IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools
At this point you should have determined which veterinary degree that you want to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Apple Valley CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some important questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our opening, many future students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have previously touched on other essential qualifiers, such as internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are considering.
Is the Vet Program Accredited? It's important that you verify that the vet tech college you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that ensures you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Apple Valley CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an exceptional reputation within the veterinary field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the schools you are looking at for references from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions regarding your targeted schools. As a final pointer, contact some Apple Valley CA veterinary clinics that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some colleges not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The best means to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the colleges you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Apple Valley CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a position after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Provided? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To start with, find out what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are reviewing. A low rate could indicate that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and quit. Next, verify that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may signify that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Apple Valley CA vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might signify that the training is not highly thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger sized, you most likely will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Apple Valley CA programs you are looking at what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we already discussed location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Apple Valley CA home, you must confirm that the commuting time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, especially if the campus is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition charges especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary programs you are considering offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Apple Valley CA. Others might only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family issues. You may find that an online program is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your hectic life.