Veterinary School
The application for veterinary school takes at least a year, so be sure to finish your required sciences, as well as any volunteer work or research by the end of your junior year. For more information go to: www.aavmc.org
Step 1: Take the MCAT or GRE
Verify which test is required for the schools you wish to apply for. You must complete an application form and pay the testing fee in order to schedule a time to take the MCAT (Medical School Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination). You can obtain an application packet by writing to:
Medical College Admission Test
MCAT Program Office
P.O. Box 4056
Iowa City, IA 52243
(319) 337-1357
mcat_reg@act.org
http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm
Graduate Record Examinations
P.O. Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
(609) 771-7670
http://gre.org
VMCAS colleges may not accept standardized test scores that are older than two to three years. VMCAS recommends that applicants take all required standardized tests prior to Fall of their senior year to ensure that all institutional test deadlines are met. If a school requires Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, complete all three sections in the examination: Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical. International applicants may also be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and/or other English proficiency tests. Please read all application instructions and contact selected institutions directly for more information about all standardized test requirements. Although it is not required, many students take a prep course for the MCAT or GRE. If you choose to do this, be sure to allow yourself enough time to complete the prep course before scheduling your test date.
Step 2: Submit your Pre-Veterinary Committee Application by June 15th
The Pre-Veterinary Committee (PVC) cannot review your file until you have completed all of your required science courses, so be sure to finish them by the end of your junior year. When submitting your application, please include:
- Application form
- Personal Statement
- Professional Resume
- Transcripts from every college/university you have attended since high school
Letters of evaluation should be sent directly to Career Services by your references.
Step 3: Apply for admission through VMCAS
Apply online or download and print a paper application: www.aavmc.org
Request a paper application:
Veterinary Medical College Application Service
1101 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20005
VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Services) is a centralized application program for participating Veterinary Medical Colleges. The VMCAS application consists of 20 sections with instructions. After creating an account, applicants can go back to the application to complete it at their convenience, up until the final deadline. All questions are mandatory unless otherwise noted. You will need to have transcripts and test scores sent to each school to which you are applying. It may be helpful to refer to the VMSAR.
Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements Book (VMSAR)
VMSAR is a book containing the admission requirements and contact information for all of the AAVMC member colleges. VMSAR also provides statistical data on numbers of applications and matriculates, and specific information on the slots available at each college. The AAVMC does not sell this book directly. For ordering information, please check out the Purdue University Press (publisher) Web site at thepress.purdue.edu or call (800) 247-6553 (distributor). The price is $16.95, excluding shipping.
Step 4: Submit Letters of Recommendation
You can send letters of recommendation as soon as you have created an account. You are responsible for to registering your evaluators in the eLOR section of the application. Remember to print and send an evaluation form for each letter writer to Career Services. The forms are available through the VMCAS link at www.aavmc.org.
Step 5: Interview, when invited
Veterinary schools will invite you to interview after they have reviewed your secondary application and your letters of evaluation. Interviews usually take place at the veterinary schools; you are expected to cover the costs of travel, lodging and meals while you are there.
Step 6: Receive letter informing you of your status
After you have interviewed, you should receive a letter letting you know if you have been accepted, wait-listed or rejected by the veterinary school. Some schools write letters on a rolling basis, while others wait until their interviews are completed to send letters. You may not hear from the school right after your interview, especially if you interview early; it may be one of the schools that waits to write letters.
Other Notes About the Application Process
Please remember that applying to veterinary school can be expensive. You are required to pay fees to take the MCAT or GRE, to submit your application to VMCAS, and to submit secondary applications to the individual veterinary schools (some of these fees may be waived or reduced if you can document financial need). You will also need to have money to travel to interviews. It is not unusual for applicants to spend over $2,000 on the application process alone, so be sure to plan for these expenses well in advance.
It is also important for you to determine how you will pay for your veterinary education. Some schools have scholarship money available, but most will expect you to apply for government financial aid programs and/or take out loans. Be sure to file financial aid application forms by the deadlines and to have a sound financial plan for repaying any loans you may incur while in veterinary school.
What is the Pre-Veterinary Committee (PVC)?
The Pre-Veterinary Professions committee at CLU is a committee of Career Services professionals and Science Faculty formed to assist CLU students and alumni to gain entrance into Veterinary programs. The main purpose of the PVC is to submit all students Letters of Recommendations to various schools and build CLU’s reputation as a Pre-Vet university.
What are the benefits of using the Committee?
Many Veterinary schools prefer a formal committee turn in recommendations, ensuring their confidential delivery. The committee is also useful when asking faculty or off campus letter writers for letters that may need to be sent to 10–20 schools. The Pre-Vet Committee will handle mailing letters by deadlines to VMCAS. Writers need to send letters to Career Services by April 15th of each year. In addition, the committee drafts a cover letter and attaches to the separate letters. When your letters are mailed to VMCAS, the committee will include a statement that the student applying has waived all rights to the contents of their Pre-Vet file, mostly referring to the Letters of Recommendation. Lastly, Veterinary Schools get accustom to committees submitting letters and start to recognize the quality of the students who go through the formal committee. Students are still responsible for applying online, taking the MCAT or other exams, and forwarding transcripts.
What do I need to do to take advantage of this program?
Pick up a Pre-Vet packet at the Career Center. It will include:
- Student Information Form/Waiver of Rights to Pre-Vet File – This form starts your file. Complete and sign and begin to turn in transcripts, resume, VMCAS or online application printout, personal statement, and MCAT or other scores. When your file is complete we will send your letters to VMCAS. Also includes waiver statement to be signed and dated which states you will not have access to your file and that it is confidential.
- Applicant Summary Sheet – Used as a guide for letter writers. You will submit the completed Applicant Summary Sheet to faculty or employers, which provides information about you.
- Packet of handouts including timeline, MCAT information and resourceful Websites, etc.
What is the deadline to have letters sent by faculty to the Committee?
Faculty will need to address letters to “Dear Veterinary School Admissions:” and send them to Career Services/PVC (mail code 2400) by the April 15th deadline. We will make copies of all letters and send out to VMCAS.
When will the Committee send my letters to VMCAS?
As soon as your VMCAS application is complete and we have received all of your letters of recommendation. The Committee will keep original copies of all letters.
What Do I Need to Send Where?
Submit the following application materials directly to VMCAS:
- VMCAS Web application (submitted electronically) at www.aavmc.org. (Click on VMCAS.) New VMCAS applications become available June of every year.
- Application fee
- Three completed evaluations using official VMCAS paper or electronic forms.
Send the following materials directly to the veterinary medical colleges:
- Supplemental application, if required by the designated VMCAS college, and any associated fees
- College transcripts
- Standardized test scores
Completing and Submitting the Web Application
Once you have finished all necessary sections, please review your application carefully for accuracy. Remember to print your completed application for your records before submitting it to VMCAS. Applicants cannot change any information on the application after it has been submitted to VMCAS. If you need to change your contact information, send this information directly to your designated colleges. Do not send a printed copy of your web application through the mail. You must deliver the application electronically to VMCAS before the deadline. VMCAS recommends that you submit your application at least two weeks before the deadline to avoid possible Web congestion caused by heavy applicant traffic and other Internet traffic. High applicant traffic can cause severe delays within the VMCAS Web application, such as slow response times, time outs, and difficulty logging into the application. These conditions could cause you to miss the deadline.
VMCAS Processing Fees
Application fees are calculated based on the number of colleges to which you are applying. VMCAS does not offer fee waivers at this time.
Your VMCAS fee covers the following services
- The processing and shipping of your VMCAS Web Application
- The processing and shipping of your evaluations
- VMCAS Student and Advisor support
View a complete list of fees and information on payment methods.
Veterinary Schools Attended
A partial list of veterinary schools our students have been accepted to:
- Midwestern University
- Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
- UC Davis
- Western School of Health Sciences