IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Things to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges
By now you should have selected which veterinary credential that you want to obtain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Calabasas CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we mentioned in our introduction, many future students start by concentrating on location and the cost of tuition. But we have already pointed out other essential qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are considering.
Is the Vet College Accredited? It's important that you verify that the vet tech program you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As previously mentioned, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a demanding screening process that ensures you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a degree or certificate from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for many Calabasas CA area vet clinics and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you select must have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can begin your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school rating websites and checking with the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final recommendation, get in touch with some Calabasas CA veterinary clinics that you might want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs arranged with Calabasas CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build connections in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for employment after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Getting a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. First, find out what the graduation rates are for the schools you are evaluating. A lower rate might indicate that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, confirm that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate could signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the Calabasas CA veterinary community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might mean that the training is not well thought of by employers or that the job assistance program is a failure at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Calabasas CA colleges you are considering what their classroom student to teacher ratios are. You might also want to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and instructors. Get feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the instructors and find out what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to commute to your veterinary technician classes from your Calabasas CA home, you have to make certain 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 campus is located near or in a larger city. In addition, if you do opt to enroll in a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition fees especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking classes online might be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and reduce the need for travel.
Do the Classes Fit Your Schedule? And finally, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are exploring offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For instance, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Calabasas CA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. In addition, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You might discover that an online school is the ideal solution to fit your vet education into your active life.