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A four-year undergraduate degree is not required to gain admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine. Students are eligible to apply once they fulfill the admissions requirements. By applying and being admitted early, a student could save 1-2 years of undergraduate tuition, housing, and other expenses and would be able to start their career sooner. Using this guide students can complete prerequisites in as few as four semesters.

No it does not have an impact on an applicant’s application. But it is not a bad credential to have if it will assist a student with their “plan B” should they not be admitted to veterinary school or change their mind about pursuing this career path.

As it relates to the academic review, graduating with Honors is not taken into account. However there is a section in the application for Honors and Awards to be posted and the committee would be able to review it. The committee may take that into account when scoring in the Committee Review portion of the Admissions Review Process.

No. A student has the ability to complete coursework during the application process. The Admissions webpage states: “All science requirements should be fulfilled by the time of application or scheduled for completion by the end of the fall term in which the applicant applies. However, if necessary, the applicant may complete up to two required science courses after the fall term providing a transcript with the courses and grades listed is postmarked by July 1 of the year the applicant would enter. There is no maximum number of non-science required courses that may be completed but the transcript deadline of July 1 applies. The July 1 deadline for transcripts and grades is firm.

The applicant is expected to have 200 hours of quality experience (veterinary/animal/research). Partial credit may be given for less than 200 hours of experience. Yes, working in a veterinary clinic does count. Find more information on veterinary experience requirements.

Iowa State’s review process has multiple components (academic review and committee review), any of these components can have an impact on an applicant’s final admissions score.

It is to the applicant’s advantage to have as much diverse exposure as possible in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the veterinary profession. Commonly, an applicant will have a predominant amount of experience in one area and lesser experience in other areas.

We do not require a minimum number of research experience hours. If a person does have research experience there is not a preference to a focus. Research exposure in areas that are not veterinary related are valued as much as research in animal related areas.

Three (3) electronic letters of evaluation are required but up to six (6) will be accepted. While Iowa State does not require that a letter is from a veterinarian, it is STRONGLY recommended. Additional suggested evaluators are advisors, professors, employers, and others (4-H or FFA leaders, volunteer coordinators, church personnel etc.) who know the student well.

Graduate didactic coursework is used in the last 45 credit GPA calculation and can impact that portion of the academic review. Completion of additional degrees does not impact the academic review.

• Be an informed applicant. Fully investigate the profession to determine if this is the appropriate career path for you. This means talking to veterinarians and investigating all the wonderful possible career paths for a person who earns a DVM degree.
• Plan financially for applying to and attending a college of veterinary medicine.
• Challenge yourself with rigorous coursework to prepare for a rigorous professional curriculum.
• Always consult the college’s admissions website for information. Most questions can be answered by looking at the website. If you cannot find the information you seek, contact the admissions office at the college of veterinary medicine (this is usually a different office than the undergraduate admissions office). When corresponding with the admissions office, an advised method of communication is via email. Using this method provides the applicant and the institution an electronic transcript of the conversation between the two parties. This is helpful in assuring an accurate account of the dialogue.
• Deadlines are important and are firm.
• Remember each college of veterinary medicine may have different requirements for admissions. Double check to ensure that you have met the specific requirements of each institution.
• Read the VMCAS application and instructions, supplemental application and instructions, and all communication from the college thoroughly to avoid simple mistakes which may disqualify a student’s application.