Your Path to Working with Animals in Veterinary Medicine

There are 30 schools or colleges of veterinary medicine (CVMs) in the U.S. that are accredited or have accreditation pending. Admission to veterinary school is competitive, and veterinary schools review a candidate’s eligibility on multiple factors such as GPA, standardized exam scores, and service and volunteer experience. Pre-Vet is considered an area of interest, in addition to your chosen major. Veterinary schools accept a variety of majors, as long as a student fulfills all requirements for admission.

Education Requirements

Prerequisites vary from program to program. Please review the Summary of Course Prerequisites provided by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) for more details.

Students planning to apply to the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, should review their specific prerequisites.

Service & Volunteerism

Veterinarians and other health care professionals are expected to perform community service while in school. Career and Professional Development can assist you in researching service and volunteer opportunities; following are a few local opportunities.

What Entrance Exam is Required and When Should I Take It?

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required by most veterinary schools, while some also require the Biology GRE. Some programs will accept the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in place of the GRE. Testing and application deadlines vary by program. Visit the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) for details.

View the test centers, dates, and seat availability.

When selecting a test date, make sure your scores will be reported in time for your application deadlines (which vary from program to program). For computer-delivered tests, score reports are sent to your designated score recipients approximately 10–15 days after your test date. Please allow time for delivery of scores and processing by the institution.

You can take the computer-delivered GRE revised General Test once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a previous test. You may take the paper-delivered GRE revised General Test as often as it is offered.

How Do I Apply?

Review the application overview and resources provided by the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) for details.