Prospective Students

No preference is given for any particular undergraduate major. Any undergraduate major will qualify for application as long as the prospective applicant has fulfilled all CVM prerequisites (see academic and non-academic criteria). Applicants are encouraged to develop a plan for an alternate career. It is strongly recommended that applicants pursue a bachelor’s degree in a desired field in the event they are not accepted into a DVM program, rather than concentrating on a major solely with an eye toward gaining entry into the DVM program.

While lower division prerequisite courses may be taken at a community/junior college, upper division coursework must be completed at a four-year institution. If you do choose to or currently attend a community/junior college, be sure to get in touch with a transfer advisor to make sure all credits you complete will be transferable to the four-year institution and/or professional program.

No, what is more important is your success in your academic program. The committee will review the rigor of the program and its courses, as well as the rigor of an applicant’s schedule at a given period of time. Some schools do offer more or less rigorous programs and this should be considered by prospective students.

Four years of study are required in the professional program to obtain a DVM degree, regardless of the number of years spent in pre-professional or pre-veterinary preparation.

No. While we prefer that applicants have a majority of all required coursework completed at the time of application, pending coursework may be completed throughout the application process. However, all required coursework must be completed prior to starting the DVM program, if admitted.

Some prerequisite equivalency information can be found at https://webapps.wsu.edu/ais/myinfoservices/darwintce. You should also check with your academic advisor (from the institution where the courses were taken). If you are still unable to determine equivalency, you can contact the WSU CVM admissions program coordinator for assistance. You will need to provide an unofficial transcript, as well as a course description and syllabus. Keep in mind there are periods of time when these requests will not be fielded as quickly due to admissions processing.

No. Qualified students have been accepted from academic institutions around the world. A student’s state of residency is a consideration, however. Of the 95–99 seats in a given year, ~60 will be filled by Washington state residents, 11 by Idaho state residents, and the remaining seats are offered to a combination of WICHE-funded and out-of-area students.

No. Tracking curricula, in which students are asked to identify species and/or discipline interests very early on in their veterinary education, carry the advantage of efficiency, but this benefit is outweighed by some distinct disadvantages. Our DVM curriculum is designed to provide our graduates with a core knowledge base, meaning that each graduate leaves the DVM program with the knowledge they need to function as an entry-level veterinarian across the full range of domestic species. Students are able to enhance their preparation in specific areas of interest by taking various electives  and participating in off campus experiences.

The WSU program is committed to assisting students who have disabilities with reasonable accommodations. Students with concerns should contact the WSU Disability Resource Center.

The program is sincerely interested in and committed to recruiting and admitting a highly-qualified, diverse student body. In keeping with this commitment, the Admissions Committee seeks to select students who are racially, ethnically, and experientially diverse.

To begin, you should verify if you have fulfilled any of the prerequisites or determine which courses you need to take. You should also build your experience hours, if you have not already. If you have not taken the GRE, or it has been more than five years since you took the test, you should study for and take the exam. Since each non-traditional student’s situation is unique, we encourage you to contact Miguel Inzunza, Student Services Specialist/Recruiter at minzunza@vetmed.wsu.edu

Entering classes for the past five years have included approximately 80% women and 20% men.

No. We do not accept any substitutions for the general GRE exam.

Yes. WSU will consider the highest score per section from exams taken within the five year period.

Yes, if they are relevant to one of the application sections. Many applicants will participate in service activities, national & international mission work and gain other life experience from participation in a belief system. Applicants should feel welcome to include this information where appropriate.

These evaluations help no more than those from any other individual. Generally, the best evaluations are written by people who know the applicant well enough to provide candid and detailed information about his/her technical and non-technical abilities.

YES, DEFINITELY! Can I reapply if I don't get accepted to vet school? Yes. The average student accepted into the WSU CVM program has applied 1.76 times. If you are not successful with your application, you may request an evaluation of your application materials from the Director of Admissions before May 15th. Remember that you must submit a new application for each admission cycle.

Yes. Applications are not carried over from year to year, so if you are unsuccessful and wish to be reconsidered for admission in a different year, you must submit a completely new VMCAS application, WSU supplemental application, as well as all new supporting materials (such as GRE scores, transcripts, evaluations, etc.).

Transfer is possible if open seats are available in the corresponding WSU DVM class. When you accept a veterinary program position, you should be prepared to remain in that program for its entirety as transferring is not a guarantee. If you are still interested in trying to pursue a potential transfer to WSU, you can contact Miguel Inzunza, Student Services Specialist/Recruiter, minzunza@vetmed.wsu.edu   for the WSU CVM transfer request policy and information.

No. There are three Vet Tech programs in the state of Washington: Yakima Valley Community College, Pima Medical Institute and Pierce College. See National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVTA)

Visit www.vetmed.wsu.edu/prospectiveStudents/careers.aspx, write to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1931 North Meacham Road, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4360, or visit http://www.avma.org/animal_health/brochures/career_information.asp.

With a true four-season climate, there is excellent outdoor recreation available ranging from hiking, renowned golf courses, and whitewater rafting to mountain biking and both water and snow skiing, as well as theater and arts. Pullman is also home to the National Lentil Festival, the Chipman Trail (an 8+ mile paved trail that connects the communities of Pullman and Moscow, Idaho), and Ferdinand’s (known for delicious ice cream and world-famous award-winning Cougar Gold cheese). WSU features lectures by public figures such as Tom Brokaw and Jane Goodall, art exhibits by Roy Lichtenstein, and performances on campus by top entertainers such as Elton John, Jay Leno, Dierks Bentley, Mercy Me, Taylor Swift, and Everclear.

A high school student should follow a solid college preparatory course, including English, mathematics, sciences (particularly biology, chemistry, and physics), and social sciences.