Every application cycle, I meet students who are working incredibly hard but still feel unsure about one important question:
“Am I actually ready to submit my application?”
If that’s how you’re feeling, you’re not alone.
The veterinary school application process has a lot of moving parts. Between prerequisites, experience hours, essays, recommendations, and school selection, it’s easy to overlook something important.
That’s why I put together this checklist.
Before you hit submit, here are the areas I believe every vet school applicant should review.
One of the biggest mistakes I see students make is choosing schools based solely on location, rankings, or where their friends are applying.
Instead, ask yourself:
Do I meet this school’s prerequisite requirements?
Is my GPA competitive for this program?
Does this school value the experiences and strengths I bring as an applicant?
Have I researched their admissions process?
Not every veterinary school evaluates applicants the same way.
A strong school list can significantly improve your chances of success.
Take a realistic look at your academics.
Ask yourself:
What is my overall GPA?
What is my science GPA?
What is my prerequisite GPA?
Have my grades improved over time?
Are there any academic weaknesses I should be prepared to explain?
Remember, admissions committees evaluate your entire academic story, not just a single number.
Apply to schools that love your strength.
Many students have more valuable experience than they realize.
Make sure you’ve accurately documented:
Veterinary experience
Animal experience
Employment
Volunteer work
Leadership roles
Research experience
Extracurricular activities
The Hidden Power of Non-Vet Extracurriculars
·
May 19, 2025
While Veterinary Experience (hours working or volunteering with a vet present) is important, and often a requirement, Non-Veterinary Extracurriculars can really make your Vet School Application well-rounded and show them who you are.
Don’t assume something isn’t important.
Often, experiences that seem ordinary to you help demonstrate qualities admissions committees value.
Your essays should do more than answer a prompt.
They should help admissions committees understand:
Why you want to become a veterinarian
What experiences have shaped you
How you’ve overcome challenges
What you’ll contribute to the profession
One of the biggest mistakes I see is students writing essays that sound like resumes in paragraph form.
Your essays should help readers understand the person behind the application.
A recommendation letter should provide meaningful insight into who you are as a student, employee, future veterinarian, and person.
Ask yourself:
Do my recommenders know me well?
Can they speak specifically about my strengths?
Have I given them enough time to write a thoughtful letter?
Strong letters often come from strong relationships.
Letters of Rec... some tips and tricks
·
April 7, 2025
This week, just a few little tips about asking for Letters of Recommendation: when to ask, who to ask, and how to get them to fight for you.
Every applicant has strengths.
Every applicant has weaknesses.
The goal is not perfection.
The goal is awareness.
Ask yourself:
“What is the biggest thing that could make an admissions committee hesitate?”
Once you’ve identified that area, you can develop a plan to address it.
Many students don’t think about interviews until they receive an invitation.
I recommend preparing much earlier.
Interview preparation isn’t about memorizing answers.
It’s about becoming comfortable discussing your experiences, goals, and motivations with confidence.
(hit this up for help!)
This might be the most important item on the checklist.
Stop comparing yourself to other applicants.
Social media often creates the illusion that everyone else has perfect grades, thousands of hours of experience, and a flawless application.
That isn’t reality.
Focus on building the strongest application you can submit.
That’s what matters.
The students who struggle most are often the ones trying to figure everything out alone.
There is nothing wrong with asking questions.
There is nothing wrong with seeking guidance.
In fact, it can save you time, money, and unnecessary stress.
Sometimes a single conversation can help you identify opportunities and mistakes you would never have noticed on your own.
There is no such thing as a perfect vet school application.
Every applicant has strengths.
Every applicant has weaknesses.
The goal isn’t perfection.
The goal is submitting the strongest, most strategic application possible.
If you’ve worked through this checklist and still aren’t sure where you stand, that’s completely normal.
That’s exactly why I work one-on-one with students: to help them identify opportunities, avoid costly mistakes, and move through the admissions process with confidence.
You don’t have to navigate this process alone.
See what my students say here. 80% of them get in.
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