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Interview Feedback

All Questions & Responses

  • Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Veterinary School
  • Blacksburg, VA
Individual Feedback 1 34 Responses
Overall Experience

How did the interview impress you?

Response # Responders
Positively 19
Negatively 7
No change 7

What was the stress level of the interview?

Response Avg # Responders
5.15 33

0 = low, 10 = high

How you think you did?

Response Avg # Responders
7.03 33

0 = low, 10 = high

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

Response Avg # Responders
7.15 34

0 = low, 10 = high

Was this interview in-person or virtual?

Response # Responders
In Person 0
Virtual 2

Questions

How long was the interview?

Response # Responders
5 minutes 0
10 minutes 0
15 minutes 3
20 minutes 0
25 minutes 0
30 minutes 15
35 minutes 0
40 minutes 0
45 minutes 2
50 minutes 5
55 minutes 1
60+ minutes 8

Where did the interview take place?

Response # Responders
At the school 23
At a regional location 7
At another location 4

What was the style of the interview?

Response # Responders
One-on-one 23
In a group 11

What type of interview was it?

Response # Responders
Open file 10
Closed file 14

How many people interviewed you?

Response Average # Responders
5.41 34

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?

"Cannot disclose, NDA signed" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Cannot discuss specific MMI questions but they were fun!" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"In fairness to the MMI I won't disclose any scenarios. What I will say is that they are asking questions to probe your own personal feelings about self management, team management, ethics - there's a wide range. I guarantee that in some way, you (the reader of this survey) have considered this scenario and how you might act. You've been preparing for it your whole life, in a sense." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't disclose." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Sorry, had to sign a NDA" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't say, signed confidentiality form." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"MMI - cant disclose" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"MMI format. We signed a confidentiality agreement so can't go into any detail." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"can't say specifically...signed a confidentiality agreement." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why Vet med and not a Ph.D?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you feel are some major issues affecting veterinary medicine today?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So, in what area of veterinary medicine do you see yourself? Research, private practice, corporate, education?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Who is the most important person in an animal hospital?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So, why are you sitting in that chair? Why do you want to be a veterinarian?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tells as about yourself and why you want to be a veterinarian." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are some positives and negatives about the current issues about horse slaughter in the US?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be a vet?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why are you interested in pursuing a DVM when you can do research with a PhD?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are some of the big issues in shelter medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"''tell us, why do you want to be a vet?'' -- didnt see that one coming ;)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why Vet. medicine and not human medicine? Why here?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Quickly tell us about yourself, and in this summation include something you are proud of and something that you would do over if given the chance." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be a veterinarian?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the feral cat controversy?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be a vet and what interests you about lab animal medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you think your background in psychology (my major) will apply to veterinary medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if you saw a student cheating?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What qualities do you look for in a good veterinarian? How many of these do you possess?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 2)?

"Same thing as above, NDA signed" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't disclose." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Sorry, had to sign a NDA" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't say." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"MMI - cant disclose" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What annoy you in Vet med?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think you will be prepared for the studying you'll have to do in vet school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How would you explain the situation to a child where the family had to relinquish their dog because they could not afford the veterinary care?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What kind of ethical concerns are involved with genetic engineering of animals?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (twice- once by the hot team and once by the cold)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You say you want to be a small animal vet, but you only have one summer of clinical experience. Why didn't you seek out more clinical experience?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you ever had a time when you second guessed that this was the career for you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Hypothetical...If a dog was hit by a car and the neighbor/person who hit the dog brought it in but didn't want to pay, what would you do?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you tell a lady who was keeping a ground hog in a small cage in her backyard if you noticed it accidentally on a large animal barn call? Say she was really attached to this animal." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if a woman came in with a dog that had obviously been used for fighting, but the woman is afraid the dog's owner will kill her if you report him, she leaves the clinic before you can do anything, what do you do.... " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"''If you found out during your 3rd year of vet school that you were extremely allergic to animals what would you do with your life?''" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Explain a conflict you've had in the workplace and how you dealt with it." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are some times when human doctors would work closely with veterinarians?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How has working at horse barns and training horses prepared you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be an vet?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you do in your free time?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you worked in wildlife or zoo medicine before? (i hadn't, but this is what I'm interested in, so I was prepared to explain)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How should veterinarians contribute to society? (Be prepared with a few creative answers for this one.)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 3)?

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't disclose." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Sorry, had to sign a NDA" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't say." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"MMI - cant disclose" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you see yourself doing in the 10 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you think you'll handle moving to and living in Blacksburg?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How would you handle an irate owner who refuses to pay her $300 vet bill because her dog died despite your best efforts?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What have you done to improve your application since last year?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you do to relax?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Well, you know that we have your file, and we're going to see your grades. What are your study skills, and how have they changed from ungergraduate to graduate school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are you reading?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Name some current issues in Veterinary Medicine" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in ten years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did your animal behavior class teach you about canine behavior and their relationship to wolves?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"''I see you plan to open your own practice...How would you overcome the competition? Where would you practice?''" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Summarize the animal experiences you've had. -- They never asked for detail of anything I've done, I assume because I wrote in detail for the secondary application." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if I wanted to euthanize my dog because I couldn't bring him with me when I moved?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You have 1 minute to tell us about yourself. Go." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if you had a lab partner who was leaving you with all the work but still getting your ''A'' grade?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What kind of a role does a veterinarian play on the environment?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? How will you handle the long hours and stress of vet school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How would you avoid burnout?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What shelter experience have you had?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most interesting question?

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't disclose." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Sorry, had to sign a NDA" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't say." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"MMI - cant disclose" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"A specific question regarding my experience." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you feel about people keeping primates as pets? What is the law in Maryland?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if the owner who brought in their dog (who was hit by a car) was bitten?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you say to a client who can not afford heartworm preventative?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You want to pursue Lab Animal Medicine, what is a pro and a con of that field?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you feel about owners going through such great lengths to treat their pets when humans are suffering?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Ethical question: Would you euthanize a healthy young cat because the owners do not want it anymore?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing really stands out as being super interesting... Everything you would expect :)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"much of the questions/conversations were interesting." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Who is your favorite artist?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Suppose a red-tail hawk is brought in from the wild with a gsw to the wing...What would you do? If you were to keep it alive could it serve any purpose?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I was explained to about a recent event in British news involving a Vet fined for docking/cropping. I was then asked if I felt that it was ethical to perform cosmetic procedures on animals and if I would ever do them." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are your views on animals as property vs. guardianship?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Talk about an ethical issue I've had to deal with." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you were a member of Veterinarians Without Borders, how would you do your work?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Suppose a child was attacked by a pit bull. The child's mother is now advocating BSL in county X, what would you say to her [to get her to change her mind]?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell us about the most difficult ethical issue you have faced." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your favorite tv show?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None of them were really interesting. Mostly your typical interview questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most difficult question?

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't disclose." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't really say, but I didn't think there were any really difficult questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can't say." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"MMI - cant disclose" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"They were all about the same." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Specific questions about my academic record." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So would you say you don't possess the qualities to be a good teacher? (after I mentioned that I hadn't given much thought to becoming a teacher and that was not where my main interests were)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about yourself." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you respond to people who say animal research is unethical and unjustified?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Is there anything else you would like us to know about you? (I say this was difficult only because the interviews were split in two, and this question was asked at the end of my 2nd interview, so I had a hard time recalling what I had said in the first interview vs. second...I probably repeated myself!).....oh and definitely my 2nd question" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Probably the ethical question above, even though I had been prepared for something like that, it was hard because I felt that there was no good answer!" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Who's birthday was yesterday....Yeah I had no clue :( It was music related so I'm sure no one else will get that." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So tell us about yourself." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You've named two of the big issues in veterinary medicine, but you're still missing a big one. Do you know what it is? Also, do you know where Pascagoula is?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"A woman brings in a dog that you notice has been used for dog fighting. The dog belongs to the woman's relative who will harm her if he finds out the dog has been treated. If you report her, she will not allow you to treat the dog. If you call the authorities she may be in danger. What do you do? (*this one never seemed to end)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I know you prepared for this interview - What is one question that you had expected us to ask that we didn't? -- Unlike me, make sure you say one that you are prepared to answer!" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"see above" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"With the high cost of vet education, and low starting salaries, how can veterinarians as a profession increase our salaries? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"the above question was kind of difficult... Describe a goal that you set for yourself that you had difficulties achieving. (or something along those lines)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the role of veterinarians as stewards of the environment? (probably b/c I'm interested in wildlife & conservation medicine)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I was asked to argue both sides of a particular ethical issue and convince the interviewer that each side was the ''best'' option." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Something along the lines of ''What do you think about people who own too many pets?'' and ''What do you think should be done about people who can't afford healthcare for themselves much less their pets?'' " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

How did you prepare for the interview?

"Made up potential practice questions and had someone ask me while I answered." More from this Member | Report Response

"I didn't really" More from this Member | Report Response

"Honestly, I didn't really prepare. I just woke up as normal, listened to my favorite songs, ate food I really liked and told myself it would all be okay." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read MMI for the Mind & an Animal Welfare/Ethics book" More from this Member | Report Response

"Read up on my own application, the interview format, and enjoyed the campus and experience!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Tried listening to NPR like they suggested but that wasn't much help." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read about MMI's online." More from this Member | Report Response

"You really can't. I kind of just winged it with some general research to help get myself mentally prepared. Basic comms skills, ethics were some topics I focused on." More from this Member | Report Response

"Since the questions are geared more towards who you are as a person, I thought a lot about what I was passionate about and what's going on in the world around me." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read about MMI format online and spoke with a vet who previously did interviews at the school" More from this Member | Report Response

"Listened to NPR, practiced going over ethical questions with a vet." More from this Member | Report Response

"Prep for combination behavioral and traditional. That doesn't quite match, but it is close." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, practice with fds, mock interview, write down questions on flash cards. " More from this Member | Report Response

"I wrote down a lot of interview questions on index cards and gave them out to friends, family members, and coworkers. I then had everyone ask me questions whenever we were together and could do so." More from this Member | Report Response

"practiced answering sample questions I found online" More from this Member | Report Response

"School website, different vet news websites, SDN interview feedback, read over my application..." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN feedback- thanks everybody- and AVMA ethics and issues webpages." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read CVM, CDC, and AVMA webpages. Searched online for common interview questions and questions specific to VMRCVM. Researched A LOT of current issues and ethical obligations of veterinarians. Developed OCD." More from this Member | Report Response

"Reread my application, SDN, read up on horse slaughter, etc." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read current events in Vet Med." More from this Member | Report Response

"read over the AVMA website. did some practice interview questions although none of those questions were asked!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Read over old interview questions from VA-MD and did a search online for veterinary school interview questions. Read current publications on veterinary medicine issues. Practiced with friends." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read over my application, avma website, current issues in vet med." More from this Member | Report Response

"On the 9 hour drive down I asked myself questions I thought they'd ask and kept retrying answers until I found one that was reasonable." More from this Member | Report Response

"reading avma website, asking vets at work, reread application, JAVMA magazine" More from this Member | Report Response

"I looked up a lot of sample interview questions on the internet and made sure I was up to date on all the recent animal diseases." More from this Member | Report Response

"OCD studying of current events, reviewed application materials" More from this Member | Report Response

"read some practice questions, reread my applications, got some tips from vets and family members..." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read ''typical'' interview questions, answering probably 75 of them. Read up on current issues, AVMA policies. I would suggest going to the AVMA website and browsing the links on the main page...extremely helpful." More from this Member | Report Response

"Mock interview, reread my application, read about some current events." More from this Member | Report Response

"By reading over ''typical'' interview questions from a variety of schools and talking my way through the answers ahead of time. " More from this Member | Report Response

What impressed you positively?

"The type of questions seemed as if they were geared towards gauging our levels of empathy, problem solving, and social skills." More from this Member | Report Response

"The interview questions." More from this Member | Report Response

"Everyone was very friendly and accommodating." More from this Member | Report Response

"The facilities were top-notch. The anatomy lab is pristine, the lecture hall and building were super impressive, and while the small and large animal hospitals were older buildings, they're very well-equipped. I was also really impressed with the other interviewees - I felt that those whom I met were very fun, interesting and supportive." More from this Member | Report Response

"The vet school itself because I had never visited and was turned off by Blacksburg and the surrounding area." More from this Member | Report Response

"The facilities were very impressive." More from this Member | Report Response

"How fluid the whole process was. Its 64 minutes long but it goes by fast. You are in control the whole time, and since you cannot have a wrong response, you can only have a more complete and thus correct response." More from this Member | Report Response

"The facilities are all being updated, so everything is nice and new and state-of-the-art." More from this Member | Report Response

"I actually enjoyed the MMI. Its kind of refreshing to know that the playing field is equal between everyone." More from this Member | Report Response

"The friendliness and responsiveness of the interview staff. I felt like I was having a real conversation instead of talking to a wall." More from this Member | Report Response

"Almost nothing. The campus and surrounding area is beautiful, but that's about it." More from this Member | Report Response

"Like the idea of tracking" More from this Member | Report Response

"Very concerned with speeding up process so students could leave pre-snowstorm." More from this Member | Report Response

"All the interviewers were very friendly. Joyce from Admissions were extremely nice. Faculty member seem to really care about their students. " More from this Member | Report Response

"The interviewers were very friendly and put me at ease. " More from this Member | Report Response

"everyone was extremely friendly and enthusiastic. some of the students came over on their break and started telling us about the school and reassuring us about the interviews" More from this Member | Report Response

"I found all of my interviewers to be very interesting and easy to talk to. Dr. Walters was very friendly and welcoming. " More from this Member | Report Response

"The interviewers were very friendly and conversational while showing knowledge of their fields and interest in my pursuits. " More from this Member | Report Response

"The interviewers were actually really nice and they always smiled at the end of my answers and said "ok, great," which really put me at ease. Another veterinarian not involved in the interview process told me what was going to happen before it happened, and she reinforced the fact that the interviewers were not there to make you nervous, but jsut to have a conversation with you." More from this Member | Report Response

"Students were very friendly and kept coming to talk to us while we were waiting, they were also very organized for the day which was appreciated!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Joyce Massie was out front greeting everyone. A bunch of first year students came to talk to us about how they liked the school and to help calm our nerves." More from this Member | Report Response

"seeing the other students, having the first years stop by and talk to us" More from this Member | Report Response

"One interviewer was extremely nice and put me at ease. " More from this Member | Report Response

"Everyone was very friendly and helpful." More from this Member | Report Response

"Joyce and all the interviewers were EXTREMELY friendly. I connected on a personal level to almost all the interviewers to a point that I was wondering if they didn't specifically choose them for me! Oddball personal interests, television preferences, and two of them had either lived or dove in lakes in Africa where I WC fish from. Personal talk caused my interview to go over the 30min limit." More from this Member | Report Response

"I felt that both the hot and cold interview teams really seemed interested in what I had to say." More from this Member | Report Response

"Everyone was very nice. I was more stressed at the beginning of the interview than the end because they were all so very nice." More from this Member | Report Response

"Interviewers in cold interview asked interesting questions and seemed interested in learning more about me. " More from this Member | Report Response

"the interviewers were very polite and cordial" More from this Member | Report Response

"Very friendly; the admissions coordinator was on hand in the waiting room to make conservation and ease some of the tension. People were very friendly, as they have been throughout the process. Any stress was simply the inherent stress of interviewing." More from this Member | Report Response

"Everyone was extremely friendly - I very much enjoyed talking with the current students before/after my interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"The enthusiasm of the student tour guide." More from this Member | Report Response

What impressed you negatively?

"The interview questions were pre-recorded. This is changing this year, as they are moving back to in-person interviews for in-state applicants." More from this Member | Report Response

"Time constraints, always." More from this Member | Report Response

"They do not have a wildlife clinic." More from this Member | Report Response

"There's very little about this school that impressed me negatively. I think the location is poor for some, but I'm rural-minded and loved it." More from this Member | Report Response

"The entire MMI structure has a very small subset of individuals that it actually helps to gain insight into their beliefs as a person." More from this Member | Report Response

"Some of the interviewers don't give you any feedback and have a poker face when they interview you." More from this Member | Report Response

"No negatives" More from this Member | Report Response

"Not that I was not aware before applying, but Blacksburg is very rural. But on the upside cost of living is great!" More from this Member | Report Response

"They aren't letting us know until March :-(" More from this Member | Report Response

"Everything. 1. The MMI format is complete garbage. They ask unrelated questions that are *supposed* to measure abstract concepts that are *supposed* to measure ideal qualities in a veterinarian. I walked away feeling like they had no idea who I was as a person or applicant. Worse yet, they give you a score on your interview and judge you on that alone. They no longer consider the rest of your application. This is extremely foolish, as some people just don't interview well, but would make fantastic veterinarians. 2) The interviewers for the most part were extremely unfriendly. They did not smile, nor even acknowledge an answer. 3) The tour was horrible. All the facilities were closed and we didn't actually get to see much. Plus our tour guide was unenthusiastic. 4) The facilities were run down and dirty. The hallways had random furniture/boxes/occupational hazards stored in them. 5.) There was no orientation, nothing to introduce the students to the university or get them excited about attending." More from this Member | Report Response

"equine caseload (in Blacksburg)" More from this Member | Report Response

"no student Q&A, no financial aid discussion, did not get to meet faculty or get much of a feel of the student body, just the one student ambassador per group. I think I might have gotten more info if the schedule had not been condensed due to weather. Plus the whole thing with the new interview format--I definitely did not know what to expect. I felt the whole thing was kind of poorly organized. I felt like a number rather than a person." More from this Member | Report Response

"The facility seem to be a bit old." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing." More from this Member | Report Response

"I was not too impressed with the facilities, there were hardly any windows, it was kind of a dreary place. The Blacksburg area in general, while pretty, seems like there's not too much to do. I'm not sure if that will matter much, as I will be very busy in vet school." More from this Member | Report Response

"There isn't much done for Maryland residents on the interview day, which can be a bit of a let down." More from this Member | Report Response

"The name tags wouldn't stick and my suit was held together with safety pins- literally. But, from VMR's perspective, they ran a good show and were really friendly." More from this Member | Report Response

"My interview was at the University of Maryland because I am a MD resident, so I wish I could have driven down to BBurg to see the facilities - although I did spend my undergrad there." More from this Member | Report Response

"The facilities felt old (the 1st year classroom felt a bit like a dungeon). " More from this Member | Report Response

"Cold interviewers tried to make me feel bad for saying immediately where I had gone to undergraduate, told me that wasn't allowed to do that and the interview was over... but they were joking. Also, I didn't think the school building itself was very nice." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing negative. I was a bit surprised that all classes for 1st-year students are in one room, all classes for 2nd-year students in another room, etc. Not sure if this is common practice or not." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing really" More from this Member | Report Response

"It was at UMCP so I didn't get to have a tour or anything, but that was no fault of their's." More from this Member | Report Response

"Open file interview (at head of table with 4 interviewers around) was very stressful, and both interviews were too short. I felt like the interviewers in the open interview purposefully asked questions about your answers to get you to reach your stress point." More from this Member | Report Response

"being at the head of a large table with 4 interviewers seating around you is a kind of intimidating feeling." More from this Member | Report Response

"I really think the interviews are too short to get a good impression of the student. And there was very little time to ask your own questions, though they did make the effort." More from this Member | Report Response

"Snow + suit = COLD" More from this Member | Report Response

"Pretty much everything else. Everything was very cold and unfriendly. I felt like they couldn't care less whether I attended there or not. " More from this Member | Report Response

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

"That there were no right or wrong answers. That you needed to only be unique, thoughtful, and empathetic." More from this Member | Report Response

"That they did not have a wildlife clinic = less hands-on experience with wildlife/exotics." More from this Member | Report Response

"That there's no concrete way to prepare for the interview, other than to be yourself (generic, I know) ." More from this Member | Report Response

"That I would still hate the MMI after the interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing, I was already informed by the school with details regarding the interview format. They made this process very easy." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing, I felt pretty well-prepared." More from this Member | Report Response

"I was pretty aware of how MMI was going to work. I am still confused because they tell you to expect "little feedback" during the interviews but I actually did get feedback from most...which kind of got into my head that maybe I wasn't saying enough or that I was not filling up enough time?" More from this Member | Report Response

"This was much less stressful than I thought it would be." More from this Member | Report Response

"I wish I had known more about the new interview format. I got conflicting information from the main adcom and the emails." More from this Member | Report Response

"This wasn't my first time interviewing, so I was pretty well prepared." More from this Member | Report Response

"They will try to corner you in the interview--be prepared." More from this Member | Report Response

"That the experience would be so relaxing. Also, I planned avoid the lobby and other students but it turned out that chatting with them really helped to make me comfortable and at ease which is perhaps the most important thing for interview success." More from this Member | Report Response

"15 minutes goes fast - make sure you know exactly what you want them to know about you because you're not going to get the chance to tell them unless you're organized and on a mission." More from this Member | Report Response

"That I was going to come down with the stomach flu the morning of (no joke) :) I wish there had been a little bit more going on for the day - it was purely a tour and the interview. However, from what I understand, there is a revisit day/Open House in April where they have a lot more going on!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Not to stress so much. Its not as bad as it seems and it goes really fast!" More from this Member | Report Response

"the nerves disappeared as the interview got closer! also, the interviews went extremely quickly as in it felt like only five minutes had passed." More from this Member | Report Response

"I was well prepared - read over their website and what they have to offer because they WILL ask you about it." More from this Member | Report Response

"It was what I expected, so I guess nothing." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing." More from this Member | Report Response

"That I apparently can speak and still not make any sense." More from this Member | Report Response

"That there certainly wouldn't be enough time to ask the 75 questions I'd studied! But I'm glad I did." More from this Member | Report Response

What are your general comments?

"The school is great, location is nice and rural, faculty seem extremely approachable & helpful." More from this Member | Report Response

"I got a great impression from the school, students, faculty, and interviewees alike. An acceptance from VMRCVM would be very difficult to decline!" More from this Member | Report Response

"I realized that because vet school is unbelievably competitive, the interviewers would not attempt to be your friend and their would be some level of intimidation, but the degree to which some of the interviewers would go to make you feel uncomfortable was not something that made me want to consider this school as a choice if I were to be accepted." More from this Member | Report Response

"Hated the MMI format. I think it did not let me show my full potential as an applicant." More from this Member | Report Response

"The MMI is amazing if you have great critical thinking skills and possess the gift of gab. If you have at least those two qualities, you will not have any awkward moments and you will do just fine. All other character traits they test are about who you are so relax, go with the flow, and be your true self. Believe it or not, you're already in at this point, you just need to prove to them you are the same in person as you are on paper." More from this Member | Report Response

"Many people hate the MMI, but I honestly feel better about it that I did my traditional panel interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"One of the worst, most poorly thought out interview processes ever. There's a reason why no other school adopts this method." More from this Member | Report Response

"Ms. Massey has been wonderful, but I left feeling as though the school wasn't particularly interested in me. I had high hopes for VMRCVM, but I left wondering why I should bother. Also, my tour group was enormous and my guides were ambivalent and uninformative." More from this Member | Report Response

"I liked the MMI format as far as a way of evaluating applicants, although I think it needs to be supplemented with more background on the school (student panel? information session? small group meetings with ad com members?) It felt a little impersonal and cold, and I have the hunch the school is actually pretty warm and inviting (certainly everyone I interacted with in town was!)." More from this Member | Report Response

"Whenever I asked questions in the months after I applied, I felt that the answers were not helpful. The main adcom gave conflicting info about the format compared w/ invite and web info." More from this Member | Report Response

"Overall, I think it went well. The people are friendly and willing to answer questions." More from this Member | Report Response

"There are two 15 minute interviews with two interviewers each, one interview having read your file and one interview having not. They both go by extremely fast." More from this Member | Report Response

"It was an enjoyable interview, good tour and great faculty who really seem focused on student concerns. I have to say the classrooms seemed sub-par and the library is very small. Blacksburg was bleak and just another college town with not much to offer. Basically, be conversational, review likely questions but don't try to memorize a script just points you want to bring up." More from this Member | Report Response

"The interviews were two 15 min interviews (one hot, one cold) each with two interviewers. You went back to back (first open file, then cold file). I found the cold file to be more stressful!" More from this Member | Report Response

"VA still uses the "hot and cold" interviews. There was the hot team which had access to your file and the cold team which only knew your name. Each interview had 2 interviewers and lasted 15 minutes. " More from this Member | Report Response

"two interview teams each with a hot and cold room. people were very friendly and tried to put you at ease. just have fun and hopefully it will be a once in a lifetime experience!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Thought it went very well, was over quickly. I was pumped afterwards thinking that I had done my best and would surely be admitted. The cold interviewers were very sarcastic and tried to make me nervous, but I didn't let it bother me. " More from this Member | Report Response

"I thought the ''cold'' interview went much better. It was in a smaller room with only two interviewers. It was a lot less stressful than the ''hot'' interview (4 interviewers in a conference room). No real specific questions they all seemed to be hypothetical scenarios I may find myself in. " More from this Member | Report Response

"Absolutely wonderful, very friendly. I was shaking before I went in with a big board-room style table with me at the head, but it was made so comfortable. Couldn't have asked for a more pleasant experience." More from this Member | Report Response

"I thought everyone was very friendly. Joyce Massie was in the lobby talking with students and seemed genuinely interested in meeting everyone. I thought the whole process was exactly what I thought it would be." More from this Member | Report Response

"Great actually. Everyone was very nice. It was quick and fairly painless." More from this Member | Report Response

"My poor performance was mostly due to my nervousness. I wish I had done more mock interviews. Very short, and I didn't feel like I really had any time to shine, especially after flubbing up my first question." More from this Member | Report Response

"it was ok, i'm really not sure what to think about how i performed. everyone gets nervous, but I'm really now sure how much I showed it!" More from this Member | Report Response

"As I said, all along everyone from VMRCVM has been extremely friendly and helpful, which will be important if I am invited to attend there. Also, at the end of my ''cold'' interview, one of the interviewers said ''See you in the fall!'' So I have high hopes :-)" More from this Member | Report Response

"I very much enjoyed the interview - the interviewers were not intimidating, even with the large number of ethical questions I was asked!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Terrible. The hot interview (where the group has seen your application) wasn't too bad, but the interviewers were so cold. They barely acknowledged my answers when I spoke. The cold interview was awful; the two interviewers argued with everything I said (I guess in an attempt to rile me up and see how I reacted) and asked me questions that I felt were rather irrelevant. I didn't feel like I was given a fair opportunity to express myself. Also, the school lost my paperwork twice and waited until the last minute BOTH times to tell me they were missing it. Make sure you verify well in advance that they have everything they need. " More from this Member | Report Response

Tour and Travel

Who was the tour given by?

Response # Responders
Student 23
Faculty member 1
Admissions staff 2
Other 0

How did the tourguide seem?

Response # Responders
Enthusiastic 22
Neutral 4
Discouraging 0

How do you rank the facilities?

Response Avg # Responders
6.83 30

0 = low, 10 = high

What is your in-state status?

Response # Responders
In state 23
Out of state 10

What was your total time spent traveling?

Response # Responders
0-1 hour 8
2-3 hours 4
4-6 hours 9
7+ hours 12

What was your primary mode of travel?

Response # Responders
Airplane 7
Automobile 25
Train or subway 0
Other 0

What airport did you use?

Roanoke Regional Airport

Roanoke

LYH

Where did you stay?

Response # Responders
At school facility 1
With students at the school 0
Friends or family 1
Hotel 20
Home 1
Other 0

About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?

Response # Responders
< $100 12
$101-$200 7
$201-$300 3
$301-$400 2
$401-$500 1
$501+ 4

Comments on where you stayed

No responses

General Info

How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?

Response Avg # Responders
7.00 34

0 = low, 10 = high

What is your ranking of this school's location?

Response Avg # Responders
6.62 34

0 = low, 10 = high

What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?

Response Avg # Responders
5.47 34

0 = low, 10 = high

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

Response Avg # Responders
8.21 24

0 = low, 10 = high

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

Response Avg # Responders
8.50 24

0 = low, 10 = high

How eco-friendly are the school's application materials and interview process?

Response Avg # Responders
7.77 22

0 = low, 10 = high

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

"Bringing back in-person interviews is a smart move." More from this Member | Report Response

"N/A - they were very responsive and helpful." More from this Member | Report Response

"Get rid of the MMI format" More from this Member | Report Response

"Ditch MMI format." More from this Member | Report Response

"None! The MMI format is great" More from this Member | Report Response

"Maybe give out a financial packet and places students could live while we are there for the interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"None. I get prompt, complete answers to e-mails and phone calls throughout the process." More from this Member | Report Response

"None! This was a very smooth, well-planned process." More from this Member | Report Response

"Ditch the MMI format. Completely useless. The questions asked in no way revealed who I was as an applicant." More from this Member | Report Response

"A reception or information session about the school before the interviews would have been nice. Just something to say, "welcome to our school."" More from this Member | Report Response

"I felt like I didn't really get a good sense of the program's 'culture' (how students interact together and with their professors) or many details on the academic programs." More from this Member | Report Response

"Confirm that all materials are in before deadlines. Answer questions about new interview process clearly." More from this Member | Report Response

"All the faculty members were very nice and friendly, including the interviewers." More from this Member | Report Response

"Joyce with Admissions is wonderful, really friendly and made everyone at ease." More from this Member | Report Response

"Joyce Massie (DVM Admissions Coordinator) is incredibly nice, friendly, and helpful. She was there" More from this Member | Report Response

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