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VMCAS Questions and Rants c/o 2031
Started by supershorty
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PcocoPriest
New Member
Anyone else's experience descriptions kinda sound dry and AI-ish? I don’t know how much pizzazz I can put into a description of a position where I just did husbandry management of X and Y species at such and such facility type.
SmallWorldEnthusiast
New Member
Hi! So I worked in the same position as full-time employee, but then later reduced my hours to part-time because I went back to school. Should I list them as separate experiences for the purpose of calculating hours, since my status changed? TIA!
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SmallWorldEnthusiast
New Member
Thanks! But then the problem is when I enter the expeirence it asks about my employment status. Should I just select full-time then?
Sure. They’ll see the hours and the dates, it really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things if it’s full or part time. Like I know it asks, but if I were on an admissions committee that doesn’t really matter to me, so don’t over think it. I think it would look weirder to have two entries that are otherwise the same.
cardamom23
Full Member
Yeah I’d just average out the hours and weeks
WildZoo
Noble Dubz Dictator, Unyeetable Phasing Wolf
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Bit of some off topic fun for all the pre-vetties in here - we will be running a Werewolf game for new players in a couple of weeks. It's a great way to get involved in the social side of the forum and make friends (by accusing them of murder).
sksisk
Full Member
I feel like this forum is being used significantly less than last cycle lol!
Quick question for all who are willing to give input.
I worked part time at a clinic for 6 years. When I graduate in december, I moved to full time. I just went back to part time as I secured a new full time job. For the 600 or so hours I got while I was full time, should I create another experience? It asks to list it as either full time or part time on VMCAS so I am unsure if I should. It was the same job, same duties, same location, only thing different was an increase in hours and that I got insurance lol. I could definitely change up my description and talk more about the clinical experience in depth since I got more of that with more hours but it is the same title and everything...
Quick question for all who are willing to give input.
I worked part time at a clinic for 6 years. When I graduate in december, I moved to full time. I just went back to part time as I secured a new full time job. For the 600 or so hours I got while I was full time, should I create another experience? It asks to list it as either full time or part time on VMCAS so I am unsure if I should. It was the same job, same duties, same location, only thing different was an increase in hours and that I got insurance lol. I could definitely change up my description and talk more about the clinical experience in depth since I got more of that with more hours but it is the same title and everything...
Someone else asked that like eight posts up and my recommendation is still to list it as one.
Whether it was full or part time won’t make or break your app. Just pick one. It would look redundant to list it twice; don’t waste the reader’s time.
Whether it was full or part time won’t make or break your app. Just pick one. It would look redundant to list it twice; don’t waste the reader’s time.
sksisk
Full Member
That makes sense, thank you!
juicydogg_
New Member
Would it be a bad idea for me to reuse aspects (or even entire essays) that I wrote last cycle for this one? I don't want the admissions committees to think that I'm lazy but I like some of the essays that I wrote and am struggling to find other things to write about because it doesn't feel as personal or as strong of a topic. Do the admissions offices have access to previous cycle material? Has anyone reused essays and have gotten accepted?
Not necessarily bad to reuse aspects. I used sentences and parts of paragraphs I really liked to discuss topics I knew I wanted to continue talking about. I was advised by multiple people, including a DVM who used to do admissions, to rewrite my essay even though the file reviews I did commented on how much they liked it.
Yes, I was specifically told by on school that my future applications would be looked at in comparison to previous ones to see what changed and what growth I accomplished.
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sksisk
Full Member
This is definitely school dependent! NCSU specifically states they do not look at any previous applications at all. I would look into each school you apply to and see what they say. It doesn't hurt to update your essay either, make some structure improvements, find areas it can flow better, use more powerful words, etc.
For me, one of my supplementals says to talk about a passion not vet med related and I talked about being in the marching band, I have since graduated and I am no longer IN the band but my passion for music and performance is the same and I added points about how I value the memories I made and how I can enjoy it even with not being a marching member anymore. Its basically the same essay with some minor updates that fit more with the stage of life I am in as well as structure and flow improvements.
I have seen some medical school secondary essay reports where applicants are asked to describe how they used genAI tools to prepare their applications.The only statement I've seen is from U of IL where you have to sign a thing in VMCAS stating you did not use AI for your application.
Hot take, but I think most vet schools are expecting some sort of AI to be present in upcoming applications. And idk if they care. People are going to use it one way or another. Some people might think it's smart to have AI work for you.
If 100% of college students are now using genAI tools in their undergraduate experience, it is impractical to expect zero genAI use for applications. So long as one doesn't let genAI produce all of their essays and interview responses, one should be okay. Document how you use it, but don't get hung up with running your essays through a detector. On LinkedIn, a poster ran his doctoral thesis through a detector, and the detector said the thesis was written with at least 70% genAI assistance, despite the fact the thesis was written in 2010...
#aidetection #highereducation #academicintegrity #criticalailiteracy #aiineducation | Sam Illingworth | 556 comments
I ran my PhD thesis through an AI detector. It told me 70% of it was written by AI. I wrote it in 2010. ChatGPT did not exist. Generative AI as we know it did not exist. So either I am a time traveller, or these tools do not work. The detector flagged my thesis, ‘The Suitability of the IASI...
ADR0805
New Member
Question: I have been in the vet field for about a decade. I have done a copious amount of CEs. Are these good to add to the certificates/licenses portion?
Also, with things like Fear Free certifications, if I have a couple through Fear Free do I add them all to the same cert. or do I list them out individually?
Thank you!
Also, with things like Fear Free certifications, if I have a couple through Fear Free do I add them all to the same cert. or do I list them out individually?
Thank you!
I am struggling with entering my experiences on VMCAS. I have a lot of experience (employment + extracurriculars) I was a part of in high school, but not sure if I should include it on my application. It was all experience I had for multiple years (some since childhood and some starting in high school), and I was president of two animal/environment related clubs. My issue is that I didn't track the hours I dedicated to those experiences, and I do not have a supervisor for any of them. Any advice/help is greatly appreciated!
I guesstimated. I was in a lot of audition based bands and orchestras as a kid and I included it a) because it doesn’t hurt to and b) my undergraduate degree is in music and I felt it helped explain how I got to where I did in undergrad and why I chose to pivot. I would err on the side of under-counting, but a solid estimate should be fine. It’s not like they’re going to go back to your high school and ask for an audit of every second you spent on those things.
Ditto what Rae said. Put it in, guesstimate
Ok, I think I will include it, thank you! Do you think it would raise any red flags if I do not put a supervisor/Select No they cannot contact the organization?
I genuinely don’t think I put supervisors for like 90% of my experiences. I think I only put them for my more significant animal/vet experiences (that were semi recent within the last 5 years) and put no for one toxic job. If you happen to remember their names go ahead and put them down, but I don’t remember hunting for people’s contact information especially since what I had wouldn’t even be current for a majority of my supervisors
loafofsofi
New Member
Hi! I'm not applying for class of 2031 but am interviewing for an early acceptance program with my IS school and wanted to ask anyone who's interviewed for a similar program if the questions they ask are similar to a normal vet school interview? My IS doesn't do interviews for regular cycle applications so I don't have the most to go off. Thanks!!
It’s been many many years since I did early admit, but the interview was very similar to a regular admissions interview. The head of admissions actually told me once that in some ways it’s even harder than “regular” admissions because they’re really having to decide who to make such a big commitment to when they’re so young. But yes, I’d use resources for regular vet med interviews to help you prepare.
Also I did the math and my early admissions interview was in October 2008…where the heck did those 18 years go?!
loafofsofi
New Member
Perfect, thank you so much!!
sksisk
Full Member
Anyone else hate this personal statement prompt? I start writing, feeling confident about it, then I read it back and I hate it.
I feel like I can't answer TWO questions in only 3000 characters. I feel like I can't be descriptive at all and it is so boring to read once I said most of what I want to say. I have rewritten it 10 times at this point. I liked the previous one a lot better, I knew exactly what I was going to write about and even though I rewrote it couple times I never felt this lost.
For example, contributions I want to make to veterinary medicine include advocating for strategies that can help combat issues I have seen in vet med. I feel like I have to explain the process for how this will work and that it goes deeper than it seems at surface level, then explaining how I plan to implement it and advocate for it yada yada yada and I end up using almost all my characters on the first half of the prompt. I have always been told "show don't tell" but explaining the how also kinda feels like the "show" in this scenario -- and then, if I cut it out, I feel like the second half of the prompt is kind of unrelated to the first part other than the fact that I am an advocate and care about community. It is true but it doesn't flow well because advocacy is not THAT related to veterinary school success, there are aspects where it does help but not as much other qualities/perspectives would but basically I feel like if I don't connect them, it ruins the flow of the essay and makes me want to rip my hair out as a hold down the backspace bar until it's all gone. UGH!
so yeah..... Any recommendations for taking on this new prompt?
Happy to chat in DMs to if anyone prefers that
I feel like I can't answer TWO questions in only 3000 characters. I feel like I can't be descriptive at all and it is so boring to read once I said most of what I want to say. I have rewritten it 10 times at this point. I liked the previous one a lot better, I knew exactly what I was going to write about and even though I rewrote it couple times I never felt this lost.
For example, contributions I want to make to veterinary medicine include advocating for strategies that can help combat issues I have seen in vet med. I feel like I have to explain the process for how this will work and that it goes deeper than it seems at surface level, then explaining how I plan to implement it and advocate for it yada yada yada and I end up using almost all my characters on the first half of the prompt. I have always been told "show don't tell" but explaining the how also kinda feels like the "show" in this scenario -- and then, if I cut it out, I feel like the second half of the prompt is kind of unrelated to the first part other than the fact that I am an advocate and care about community. It is true but it doesn't flow well because advocacy is not THAT related to veterinary school success, there are aspects where it does help but not as much other qualities/perspectives would but basically I feel like if I don't connect them, it ruins the flow of the essay and makes me want to rip my hair out as a hold down the backspace bar until it's all gone. UGH!
so yeah..... Any recommendations for taking on this new prompt?
Happy to chat in DMs to if anyone prefers that
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For me, it helped having people who don’t know me read it. And having MANY people read it, telling me their interpretation of it. Or heck, sometimes even having someone read it to me helped me understand what I was trying to write.
After reading your edited question, I understand a bit better what you’re struggling with.Anyone else hate this personal statement prompt? I start writing, feeling confident about it, then I read it back and I hate it.
I feel like I can't answer TWO questions in only 3000 characters. I feel like I can't be descriptive at all and it is so boring to read once I said most of what I want to say. I have rewritten it 10 times at this point. I liked the previous one a lot better, I knew exactly what I was going to write about and even though I rewrote it couple times I never felt this lost.
For example, contributions I want to make to veterinary medicine include advocating for strategies that can help combat issues I have seen in vet med. I feel like I have to explain the process for how this will work and that it goes deeper than it seems at surface level, then explaining how I plan to implement it and advocate for it yada yada yada and I end up using almost all my characters on the first half of the prompt. I have always been told "show don't tell" but explaining the how also kinda feels like the "show" in this scenario -- and then, if I cut it out, I feel like the second half of the prompt is kind of unrelated to the first part other than the fact that I am an advocate and care about community. It is true but it doesn't flow well because advocacy is not THAT related to veterinary school success, there are aspects where it does help but not as much other qualities/perspectives would but basically I feel like if I don't connect them, it ruins the flow of the essay and makes me want to rip my hair out as a hold down the backspace bar until it's all gone. UGH!
so yeah..... Any recommendations for taking on this new prompt?
Happy to chat in DMs to if anyone prefers that
I think being a successful student goes beyond academics (e.g., helping your colleagues, contributing to a healthy culture/environment, etc.) and that advocacy can be greatly tied to your successes as both a student and future clinician.
And based on what you said, it SEEMS like you have seen some “issues” in vet med firsthand that you feel like advocacy can help change. That’s great. You have a personal experience that you can leverage to exemplify WHY you want to be a veterinarian. I think it would be helpful to have some people take a look at your essay versions 🙂
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Hi! Should I combine all my TA experiences in my experience section? They have taught me similar things and have similar responsibilities. I TA’d gen chem, marine bio, physical science, and gene therapy. I have the same question for tutoring. I was hired as a tutor through my school for animal bio, biochem, and genetics. Should those be 3 entires or a single entry?
cardamom23
Full Member
Anything that included the same organization or manager could be the same entry. Otherwise make them all separate if the scope was different among roles.
Uh, I guess? Is this person not a user of basic tech, or do they just not want to provide you/VMCAS with their personal email? If it's the latter, they could just make a professional 'burner' email for things like this I guess
cardamom23
Full Member
Any recc's on a cheap, legit, 1 credit online Medical Terminology course? I am adding VA-MD to my list and they require this, but alas my current online school does not offer a class in medical terminology. tyia!
Idk how much it is for OOS but I took it at Tarrant county college in Texas (fully online). It was SUPER easy and I got accepted to VMCVM
anompotato
New Member
Hi all! im an applicant for this cycle and im looking for guidance on the experiences section of VMCAS, I have a lot of experiences spanning many different areas of vet med including: zoo, wildlife, exotic, small, large, equine, camelid, and shelter. I have a substantial amount of hours in each area but im coming out to around 15 different experience entry's because im including things like a club, tutoring, and odd jobs ive done with animals. I am a little concerned its too much. How many experiences is too many? I am also confused because one of my jobs I was a vet assistant/kennel tech where i spent about 20% of my shifts working only in the boarding facility with animals so should I make that a separate experience for animal hours instead of veterinary hours? this is all during college as well I wasnt going to include my highschool stuff unless I should? I'm also concerned my experiences don't show enough personality, that why I want to include clubs, is that something I should worry about?
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sksisk
Full Member
I feel you! I have honestly heard both ends of this. Some say only include your most quality experiences and not overload it but others have said include EVERYTHING! I think a good middle ground is good. I don't think 15 quality experiences is too much.
I included some high school experiences that I felt diversified my application. For example, I did band in high school and college but I only really put college band on the application, but I did include my global leadership club and JROTC from high school because they were unique and significant. So yeah, if anything, I would be picky about high school stuff you include but include everything during your collegiate years! That's just my opinion though. If you feel its too much I had a professor say anything that has 75 hours or more is good!
The limit does not exist. You don't know what different schools are looking for. Put whatever you want; if they don't care about it, they won't consider it.
Yes, separate
Depends. I included high school stuff that influenced my later self. I went into vet med because my family owned pet stores, so I put the thousands of hours that I spent in the pet stores on my app. I did NHS in high school, but it was a meh experience, so I skipped it
miriam1216
Full Member
It's a *1 semester* requirement, so I would presume it's a 3 credit course...
So I am reapplying to Vet School. Gpa wasn’t the best the 1st go around so since then I’ve gotten my masters in canine and feline behavior ended that with a 3.6 and a cohert certificate from Illinois also ended with a 3.6. I’ve worked full time at Northshore animal league and have now accumulated over 5000 hours of vet work. Have my name on a paper and have 4 senior vet letters of Rec 1 supervisor letter and my capstone professor wrote a letter. Given upward trend and applying to schools that look more holistically. What are my odds??
CeeGee14
U.C Davis c/o 2029
You’re gonna have better odds posting in the WAMC with the correct format so we can give you more specific advice
puffinpoof
New Member
Hi everyone! I was just wondering how many experiences on average everyone had on VMCAS? I know this number will vary a lot because there are so many different applicants from different backgrounds and ages, but I just wanted to get a general idea. I currently have 30, and I am worried that's too much and can drown out my more meaningful experiences. I included some volunteering things from high school, and I've worked many jobs from then to now. Any reply would be appreciated! Good luck everyone 
I think I have somewhere around 15-20!Hi everyone! I was just wondering how many experiences on average everyone had on VMCAS? I know this number will vary a lot because there are so many different applicants from different backgrounds and ages, but I just wanted to get a general idea. I currently have 30, and I am worried that's too much and can drown out my more meaningful experiences. I included some volunteering things from high school, and I've worked many jobs from then to now. Any reply would be appreciated! Good luck everyone
And good luck to you too.
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cardamom23
Full Member
Thanks! I dug a bit more and actually found a course in my ASU class search, it’s a 3-credit course called Health Professions Terminology. So that should be sufficient.
sksisk
Full Member
Looking for tips on the explanation statement. I have heard conflicting views about it. It has enough characters to be an essay but it also says be clear and concise in the prompt and so some have said to do short, straight to the point bullet points.
I will be mentioning a recent ADHD diagnosis. I have an essay style written that has details that goes into my struggles and how it effected my focus in class and my ability to study as well as why I went undiagnosed for so long and then discuss how much I have benefitted from medication and the differences I see
I could also just write it matter of factly and state I was diagnosed, now medicated, it likely effected my undergraduate grades.
I will be mentioning a recent ADHD diagnosis. I have an essay style written that has details that goes into my struggles and how it effected my focus in class and my ability to study as well as why I went undiagnosed for so long and then discuss how much I have benefitted from medication and the differences I see
I could also just write it matter of factly and state I was diagnosed, now medicated, it likely effected my undergraduate grades.
I was always told to skip the fluff and get straight to the point. I will use my own experience as an example for how I framed it, but again, this just how I did it.
I explained that I was born with a series of endocrine health issues that progressively became more difficult to manage as I aged. When I transferred campuses, I was now 3-4 hours away from my care team and my health took a drastic decline. There were times I had to skip classes to drive to Philly to see my doctors, or stay on campus and struggle. As a result, my grades took a significant ding and dropped from a 3.6 to a 3.2 in just two semesters. I recognized this was unsustainable and causing me lots of distress both with my mental and physical health, and academically. So I used that summer to turn things around and get on a strict regime, advocate for the medicine I knew I needed and followed a very detailed schedule to get back on track, and once my senior year came around and it was time to put it into action, it all worked out great. I had an upwards GPA trend and was able to graduate on time. Some of the lessons I learned throughout this process was how to advocate for myself, and how to keep myself accountable. I made sure to note in my essay that these are lessons that I intend to carry through in every aspect of my life, but most critically for veterinary school, and I now held the tools in my hand to maintaining a healthy balance between managing my conditions, managing my schoolwork and managing my life.
TLDR: start with the problem, how it affected you, what you ended up doing about it, what you learned and how this situation impacts your future career as a veterinarian (ie: what did you learn? what will you do in the future if this happens again?)
I also have a similar amount, 29. I personally am including all of my experiences, and including some stuff from high school. As long as it was meaningful, and had an impact on me, my perspectives, and/or my journey, I included it. I made sure to get a variety of experience with different species and types of work (volunteer/vet/animal, etc), so I want to highlight that as much as possible. Good luck to you too, we got this!!Hi everyone! I was just wondering how many experiences on average everyone had on VMCAS? I know this number will vary a lot because there are so many different applicants from different backgrounds and ages, but I just wanted to get a general idea. I currently have 30, and I am worried that's too much and can drown out my more meaningful experiences. I included some volunteering things from high school, and I've worked many jobs from then to now. Any reply would be appreciated! Good luck everyone
fetabean2023
New Member
Hello, I'm messaging to ask about my pre-recs two of the required classes Ochem and Biochem I completed as apart of my Masters in Biological Science from MUA (Medical University of Americas) it's classified as a foreign school so I had to go thru WES. Now my problem is since I had to do it that way I can't match up those classes with the pre-recs in the vmcas for each school. Should i retake at a US institution or do we think its fine? FYI I'm applying this rotation for Fall 2027.
