VMCAS Questions and Rants c/o 2030

[amwcat]

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I have a question about the experience section. When I first opened vmcas, there was the opportunity to star a few of your "most important" experiences. I was about to submit but realized I forgot to do this, went back and can't find how to star these experiences anymore. Was this feature taken away?

 

[breezywonton]

I have a question about the experience section. When I first opened vmcas, there was the opportunity to star a few of your "most important" experiences. I was about to submit but realized I forgot to do this, went back and can't find how to star these experiences anymore. Was this feature taken away?

that wasn't a feature last cycle (i don't think... tbh i blocked out the vmcas application experience from my memory) and even if it was i don't think it'll make or break your application. if it was a feature last cycle i def didn't do it lol and it was fine

 

[CeeGee14]

I have a question about the experience section. When I first opened vmcas, there was the opportunity to star a few of your "most important" experiences. I was about to submit but realized I forgot to do this, went back and can't find how to star these experiences anymore. Was this feature taken away?

Yeah, same. I don't remember that being a feature when I applied last cycle either. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[_rae_]

that wasn't a feature last cycle (i don't think... tbh i blocked out the vmcas application experience from my memory) and even if it was i don't think it'll make or break your application. if it was a feature last cycle i def didn't do it lol and it was fine

Yeah, same. I don't remember that being a feature when I applied last cycle either. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

It was feature when I applied two cycles ago!

 

[levasold]

I had submitted my application Saturday and now waiting on verification and one more recommendation. I realized I messed up my ap scores on my transcript entry , I marked them as TR since that was what was on my transcript. I can’t remember or see if I marked them as AP- and I can’t see what I put. Will this bounce my application back from the verification process? If I don’t get the verification before the deadline, and if they say I entered something incorrectly after the deadline, can I fix it? or am I out $1k?
None of my AP classes count towards any prerequisites.

 

[battie]

I had submitted my application Saturday and now waiting on verification and one more recommendation. I realized I messed up my ap scores on my transcript entry , I marked them as TR since that was what was on my transcript. I can’t remember or see if I marked them as AP- and I can’t see what I put. Will this bounce my application back from the verification process? If I don’t get the verification before the deadline, and if they say I entered something incorrectly after the deadline, can I fix it? or am I out $1k?

If it bounces back, it will take you 5 minutes to fix and resubmit. As long as you resubmit, you will be fine.

 

[levasold]

If it bounces back, it will take you 5 minutes to fix and resubmit. As long as you resubmit, you will be fine.

Even if it’s past September 15th? I’m just worried it won’t be verified in time for me to fix it.

 

[BScaleruh]

I’m so glad my recommenders are happily willing to submit their LORs so many times 😭 I applied to VMCAS 2024-2025, Rowan, Utah State, VMCAS 2025-2026, and now LMU-OPCVM… 5 requests!

dude, Im worried that my recommenders didnt even send theirs to LMU OPCVM

 

[battie]

Even if it’s past September 15th? I’m just worried it won’t be verified in time for me to fix it.

You would have to double check since I applied 10 years ago. But I'm under the impression that if you are submitted, you're good.

 

[Nash09]

Even if it’s past September 15th? I’m just worried it won’t be verified in time for me to fix it.

Yeah I sat in on a VMCAS Q&A webinar last week, and they said that small things like that you can fix after the deadline if that’s when you hear back about it. They just can’t accept additional documents after the deadline, so if they needed another transcript from you or something then that’s when you would be SOL.

 

[purrlywhites]

dude, Im worried that my recommenders didnt even send theirs to LMU OPCVM

Yeah it’s weird that the system doesn’t confirm them, bc 2 of my recommenders said they’ve submitted it already but I didn’t get an email

 

[justachillgirl]

I feel like I did horrible in my Kira Talent Assessment but hopefully another school considers me worthy of a seat in their class! There's something about 1 min limit answers that my mind just fades and I forget how to produce my thoughts into words.

 

[vetschoolhopeful101]

I feel like I did horrible in my Kira Talent Assessment but hopefully another school considers me worthy of a seat in their class! There's something about 1 min limit answers that my mind just fades and I forget how to produce my thoughts into words.

Did you recently do this specifically for UGA? Just curious, as I haven't received anything yet.

 

[justachillgirl]

Did you recently do this specifically for UGA? Just curious, as I haven't received anything yet.

Hi!! I did it for UArizona.

 

[TayARoca12]

I have a GPA calculation question, not sure if this has been a question posted before. Some schools state Overall GPA and some schools state Cumulative GPA.
On VMCAS cumulative is listed as cumulative undergraduate while overall includes baccalaureate, post-baccalaureate and graduate.
So does this mean that cumulative is just undergraduate? and Overall is all of the above? And are the schools going off of overall GPA or do some just look at the cumulative undergrad?
I have taken post- baccalaureate and I have a masters so my overall is higher than my cumulative. Trying to make sure I am understanding this correctly and the schools just have it worded differently.

 

[meg.eli.c]

I feel like I did horrible in my Kira Talent Assessment but hopefully another school considers me worthy of a seat in their class! There's something about 1 min limit answers that my mind just fades and I forget how to produce my thoughts into words.

Dude I also did the Kira for Arizona today and felt like 1 minute was nothing to answer those questions with!! I felt like I would've needed 3 minutes minimum per question

 

[levasold]

Yeah I sat in on a VMCAS Q&A webinar last week, and they said that small things like that you can fix after the deadline if that’s when you hear back about it. They just can’t accept additional documents after the deadline, so if they needed another transcript from you or something then that’s when you would be SOL.

Thank you so so much!!

 

[justachillgirl]

Dude I also did the Kira for Arizona today and felt like 1 minute was nothing to answer those questions with!! I felt like I would've needed 3 minutes minimum per question

I completely agree. But hey, it is what it is. We did our best at the time and we can only hope for the best! I bet many people had the same experience so maybe they have no expectations on this??? Like they are not looking for perfection

Edit: this is me two days later with a positive mindset but right after the assessment I was sad bc I forgot how to speak at one point haha

 

[pp9]

I have a GPA calculation question, not sure if this has been a question posted before. Some schools state Overall GPA and some schools state Cumulative GPA.
On VMCAS cumulative is listed as cumulative undergraduate while overall includes baccalaureate, post-baccalaureate and graduate.
So does this mean that cumulative is just undergraduate? and Overall is all of the above? And are the schools going off of overall GPA or do some just look at the cumulative undergrad?
I have taken post- baccalaureate and I have a masters so my overall is higher than my cumulative. Trying to make sure I am understanding this correctly and the schools just have it worded differently.

I think you've answered one your questions on your own (bolded)?

If you are unclear about what each individual school is looking at, you should contact the schools for clarification. Some also handle the master's credits in a very specific way/some don't consider a master's much, so it's important to know what your chosen schools are going to do with your GPAs/credits. This is similar to the idea that people think science GPA and pre-req GPA are interchangeable when they aren't. I would clarify (and also share what you learn, if you don't mind).

 

[DressageEnthusiast]

How quickly do transcripts usually get verified? My transcripts were received a few weeks ago and I submitted my first application last night.

 

[JaynaAli]

How quickly do transcripts usually get verified? My transcripts were received a few weeks ago and I submitted my first application last night.

It’s really not possible to accurately predict. In general, the earlier you submit, the faster it seems to happen. Closer to the deadline it takes longer, probably simply because there’s more people submitting then so they just have more to do. Might be a day or two if you’re lucky, might be longer.

 

[meowgnificent]

I did all of my essay questions in a Word doc that I checked relentlessly except one very short one for Mizzou, which I answered in the app. I just copied it over to my Word doc after submitting, only to have the red squiggles of death highlight two very obvious grammatical errors. 🫠 This is why I don't plan on reading my full application EVER. 🤣 Get it out of sight, out of mind!

Truthfully, I'm just so happy the whole thing is over that I don't care. Maybe the gods will bless me with tired eyes reading my application who don't notice it. 🤷‍♀️ I thought I'd be the first to share a "whoops" so that everyone else can feel better about any mistakes they made and carry on!

Appropriate for the end of the application era:

 

[DressageEnthusiast]

I did all of my essay questions in a Word doc that I checked relentlessly except one very short one for Mizzou, which I answered in the app. I just copied it over to my Word doc after submitting, only to have the red squiggles of death highlight two very obvious grammatical errors. 🫠 This is why I don't plan on reading my full application EVER. 🤣 Get it out of sight, out of mind!

Truthfully, I'm just so happy the whole thing is over that I don't care. Maybe the gods will bless me with tired eyes reading my application who don't notice it. 🤷‍♀️ I thought I'd be the first to share a "whoops" so that everyone else can feel better about any mistakes they made and carry on!

Appropriate for the end of the application era:
View attachment 409045

How long were the essays for Mizzou? I am considering applying there next cycle if I don't get in this time.

 

[justachillgirl]

I did all of my essay questions in a Word doc that I checked relentlessly except one very short one for Mizzou, which I answered in the app. I just copied it over to my Word doc after submitting, only to have the red squiggles of death highlight two very obvious grammatical errors. 🫠 This is why I don't plan on reading my full application EVER. 🤣 Get it out of sight, out of mind!

Truthfully, I'm just so happy the whole thing is over that I don't care. Maybe the gods will bless me with tired eyes reading my application who don't notice it. 🤷‍♀️ I thought I'd be the first to share a "whoops" so that everyone else can feel better about any mistakes they made and carry on!

Appropriate for the end of the application era:
View attachment 409045

Hey, if anything, I had a typo on one of my UPenn essays and thought I had no chance. I got waitlisted last year, so don't worry!! your profile and experiences will speak for themselves

 

[meowgnificent]

How long were the essays for Mizzou? I am considering applying there next cycle if I don't get in this time.

They didn't really have any! Lots of questions about which doctors you worked with. The one I was referring to was "what interests you about our program." It was pretty short and sweet for me!

 

[oweue]

im so done with all this. I finished a course on the sixth, requested my transcript on the tenth because that's when final grades were in. then they put it on hold and said it would be delivered by monday morning. i email vmcas to make sure this timeline can work and im so confused by it, they say they stop taking transcripts on the fithteenth but then say it takes up to 5 days to process. does this mean my application isn't going to get verified? if so, there goes a few thousand dollars for my applications.

 

[DressageEnthusiast]

im so done with all this. I finished a course on the sixth, requested my transcript on the tenth because that's when final grades were in. then they put it on hold and said it would be delivered by monday morning. i email vmcas to make sure this timeline can work and im so confused by it, they say they stop taking transcripts on the fithteenth but then say it takes up to 5 days to process. does this mean my application isn't going to get verified? if so, there goes a few thousand dollars for my applications.

From what I've read your applications just need to be submitted by the 15th, they don't need to be verified by that point.

 

[oweue]

Your applications just need to be submitted by the 15th, they don't need to be verified.

poor wording, i mostly meant verified that they received the transcript or not

 

[JaynaAli]

If it gets there on Monday the 15th it should be fine. You’ll be verified in the days after that. If it doesn’t arrive Monday then yes, it could be an issue. But if it gets there Monday like you’ve been told it should all be okay.

 

[oweue]

here is the exact wording

Also, please note that the current cycle of document processing will end on Sept fifteenth. Once Parchment sends us the transcript, it may take on average five business days for us to receive and post it.


I’m confused on if they are saying they’ll receive and accept it, or that they won’t since it takes up to five days to process it?

 

[FLBuckeye]

here is the exact wording

Also, please note that the current cycle of document processing will end on Sept fifteenth. Once Parchment sends us the transcript, it may take on average five business days for us to receive and post it.


I’m confused on if they are saying they’ll receive and accept it, or that they won’t since it takes up to five days to process it?

Looks to me if the receive it prior to 11:59 pm on 9/15, you are good. The website says “The final VMCAS application deadline for the 2025-2026 cycle is September 15, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.” Also, is the class and finished on the 6th a pre req? Or is it transcripts for a large bank of classes?

 

[oweue]

Looks to me if the receive it prior to [sic]

thank you! it’s just so vague. one is a pre req for two schools the three are retakes

 

[FLBuckeye]

thank you! it’s just so vague. one is a pre req for two schools the three are retakes

I would be on the phone all day Monday with the people sending your transcripts since they are pre reqs…. stupid emojis and numbers….

 

[fluentinfur]

hello, everyone, i'm freaking out!

in my current masters program, when i retake a course, the original attempt's grade is excluded from my GPA. it literally shows on my transcript as 0.000. i was about to submit my VMCAS when i realized that i have to change the grades for four courses i retook since the last application cycle.. however, i transferred my transcript entries from my last application so, the grades from previous terms are locked.. meaning, i can't change the credit hours of those courses i originally took.

has anyone had a similar experience? i am hoping to speak with customer service tomorrow but i'm afraid that they will tell me they can't change previous coursework at all.. because if so, won't my application get declined because my coursework won't match my transcript AND my GPAs will be miscalculated?

any advice is appreciated 🙂

 

[vetschoolhopeful101]

hello, everyone, i'm freaking out!

in my current masters program, when i retake a course, the original attempt's grade is excluded from my GPA. it literally shows on my transcript as 0.000. i was about to submit my VMCAS when i realized that i have to change the grades for four courses i retook since the last application cycle.. however, i transferred my transcript entries from my last application so, the grades from previous terms are locked.. meaning, i can't change the credit hours of those courses i originally took.

has anyone had a similar experience? i am hoping to speak with customer service tomorrow but i'm afraid that they will tell me they can't change previous coursework at all.. because if so, won't my application get declined because my coursework won't match my transcript AND my GPAs will be miscalculated?

any advice is appreciated 🙂

I only have one retake on my transcript, but I was told to list both grades in the respective semesters that the courses were taken. My undergrad institution eliminates the first grade attempt, but VMCAS does not and most vet schools do not. Some will average the two grades and some count them both equally. So, to simplify, I would list both grades and indicate the retake in your explanation statement for each vet school to then decide.

 

[vampyrica]

hello, everyone, i'm freaking out!

in my current masters program, when i retake a course, the original attempt's grade is excluded from my GPA. it literally shows on my transcript as 0.000. i was about to submit my VMCAS when i realized that i have to change the grades for four courses i retook since the last application cycle.. however, i transferred my transcript entries from my last application so, the grades from previous terms are locked.. meaning, i can't change the credit hours of those courses i originally took.

has anyone had a similar experience? i am hoping to speak with customer service tomorrow but i'm afraid that they will tell me they can't change previous coursework at all.. because if so, won't my application get declined because my coursework won't match my transcript AND my GPAs will be miscalculated?

any advice is appreciated 🙂

You cannot go back and change the grade to a 0.0. It doesn’t matter if your institution doesn’t count it anymore, VMCAS will calculate all attempts. My undergrad did the same thing.

Just make sure under “courses”, you indicate which classes are the new attempt and mark it as a “repeat”

 

[DressageEnthusiast]

I am aware that last year, there was a deadline extension for VMCAS LORs- is this a normal thing? I asked one of my professors (who is also a veterinarian) if she would write me a LOR back in May and she agreed. Both my other LOR writers submitted their LOR weeks ago, but she is still in the "accepted" phase. I told her this after class today -in case it was some kind of internal VMCAS issue and she had actually already submitted- and she didn't seem phased. I have emailed and spoken to her about this multiple times prior to this, and not once has she told me or hinted that she would be unable to complete the LOR on time. I know that she is writing multiple LORs for other students this cycle, so I am hoping that maybe she is waiting to be done with every single one before she hits submit. Still, I am terrified of the idea that I will wake up tomorrow to find that I have been auto-rejected from all the schools that I spent hundreds of dollars applying to simply because she alone decided not to submit.
I am trying to keep a level head and tell myself that it is out of my hands now- I have submitted the applications, and that is all that I, myself, can do. I asked early and in person. I followed up with her repeatedly. I did everything right. Still, this hurts. I was prepared for rejections based on my lower GPA- not this.

UPDATE: She submitted at 8:15pm. That was stressful 😵 but now everything's in!!! Good luck to everyone submitting (and reviewing) this cycle!!!

 

[JaynaAli]

I think the extension previously was because of an IT issue that prevented people from submitting, if I remember correctly. Usually the deadlines are firm. But also, it is extremely common for people to submit right at the deadline. So if you’ve given reminders as recently as today and they have given you no indication that they cannot/will not do it, I’d assume/hope they get it done tonight. Not much else you can do. Hopefully they come through tonight. It’s stressful for sure but not uncommon.

To other people who may be reading this in future cycles, this type of thing is why you do do the things DE has done to stay on top of things, and maybe also consider including an extra letter writer and not just the minimum so you have enough if someone does flake or has an issue.

 

[DressageEnthusiast]

I think the extension previously was because of an IT issue that prevented people from submitting, if I remember correctly. Usually the deadlines are firm. But also, it is extremely common for people to submit right at the deadline. So if you’ve given reminders as recently as today and they have given you no indication that they cannot/will not do it, I’d assume/hope they get it done tonight. Not much else you can do. Hopefully they come through tonight. It’s stressful for sure but not uncommon.

To other people who may be reading this in future cycles, this type of thing is why you do do the things DE has done to stay on top of things, and maybe also consider including an extra letter writer and not just the minimum so you have enough if someone does flake or has an issue.

I will absolutely be adding a fourth rec letter writer next year (assuming I don't get in this cycle). For some reason, this cycle I had assumed that all LOR writers had to be directly involved in the veterinary field. Had I known otherwise, I would have asked one of my previous non-veterinary employers to write an LOR for me.

 

[PawPrint_Doc]

✨ Happy VMCAS Submission Day! ✨
We’ve officially made it to the deadline — one big step closer to interviews and decisions!


Be proud of how far you’ve come, no matter the journey it took to get here. This process is no small feat, and each of us has shown so much dedication and perseverance.


Wishing good luck to everyone — may the next steps bring us closer to our dream of becoming veterinarians! 🐾❤️

 

[oweue]

last transcript says it was downloaded by VMCAS but on my application is still isn’t marked as received… hopefully it still counts since it was delivered and downloaded and they said it takes a few days to mark it as received

 

[oweue]

last transcript says it was downloaded by VMCAS but on my application is still isn’t marked as received… hopefully it still counts since it was delivered and downloaded and they said it takes a few days to mark it as received

if I interpreted their latest email correctly I should be in the clear! they said it takes up to five days to post it’s been received, but it should be received now based on parchment. guess time will tell but hoping it’s all good 🙂 this just proves I am not made for doing anything near a deadline lol

 

[sksisk]

We did it guys! Good luck to everyone! Shout out to all the vet students, veterinarians, and previous applicants that answered everyone's questions in here. I utilized this a lot and I appreciate everyone who gave advice.

 

[TheShepherdGirl]

Hello everyoneee! I just need a quick rant because I had the most stressful night with applications, and I ended up withdrawing an LOR request because it was ten minutes before the deadline, and it still wasn't completed. I thought that a pending LOR request would either look poorly on my application or render it incomplete in some circumstances, so despite her being one of my strongest ones, I felt like I had to withdraw. I only found out after the deadline that she had been given an extension to submit on the 18th 😭 I didn't know that was possible because when I read about recommendations on the VMCAS site, it stated there were no extensions given beyond the application deadline. I am also to blame, as I did not reach out to her due to a lot of tragic circumstances happening in her life, and I didn't want her to think I was being pushy or ungrateful when she was going through something far more important. I just feel like applicants should have also been notified of this, as I would have never withdrawn her recommendation request had I known. Is anybody else in a similar boat? Or any words of advice? I have enough other LORs, but I know that because of her position, she would have been a very strong one to have. I just can't help feeling dejected and frustrated with the situation and with myself.

 

[pp9]

Hello everyoneee! I just need a quick rant because I had the most stressful night with applications, and I ended up withdrawing an LOR request because it was ten minutes before the deadline, and it still wasn't completed. I thought that a pending LOR request would either look poorly on my application or render it incomplete in some circumstances, so despite her being one of my strongest ones, I felt like I had to withdraw. I only found out after the deadline that she had been given an extension to submit on the 18th 😭 I didn't know that was possible because when I read about recommendations on the VMCAS site, it stated there were no extensions given beyond the application deadline. I am also to blame, as I did not reach out to her due to a lot of tragic circumstances happening in her life, and I didn't want her to think I was being pushy or ungrateful when she was going through something far more important. I just feel like applicants should have also been notified of this, as I would have never withdrawn her recommendation request had I known. Is anybody else in a similar boat? Or any words of advice? I have enough other LORs, but I know that because of her position, she would have been a very strong one to have. I just can't help feeling dejected and frustrated with the situation and with myself.

I can't say I have good advice because I haven't come across this particular situation before. You could consider having her contact the individual schools and asking if they'd receive her letter directly. There is still a good chance they won't accept the letter from her to keep things fair for everyone, but if she explains her circumstances you never know.

 

[supershorty]

A post with a broken quote has been edited because it was messing up accessing this page for people on mobile.

 

[supershorty]

@oweue Please clear your cookies and uninstall and reinstall the app, or access SDN through your browser, to prevent the broken quote issue.

 

[TheShepherdGirl]

I can't say I have good advice because I haven't come across this particular situation before. You could consider having her contact the individual schools and asking if they'd receive her letter directly. There is still a good chance they won't accept the letter from her to keep things fair for everyone, but if she explains her circumstances you never know.

It was definitely one of those perfect storm situations. It might be worth a shot, but I completely understand why schools will more than likely not allow it. I am trying to stay in the mindset of whatever happens, happens, and that's okay! ☀️

 

[PixelInDenver]

Hello everyoneee! I just need a quick rant because I had the most stressful night with applications, and I ended up withdrawing an LOR request because it was ten minutes before the deadline, and it still wasn't completed. I thought that a pending LOR request would either look poorly on my application or render it incomplete in some circumstances, so despite her being one of my strongest ones, I felt like I had to withdraw. I only found out after the deadline that she had been given an extension to submit on the 18th 😭 I didn't know that was possible because when I read about recommendations on the VMCAS site, it stated there were no extensions given beyond the application deadline. I am also to blame, as I did not reach out to her due to a lot of tragic circumstances happening in her life, and I didn't want her to think I was being pushy or ungrateful when she was going through something far more important. I just feel like applicants should have also been notified of this, as I would have never withdrawn her recommendation request had I known. Is anybody else in a similar boat? Or any words of advice? I have enough other LORs, but I know that because of her position, she would have been a very strong one to have. I just can't help feeling dejected and frustrated with the situation and with myself.

I had a very similar experience - and you are handling it much better than I am lol! I am livid, honestly. VMCAS has created a very unfair situation that has advantaged some applicants over others.

I worked in community organizing for 12 years before deciding to become a vet. A former Speaker of the Colorado State House of Representatives was going to write me an LOR, but of course he's incredibly busy and that delayed him. I had the same thought that you did - that an incomplete LOR request would look bad so I deleted mine right before submitting my application at 5:52 pm yesterday. At 6:01 pm my recommender forwarded me the email that VMCAS sent him at 5:30 pm about the extension, but of course it was too late by that point. I called VMCAS customer support today to ask if they were going to do anything to rectify what seemed like essentially favoritism toward the people who waited until the literal last minute and they told me to pound dirt.

So, I'm working with attorneys to file a court order to halt the entire VMCAS process and force the administrators to grant all applicants the same extension. If they're going to charge us hundreds of dollars to apply to one school, then VMCAS should be expected to follow the same standards of accountability and timeliness as the applicants upon which they enforce their rules.

I am astounded that VMCAS is comfortable moving forward in such a shortsighted and unprofessional manner, and I hope that other students affected by this will speak out as well. This is a profoundly high-stakes process for the people engaged in it. We are in an incredibly competitive environment and trying to navigate incredibly high expectations to achieve our lifelong dreams. We deserve SO much better than this BS.

 

[battie]

I can understand an extension for a person in particularly tragic or unfortunate situations. But an extension because someone is busy, regardless of profession, is an incredible stretch. A law suit at this stage will do nothing now that the deadline is passed and the incredibly long time lawsuits take. Likewise, if I were VMCAS, I would just stop giving extensions at all over this if it were to go through.