"I applied to Davis this year but didn't get in. I was expecting it though, I'm pretty sure it was because I have so little experience but I have to wait to schedule a phone interview in April to figure out. Did you do the phone interview after your first application? Any suggestions on questions to ask?"
This is a great question I recently received from a UC Davis SVM applicant, talk about perseverance, this person is all over it! Way ahead of the game by thinking about these things early.
I have to say, I am not one of the ones that actually did a phone interview to find out why I had not received admission, but this is NOT advisable. Looking back, I honestly do regret not having done a phone or in person interview with the admissions committee to find out what I could improve, but I was a little scared to have someone point out my "faults" (If you could even call them that...). I guess I felt I knew what I had to do to improve and didn't want it driven into the ground.
I realize now, that it was NOT the best decision I have ever made, and I think I could have probably been a stronger, more competitive applicant had I chosen to reflect on my "faults" and sought out specific places my application needed improvement. That is the whole basis of the veterinary profession, to learn from your mistakes and be a better person/veterinarian because of it. No one is perfect, so we might as well get comfortable with that fact and do our best to get close to it.
In response to the question, what can you ask the admissions committee (whom are very friendly people at least at UCD I must add) is that ask them anything you would ask someone you consider to be your mentor. First of all, make sure you care about what you are asking, if you don't at least pretend to care. They don't want to waste their time talking to you if you don't really care what they have to say. I think it is important to keep in mind how many applicants they talk to every year including those that are selected for interviews and those who are not. To be quite frank, to them, you are just another applicant, when you call to find out why you were denied an interview, I believe it is also part of your application process (although I doubt they write anything down, they may remember talking to you next year when they select the new interviewees). I'm just saying it is important to act professional at all times when applying to such a competitive program, I wouldn't let my guard down.
When assessing what went well and what could be improved in your application, I would begin with a "self reflection." Look over your application and pretend you are the admissions committee, what really stands out that convinces them you are the right person for their veterinary school? What do you feel are your strengths and weaknesses.
When I did this for example, I was almost rolling on the floor laughing when I re-read my personal statement that I had submitted with my first application, it was pretty bad. It was a good start, but definitely lacked individuality. I also realized what little experience I really had in vetmed and knew I was already improving those experiences by getting involved at the veterinary school in research and internship positions. Another weakness I had was the GRE, my scores were not great. My strengths were that I was determined and worked hard to do better my second go around. I also had a lot of experience working with horses and I knew that veterinary medicine was my passion.
After the "self-assessment", I would recommend discussing your application with your mentor, close friend, or family member (or all of the above). Just having an outside opinion comment on your thoughts about your strengths and weaknesses will really help identify things you might have missed or overlooked.
The second personal statement I wrote, I had to work very hard to articulate what I felt in a 1500 word essay. I had to convince the committee that they wanted to interview ME. It was about a three month process and I really got tired of reading about myself! In the end, I think it turned out fine though and I did land myself an interview.
I don't think you need to wait to April to figure out a game plan for next year's application (which I already know you will start EARLY). I don't think it would hurt to make a plan now and then discuss your plan with the admissions committee in April. You can always edit the plan later and go from their if they give you additional advice.
The best advice I can give personally is it really is sometimes about WHO you know and WHAT you have done. Who wrote your letters of recommendation? were they good letters? were those people dependable and influential in their field? That was one of my biggest improvements, I had done research with a UCD SVM faculty member who is a highly respected professor/veterinarian/researcher and just a wonderful person who wrote my third letter of recommendation. Among the other two letters, one was from the same person who had written my first letter and the other from a horse trainer I had know and worked for for almost 8 years.
Don't underestimate your experiences, don't sugar coat them or exaggerate them. If you really haven't gotten the experience to confirm you want to and can be a vet, I think you shouldn't apply to veterinary school. These pre-vet experiences are vital to your success in veterinary school and in the profession.
Lastly, I encourage you to look at the link below to maybe answer some of your questions. These are common questions asked by applicants every year. Make sure you try not to ask these questions when you have your phone appointment with the admissions committee, unless you need more details. Again, remember how many people they have to talk to.
And even after that, don't give up on your dreams! You can improve, just have perseverance!
