What true requirements does it take to be accepted into a Veterinary school?

Veterinary School Application Advising Ad
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
G

Germadirk123

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2009
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Members do not see this ad.
I honestly know getting into a Veterinary school is tough. My only concern is how to get accepted? Does having outstanding grades and having a major in animal science or biology is what it takes into being accepted?

I'm currently a sophomore at the University of Houston. To be honest, I know it isn't the best school out there. I'm currently working as a Veterinary Technician at a local Vet Clinic and I figured working at this clinic would help me (a small percentage) into maybe getting into a Veterinary school, but honestly I think it takes more.

I was wondering if someone could tell me/help me with what it takes: grades? strong recommendations? going to a (known) four-year university? I honestly have strong doubts into getting in, even though I truly know this is my passion!
 
I'm not sure you have to go to a hhuge well known university to get accepted...right? I think some people here even had some of their inital pre-reqs done at a CC and finished up somewhere else and still got accepted. Please someone correct me if I'm completely off base on this.
 
Basically you will need:
- Animal Experience
- Veterinarian Supervised Experience (your vet tech job)
- Good GPA ('good' is....very subjective and differing)
- Good GRE (again, varying)
- Good recommendations (Need at least 3, with 1 - 2 from veterinarians)
- Prerequisites (varies from school to school)
- Money


Somewhere there's a thread with stats from accepted folks.

Also don't sweat the undergrad school. One of my friends got accepted to A&M from a school that's on 'par' with U of H where as I did my Undergrad at A&M and have applied twice without acceptance, working on the thrice.
 
Last edited:
Believe in yourself!! I've talked to many vets and admissions staff at vet schools, and they all say that it doesn't really make a difference where you went to school. They want to see that you can be successful wherever you are. I think schools like Cornell and Davis are a bit more focused on the schools, but the big state schools could care less. Make sure you have the best grades possible. Take a prep course for the GRE and score well. It is EXTREMELY important to have vet experience, so don't minimize it's importance. It's great to have varying experiences in different fields like large animal, small animal, exotic, zoo, wildlife, and lab. I think recommendations are important, but much less than grades, GRE score, and experience. Make sure to have at least semi difficult course loads to show that you can handle the work. Also, get involved with things that aren't related to vet school...join some clubs, play sports, get a job. Maybe you can even hold an elected position in something. Do something that makes you stand out. Get an experience that no one else will have. Keep working hard!! Do your best, and that's all you can do!
 
Good grades, a good GRE score, good recommendations from a few kinds of sources (DVM, science professor, etc), as wide and in depth experience dealing with a variety of animals and scenarios as you can (large/small/exotic/zoo animal, research, hands on stuff, shadowing...), and an ability to convey your passion for the field to the admissions committee come applications time. Added bonuses are taking and doing well in additional upper level biology courses which are not prereqs. Other than that, making sure to stay true to yourself and pursue what you think will make you happiest on the way to becoming a vet (if that is your chosen path). Want to be a classical guitar major and only take the pre-reqs as your science courses? Then do that. Academically speaking, just follow your passions and try your darnest to succeed along the way.

I don't think people can make a blanket statement about which aspects of your eventual application are most important, because schools vary on what they are looking for. Some schools weigh the GPA/GRE MUCH more than anything else (70-80% of an application), where as others consider components like your experience most. You can always contact individual schools you might be interested in about what constitutes an applicant's "score" when going through the application process. Overall, good grades, experience, and LOR's are always going to be important, but how much each counts towards an ultimate acceptance depends on the school.
 
I pretty much agree with HopefulAg.

Veterinary Experience - enough experience to demonstrate that you know what exactly a veterinarian does, specifically regarding your area of greatest interest, and generally regarding all of the other major areas of veterinary medicine.

Prerequisites - completing all of the ones required by the school along with the proper minimum grades.

Recommendations - From multiple people who can attest to both your motivation toward and experience with veterinary medicine. And an academic reference who can speak highly of your abilities to manage school work and/or work with others.

GPA - A GPA that demonstrates your ability to succeed academically under a heavy work load particularly with science intensive courses.

GRE - A small but important piece of the pie.

Money - these things get real expensive quick.
 
im a freshman veterinary student,and im having doubts my self.to be honest i dont know if i have what it takes to become a vet.its not easy and for someoe like me that loves animals...its kind of cofusing...are you sure you wanne come to this field???i think i need someone to comfert me😕
 
luplodw said:
I think recommendations are important, but much less than grades, GRE score, and experience. Make sure to have at least semi difficult course loads to show that you can handle the work.
Click to expand...

a poor LOR will get your app tossed just as quickly, while a mediocore one will likely eliminae you later in the process.
 
smilin1590 said:
I'm not sure you have to go to a hhuge well known university to get accepted...right? I think some people here even had some of their inital pre-reqs done at a CC and finished up somewhere else and still got accepted. Please someone correct me if I'm completely off base on this.
Click to expand...

I think you're right...I have pre-reqs from a CC and am currently on a waitlist...so...
 
baby girl -- by the looks of it you are already a veterinarian, eh??
 
Everything is important, but from what I've seen, experience is key. Undergrad prestige is likely noted in passing, if at all.
 
smilin1590 said:
I'm not sure you have to go to a hhuge well known university to get accepted...right? I think some people here even had some of their inital pre-reqs done at a CC and finished up somewhere else and still got accepted. Please someone correct me if I'm completely off base on this.
Click to expand...

You're not off base at all, I took a pre-req at a CC and literally all my science pre-reqs at a lesser known Cal State University and I had multiple acceptances. (My totally unrelated degree is from a University of California so I'm sure that helped but still...)
 
I agree with everyone else. It is really going to come down to GPA, GRE, vet experience, animal experience, good LOR's, extra-curriculars, money and a decent amount of luck (like all the stars aligning when they read your application and it makes your name stick out like gold). 😛
 
smilin1590 said:
I'm not sure you have to go to a hhuge well known university to get accepted...right? I think some people here even had some of their inital pre-reqs done at a CC and finished up somewhere else and still got accepted. Please someone correct me if I'm completely off base on this.
Click to expand...

Not only that, I did all of my classes at a satellite branch of the campus. They didn't mention it, and I got through fine.
 
Also, some ability to write. The personal statement doesn't write itself! And in some cases, it can make or break your app.
 
tambotie_yes,i just started univrsity...i had to carry a lot of dead animals today,...we were studing them,im so exasted,i cant believe im on line,i can hardly type😴
 
Probably some baby's poopie diaper
 
baby girl, sorry to hear the first is going rough. You probably already have, but the thread "Class of 2013...how ya doin" may help you out.

Also, I think everyone is wondering why you have your status as veterinarian while you are finishing up your first year as a veterinary student.

Not to be nit-picky, but that's a pretty substantial title and not to be taken lightly.

Sorry for being blunt.
 
I bet it's a monkey's uncle's poopy diaper.
 
Nech_Ooh...Im so sory if i made u guys feel that way,but u know,its jus a title me and and my net friends use,didn realize it was such big deal around here,im realy sory,thanks for telling me..!im totally gonne chang it..
 
baby girl said:
Nech_Ooh...Im so sory if i made u guys feel that way,but u know,its jus a title me and and my net friends use,didn realize it was such big deal around here,im realy sory,thanks for telling me..!im totally gonne chang it..
Click to expand...

Where do you go to veterinary school? I'm assuming its not in the US?
 
... do many vet schools make their students carry dead animals until the point of exhaustion?

Just considering a career change if that's so. 😉
 
no personal questions david...but for the record,no im not from the us,i,v been there though..dont know about u but here it takes a lot of hard work to become a vet,we have work hours after classes..
 
hi every body I am new member
I am freshman in vet
my anatomy professor is very strict and general anatomy is difficult for me
please help and laed me.
 
😏 What is going on in here?
 
😡 why anyone do not answer to me ?
I am very angry I need help from you.😡😡😡😡😡
 
Hark! Be there pre-meds afoot? Or, speaking of feet, podiatrists?!
 
😡 HopefulAg why didn't you answer him? 😡
 
Much better than«giving up and turning off the computer»donch u think...!?
 
are parak and baby girl the same person?

i cant believe im saying this but id rather have brodiatrist. this just isnt as entertaining
 
BlacKAT33 said:
are parak and baby girl the same person?

i cant believe im saying this but id rather have brodiatrist. this just isnt as entertaining
Click to expand...

ARE U KIDDING ME!!?you guys are so wierd...
 
Brodiatrist atleast made sense... I mean, his sentances were coherent. Not what he was actually saying :laugh:
 
sunshinevet said:
Brodiatrist atleast made sense... I mean, his sentances were coherent. Not what he was actually saying :laugh:
Click to expand...

U know what!!?this really IS getting boring,Im sooo not intrested in this conversation..
 
A HIJACKING HAS OCCURRED.... :scared:

Please squawk transponder code 7 - 5 -0 - 0 to "report" this hijacking.

Alternatively, squawk transponder code 7 - 7 - 0 - 0 to "report" an emergency.

This is not a joke. Oh, well maybe it is (but a bad one, and really more for pilots... in hindsight maybe I am in the wrong forum... )
 
7 5 0 0




and yes! i mean, if you are a vet student you should be able to type coherently on a forum. If you are foreign...you probably wouldn't want to get advice on an english forum. If you did, you'd want to make sure you are typing the right thing so people can understand you.

😏
 
😡watch out. he is going to get angry at you😡
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
  • Locked
Why do you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine?
Replies
3
Views
909
ThunderMuffin
T
A
LMU Pre-Veterinary Mission Trip!
Replies
0
Views
683
andrea.doty
A
M
Veterinary Blogs
Replies
0
Views
517
MooV
M
M
SDN Article: Pursuing a Combined DVM/PhD Program: A Path to Research in Veterinary Medicine
Replies
2
Views
676
Musicandhorses
M
WildWing
[Announcement] Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship
Replies
0
Views
680
WildWing
WildWing
Top