Kansas State University

Early Admissions Program

Program Overview

The goal of the Early Admission Program is to recruit exceptional candidates for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine and provide unique experiences that guide students towards advanced clinical and research training to produce future leaders in veterinary medicine. 

Eligibility Requirements

High school seniors that have been admitted as an undergraduate student to Kansas State University with an interest in veterinary medicine and a 29 or above composite ACT score (or SAT equivalent) are eligible to apply. Students must currently be enrolled in high school and plan to attend Kansas State University in the Fall semester following their high school graduation. 

Selection Criteria

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. 

Application and Interviews

For those graduating high school in 2019, the Early Admission Program application is available until September 1, 2019. Interviews for the program will then take place middle to late September 2019. 

For those graduating high school in 2020, the Early Admission Program application is available between August 1, 2019 and February 1, 2020. Following a comprehensive application review, candidates are invited to interview on campus in early March. After all the interviews have been completed, candidates are then informed of the Admissions Committee’s decision by late March 2020. 

Program Preparation

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. 

Application Details

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
• Personal Statement (no more than 500 words)
• Resume
• ACT or SAT Exam Score Report
• Contact Information for Three References (First and Last Name, E-Mail Address)
  • Preferred References include:
    • Veterinarian
    • High School Counselor
    • Employer or Personal Reference (not related to applicant)
• The Office of Admissions will send the references an e-mail 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 e-mail notification once the College of Veterinary Medicine, through the online application, receives each individual reference letter.
• 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 uploaded, the application can be completed and submitted. 

Admission Criteria for the DVM Professional Program

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 K-State Supplemental Application
• Pay the Supplemental Application Fee
• Upload GRE (Graduate Record Examination) Scores 

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 begin 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 Admissions 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.