Veterinary school acceptance rates are notoriously low, even compared to medical school acceptance rates. Average vet school acceptance rates hover around 10-15% in the US. This is partly because there are only 32 vet schools in the country, partly because there are limited seats available and lastly because there are many qualified candidates all vying for those seats. While vet school is extremely competitive to get into, you can increase your chances of success by looing at vet school admissions data, crafting a strong application and avoiding common mistakes students make. In this blog, we’ll look at veterinary school acceptance rates in the US and Canada, vet school application requirements and tips to improve your application.
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Veterinary school acceptance rates
Veterinary school acceptance rates are notoriously competitive, sitting around 10-15% in the US. The competition at the best vet schools is strong, as there are only 32 programs in the US and 5 in Canada, all with limited seats and hundreds to thousands of applicants. Getting into veterinary school is a challenge, but knowing the acceptance rates, average accepted GPA and GRE scores can help you decide whether you are a good fit for a school. Many vet schools have high standards for academic performances, work experience and proven ability. They reserve seats for the best of the best.
Once you’ve made the decision to apply, deciding where to go is the next step. Applications are long and costly, so you want to make the most of your time and energy and apply to the right schools for you. Choosing which schools fit with your stats, experience and needs is tricky, but admissions data can help inform your decision.
Below we’ve listed the veterinary school acceptance rates in the US and Canada. We’ve also included median GPA scores, in-state and out-of-state success rates and mean GRE scores where required. If you’re looking for the top of vet school rankings, check out our blog on the best vet schools in the country.
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Vet school admission requirements
While getting into vet school is rigorous, you don’t need to have perfect scores and a 4.0 GPA. Applicants are evaluated on the entirety of a comprehensive application package. Most vet schools in the US and some in Canada use the application portal through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). The VMCAS application asks you to submit your transcripts, GRE scores, vet school personal statement or VMCAS essay, and letters of recommendation. Some vet schools will also ask applicants to submit CASPer test scores and invite a handful of applicants to an interview. Vet schools that do not participate in the VMCAS receive applications directly through the school, and applicants can check admission requirements and application details on the website. We’ll look closer at each of these admission requirements next.
Common mistakes students make when applying to vet school
It seems obvious, but there are some common mistakes you can avoid when applying to vet school. One simple rule is to double check all your materials before and after submitting them through VMCAS or the school’s application portal. VMCAS will compile your application materials and send them to multiple different schools, but it’s on you to make sure that everything is in order, on time and error free.
Vet school applicants should also note that many applications are marked as incomplete and thrown out if they do not meet minimum requirements or are not filled in completely or correctly. It is vital to complete the VMCAS application entirely and not leave anything out. You should also double check admission requirements to ensure you meet any minimum requirements before applying to a chosen school. For vet school application help, you can talk to a grad school advisor for feedback on your application and a second set of eyes to make sure nothing is left out.
Another common mistake is students applying to vet school without any veterinary experience. While it is not usually listed as a requirement, having at least some shadowing experience under a vet or working directly with a veterinarian as a vet tech or vet assistant is a must. Shadowing experience shows you know what the job entails and that you are prepared for the challenges of vet school and becoming a veterinarian. You can detail your experience in a CV or resume and submit it with your application. If you don’t know how to write a CV for graduate school, check out our tips!
Tips on how to get into veterinary school
With veterinary school being so competitive, it takes more than good research and top grades to make the cut and get accepted. While a high GPA and strong GRE score are important, they are not the only things which make you a competitive candidate. Next, we’ll look at some of the non-academic and supplementary application components which you can use to stand out and strengthen your application to vet school.
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Conclusion
Veterinary school acceptance rates and admission data can be useful in determining where to apply and at which schools you are a competitive applicant. But good grades and test scores are not everything when it comes to vet school applications. Make sure to research vet school requirements, avoid common pitfalls and apply our expert tips to build as strong an application as possible. Remember that veterinary experience is a big plus, and that being well organized and prepared can save you some headaches and heartache later.
FAQs
1. Which veterinary school has the highest acceptance rate?
Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences has the highest acceptance rate at 23%.
2. Is it hard to get into veterinary college?
Getting into veterinary school is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Many times, there are not enough seats for the hundreds and even thousands of applicants that schools receive, or students fall into common pitfalls during the application process, such as submitting an incomplete or weak application.
3. How can I increase my chances of getting into vet school?
To best improve your chances of getting into vet school, gain some strong clinical experience by shadowing or working with a veterinarian. Animal handling experience is also a plus. Other than this, being well prepared for your admission interview, your GRE or CASPer test and submitting a complete and strong application is your best shot.
4. What are the admission requirements for vet school?
Vet schools typically require a minimum GPA of 3.0 and above, the GRE, a personal statement or essay, 1 to 3 letters of recommendation and plenty of animal handling and clinical experience.
5. What is the hardest vet school to get into?
The University of California Davis veterinary college is probably the hardest vet school to get into in the US. The program is ranked #1 in the country and has generally high admission stats and a competitive applicant pool.
6. What GPA do I need for vet school?
Vet schools typically ask for a GPA of 3.0 or above, but to be considered a competitive candidate, you’ll want a GPA of at least 3.5 and above.
7. What GRE score do I need for vet school?
While some schools will have minimum requirements listed, most applicants should have a verbal reasoning section score of 154-158, a quantitative section score between 152-156, and an analytical writing section score of 4.0.
8. How long is vet school in the US?
Most veterinary medicine programs in the US are four-year degree programs.
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2 Comments
Zoran
Hi, how big are the salary differences between veterinary and human medicine?
ReplyAshlyn
What does "success" rate mean and how is it different from acceptance rate? Is that another word for graduation rate?
Reply