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School Rankings » Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Year founded: 1899
  • ENROLLED TOTAL: 137
  • School Website: View Site >
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary School
Pullman, WA
  • SDN RANKING 3
  • INTERVIEW FEEDBACK 2 40 Responses
  • SCHOOL REVIEWS 2 0 Responses

Overview

Overview

School Stats

  • Resident Tuition $24,304
  • Non - Resident Tuition $55,358
  • Application Fee $60
  • AVG GRE 309
  • AVG GPA 3.6

Crime: Detailed Stats >

Admissions Information

  • Veterinary Admissions
  • PO Box 647012
  • Pullman, WA 99164-7012
  • United States

School Overview

Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine Fast Facts

Application Service

Interview Feedback

Interview Feedback

Results Overview

How did the interview impress you?

Response # Responders
Positively 27
Negatively 5
No change 8

What was the stress level of the interview?

Response Avg # Responders
3.72 39

0 = low, 10 = high

How you think you did?

Response Avg # Responders
7.49 39

0 = low, 10 = high

Select Questions & Recent Responses

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

"More tour options" More from this Member | Report Response

"Rewrite the interview notification. It was little awkwardly written and not really positive." More from this Member | Report Response

"The supplemental application for admissions cycle 2013-2014 had multiple digital glitches. I'm hoping that these are worked out and corrected for subsequent cycles. That being said, WSU's IT support person (Brandon Burch) was wonderful and very helpful. He made sure that any and all issues that I experienced with the supplemental were handled and fixed well before the submission deadline. Very responsive and timely." More from this Member | Report Response

"I fell in love with the school due to how friendly the staff and students were! It was really great that normal students who not being paid and were not trained came up to me throughout the day to talk about the school and share their enthusiasm. The whole process felt very genuine and non-contrived. They did a wonderful job making applicants feeling welcomed and comfortable." More from this Member | Report Response

"Bringing transcripts day of interview has caused lots of headaches for already stressed students when there is a question of equivilency and cuts into interview! adcoms should have cleared all that prior since we go to lots of trouble and expense to get to this point" More from this Member | Report Response

"Notify students of lacking prerequisites prior to interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"The interview dates could have been more structured. I wish there had been a Q and A or student panel (like other schools had). I was not welcomed when I arrived for the tour, and actually had to track down someone to begin my pre-interview essay. I felt like the admissions office did not take an interest in the students there for interviews, and actually decided not to go to the pizza mixer because of it. The only faculty that spoke with me were the ones conducting the interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"Sending info on the classes/other activities offered ahead of time would have been helpful. I flew" More from this Member | Report Response

"Distributing the schedule of classes that interviewees may sit in on in advance would be helpful." More from this Member | Report Response

"Everyone I met was VERY friendly and was more than happy to go out of their way to introduce themsel" More from this Member | Report Response

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

"Name a time where you made a mistake and what did you learn from it? I blanked on this one and just said I couldn't think of anything off the top of my head" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you contribute to WSU?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you plan to pay for veterinary school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Compassion fatigue is something that is common to veterinarians. How do you think you would handle this issue?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How intending to pay for vet school? When is it okay to lie to patients? Hardest class and how you think it'll help you for professional school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you define integrity?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What does academic rigor mean to you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Are you a leader or a follower" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your greatest accomplishment so far?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Asked about the feral cat population and what should be done" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"So tell us what you learned working at Tasty Burger? I found this really funny cause it was my first question of the interview and really broke the tension" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose to go to your undergrad school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why vet med instead of human med?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your opinion on equine cloning?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell us more about your leadership experience" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

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

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

"What do you think should be done with unwanted horses?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What makes a great vet?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Chose from two questions for essay: role of students and professors in education process, and why was basic science needed before vet school." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"My views on the Horse Slaughter Act (Even though it states on my app that I have about 2 hrs of eq experience!)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How much would it cost for you to attend WSU? Your in-state school? How much do you expect to make shortly after graduation?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose to work at a specialty practice?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are 2 of the biggest problems facing vet med?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you feel about euthanasia?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are some issues in large animal medicine today?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What role do veterinarians play in society?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you learn that was unexpected from working at a vet clinic?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Written Questions: choice of two 1) describe the outline of a course you've taken in the past year 2) why is it important for veterinarians to understand zoonotic diseases?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"neglected horse, o has no money, what to do?" 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

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

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

"Name three of your strengths and three of your weaknesses." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What field of vet med do you want to go into?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most interesting question?

"Name a time you had to persuade someone to change their mind" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Questions about how to treat a pet coming in with canine influenza symptoms and the owner demanding antibiotics" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None were interesting, since they were all things I'd seen on SDN and were pretty straightforward." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Describe the difference between animal ownership vs. guardianship and explain the implications of these terms for the veterinary profession." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I was talking about how physics was a struggle for me because naturally my brain does not think that way and they asked me if, to be a vet, people need to have a 'biology brain'." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Is it ever appropriate to tell a client a white lie" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If I am a leader or follower." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"That they were asking me questions about if I had enough information about what the school had to offer me and what things might concern me." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What should be done about the feral cat population? Does your town/city have a Trap Neuter Release program?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you became allergic to horses and could not practice equine medicine, what would your new specialty/career be in veterinary medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What does it mean to be a good vet?" 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

"Having a client trust you is important. If you worked in a large clinic and only saw a client once, how would you build a bond with that client? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

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

"The first essay question asked about my expectations of the roles of students and professors in a veterinary education." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are the most important qualities of a good veterinarian?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What were some of the leadership roles you had at your clinic?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None of them were particularly interesting...a lot ethical questions though" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What type of leadership did you demonstrate as an environmental scientist? (this questions pertains only to me, i suppose)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If a client came into your practice and asked you to euthanize their healthy pet, what would you do? What would you tell them?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your favorite book and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you feel about the use of live animals in labs and research?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"qualities of a leader" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I work in a VCA hospital: The pros and cons as a vet working in a corporate owned vet practice" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Name 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses that you posses." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are two goals you'd like to acheive in your lifetime?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would you do if you developed allergies and could no longer work with live animals?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

View All Questions & Responses

Individual Responses

Read what each person had to say about their experience with this school.

Browse Individual Responses

School Reviews

School Reviews

Results Overview

Overall, how satisfied are you with this program?

Response Avg # Responders
3.00 1

0 = Terrible, 10 = World Class

What do you like most?

"The environment itself is very supportive and encourages colleagues to work together. The education you receive as far academic knowledge really is world class. This is facilitated by remarkable clinicians who are truly experts in the veterinary field and passionate about teaching students. Compared to other veterinary schools within the US, the book knowledge you will receive is unbeatable." | Report Response

What do you like least?

"Now for the bad, WSU has some systemic problems that greatly hinder the educational environment. First the curriculum- WSU maintains a non-tracking curriculum. This undoubtably has some benefits, such as you receive a well-rounded education and can accept most any job you would like post-graduation. However, it does have some serious consequences as well. For starters, the electives you can take while completing 2nd and 3rd year are not preferenced, limited in space, and based on a lottery system. This means that you may not get into one of the electives you would like and know you will use in your career, while another student who isn’t interested in the field may get in. Example being the large animal surgery elective which many small animal focused people take for the surgery experience due to there not being a small animal equivalent or the dentistry elective which is the opposite (large animal people take while small animal can't get in). The same concept holds true for elective rotations 4th year. Regardless of your interest, you will be required to take both large and small animal electives with minimal say in how many and which ones. This means that unless one has intentions of being a mixed practitioner, approximately 65% (% of required small animal rotations), or 35% (% of large animal rotations), of your rotations 4th year will be essentially wasted. While its always interesting to work with species one has minimal experience with, keep in mind you are paying for this and knowing you aren’t ever going to touch that species again can make those rotations rather tedious. Regarding the large animal side of WSU-VTH specifically, the large animal department is suffering both in terms of staffing (techs, barn crew) and equipment. This means that work that would normally be the responsibility of barn crew and technicians, such as feeding, cleaning stalls, keeping up the barn, stocking supplies, cleaning equipment, etc, fall to the students. While undoubtably important to learn all this at some point, this causes 4th year rotations to be consumed with rather mundane work that most anyone could do. Consequently, the time spent improving clinical skills and knowledge is also greatly diminished while in the barn. Within the classroom WSU also has some major room for improvement. At the time of my graduation, there were almost no clinicians teaching agriculture classes that had worked in private practice or had any experience outside of academia. So while brilliant in a classroom setting, some of the third year classes you take such as ag animal medicine, are outdated and often times not realistic because they are being taught by professors not clinicians. If you want to do beef or production medicine, I would not recommend going to WSU. The dairy education you will receive is alright but again somewhat unrealistic due to the professors teaching it. Rotation wise you will not do beef medicine (outside of maybe some feedlot necropsies or therio work). In terms of the small animal side- the clinicians are all exceptional and the classes are for the most part taught very well. However, within the hospital (4th year rotations), they are also incredibly short staffed. Last I heard they were down ~37 positions. Again this means students get stuck doing tech work such as administering meds, cleaning kennels, walking dogs, paperwork, making phone calls, etc. They also recently added mandatory weeks to rotations in departments they are very short staffed in to help make up for the staffing deficit with students. While I can’t speak for other schools, WSU recently removed their SIPE (student initiated professional experience) rotation. Once upon a time students got two SIPEs which were considered a chance to get out of the hospital, look at prospective job opportunities, and compare practices. I had many friends that ended up working at the practices they did their SIPEs at. Many also considered this the most valuable rotation they did. This is again to compensate for the staffing shortage within the hospital. The two mandatory weeks they added to ECC and Anesthesia rotations mean there isn’t room in the schedule for everyone to have a SIPE. A final thing regarding the staffing shortage at WSU is their ability to retain talented professors. Without saying names, all of the most charismatic, brilliant, and enthusiastic professors from my time at WSU have since left, and I do mean all/100% in all fields (small animal, large animal, radiology, clinical path, etc). Part of that comes from the new Dean/administration, Dr. Dori Borjesson, who is taking the school in a new direction, part is the location, and some simply chose to retire. This isn't an issue unique to WSU, however the ability to recruit young and talented faculty is. While I was in school, multiple clinicians who had previously retired were brought back to fill in for open positions. Additionally, Dr. Borjesson’s focus while Dean has been on improving school diversity and outreach (which are clearly much needed and great) however this seems to have come at a cost to the rest of the school and has resulted in the systemic issues mentioned above only getting worse. The new dean is also a major proponent of simulation-based learning as a replacement for hands on, and very small animal focused. While simulation models have very likely improved leaps and bounds since my graduation, what I did experience of them was absolutely no substitute for hands on tissue handling or a suitable replacement for clinical skills." | Report Response

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