VMCAS 2014 Questions

[Felixor90]

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Holy cow, you're on it!

Well I had everything prepared so why not turn it in early? I kinda regret it, though, because now all I can do is wait and at this point, the wait is months long. :/ I'm at least taking my time with supplemental apps and only have 2 finished.

 

[Tante]

So, in the "type of experience" field, there is a drop down menu that includes "classroom experience". When should this be used?
I took practicums at school, that were essentially being farm help for a particular species. They were pass/no credit. Should it be included in coursework or experience?
I also took a class that was exclusively a way for getting credit for doing a research project with a faculty member. I received a letter grade. Again, coursework or experience?
I just feel like listing them under coursework doesn't do it justice. I spent several semesters working on a research project that I developed and it is listed on my transcript as a "tutorial".

 

[haley120892]

So I'm the only one that already turned it in and got verified? It's so lonely playing the waiting game by myself. D:

I am submitting mine right now🙂

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

Thanks for the input, everyone! I submitted my application on September 28th last year, and had no problem getting verified within a day or two, but I do plan on submitting about a month earlier than that this year just because procrastinating was stressful on my end! I have about 500 veterinary experience hours now, so I think waiting an extra month or so (ETA: as opposed to submitting in late July) to be able to include another ~100 hours is worth it. And like I said, knowing me, I may not have the rest of my application finished until late August/early Sept anyway! 😛

Anyway, I have another question. I seem to recall last year the instructions for the experiences section stating not to include classroom experiences. Am I making this up, was this changed, or is this still the policy and I'm overlooking it now? I'm wondering specifically if I should include my research experience doing a project with crayfish for my comparative physiology class, and some animal experience from a horseback riding class.

ETA again: I now see the dropdown menu for type of experience includes classroom experience, so I guess I answered my own question!

The VMCAS application does not have a drop down for classroom experience (or should not). I would recommend contacting our customer service ([email protected]) if, in fact, you have that in your drop down. Send a screenshot with that option. Please! 🙂

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

So, in the "type of experience" field, there is a drop down menu that includes "classroom experience". When should this be used?
I took practicums at school, that were essentially being farm help for a particular species. They were pass/no credit. Should it be included in coursework or experience?
I also took a class that was exclusively a way for getting credit for doing a research project with a faculty member. I received a letter grade. Again, coursework or experience?
I just feel like listing them under coursework doesn't do it justice. I spent several semesters working on a research project that I developed and it is listed on my transcript as a "tutorial".

I stand corrected. Upon further review, the Animal Experience does have a drop down for "Classroom Experience", so taken out of context I see the miscommunication. The Classroom experience is NOT part of a separate experience of which there are only 5: Veterinary, Animal, Honors/Awards, Community & Research.

This "type" of animal experience would apply if you are working with animals in a classroom setting, but NOT in a course for a grade. ANY experiences that have a grade attached should be coursework... even pass/fail especially if it's on your official transcript. Hope this helps.

tw

 

[Felixor90]

I am submitting mine right now🙂

Yay earlybirds! Now lets sit here in agony refreshing our emails in hopes that the schools fell in love with us and are letting us in early! 🤣

 

[Gwenevre]

I stand corrected. Upon further review, the Animal Experience does have a drop down for "Classroom Experience", so taken out of context I see the miscommunication. The Classroom experience is NOT part of a separate experience of which there are only 5: Veterinary, Animal, Honors/Awards, Community & Research.

This "type" of animal experience would apply if you are working with animals in a classroom setting, but NOT in a course for a grade. ANY experiences that have a grade attached should be coursework... even pass/fail especially if it's on your official transcript. Hope this helps.

tw

This is just my two cents, and I'll keep my coursework experience in my coursework, but having this option seems counter-intuitive, and confusing.

 

[haley120892]

Yay earlybirds! Now lets sit here in agony refreshing our emails in hopes that the schools fell in love with us and are letting us in early! 🤣

Ahhh I can't even bare to think of how long these next few months are going to be!!! But, I am so excited!!! Where all did you apply?

 

[Felixor90]

Ahhh I can't even bare to think of how long these next few months are going to be!!! But, I am so excited!!! Where all did you apply?

Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Purdue, and Illinois. Not sure if to apply to a 7th one. How about you?

 

[haley120892]

Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Iowa, Purdue, and Illinois. Not sure if to apply to a 7th one. How about you?

Kansas, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri, Minnesota, and VMRC 🙂

 

[Felixor90]

Oh yay there's a chance we'll be classmates! 😀

 

[haley120892]

This is beyond exciting, and that would be awesome!! I am glad I am not the only one done with the application!

 

[Dal00ch13]

Expanding what LyraGardenia said... if I was taking a class where we had hands-on experience with cows and did things such as halter, auscult, and take rumen samples (they were fistulated), can I count that as animal experience under the classification of "classroom experience? As of right now, I did this for both some of my bovine experience as well as some pig experience. I mean there is this option available on the application, so I am assuming this is how we use it?

 

[WildZoo]

Expanding what LyraGardenia said... if I was taking a class where we had hands-on experience with cows and did things such as halter, auscult, and take rumen samples (they were fistulated), can I count that as animal experience under the classification of "classroom experience? As of right now, I did this for both some of my bovine experience as well as some pig experience. I mean there is this option available on the application, so I am assuming this is how we use it?

If the experience was part of a course for a grade: No, put it in coursework
If the experience was in a classroom setting, but NOT part of a course for a grade: Yes, animal experience

The only example I can think of for the latter was in high school there was another biology class where the students got to take care of ducklings, and they would drop them off in my bio teacher's class during the school day. I helped feed/clean them, but they weren't part of my grade at all, so that's animal experience in a classroom setting.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Hold the phone, where on the app is this? I'm under the experiences and it still only has animal, vet, research, employment, honors, community, etc on mine

It was under the animal experience category. So I should include the horseback riding class, but not the research?

ETA: Sorry, I posted before I saw the posts from the VMCAS staff and WildZoo. That distinction makes sense. I won't include either then!

 

[LyraGardenia]

I stand corrected. Upon further review, the Animal Experience does have a drop down for "Classroom Experience", so taken out of context I see the miscommunication. The Classroom experience is NOT part of a separate experience of which there are only 5: Veterinary, Animal, Honors/Awards, Community & Research.

This "type" of animal experience would apply if you are working with animals in a classroom setting, but NOT in a course for a grade. ANY experiences that have a grade attached should be coursework... even pass/fail especially if it's on your official transcript. Hope this helps.

tw

I agree it's confusing, but I appreciate the clarification!

 

[Maddiegirl]

I really need to get on it. I hope to at least get my app finished next week. My personal statement slowed me down significantly.

 

[LyraGardenia]

I really need to get on it. I hope to at least get my app finished next week. My personal statement slowed me down significantly.

If you haven't started your app yet, I agree you might want to get started, but as discussed upthread, the benefits of submitting now vs. late August/early September are debatable. As long as you get it in in time to get your transcript verified by October 2nd, you're good. So don't procrastinate, but don't stress about getting it submitted right away! It can be nerve-wracking to see that some people are already done when you feel like you've barely started, but at this point as long as you're making progress, it's all good.

 

[HowIMetYourPet]

Okay, so I have a research question:

Here's the scenario:

I've worked in a research lab for the last 5 years, directly under the PI and lab manager. During this time I did basic lab maintenance and simple protocols (PCR, making competent cells, etc)
For the last year and a half, I've worked specifically with one post-doc working on a project which will lead to second authorship, I also did work towards a grant that has just recently been funded. This year and half was simultaneous with my 5 years in the lab doing lab stuff
during this year and a half, we did a lot of work with mouse models
Finally, I will be transitioning into a full time role, but employed through this post-doc's new grant...but in the same lab

How do I break this up on my app, if at all. Last year when I applied I had a few dozen hours in vet exp for lab animal med for the portion that was general maintenance, and the actual procedures. Then I put the tissue collection and everything after that, and what was done in vitro, in research, but only the time I spent under the post doc. Then I put the last 5 years (the part I was paid for) under employment.

If I'm understanding the flow chart correctly, it looks like I should be putting all of this under research. If that's the case, do I lump it all under one category, or do I break up the project and the employment (so I can actually explain the project, at least a little) but keep it under research?

Thanks!

 

[exoticsmed]

So I applied last year got wait listed at a school and rejected from all the others I applied to, including my IS which was/is still a huge shocker. My question is, I've never really put pet ownership or "unofficial" volunteer hours down. For example, I've owned animals all my life but they include more than just cats and dogs. I've had chinchillas, rats and mice, a bearded dragon, and currently two ball pythons one of whom has health issues. For about 2 years I have been breading my own feeder rats for the snakes. Should I put that on the app? Also, my mom is the current executive director of a veterinary group in my IS and over the years I have helped organize, set up, and run the meetings with her and last year (she broke her ankle) I did it all myself. Should I put that down?

I just really feel like this year I shouldn't hold anything back. I honestly didn't think that stuff mattered. It was/is something I do but I'm wondering if it looks like I've never owned an animal because I didn't put it down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[HowIMetYourPet]

So I applied last year got wait listed at a school and rejected from all the others I applied to, including my IS which was/is still a huge shocker. My question is, I've never really put pet ownership or "unofficial" volunteer hours down. For example, I've owned animals all my life but they include more than just cats and dogs. I've had chinchillas, rats and mice, a bearded dragon, and currently two ball pythons one of whom has health issues. For about 2 years I have been breading my own feeder rats for the snakes. Should I put that on the app? Also, my mom is the current executive director of a veterinary group in my IS and over the years I have helped organize, set up, and run the meetings with her and last year (she broke her ankle) I did it all myself. Should I put that down?

I just really feel like this year I shouldn't hold anything back. I honestly didn't think that stuff mattered. It was/is something I do but I'm wondering if it looks like I've never owned an animal because I didn't put it down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I would put ALL of that on...... Personally, I would rather put too much info down, than to risk losing whatever small edge they may give you...

 

[LetItSnow]

So I applied last year got wait listed at a school and rejected from all the others I applied to, including my IS which was/is still a huge shocker. My question is, I've never really put pet ownership or "unofficial" volunteer hours down. For example, I've owned animals all my life but they include more than just cats and dogs. I've had chinchillas, rats and mice, a bearded dragon, and currently two ball pythons one of whom has health issues. For about 2 years I have been breading my own feeder rats for the snakes. Should I put that on the app? Also, my mom is the current executive director of a veterinary group in my IS and over the years I have helped organize, set up, and run the meetings with her and last year (she broke her ankle) I did it all myself. Should I put that down?

I just really feel like this year I shouldn't hold anything back. I honestly didn't think that stuff mattered. It was/is something I do but I'm wondering if it looks like I've never owned an animal because I didn't put it down. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

There's nothing wrong with putting anything in your app that you think will help. Within reason, I think the general rule for most vet schools is that if they don't value something, they just ignore it. They don't "dock" you for having something in there they feel isn't important. I certainly included pet ownership ... I even included my hours working a dairy farm, which was 20 years ago.

That said, those things are all really trivial, and if you got rejected at several schools and wait-listed at one, they probably aren't going to be enough by themselves to change your results. You need to do an objective, thorough evaluation of why you didn't get accepted, and it needs to start with talking to the schools you got rejected from and asking them why. And then you need to take what they tell you, make it into a list of weaknesses, and prioritize it based on a) which ones you CAN improve, and b) which ones give you the most bang-for-buck on the application. And then you need to start chopping away at the list.

It's not really magic or anything. I mean, I'm not saying "don't put that stuff on your app". I did, and I would encourage you to. But that's likely not your problem here. It just seems like there are a lot of people that re-apply year after year without any really organized approach to identifying their weaknesses and correcting them. That's a lot of wasted time, effort, and money.

 

[exoticsmed]

There's nothing wrong with putting anything in your app that you think will help. Within reason, I think the general rule for most vet schools is that if they don't value something, they just ignore it. They don't "dock" you for having something in there they feel isn't important. I certainly included pet ownership ... I even included my hours working a dairy farm, which was 20 years ago.

That said, those things are all really trivial, and if you got rejected at several schools and wait-listed at one, they probably aren't going to be enough by themselves to change your results. You need to do an objective, thorough evaluation of why you didn't get accepted, and it needs to start with talking to the schools you got rejected from and asking them why. And then you need to take what they tell you, make it into a list of weaknesses, and prioritize it based on a) which ones you CAN improve, and b) which ones give you the most bang-for-buck on the application. And then you need to start chopping away at the list.

It's not really magic or anything. I mean, I'm not saying "don't put that stuff on your app". I did, and I would encourage you to. But that's likely not your problem here. It just seems like there are a lot of people that re-apply year after year without any really organized approach to identifying their weaknesses and correcting them. That's a lot of wasted time, effort, and money.

Believe me, I've done a file review at all the schools I applied to and have taken steps to correct what I can. For you to imply that I have not done these things is a little rude and frankly not very helpful. But thanks for the "advice."

 

[LetItSnow]

Believe me, I've done a file review at all the schools I applied to and have taken steps to correct what I can. For you to imply that I have not done these things is a little rude and frankly not very helpful. But thanks for the "advice."

You didn't make any mention of having taken those steps, so it was rational to suggest that you do. Getting butt-hurt about well-intentioned advice says a lot more about you than me, especially since I did directly answer your question as well.

Best of luck in your application pursuits. You might want to tone down the defensiveness, though.

 

[DVMDream]

Sigh....

 

[HowIMetYourPet]

quick(possibly stupid) question, do you guys think sheep should be considered food animal (mmmm, lamb chops) or "other"....if they're animals used for herding dogs, and are sheared

 

[DVMDream]

quick(possibly stupid) question, do you guys think sheep should be considered food animal (mmmm, lamb chops) or "other"....if they're animals used for herding dogs, and are sheared

I would put them under food animal. Just my opinion. 🙂

 

[LetItSnow]

quick(possibly stupid) question, do you guys think sheep should be considered food animal (mmmm, lamb chops) or "other"....if they're animals used for herding dogs, and are sheared

I think either makes sense and the school(s) will just categorize it how they want. If it were ME I'd put it under food animal, but I don't think it matters.

 

[AussieDr]

I have a question regarding which section to place something.

I am my school's pre-vet club president. Should I put that under honors and awards? Or should I list being in the pre-vet club under community activities and then in the explanation portion explain that I am president? I am also the webmaster and I have been the historian in previous years.

I was also section leader in my high school marching band. Same question, under honors or awards or list marching band in the community activity section and explain? Or both?


Thank you for any help.

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

This is really a matter of preference. Either place would be acceptable at the admissions level.

 

[LetItSnow]

I am my school's pre-vet club president. Should I put that under honors and awards? Or should I list being in the pre-vet club under community activities and then in the explanation portion explain that I am president? I am also the webmaster and I have been the historian in previous years.

I was also section leader in my high school marching band. Same question, under honors or awards or list marching band in the community activity section and explain? Or both?

I don't think it will matter either way. The school will assess it as they see best regardless of which place you put it under.

That said ... if it were me I'd lean toward community activities. Just seems a better fit. But it won't matter either way.

Be sure to highlight your leadership roles in both. Good stuff to have on there - nicely done.

 

[Swongy]

I have a silly question: I already sent in my transcript from my schools, but I just realized that they have my old address (I moved). Do I have to send it in again with the proper address? Also, the bursar's office told me it would take at least one month for the change to be processed! 🙁

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

I have a silly question: I already sent in my transcript from my schools, but I just realized that they have my old address (I moved). Do I have to send it in again with the proper address? Also, the bursar's office told me it would take at least one month for the change to be processed! 🙁

Sorry to sound cliche, but there are no silly questions where your application is concerned. Although I believe that this will not be an issue, I would encourage you to contact VMCAS support ([email protected]) or call us at: 617-612-2884 to check with the processing of your transcripts. I'm fairly certain that this isn't a problem 🙂

tw

 

[Swongy]

Yay! Thank you so much! 🤣

 

[Maddiegirl]

If you haven't started your app yet, I agree you might want to get started, but as discussed upthread, the benefits of submitting now vs. late August/early September are debatable. As long as you get it in in time to get your transcript verified by October 2nd, you're good. So don't procrastinate, but don't stress about getting it submitted right away! It can be nerve-wracking to see that some people are already done when you feel like you've barely started, but at this point as long as you're making progress, it's all good.

Yea, I've already started both the VMCAS and TMDSAS and ordered all my transcripts. I just need to finish filling everything out. I'm about halfway done with my Texas application and about a quarter of the way completed with the VMCAS. I got stuck on my personal statement and have been stalled for about two weeks. I plan to have them both completed by 8/15 before my fall semester at UT begins. I've already contacted all my evaluators and just need to get them my resume/personal statement packages.

It'll all come together. 🙂

 

[Maddiegirl]

Sorry to sound cliche, but there are no silly questions where your application is concerned. Although I believe that this will not be an issue, I would encourage you to contact VMCAS support ([email protected]) or call us at: 617-612-2884 to check with the processing of your transcripts. I'm fairly certain that this isn't a problem 🙂

tw

I ordered all my transcripts BEFORE I realized there was a coversheet for the VMCAS. I put my VMCAS ID on each transcript request. Should I reorder and use the coversheet or is it possible to match them up? Just wondering what VMCAS recommends.

 

[swiniazycie]

Here's my next question:
I've worked with this Vet for the past 4 years. When I started his clinic was mainly small animal with large animal on weekends. Over a year ago he sold his practice to a vet he hired and then opened up a large animal clinic next door and still helps the old practice occasionally if they need it. I'm separating them on VMCAS but I'm still thinking putting his name down for both clinics. The vets at the old clinic know me, but I worked almost exclusively with my vet. I just don't want someone reading my application to become confused to the different clinic names.

 

[WillowLeaf]

Here's my next question:
I've worked with this Vet for the past 4 years. When I started his clinic was mainly small animal with large animal on weekends. Over a year ago he sold his practice to a vet he hired and then opened up a large animal clinic next door and still helps the old practice occasionally if they need it. I'm separating them on VMCAS but I'm still thinking putting his name down for both clinics. The vets at the old clinic know me, but I worked almost exclusively with my vet. I just don't want someone reading my application to become confused to the different clinic names.

I don't think it would be that confusing. It's clear that there are two different clinics, because they'll have different clinic names and different dates, so I think schools would assume that you worked with the same vet at two different clinics. If you think it's going to be confusing, you could put a short sentence of explanation in the description section of one of those experiences.

You can also list multiple vets for the old clinic if you did work with any other vets there, and in the description say something like "I primarily worked with Dr. ___". Unless you only worked with your vet, of course.

 

[pirateslayme]

Hey I have a question. Years ago I worked with research scientists on research of endangered sea turtles. It was in Mexico and not in your typical lab setting. I was wondering if I could list this under research experience as field research or should it just be just under animal experience?

 

[WildZoo]

Hey I have a question. Years ago I worked with research scientists on research of endangered sea turtles. It was in Mexico and not in your typical lab setting. I was wondering if I could list this under research experience as field research or should it just be just under animal experience?

Sounds like research to me...

 

[LyraGardenia]

Hey I have a question. Years ago I worked with research scientists on research of endangered sea turtles. It was in Mexico and not in your typical lab setting. I was wondering if I could list this under research experience as field research or should it just be just under animal experience?

I second @WildZoo. Just because it's not in a lab or not in the US doesn't mean it's not research.

 

[pirateslayme]

thank you thought so. Also, I was wondering how everyone is inputting their descriptions of their experiences? Are you basically writing bullet points such as what would be on your resume or are you writing more complete sentences and being more descriptive.

 

[Gwenevre]

I keep it short, sweet, and to the point, so not complete sentences, but enough to say what my duties were.

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

Agrees with the duties recommendation

 

[futurehealervet]

I have been doing research for over a year at my school but have been getting credit for it. Should it go under coursework or research? Thanks

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

If the research is listed on a transcript it will go under coursework. If not, then list under research

 

[HowIMetYourPet]

Okay, I have a few questions:

1) Research: if we worked on a specific project, that will be published, do we describe the project itself, or just the physical acts of what we did? Do we describe what experiments were done (like confirming protien X was present in Jelly Bean Cells) or just what we did for that experiment (maintenance of Jelly Bean Cells in culture, followed by westernblotting for protien X, and immunoflourescent chemistry on protien X)

2) Research: if we worked on more than one specific project, but within the same lab, do we list that as one research experience, or two?

3) Research: if we do both animal and cell work for the same project, can we split up the animal work from the cell work, esp if the duties for each were extensive and can't all fit in 450 characters (we're talking 5 years of research here)

 

[LetItSnow]

Okay, I have a few questions:

1) Research: if we worked on a specific project, that will be published, do we describe the project itself, or just the physical acts of what we did? Do we describe what experiments were done (like confirming protien X was present in Jelly Bean Cells) or just what we did for that experiment (maintenance of Jelly Bean Cells in culture, followed by westernblotting for protien X, and immunoflourescent chemistry on protien X)

2) Research: if we worked on more than one specific project, but within the same lab, do we list that as one research experience, or two?

3) Research: if we do both animal and cell work for the same project, can we split up the animal work from the cell work, esp if the duties for each were extensive and can't all fit in 450 characters (we're talking 5 years of research here)

(1) I think that depends on what you think makes your application the strongest. If you plan on going into research and even have a specific idea of what kind of research, and the project you worked on supports that, it might be useful to talk about the project. If it's not really material to your application.... then why use space to talk about it?

(2) and (3) I think it's legitimate to split things into multiple entries, as long as you split the hours with them. I did it for some veterinarian experience where I just couldn't make everything fit into 450 characters. I made it very clear, though; I didn't want anyone accusing me of trying to bump my numbers or something. And I split the total hours appropriately so that in the end the 'hours' were correct.

I think in the end .... you don't want to 'game the system' obviously, but you should look at the application structure as a very generalized method of organizing all the info an applicant may bring to the table. If you have circumstances where the relevant information you have to share just doesn't fit well into the application structure, I think it's legit to tweak it as needed to make it work. Just as long as you're being honest and it's clear what you're doing, yanno? Individual schools will then make their own decisions about how to evaluate the information.

 

[WildZoo]

Question time! @VMCASSTAFF
1) I will be graduating in April 2015 with two degrees - a BS in Biological Sciences and a BA in English Writing. I also have two minors - Chemistry and English Literature. I am assuming that the Chemistry minor will be paired with my BS and the lit minor will be paired with my BA, but I am not certain of this. Will putting them on my application this way cause any problems?
2) For pet ownership - which type should it be under in Animal Experience? I assumed "Animal Training (pet ownership)" but I wanted to make sure. Also, I didn't want to oversell with that, so for my cat I calculated the number of days since we got her until I started college (since I'm away from home 8 months out of the year now, though I do still provide most of her care when I am home) and then estimated about an hour a day and rounded down. That left me at 2500 hours for feeding, cleaning, play time, and medications for the last 10 years. For some reason that still seems high to me, does it seem about right for those of you who included pet ownership?
3) I interned in the hospital at the National Aviary, which is a...bird zoo you could say. So should I check only the box for exotic/avian, or also the box for zoo animals?
4) I am a writer and have had two short stories published (working on getting a third out there) and would like to include this somewhere on my application. Would it go in the extracurricular and community activities section?

 

[WillowLeaf]

Question time!
1) I will be graduating in April 2015 with two degrees - a BS in Biological Sciences and a BA in English Writing. I also have two minors - Chemistry and English Literature. I am assuming that the Chemistry minor will be paired with my BS and the lit minor will be paired with my BA, but I am not certain of this. Will putting them on my application this way cause any problems?
2) For pet ownership - which type should it be under in Animal Experience? I assumed "Animal Training (pet ownership)" but I wanted to make sure. Also, I didn't want to oversell with that, so for my cat I calculated the number of days since we got her until I started college (since I'm away from home 8 months out of the year now, though I do still provide most of her care when I am home) and then estimated about an hour a day and rounded down. That left me at 2500 hours for feeding, cleaning, play time, and medications for the last 10 years. For some reason that still seems high to me, does it seem about right for those of you who included pet ownership?
3) I interned in the hospital at the National Aviary, which is a...bird zoo you could say. So should I check only the box for exotic/avian, or also the box for zoo animals?
4) I am a writer and have had two short stories published (working on getting a third out there) and would like to include this somewhere on my application. Would it go in the extracurricular and community activities section?

1) 😱 How do you do that in four years?
2) That doesn't seem that high. I estimated my pet ownership at about 100 hours over 10+ years, which was stupid of me because they're medical disasters and I spend way more time than that taking care of them. I really should have listed something closer to your estimate, or more. From what I've heard, some schools count pet ownership, some don't. You're obviously being clear that those hours are from pet ownership, so if schools don't want to count those hours, they can easily not. One of my animal-related experiences ended up with a crazy number of hours (like 50+ hours/week, on top of school and a job), and because I was concerned that it would look weird, I included a sentence like "estimate is based on X hours/day of experience because blah blah". So you could always include how you estimated those hours.