IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Vet Tech Colleges
By now you should have decided on which veterinarian credential that you would like to attain, and if you want to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Lake Forest CA area and across the United States, you need to ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of options. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other essential qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And obviously you need to enroll in a school that offers the degree and specialty that you want to earn. These and other factors are reviewed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.
Is the Vet School Accredited? It's imperative that you verify that the vet tech program you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, among 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 screening process that verifies you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is necessary if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not obtainable for non-accredited schools. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for many Lake Forest CA area veterinary practices and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The veterinary trade school or college and program you enroll in should have an exceptional reputation within the vet field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are interested in for references from the employers in their job placement network. Other suggestions include checking with internet school ranking websites and checking with the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your targeted schools. As a final tip, phone some Lake Forest CA vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you get your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend some colleges not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The most effective approach to get clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Lake Forest CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be valuable regarding the practical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Assistance Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college can be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the colleges you are evaluating. A lower rate may mean that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that some students were unhappy with the program and dropped out. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate could indicate that the college has an outstanding reputation within the Lake Forest CA vet community and has a considerable network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate could indicate that the training is not highly regarded by employers or that the job assistance program is ineffective at placing students.
How Big are the Classes? If the classes are larger, you probably will get little or no personalized instruction from the teachers. Find out from the Lake Forest CA programs you are researching what their class student to teacher ratios are. You may also decide to participate in a few classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their approaches to teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to consider on the topic. If you are planning to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Lake Forest CA home, you have to make sure 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 drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located near or in a larger city. Also, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees particularly for community and state colleges. On the other hand, attending classes online could be an option that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's imperative that you ascertain if the veterinary colleges you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or at night near Lake Forest CA. Others might only be able to go to classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Verify that the class times you require are offered prior to enrolling. Also, find out if you can make-up classes that you may miss as a result of work, illness or family emergencies. You might find that an online program is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your active life.