Western University c/o 2018 applicants!

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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I still haven't heard anything other than they received my materials. I wonder if it has anything to do with when you sent your secondary app? I didn't submit mine until Oct. 11.
 
If it helps, i turned my secondary app in on August 12th, so yes early! All I've learned is....there's no use worrying about it because it's now out of your hands! (And yes, this is near impossible 😀)
 
Cuabbo said:
For those of you who were put "on hold", have HOPE!! I was placed on hold 9/27 and received my interview invite today 10/30!
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Congrats!!!! 😀

Did they contact you via email?
 
Yes! Every contact thus far has been through email!

(currently working on interview questions and not trying to freak out =/)
 
Could someone please post the secondary application questions? For some reason I feel like I may have not submitted one properly :/ I have them numbered 1-10 on my word document so I would like to match them with the questions. Thanks!
 
KEliza said:
Could someone please post the secondary application questions? For some reason I feel like I may have not submitted one properly :/ I have them numbered 1-10 on my word document so I would like to match them with the questions. Thanks!
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1. Describe a situation from your own experiences that best exemplifies how you learn.
2. Aside from becoming a veterinarian, what other goals do you have? How do you plan to achieve them?
3. What attracts you to a career in veterinary medicine?
4. Why do you wish to attend the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences?
5. Is there an area of veterinary medicine that particularly interests you?
6. Describe what you have done to prepare yourself as a future veterinarian.
7. Give an example of a challenge you faced during your preparation for veterinary school and describe how you addressed it.
8. Name an individual whom you admire greatly and explain why. What influence has this person had on your life and future?
9. Identify a group activity in which you participated and think everyone worked with each other in a very good way. Describe the personal interactions that
took place and the role that you played in those interactions.
10. Describe some of your non-academic interests (e.g., community service, recreational or athletic activities, hobbies, etc.) How have these interests influenced your future goals or prepared you for your future?
 
Just got my interview invite today! I was never put on hold, so don't stress if are in the same situation. 🙂 Good luck everyone!
 
moomooshoe said:
Just got my interview invite today! I was never put on hold, so don't stress if are in the same situation. 🙂 Good luck everyone!
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Congrats! Me too, except I was put on hold first. I wonder if all the "on hold" meant was that they had finished reviewing my application but hadn't reviewed others yet, and were waiting until they had seen them all before offering interviews?

I second the good luck wishes! 🙂 This sounds like an amazing school.
 
I just got an interveiw invite today! YAY! Mine is 11/9/13, four days away! I can't believe its so soon! looks like member name 123 and sara21090 will be there the same day as me!
 
For those of you who got interviews -- how long after you submitted your supplemental before you received an interview invite?
 
I submitted mine at the end of august I believe. They contacted me a few times the day (9/27) I received my invite just to okay some of my pre-reqs that werent listed then they sent me the invite email.
 
Member Name 123 said:
I submitted mine at the end of august I believe. They contacted me a few times the day (9/27) I received my invite just to okay some of my pre-reqs that werent listed then they sent me the invite email.
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Okay, thanks! I didn't submit mine until October so I suppose I'll be waiting a while to hear back.
 
I also got my OOS interview invite yesterday! I requested the December 7 date, but now I'm waiting for confirmation. They certainly didn't give us many options for dates and this weekend was so soon! I'm waiting to book airfare until I hear back, but I'm really excited I might be going somewhere warm in a month!
 
sarah1029 said:
For those of you who got interviews -- how long after you submitted your supplemental before you received an interview invite?
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I submitted my supplemental on october 13th, and my interveiw invite was on Nov 5th
 
sarah1029 said:
For those of you who got interviews -- how long after you submitted your supplemental before you received an interview invite?
Click to expand...

I submitted my supplemental pretty close to the deadline - maybe October 14th or so. I got my interview invite on November 4th.

beatles1964 said:
They certainly didn't give us many options for dates and this weekend was so soon!
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I know, it was pretty soon for me too. I wonder why they don't give more notice, or more options for scheduling it? I hope you get the date you want, and good luck on your interview!
 
I got my interview invite today!! I'm so excited! But geez, I thought I would have more notice. I'm still waiting to hear back, but I guess I'm interviewing Dec. 7th or Nov, 12th (this Tuesday!!). I'll definitely be going over possible interview questions tonight then 🙂
 
I got an email that my application was placed on hold today. Still trying to remain hopeful. 🙂
 
I'm glad that they're sending out invites so soon this year... But not hearing anything yet is starting to make me a bit nervous.
 
TheComfyCat- I don't think you have anything to worry about!! Positive thoughts!

Congrats to everybody who has already received an interview invite!! So excited for you guys!
 
What's up 2018 Western interviewees! Just a current first year at Western taking a study break to drop by and wish you guys luck this weekend with your interviews!

I kind of skimmed through what ya'll have been discussing recently and wanted to tell you:
1. If you're put on hold, don't worry, it doesn't mean you won't get an interview. They'll probably contact you in a couple of days or weeks if they need anything else. If not, just wait patiently. It sucks, I know, but I was on hold for a very long time last year.
2. If you haven't received an interview, don't stress. They invite candidates in random intervals. Don't give up hope yet!
3. For the interview, STAY CALM and be yourself! If you want to say something funny, say it! Western really stresses communication skills and they're going to look for ease and smoothness of communication. The professors here are AMAZING and it will feel like you're talking to a professor you've known for years.
4. Wear comfortable shoes. Some of the first and second years will be giving you a tour of campus, so if you can't walk well in heels, don't wear them. No one will judge if you wear flats. Who cares right? You got a vet school interview!
5. The admissions office is a busy bunch, so be patient with them. They will not ignore anyone and they are trying their best to work in a timely manner.

But this seriously is a long, stressful waiting game for the most of you. It doesn't mean anything! There's nothing I can say to take the weight off of your shoulders but hope I helped 🙂
 
Hi! I was put on hold as well and received an e-mail for an interview a few days later! I called the admissions office when I got the e-mail and she just said that the e-mail meant the committee is looking over the application. I'm interviewing on December 7th and flying all the way from New York! Still have to buy my ticket. Anyone have any suggestions in terms of which airport to fly into? LAX is cheaper but will require a train and a bus to get to the school. Ontario is more expensive but closer but will also require an expensive taxi ride.
 
Hey guys!
How long was your app under review before it went on hold/you got an interview invite? I got the under review e-mail 11 days ago and I don't know if I should be worried or not :wtf:
Thanks!
 
RetroUnicorn said:
What's up 2018 Western interviewees! Just a current first year at Western taking a study break to drop by and wish you guys luck this weekend with your interviews!

I kind of skimmed through what ya'll have been discussing recently and wanted to tell you:
1. If you're put on hold, don't worry, it doesn't mean you won't get an interview. They'll probably contact you in a couple of days or weeks if they need anything else. If not, just wait patiently. It sucks, I know, but I was on hold for a very long time last year.
2. If you haven't received an interview, don't stress. They invite candidates in random intervals. Don't give up hope yet!
3. For the interview, STAY CALM and be yourself! If you want to say something funny, say it! Western really stresses communication skills and they're going to look for ease and smoothness of communication. The professors here are AMAZING and it will feel like you're talking to a professor you've known for years.
4. Wear comfortable shoes. Some of the first and second years will be giving you a tour of campus, so if you can't walk well in heels, don't wear them. No one will judge if you wear flats. Who cares right? You got a vet school interview!
5. The admissions office is a busy bunch, so be patient with them. They will not ignore anyone and they are trying their best to work in a timely manner.

But this seriously is a long, stressful waiting game for the most of you. It doesn't mean anything! There's nothing I can say to take the weight off of your shoulders but hope I helped 🙂
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Yup, RU hit the nail on the head. Also, dress professionally! Take all of your piercings out except for a couple in your ear lobes. Cover up tattoos. For ladies, no cleavage on display, for men, pull your pants up and wear a belt! I saw so many people when I interviewed that didn't follow these basic rules, and while WesternU tends to be more lenient with that than other schools, there's no reason to take a chance. Not to mention you're applying for professional school, so it's in your best interests to appear professional.
Also, treat your interview like a conversation. Mine lasted twice as long as everyone else's in my group and I think that's because it wasn't so much question and answer as it was a conversation.

wattsy13 said:
Hi! I was put on hold as well and received an e-mail for an interview a few days later! I called the admissions office when I got the e-mail and she just said that the e-mail meant the committee is looking over the application. I'm interviewing on December 7th and flying all the way from New York! Still have to buy my ticket. Anyone have any suggestions in terms of which airport to fly into? LAX is cheaper but will require a train and a bus to get to the school. Ontario is more expensive but closer but will also require an expensive taxi ride.
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I flew from Florida, and I came into LAX and rented a car. That wound up being the cheapest way for me.
 
HollyLollipop said:
Hey guys!
How long was your app under review before it went on hold/you got an interview invite? I got the under review e-mail 11 days ago and I don't know if I should be worried or not :wtf:
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Im in the same boat with you. I got the under review email around the same time as you and haven't heard anything since... Getting very nervous. 🙁 For those of you who were granted interviews, did your application status on Western's admissions portal change or is it still "Application Materials Received"? Thanks and good luck!
 
HollyLollipop said:
Hey guys!
How long was your app under review before it went on hold/you got an interview invite? I got the under review e-mail 11 days ago and I don't know if I should be worried or not :wtf:
Thanks!
Click to expand...

Mine was under review for 10 or 11 days before I got an invite, so I wouldn't be too nervous if it's been 11 days. And according to RetroUnicorn, it sounds like the length of time that you're on hold doesn't affect much whether you're going to get an interview.
 
Does anyone know if Western allows you to leave a bag/suitcase someplace while you're touring and interviewing?

Also, since I don't really want to buy a new pair of shoes, I was thinking of wearing my normal non-heeled shoes during the tour, and then putting on nice heeled shoes (the only nice shoes I own) before the actual interview. Any advice from people who have been through the interview process on whether that would be practical, or if the structure of the tour/interview day would make it hard to go grab my nice shoes from wherever I leave my bag? I know, it's not a very important part of the interview, but I also don't think it would look very good to not plan ahead and have to show up in non-formal shoes or tennis shoes 🙂
 
Those who received interviews & traveled here with your parents, are you having them come in on interview day at a certain time or having them stay the whole time (through all the presentations)?

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD
 
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WillowLeaf said:
Does anyone know if Western allows you to leave a bag/suitcase someplace while you're touring and interviewing?

Also, since I don't really want to buy a new pair of shoes, I was thinking of wearing my normal non-heeled shoes during the tour, and then putting on nice heeled shoes (the only nice shoes I own) before the actual interview. Any advice from people who have been through the interview process on whether that would be practical, or if the structure of the tour/interview day would make it hard to go grab my nice shoes from wherever I leave my bag? I know, it's not a very important part of the interview, but I also don't think it would look very good to not plan ahead and have to show up in non-formal shoes or tennis shoes 🙂
Click to expand...

I wore heels the whole day when I interviewed, but they were very comfortable. I saw a lot of people wearing flats. Keep in mind that you're being judged the whole day, even though the interview is only one portion of it. I heard a lot of people talking about how they were glad they had this first, or that first, and I thought that was ridiculous. There are faculty present every step of the way and they're keeping their eyes out for who's fantastic and who is... not.
I don't know if there was anywhere to keep your bag. I had a purse on me the whole time.
 
Rwwilliams said:
I wore heels the whole day when I interviewed, but they were very comfortable. I saw a lot of people wearing flats. Keep in mind that you're being judged the whole day, even though the interview is only one portion of it. I heard a lot of people talking about how they were glad they had this first, or that first, and I thought that was ridiculous. There are faculty present every step of the way and they're keeping their eyes out for who's fantastic and who is... not.
I don't know if there was anywhere to keep your bag. I had a purse on me the whole time.
Click to expand...

Good point about being judged the whole day. That would not be good to look unprofessional or make a bad impression during the rest of the day. Thanks for the advice! (Also, sorry if I went off-topic, I think there's a different thread for interview-related questions, but I was curious more specifically about WesternU.)
 
WillowLeaf said:
Does anyone know if Western allows you to leave a bag/suitcase someplace while you're touring and interviewing?

Also, since I don't really want to buy a new pair of shoes, I was thinking of wearing my normal non-heeled shoes during the tour, and then putting on nice heeled shoes (the only nice shoes I own) before the actual interview. Any advice from people who have been through the interview process on whether that would be practical, or if the structure of the tour/interview day would make it hard to go grab my nice shoes from wherever I leave my bag? I know, it's not a very important part of the interview, but I also don't think it would look very good to not plan ahead and have to show up in non-formal shoes or tennis shoes 🙂
Click to expand...

There have been interviewees before that have come with their suitcases before (for example, check out was at 11am and their interview was at noon) so you won't be the first to show up with luggage. I believe you can leave your luggage at the administrative assistant's office upstairs in the building you will interview in (called BVCC). They are very nice and will have no problems accommodating you. I have seen interviewees before that have changed their shoes wearing nice flats for the tour and changing into formal heels for the interview. There's going to be a lot of walking and moving around so be prepared. I agree with the statements above...dress to impress! (Gentlemen...the color of your belt should always match the color of your shoes 😉 ) This is an interview just like any other interview you should treat it professionally.

Be your self! Remember, you are interviewing the school just as much as the school is interviewing you. The goal is to find a perfect match between the student and the curriculum. WesternU curriculum does not suit everyone (but it really does work 🙂 ). Have fun and congratulations.

Oh, and I have to post this every year to give those of you out there still waiting to hear....I was not contacted for an interview until all the posted interview dates were over. By some miracle, they added another set of interview dates and I got my chance to shine. So don't give up hope SDN...it's not over until it's over. And even if that is the case, contact admissions in the spring to have a file review so they can go over what you need to improve upon for your application next cycle.

Good luck...and may the odds be ever in your favor!
 
I just wanted to give you guys an update: I got offered an interview today so being placed on hold is definitely not a bad thing! 🙂
 
Just got an application status e-mail from Western and my heart nearly jumped out of my body! I'm on "hold" 🙁
 
So for those of you who are dying for details on how the interview day process works, like I was, I just wanted to give you guys some insight on what it was like on my interview this weekend from the perspective of an interviewee.

I am am an in stater, so It wasn't a huge travel distance for me, but I found out quickly that a lot of people who were there ( about 90%) raised their hand that they were from out of state. So you OOS peeps have no need to worry about that. When you get there they offer you coffee and tea and you are waiting in a large hall with round tables and first year students are there to greet you and engage you with any questions. EVERY SINGLE Western student was SUPER enthusiastic about their program, and honestly it seemed like genuine passion, not forced positive outlooks or smiles. They were from california and oos and were all very friendly and willing to just sit there an talk.

The interviews are scheduled into morning blocks and afternoon blocks, and so you are broken into smaller groups. You get to participate in a few presentations during the day that go over the admissions process, the financial aid, and a practice problem/example of their problem based learning case studies. I found that to be very helpful, because you get an idea of WHAT they are talking about, and how it actually works. I have to say its not for everyone, but I really loved it. It really encourages collaboration, and everyone seemed really team oriented, which I really liked.

They feed you lunch and you eat during a presentation. I was too nervous to eat then, so I put it in my bag for later....👍

Depending on what group your in, your interview will be in the morning or afternoon block and those groups get broken down into smaller groups and it seems that only 3/4 people head to the interview area at a time. You interview with two people. They were super nice, but I was still extremely nervous. Behavioral based interview, so you can google that. But overall the whole day was really low stress. All the enrolled students were very supportive before and after you interview, and were very encouraging. 🙂

Lastly you fit a tour somewhere in the day as well and get to view their campus. Pomona is not super dangerous for hose of you were were worried about it. Its a city, you have to be aware, but nothing crazy, you feel really safe on campus. And off campus is still not that bad. A lot of the students said they lived in pomona, or a nearby city, but mostly they commuted form really close, so the areas really are not as bad as some of you may be hearing. The PBL grooms are really nice, and their facilities are well up kept. I like that you get a lot of hands on experience right way. I'm sure most of you will hear a lot more about this later.

Lastly I was told form the staff that they plan on having December and January interview groups as well, so if you haven't heard, don't stress. Also, because there are interviews later, you probably wont find out stuff to February ( that's my personal guess)....SEEMS SO FAR AWAY! SO IMPATIENT!:banghead:


anyways hope that helps, good luck guys!
 
sarah1029 said:
Just got an application status e-mail from Western and my heart nearly jumped out of my body! I'm on "hold" 🙁
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i think thats a good thing.....? thats what the consensus seems to be, probably just means they are looking over your application as we speak. 👍
 
DoctorToby said:
So for those of you who are dying for details on how the interview day process works, like I was, I just wanted to give you guys some insight on what it was like on my interview this weekend from the perspective of an interviewee.

I am am an in stater, so It wasn't a huge travel distance for me, but I found out quickly that a lot of people who were there ( about 90%) raised their hand that they were from out of state. So you OOS peeps have no need to worry about that. When you get there they offer you coffee and tea and you are waiting in a large hall with round tables and first year students are there to greet you and engage you with any questions. EVERY SINGLE Western student was SUPER enthusiastic about their program, and honestly it seemed like genuine passion, not forced positive outlooks or smiles. They were from california and oos and were all very friendly and willing to just sit there an talk.

The interviews are scheduled into morning blocks and afternoon blocks, and so you are broken into smaller groups. You get to participate in a few presentations during the day that go over the admissions process, the financial aid, and a practice problem/example of their problem based learning case studies. I found that to be very helpful, because you get an idea of WHAT they are talking about, and how it actually works. I have to say its not for everyone, but I really loved it. It really encourages collaboration, and everyone seemed really team oriented, which I really liked.

They feed you lunch and you eat during a presentation. I was too nervous to eat then, so I put it in my bag for later....👍

Depending on what group your in, your interview will be in the morning or afternoon block and those groups get broken down into smaller groups and it seems that only 3/4 people head to the interview area at a time. You interview with two people. They were super nice, but I was still extremely nervous. Behavioral based interview, so you can google that. But overall the whole day was really low stress. All the enrolled students were very supportive before and after you interview, and were very encouraging. 🙂

Lastly you fit a tour somewhere in the day as well and get to view their campus. Pomona is not super dangerous for hose of you were were worried about it. Its a city, you have to be aware, but nothing crazy, you feel really safe on campus. And off campus is still not that bad. A lot of the students said they lived in pomona, or a nearby city, but mostly they commuted form really close, so the areas really are not as bad as some of you may be hearing. The PBL grooms are really nice, and their facilities are well up kept. I like that you get a lot of hands on experience right way. I'm sure most of you will hear a lot more about this later.

Lastly I was told form the staff that they plan on having December and January interview groups as well, so if you haven't heard, don't stress. Also, because there are interviews later, you probably wont find out stuff to February ( that's my personal guess)....SEEMS SO FAR AWAY! SO IMPATIENT!:banghead:


anyways hope that helps, good luck guys!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info DoctorToby! Still haven't heard anything from Western... Getting very worried 🙁 Did your Application status on Western's App Summary page change from "Applications Materials Received" when you were granted an interview?
 
valew323 said:
Thanks for the info DoctorToby! Still haven't heard anything from Western... Getting very worried 🙁 Did your Application status on Western's App Summary page change from "Applications Materials Received" when you were granted an interview?
Click to expand...
nope nothing changed. just says application materials received.
 
DoctorToby said:
Lastly I was told form the staff that they plan on having December and January interview groups as well, so if you haven't heard, don't stress. Also, because there are interviews later, you probably wont find out stuff to February ( that's my personal guess)....SEEMS SO FAR AWAY! SO IMPATIENT!:banghead:
Click to expand...
I interviewed in February, so don't be surprised if you guys don't find out for awhile. It's worth it!
 
Just curious. I had my interview yesterday AM. Did anyone who interview get a business sort of card from your interviewers? I got one from one of my two interviewers (the other one didn't have any)....
 
Cuabbo said:
Just curious. I had my interview yesterday AM. Did anyone who interview get a business sort of card from your interviewers? I got one from one of my two interviewers (the other one didn't have any)....
Click to expand...
I got ones from both of my interviewers
 
Cuabbo said:
Just curious. I had my interview yesterday AM. Did anyone who interview get a business sort of card from your interviewers? I got one from one of my two interviewers (the other one didn't have any)....
Click to expand...
I got one from one of the two as well.
 
Cuabbo said:
Just curious. I had my interview yesterday AM. Did anyone who interview get a business sort of card from your interviewers? I got one from one of my two interviewers (the other one didn't have any)....
Click to expand...

I didn't get one from either interviewer. I don't think I was the only one to not get a card, because when the current first and second-years asked us who interviewed us, hardly anyone in my little tour group could remember their interviewers' names :laugh:.
 
Ok cool thanks! I was just curious. I think its really nice of them!
 
Hey everyone. After debating it for the past few weeks, I finally decided to decline my interview and withdraw my app. It definitely wasn't an easy decision, but I think I made the right choice. I hope one you you who has yet to receive an interview invite gets my spot! Best of luck to everyone who has already gone through first rounds of interviews and those of you who will be interviewing in the next few months! 🙂
 
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