VMCAS Questions and Rants c/o 2025

[Fishy3fishy5]

There are schools that require it this year! The ones I applied to that require it are Michigan State and LMU. I also believe Virginia-Maryland is requiring it, as well!

Ahhh, thank you so much! No surprise: my schools haven't asked for it. But definitely good luck to all those taking it!

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[bdominello]

How important are descriptions of your veterinary experiences? Is there any advantage to "talking up" your experience here? Some people I know have long laundry lists of what they observed (anal gland expression, vaccines, etc...). Is this something I should be doing? Thanks!

I personally did not talk up my experiences. I don't think anal gland expressions are that fun lol. I noticed that other people may have, but at one facility I have around 700 hours, and if I tried to discuss every interesting case I wouldn't have any room. I discussed basic duties such as restraining, drawing blood, giving fluids, etc. I recently was allowed to close on a necropsy. If I did that prior to submitting, I would have included that in my description, but that is something I recently did last week, and I think it would be odd to add something separately about that.

 

[Fishy3fishy5]

Ahhhh! Submitted!!!
(Confession: I didn't believe you guys when you said that hitting the 'submit' button is so nerve-wracking...but omg it is!!)

 

[Fishy3fishy5]

Hey guys, question:
As long as you already have 3, can your VMCAS be completed/verified if all your requested recommendations aren't submitted? Or am I waiting on my last recommender to submit before I can be verified?

 

[arialexis]

Hey guys, question:
As long as you already have 3, can your VMCAS be completed/verified if all your requested recommendations aren't submitted? Or am I waiting on my last recommender to submit before I can be verified?

I still have 1 recommendation that’s not submitted yet and I just got verified yesterday!

 

[Fishy3fishy5]

I still have 1 recommendation that’s not submitted yet and I just got verified yesterday!

Phew, that's good to know. Thank you @arialexis!!
(I'd also like to point out that I got a response here faster than I was able to get through to the VMCAS help center)

 

[scarissimo]

Anyone who is applying to UF I have a question regarding the prerequisite inventory form. Under the "Institution course/ prefix" column do I write the course name and the prefix code or just the code? For example, I took Evolutionary Biology which has a code of BIO200LLB, should I write both or just the prefix code? The box to write in is very tiny.

 

[raegan117]

Anyone who is applying to UF I have a question regarding the prerequisite inventory form. Under the "Institution course/ prefix" column do I write the course name and the prefix code or just the code? For example, I took Evolutionary Biology which has a code of BIO200LLB, should I write both or just the prefix code? The box to write in is very tiny.

I only wrote the prefix code. I figured that's all they want since the box is so small.

 

[raywildcat]

I am so upset I just submitted my VMCAS and realized 30 seconds later I hadn’t pasted in my two essays for the K-State questions portion. I sent an email and will call first thing Monday but are they going to be able to help me and let me paste those in?? Please please tell me they can do that

 

[calliesmom2014]

I am so upset I just submitted my VMCAS and realized 30 seconds later I hadn’t pasted in my two essays for the K-State questions portion. I sent an email and will call first thing Monday but are they going to be able to help me and let me paste those in?? Please please tell me they can do that

Did you try hitting "update application"?

 

[raywildcat]

Did you try hitting "update application"?

Yes and it’s still grayed out and I can’t edit the box

 

[SkiOtter]

How did it let you submit it without the supplemental essay spaces filled

 

[raywildcat]

How did it let you submit it without the supplemental essay spaces filled

I had put “do later” in both boxes so I could save the rest of my responses to the other questions. I double checked everything and somehow slid my eyes right past it. I feel like an idiot

 

[Penelope28]

Hi! I had a question. For the experience section in VMCAS, it asks you to identify when you completed the experience. You can choose between before undergraduate education, during undergraduate education, after undergraduate education or a combination of both. I completed the experience during my post-bacc. Would this be considered during my undergraduate education? I just want to double check. Thank you!

 

[BigCats]

Man, is anyone else applying to Mississippi? It's my last school to apply to (except for NCSU's supplemental) and that personal statement is staring me in the face! I feel like I've already answered all those questions in my main essays... I guess this is a good way to try to link everything together!

 

[bigcowgal227]

Does anyone know if the Residency certification app (SC contract) is due by the vmcas due date? I can’t find anything on it and I forgot about it until just now

 

[vetsquared]

I just submitted my application!! I can't believe that this is finally happening!! Now the waiting game begins haha. Anyone else wonder what to do with all your spare time once your application is done?

 

[genny]

I just submitted my application!! I can't believe that this is finally happening!! Now the waiting game begins haha. Anyone else wonder what to do with all your spare time once your application is done?

Free time? Play WW... there are sign ups posted!

 

[BigCats]

Lol so I finally sat down after finishing my Mississippi app (woo woo!!) and looked at my verified app... VMCAS apparently went ahead and gave me credit for all but two of the AP courses I wasn't actually awarded credit for at my college since it capped AP credits at 45 hours. I mean, I guess it doesn't really affect me since I wasn't going to use those classes anyway and they're P/F anyway, but how strange! Can't believe I was so stressed about that!

 

[raywildcat]

Update: VMCAS emailed me this morning and unfortunately can not open my application for me to put the two essays in. However K-State is allowing me to email the two essays in a document to them and they are going to attach them to my application for evaluation!

 

[WanttheDVM]

Update: VMCAS emailed me this morning and unfortunately can not open my application for me to put the two essays in. However K-State is allowing me to email the two essays in a document to them and they are going to attach them to my application for evaluation!

Thankfully !

I was really worried about your case

 

[throwaway102]

I hit submit, my application is verified, I paid the fees, and all of my letters of recommendation are in via VMCAS. Am I done with VMCAS? I know it's a stupid question but I am very nervous lol

 

[Kaharian]

My application has already been verified, but one of my courses wasn't accepted to fulfill a prerequisite (English II) by Western. I added a new planned course (for Spring 2021) to my VMCAs transcript entry and I emailed one of the admissions counselors at Western to let them know but their automated email says they're out of the office until tomorrow... are they able to add this information to my application after the deadline has passed? I'm worried now my application will be disqualified for having nothing listed for that prerequisite...

 

[DVMhopefulof???]

YO I AM PISSED AT ETS!! I took my second attempt on August 30th and I still haven't received it yet! I called ETS and they told me that they are still looking at it! Hello! Why couldn't you have told me or something so I can plan accordingly! I paid for my scores to be sent and it hasnt arrived at the school! so now I have to pay 27 dollars again so that I can send my first scores to the school that requires it. I want to cry.

 

[hailauren]

Yikes, last minute thing here - I've already submitted my app but I know I can still add experiences. I remembered that I have attended several CE events for veterinarians hosted at the UCD vet school and I don't currently have that listed anywhere on my application. Do you guys think there is an appropriate place to put that or should I leave it out?

 

[biomajor2019]

Today is the day! Deep breaths, guys! We did it! I hope everyone can relax now that applications are submitted. Personally, I have been drinking wine and reading all afternoon

 

[tayla96]

Honestly the application isnt the hardest part, it's the waiting that kills me lol.

 

[EB73674]

Well, after gloriously submitting my last application at 6pm, I (finally) caught up on homework, and then had a blessed evening to cook, drink beer, and watch home improvement shows. It is truly a wonderful thing to be done! Deep breaths guys, we're done!

 

[winniekate07]

Was anyone else relieved for 10 minutes and then immediately filled with fear surrounding the "waiting"

Congrats everyone! Wishing you all good luck!

 

[Viscernable]

Out of curiosity, those of you who were verified within the last few days, when did you submit your application? I wonder where they’re at with verifications...

 

[winniekate07]

Out of curiosity, those of you who were verified within the last few days, when did you submit your application? I wonder where they’re at with verifications...

I submitted on 9/8 and was verified on the 11th!

 

[snowtzu821]

Out of curiosity, those of you who were verified within the last few days, when did you submit your application? I wonder where they’re at with verifications...

I submitted 9/9 and I was verified on 9/14

 

[Fishy3fishy5]

Out of curiosity, those of you who were verified within the last few days, when did you submit your application? I wonder where they’re at with verifications...

I submitted mine on the 11th and was verified today!

 

[moonandstars]

I submitted on the 10th and haven't been verified yet... Should I be concerned?

 

[deleted676737]

I submitted on the 10th and haven't been verified yet... Should I be concerned?

VMCAS verification can take up to two weeks during peak times, and since we've passed the deadline (and many, many applicants submit right around/on that date), they're probably just backlogged. Personally, I'd give it another week or so before I'd really start worrying about it.

 

[raywildcat]

I submitted 9/12 and was verified 9/14! But I did apply last cycle so I’m sure that helped speed up the process as they only had to verify 2 more semesters of classes

 

[deleted676737]

I submitted 9/12 and was verified 9/14! But I did apply last cycle so I’m sure that helped speed up the process as they only had to verify 2 more semesters of classes

Being a re-applicant probably did speed up the process, yes. In general, though, for new applicants, the closer to the deadline that you submit, the longer (potentially) that verification is going to take.

For comparison, I submitted my VMCAS in early August when I applied back in 2015, and it was verified within 24 hours.

 

[_rae_]

I forgot to report a class I took 5 years ago at a community college while I was still in high school. Tufts said it was no big deal and don't even rush the transcript; I have time. Illinois told me I was SOL and I can't even get my application fee back. I know it was my fault. But it's hard to make peace with the fact that an irrelevant, 3 credit pre-calc course just cost me $120 and the chance at 1/3 vet schools. I haven't heard back from Iowa but at this point, I just feel defeated.

 

[PhiloslothicalStudent]

I submitted the 14th (around 1am), and was verified this morning, second time applicant.

 

[scarissimo]

I submitted August 30th and was verified September 2nd. First time applicant.

 

[thankdog]

I was just obsessively reviewing my VMCAS app (you know, as one does at this stage....). And I realized I put in the incorrect GPA under the self reported primary GPA section in the personal information area. My application is currently being verified. I emailed VMCAS to let them know and told them the correct GPA. I'm absolutely freaking out. Do you guys know if this will be a problem?

 

[deleted676737]

I was just obsessively reviewing my VMCAS app (you know, as one does at this stage....). And I realized I put in the incorrect GPA under the self reported primary GPA section in the personal information area. My application is currently being verified. I emailed VMCAS to let them know and told them the correct GPA. I'm absolutely freaking out. Do you guys know if this will be a problem?

Probably not; VMCAS calculates their own set of GPAs upon verification. Even then, most schools will individually run their own GPA calculations, as well.

 

[thankdog]

Probably not; VMCAS calculates their own set of GPAs upon verification. Even then, most schools will individually run their own GPA calculations, as well.

thank you

 

[Fishy3fishy5]

Do you guys know if this will be a problem?

VMCAS' GPA and my GPA were different because (I believe) I took my GPA straight off of my transcript, and VMCAS included my "other Institution" (study abroad) classes in it. I can't imagine it's an uncommon thing, and I've since been verified. So personally I don't think you should worry about it.

I forgot to report a class I took 5 years ago at a community college while I was still in high school. Tufts said it was no big deal and don't even rush the transcript; I have time. Illinois told me I was SOL and I can't even get my application fee back. I know it was my fault. But it's hard to make peace with the fact that an irrelevant, 3 credit pre-calc course just cost me $120 and the chance at 1/3 vet schools. I haven't heard back from Iowa but at this point, I just feel defeated.

That just sucks. I'm sorry, and I know that must feel frustrating and disappointing. Still...try to keep your head up. Mistakes happen, but beating yourself up will not change Illinois' decision, so show yourself a little more kindness! The other side of 1/3 is 2/3, right?

I submitted on the 10th and haven't been verified yet... Should I be concerned?

I agree with the comments above, they're probably completely swamped. I actually had some earlier confusion with inputting certain courses. I spoke with the VMCAS help desk and once we finally figured it out, they said they were going to put a note in my file so that the confusion didn't happen again during my verification process. So that was probably a factor in my quick verification. Just a thought!

 

[winniekate07]

I was just obsessively reviewing my VMCAS app (you know, as one does at this stage....). And I realized I put in the incorrect GPA under the self reported primary GPA section in the personal information area. My application is currently being verified. I emailed VMCAS to let them know and told them the correct GPA. I'm absolutely freaking out. Do you guys know if this will be a problem?

OMG! I just looked at mine after I saw your post and I did the SAME THING. I also just emailed VMCAS. I have been verified so I imagine it won't be a big deal but certainly scary!

 

[_rae_]

That just sucks. I'm sorry, and I know that must feel frustrating and disappointing. Still...try to keep your head up. Mistakes happen, but beating yourself up will not change Illinois' decision, so show yourself a little more kindness! The other side of 1/3 is 2/3, right?

I hope it's 2/3! I called Iowa but their answering machine is basically "Hi all of you are calling us put a message on your message board and we'll get back to you." I'm so upset because I submitted Tufts way before the deadline and I had everything else submitted the Sunday before. I don't understand why it wouldn't have gotten kicked back to me sooner.

 

[thankdog]

OMG! I just looked at mine after I saw your post and I did the SAME THING. I also just emailed VMCAS. I have been verified so I imagine it won't be a big deal but certainly scary!

I’m relieved I wasn’t the only one! Thank you for making me feel better about it!

 

[thankdog]

VMCAS' GPA and my GPA were different because (I believe) I took my GPA straight off of my transcript, and VMCAS included my "other Institution" (study abroad) classes in it. I can't imagine it's an uncommon thing, and I've since been verified. So personally I don't think you should worry about it.


That just sucks. I'm sorry, and I know that must feel frustrating and disappointing. Still...try to keep your head up. Mistakes happen, but beating yourself up will not change Illinois' decision, so show yourself a little more kindness! The other side of 1/3 is 2/3, right?


I agree with the comments above, they're probably completely swamped. I actually had some earlier confusion with inputting certain courses. I spoke with the VMCAS help desk and once we finally figured it out, they said they were going to put a note in my file so that the confusion didn't happen again during my verification process. So that was probably a factor in my quick verification. Just a thought!

Thank you!

 

[thankdog]

I hope it's 2/3! I called Iowa but their answering machine is basically "Hi all of you are calling us put a message on your message board and we'll get back to you." I'm so upset because I submitted Tufts way before the deadline and I had everything else submitted the Sunday before. I don't understand why it wouldn't have gotten kicked back to me sooner.

I’ll be thinking lots of positive thoughts for you about Iowa! We all make mistakes (I know I do!) so please don’t beat yourself up too much.

 

[winniekate07]

I’m relieved I wasn’t the only one! Thank you for making me feel better about it!

I feel like there are lots of opportunities to make mistakes on the VMCAS apps, I am sure we aren't the only ones! Please let me know how your schools/VMCAS respond!