IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
Questions to Ask Vet Tech Schools
By now you should have determined which veterinary degree that you wish to earn, and if you intend to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are an abundance of veterinary community colleges, vocational and technical schools in the Firestone CO area as well as across the Country, you must ask some relevant questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many potential students start by concentrating on location and tuition expense. But we have already mentioned other important qualifiers, such as accreditation and internship programs. And naturally you want to select a school that offers the degree and specialty that you are interested in. These and other qualifications are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are looking at.
Is the Vet Program Accredited? It's essential that you make sure that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. 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 gone through a thorough screening process that ensures you will receive a quality education. Also, accreditation is essential if you are applying for a student loan or financial aid, since numerous programs are not offered for non-accredited colleges. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a requirement for employment for many Firestone CO area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the College's Reputation? The veterinarian vocational school or college and program you select must have an excellent reputation within the veterinarian field. You can begin 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 online school ranking websites and contacting the school's accrediting agencies as well. You can ask the Colorado school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions regarding your specific schools. As a final pointer, contact some Firestone CO vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Ask what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest some schools not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The best means to get practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a medical environment. Ask if the schools you are looking at have internship programs set up with Firestone CO veterinarians, vet hospitals or practices. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many provide it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be invaluable as far as the practical training, but an internship can also help build relationships in the local veterinarian community and aid in the search for a job after graduation.
Is Job Placement Provided? Searching for a job after graduating from a veterinary technician college may be challenging without the help of a job placement program. To start with, ask what the graduation rates are for the schools you are reviewing. A low rate could mean that the instructors were unqualified to teach the course of study or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the colleges have a job placement program and find out what their placement rates are. A high placement rate might indicate that the college has an excellent reputation within the Firestone CO veterinary community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A low rate may indicate that the training is not well 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 may get little or no one-on-one instruction from the teachers. Request from the Firestone CO colleges you are researching what their classroom teacher to student ratios are. You may also want to sit in on a couple of classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between teachers and students. Ask for evaluations from students regarding the quality of instruction. Also, talk with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the College Located? Okay, we already discussed location, but there are a couple of more points to make on the topic. If you are going to drive to your veterinary technician classes from your Firestone CO home, you need to make certain that the driving time is compatible with your schedule. For instance, driving during the weekend to check out the route won't be the same as the commute during rush hour traffic, particularly if the school is located in or near a large city. In addition, if you do choose to enroll in a school 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 taking online classes could be an option that will give you more flexibility and reduce the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And finally, it's imperative that you find out if the vet schools you are looking at offer class times flexible enough to fit your schedule. For example, many students continue working full time and can only attend classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Firestone CO. Some may only be able to attend classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Confirm that the class times you require are available before enrolling. Also, determine if you can make-up classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies. You may discover that an online college is the best solution to fit your vet education into your active life.