WCVM/UCVM c/o 2020

[DPolaris]

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Came back to this thread and a lot of great responses/advice, and congratulations to everyone who got interviews, and to those who haven't received news yet don't worry too much, there are second rounds and people who turn down an offer!

For clothing, basically what the previous posters have recommended is good! For guys, if I remember correctly most wore a suit and dress shoes, and for the ladies it was a mixture of pants/blouses/skirts, and maybe a full length dress here or there. Something you would wear to a formal dinner that's not too over the top would be safe, but honestly I really suck at clothes/fashion hahaha! Maybe something one would wear if they worked a 9-5 office job?

As for essay topics, unfortunately I deleted most of the bookmarks I used for the Interview Day. What I did was literally google something along the lines of "Veterinary News" and bookmarked the whole first page of Google, and every day (if I remembered) I would click into each of those links and read up on current events. The other topics noodle provided are great, great topics as well. In particular, I feel like a question related to antibiotic use or something like that would be good, especially with Subway recently talking about how they're against antibiotic usage and A&W trying to "inform" (scare) people and tell them their meat is hormone free. The CVMA position statements are also good to read through and understand.

For the MMI itself, I don't know much about this year's format since it changes every year but rumor has it that it's similar to the UofC med one (and they don't make them sign a statement of confidentiality, so if you have any UofC Med friends you could ask them). I prepared with the ethics book everyone talks about, and I also practiced with my dentistry and med friends last year as well. Their questions weren't as relevant as the ethics book but it gave me practice in speaking in front of multiple people, thinking through problems, and speaking concisely, clearly and in an organized manner.

Feel free to PM/comment/whatever, more than happy to help! I'm in the morning session and will be stealing the food they are providing you guys (I think/hope) for breakfast because I love pastries and fruit :3

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Hi @BeautifulBritishColumbia! Thanks for the warm welcome and congratulations! I thought it would be a strategic move to become a resident of Alberta so that I could apply to UCVM and WCVM, but since I was born in Ontario, I can also apply to OVC as well so I have applied to all three for the first time this year! Like a lot of the people here that have posted, my first and second year wasn't particularly good so I thought moving to Calgary and applying to UCVM, where they lean more towards the interview and essay, would be more to my benefit. I also went back to school this past September to upgrade my first year marks and I'm happy to say that I ended up with a 4.0 GPA for the Fall semester! I wasn't sure really what my plans were when I moved out here (literately told my mom I'd be going to Calgary the summer I graduated and then left two weeks after!) but I'm glad I'm here! It's only been a year and a half since I've moved here and I can't see my life without the mountains anymore! 😍

I read in your earlier post that you might hear back from an emergency animal hospital depending on your schedule. How did that turn out? I love working E.R! It's a lot of hard work, especially since we are taking on a position that deals with a lot of the "dirty work" but it really gives you the exposure on critical cases that I never saw in small animal clinics! Be ready for all things bodily fluid related!! Thankfully I have a pretty strong stomach for a lot of the things we see in hospital (i.e. popping abscesses, hit by cars, broken bones bent in unnatural ways lol). Everyday I learn something new and working at the bottom of the hospital allows me to observe what happens from the top down, so I hope to take a lot of the humility from the job to become a well-rounded vet (eventually!)

@noodle3, Yay another student like me! I'm currently on my 6th year of undergrad at well! And with taking only first year courses I feel like Billy Madison when he's back in grade school! Lol! Keep your spirits up! It know it can be hard (it is for me when I see all my friends are moving forward with their lives!) but this only proves to show how much we want to get in! My mantra that I tell myself is that it's not a race and that I'll get to where I need to go eventually!

Haha, I never heard anything back, which at this point doesn't bother me. Maybe next year once I have finished with the things I have going on this summer I can put some real effort into getting a place there. As it was I sent a letter of interest, in which I made them fully aware I didn't have a ton of free time. Usually not the type of person a place wants to hire 😉

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Great, I'm glad that I could help! If you have any questions that your research is unable to answer, feel free to message me.

My interview actually went pretty well. One thing I would do differently is to be completely mindful about not trying to answer questions I don't know the answer to. When they asked me about current events (something they seem to do during almost everyone's interview), I didn't know as much about what I chose to talk about as I should have. They definitely noticed and called me out on it. Luckily I realized what I had done in time to save the situation by admitting that I could definitely read up on it more. My admittance of that seemed to be the right thing to say. I guess my advice to anyone interviewing with WCVM is to not bull**** because they know when you are. They don't expect you to know the answers to all of their questions, but they do expect you to be able to admit when you don't know something.

It reminds me of a question I saw on a forum (maybe this one?) a long time ago. A girl was asked about gestation crates in swine farming and if she thinks that they can be improved upon. She clearly didn't know what those were and instead of saying so, she made something up. The interviewer then replied something like "if you make that change it will squish the piglets". The girl was rattled by this and was complaining about it on the boards afterwards, but she still didn't realize her mistake: there are never piglets in gestation crates. They are only for gestation (hence the name). The interviewer could clearly see that she had no idea what she was talking about and completely sunk her on it. Don't be gestation crate girl.

(I'm sure she went on to be a successful person, but I think that is the most solid example of why you shouldn't make stuff up to sound knowledgeable that I have ever seen 😛).

Oh I remember that question! Did she get in that year do you remember?

My suggestion to learning about the issues (having never done the interview process) is to google the type of farming and controversy. I found that led to key words you could then research to learn about them. Or animal rights websites because once you figure out what they have an issue with you can go to a more reliable source to read up on all the pros and cons

As a side note to that, did any of you guys see the video of "Wheelz" the baby rabbit that had a makeshift wheelchair? Thought it was interesting reading the very large differences of opinion in the comments on the video

 

[capucinus1]

As a side note to that, did any of you guys see the video of "Wheelz" the baby rabbit that had a makeshift wheelchair? Thought it was interesting reading the very large differences of opinion in the comments on the video

I have now...looks like there is a lot more to the story than what the video reveals. This is a perfect example of a complex animal welfare issue that could be brought up in interviews. Is it inherently wrong to give injured or disabled animals prosthetics or wheel chairs to aid in mobility? IMO no...on the other hand I would argue that such things would need to be done under the supervision of a trained professional (e.g. vet) who can monitor the progress and welfare of the animal. Unfortunately it looks like "Wheelz" past away.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

I have now...looks like there is a lot more to the story than what the video reveals. This is a perfect example of a complex animal welfare issue that could be brought up in interviews. Is it inherently wrong to give injured or disabled animals prosthetics or wheel chairs to aid in mobility? IMO no...on the other hand I would argue that such things would need to be done under the supervision of a trained professional (e.g. vet) who can monitor the progress and welfare of the animal. Unfortunately it looks like "Wheelz" past away.

Yes, I've been keeping up with it very carefully since the video first came out. I did find that a lot of the issues people had related to 2 things: 1) The farm is a meat rabbit farm, and people were unhappy at the idea of rabbits being raised as livestock. 2) That the rabbits were housed outdoors (and thus if it was cold and a baby rabbit somehow ended up outside of the nest it would die of hypothermia).
In my opinion, what they did was fine, and that bringing the rabbit into a veterinarian was a good call. Would that have happened without the publicity? Who knows. However as with what you said he died of unknown causes relating to respiratory issues. One thing I heard that I wasn't totally comfortable with was the list of veterinary tasks that they complete themselves on the farm. Some of them leaned too close to what I believe is the "veterinarian-only" line

 

[sip011]

Wow! It's great to see such discussion on here among all you guys! Supporting each other and hashing out ideas and issues is what makes this forum so great 🙂 it sure helped me a lot when I was applying!! 🙂

School caught up wit me for a while but have a short break until the next exam (haha...something for you guys to look forward to in 2nd year). I'll add a few things I've seen people talking about...

1. @BeautifulBritishColumbia - don't worry, there are lots of social things at WCVM 🙂 as much as we spend way A LOT of time in the books, we'd go crazy without other things. You get close with your classmates because we're all in this together! There are lots of fun events at the college and around the city. Practically we are getting in clinical exam and skills labs which is nice.

2. Interview clothes. Anything professional is fine! I personally went for dress pants and a blazer rather than a skirt or dress because I wanted to look more "power" than feminine haha. But that was just personal choice, lots of girls wore skirts or professional dresses.

3. Interviews. You definitely don't have to sign anything at WCVM. Many of the questions will be catered to you and your application. That means they will get a good idea of you and try to ask you about things you might not know!

4. Lg animal issues. There are a lot of ways they can take this. Gestation crates and farrowing crates, hormone use (be careful about the dairy issue- rBST isn't actually legal in Canada so if you want to talk about it be sure to mention its in the USA not Canada), cage free eggs, public perceptions and misinformation campaigns (ie A&W), etc etc

Don't forget about other industries though. There's nothig stopping them from asking about small animal or zoo animal welfare issues.

4b. Id say the hottest topic right now is probably antibiotics.

Hopefully some of this helps you guys. I'm not a lot of help with UCVM but Il try my best and I can help a lot more with WCVM 🙂 if anyone has any specific questions etc always feel free to PM me 🙂 especially once interview offers come out I can talk for hours about interviews haha

Fingers crossed for all of you guys!!

 

[noodle3]

Thanks for the detailed response, @sip011 ! I'm glad you have a bit of a lull in your exams right now. It must be a welcomed break. Just out of curiosity, how many hours would you say that you study a week? I know that it changes for each person, but it would be interesting to have a bit of first-hand insight 😛

I'm already getting stressed out about interviews and it's not even time yet 🙁. It's scary how much the applicant pool can change each year.

 

[sip011]

@noodle3 oh man scary question hahaha.
I should say first that I am by no means the top of my class (thoroughly average!) and there are a lot of students who study A LOT more than I do (and probably some that study a lot less). I spend most of my weekends helping out at my boyfriends farm out of the city so I try to do all my studying during the week so I can have weekends off.
It's hard to put a number on because of our schedule and how it changes. In the fall there was a period where we wrote exams Monday and Thursday every week for several weeks straight. During those weeks I studied a few hours every night at least during the week, Wednesday afternoons for 3-4 hrs (you always get We'd afternoons off at WCVM), and weekends if I needed to. January was a slack month for us so I didn't study nearly as much (and definitely not every night of the week). Right now when it's about 1 exam per week I study most evenings and Wednesday afternoons but in general for less at a time than in the fall (like I actually take the time to make real meals now...rather than raw carrots or microwaved rice haha).
That's the best I can give you, it's different for everyone and will depend a lot on what classes you like (ie I loved virology and it all just "stuck" so I didn't have to study much, but pharmacology took me hours to get through a page!). Your background will change it a lot too...in first year I studied very little because (have done undergrad at USask) I had already taken anatomy and animal physiology with a lot of the same professors!

That was a bit long winded. Hope it gave you an idea though 🙂

And I totally understand. It's a stressful time! But just keep at it and I have no doubt you guys will be successful. I've got my fingers crossed for all of you and hopefully I'll be meeting a bunch of you in August! 🙂

 

[noodle3]

@noodle3 oh man scary question hahaha.
I should say first that I am by no means the top of my class (thoroughly average!) and there are a lot of students who study A LOT more than I do (and probably some that study a lot less). I spend most of my weekends helping out at my boyfriends farm out of the city so I try to do all my studying during the week so I can have weekends off.
It's hard to put a number on because of our schedule and how it changes. In the fall there was a period where we wrote exams Monday and Thursday every week for several weeks straight. During those weeks I studied a few hours every night at least during the week, Wednesday afternoons for 3-4 hrs (you always get We'd afternoons off at WCVM), and weekends if I needed to. January was a slack month for us so I didn't study nearly as much (and definitely not every night of the week). Right now when it's about 1 exam per week I study most evenings and Wednesday afternoons but in general for less at a time than in the fall (like I actually take the time to make real meals now...rather than raw carrots or microwaved rice haha).
That's the best I can give you, it's different for everyone and will depend a lot on what classes you like (ie I loved virology and it all just "stuck" so I didn't have to study much, but pharmacology took me hours to get through a page!). Your background will change it a lot too...in first year I studied very little because (have done undergrad at USask) I had already taken anatomy and animal physiology with a lot of the same professors!

That was a bit long winded. Hope it gave you an idea though 🙂

And I totally understand. It's a stressful time! But just keep at it and I have no doubt you guys will be successful. I've got my fingers crossed for all of you and hopefully I'll be meeting a bunch of you in August! 🙂

Thank you so much for the detailed response

That was actually really helpful as a heads up on what to expect. It sounds like you are really good at managing your time. Working on your boyfriend's family's farm on the weekends sounds like a great time. It must be nice to get away from school on the weekends. I don't have a great work-school-life balance right now, but I think it will be a lot easier in vet school once the pressure is off to get accepted there. Reading your account made that seem a lot more realistic.

Did you find that attending U of S for your undergrad gave/gives you an advantage? You mentioned that you had taken classes with some of the WCVM profs before, that must have been nice to know what to expect.

 

[sip011]

Thank you so much for the detailed response

That was actually really helpful as a heads up on what to expect. It sounds like you are really good at managing your time. Working on your boyfriend's family's farm on the weekends sounds like a great time. It must be nice to get away from school on the weekends. I don't have a great work-school-life balance right now, but I think it will be a lot easier in vet school once the pressure is off to get accepted there. Reading your account made that seem a lot more realistic.

Did you find that attending U of S for your undergrad gave/gives you an advantage? You mentioned that you had taken classes with some of the WCVM profs before, that must have been nice to know what to expect.

Attending the U of S prior to vet school was perfect for me because of my interests. I moved from BC with the purpose of studying agriculture and I got some incredible experiences while in Ag (I got my first job at WCVM the summer after my first year uni and the vet I worked for was actually one of my references when I applied later!). I actually knew one of my interviews on my panel because he had taught me in Ag. So making contacts was a big plus for me.
I had taken anatomy taught by vet school profs while in Ag and while that class wasn't nearly as in-depth as first year vet it helped me A LOT. Physiology was the other big one; that was the class where even some of the professors (and exam questions!) were the same as they had been in my animal science courses.

So yes, for me it certainly had its advantages. However, certainly not of the type that are going to determine admission or not. Moving to Sask still didn't let me "play the system" or anything, I still had to apply as a BC student. And definitely there were lots of students in my class who had taken anatomy and physiology classes at their alma maters and they were just as well off as I was. Having a basic knowledge of those is a HUGE help in first year there is no doubt about that, but it's certainly something you could get at many other universities 🙂



You will definitely find a new perspective and balance once you're in 🙂 it's amazing how much your attitude can change. In vet school I find I spend way more time studying and running on too-little sleep than in undergrad, but when I take a break I'm actually relaxed and go out/have fun with friends, etc. Whereas when I was still trying to get in I was stressed all the time, got ulcers, and never could get the "I should be studying" feeling to go away long enough to actually enjoy myself. Essentially, I've found I work harder now than I ever thought I could but I am way happier than I was in undergrad!

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Sip, that is neat that the veterinary profs teach a lot of the undergrad courses as well. It makes sense, but for some reason in my head they were all vet school only. Do you like most of the profs?

Did you guys have any hands-on labs (live animals, not cadavers (sp?)) first year?

 

[sip011]

Sip, that is neat that the veterinary profs teach a lot of the undergrad courses as well. It makes sense, but for some reason in my head they were all vet school only. Do you like most of the profs?

Did you guys have any hands-on labs (live animals, not cadavers (sp?)) first year?

The profs are for the most part awesome obviously there will be some you like more or less but I'd be hard pressed to name a prof I actually thought was "bad". In general they are great!!! Several of my favourite profs I've ever had teach here at the vet school.

You definitely get some live animal time in first year! They give you all the fun animal stuff for a few months to get you excited and then take it all away and make you study haha. No but really, 1st semester first year you get basic animal handling labs because everyone is from different backgrounds (like I had no problem chasing pigs around but not much experience with horses growing up). We did cattle, exotics, pigs, dogs/cats, horses, and poultry.

Also some of the anatomy profs (esp Dr Adams) are really good at bringing live animals into anatomy labs- we had cows horses llama alpacas and dogs.

Plus there are a ton of extra labs put on by the small and large animal clubs to learn new skills and get some live animal time!

 

[Braki]

There is certainly an unforgettable live animal lab with a dog during anatomy with Dr. Adams... hahaha.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

There is certainly an unforgettable live animal lab with a dog during anatomy with Dr. Adams... hahaha.

Care to elaborate? Haha

 

[Braki]

It's a bit crazy so I'm a little hesitant. I hope that you all get in this year so you can understand what I'm talking about a year from now. Definite bonding moment for the whole class.

 

[noodle3]

Now I'm really curious, @Braki !

Guys I just looked at my message board on my application and it says that interviews this year will run into the first week of June! It's going to be even later this year :s. I wonder why that is. Have interviews ever gone that long for WCVM? I thought that they always sent offers on the Friday of the first week in June. I don't know if I can handle the stress for a few weeks longer than last year 😛.

Oh, and good luck to the UCVMers who have their interviews coming up! Do your best 🙂!

 

[SunnyAntia]

It's a bit crazy so I'm a little hesitant. I hope that you all get in this year so you can understand what I'm talking about a year from now. Definite bonding moment for the whole class.

I'm curious to know what this is about as well. My best guess would be it was during one of the repro labs? We actually didn't have Dr. Adams this year for any of the repro anatomy stuff, he was only around for the beginning part of the year, so I'm definitely interested to know what we were missing out on LOL.

 

[Braki]

I'm curious to know what this is about as well. My best guess would be it was during one of the repro labs? We actually didn't have Dr. Adams this year for any of the repro anatomy stuff, he was only around for the beginning part of the year, so I'm definitely interested to know what we were missing out on LOL.

It was! That is a shame that you didn't have him for repro. That is like... his favourite.

 

[Squeaksmom]

Just popping in to wish everyone luck who's interviewing for UCVM this weekend. You guys have got this!

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Now I'm really curious, @Braki !

Guys I just looked at my message board on my application and it says that interviews this year will run into the first week of June! It's going to be even later this year :s. I wonder why that is. Have interviews ever gone that long for WCVM? I thought that they always sent offers on the Friday of the first week in June. I don't know if I can handle the stress for a few weeks longer than last year 😛.

Oh, and good luck to the UCVMers who have their interviews coming up! Do your best 🙂!

Wow, that seems awfully late in the summer to have an interview, never mind make plans regarding the results.

On the plus side, for all of us still in school classes are over in a few weeks 🙂

And yes, I second the good luck to the UCVMers! Hopefully it is good news for everyone this year!

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

It was! That is a shame that you didn't have him for repro. That is like... his favourite.

Sounds like it was an experience haha. Is that the only class he teaches?

 

[sip011]

Even I am interested hahaha. He taught us repro in anatomy last year and that dog lab wasn't all that memorable.

On the other hand, if you ever get the chance be sure to ask him to do his llama mating call impressions.

 

[vetplease2020]

Been lurking here for months but finally made an account after the UCVM MMI's today. Hope everyone had a good day! Those stations were unusual, but interesting, hey?

Also, the CSB is so beautiful, and the tour just reinforced how awesome it would be to go to UCVM.

 

[capucinus1]

CSB really is a beautiful facility! I hope you did well yesterday...I know its a long long ...long wait until early June and Im sure all of us here are hoping to hear the good news when that day does eventually come 🙂 Did you also apply to Sask @vetplease2020?

 

[vetplease2020]

CSB really is a beautiful facility! I hope you did well yesterday...I know its a long long ...long wait until early June and Im sure all of us here are hoping to hear the good news when that day does eventually come 🙂 Did you also apply to Sask @vetplease2020?

@capucinus1 Thanks! I am very cautiously optimistic as a first time applicant. Even if I totally bombed the interview, I can just call it a trial run for next year 🙂. I was in the afternoon session, so I just wanted to say thanks! Everyone was super nice and helpful.

I did not apply for WCVM this year though, which was really dumb in hindsight. I'm a Calgarian born and raised, and financially UCVM would be ideal. Not to mention the small class sizes and the new facilities. Next year I will likely apply to both.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

@capucinus1 Thanks! I am very cautiously optimistic as a first time applicant. Even if I totally bombed the interview, I can just call it a trial run for next year 🙂. I was in the afternoon session, so I just wanted to say thanks! Everyone was super nice and helpful.

I did not apply for WCVM this year though, which was really dumb in hindsight. I'm a Calgarian born and raised, and financially UCVM would be ideal. Not to mention the small class sizes and the new facilities. Next year I will likely apply to both.

Welcome to the forums!! 🙂 How do you think the interview went? That would be convenient for you, hey?

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Also, for all the other UCVM interviewees, how did it go for you guys?!

 

[capucinus1]

@capucinus1 Thanks! I am very cautiously optimistic as a first time applicant. Even if I totally bombed the interview, I can just call it a trial run for next year 🙂. I was in the afternoon session, so I just wanted to say thanks! Everyone was super nice and helpful.

I did not apply for WCVM this year though, which was really dumb in hindsight. I'm a Calgarian born and raised, and financially UCVM would be ideal. Not to mention the small class sizes and the new facilities. Next year I will likely apply to both.

Maybe you won't need to apply next year 😉 Its not dumb. Really. There are plenty of people who just apply to one school. Some people, like you, choose the school that better suits their personal situation. If given the choice I would have chosen UCVM again because I too am Calgarian born and raised. Family is here, friends are here...it would have always been the better fit - personally and financially. Keep us informed! Only two and a half months to go 🙂 🙂

 

[SARdoghandler]

Also, for all the other UCVM interviewees, how did it go for you guys?!

I may be a sadistic person, but I really enjoyed the interviews! It was challenging, but in an extremely engaging way that had my adrenaline going in all the best ways. However, I know there were a number of people who ended up in tears, so I wouldn't say my experience was the norm. I figure I either did well, or I completely missed the point and am totally unaware! Hahaha. They did some very... different ... MMI stations this year. People who went through it know the two stations I am referring to I'm pretty sure. Confidentiality prevents me from saying anything further, unfortunately, but it definitely was a very new experience!

Now I just have to wait in anticipation until the second week of June. That's when the Dean said we should be hearing back :/

 

[vetplease2020]

Welcome to the forums!! 🙂 How do you think the interview went? That would be convenient for you, hey?

Thanks! I'm not super confident that I was any better at the MMI's than anyone else which makes me doubt that I'll be offered acceptance. I was just answering the questions truthfully, and I'm not sure that was the best course of action, but oh well. It'll be interesting to see where I ranked!

Maybe you won't need to apply next year 😉 Its not dumb. Really. There are plenty of people who just apply to one school. Some people, like you, choose the school that better suits their personal situation. If given the choice I would have chosen UCVM again because I too am Calgarian born and raised. Family is here, friends are here...it would have always been the better fit - personally and financially. Keep us informed! Only two and a half months to go 🙂 🙂

You totally get it 🙂. I did one year in Lethbridge at the beginning of my undergrad and learned that I don't do as well without an established support system, unfortunately. I will for sure post here one way or the other, fingers are so crossed. Hard not to dwell on the fact that essentially 75% of us interviewees will be super bummed come June.

I may be a sadistic person, but I really enjoyed the interviews! It was challenging, but in an extremely engaging way that had my adrenaline going in all the best ways. However, I know there were a number of people who ended up in tears, so I wouldn't say my experience was the norm. I figure I either did well, or I completely missed the point and am totally unaware! Hahaha. They did some very... different ... MMI stations this year. People who went through it know the two stations I am referring to I'm pretty sure. Confidentiality prevents me from saying anything further, unfortunately, but it definitely was a very new experience!

Now I just have to wait in anticipation until the second week of June. That's when the Dean said we should be hearing back :/

Different is a nice way of putting it! Haha. Did you find that you could answer all the questions in the time allotted?

 

[noodle3]

I'm glad that hear that the MMIs generally went well 🙂. Good job and good luck to all of you!

Have any of you first rounders heard from WCVM yet? If not, the interview offers are definitely later this year.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

I'm glad that hear that the MMIs generally went well 🙂. Good job and good luck to all of you!

Have any of you first rounders heard from WCVM yet? If not, the interview offers are definitely later this year.

One of my friends received a first round interview offer. I believe she got it today! 🙂 Fingers crossed for you!

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

That's great that you guys felt it went pretty good! 🙂 Fingers crossed it can be a year where everyone gets the good news

Oh, @noodle, the first round interviews take place early May, just an FYI

 

[noodle3]

One of my friends received a first round interview offer. I believe she got it today! 🙂 Fingers crossed for you!

That's great news for your friend! My grades aren't high enough for first round interviews, but thanks! Is this your friend's first time applying? That is very exciting 🙂

No one on the forums got an interview offer??

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

That's great news for your friend! My grades aren't high enough for first round interviews, but thanks! Is this your friend's first time applying? That is very exciting 🙂

No one on the forums got an interview offer??

Yes it was, she is just finishing the prereqs this semester. That's too bad, hopefully you can get a second round again!
I did not get one, and definitely will not as I didn't even apply this year lol

 

[Jowu]

Did anyone else in Sask pool hear back about interview yet?

 

[Nikasch]

Starting a new thread...

I'm a WCVM class of 2016 student and I applied to UCVM what seems like many years ago now, but not really!

Any questions, feel free to post!

I am a first-time applicant to WCVM (from Manitoba), and I just got invited for an interview 🙂 but I have until Monday to decide whether I want to do it at the beginning of May in Saskatoon or at the end of May in Winnipeg. I am leaning toward the Winnipeg option because it gives me a whole additional month to prepare. BUT I can't shake this little niggling feeling that there might be an advantage to doing the interview on the WCVM campus. I would get to see the campus (obviously), but maybe I would also get to meet more people and make more of an impression? I'm just not sure. I know I only have 2 days left to make my decision but if anyone on this forum has an opinion on this, I would much appreciate it!

 

[noodle3]

I am a first-time applicant to WCVM (from Manitoba), and I just got invited for an interview 🙂 but I have until Monday to decide whether I want to do it at the beginning of May in Saskatoon or at the end of May in Winnipeg. I am leaning toward the Winnipeg option because it gives me a whole additional month to prepare. BUT I can't shake this little niggling feeling that there might be an advantage to doing the interview on the WCVM campus. I would get to see the campus (obviously), but maybe I would also get to meet more people and make more of an impression? I'm just not sure. I know I only have 2 days left to make my decision but if anyone on this forum has an opinion on this, I would much appreciate it!

Congratulations on the interview offer, and welcome to the forums 🙂! Based on the way they calculate your admission score, I would argue that it does not matter where you do your interview. I did my interview in Saskatoon last year (I'm from BC) and the only time I saw my interviewers was during the interview. It's not like they would go in and change my score after the interview was over just because they liked me if I somehow met them after. If you wanted to go to check out the campus and city, then I would recommend it, but I personally don't think you should do it if it's only to improve your chances. I hope that helps, and good luck!

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Welcome Nik! 🙂 and congrats on the interview! I'll second what noodle said. If you have never seen the school and budget allows, it would be nice to see the campus! Otherwise it is just more money. However, the charge for non-campus interviews could make it an easier decision lol


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[Nikasch]

Thanks for the responses, noodle and BritishColumbia! I ended up deciding to do the Winnipeg interview. I think if I make good use of May I will give myself a significant boost in my confidence and preparedness.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Nik, have you read the past few years of this thread and seen the Book of Veterinary Ethics that has been recommended? I've never looked at it but a lot of people have said it really helped them prepare. If you want to check it out I can't remember the authors name, but you will find it if you hunt through the threads.

Also, Noodle, if you don't mind me asking cost-wise how different was it for you to travel to Sask vs interviewing in Van?

 

[DPolaris]

The book it An Introduction to Veterinary Ethics: Theory and Cases by Bernard Rollin. At least I hope that's the book you're thinking of haha!

I used it and thought it was very helpful, but I didn't purely practice with it and did other questions as well.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

The book it An Introduction to Veterinary Ethics: Theory and Cases by Bernard Rollin. At least I hope that's the book you're thinking of haha!

I used it and thought it was very helpful, but I didn't purely practice with it and did other questions as well.

Exactly what I was thinking! Thank you 🙂

 

[Nikasch]

I bought Rollin's ethics book in February after seeing it recommended over and over in previous years' forums. I am about halfway through the "theory" part of the book, and finding it to be really good! Thanks a bunch for the tip though 🙂

 

[sunrise91]

Hi all! I am very new to the SDN (only recently discovered it existed and think its great!), and wanted to introduce myself. I am a second time applicant to WCVM from BC who graduated from a 5 year bio degree two years ago. Last year I just managed to snag a second round interview and I'm really hoping that will be the case this year too.
Lately I have been stressing about the scenario that I do not get a interview offer this year and how to move forward. My main options that I can see is either move to Saskatchewan or go back to school. I'm leaning towards moving because, well school is expensive and I have accumulated so many university credits that I would have to pull off an amazing year to budge my GPA. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation? Any advice?

 

[oink92]

Hi all! I am very new to the SDN (only recently discovered it existed and think its great!), and wanted to introduce myself. I am a second time applicant to WCVM from BC who graduated from a 5 year bio degree two years ago. Last year I just managed to snag a second round interview and I'm really hoping that will be the case this year too.
Lately I have been stressing about the scenario that I do not get a interview offer this year and how to move forward. My main options that I can see is either move to Saskatchewan or go back to school. I'm leaning towards moving because, well school is expensive and I have accumulated so many university credits that I would have to pull off an amazing year to budge my GPA. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation? Any advice?

Hey welcome! Isn't SDN great?! It's like finding a little treasure box. I am in the same boat as you (except I didn't get an interview last year). I am planning to move to SK to boost my GPA at the U of S this fall because I'm pretty sure there's no hope that I'll get a second round interview this year. Plus WCVM is there, so it would be great to go to school near the vet college. BC is a competitive province to apply from and AB is the same. I would assume that you would have a better chance at being accepted if you gained residency in SK since they have less applicants, but I don't know for sure (hopefully someone has insight on this)! I think if you don't get an interview this year that you should contact the admissions committee and ask them which they think is better -- extra schooling or moving. But as you mentioned, school is expensive (I hear you on that one!). Good luck!!

 

[SunnyAntia]

Hi all! I am very new to the SDN (only recently discovered it existed and think its great!), and wanted to introduce myself. I am a second time applicant to WCVM from BC who graduated from a 5 year bio degree two years ago. Last year I just managed to snag a second round interview and I'm really hoping that will be the case this year too.
Lately I have been stressing about the scenario that I do not get a interview offer this year and how to move forward. My main options that I can see is either move to Saskatchewan or go back to school. I'm leaning towards moving because, well school is expensive and I have accumulated so many university credits that I would have to pull off an amazing year to budge my GPA. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation? Any advice?

I don't have any personal experience with your situation, but I DO know of at least a few people in our class who province hopped after applying multiple times from more competitive provinces. I know one friend in particular who got in their first time applying once they moved to Saskatchewan. Just looking at it from a statistical point point of view you are up against way fewer applicants if you move from the BC or Alberta pool to the Saskatchewan or Manitoba pool (Alberta and BC both had well over 100 applicants last year while Sask and Manitoba had about 70). I've heard people say that in the more competitive provinces especially the difference between getting an interview and not getting an interview can be a crazy small percentage gap, simply because of the huge number of applicants that are all clustered around the same general average (not to freak anyone out). That being said, I still think it's important to take into account that the pool changes every year and even though Saskatchewan and Manitoba have fewer applicants in general, if everyone applying that year has a stellar GPA you can still end up with a really high interview cut off. I guess my point is that even though in GENERAL Saskatchewan and Manitoba are less competitive, you can't always count on one province having a substantially lower interview cut off than another because of applicant fluctuation. If you've already got a good GPA and you're sitting in a position where you can't really shift you're average much without basically doing another degree then I think moving might be an option to try. For students who are applying in the second or third year of their undergrad my opinion would be to take a few more years of classes and try to boost your GPA first.

Again, just want to emphasize that this is all only my personal opinion which has been influenced by talking to classmates that have gone through this. I also agree with Oink92, if you don't get offered an interview this year you should definitely contact the admission's committee and ask their opinion as they have a wealth of knowledge in this area and can probably give you a more educated answer than I can.

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Hi all! I am very new to the SDN (only recently discovered it existed and think its great!), and wanted to introduce myself. I am a second time applicant to WCVM from BC who graduated from a 5 year bio degree two years ago. Last year I just managed to snag a second round interview and I'm really hoping that will be the case this year too.
Lately I have been stressing about the scenario that I do not get a interview offer this year and how to move forward. My main options that I can see is either move to Saskatchewan or go back to school. I'm leaning towards moving because, well school is expensive and I have accumulated so many university credits that I would have to pull off an amazing year to budge my GPA. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation? Any advice?

If it would be that difficult to boost your GPA, it may be more worth your effort to move. However, how strong is your interview? If that is a weaker area for you, you might need to have the higher grades regardless

 

[TheGirlWithTheFernTattoo]

Welcome to the forum btw Sunrise! 🙂

 

[noodle3]

Hi all! I am very new to the SDN (only recently discovered it existed and think its great!), and wanted to introduce myself. I am a second time applicant to WCVM from BC who graduated from a 5 year bio degree two years ago. Last year I just managed to snag a second round interview and I'm really hoping that will be the case this year too.
Lately I have been stressing about the scenario that I do not get a interview offer this year and how to move forward. My main options that I can see is either move to Saskatchewan or go back to school. I'm leaning towards moving because, well school is expensive and I have accumulated so many university credits that I would have to pull off an amazing year to budge my GPA. Has anyone else found themselves in this situation? Any advice?

Hey Sunrise! Welcome to SDN 🙂

I was in exactly the same position as you last year: I had just graduated from university with a 5 year degree and barely got a second round interview. At first I was planning on moving to Saskatoon if I didn't get in to gain residency, but after I spoke with Heather about my interview, it became clear that my grades were my biggest obstacle. My first and second year GPAs were abysmal and Heather said that if I maintained the average that I had in recent years, I would be eligible to drop my two worst years. With that, I decided to stay in BC and go back to school for a 6th year. I'm really glad that I did it because my GPA has been bumped up a few percent as a result. That being said I am still not in first round interview territory, and I am keeping my fingers crossed for a second round interview this year.

If you were to move, you would have to wait an entire year before you are considered a Sask resident without going to school. That means that you would still be BC for the next application cycle. @oink92 , if you were thinking about upgrading at U of S because of residency, then you should keep this in mind also! Where did you guys do you undergrad degrees?