If there is anything that will challenge your commitment to vet school, it is VMCAS. The Veterinary Medical College Application Service can be intimidating. Any application that gives students five months to complete is bound to be tedious. I've made a brief list of tips to help pre-vet students navigate and complete their applications.
1. Start early! Do NOT wait until September to begin your application. There is a reason it is available in June. Try to get a head start on it, so you aren't overwhelmed with the amount of information you will be required to enter and complete.
2. Go slowly. If you begin early, you will have plenty of time to complete the application. Try tackling a small bit of the application daily. Don't try to enter your coursework all in one day. By breaking the application into small sections, you will be much less overwhelmed by the amount of information you are required to report.
3. Write your personal statement first. This is probably one of the most important parts of the application. This is what schools will read to get to know you. This essay will determine how the application committee will view you as a potential student. The personal statement can determine whether you receive an interview invitation, especially if your grades are not as high as other students. Start writing this right away.
4. Revise, revise, revise. Going off of #3, have everyone you know read your statement and give you feedback. While it can be intimidating to have people read your writing, it is vital that your statement be as clear as possible, with no grammatical errors. If you are still an undergrad, visit your school's writing center. Tutors will be able to help you with your word choice, grammar, and give you feedback on areas that you should expand.
5. Find your eLORs right away, and stay in touch with them. Make sure that whoever you ask to write a recommendation for you is someone who knows you well. Make sure that you have a professional relationship with them, and make sure to follow up with them to ensure that they submit their letters in a timely manner. There is an option for students to read their eLORs, but it may be beneficial to waive the rights to read these. This will show that you have confidence in those who are writing your recommendations.
6. Get your transcripts right away. Have ALL of your transcripts together and ready to mail before summer is over. If you have attended several schools, the easiest way to ensure that all of your transcripts make it to VMCAS is to have the transcripts mailed directly to you, and then you have the option to mail one envelope with several transcripts directly to VMCAS. This will help lower the risk of losing a transcript in transit.
7. Know the requirements for each school you are applying to. Not all schools have the same pre-requisites, so make sure that you know what each school expects BEFORE you decide to pay the fees to apply there. For example, I only applied to schools that did not require Organic Chemistry II, because that was a class I did not want to take. Similarly, I only took the classes that were required for each school. This saves time and money.
8. Watch out for additional applications. Some schools have supplemental applications that require additional essays or recommendations. Make sure to know which schools you are applying to have these additional applications, and complete them as soon as possible.
9. Be prepared to pay fees. In addition to VMCAS fees, (which I think are between $150-200 per school), you may also be required to pay a fee directly to the school itself. These fees can range from $50-200, per school. Expect to pay at least several hundred dollars in fees alone, considering the fees required to obtain your transcripts as well as the fees paid to both VMCAS and each school.
10. Take your GRE early! This is perhaps one of the most important things about VMCAS, There is no special test to be accepted to vet school. Instead, the Graduate Record Exam is used. This test is centered around basic English and Math, with an Analytical Writing section as well. Most schools do not look at the writing portion, but it is something to prepare for nonetheless. GRE scores take several weeks to process, so plan to take the GRE at least four to six months before the application cycle ends. The earlier you schedule your exam, the better chance you have to schedule a re-test in the event your scores are not as high as you expected.
I hope these tips have been helpful to you. Leave any additional questions in the comments and I will answer them!
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