IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Schools
By now you should have determined which veterinary credential that you want to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a school on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinarian community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the West Covina CA area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to narrow down your list of alternatives. As we pointed out in our introduction, many prospective students start by focusing on location and tuition expense. But we have previously pointed out other significant qualifiers, which include accreditation and internship programs. And of course you need to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are covered in the list of questions that you should ask the veterinary technician programs that you are looking at.
Is the Veterinary School 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 discussed, one of the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Trade schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have gone through an extensive screening process that ensures you will get a quality education. Also, accreditation is important if you are applying for a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited school is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of West Covina CA area vet clinics and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The vet college or trade school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the vet community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the schools you are reviewing for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance 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 authority if there have been any complaints or infractions relating to your targeted schools. As a final suggestion, call some West Covina CA veterinary clinics that you might wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think of your school choices. They may even recommend one or more schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best way to obtain practical hands on experience as a vet tech is to work in a medical setting. Ask if the programs you are looking at have internship programs established with West Covina CA veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Most veterinary medicine programs require practical training and many furnish it through internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable relative to the clinical training, but an internship may also help build associations in the local veterinarian community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Assistance Provided? Finding a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be difficult without the assistance of a job placement program. First, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate could indicate that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the course of study or that a number of students were dissatisfied 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 may mean that the school has an excellent reputation within the West Covina 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 ineffective at placing students.
How Large are the Classes? If the classes are larger in size, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the West Covina CA colleges you are considering what their class teacher to student ratios are. You may also decide to attend a few classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between students and teachers. Get evaluations from students relating to 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 College Located? Yes, we previously talked about location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your vet tech classes from your West Covina CA home, you must make certain that the commuting time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the drive during rush hour traffic, particularly if the campus is located close by or within a larger city. Also, if you do decide to attend a school in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be higher tuition costs especially for community and state colleges. On the other hand, taking online classes may be an alternative that will give you more flexibility and decrease the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's imperative that you determine if the vet programs you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to fit your schedule. For example, a number of students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near West Covina CA. Some might only be able to attend class in the morning or later in the afternoon. Make sure that the class times you require are offered before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make up classes that you may miss due to sickness, work or family responsibilities. You may find that an online college is the ideal way to fit your veterinary education into your busy life.