To Be Patient or Not To Be Patient???

So......most of you who are applying to veterinary school are probably feeling (and those of you applying in the future have to look forward to) impatient. You started the VMCAS nine months ago and submitted it five months ago. You might have done a few supplementary applications and maybe even a rare interview. Since then all you have been doing is waiting in limbo not knowing which school and for that matter which state (or country) you will be in next year!! Let me tell you, it is tough waiting for that email or letter from the school you applied to. As the estimated date gets closer, you constantly check your email and have mini heart attacks when you get an email from your school but it is just about an update or blog they want you to read.

Stop, relax, and try not to think about it. Time will go faster when you forget that you are waiting for the letter. Soon enough you will get the email/letter and you won't even be expecting it. That is how it happened for my first letter because it arrived a little early. However, these past two letters have been pretty tough because their deadlines were pushed back.

Now, the real question that I had been asking myself is do I just wait around for the letter or do I call them and ask about their timeline. What is the appropriate time frame to give them a call? My patience had held up until today. I called Wisconsin and they were extremely nice and let me know that the letters had actually been sent out in the mail Friday and you wouldn't believe it but two hours later my acceptance letter arrived in the mail. Next I called North Carolina State University and they were a bit shorter with me and didn't give me a good idea of what to expect. However, later that night an email was sent saying the letters were sent today. So here you have a good example with Wisconsin and a questionable example with NCSU.

I would personal suggest trying to be as patient for as long as you can be. If you do get to anxious and have to call them try to do it near or after their deadline if you haven't received any notifications. I have heard from many different applicants and even some close friends, that they didn't hear any news from their schools until they called them way past the deadline and were told over the phone they weren't accepted. So something you will just need to bite the bullet and call them because they might not reach out and contact you. Overall, my experiences with the admissions staff at all of the schools has been very pleasant and helpful so if you do have a question, even about letter deadlines, just give them a call and ask. Maybe they will like your initiative and interest.