The best way to prepare for getting into veterinary school

Vet schools accredited in the U.S. by the American Veterinary Medical Association (also known as, AVMA) are only 30 in number, which clearly indicates the high level of competition to seek admission in vet schools. Admission requirements for different vet schools may vary but there are certain criterias that are common. Make sure that you do your research and look for such specific requirements in different schools. Most vet schools in the U.S. function by the centralized application service which is operated by the VMCAS or the Veterinary Medical College Application service. It accepts applications from candidates, their records of evaluation and recommendations and gets them distributed to the schools chosen by the candidate. Applicants should pay careful attention before submitting their final transcripts to the VMCAS. Also look up whether the schools you select have supplemental applications as well, because some of these schools  require that to be sent directly to them.

If you want to be a veterinary student and what to know about vet school requirements, then this is the perfect guide for you. Keep reading to learn more.

Prerequisites to get to medical school

Start Preparing Early

Opt for chemistry, math, biology, and physics courses during your middle and high school to have a good starting foundation. They will open up more prospects for you in future education and training opportunities.

Choices to make during your undergraduate program

You have to consciously choose a degree program that will provide you with an incredible foundation in physical and biological sciences, as that will be integral in your education as a veterinarian. Enroll on a degree program at college that will best suit your prerequisites. There are several interesting undergraduate pathways to study before the time comes to seek admission to a vet school.

Essential College Criteria

There are certain criteria’s you are required to accomplish during your undergraduate years, much before you start applying for veterinary colleges. A minimum of 3.5 GPA or more is expected and is competitive.

• Animal clinical experience – gain volunteer experience by working with a veterinarian to gain valuable animal clinical practices in a professional setting.
• Graduate exam records – you are not done even after taking ACTs and SATs. As the GRE is the most widely accepted format by vet colleges and you should get it cleared.
• Another standardized test accepted by these colleges is the MCAT test. Make sure you look up the websites of individual schools to learn about their preferences for the test score format.
• Have at least three recommendations to submit with your application. One should be from your academic supervisor or advisor, another from a working veterinarian, and a third from any individual of your preference, the likes of course instructors or other academics. Some schools may have requirements of two recommendation letters from veterinarians.
• Improve your communication and leadership skills through co-curricular activities like participating in club activities. They could be pre-vet clubs and they provide ample opportunities to not only serve the animal community but also give you access to interact with numerous people coming from all walks of life, which improves your social and communication skills. And these two attributes are very important for practicing veterinarians.

Join a veterinary program today and upgrade yourself with all the required skills and knowledge to become a successful veterinarian serving the animal and human community.