IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools
By now you probably have determined which veterinary degree that you want to attain, and if you prefer to study online or attend a college on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Palmdale CA area as well as across the United States, you should ask some important questions to help narrow down your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many prospective students start by prioritizing location and tuition expense. But we have already touched on other significant qualifiers, for instance internship programs and accreditation. And of course you want to enroll in a college that offers the specialty and degree that you would like to earn. These and other factors are addressed in the checklist of questions that you need to ask the veterinary technician schools that you are looking at.
Is the Vet College Accredited? It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech college you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency. As earlier stated, one of the most highly respected is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a demanding review process that confirms you will get a superior education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are requesting a student loan or financial aid, since many programs are not available for non-accredited schools. And finally, having a certificate or degree from an accredited college is frequently a precondition for employment for a number of Palmdale CA area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The vet college or trade school and program you choose should have an excellent reputation within the veterinary field. You can start your due diligence by asking the colleges you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other suggestions include checking with online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the California school licensing authority if there have been any grievances or violations involving your targeted schools. As a final pointer, phone some Palmdale CA veterinarians that you may want to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They might even suggest one or more programs not on your list.
Are there Internship Programs? The most effective way to obtain clinical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a professional environment. Find out if the colleges you are considering have internship programs established with Palmdale CA veterinarians, vet practices or hospitals. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the clinical training, but an internship may also help develop associations in the local veterinarian community and assist in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be difficult without the help of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A low rate may mean that the teachers were unqualified to teach the curriculum or that some students were disappointed with the program and dropped out. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an outstanding reputation within the Palmdale CA vet community and has a significant network of contacts for student placements. A low rate could 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 larger sized, you may receive little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Palmdale CA schools you are looking at what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to sit in on some classes (if practical) to observe the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for feedback from students concerning the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their backgrounds are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we already covered 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 Palmdale CA home, you have to make sure that the driving time fits into your schedule. For example, 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 close by or within a large 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 especially for state and community colleges. Of course attending online classes may be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the need for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's important that you ascertain if the veterinarian programs you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit 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 Palmdale CA. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make certain that the class times you need are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you may miss because of sickness, work or family issues. You may discover that an online college is the ideal way to fit your vet training into your active life.