College of Veterinary Medicine

Frequently Asked Question for High School Students

No. This program requires more preparation beyond high school. To be eligible for veterinary school, you must first take prerequisite courses at an accredited undergraduate institution.

Your first step is to meet with an undergraduate advisor about degree programs in their school/college and determine which best fits your interest. Ask yourself this question, "If I am not able to gain admission to veterinary medicine, what other career options interest me?" In other words, what is your back-up plan if veterinary medicine doesn't work out? Not everyone will be admitted into the DVM program. You should have other career alternatives in mind, just in case.

For applicants considering Purdue University for their undergraduate institution, we recommend that you contact Pre-Professional Advising in the Center for Career Opportunities. They will provide you the information you need to prepare for a career in veterinary medicine. You can contact them at: http://www.purdue.edu/preprofessional/.

No. Purdue has the only veterinary school within the State of Indiana; therefore, our mission is to serve the entire state. Applicants will be considered for our program as long as they have attended an accredited undergraduate college/university.

No. The required courses are very basic and are usually included in any major on the Purdue campus with the exception perhaps of liberal arts (and even there you may find ways to overlap pre-vet requirements with elective categories in their curricula). Many of the students on our campus enroll in the College of Agriculture (e.g. animal science, wildlife science, biochemistry, food sciences, etc.) Other students enroll as a biology major in the College of Science. Occasionally someone will be enrolled in pharmacy or engineering, etc.

We will accept AP credit for courses as long as the course is posted to a collegiate academic transcript and clearly indicates for what subject matter credit is received (e.g. "calculus" is specific as to course, "math" is not). Keep in mind that there are some dangers in using AP credit to bypass beginning coursework on campus. You should discuss your particular situation with your academic advisor.

No. For our purposes we will consider your academic performance at the collegiate level in your undergraduate program. Your high school academic performance is important when first applying to the university in your undergraduate program.

  • Access to quality academic advising
  • Participation in the Pre-Vet club
  • Opportunities to volunteer for hands on experiences in community practice, neo-natal foal team, colic team, etc
  • Networking with other pre-vet and veterinary medical students and faculty.

No. You may apply after you finish the required coursework; however, statistics indicate the majority of both resident and non-resident students gain admission after four years of study.

4 years. This is after you have completed the 2-3 years of undergraduate required coursework that lays the foundation needed for success in our program.

The best analogy that clarifies these professions is that the DVM program prepares you to be a doctor and veterinary nursing prepares you to be the nurse. Please note: the veterinary nursing program is not a stepping stone to be a veterinarian.

There are three students to every one instructor.

Animal Experience includes 4-H animal projects, livestock farms, humane societies, zoos, kennel work, racetracks--any activity that allows you to gain hands-on experience in working with animals in general. This does not include family pets. It's advisable to keep a journal of your activities. Include dates, times, types of activities, who supervised, etc.

These are activities or tasks supervised by a veterinarian.

Not everyone can or will be admitted to the professional program. All applicants need to explore other career alternatives and establish a back-up plan.