Boy Scouts
Registration for Open House 2013 has already
occured, and all invited Troops should have received an email
confirmation.
If you are not selected or if you missed registration, you are
still welcome and encouraged to visit Vet School Open House! We
would love to welcome you and your family at our event! Please
visit our other pages for event details and updates. Thank you for
supporting Open House!
Please check the links below for answers to some frequently
asked questions.
Q:
How do I register my Boy Scout/Troop
for Open House?
Q:
How much does it cost?
Q:
What if I get registered and then
find out I can't come?
Q:
Registration filled up and my Boy
Scout didn't get in, what now?
Q:
What badge does my Boy Scout
earn?
Q:
What special benefits do Boy Scouts
receive by registering?
Q:
What should I bring to Open
House?
Q:
How do I get to College Station,
TX?
Q:
Where do I park?
Q:
What can I do at Open House?
Q:
Can I purchase any souvenirs?
Q:
My son/Scout is interested in vet
school. How can he find out more about the requirements?
Q:
Can I bring other family
members?
Q: How do I register for my boy scout for Open House?
A: Registration dates will be November 26, 2011 at 8 a.m.
through November 30, 2012 at 5 p.m. Registration will be online
only. You will need to have on hand your troop number, each boy's
name/age/rank, and contact information for the troop leader/parent
responsible. To be fair, we are instituting a lottery system, so
you can log in at any time and register. You will be notified via
email after registration closes (November 30) whether or not your
group was selected.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: Registration costs $7 per boy and includes an attendance
patch. This event is entirely run by volunteers and is non-profit,
so we are unable to waive the fee for anyone. Information on how to
pay will be sent in an email confirming your registration.
Q: What if I get registered and then find out I can't
come?
A: Notify us IMMEDIATELY if you realize you cannot come and will
need to give up your registered spot so we can notify alternates.
If you realize you will not be able to come after the payment
deadline we will NOT issue a refund for your registration fee. We
have to order patches early and as a non-profit event run by
volunteers we cannot absorb the costs of those patches not needed
in the case an alternate does not fill your spot. Cancellation
before the deadline will allow us to refund your registration fee
if paid.
Q: Registration filled up and my Scout didn't get in, what
now?
A: Make sure he is on the waiting list. Often, troops are unable
to make it and we will fill their spots with boys on the waiting
list. If we still don't have room for him, you should come anyway.
He will not be able to attend the Boy Scout program but Open House
has many fun activities that he can participate in. If he is
interested in veterinary medicine, this will give him an
opportunity to see the school, talk to vet students, sit in on an
admissions Q&A, and learn lots of fun facts about animals. We
do this program every year, so he can always come next year!
Q: What badge does my Boy Scout earn?
A: Any Boy Scout can earn the Veterinary Medicine merit badge.
Badge requirements and pre-event requirements will be posted on the
registration site and a registration packet will be sent to your
e-mail or physical address.
Cub Scouts are still welcome to attend Open House but are not
eligible for a merit badge at this time.
Q: What special benefits do Boy Scouts receive by
registering?
A: Registered Boy Scouts will be able to earn the veterinary
medicine badge as long as they meet the requirements. Boy Scouts
will have a special presentation given by a faculty
member/veterinarian here at Texas A&M University. Also, the Boy
Scouts will have a self-guided tour to fulfill the badge
requirements. Finally, there are several other events the scouts
can attend including but not limited to: dog breed presentation,
horse breed presentation, Houston Mounted Police Patrol, Blue Bell,
Roping, pictures with Reveille or other animals, etc.
Q: What should I bring to Open House?
A: Leaders should bring cell phones or walkie talkies, a
first-aid kit, and emergency contact information for each Scout. We
recommend a leader:Scout ratio of at least 1:5. Each boy should
wear his Boy Scout uniform as there will be 8,000 people attending
this event and it is much easier to find one another if boys are in
uniform.
Each boy should also bring sunscreen, a water bottle, a
clipboard, comfortable shoes, money for drinks and snacks (a
concessions stand that benefits the first year veterinary class
will be available all day), a teddy bear or other stuffed animal
(for teddy bear surgery), and a pencil or pen. A camera would also
be a great idea.
Souvenirs are also available throughout the day, and proceeds
benefit veterinary student organizations. See the Open House
website for a sneak preview! Many events are outside, so be
prepared for the elements.
Q: How do I get to College Station, TX?
A: See
the Maps and Directions page.
Q: Where do I park?
A: Parking maps will be available online and signs directing you
to Open House reserved lots will be in place on the day of the
event. Please pay attention to where you park because it is a
university and campus police will ticket or tow you if you are
parked in a permit-only lot without a permit. It can take up to 10
minutes to walk to the vet school from the lots, so give yourself
plenty of time to arrive on time!
Q: What can I do at Open House?
A: Keep checking back on the Open House website for more
information!
Q: Can I purchase any souvenirs?
A: A student-run store will be available with vet school
memorabilia. You can make your purchases by cash, check, or credit
card the day of the event.
Q: My son/Scout is interested in vet school, how can he find
out more about the requirements?
A: That's what Vet School Open House is all about! There will be
a vet school Q&A and a vet student panel the day of the event.
Also, this is an event put on entirely by vet students to educate
people about what veterinary medicine is all about. Find someone in
a green t-shirt and ask away, we love to talk about vet school!
Q: Can I bring other family
members?
A: Yes! However, we will only have room in the presentation for
registered Boy Scouts and their leaders.
Don't see your question answered? Email us at
boyscouts@cvm.tamu.edu and we will do our best to
help you out. Please be patient for a response as we are students
and do have exams and other assignments to complete in addition to
this event. Thanks so much for your interest and we look forward to
seeing you on April 20th, 2013!