea:

I am obviously overthinking everything so someone please give me their input. :laugh:
 
Oooh! I'm interviewing this weekend too!! Yay! I'm Caroline, blonde, and (for the pizza party) will be wearing jeans, ugg slipper mocs, oxford button-up and a sweater vest (i.e. what I wear to class). Since what I just wrote sounds like a personal ad, I'll put in that I also like walks on the beach and pina coladas.

In general, I'd say casual-smart. I'm not going on the equine tour though (no interest in horses, and i'm flying in at 4:30). After chatting with some of the 1st years that will be there (thank you all!!) they seem pretty laid back -- some are even thinking of grabbing some drinks afterwards, which i think is a great idea. get rid of anxiety, thank you!

Edit: I seem to be taking over the MN and WI threads -- sorry sorry sorry! However, if someone can find me WI's AVMA self report, I would be so indebted to you (I can't find it anywhere, someone really needs to work on WI site). Thanks!
 
For those of you coming to MN this weekend-- weather is looking a wee bit colder than we've had since our last cold spell... -2/4 on Saturday and -10/10 on Sunday and no snow until late Sunday.

Hopefully you don't need to spend much time outside when you're here because when it's -2 it's f-in cold here with the windchill!

On the plus side NO SNOW!😀
 
But do you like getting caught in the rain? ha ha ha

I will be there the next weekend since VA-MD is this week, sorry I will miss the SDN par-tay. I actually thought about adding up all the numbers on the spreadsheet but didn't bother, since I knew one of you would do it. No lie.

And for the those not accustomed to those temps, the secret is layering. I felt like I spent most of my undergrad years removing and donning layers of clothing. Wow that sounded bad.
 
I do, in fact, like getting caught in the rain -- especially when I have my cute rainboots on (in ithaca, there are very few days when it is NOT precipitating).

Good luck on your interview at Va-Md! Hopefully it'll be a good weekend for all of us!
 
Good luck to all the MN interviewees this weekend, just save a spot for me next week!
 
thanks for the link runnerDC! it was really informative! now I know... 86 OOS apps were offered positions... ahhh...

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE INTERVIEWING ON THE FIRST WEEKEND!!! 😀

also... runnerDC.. are there similar reports for other schools? if so... where can I find the links? thanks!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

supershorty
Minnesota 2025-2026 (c/o 2030 hopefuls)
2
Replies
60
Views
6K
labcoatcore
labcoatcore
supershorty
Minnesota 2024-2025 (c/o 2029 hopefuls)
6 7 8 9 10
Replies
493
Views
63K
indysadventures
indysadventures
KaraF16
Minnesota vs Auburn
Replies
5
Views
967
Georgethecat
Georgethecat
PlumPoppy
University of Minnesota c/o 2028
2 3 4 5 6
Replies
272
Views
40K
sharb
S
pyrmom89
Wisconsin vs. Washington vs. Minnesota
Replies
3
Views
893
supershorty
supershorty
Top Bottom