Questions about WesternU's College of Veterinary Medicine

[WUDVMAdmissions]

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Greetings from WesternU!

My name is Karen and I work in the Admissions Office at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. Since the application process for the class entering in fall 2011 has launched, I want to let you know that I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about the process or about WesternU's College of Veterinary Medicine. Please feel free to ask me questions here on the forum, send me a private message or email me at [email protected].

I'm looking forward to assisting you in the application process!

Karen Hutton-Lopez
WesternU Admissions
[email protected]
http://prospective.westernu.edu/

 

[No Imagination]

Wow - Its great to see someone from Administration using SDN to answer specific questions.

However, you may want to ask a Mod to move this to the pre-veterinary forum. A lot of pre-vets don't often read the "veterinary student" forums nearly as often (we are kinda slow). A mod may even sticky it if its popular!

Nice move, making this post.

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

Greetings from WesternU!

My name is Karen and I work in the Admissions Office at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California. Since there are often many questions as you prepare to apply to graduate school, I want to let you know that I'd be happy to answer any questions you have about our application process or about WesternU's College of Veterinary Medicine. Please feel free to ask me questions here on the forum, send me a private message or email me at [email protected].

I'm looking forward to assisting you in achieving your goals!

Karen Hutton-Lopez
WesternU Admissions
[email protected]
http://prospective.westernu.edu/

 

[nyanko]

Hi and welcome! I can only speak for myself, but I love to see admissions staff come around here and offer help/answer questions for people!!

So thanks. 🙂

 

[xxalic3xx]

It is awesome to see admission staff here!
I am applying this cycle and Western U is my top choice 🙂
This is just so great!
Thank you for your help, Karen!!

 

[squibby]

Hi! I have a specific question about Western's curriculum, if you wouldn't mind.
How do students learn the basics, such as cytology and anatomy, within the PBL model?

 

[HopefulAg]

Woo woo! I really enjoyed my visit to Western and went in with a bit of a....low estimation of the school, I guess. Came away very impressed though. Was ultimately accepted and would've gone (PBL sounds right up my alley) but for the high tuition costs. 🙁

Glad to see some admissions folks here though. We rarely get them and makes me jealous of the pre-allos.

 

[TrocarKarin]

Hi! I have a specific question about Western's curriculum, if you wouldn't mind.
How do students learn the basics, such as cytology and anatomy, within the PBL model?

I'm only 2 weeks in, so don't count me as an expert or anything. 🙂

We have anatomy lab scheduled for 2 times a week (plus we can go in and work on our dogs in our free time.) Each PBL group is assigned a dog and a cat, and we're expected to learn the anatomy of the area that pertains to our case each week. Some of it is "here's a book and a dog, have at it," but there are 4 anatomists that will circulate through the lab, and help you identify things, and kind of guide you if you need it.

We also have information in the lab about the histology of each case, and about the types of cells involved, and have the opportunity to look at slides that relate.

We then have a completely seperate class called molecular and cellular biology, where we're given a research paper each week, and we have to write a synopsis of the cellular biology behind it, and how it pertains to our case.

 

[squibby]

I'm only 2 weeks in, so don't count me as an expert or anything. 🙂

We have anatomy lab scheduled for 2 times a week (plus we can go in and work on our dogs in our free time.) Each PBL group is assigned a dog and a cat, and we're expected to learn the anatomy of the area that pertains to our case each week. Some of it is "here's a book and a dog, have at it," but there are 4 anatomists that will circulate through the lab, and help you identify things, and kind of guide you if you need it.

We also have information in the lab about the histology of each case, and about the types of cells involved, and have the opportunity to look at slides that relate.

We then have a completely seperate class called molecular and cellular biology, where we're given a research paper each week, and we have to write a synopsis of the cellular biology behind it, and how it pertains to our case.

Cool! Thanks for the info. It gives me a better picture of how things work there.
How long do the weekly research papers have to be? Ugh, hopefully not too long.

 

[TrocarKarin]

Cool! Thanks for the info. It gives me a better picture of how things work there.
How long do the weekly research papers have to be? Ugh, hopefully not too long.

Only a page. Nothing insane.

 

[HopefulAg]

Double spaced? 😀

 

[TrocarKarin]

Single. 🙂

 

[squibby]

Only a page. Nothing insane.

Hah! Not so bad. Double-spaced would make it harder, I think. Try explaining anything complicated in what comes down to like 20 sentences.

How is Pomona?

 

[twelvetigers]

I'm terrified of living that close to LA. Lol.

 

[hellohelloduh]

why? some parts of LA are amaaaazing. I love it here.

 

[nyanko]

Funny because I'd be terrified of living in Oklahoma. 😉

 

[twelvetigers]

Pshh.

Get on AIM damnit I have a 2 hour layover!

 

[squibby]

I'm terrified of living that close to LA. Lol.

The funny thing is that the whole So Cal area is one big city. For me any city down there feels like LA. LA and the surrounding cities are like bacterial colonies on a plate; they kept growing until were all crammed together with nowhere else to go.

 

[chris03333]

I'm terrified of living that close to LA. Lol.

Pomona is "in" LA 😀

unless you mean the actual city of LA, but not many people know what they are talking about when they say LA (like UCLA is technicaly in westwood)

 

[twelvetigers]

Pomona is "in" LA 😀

Even worse!!

 

[FutureDVM2016]

Even worse!!

HAHAHA! LA isnt that bad... the only thing that scares me are the drivers haha... but I've lived here my whole life...

As for Western, I also agree that it is great to see admissions staff on here! It makes me happy I found this forum! I will probably be coming to you as I progress through this year. I apply in 2011! I'm so excited!

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

Hello!

With the budget cuts affecting colleges and programs across the U.S. courses are getting more and more difficult to find and/or enroll in. That being said, if you are experiencing this issue you may want to consider enrolling in the online section of the course. This may only be done for those prerequisites we do not require a lab with. The lab needs to be an in-class/on-campus lab for Organic Chemistry, the Upper-Division Biological and Life Sciences and the Physics prerequisites.

Keep in mind that this requirement only applies to WUCVM. You will need to inquire at each individual school you plan to apply to as to whether or not they will accept online courses. We wish you the best of luck regardless of where you to choose to apply!

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

Hello!

With the budget cuts affecting colleges and programs across the U.S. courses are getting more and more difficult to find and/or enroll in. That being said, if you are experiencing this issue you may want to consider enrolling in the online section of the course. This may only be done for those prerequisites we do not require a lab with. The lab needs to be an in-class/on-campus lab for Organic Chemistry, the Upper-Division Biological and Life Sciences and the Physics prerequisites.

Keep in mind that this requirement only applies to WUCVM. You will need to inquire at each individual school you plan to apply to as to whether or not they will accept online courses. We wish you the best of luck regardless of where you to choose to apply!

 

[Bearby]

I know that Western requests that you have a copy of your GRE scores sent to your house and then enclosed in an envelope with the other supplemental materials. However, I can't figure out how to have a copy sent to my house. Every time I go to send additional score reports, it makes me choose a school. Any advice?

 

[DVMDream]

I know that Western requests that you have a copy of your GRE scores sent to your house and then enclosed in an envelope with the other supplemental materials. However, I can't figure out how to have a copy sent to my house. Every time I go to send additional score reports, it makes me choose a school. Any advice?

I did not do that last year. I sent them directly from ETS to the school and it seemed to work. Hopefully, that same thing is ok this year, but I can not say for sure.

 

[cmeowb]

I emailed them with this exact question yesterday--still waiting for a reply. Will post if I hear back before the adcom manning this thread does 🙂

 

[zookeep16]

Hello Karen,
I've been hearing about a sizable lawsuit filed by 5 former female students who allege they were discriminated against due to disabilities and that they were unable to receive assistance when they requested it. Although there always may be a student or 2 who don't feel their school treated them properly, a group of 5 students seems significant. If I have a disability and I wish to apply, how do I know if I will receive whatever help I need?
Thanks,
Zookeep

 

[No Imagination]

Hello Karen,
I've been hearing about a sizable lawsuit filed by 5 former female students who allege they were discriminated against due to disabilities and that they were unable to receive assistance when they requested it. Although there always may be a student or 2 who don't feel their school treated them properly, a group of 5 students seems significant. If I have a disability and I wish to apply, how do I know if I will receive whatever help I need?
Thanks,
Zookeep

Do you mean transfer? You say you are a "Veterinary Student" - not "Pre-Vet".

I would imagine your best bet would be to email WSU directly and ask if your specific disability would prevent you from completing veterinary school.

Good luck to you, and thanks for registering to ask this question!

 

[No Imagination]

Info can be found here if you are interested. I couldn't help but laugh at some of the allegations...

"The women allege students who failed a single course were required to repeat an entire year of coursework."

- That’s how they do it at most schools

"The women also allege the university failed to provide instruction, essentially leaving them to learn on their own."

- Uhh, its PBL

They did seem to have some legitimate complaints - like;

"Beeks said administrators did not allow her to make up tests and other coursework she missed because of cancer treatments."

Should be interesting to watch this play out - school will probably cave though.

 

[dyachei]

SDN does not allow cross-posting of threads. I merged these threads into pre-vet, since that is where this thread makes the most sense.

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

I know that Western requests that you have a copy of your GRE scores sent to your house and then enclosed in an envelope with the other supplemental materials. However, I can't figure out how to have a copy sent to my house. Every time I go to send additional score reports, it makes me choose a school. Any advice?

We will accept GRE scores sent directly to us from ETS or included in their original envelope with your supplemental application.

 

[cmeowb]

what about transcripts? It says on the supp app instruction form that you "may request to have the transcripts sent directly to Western U." Is it an option to send them in with your supp app if they are in sealed envelopes?

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

what about transcripts? It says on the supp app instruction form that you "may request to have the transcripts sent directly to Western U." Is it an option to send them in with your supp app if they are in sealed envelopes?

You may also send transcripts directly to WesternU. We will simply keep any items received in a file to await the arrival of your VMCAS and supplemental applications.

 

[Bearby]

Thank you very much for the information. I will send the GRE scores now!

 

[Angelus9]

Info can be found here if you are interested.

Thanks for the link. That article is from a year ago. Anybody have updates on the case?

My favorite quotes:

The women allege students who failed a single course were required to repeat an entire year of coursework.

"I have been there four years already, and I'm not done with my second year," Beeks said. "They are holding me back."

Hoo boy.

And then, the opposite view:

"I went to them saying, `I'm paying you to teach me,' and they told me, `One, we don't do that here, and two, that's your responsibility."

Yeah, if that's PBL, I would be really miffed about paying $38 grand a year for that. "We don't do that here." A classic.

 

[cmeowb]

another question, originally posed by *twelvetigers*: if you have more than 3 eLORs, how do you choose which ones you will read? can you designate which ones you want read or is it a random process? thanks!

 

[cmeowb]

just called admissions--they look at every LOR you send 🙂

 

[twelvetigers]

Good to hear! Thanks for calling on that. 🙂

 

[pyxystyx]

Question:
If I applied in 2009, but not 2010, can Western still pull my GRE scores from my app. 2 cycles ago?
I have been trying to forward them, but my information isn't matching on the ETS website and I can't seem to get ahold of anyone at ETS to send them...

Thanks!

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

Question:
If I applied in 2009, but not 2010, can Western still pull my GRE scores from my app. 2 cycles ago?
I have been trying to forward them, but my information isn't matching on the ETS website and I can't seem to get ahold of anyone at ETS to send them...

Thanks!

If you did not re-apply for the 2010 entering class your applicant file was shredded. You will need to request a score report to be sent from ETS. The ETS phone lines have been quite busy and are so during this time of year. Hang in there. If you haven't already, try to order them online. Our institution code is 4152 and the department code is 0617.

Good luck!

 

[Savethewhales]

Since Western is the newest veterinary school, it has not yet aquires the big name reputation that other schools have. This of course is understandable, but what is western doing to establish themselves as a top vet school? How do you feel recent grads will fair against grads from
Csu, Cornell and u of penn?

 

[WUDVMAdmissions]

Since Western is the newest veterinary school, it has not yet aquires the big name reputation that other schools have. This of course is understandable, but what is western doing to establish themselves as a top vet school? How do you feel recent grads will fair against grads from
Csu, Cornell and u of penn?

While I do not have data regarding how our DVM graduates are faring next to CSU, Cornell and U of Penn graduates, I can tell you that our grads are obtaining employment and are doing well in their chosen practices. Our University currently has an almost 0% default rate for student loans. This says alot given the nation's current economic woes. Having such a low default rate allows the University to provide competitive aid packages to our students.

As a relatively new school it will take some time for WesternU to gain the reputation it deserves. I believe the College is working hard to prepare our students for the board exams and providing them with the tools necessary to be successful, humanistic, collaborative, lifelong learning veterinarians.

Good luck to you!