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What challenges do students trying to get into veterinary school usually face #Spring23?
Does veterinary school heavily focus on GPA or what other aspects of college life would help a student get into veterinary school more easily?
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Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Luis !
It will be great for you to explore your question because every student has very different challenges and unless you look at a specific Veterinarian School's admissions requirements, no one can say what you'd need to do. Your first step would be to choose a Veterinary School and find out first hand directly from the school what their specific admission requirements are. You just have to follow the admission requirements, apply and wait to hear back from the school. Generalized information is not going to help you out much because each Veterinary School has different criteria, requirements and what they look for in a prospective student.
In general, there may be some things that you could be doing while working on your Bachelors Degree before Veterinary School that can make the academics run smooth for you WHILE you are in Veterinary School. Remember, no one knows who will be evaluating your application so focus on experience instead of a sure fire easy answer about admissions. It would be great if you've been majoring in Animal Science. That Major in undergrad school will give you the strongest foundation to continue at Vet School. Secondly, doing a Work Study job, Volunteer Work all years at college focused on animals and an Internship in your Junior and Senior college years will build your knowledge and hands on experience to take to Vet School. While in undergrad college, being active in animal organizations and activities will further put you around more professionals and learning experiences. So, it's not so much worrying about "how to" get accepted to Vet School, rather it's about building up your experience and knowledge so that your Vet School journey will be enjoyable.
So, your first step for answers to this will be to decide what Vet Schools you have in mind and go to their websites. All the Admissions Requirements are indicated on their website. You can even visit or call the school to ask specific questions. Find out what the school's acceptance rate is, too. Rely a lot on person to person contact and also see if you can go for an Orientation/Tour of the school to get a feel for it and ask any questions from an authorized representative of the school. That will be your best bet.
Since there are three Vet Schools in Utah, it should be easy to compare the colleges by reading their websites, taking notes and deciding which Vet School seems right for you. You probably could apply to all three and see what happens, but no one can tell you how it would be for you. Focus on being around animals, every day if possible, doing volunteer work, getting active in animal focused groups, organizations and activities and think positive !
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
It will be great for you to explore your question because every student has very different challenges and unless you look at a specific Veterinarian School's admissions requirements, no one can say what you'd need to do. Your first step would be to choose a Veterinary School and find out first hand directly from the school what their specific admission requirements are. You just have to follow the admission requirements, apply and wait to hear back from the school. Generalized information is not going to help you out much because each Veterinary School has different criteria, requirements and what they look for in a prospective student.
In general, there may be some things that you could be doing while working on your Bachelors Degree before Veterinary School that can make the academics run smooth for you WHILE you are in Veterinary School. Remember, no one knows who will be evaluating your application so focus on experience instead of a sure fire easy answer about admissions. It would be great if you've been majoring in Animal Science. That Major in undergrad school will give you the strongest foundation to continue at Vet School. Secondly, doing a Work Study job, Volunteer Work all years at college focused on animals and an Internship in your Junior and Senior college years will build your knowledge and hands on experience to take to Vet School. While in undergrad college, being active in animal organizations and activities will further put you around more professionals and learning experiences. So, it's not so much worrying about "how to" get accepted to Vet School, rather it's about building up your experience and knowledge so that your Vet School journey will be enjoyable.
So, your first step for answers to this will be to decide what Vet Schools you have in mind and go to their websites. All the Admissions Requirements are indicated on their website. You can even visit or call the school to ask specific questions. Find out what the school's acceptance rate is, too. Rely a lot on person to person contact and also see if you can go for an Orientation/Tour of the school to get a feel for it and ask any questions from an authorized representative of the school. That will be your best bet.
Since there are three Vet Schools in Utah, it should be easy to compare the colleges by reading their websites, taking notes and deciding which Vet School seems right for you. You probably could apply to all three and see what happens, but no one can tell you how it would be for you. Focus on being around animals, every day if possible, doing volunteer work, getting active in animal focused groups, organizations and activities and think positive !
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Luis,
Admission to a veterinary medicine program is competitive. Your GPA is therefore going to be important. But that is never the only factor that is considered for admission.
In Arizona, the University of Arizona has a veterinary program. Please look up the exact admission requirements and get in contact with the admissions office. The school is highly selective. Their admission rate is around 5-6% while the national admission rate is 10-15%.
You apply to the vet program at University of Arizona through VMCAS, a centralized application service. Even though there is one central application portal, different schools still have different requirements. University of Arizona doesn't require or consider GRE scores, but they run their own admission assessment. In addition to a personal statement they require a second essay where you explain your fit with the school. You also need experience with animals and in a vet setting.
You can really stand out in your application by having killer essays and plenty of prior experience. Look for internships in veterinary hospitals. If possible, gather different experiences, e.g. small animal, large animal and exotic animal practices. Consider working as a vet assistant or on a farm. Volunteer in an animal rescue or at the zoo. Research the school and their values.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.aavmc.org/becoming-a-veterinarian/
https://vetmed.arizona.edu/admissions/prerequisites
Admission to a veterinary medicine program is competitive. Your GPA is therefore going to be important. But that is never the only factor that is considered for admission.
In Arizona, the University of Arizona has a veterinary program. Please look up the exact admission requirements and get in contact with the admissions office. The school is highly selective. Their admission rate is around 5-6% while the national admission rate is 10-15%.
You apply to the vet program at University of Arizona through VMCAS, a centralized application service. Even though there is one central application portal, different schools still have different requirements. University of Arizona doesn't require or consider GRE scores, but they run their own admission assessment. In addition to a personal statement they require a second essay where you explain your fit with the school. You also need experience with animals and in a vet setting.
You can really stand out in your application by having killer essays and plenty of prior experience. Look for internships in veterinary hospitals. If possible, gather different experiences, e.g. small animal, large animal and exotic animal practices. Consider working as a vet assistant or on a farm. Volunteer in an animal rescue or at the zoo. Research the school and their values.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps: