IT TAKES JUST A FEW MINUTES TO START YOUR VET TECH CAREER BELOW
What to Ask Veterinary Technician Colleges
By now you should have selected which veterinarian credential that you wish to earn, and if you prefer to study online or attend a program on campus. Since there are a large number of vet community colleges, technical and vocational schools in the Lakewood CO area and across the Country, you should ask some qualifying questions in order to fine tune your list of alternatives. As we discussed in our introduction, many future students start by prioritizing location and the cost of tuition. But we have previously touched on other significant qualifiers, for example internship programs and accreditation. And naturally you need to select a college that offers the specialty and degree that you are interested in. These and other factors are reviewed in the list of questions that you need to ask the vet tech colleges that you are reviewing.
Is the Vet College Accredited? It's essential that you verify that the vet tech school you enroll in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting organization. As earlier discussed, among the most highly regarded is the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Vocational schools and colleges that are accredited by the AVMA have undergone a rigorous review process that verifies you will obtain a superior education. Also, accreditation is important if you are requesting a student loan or financial assistance, since many programs are not available for non-accredited programs. Last, having a degree or certificate from an accredited college is in many cases a prerequisite for employment for a number of Lakewood CO area veterinarian clinics and hospitals.
What is the School's Reputation? The veterinary college or vocational school and program you choose should have an outstanding reputation within the veterinary community. You can initiate your due diligence by asking the colleges you are looking at for testimonials from the employers in their job assistance network. Other pointers include looking on online school rating websites and contacting the school's accrediting organizations as well. You can ask the Colorado school licensing department if there have been any grievances or infractions concerning your specific schools. As a final pointer, get in touch with some Lakewood CO vet clinics that you may wish to work for after you go through your training. Find out what they think about your school selections. They may even suggest one or more programs not on your list.
Are Internships Offered? The most effective way to obtain practical hands on training as a vet tech is to work in a clinical environment. Find out if the programs you are looking at have internship programs arranged with Lakewood CO veterinarians, vet hospitals or clinics. Almost all veterinary medicine programs mandate clinical training and many furnish it by way of internships. Not only will the experience be valuable relative to the clinical training, but an internship can also help build associations in the local veterinary community and help in the search for a job after graduation.
Is there a Job Placement Program? Searching for a job after graduating from a vet tech school may be challenging without the assistance of a job placement program. To begin with, ask what the graduation rates are for the programs you are reviewing. A lower rate may signify that the instructors were ineffective at teaching the syllabus or that some students were disappointed with the program and quit. Next, check that the schools have a job assistance program and ask what their placement rates are. A higher placement rate may indicate that the school has an exceptional reputation within the Lakewood CO vet community and has a substantial network of contacts for student placements. A lower rate might 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 larger in size, you probably will get little or no individualized instruction from the teachers. Solicit from the Lakewood CO colleges you are researching what their class teacher to student ratios are. You might also decide to attend some classes (if practical) to monitor the interaction between instructors and students. Ask for feedback from students relating to the quality of instruction. Also, speak with the teachers and determine what their qualifications are as well as their methods of teaching.
Where is the School Located? Okay, we already talked about location, but there are several more points to make on the subject. If you are going to commute to your vet tech classes from your Lakewood CO home, you need 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 college is located in or close by a larger city. In addition, if you do decide to enroll in a college in another state or even outside of your County of residence, there may be increased tuition fees especially for state and community colleges. On the other hand, attending online classes might be an alternative that will provide you with more flexibility and minimize the necessity for travel.
Is the Class Schedule Flexible? And last, it's essential that you ascertain if the veterinarian colleges you are considering offer class times that are sufficiently flexible to accommodate your schedule. For example, many students continue to work full time and can only go to classes on the weekends or in the evenings near Lakewood CO. Others may only be able to go to classes in the morning or in the afternoon. Make certain 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 responsibilities. You may discover that an online college is the ideal solution to fit your veterinary training into your hectic life.