Vet school recruiters?

[GoldenGirl28]

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I'm a pre-vet student who is currently in the interview process. At one university's interview weekend, their vet school recruiter gave a presentation about all the best things about that school. My question is who is he recruiting? Do vet schools single out a few outstanding applicants and try to entice them to attend? Is this done after admissions decisions have gone out? Or is his job more general- just to travel around to schools and raise interest in their program, and speak to individuals who have already applied? I was unaware that recruiting was even a thing for vet schools. Can anyone shed any light on this?

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I'm a pre-vet student who is currently in the interview process. At one university's interview weekend, their vet school recruiter gave a presentation about all the best things about that school. My question is who is he recruiting? Do vet schools single out a few outstanding applicants and try to entice them to attend? Is this done after admissions decisions have gone out? Or is his job more general- just to travel around to schools and raise interest in their program, and speak to individuals who have already applied? I was unaware that recruiting was even a thing for vet schools. Can anyone shed any light on this?

Yep. Very general position.

 

[GoldenGirl28]

Thanks! I was thinking that was the case until he said, "I see a few applicants in the room today that I recruited." All the applicants that were there are OOS (the IS applicants are not considered until later in the winter) so maybe he travelled to neighboring universities for vet school career fairs and things like that? Regardless, it sounds like he has a fun job!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Thanks! I was thinking that was the case until he said, "I see a few applicants in the room today that I recruited." All the applicants that were there are OOS (the IS applicants are not considered until later in the winter) so maybe he travelled to neighboring universities for vet school career fairs and things like that? Regardless, it sounds like he has a fun job!

Yep, it's kind of an "advertising" job, like PR for the school. I've never heard of recruiters actually going after "top applicants" or anything. It doesn't make much sense anyway considering that they aren't really hurting for candidates. It's not like they have to convince people to come when they are already swamped in applicants every year.

 

[GoldenGirl28]

Yep, it's kind of an "advertising" job, like PR for the school. I've never heard of recruiters actually going after "top applicants" or anything. It doesn't make much sense anyway considering that they aren't really hurting for candidates. It's not like they have to convince people to come when they are already swamped in applicants every year.

Ahhhh, gotcha. Yeah, vet schools are certainly not hurting for applicants! That's why I found it curious that this university's interview weekend activities felt like such a sales pitch to applicants and included a lot of talk about why we should pick them. It seems a bit cruel to get us all pumped about their program since only 1/3 of us will be accepted...

 

[david594]

Ahhhh, gotcha. Yeah, vet schools are certainly not hurting for applicants!

Actually they are. Overall, the ratio of applicants to available seats has been falling dramatically in recent years.

 

[GoldenGirl28]

Actually they are. Overall, the ratio of applicants to available seats has been falling dramatically in recent years.

Good point!

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Actually they are. Overall, the ratio of applicants to available seats has been falling dramatically in recent years.

How much of that ratio is due to massive increases in available seats (class sizes) over the past few years, though, in order to fill the schools' pockets with tuition? Not fewer people applying overall (honest question - I don't know)? Because the first situation will catch up. More people will apply as more spots open, I'd bet. But if it if actually fewer people applying, that is different in terms of how things are playing out.

Just saying that overall, vet schools don't have to fight to have people come to them. At least not now. In another decade or so, as the already-saturated job market continues to decline, tuition keeps skyrocketing, and pay continues to be mediocre compared to massive debt.....it might be a different story.

 

[Kpowell14]

Thanks! I was thinking that was the case until he said, "I see a few applicants in the room today that I recruited." All the applicants that were there are OOS (the IS applicants are not considered until later in the winter) so maybe he travelled to neighboring universities for vet school career fairs and things like that? Regardless, it sounds like he has a fun job!

His job is to go to Pre-Vet meetings and talk about the school and show it as an option for people applying to Vet School. He doesn't go after any particular people...During the panel this weekend he pointed out the one specific person because he went to her university and spoke to the pre-vet club and later she ended up coming for a tour of the school before actually applying. That is considered sucesssful "recruiting" in his job description- getting more people interested in attending and ultimately applying.

In regards to "recruiting students already offered admission"... There are rules about pressuring accepted applicants to make a decision about going to a particular school- basically no one can pressure you to decide... Everyone gets until April 15th to pick their school if they have been offered admission. Rest assured that his role is in the prior to application/ acceptance recruiting and has nothing to do with post admission offer process.

Also, there is a role like this at many vet schools. It just depends how far each recruiter gets to travel - some may just be regional, others may have a farther reach.. just depends!

 

[GoldenGirl28]

His job is to go to Pre-Vet meetings and talk about the school and show it as an option for people applying to Vet School. He doesn't go after any particular people...During the panel this weekend he pointed out the one specific person because he went to her university and spoke to the pre-vet club and later she ended up coming for a tour of the school before actually applying. That is considered sucesssful "recruiting" in his job description- getting more people interested in attending and ultimately applying.

In regards to "recruiting students already offered admission"... There are rules about pressuring accepted applicants to make a decision about going to a particular school- basically no one can pressure you to decide... Everyone gets until April 15th to pick their school if they have been offered admission. Rest assured that his role is in the prior to application/ acceptance recruiting and has nothing to do with post admission offer process.

Also, there is a role like this at many vet schools. It just depends how far each recruiter gets to travel - some may just be regional, others may have a farther reach.. just depends!

Thank you so much for that explanation! That makes sense! 🙂