What are the Prerequisites for Veterinary Schools?

Getting into veterinary school can be as difficult as passing the classes. There is a lot of competition for veterinary school. Admission is based on many factors such as any fieldwork you have done with animals, grades, prerequisite courses, test scores and the kind of leadership capabilities you have presented. Each school has different requirements as to prerequisites needed for entry. 

Academics

The majority of veterinary schools request 60-90 semester hours of completed course work. This is about two or three years of full-time college. A B average, or a 3.0, is required by most schools. Check with the school you are considering about what kind of admission test you need to take. Some require specific tests like the Biology GRE (Graduate Record Examination). Other schools want a basic GRE test and some want MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) results instead of a GRE test. Some colleges offer a pre-veterinary bachelor's degree which can be helpful if you want to attend veterinary school. 

Required Courses

Every veterinary school will be a little different in what courses they require. Veterinary schools like to see courses in physics, organic chemistry, general or inorganic chemistry, microbiology, general biology, English composition, math, statistics, speech, social sciences, humanities and challenging electives. Any science course that you take should have lab work. The better the college you attend prior to applying for veterinary school, the better the veterinary school you will be able to attend. 

Fieldwork

It is important to have at least some experience working with animals when applying for veterinary school. Any kind of work with animals will count as experience. Volunteering at a shelter, working in a zoo or being with 4H clubs can all count as good experience. Working with a veterinarian is an excellent way to gain experience. The more experience you have to add to your resume the better and it is a good idea to have leadership experience if you can get it. You will need to get letters of recommendation from either those who you worked under or from professors in order to apply.