Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 17% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools included inquiries about leadership style, understanding of One Health, accountability, contributions of veterinarians to animal welfare, handling of failures, future plans if not admitted, experiences outside of veterinary medicine, teamwork, role models, and ethical scenarios like euthanasia and client interactions. The interviews seemed to cover a broad range of topics to assess candidates' personal qualities, problem-solving skills, ethical decision-making, and passion for veterinary medicine.
There is a student that always shows up late to class, makes a lot of noise and walks all the way to a table at the front of the room. They often have phone interruptions as well. This person is very distracting to you and others in the classroom. What do you do about it?
What is something that you do that is completely selfless? It may have had to be an answer that was not animal related, but I can't remember specifically.
Are you familiar with PETA? Do you think there is a difference between animal welfare and animal rights? What are your opinions on research animals? What do you think of animals used for cosmetics testing?
You are the president of SCAVMA. You have $1000 to give and 3 groups asking for the money- one group would like to pay a speaker to come to speak to the class, one group wants to have a social and the 3rd group wants to throw a banquet for the seniors. Each thing costs $500- what do you do?
If your technician gives too much antibiotic to an animal under your care and it will cause the animal to go into renal failure, what would you do about, telling the client, helping the animal, and what would you do about the technician?
You are President of the student body at UF CVM. Every year, there is a senior social, an awards ceremony, and a famous guest speaker event. You only have enough money for two out of these three events. Which one do you cut and why?
They didn't start with the dreaded open-ended "Tell us about yourself". Instead, they asked me to start off by talking about where I go to school. My favorite class, etc.
An owner brings in a pet that they want to euthanize because it has been pooping in the house. You discuss other options with them, and they still want to euthanize. What do you do?
Behavioral interview - be prepared for questions like "Tell us about your proudest moment" or "Name a time when you had to come up with a creative solution to a problem".
If a client wanted to euthanize a dog just for his/her convenience, would you do it? If you didn't want to do it, but your boss wanted to, what would you do? (other typical q's)
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine discussed various scenarios such as medication errors, ethical dilemmas in veterinary practice, and approaches to reducing euthanasia rates in shelters. Some respondents mentioned questions related to personal qualities, role models, diversity contributions, and controversial topics like PETA's activities and euthanizing healthy animals.
What is "your" definition of a no-kill shelter? (And then went on into further detail on how to reduce the amount of euthanasia in shelters aka. implementing behavior programs, using varying anxiety med for dogs, etc. )
What would you do if an vet intern under your care seriously injured an animal, caused it to be permanently damaged, and the owner of the animal planned to sued you?
We had a discussion on the mustang problem out west that started as a question but turned more into a discussion on different ideas I had and their validity/problems/etc and what the interviewer would have done and what I thought of his ideas.
The interviewers asked me questions about my application and my background. They were the most interesting simply because they were sincerely intrigued by my experiences. It resulted in more of a conversation and less of a Q & A.
You are working the night shift in a hospital, and an animal is supposed to get med # 1 at 9, and med #2 at 12, each getting their next doses every 6 hours. You accidently gave #2 at 9, and now it is 12 (the time that the animal should have gotten #2). What do you do?
What would you do if someone brought in a cat to be euthanized for urinating in the house but was completely healthy, what would you do? You've already explained all other options to them, but they are adamant about euthanasia.
There is an island where there is a rare mouse that is very endangered. There are also many feral cats. On one side you have the conservationists, on the other the spay-neuter-release people. As a veterinarian, what would you think was the right way to handle this situation.
Pretend you are the head vet at your small animal practice. One of your technicians administers an antibiotic dose 10x too high for an animal, and the animal goes into renal failure. What do you do? Later, they asked how far would I go before firing the tech?
if you were on the admissions committee and you only had one spot left for the incoming class, would you choose the student with the best GPA/GRE, best interview or best experience and why? and follow up question: how would you convince the other members of the committee to vote your way?
In the Ohio state incident where all of the wild animals were released by a private owner and then killed by law enforcement what would you have done if you were the sheriff arriving on the scene?
If you were in our position and you had one seat left to fill in the class would you choose the applicant with the best grades and test scores, the one with the best experience and letters, or the one with the best interview. Why?
Had a whole slew of questions about what I wrote in my PS about how veterinary medicine needs to be careful about falling into the animal right's trap. So I had questions regarding cropping/docking and about mandatory spay/neuter laws.
Hills company is paying for you and 3 other students to go to a weekend conference (sponsored by Hills). They will be paying for everything (travel, hotel, and meals). You have to pick the 3 other students from your class to go (obviously everyone from your class wishes to go). Your roommate/best friend is President of SCAVMA and hopes to be one of the students...how will you decide who goes?
If you were the head vet in charge of a research project and didn't quite agree with the ethics of the experiment, but the project was very lucrative and had a large government grant, what would you do?
I don't think any question was interesting. The interviewers just had a paper with a list of questions to ask me...exactly like sample questions you can get on the internet to practice. Kinda boring...
Students said the most difficult questions asked at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine discussed various scenarios such as recalling difficult decisions, ethical perspectives, handling client requests for euthanasia, and involvement in controversial practices like survival surgeries. Some responses indicated a focus on leadership, compassion fatigue, role models, and addressing challenging ethical dilemmas, with a variety of behavioral and situational questions posed during the interviews.
Tell us about a difficult decision that you made where if you could go back and change it you would
Name a mistake you've made. (Obviously I practiced this question but on the spot I became frantic and nervous because we discussed the high rates of suicide in our field and were on a very somber note so I was worried about seeming too emotional [I let a single tear slip!] I blanked on the spot but still came up with something.) Don't forget to ask them to give you time to think. I should have done that with this question.
I was also asked if I had any paid animal experience. I have not. I emphasized how to me there are three steps of understanding: 1: reading 2: observing 3: Doing it. I've read and understand the field of veterinary medicine and have been observing, volunteering and shadowing. Now I need to be a vet because it's what I know I love. (And yes I got in (: you got this)
Can you talk about a time where you made a very difficult decision and then later looking back you think you would have made a different decision/done something differently?
You have $1000 and three possible events to fund that cost $500 apiece. A speaker, a social, or a senior banquet. Which two do you fund? What other methods would you use to solve this problem.
What is your opinion on survival surgeries? (Surgeries where animal is put under anesthesia, operated on in order to practice various surgical procedures, and then allowed to wake up and recover instead of euthanizing)
What would you do if a client came in with a young otherwise healthy dog that had slammed his tail in a door and the tail was de-gloved and the owner wanted to euthanize the animal? The owner was an important large animal client and threatens to take his business elsewhere if you don't euthanize the dog.
"You are part of a student committee. You have just been granted a new computer technology room, with new computers and printers for student school work. The printers are supposed to be used just for school-related things, but people in your committee have openly stated that they plan on using it for other things. What do you do in this situation?" I was expecting some behavioral questions, but this one was honestly kind of... stupid. I feel like we spent way too much time on it.
It was a question about the Tennesse Walking Horses and soring them. I like equine (but don't want to specialize in it) but was not overly knowledgeable about the subject. She then proceeded to talk about ethics and penalties about it. It was just random and difficult to respond to.
You are an associate veterinarian at a small animal practice. You are not the boss. A client comes in with her cat. She is incredibly frustrated because the cat has been urinating all over the house despite her efforts to prevent this behavior. The owner is insistent on euthanizing the animal even after you have explained all of the options. What do you do?
There was the standard euthansaia question, but they said that the owner had been thoroughly counseled and still wanted the animal put down. Essentially, they wanted a straight yes or no answer---no beating around the bush
None really. Here are a few more questions: Why do you want to become a veterinarian? Tell us a time when you had to take a leadership role. Vet school students are all leaders, how do you think you can show your leadership working in a group in vet school. How do you feel about purpose bred animals for research? What is a goal you have set and achieved in the past? What accomplishment are you most proud of? On a scale of 1-10, how important are other people's opinions on whether you are successful or not.
What would you think about doing research on dogs that required you to induce spinal trauma (break their spines) and then euthanize them in order to help humans with your research? Stated more delicately but this was the jist of it.
What have you done to support your community, here at the University of Florida (I had thought of something I did back home for this type of question, so the example I was planning on giving was null and void with that tag on!)
Tell me about a problem you solved and the insight you used in solving it? (I didn't really understand what they meant by insight. I asked one of the interviewers to clarify, but he didn't even know.)
If a client brings a healthy dog and asks you to euthanize the dog, what would you say? And, what if the chief doctor says that this is an important client for their hospital?
The behavioral-type of questions were hard for me just because I have a hard time remembering ''a time when...'' or ''a situation when...''. You really have to be prepared for those...and they ask loads of questions like that...
''Your boss orders you to carry out a euthanasia for a dog at a client's request because she just can't take care of the dog anymore. What would you do?''
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
The most common feedback and suggestions shared by applicants on how they prepared for the interview include researching the school and its programs, reviewing application materials, practicing interview questions (especially from sources like SDN), conducting mock interviews with peers or professionals, and preparing anecdotes and examples to support their answers. Many applicants emphasized the importance of practicing behavioral questions and being authentic in their responses rather than memorizing rigid answers.
Researched One Health and the school's programs and thought of examples from my life to use to back up various characteristics for questions
These SDN questions! 100% of my questions were identical to the ones on this thread. Practice practice practice. They want you to be confident in your interview, so know what you are going to say!
Did a mock interview at UF Career Connections first before anything else. Wrote out my answer to 40 possible interview questions. Discussed potential questions and hearing other answers with/from friends applying to medical school (I figured health interviews are similar excluding questions regarding issues in the field.) Asked interview questions to two veterinarians to get their opinions and hear their views. Ask some interview questions to a PhD candidate to get a different perspective. Did one last professional mock interview with a research mentor so she could give me strong feedback. And then go over the questions one last time with a supportive friend who has received 2 bachelors and is shooting for psychology so she could give me feedback on my behavior or any weird habits that I had.
I studied the questions on here (they were nearly identical with the exception of "Can you recall a stressful experience that required you to set up boundaries?") and went over my responses out loud and with feedback from family/friends.
Reviewing and preparing answers for questions from here, other schools, and other sources of commonly asked vet school interview questions. Also did a mock interview with a career person from my college.
I looked over SDN just to see what kind of questions to expect. I made sure I was capable of answering them, and especially tried to connect those answers with my experiences. Memorizing what to say is what I did not do. You need to seem authentic in an interview, and having a rigid response prepared won't help. Make sure you can answer it all, relax and get your head in the right place.
Wrote out long list of possible questions from this site and others, wrote out good ideas and answers, practiced by myself and with a family member. Also wrote down all of my interesting vet stories to bring up during the interview
For the questions, I only looked at this website (it is exactly what the panel asked!) I also researched the UF website in order to talk to the interviewees about the programs available at the school
Researched UF from their website, talked to a current vet student, used SDN website. THIS WEBSITE IS CASH MONEY! I was only asked ONE question that was not EXACTLY, WORD FOR WORD, from the questions on this site.
This was my third time interviewing at UF, so I pretty much knew the drill. However, hardly any of the questions came from lists that I had made of questions.
Checking this board for sample questions, having people question me, coming up with a "database" of interesting stories to use for various questions.
Read all of the SDN interview feedback entries for UF. I printed out about a page worth of interview questions. I went through and wrote down answers to most of the questions. This was really helpful in refreshing my memory of all my life experiences (not just animal science, work, or college related). Then, the night before my interview, I answered out loud each of the questions as if I was being interview right then...I probably looked crazy talking to myself.
SDN interview feedback. Read all the questions, wrote out answers to them, and practiced interviewing with friends. I also had a mental list of a few anecdotes and situations that I wanted to say in the interview and kind of made them fit into the questions.
Prepared answers for the questions listed on SDN, made a list of accomplishments and challenges I've faced that could come in handy for a behavioral-based interview.
I googled ''behavioral interview'' for days and tried to come up with answers as I found questions. I also talked to my cousin, a first year, about her interview. I only had about a week to practice with some friends that had already interviewed (I was alternate and didn't get my call until five days before the interview!).
Reviewed behavioral-type job questions from an internet search. Only one question of this type I was asked in which I did not prepare for, becuase it wasn't on my list.
Reviewed major current events relating to veterinary medicine, reviewed the college's website, reviewed my application and resume, came up with questions to ask the interviewers at the end, and thought of how I would respond to certain questions.
I practiced interview questions compiled from the internet and read up on current events. It's a waste to do those things, since they have changed the format for the UF interviews. They will be asking behavioral questions, if you don't know what that is, google it and there will be lots of links. I would suggest you practice behavioral questions as much as possible before your interview.
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendly and conversational nature of the interviewers, who made efforts to create a low-stress environment. They appreciated the personal and relaxed approach to the interviews, the organization of the process, and the kindness and enthusiasm displayed by both the staff and current students. Many also noted the modern facilities and the opportunity to interact with students during the visit.
The interviewers were very friendly and kept it conversational, even though they had a list of questions to ask me. They were also very willing to answer my questions in return
Both of the people interviewing me said straight up that they wanted to get to know me and it was supposed to be a low-stress kind of thing. I also had time to ask questions!
The interviewers! They were all very nice and gave me positive feedback after everyone of my answers which made me feel so much better considering how nervous I was
I really liked all the current vet students that checked us in, escorted us around, gave us the tour, etc. They were very positive, friendly, and casual. They eased my nerves a lot.
Afterwards I felt like the interview was really to get you to talk about yourself and your experiences related to vet med, not to grill you about the intricacies of your application or your ethics.
The meet and greet was really great, I highly recommend going, I was on the fence but after it really calmed the whole process down for me. I would describe the day as a mix between a science fair and conference, but just about yourself, if anyone has experience with either and that calmed me down a bit for thinking about future interviews.
Everyone was very cordial and calm. I only felt really nervous at the beginning, the end, and during a few specific questions. I really got the impression that they were not there to grill you, but to learn more about you and whether they feel you would be a good fit for the college.
The entire interview process ran like clockwork. There was plenty of time and a variety of students to ask questions to. The students gave an impressive tour and were very honest in answering questions. You could tell how much everyone loved the school.
The head of my interview committee was one of the coolest people I've ever talked with. This is not a guarantee (I was not impressed by who interviewed me last year). Maybe things were more relaxed since this was my second go-around, but overall it felt extremely relaxed.
The school and hospital is absolutely gorgeous. The tour was informative and comprehensive and the students were relatable and friendly. They also had a table full of candy for you at the end of the interview which was great to help cool the nerves.
The interviewers seemed to respond positively to some of my answers. They were nice and willing to clarify questions or restate the prompt if I wandered and asked, lol. They also gave me information about operation catnip, which I liked because I like spay/neuter and would like to be involved.
The early interview program was amazing and I was able to shadow in the hospital. It was great to see what really happens in the hospital and to get to talk to a number of students and faculty.
Beautiful facilities! For the early admissions interview, we were allowed to shadow students on clinicals, so I got some neat insight to student life. Everyone was very friendly there, especially the admissions director Jonathan Orsini. He has a very dry sense of humor, it really eliminated the stress of being there.
Everyone was very nice and very helpful - I did the Early Admissions Interview (which included rotations with different 3rd year students) and it was great to see what the students actually did on their clinicals.
The staff were all very chatty and wanted to calm our nerves as much as possible. They put you at ease in the interview by not jumping straight into it in the first minute.
The friendliness of the interviewers. At times they were very candid during my interview which helped me to relax, I had expected them to be more stone faced. The students that were giving tours were fantastic. Very well informed.
My interviewers were hilarious! Immediately put me at ease. One was laughing so hard at an inside joke he couldn't even introduce himself. Felt like they really wanted to get to know me, and the longer interview gave them a chance to do so.
The entire process was extremely well organized. There were plenty of first years to direct you where you needed to go, and talk with you to try and calm you down while you waited.
One of my interviewers picked up real fast that I knew she was involved in animal behavior and asked questions regarding behavior issues.
I also had time to ask my interviewers 3 questions and their answers were very thorough.
The attitude and comraderie among all of the vet students. Also, the plans and simulated images of their new animal hospital...it will be amazing when it is completed in 2010.
The students and interviewers were warm and friendly. They provided water and snacks ahead of time and afterward. Be sure to bring the water into your interview.
Everybody was super enthusiastic about being there. I felt like they genuinely cared about interviewing us. I also liked how my interviewers offered to help me get in contact with some Army vets when I mentioned that I was thinking of joining the vet corp.
Applicants commonly expressed a desire for more conversational interviews where interviewers ask questions based on responses, rather than sticking to a strict script. Some applicants mentioned feeling uncomfortable with repetitive or formulaic questions and suggested more personalized interactions to better showcase themselves.
My interviewers did grill me a little bit. I told them I wasn't adequately informed on the topic, but they kept pushing me to answer more questions about it anyway.
UF took forever to release decisions and interviews. It is very frustrating for students. UF seemed to deeply care for students, but their amount of time without contact makes me wonder if they truly prioritize students
They tried to make it conversational, the student interviewer asked me follow-up questions based on my experiences which was nice and I felt like she was genuinely interested in my background (studying anthropology and working at a bakery) but I think its a little challenging to do so because they have a list of questions the school wants them to ask.
Lack of conversation in the interview. The interviewers didn't ask questions off my responses, it seemed they had to stick to a pretty strict script of questions so overall I didn't get the sense that they knew who I was as a person by the end.
My interview was at the end of the day, and one of the members of my committee seemed a bit fried. That's the downfall of holding all your interviews across 2 days.
Some of the clinical rotations seem kind of random... the LA students were on like 4 cases at once, and went from one case to another. I guess that's like real life as a vet in a huge facility like this, but I would have like to see one case through like you would for an ambulatory practice.
The small animal inpatient room smelled like feces. I expect that in the back or maybe even the exam rooms, but not where clients are sitting. It wasn't there the first time I went on a tour there though, so I feel like they made have had a very ill animal.
I wasn't a huge fan of being escorted from the entrance, to the seminar room for an information session, the escorted to my interview, then escorted to a debriefing Q&A. It made me a little more nervous than I needed to be. It was very nice and professional though.
The cattle herding. I HATED that we were all sitting in that room and you pretty much held your breathe when a student came to the door because you weren't sure if you were next... it isnt the best way to start out the interview
The interview was uncomfortable, formulaic, and impersonal. It was behavioral question after behavioral question. They didn't seem to get to know you well and didn't seem to like some of the questions they had to ask. There's only so many problems and conflicts one can talk about.
The school did not provide the interviewees with a packet or anything containg information about their school or their programs. All the other schools that I was interviewed at provided those kind of information.
Felt the interview was *mechanical*. They didn't have a program for the day. You just had your interview and then a short tour of the facilities. There was not ''informational session'' or anything like that like other schools do...
Applicants commonly expressed the wish to have known that interviews can be shorter than expected, the importance of being calm and focusing on sharing past experiences rather than memorizing questions, the significance of dressing appropriately in business casual wear, and the value of having examples ready for leadership, conflict, and mistakes. They also highlighted the benefit of engaging with current students before the interview and being prepared to discuss current topics in veterinary medicine.
That it's okay if the interview is shorter than expected! Mine finished 15 minutes earlier than it was supposed to, and I was offered admission
To calm down! This is my in state school so I was extremely nervous and definitely could have talked more about some things had I been thinking clearly. Also, I’m sure it depends on the interviewer, but I was only asked 2 “Tell me about a time when…” questions!
BUSINESS CASUAL WEAR like really. they did send that email and I was aware, but I didn't realize everyone else was in a blazer. I was in the most dressy shirt that I could get so hopefully that was fine.
They take you into a "pre-interview" room with other applicants where a couple current students talk to you for about 15 minutes showing you cute animal videos and helping get your nerves down!
I wish I knew I didn't have to go buy a suit haha! Others can in business casual outfits but not everyone had a suit. Also, I am glad I went to the meet and greet. I was able to talk to other professionals outside of my specific interview committee and interact with the other potential candidates.
I do wish I'd focused less on the questions and more on studying what I've done in the past and what I have learned from those experiences.
I'm not sure if it was just me but one of my 3 interviewers had previously seen my application and had made up a couple personalized questions from my app which I really liked.
No amount of preparation is enough to actually prepare you for the interview. My nerves definitely got the best of me and I would just say the first thing that came to mind. If I could go back, I would practice these questions over and over again. Also, make you sure you understand the current topics in vet med WELL. They're going to ask you to explain the issues to them.
Dress appropriately. Bring comfortable shoes for the tour, and you will have time to freshen up and switch shoes before your interview. It was about 75 degrees F outside, and I was fine wearing slacks and a long-sleeve buttonup, at least until the interview! Everything is air conditioned, but I started to sweat really badly during the interview. Either wear something cool, or bring a jacket to cover up the sweat stains >.<
To come with MORE questions that you think you may need. I had so many of my questions answered (before I even asked them!) BEFORE the interview. So when my interviewers asked me if I had any questions, I was lucky that I was able to make one up on the fly.
Questions had been changed from previous years and I basically wasted my time preparing specific answers for specific questions. This interview involved a lot of thinking on my feet.
They follow the questions on this site. End of story. Don't be worried about any off the wall questions. They even say that you can skip a question and come back to it later or take a moment or two within the interview to think of an answer (usually a time when . . .you did something).
I guess some interviewers had read your personal statement? It didn't specifically come up in my interview, but it would have been nice to know that it was possible that your interviewers had read it.
Nothing - been there plenty of times. Not only for interviews, but also as a client with my dogs and horses. I know the facilities so well I could give a tour.
Nothing really, except I wish I had come the day before and stayed overnight (I drove there 4.5 hours before interview and was sore from sitting for so long).
That I didn't remember all of my experiences! I recommend writing down your answers when you practice so that you can review them the morning of your interview.
Doing the things I mentioned about my preparation for my interview and speaking with current UF veterinary students prepared me a great deal, so there wasn't really anything that surprised me greatly during my visit.
There are lots of grates around the barns! Don't wear heels if you can help it (and if you plan on taking the interview). I also wasn't aware that the questions were going to be behavioral, luckily I practice that method of interviewing for other schools.
Applicants commonly found the interview process positive and conversational, with a mix of questions about their application and veterinary medicine. Suggestions included being prepared, practicing questions, and staying relaxed during the interview.
Fantastic school and a great interview! The questions were a mix between get to know me, expand on your application, and veterinary medicine as a whole.
It was a very positive experience. Obviously a little different because it was virtual but it was not scary at all once the interview actually started and feels like it ends pretty quick.
The overall interview process wasn't bad. You do need to arrive at least minutes early. I showed up 15 minutes early and they had already taken the group upstairs for an overview of what the school has to offer. Try and make them laugh because that will create a more easy environment for yourself. When they asked what I would do if I didn't get in I said "I'll see you all next year! During that gap time, etc."
Know your application (this shouldn't be hard), practice these questions on SDN, and its really just a normal conversation for the interviewers to get to know you : )
Everyone's intentions at UF really are positive. Not only do they want to choose you, then want you to choose UF. Overall it was a truly positive experience.
Overall it was a good experience, it was my first vet school interview and I know different schools do it differently but it helped me prepare for any future interviews.
They stick to the questions posted here and other places. There were only one or two questions that caught me off guard, but I feel that preparing for questions from other schools and other sources helped me come up with answers quickly. In regard to whether the interview is open or closed file, the two DVM's interviewing you will have read your file and have it in front of them, but the current vet student on the interview panel will not.
I was never really grilled, just got wrapped up in a discussion that I think could have been mistaken for grilling because the interviewer was really pushing it, but I think he was genuinely interested in my thoughts. Also they asked a LOT about group dynamics and competitiveness and seemed to be really set on keeping the school more collaborative and friendly than overly competitive which I liked
There will likely be questions in the interview that SDN will not provide, so look over all your materials and look back at all your experiences. It is much easier and looks better to answer questions with something relevant from your own life.
If you have a question about anything regarding the admissions process, contact the Office for Students and Instruction early and often. SDN is not the be-all, end-all resource, and (contrary to the belief of some) most people on here are not experts nor involved in the admissions process.
I learned that clinicals start a bit earlier than they may at some other schools, so this made the program more appealing. There are many opportunities to be involved, and if you take advantage of them you can graduate with more experience than I thought possible.
The interview was really conversational. The interviewers were two faculty and one student. They asked a lot of questions but were really nice and we laughed and chatted a lot!
I was very impressed by the school overall. There are tons of opportunities for students to learn outside of classes, and the 3rd and 4th year clinicals sound positively amazing! After interviewing, I was sure that UF was my #1, but I'm going to wait to see and compare other schools.
Great school - Admissions is very very nice. Terri Wheldon is extremely helpful as is Jonathan Orsini. The facilities are very nice and on the clinicals the faculty: student ratios are amazing.
Its a great school and the interview day left me with an even more positive impression than I already had. Mr. Orsini is wonderful and so welcoming. His door is always open despite how busy he is.
The small animal hospital is finished and absolutely PHENOMENAL. The dean referred to it as the best in the world. The people were friendly, but not overly so. Would have liked a welcoming reception of some kind but there was none. Not much information about the program, nor did they give us any info except financial.
Free snacks and water in the holding room, take a water with you to your interview. Gives you thinking time and you're talking a lot! Everyone wore a black suit, wear something different so you stand out.
They are in the midst of groundbreaking for a brand new 3-story small animal hopsital that they hope to have finish by late 2010.
Interview wasn't entirely "cold" - they knew I had interviewed previously and had my PS in front of them.
Basically, draw stories from ALL your experiences - personal relationships, family, jobs, animal, research, travel, etc. Don't just talk about animals. They want well-rounded people who have had different life experiences. I used my sense of humor to calm myself down in the beginning, and it wound up helping me build a repore w/ the interviewers. However, keep it clean if you're going to be witty!!
Overall, the impression I got of UF this year was much better than last year (I had interviewed in 2008). The students had an amazing attitude and you could tell their class was supportive of one another, rather than competitive. It's also great to know they have a lot of clubs that are all very active.
They re-use the same questions, and the interview is blind, so definitely look over interview feedback and take as many questions from it as you can to practice interviewing. Also, take the water they offer you, and bring it in the room. Your mouth will probably get dry (50 minutes is a lot of talking), and it also gives you a good method of stalling to think about answers to questions.
The experience was a lot more stressful and less casual than my other interview. I felt very intimidated and like I was being lead around in circles with the questions. The campus and students were great though!
Overall the experience was great. I was a little nervous about having 3 people interview me at the same time, but it wasn't bad at all. The interview takes place all over the Academic building in offices and it makes you feel a lot more relaxed.
It was a great experience! Very laid back, I didn't feel nervous at all. I was greeted at the door by a group of first years, one of whom led me to the pre-interview room. They had water and snacks (take the water in the room with you, you'll need it!) and we were able to interact with our fellow applicants and other first-years at the school. The interview panel consists of a UF clinician, another Florida-based veterinarian, and a 3rd or 4th year student. At your appointed time, the student comes to get you and take you to the interview room. It lasts 50 minutes and it really does fly by. I was nervous about that because my previous interviews were all under 30 minutes. Afterwards, you go to a post-interview room where you have a chat with the Associate Dean of Admissions. Each interview group gets a tour and then you're free to go!
It was great!! I stressed myself out WAY too much, but once I was in the room with the 2 proffs and the 4th year, it was like having a conversation with three old friends.
Fantastic! 12 of us started off in a small conference room where we got to socialize and Dean Thompson explain the procedure to us. Then, our student interviewers came to escort us to our interview rooms. My interviewers were really nice and easy to talk to. After the interview was done, the student took us to a post-interview room where Dean Thompson told us what to expect in the next week. Then we went on a tour of the school. Overall, it was a great experience and I wasn't the least bit nervous!
Before your interview you stay in a room with the other applicants and there are some first yr students so you can ask them questions,etc. The interview was long...an hour more or less. I felt it would never end. I had one faculty interviewer, one 4th yr student and another guy ( he was an alumni, but I don't know what else he was...). The interviewers were nice and friendly and didn't make me feel uncomfortable. However, the interview felt mechanical. They ask the same list of questions to every applicant and I think they grade you (A,B,C...) on every question. They just had a list of questions to ask me. One question right after the other...a LOT of questions. And b/c they had to ask so many q's I didn;t have time to really expand on my answers. One interviewer asked me about my experiences,etc, the other about ethical q's,etc...the third about behavioral q's. I didnt really like the way they interview applicants. I felt the other interviews I had at other schools that were more *natural*, with no *set* q's were better, and that they interviewers got to know me as a person better. Anyway, just my opinion...
Everyone was very welcoming and considerate. Dr. Thompson, the interviewers, the tour guides, they all created an environment that I would very much like to be a part of.
It was overall very pleasant. My interview was in the late afternoon, and I showed up an hour early. I went into the academic building of the vet school, found the classroom where we were meant to wait and discovered a nametag and a list of my interviewers. They also had water, sodas and snacks, and freshman vet students in the room to answer questions. Dean Thompson (the dean of admissions) personally came to us and spoke to us for a while before interviews started. Then one of your interviewers would come and fetch you to the room where you would interview. The interviews were scheduled to last 50 minutes, but mine lasted an hour. After the interview was over, I took a tour of the veterinary hospital/academic building.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should improve communication by providing faster decisions and notifications, potentially implementing Multiple Mini Interviews, organizing formal introductory sessions, and enhancing email communication for a smoother process overall.
I think it was a great experience. I think even just that the acceptance to interview email seemed genuinely excited to have me interview shows how set apart UF is from other schools.
For the early interviews, it may be nice to have a small formal meeting where they present some basics about the school. I was able to ask lots of questions to students and faculty but I would've appreciated a basic intro to the school.
None. The interview day was wonderful and well organized. I greatly appreciated how transparent Johnathan Orsini was with us about the process and when we would find out our status. He even told us how many people were interviewed for in-state and OOS vs how many spots were available.
