Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology Reviews of Associates in Veterinary Technician

"I am a student at Bel-Rea and want to first acknowledge that many of these negative reviews are exceptionally old. I don't know what the school might have been like before I began, but my experience has been incredibly pleasant. The program itself is projected at 24months (two years for an associates), but it is essentially four years of information and can absolutely be difficult to keep up with. You can extend the program for up to 36 months to make the program more bearable. The staff is very friendly, especially the registrars Jennifer and Casey, and they are more than happy to work with students on developing a course plan that accommodates all of your needs. For myself, I will be extending my course by taking only 3 classes per semester, rather than 4. My tuition will still be paid at the same rate, so when it is time to do my internship I will have my tuition fully paid off and will be able to use that semester's financial aid to cover all of my living expenses, allowing me to focus solely on my internship. The school also offers a ton of free tutor opportunities, but with somewhat limited availability (the tutors are volunteer) so you should apply as early as possible for classes you know will be hard for you. It can be hard to work while in the program as some classes do have funky schedules, getting into a 24/7 ER clinic is certainly easier since the latest classes end at 2pm and most local GP practices close around 6pm, but you can speak with the registrar and move around your classes a bit if necessary. The class times themselves are locked but they were willing to move classes back a semester or forward a semester to accommodate me. They also are happy to help you find work, and in my experience working in ER vet clinics, many places very much prefer Bel-Rea graduates. Some of these reviews speak to the contrary, but in my own anecdotal experience I have found that Bel-Rea graduates are generally sought after particularly in specialty and emergency clinics. Yes, the tuition is quite hefty, however with a 80% plus success rate on passing the VTNE on the first try, to say that they don't prepare you is simply not fair. The internship options they have at the end of the program are numerous, even including some specialty options such as working with exotics, large animal, or wildlife rehabilitation (although some of the best internship programs do require a 3.5 GPA or higher). The program is also 100% vet tech focused, meaning that all of your professors are knowledgeable in the field and all of your classmates are there for the exact same reason, lending itself to a lot of support and opportunity for growth. The truth of the matter is that this is a medical program, and yes some of the professors can be very strict (especially regarding tardiness and attendance), but they are still much more accommodating than professors in most human nursing programs. As for continuing education, if you would like to pursue a bachelors degree (which is not necessary to be a registered/certified vet tech) they do have colleges listed who accept credits from Bel-Rea including a college partnership that accepts FULL credit transfer. All in all, the staff cares very much about their students, the whole faculty has a great love for animals that they show exuberantly. The resident animals are well loved and well cared for. The program itself is difficult but you can absolutely make adjustments to accommodate your lifestyle and needs. There are completely free tutoring opportunities if you choose to take them and if you communicate your concerns with the registrars and your admissions advisor, they can help you find a way to make it all work. I work two full time jobs alongside full time enrollment and it is opening up lots of opportunities and I am learning a lot of useful information rapidly and effectively. I think it is absolutely worth the high tuition."

"I'm not going to make this long, but my god. I don't reccomend this school. They talk about how hands on it is and the only hands on I got was cleaning the cages for them during animal care. Some of the teachers talk down to you and will tell you to drop the class if you ate struggling. They rather see you fail than help you achieve. If you decide to change career paths, most of the credits don't transfer over to other colleges. The internship, which you will make no money doing. How do the expect people to work, go to college and do an internship all at the same time. There are other places I'd recommend CCD."

"ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND. There are so many other better options that are cheaper and have staff that actually care about their students learning/ graduating. I had a severe allergic reaction to the rabbits and was told to take Benadryl and continue working with the rabbits or I fail. Not to mention when I needed tutors all of the ones they provided didn't have the teacher I was with and told they couldn't help me. Save your money and go else where."

"Don't do it, this school will rob you blind! If... you graduate you will probably find a job that pays near to nothing and you will owe 60k in student loans with a degree that credits wont transfer for any other degree or school. Staff/teachers are unhelpful and don't care if you succeed or not, just want your money. Total waste of a career! Even if you do well, guaranteed you won't stay in the field more then 5 years and you will still be in debt over your head."

"I was excited to go to this school. The training I received during my 2 year time there was great. BUT... before you enroll, please read the fine print. I was led to believe that Bel-Rea would help graduates find a job after graduation. Maybe I didn't utilize the school in the fullest extent, but Bel-Rea did not help me find a job. They also tell you that this field is in the higher paying range of the job industry. HMMMM... veterinarians will more likely hire people off of the street that claim they are a "vet tech" when they are NOT, and pay them more in some instances. And my student loans? Still not paid. After I graduated I made $7.50 per hour. I thought I would be proud to be a "vet tech" but mainly I'm just disappointed. At least my fur babies get good care at home."

"Hi! I chose to go to Bel-Rea Institute of Animal Technology in Aurora, Colorado, because they were able to provide a lot of hands on experience on campus, instead of having to commute to different clinics, shelters, etc. We did had to do extra volunteering hours (which is great for you!), but I confess it was a little hard to fit everything we had to accomplish since I kept my full time job (40 hours a week). The teachers present the lecture extremely well, and they give you all the tools for further reading and better understanding of the topic. I was also a TA (Teacher's Assistant), and by helping others with their struggles, also helped me to review the content and be sharp for the boards test! English is my second language, and I believe if I did it, anybody can do it too. I completed the program in 27 months, and it was perfect for me!"