Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Pre-requisites for applying to a typical veterinary medicine program:
- BIOL 211/211L & BIOL 213/213L (non-BIOL majors will need special permission to enroll in these courses)
- CHEM 121/121L - CHEM 122/122/L (this course should be completed as soon as possible)
- CHEM 321/321L - CHEM 322/322L
- PHYS 151/151L - PHYS 152/152L
- BCHM 410
The following courses are strongly recommended:
- BIOL 301/301L
- BIOL 409/409L
- BIOL 420/420/L
- BIOL 307/307L
- BIOL 313
Because there are relatively few veterinary medicine schools in the U.S., competition for admission is very intense, despite the looming shortage of practicing veterinarians. A strong GRE score is important in addition to a solid academic performance. Many hours of experience with animals is paramount; admissions committees look for confidence and competence in animal handling skills. Exposure to a variety of animal groups (small, large, exotic, e.g.,) is also important. At least one letter of recommendation* (see note in Applications) from a practicing veterinarian is required.
The verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE are scored between 130–170, and the average score falls somewhere around 150-152. Analytical writing section of the GRE is scored between 0 and 6 in half-point increments, and the average hits somewhere around 3.5. A writing score of 4 with a combined verbal and quantitative score of 300 or greater is preferred. Prepare for the GRE. Scores should be sent directly to your chosen school.
Students should determine the specific deadlines and requirements for each program he/she intends to apply to. For example, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine requires that applications must be received by VMCAS no later than October 1.
Most veterinary medicine schools use the centralized application service (CAS) - Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS).
*VMCAS requires at least three (3) Electronic Letters of Recommendation (eLOR), which is a mandatory section of your VMCAS Web application. You must register your evaluations. Applications are deleted at the end of every application cycle. Don't create an account unless you intend to apply within that cycle.