Number of Schools to apply to?

[Bee19]

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Just out of curiosity, whats the average number of Vet Schools that people apply to? Whats too much, too little?

Thanks!

 

[DVMorBust]

I think I saw 3.9 quoted as the average recently...although I don't remember where from...

 

[Bee19]

really 4? I've heard such high numbers from different people...

I guess it varies person to person based on their stats

 

[ZooNose]

I've seen everything on this thread, from 14 or more schools to 1 school only. Some people have been asked by admissions committees why they applied to a large number of schools, and others didn't (like myself).

 

[DVMorBust]

really 4? I've heard such high numbers from different people...

I guess it varies person to person based on their stats

There's a lot of people who apply to many schools, and a lot of people who only apply state school. So, I don't know how many people apply to 4 only. I applied to 3 myself.

 

[sumstorm]

I applied to 5. I couldn't apply to several due to the age of my classes. Sometimes pre-reqs will rule out several.

 

[shortnsweet]

I applied to 12...10 in the US and 2 in Europe (Glasgow and Dublin)

 

[VAgirl]

I applied to 6 schools.

I'll bet the average of 4 schools is representative of many people applying to 1 (in state) and many people applying to a good handful of schools (maybe 7-10+). Just like DVMorBust suggested. We're guessing here, but remember that the average is just that...an average, not a statement that everyone applies to 4.

 

[bakaduin]

I would guess that 4 is a pretty accurate average. In my experience most people apply to about 3-7 schools with a smaller amount applying only to 1 or 2 or applying to 8+. You will hear plenty of rumors over what is appropriate but I imagine they are exaggerations and only the vet admissions boards know for sure what they look for. An example is some say applying to only 1 school you lower your chances because the school knows your really dedicated and can get you the next go round. Another example is people say if you apply to 10+ schools the admissions boards gets weary that your just trying to throw out darts and hope one sticks. Id say neither of these are true.

My advice to you is to go on a school by school basis and think if that was the only school you got into would you be willing to attend. For me that meant only applying to 1 school, my in state, because I knew if I got denied from there and into another I wouldn't have gone.

 

[DVMorBust]

my advice to you is to go on a school by school basis and think if that was the only school you got into would you be willing to attend.

a+

 

[tpad40]

I got a lot of opinions on this when I was applying. Some people found it ridiculous to apply to more than 3, others thought I should apply anywhere and everywhere. Obviously, it is expensive to add schools on VMCAS so I think it is a good idea to be somewhat conservative on the number.

I applied to 7 or 8 schools (I think 7 in the end because I never turned in a supplement to one, I actually forgot about it 😎). I did get asked at one of my schoools where else I had applied and it was a little awkward, but they really didn't seem disturbed by it.

I would say if you have a legitimate reason for applying somewhere, then you should. I only applied to schools that I would happily go to if it were the only place I got accepted!

 

[kiki1983]

First VMCAS cycle: 4 schools

Second VMCAS: 5 schools

Third VMCAS: 12 schools (10 US schools, and 2 international)

I applied to so many my last time around because it was my big push... my all or nothing moment (heh, even though I would have applied a 4th time had I not been accepted)... I would never apply to so many schools ever again... aside from how EXPENSIVE it was to apply to 12 schools, the amount of work and organization needed to successfully complete requirements for all 12 schools was absolutely insane!!!

 

[OnceBitten]

I applied to five schools. When I first joined SDN, I was shocked to see just how many people applied to more than that, as I had been convinced originally that 5 was way too many LOL.

My advice to you is to go on a school by school basis and think if that was the only school you got into would you be willing to attend.

I have to third this advice and add some more. Only apply to schools which you would be willing to travel to for interviews. The expense doesn't end with the submission of the VMCAS application, and if you apply to schools which require a substantial amount of travel expenses if you receive an interview invitation, you may find that you've wasted application fees and time applying when you can't afford to attend certain interviews. Just something to keep in mind. There are schools that simply don't interview or that don't interview out of state students, but I wouldn't recommend specifically applying to those over the others to get around this expense either, since it'll be quite a bit harder to sell youself solely on paper (at least in my opinion).

 

[sunnex3]

personally, i've heard that 4-6 is the best amount (this is what has been recommended to me by several people)

but definitely it's on a case by case basis - if you can realistically see yourself going to school there, then apply. don't apply JUST to apply - apply because you like the program there and you definitely see yourself living there for at least 4 years.

at least, that's how i'm trying to decide on my list of schools.

 

[redsteven]

if you can realistically see yourself going to school there, then apply. don't apply JUST to apply - apply because you like the program there and you definitely see yourself living there for at least 4 years.

at least, that's how i'm trying to decide on my list of schools.

I concur.

Also remember that it's gonna cost more money to apply to more schools (though it's not THAT significant an amount if you compare it to the actual cost of vet school), and you're gonna have to leave yourself more time to complete applications if you apply to a lot of schools, since all of them are of course going to ask you slightly DIFFERENT essay questions lol

I applied to 4 schools: Cornell (my in-state), Tufts, UPenn, and Ross.

 

[Pistol Pete]

If I was to do it again, I would start with the list of schools where I could gain in-state residency and of course, your in-state school. If you used that criteria, you proabably wouldn't have more than 6.

PP

 

[kayakman28]

AAVMC reports that 3.9 is the average number of applications per applicant.

Personally, I applied to 4 (right on average).

I looked at each school and did some major decision making prior to applications. I don't necessarily have a "top choice" because I only applied to my top choices.

The curator at the zoo I worked for told me: "if you are looking at 5 schools, apply to 10." Really - apply wherever you feel like you see yourself going! Don't get bogged down by an "average" or anything like that. It is an average because everyone is different, and each have their own reason applying where they did!!!

 

[ckgilabert]

i applied to 8 schools. i forget my total cost for everything but i spent over $1,000 in applications, supplementals, GRE and sending schools my transcripts (from 3 schools that i've been to).

i can try editing this tomorrow or this weekend with the exact cost. 🙂

 

[Skillet9886]

I applied to 3 schools: UF (In State), Kansas State, and Ohio State.

I agree about only applying to schools you'd be willing to go to. Of course, if I applied to 28 schools and got into 1, I'd go. The way that I narrowed schools down was by objectively trying to determine my chances of getting in. I didn't apply to any schools just "to see if I'd get in." As everyone's said, this application process isn't cheap. When you add up application costs, GRE (and sending scores), supplemental fees, sending transcripts, and costs associated with interviews, it gets really expensive.

Not gonna lie, there are some days that I wish I had applied to more "reach" schools, since I got into both out of state schools I applied to (and we'll see next week if I got 3-for-3!). But in October, everything seemed like a reach school. I thought for sure I'd get rejected from at least one, if not all three schools. The only reason I now wish I'd applied somewhere like Cornell, UC Davis, etc. is to see where the cut off would be for me, if that makes sense. If I had to do it over, though, I still wouldn't apply to those schools, because I still don't think I'd get in, and that would be spending money just to make myself depressed.

Anyway, I'm rambling. The point is, I applied to Kansas State and Ohio State because both schools seemed to take a relatively high number of out of state students, so I figured they gave me the best chance outside of UF, and they were both in areas that I could see myself living for 4 years.

 

[Bee19]

Thanks for all the great advice!

I'm definitely going to apply to schools that I would be happy at for 4 years, but I also want to optimize my chances of being admitted (if that can even be optimized!) I don't have an in state school so I'm also looking for schools that seem to admit more out of state people, like kansas or ohio.

I've heard more or less the same averages, anywhere between 3-7 depending on grades, tuition and a whole bunch of other factors!

thanks again, I really appreciate the input!

😀

 

[jglovicz]

I applied to 12 schools. This is my second time applying and I didn't want to apply a 3rd. I was accepted to 2, listed as an alternate at 2 and I'm still waiting to hear from some. I did apply to a lot of schools that don't take many OOS applicants, but you never know. As someone else mentioned, the +$1000 it costs is just a drop in the ocean when you consider the cost of tuition.

 

[projekt]

I applied to two schools, and was rejected from one long before letters came out for the my in-state school. That sucked, and was a huge blow to my mental state. I recommend not applying to more than the number of in-state schools you can apply to, unless you are applying to one that is highly likely to accept you or that you really, really want to go to, and will go to instead of your in-state school.

 

[BayleeVet2B]

I applied to 5 schools, 2 were contract schools, 2 with good zoo med programs and 1 "just because". I had originally planned on several more, but Projekt gave me good advice (pretty much the advice he posted above) and I trimmed the list. It was GREAT advice because I got interviews at 3 schools (1 doesn't interview) and accepted to 2!

The thing that I have discovered to be true is to look at what schools accept what type of students. It seems to me that there are schools that definitely look more at GPA/GRE (which was better for me) and those that look more at experience (which I didn't have quite as much of!). If you're trying to "better your chances", try to match with the schools that will work better with your strength, of course matching with one that you could see yourself attending for 4 years or the one that is best for your interests.

 

[BlistexWorks]

I applied to 10 schools. UF was my IS school, Massey was my international school. It was my first year applying and I got into 8 of the 10 (waitlisted at the remaining 2). If I had to do it all over again, I would have only applied to 5 schools the first year. It would save a lot of money and if you don't get in anywhere the first year then you know what to do to make your application stronger and perhaps apply to a few more or less the next year. I ended up spending about $1700 to apply to 10 schools, including GRE scores, transcripts, postage, etc.

 

[incendium04]

There aren't too many or too little to apply to (unless you can apply to more schools than exist or zero), IMHO. I applied to 12 because I wasn't going to apply the next matriculation and was going to wait 2 years. Honestly, I didn't think I had a good chance of getting in so I applied to all the schools I was interested in going to or had a chance of letting me in. Imagine my shock when I got 4 acceptances and 3 wait lists. 😱

It irked me to have my mom say, "which school are you most likely to get into?"
Me: "NONE!"

At any rate, I know a vet who applied to ALL schools. Seriously.

 

[projekt]

Projekt gave me good advice (pretty much the advice he posted above) and I trimmed the list.

Awesome 🙂 I wonder sometimes if I'm just writing to gratify myself.... Apparently not!

 

[jglovicz]

I also know people who applied to ALL of the schools. I guess I agree with the idea that when chances are so slim (and sometimes it seems like such a crapshoot), why not spend the money to apply...in the big picture, you never know (esp. if you aren't the strongest candidate), who might decide to give you a try. Now, I'm not saying to apply to all schools. I applied to all the states that I thought I'd be happy living in (and I didn't apply to the schools that I didn't think I had any chance of being accepted). It's a personal decision, but I do know candidates who apply +3 times and only apply to 1 school at a time...and still haven't been accepted. It's whatever you decide is best for your situation