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Post by 2026!!! on Jun 18, 2021 17:50:02 GMT -5
Hi everyone, I was wondering for those who have gotten in this year have any advice and experiences they wouldn't mind sharing! Things such as: how long did it take you to prep? Did you have any help? What kind of help? Did you use any programs? Also if anyone is willing to provide help and prepping in the future please message me
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Post by Ovc 2025 on Jun 19, 2021 7:18:25 GMT -5
After Recieving a no last year I was determined to get a yes. I hired an interview/leadership coach to help me with nerves in the interviews and communication skills. I also prepped for the interview and casper for a few months each. Was it overkill, most likely, but I did everything in my power to ensure I wouldn’t get a no again. I also used futurememd for Casper prep which I found fairly useful. Hope this helps and good luck in the future!
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Post by tilac on Jun 19, 2021 9:50:02 GMT -5
I paid for two sessions with an interview prep coach so that helped me plan out my answers and to be a bit less nervous about it. For Casper prep I ran through some scenarios with the timer on PrepMatch as well as the practice tests available on the Casper site so I would have an idea of how fast I would need to write. I am aware there are a number of strategies recommended for Casper but all I really focused on was 1.) making sure I had a logical reason for my decisions and 2.) trying to take in as many perspectives as possible and 3.) It's also important not to make any assumptions and to think about other useful information you could need before making a decision. Although that's just my speculation about how those types of questions usually go down.
It'll be interesting to see what happens with interviews next year. If everything is normal *fingers crossed* they could be back to more of a traditional MMI type system.
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Post by amethystorca2025 on Jun 19, 2021 10:20:19 GMT -5
Hi all! I am more than happy to help with those who have questions and would like to know more about my way of preparations for the interview and CASPer exam. Please reach out to me if you would like help or suggestions. Personally, I did everything within my power to prepare so I knew that after it was all over, I physically did everything I could and could congratulate myself on trying my best even if I had not gotten in. I used Astroff courses, FuturemeMD, YouTube, BeMo, coaching sessions from current DVM students as well as reaching out to as many current/past veterinary students/practicing vets to ask questions and practice with. I also asked my partner to help me run through answers, and I used photo booth on my Mac to record myself speaking. I also used typing tests to make sure my speed was at least ~70 WPM for the CASPer... I am more than happy to go into more detail and depth about my preparations, and come spring, I would love to offer prep sessions as well. Speaking from experience, there will be times it may seem overwhelming, but this is your dream, you can do it!
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Post by accepted on Jun 19, 2021 10:52:16 GMT -5
Just wanted to chime in since I had a different experience! I totally support finding prep companies and spending time prepping but I just want to vouch that you do not NEED to pay for these services. I have interview experience and lots of different job experiences where I have developed good communication and critical thinking skills. I was confident in my ability to prep on my own so for casper I used prepmatch to ensure I had a strategy to tackle casper questions and for VPI, I just googled common interview questions and talked through them to myself ensuring I had an answer. I also spent time thinking about my past experiences and what I learned from them so I would be able to pull from them in questions! If you are unsure of yourself then of course I would recommend further prep services but if you are confident then I am just here to say you can do it without!!
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Post by amethystorca2025 on Jun 19, 2021 10:59:25 GMT -5
Just wanted to chime in since I had a different experience! I totally support finding prep companies and spending time prepping but I just want to vouch that you do not NEED to pay for these services. I have interview experience and lots of different job experiences where I have developed good communication and critical thinking skills. I was confident in my ability to prep on my own so for casper I used prepmatch to ensure I had a strategy to tackle casper questions and for VPI, I just googled common interview questions and talked through them to myself ensuring I had an answer. I also spent time thinking about my past experiences and what I learned from them so I would be able to pull from them in questions! If you are unsure of yourself then of course I would recommend further prep services but if you are confident then I am just here to say you can do it without!! I absolutely agree with this! The courses are great if you WANT to use them, but you absolutely do not HAVE to use them to be successful. I just wanted to share my experience! We are all different in the way that we learn, and that's what makes us all valuable candidates and additions to the profession, no matter where we gain our Veterinary education. Thanks for chiming in, it's always good to hear others experiences and opinions on how they've prepared and found success.
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Post by 2025!!! on Jun 19, 2021 11:22:18 GMT -5
I did something quite similar to above! For casper, I spent about two weeks doing practice tests on PrepMatch (which is free!) and that was SO helpful for getting used to the time limit and the types of questions. I also came up with 5 or 6 'significant' situations that happened in my life that could apply to different questions where we'd be asked to "explain a time when..". For the personal interview, I spent maybe a week looking up online 'common vet school interview questions' etc and filmed myself answering them. I also practiced a lot while in the shower (which weirded out my roommates I think LOL) just to get myself comfortable talking out loud. I was more afraid of sounding too scripted than anything so I didn't want to over-prepare. Remember that this is your chance to show the interviewers your personality!! Just be genuine, and don't forget to smile! A vet once told me that they'll like you if you seem like the sort of person they'd like to have coffee with! Also, try your best to sound confident but don't worry if you stutter or anything- these vets completely understand what you're going through so as long as you're still able to communicate clearly, don't worry if you sound a bit nervous! Last piece of advice: once the interview is over, DON'T second-guess your answers!! I came out of it super confident, but then very quickly started spiralling into thoughts like "oh no what if they think ...." or "I should have worded that better...". Easier said than done, that's for sure! Best of luck!!! You got this- if being a vet is your dream, you can make it happen!
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