How to Get Accepted to Vet School

Since there are fewer than 30 veterinary schools in the United States, only one in five candidates actually gets accepted. Some say it's easier to go to medical school than vet school. If you want to be an animal doctor, you will need to do exceptionally well in your undergraduate years. You will also need to get some vet experience before you actually go to school.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Excel in undergraduate school. You will need a high grade point average (GPA). Most applicants to vet school have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
2. Complete undergraduate courses required by the vet school you hope to attend. These will probably include biology, chemistry, physics, comparative anatomy and statistics. Check with your school's catalog for specifics, so you don't miss any required courses.
3. Plan to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) during your senior year of college. Some vet schools also require the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT). Admission advisors say GRE scores and GPAs are the best predictors of success in vet school.
4. Get a job working at an animal hospital. Vet schools usually look for some hands-on veterinary experience when evaluating candidates for admission. Early experience also shows you have the drive and motivation to get through vet school.
5. Find references who will write letters of recommendation for you. You are more likely to get accepted if at least some of these references work in the veterinary field.
6. Prepare to be interviewed by the vet school staff where you hope to attend. It's an intimidating but necessary part of the procedure. Professors will talk to you about your career aspirations. They will look at your maturity level and career potential. Some schools say this interview counts for 20% of the total evaluation.
7. Shoot for your dream of becoming a vet, but have a backup plan. Many more apply for vet school than are accepted. Perhaps medicine or pharmacy will work better for you.

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