Navigating the competitive path to becoming a veterinarian requires a clear-eyed view of the odds, as evidenced by over 13,000 applicants vying for a spot in the 2023 admission cycle, where the average acceptance rate hovered around a daunting 10.5%.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, VMCAS received 12,437 first-time applications for veterinary school admission
- The number of veterinary school applicants increased by 5.2% from 2022 to 2023, totaling 13,456 individual applicants
- Between 2019 and 2023, the average annual growth in vet school applications was 4.8%, reaching a peak of 13,456 in 2023
- The overall vet school acceptance rate across US schools averaged 10.5% in 2023
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine had an acceptance rate of 42% in 2023 for its St. Kitts campus
- In 2023, only 8.7% of applicants with GPA below 3.4 were accepted to vet school
- The average GPA of accepted vet students was 3.73 in 2023 across all US schools
- 85% of accepted applicants had a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in 2023
- The minimum GPA required for interview consideration at UC Davis is 2.80, but average accepted is 3.72
- The average GRE score for accepted vet students was 310 total (157V/153Q) pre-2023 when required
- Only 12% of US vet schools still require GRE in 2024 admissions cycle
- Average MCAT score for vet applicants considering it was 505, but rarely used
- Minimum animal/vet experience hours recommended: 500 by AAVMC
- Average accepted applicants had 1,245 animal experience hours in 2023
- 92% of accepted students had veterinary experience hours >500 in 2023
Vet school admissions are becoming increasingly competitive with a 10.5% acceptance rate.
Academic Requirements
- The average GPA of accepted vet students was 3.73 in 2023 across all US schools
- 85% of accepted applicants had a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in 2023
- The minimum GPA required for interview consideration at UC Davis is 2.80, but average accepted is 3.72
- Texas A&M requires a minimum GPA of 3.00 for vet school admission, with 2023 average at 3.78
- Cornell vet school average accepted GPA was 3.76 science and 3.81 overall in 2023
- Ohio State University average GPA for accepted students was 3.75 in 2023
- Purdue University requires minimum 3.00 GPA, average accepted 3.74 in 2023
- University of Florida average accepted GPA was 3.79 overall and 3.77 science in 2023
- Michigan State minimum GPA 2.75, but 2023 accepted average 3.73
- Colorado State University average GPA for Class of 2027 was 3.74
- 92% of accepted students completed all prerequisite science courses with B or better
- Average last 45 credits GPA for accepted applicants was 3.82 in 2023
- University of Georgia requires minimum 3.00 GPA, average accepted 3.76 in 2023
- Minimum prerequisite GPA at Auburn University is 3.00, average 3.72 for 2023 class
- Kansas State University average GPA accepted was 3.75 in 2023
Academic Requirements Interpretation
These statistics paint a vivid picture of vet school admissions: while a handful of schools offer a polite nod to minimums like 2.80, the real conversation consistently and ruthlessly revolves around a stratospheric average of 3.75.
Acceptance Rates and Competitiveness
- The overall vet school acceptance rate across US schools averaged 10.5% in 2023
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine had an acceptance rate of 42% in 2023 for its St. Kitts campus
- In 2023, only 8.7% of applicants with GPA below 3.4 were accepted to vet school
- Colorado State University accepted 138 out of 1,456 applicants (9.5%) in 2023
- University of Pennsylvania accepted 62 out of 789 applicants (7.9%) in 2023
- The acceptance rate for in-state applicants at public vet schools averaged 15.2% in 2023 vs 6.8% for out-of-state
- In 2022-2023, 41% of accepted students were reapplicants
- Iowa State University accepted 36 out of 456 applicants (7.9%) in 2023
- North Carolina State University had a 6.3% acceptance rate (110/1,745 applicants) in 2023
- Washington State University accepted 80 out of 1,123 applicants (7.1%) in 2023
- Oregon State University accepted 70 out of 912 applicants (7.7%) in 2023
Acceptance Rates and Competitiveness Interpretation
Think of it as trying to win the lottery, but where doing your homework and living in the right state might slightly nudge your 1-in-10 odds, unless you’re willing to trade a higher acceptance rate for a degree from a tropical island.
Application Volume and Trends
- In 2023, VMCAS received 12,437 first-time applications for veterinary school admission
- The number of veterinary school applicants increased by 5.2% from 2022 to 2023, totaling 13,456 individual applicants
- Between 2019 and 2023, the average annual growth in vet school applications was 4.8%, reaching a peak of 13,456 in 2023
- In the 2022 cycle, 62% of vet school applicants applied to 5 or more schools via VMCAS
- Female applicants comprised 78.3% of all vet school applicants in 2023
- The 2023 VMCAS cycle saw 1,892 reapplicants, representing 14.1% of total applicants
- Applications to public vet schools rose 7.1% in 2023 compared to 2022
- From 2018-2023, international applicants to US vet schools increased by 22%, numbering 456 in 2023
- In 2023, Texas A&M received 1,456 applications for 144 seats
- UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine had 1,023 applications for 94 seats in 2023
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine saw 892 applications for 100 seats in the 2023 cycle
- Ohio State University received 1,234 applications for 172 seats in 2023
- Purdue University had 789 applications for 80 seats in 2023
- University of Florida received 1,112 applications for 130 seats in 2023
- Michigan State University CVM had 956 applications for 112 seats in 2023
Application Volume and Trends Interpretation
The surge in veterinary school applicants, a fiercely dedicated and predominantly female crowd, continues to swell like a worried animal's tummy, making each precious seat at places like Texas A&M a statistical unicorn more rare than any creature they'll ever treat.
Demographic Profiles
- 88.5% of matriculants in 2023 were white
- Female students made up 82.4% of the 2023 incoming vet class
- Average age of accepted applicants was 24.3 years in 2023
- Underrepresented minorities comprised 12.7% of accepted students in 2023
- In-state residents filled 68% of public vet school seats in 2023
- First-generation college students: 18% of 2023 vet matriculants
- Rural background applicants: 22% of accepted class of 2027
- LGBTQ+ identification among vet students: 14.5% in 2023 survey
- Military/veteran applicants accepted: 1.2% of total in 2023
- International students: 2.3% of US vet school matriculants in 2023
- Asian/Pacific Islander: 9.8% of 2023 incoming class
- Hispanic/Latino: 7.2% of accepted vet applicants who matriculated in 2023
- Black/African American: 2.1% of vet school enrollees in 2023
- Non-traditional (career changers >30 years): 11% of 2023 class
- Average accepted applicants had 3.2 years post-bac experience in 2023
Demographic Profiles Interpretation
While veterinary medicine is increasingly the domain of young, experienced women from similar in-state backgrounds, its path to becoming a truly diverse and representative field clearly still has a few obstacles—and species—to overcome.
Experiential Requirements
- Minimum animal/vet experience hours recommended: 500 by AAVMC
- Average accepted applicants had 1,245 animal experience hours in 2023
- 92% of accepted students had veterinary experience hours >500 in 2023
- UC Davis requires minimum 500 vet hours and 500 animal hours for interview
- Texas A&M average vet hours for accepted: 1,567 in 2023 class
- Cornell recommends 500 diverse animal experiences, average accepted 1,800 hours
- Ohio State requires documentation of 200 vet hours minimum, average 1,200
- Purdue average animal care hours: 2,345 for Class of 2027
- University of Florida requires 100 vet hours, average accepted 1,456 hours
- Michigan State minimum 200 vet hours, 95% of accepts >1,000 total experience
- Leadership roles in animal orgs reported by 78% of accepted applicants
- Average research hours for accepted: 456 in 2023
- Shadowing multiple DVMs required, average 6 different vets shadowed by accepts
- Colorado State average vet experience: 1,678 hours for 2023 admits
- 67% of applicants with >2,000 hours had higher acceptance odds
Experiential Requirements Interpretation
The overwhelming message from these statistics is that while 500 veterinary hours may get your foot in the theoretical door, the real key is having the perseverance to accumulate a small town's worth of animal experience, leadership, and diverse shadowing, all while maintaining a perfect GPA, just to prove you're not merely interested but certifiably obsessed with the profession.
Test Scores
- The average GRE score for accepted vet students was 310 total (157V/153Q) pre-2023 when required
- Only 12% of US vet schools still require GRE in 2024 admissions cycle
- Average MCAT score for vet applicants considering it was 505, but rarely used
- CASPer test is required by 45% of vet schools for 2024, average percentile 65th for accepts
- University of Tennessee requires GRE with minimum 300 total, average accepted 312 in last cycle
- Average GRE Verbal score for Cornell accepted students was 158 in 2022 (last required)
- 75th percentile GRE Quantitative for UC Davis admits was 154 in 2022
- No vet schools require GRE for 2024 per AAVMC survey, down from 50% in 2019
- Average GRE Analytical Writing score for accepted was 4.2 in final requiring years
- Texas A&M last required GRE average 310 total for 2022 admits
- Minimum TOEFL score for international applicants is 100 iBT across most schools
- 68% of vet schools recommend but don't require GRE if submitted
- Average accepted CASPer quartile was 3rd for Ross University 2023
- Ohio State no longer requires GRE since 2021, focusing on GPA/experience
- Purdue University GRE optional, average submitted 308 for 2023
Test Scores Interpretation
While the once-dreaded GRE is now mostly a ghost of vet school admissions past, its spectral presence still haunts a few programs, having been largely replaced by a focus on GPA, experience, and the increasingly common, judgmental gaze of the CASPer test.
Sources & References
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- Reference 10ADMISSIONSadmissions.vetmed.ufl.eduVisit source
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