IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Vet Tech Programs
By now you should have decided on which veterinary credential that you want to attain, and if you intend to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Aliso Viejo CA area and across the USA, you must ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of options. As we pointed out in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously pointed out other important qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are reviewing.
Is the Vet Program Accredited? It's important that you confirm that the vet tech school you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding review process that ensures you will receive a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not available for non-accredited schools. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is often a precondition for employment for many Aliso Viejo CA area veterinarian practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you choose must have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and speaking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, phone some Aliso Viejo CA vet clinics that you may want to work for after you receive your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even recommend one or more colleges not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best way to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs set up with Aliso Viejo CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and many provide it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the practical training, but an internship may also help develop relationships in the local vet community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are considering. A lower rate might suggest that the instructors were unqualified to teach the syllabus or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the colleges have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the program has an outstanding reputation within the Aliso Viejo CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate might mean that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job placement program is a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Aliso Viejo CA colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to participate in some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Of course, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the subject. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Aliso Viejo CA home, you need to confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For example, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, especially if the school is located in or near a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition charges especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes could be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you find out if the vet programs you are evaluating offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Aliso Viejo CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family issues. You might discover that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.