Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Pullman, WA
Veterinary Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 23% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
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 revolve around personal reflection, ethical scenarios, financial planning for school, veterinary medicine motivations, leadership, handling challenging situations, and knowledge of current veterinary issues. Some respondents may have experienced an MMI format and may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement based on references to 'MMI', 'Multiple Mini Interview', and 'nondisclosure' or 'non-disclosure'.
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What is one of the things you think you could improve on?
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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
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What would you contribute to WSU?
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How do you plan to pay for veterinary school?
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Compassion fatigue is something that is common to veterinarians. How do you think you would handle this issue?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine discussed a variety of topics including research involvement, ethical dilemmas, the feral cat population, client relationships, and career hypotheticals. Some respondents mentioned questions about leadership roles, euthanasia of healthy pets, and the difference between animal ownership vs. guardianship, indicating a diverse range of inquiries during the interviews.
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What type of research or projects have you been involved in and what did you learn from it//
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Name a time you had to persuade someone to change their mind
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Questions about how to treat a pet coming in with canine influenza symptoms and the owner demanding antibiotics
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None were interesting, since they were all things I'd seen on SDN and were pretty straightforward.
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Describe the difference between animal ownership vs. guardianship and explain the implications of these terms for the veterinary profession.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine discussed various scenarios such as dealing with mistakes, client communication, disease outbreaks, and ethical dilemmas. Additionally, some responses indicated that the interview format might have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) with potential nondisclosure agreements in place, emphasizing a focus on soft skills and personal attributes over technical knowledge.
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Name a time you made a mistake and what did you learn from it
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I was asked about a very specific peice of pending legislature. I had heard of it, but didn't know the name of the bill, so was confused first. Definitely read up on any sort of laws related to vetmed before!
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You have a client's animal boarding at your clinic, and it gets out and runs away. When it is found it has some scrapes, the owner notices this when she comes to pick it up, what do you tell her?
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The one about disease outbreaks. I had several answers, luckily, but wasn't really expecting it, and they seemed to be looking for a specific answer that I didn't give. Though they did seem a little surprised by my wildlife answers (since I'm small animal focus). The vaccination question, since I blanked on vaccination laws, heh.
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I didn't find any of the questions particularly difficult. I will say that, during the interview, USU/WSU emphasized 'soft' skills versus technical/theoretical knowledge. The school was very interested in knowing what type of a person I was- how I interacted on a team, how I saw myself as leader, how I resolved conflict, etc. Much to my surprise, I wasn't asked anything about my extensive background in scientific research, nor about my clinical experience. One member of the panel did want to be sure that I understood what was involved with 'getting from here to there' with respect to my chosen specialty post-graduation from vet school, and asked me a variety of questions pertaining to residency preparation, etc.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 4-6 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent more than $500.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Spokane International Airport (GEG)
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Spokane, WA
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Spokane International Airport
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Spokane
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Seattle airport
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Seattle -> Pullman (not recommended! fly to Spokane!)
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Super 8 Motel in Moscow, ID
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Quality Inn Paradise Creek
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Quality Inn
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La Quinta in Moscow
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La Quinta Inn, Moscow, ID
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
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?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by practicing with mock interviews, reviewing common interview questions from sources like SDN, discussing their answers with friends and mentors, researching the school, and staying updated on current events in veterinary medicine. Many emphasized the importance of being genuine, passionate, and prepared to share personal experiences during the interview.
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I read this website and visited with my advisor. I asked myself interview questions daily
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Practice questions, researching school, reading my essays
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Mock interview, looking at possible interview questions
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mock interview, SDN, past interview questions
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Looked through typical vet school interview questions, practiced with friends and coworkers (and supervisors).
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming nature of the interviewers, students, and staff at the schools they visited. They appreciated the emphasis on collaboration and non-competitiveness, the state-of-the-art facilities, hands-on learning opportunities, and the overall laid-back and positive atmosphere of the campuses. Suggestions for improvement were minimal, as most feedback was highly positive regarding the interactions with individuals and the environment at the schools.
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The friendliness of the interviewers
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The friendliness of students
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Loved how friendly everyone at the school is, great facilities, lots of opportunities for hands on learning
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The veterinary students and staff who came and talked to all the interviewees beforehand, to calm everyone down
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Very impressive campus. State of the art facilities and equipment. Incredibly friendly students and overall a really laidback feel to the area.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were commonly unimpressed by the lack of enthusiasm from students, the small town and isolated location of Pullman, the impersonal interview process, the crowded and noisy environment during the essay writing, and the outdated facilities. Suggestions included improving the enthusiasm of students, enhancing the interview process to be more personalized, providing a quieter space for essay writing, and updating facilities.
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The lack of directions to the waiting room
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The stiffness and condescension of the interviewers
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nothing really
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The weather. Rainy and overcast the day I interviewed :(.
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The hospital was nearly empty in the middle of the day during the week. There didn't seem to be a lot going on, and everyone seemed to have plenty of time to come talk to us about things (which was nice, but I was curious as to why they weren't busier). I had to walk all the way across the building to the place where we interviewed from where we waited, which was kind of awkward.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known to stay for the mixer, the interview environment, the types of questions asked, and the attire expected. They also highlighted the importance of being prepared, learning about residency opportunities, and not being overly nervous for the interview.
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That I should have stayed for the mixer and that I was going to be interviewed in a board room
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That I would have time for a question this time
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There would be a lot of situational and current event questions.
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That everyone was so personable. It would have taken a lot of the stress off of me for the interview.
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That they are allowed to ask you "illegal" questions.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process at WSU to be friendly, conversational, and more relaxed than expected. The feedback highlighted the importance of being authentic, making eye contact, and being confident during the interview, with positive comments about the school's environment and the friendliness of the faculty and students.
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The interview feels formulaic, like you are only a number, and like they may have already made their decision and are trying to catch you making aa mistake.
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WSU seems really lovely and they have some of the nicest people I've ever met. I had 2 professors interviewing me and a "vet from the community."
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There is a reason that cliches are called cliches- in your interview, remember to be yourself. When I interviewed for the panel at USU/WSU, that's exactly what I did. I made no bones about who I was, and didn't attempt to give the committee what I thought it 'wanted to see/hear.' I showed them who I was, live and in the flesh. Don't be afraid to be authentic and show your true colors. A current USU/WSU first year gave me some excellent advice via SDN prior to my interview. Once you make it to the interview stage, remember the following: The admissions committee is already very interested in you as an applicant- now your job is to remind them why. Good luck!
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This school is by far my favorite of the four I have interviewed at, the people are so friendly and Pullman is beautiful!
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LOVELY school
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested providing more tour options, improving communication regarding prerequisites, offering structured interview dates with Q&A sessions or student panels, and ensuring a warm and welcoming environment for interviewees by engaging with them more actively. They also recommended sending information on classes and activities ahead of time to better prepare applicants.
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More tour options
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Rewrite the interview notification. It was little awkwardly written and not really positive.
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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.
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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.
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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
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