Early Admission Program

Early Admission scholars are selected on the basis of veterinary and animal experience, high school GPA, extracurricular activities, community service, a letter of intent, references and an on-campus interview.

The application for the Early Admission Program is open between August 1 and February 1 each year. The application should be completed during the senior year of high school. Following an application review, selected qualified candidates are invited to an interview virtually mid-March and decisions will be communicated by the Admissions Committee by the end of March each year.

While in high school, those interested in veterinary medicine should take college preparatory courses with an emphasis in the sciences and mathematics, and should work towards a strong background in oral and written communication. In addition to an interest in the sciences, candidates should also enjoy working with people and have a compassion for the health and welfare of both animals and humans. We advise candidates to become acquainted with several areas of practice, as well as how veterinarians work in industry, public health and research. Experience in these fields can be gained by shadowing, volunteering, or working for local veterinarians, animal shelters, practitioners and other related environments.

The deadline for completing the online application is February 1 of the candidate’s senior year of high school, with interviews conducted in early March. Each applicant is required to request reference evaluations from three individuals; a veterinarian, a high school counselor and an employer are preferred. References should be familiar with the applicant, their work ethic and their desire to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Additionally, applicants are asked to write a comprehensive letter of intent describing their experiences, aspirations, why they wish to become a veterinarian and why they would be a competitive candidate for the Early Admission Program. The applicant will also be asked to list and describe their animal, veterinary and work-related experiences, as well as their volunteer and extracurricular activities and involvement.

Completed Applications Include:

• Biography Section, completed in full
• Letter of Intent (500 word limit)
• Resume
• Applicants must have a minimum ACT composite score of 29, based on the English, Reading, and Math sections.
  • A minimum score of 29 on the ACT Science section is also required if reported separately.
  • However, an ACT composite score of 29 or higher that includes a science score will be accepted, even if the science sub-score is below 29.
    
  • The ACT Writing section is optional.
• An SAT score equivalent to an ACT composite score of 29 will also be accepted. Applicants submitting SAT scores are not required to provide an ACT Science score, as scientific reasoning is assessed within other SAT sections.
• Contact Information for Three References must be provided on the Early Admission application. (First and Last Name, E-Mail Address)
  • It is recommended references submit letters to the application by January 15 so applicant can submit entire application before the deadline of February 1.
  • The references will receive an email through the Early Admission Application with instructions on uploading a letter of reference to the candidate's application. Reference letters must be received from the references through the online application.
  • The candidate and the reference will both receive an email notification once the College of Veterinary Medicine, through the online application, receives each individual reference letter.
  • Required References include:
    • Veterinarian
    • High School Counselor
    • Employer or Personal Reference (not related to applicant)
• High School Transcript
  • Applicants will be responsible for determining their high school’s preference for requesting a transcript.
  • The high school counselor listed in the reference section will be sent a link to upload the transcript.
• Once all materials have been successfully received and uploaded, the application must be completed and submitted by the applicant.
• Experience survey
  • Once the full application is submitted, applicants will receive a link to an experience survey which must be submitted by February 3. The survey is only available to those applicants who have a completed and submitted application.

Successful candidates must maintain a minimum cumulative 3.3 GPA for the 35 hours of science pre-requisite coursework. All science pre-requisite courses must be completed at K-State. All other pre-requisite courses can be completed at Kansas State University or any other accredited institution. Early Admit scholars must satisfactorily complete all pre-requisite courses by the end of the Spring semester prior to starting in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program the following Fall semester.

Early Admit scholars, as undergraduates prior to enrolling in the DVM program, are required to:

• Complete the VMCAS application and pay fee
  
• Complete the K-State Supplemental Application and pay fee

The K-State Supplemental Application will be available for completion from approximately mid-May to mid-September prior to the Fall semester in which they intend on enrolling in the DVM program.

Starting with the Early Admit scholars that began their undergraduate tenure in the Fall 2019 semester, additional requirements must be completed in order to remain eligible for eventual entry into the professional DVM program. The additional requirements are designed to provide the opportunity for students in the Early Admission Program to gain equivalent preparation prior to entering the veterinary curriculum to those applicants entering through the traditional route of application. For information on the requirements to remain in the program, the VSEA Requirements are available for review.