IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges
At this point you probably have decided on which veterinarian degree that you would like to earn, and if you want to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and trade schools in the Livermore CA area and across the Country, you need to ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other essential qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to choose a college that offers the specialty and degree that you want to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech schools that you are considering.
Is the Veterinary College Accredited? It's important that you confirm that the veterinary technician program you choose is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier stated, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through a thorough screening process that confirms you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since a large number of programs are not offered for non-accredited programs. Last, having a certificate or degree from an accredited program is often a precondition for employment for a number of Livermore CA area vet clinics and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The vet college or vocational school and program you select should have an excellent reputation within the vet field. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for endorsements from the employers in their job placement network. Other tips include checking with internet school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing department if there have been any grievances or violations regarding your specific schools. As a final suggestion, get in touch with some Livermore CA veterinarians that you might want to work for after you get your training. Find out 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 obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have internship programs arranged with Livermore CA veterinarians, vet clinics or hospitals. The majority of veterinary medicine programs require clinical training and a large number furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable as far as the clinical training, but an internship can also help develop relationships in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a vet tech college can be difficult 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 mean that the teachers were ineffective at teaching the curriculum or that some students were dissatisfied with the program and quit. Next, verify that the schools have a job assistance program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate may indicate that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Livermore CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might indicate 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 bigger, you most likely will receive little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Livermore CA schools you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between instructors and students. Get evaluations from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, talk 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 a few more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Livermore CA home, you have to make certain 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 school is located near or in a large city. In addition, if you do opt to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending classes online may be an option that will give you more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's essential that you find out if the vet schools you are evaluating offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or at night near Livermore CA. Others may 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. In addition, find out if you can make up classes that you may miss due to work, sickness or family issues. You may find that an online school is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your hectic life.