IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools
By now you should have determined which veterinarian credential 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 La Quinta CA area and across the USA, you need to ask some qualifying questions to help fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our opening, many future students start by focusing on location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And of course you want to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the checklist of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician schools that you are reviewing.
Is the Veterinary Program Accredited? It's important that you verify that the vet tech college you select is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As previously 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 undergone a demanding review process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is in many cases a precondition for employment for many La Quinta CA area vet practices and hospitals.
What is the Program's Reputation? The vet vocational school or college and program you enroll in must have an outstanding reputation within the veterinarian community. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job assistance network. Other tips include checking with online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any complaints or infractions involving your specific schools. As a final tip, get in touch with some La Quinta CA vet clinics that you might want to work for after you receive your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best means to get practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs established with La Quinta CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Most veterinary medicine programs mandate practical training and a large number provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop associations in the local vet community and aid in the search for employment after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician program 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 reviewing. A lower rate could mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that a number of students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate might signify that the college has an exceptional reputation within the La Quinta CA veterinary community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could indicate that the training is not well regarded by employers or that the job placement program is ineffective at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are bigger, you probably will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the La Quinta CA programs you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Get feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and find out what their backgrounds are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the Campus Located? Yes, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to consider on the topic. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your La Quinta CA home, you need to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to investigate the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the college 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 costs especially for community and state colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and decrease the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's important that you find out if the veterinarian schools you are looking at offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For instance, many students continue working full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near La Quinta CA. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies. You may find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.