Prerequisites for College for Veterinarians

Being a veterinarian is a rewarding career for those who want to spend their lives helping animals. Getting into veterinary school can be a difficult prospect as there are only 28 veterinary schools in the nation. It's more difficult to get into veterinary school than it is to get into human medical school because of this. While it is highly competitive, it can be done. 

Get Some Experience

One of the biggest things that veterinary schools look at is how much experience you have working with animals. Any experience is good experience, even if it's just being in the 4H club in high school. Volunteering at the local animal shelter or zoo is a good way to get experience. Many veterinarians will allow you to work with them while you are in school to get the experience that you need. If you can, aim for positions that will help you to get leadership experience. Make sure to get letters of recommendations from those you work for. 

Take the Right Courses

The courses that you need to take will vary depending on the school you are planning to attend. It is a good idea to check with your favorite school if you already have a veterinary school in mind. Courses that veterinary schools like to see are courses in English composition, math and statistics, microbiology, general biology, inorganic and organic chemistry, and physics. You should also take a speech class, social science classes, some humanities classes and various other electives. Any science courses should have a lab. Get letters of recommendations from your professors if possible. 

Your Grades 

You do not have to be a straight A student to get into veterinary school but you do need to have good grades. Most schools require a grade point average of 3.0 (a B average). You do not have to have a bachelor's degree before you apply for veterinary school but you should have 60-90 hours of coursework already completed which is two to three years of attending college full time. Some colleges offer a pre-veterinary bachelor degree that can ensure you that you have the courses you need. You should check with your chosen veterinary school to see what tests the school requires for admission. Some want Graduate Record Examination (GRE) tests and some want them in specific subjects like biology. Other schools will require that you take the MCAT which is the Medical College Admission Test.