Why this vet school?

Why You May Be Asked This

You may be asked why you chose to apply to this veterinary school. It is vital that you research the university you are applying to, you should know:

What the course structure looks like
What the university offers that others do not
What the university excels in
What the teaching style includes

Assessment Style Awareness

University assessment styles often differ, some may rely on a series of examinations at the end of the academic year, some may spread exams out throughout the year, they may rely heavily on OSCE examinations (practical exams), group projects, assessments or all these combined. They are looking to see how their assessment style can meet your needs and why this suits you.

For example – ‘I really like how the assessment structure in this university’s course has its exams spread out throughout the year, this style of learning works well for me as I find it easier to manage smaller pieces of information at a time. I think this will help to reduce the pressure of exams and will make managing exams more accessible.’

Course Structure Differences

The course structure may differ from each other too – some may include more clinically-based learning earlier on whereas some may be more academic. Additionally, universities vary in their weighting of teaching content styles, and the number of practical sessions, clinical sessions, tutorials, seminars, lectures and online recordings will depend on the university.

For example, you could say ‘I really like how this university includes lots of tutorials, I find this active learning style to work well for me and allows me to put the knowledge I have learnt into practice. I also like how the tutorials are delivered in a smaller group setting; this allows me to concentrate on the content more and work in smaller groups, which will help me build up my teamwork skills.’

Additional Points Related to the Course

What support systems are in place for veterinary students?
How long is their course?
Do they focus more on a specific area, e.g. small animals, large, exotics, or zoo?

Other Points You Could Include (Not Course-Related)

Does the university hold any awards? (Make sure these are from a reliable source)
What is the location like? How does this link to what works best for you?
Does the university’s location link to what resources they have access to, e.g. is the university rural so therefore has more access to farm animals for practical sessions?
What are the general resources like? Have you been to look around and did anything stand out to you?
Does the university have a good students’ union?
Is there access to any societies that you are interested in?

Be careful not to ONLY mention these points; remember to mention points about the course too.

AVOID Saying

‘It’s close to home’
‘My friends are coming here’
‘I got rejected from my first choice’
‘It is the easiest to get into’
‘I just like the city’
‘Other schools didn’t impress me’