Vet School GPA: How Do Grades Affect Your Acceptance Odds?

Published On: December 3, 20215 min readCategories: Vet School
ombination of veterinary students working with farm animals and a prospective student working on applications.

As you begin preparing to apply for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs, you’re probably curious about vet school GPA requirements. This is certainly an important element of your overall vet school application, but it’s hardly the only thing selection committees evaluate. Veterinary schools even consider your grades in a few different ways.

Join us as we take a closer look at how your GPA might affect your odds of vet school acceptance. You’ll soon see its only part of the picture.

What should you know about vet school GPA standards?

Veterinary medicine programs have to start somewhere when evaluating applicants. Beginning with a prospect’s GPA makes a lot of sense. “It helps to objectively sort through candidates,” explains Dr. Rory Lubold, CEO and founder of Paion Veterinary Group.

It’s also important to note that vet school GPA standards are generally stricter for vet school prerequisite courses. Since veterinary school is heavily science-based, admissions committees want to select applicants who’ve demonstrated they can handle the material. Even among prerequisites, courses like organic chemistry and biochemistry may be evaluated a bit more closely.

“They represent challenging classes with more abstract thinking,” Dr. Lubold explains.

That said, veterinary schools have begun to realize things like GPA and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores can only say so much about an applicant. Dr. Keith Webb, owner of Pet Doctor, says academic metrics only account for half of what selection committees consider.

“The other 50 percent is dependent upon your experience with animals, other types of club involvement, how active you are in community service, and then your interview process,” he explains.

Why the shift? Dr. Lubold points out not every college has the same expectations. One student might have a slightly lower GPA than another simply because they attended a more rigorous undergraduate program. Vet schools are also starting to recognize that other skills are equally important and that some students may have lower grades due to a demanding work schedule.

What else stands out to selection committees?

1. Vast and varied experience

You may wonder how many hours of experience you need to apply to vet school. There isn’t an exact answer. Every program varies, with some listing requirements and others offering suggestions. Vet schools also require both animal experience and activities that involve working directly with a veterinarian. On top of that, selection committees really want to see that applicants have been exposed to multiple veterinary careers.

“A competitive applicant will also have some emergency training, large animal work, zoo or wildlife interests, or have spent time in a research setting,” Dr. Lubold says.

You should make sure you’re acquiring true hands-on experience with animals as well. It’s the best way to get a feel for what it’s like to practice veterinary medicine.

“It’s one thing to have book knowledge,” Dr. Webb offers. “It’s another to actually have hands-on experience and really know this profession is for you.”


 

2. Great communication skills

Loving animals is a given for anyone considering becoming a veterinarian. But you might be surprised to know that being able to work well with other people is just as important.

“Communication skills are becoming a significant focus in veterinary medicine,” Dr. Lubold says. He adds that it’s really a people business because there’s so much interaction with pet owners.

There are a few ways you can prove you’re a good communicator. The most obvious one is representing yourself well during vet school interviews. While not every program includes an interview component, those that do see them as incredibly valuable.

“These conversations are a pivotal point in showing that the candidate is not just a name on paper with good grades,” Dr. Lubold notes.

Given that more and more schools are moving away from interviews, it’s likely you’ll apply to some that don’t include a formal Q&A. It’s still possible to demonstrate you understand how to express yourself when speaking. You just need to make sure you choose the right people to compose your letters of recommendation.

“If you can’t actually meet with the selection committee, all you can do is rely on other people to vouch for you,” Dr. Webb says.

3. Other passions and strengths

While it might have once seemed admirable to be somewhat of a bookworm, vet schools have a different perspective these days. They’re looking for students who have other interests and are involved in areas outside veterinary medicine.

“They’re looking for well-rounded people,” Dr. Webb explains.

This is actually good news because it means you can give your application a boost by pursuing things you’re already interested in. Just think about what appeals to you.

“Taking an active interest in humanitarian projects, business classes, biomedical research, and other areas can be important ways to stand out against a sea of candidates,” Dr. Lubold says.

Even getting involved in athletics can help set you apart. Participating in team sports demonstrates you have a strong work ethic and can work well with others, which are appealing attributes according to Dr. Webb.

Discover how you can stand out

You’ll certainly need to keep vet school GPA expectations in mind as you get closer to applying. After all, programs will always want to know students have what it takes to succeed in a rigorous academic setting. But it’s also clear there are many other factors that go into a strong application. You especially need to make sure you gain plenty of exposure to veterinary medicine.

Figuring out how to gain relevant experience can be intimidating if you’re just getting started. How do you find opportunities? What types of experiences should you target? Find out how to get started by reading our article “How to Gain Veterinary Work Experience for Your School Applications.”

ombination of veterinary students working with farm animals and a prospective student working on applications.

Vet School GPA: How Do Grades Affect Your Acceptance Odds?

As you begin preparing to apply for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs, you’re probably curious about vet school GPA requirements. This is certainly an important element of your overall vet school application, but it’s hardly the only thing selection committees evaluate. Veterinary schools even consider your grades in a few different ways.

Join us as we take a closer look at how your GPA might affect your odds of vet school acceptance. You’ll soon see its only part of the picture.

What should you know about vet school GPA standards?

Veterinary medicine programs have to start somewhere when evaluating applicants. Beginning with a prospect’s GPA makes a lot of sense. “It helps to objectively sort through candidates,” explains Dr. Rory Lubold, CEO and founder of Paion Veterinary Group.

It’s also important to note that vet school GPA standards are generally stricter for vet school prerequisite courses. Since veterinary school is heavily science-based, admissions committees want to select applicants who’ve demonstrated they can handle the material. Even among prerequisites, courses like organic chemistry and biochemistry may be evaluated a bit more closely.

“They represent challenging classes with more abstract thinking,” Dr. Lubold explains.

That said, veterinary schools have begun to realize things like GPA and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores can only say so much about an applicant. Dr. Keith Webb, owner of Pet Doctor, says academic metrics only account for half of what selection committees consider.

“The other 50 percent is dependent upon your experience with animals, other types of club involvement, how active you are in community service, and then your interview process,” he explains.

Why the shift? Dr. Lubold points out not every college has the same expectations. One student might have a slightly lower GPA than another simply because they attended a more rigorous undergraduate program. Vet schools are also starting to recognize that other skills are equally important and that some students may have lower grades due to a demanding work schedule.

What else stands out to selection committees?

1. Vast and varied experience

You may wonder how many hours of experience you need to apply to vet school. There isn’t an exact answer. Every program varies, with some listing requirements and others offering suggestions. Vet schools also require both animal experience and activities that involve working directly with a veterinarian. On top of that, selection committees really want to see that applicants have been exposed to multiple veterinary careers.

“A competitive applicant will also have some emergency training, large animal work, zoo or wildlife interests, or have spent time in a research setting,” Dr. Lubold says.

You should make sure you’re acquiring true hands-on experience with animals as well. It’s the best way to get a feel for what it’s like to practice veterinary medicine.

“It’s one thing to have book knowledge,” Dr. Webb offers. “It’s another to actually have hands-on experience and really know this profession is for you.”


 

2. Great communication skills

Loving animals is a given for anyone considering becoming a veterinarian. But you might be surprised to know that being able to work well with other people is just as important.

“Communication skills are becoming a significant focus in veterinary medicine,” Dr. Lubold says. He adds that it’s really a people business because there’s so much interaction with pet owners.

There are a few ways you can prove you’re a good communicator. The most obvious one is representing yourself well during vet school interviews. While not every program includes an interview component, those that do see them as incredibly valuable.

“These conversations are a pivotal point in showing that the candidate is not just a name on paper with good grades,” Dr. Lubold notes.

Given that more and more schools are moving away from interviews, it’s likely you’ll apply to some that don’t include a formal Q&A. It’s still possible to demonstrate you understand how to express yourself when speaking. You just need to make sure you choose the right people to compose your letters of recommendation.

“If you can’t actually meet with the selection committee, all you can do is rely on other people to vouch for you,” Dr. Webb says.

3. Other passions and strengths

While it might have once seemed admirable to be somewhat of a bookworm, vet schools have a different perspective these days. They’re looking for students who have other interests and are involved in areas outside veterinary medicine.

“They’re looking for well-rounded people,” Dr. Webb explains.

This is actually good news because it means you can give your application a boost by pursuing things you’re already interested in. Just think about what appeals to you.

“Taking an active interest in humanitarian projects, business classes, biomedical research, and other areas can be important ways to stand out against a sea of candidates,” Dr. Lubold says.

Even getting involved in athletics can help set you apart. Participating in team sports demonstrates you have a strong work ethic and can work well with others, which are appealing attributes according to Dr. Webb.

Discover how you can stand out

You’ll certainly need to keep vet school GPA expectations in mind as you get closer to applying. After all, programs will always want to know students have what it takes to succeed in a rigorous academic setting. But it’s also clear there are many other factors that go into a strong application. You especially need to make sure you gain plenty of exposure to veterinary medicine.

Figuring out how to gain relevant experience can be intimidating if you’re just getting started. How do you find opportunities? What types of experiences should you target? Find out how to get started by reading our article “How to Gain Veterinary Work Experience for Your School Applications.”