Academic Preparation
Standardized Tests
Our admissions process does not use GREs, MCATs, and the CASPer test. They are not required.
Experience
Veterinary medical experience is highly recommended, and the Admissions Committee looks for both breadth and depth. Non-veterinary animal experience is also valued. You are welcome to list any experiences dating back as far as you wish in your application.
Veterinary Experience
Experiences in veterinary practice, veterinary or biomedical research, public health, or other areas of the profession under the supervision of a veterinarian or research scientist are highly desirable. Competitive applicants normally have two or more areas of veterinary or veterinary and animal experiences (e.g., small animal, large animal, research, food animal, production, exotic, aquatic, wildlife, zoological medicine, etc.) with substantial depth of experience in at least one area.
We do not have a minimum number of hours, but we will look for an understanding of the profession and what you have learned and gained from the experience(s).
Animal Experience
Animal experience can include working with livestock, breeding or showing various species, working at a zoo, aquarium, or pet shop, or volunteering at an animal shelter.
Other Achievements and Character
The Admissions Committee values research experience, community involvement, and any significant non-academic interests and abilities, as well as demonstrated characteristics of reliability, honesty, and dedication to service.
Evaluation Letters
Cornell requires three evaluation letters submitted through the VMCAS eLOR system:
One must come from a veterinarian.
One must come from your advisor or a faculty member who has taught you. They must be able to provide information about your academic abilities in college.
The third can be from someone of your choosing.
You may submit up to six evaluation letters in total. Applicants do not have to provide letters for each relevant experience they list. Guidelines for Evaluators to share with those writing you a letter to help guide their evaluation. We recommend you check with your evaluators to ensure they know the September deadline.
PreVet Tracker
Cornell PreVet Tracker is a free mobile iOS/Android app to record, track, update, and review veterinary-related experiences in one place. It reflects the details asked for in the VMCAS application. You can download the app to your iPhone or Android.
PreVet Tracker help page
Information for New York State Residents
New York residents must complete a New York State Residency Form. To be considered a New York resident, you must live in a permanent or principal home in the State of New York for the 12 months immediately before the expected enrollment date.
General Admissions
The form will be available online through your Cornell Tracking Page.
Transfer Students, Early Acceptance Pathway Applicants, and Accelerated BS/DVM Pathway Applicants
To receive an Application please email vet_admissions@cornell.edu. Include in the email if you are applying for Transfer or the Early Acceptance Pathway. Accelerated BS/DVM Pathway applicants will work directly with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty to start the process to receive an application. As always, questions can be directed to the above email.
Information for Re-Applicants
Cornell's veterinary application process is very competitive. For some, gaining admission into the program could take a couple of application cycles. We encourage students to reapply and offer advice on strengthening a future application through virtual roundtables and individual advising appointments. If you are reapplying, you must complete the VMCAS application again (including the Cornell Supplemental section) and resubmit all supporting documents.
Post-Baccalaureate Students
Did you discover (or rediscover) your passion for a veterinary medicine career after achieving your four-year bachelor's degree?
What Courses Do You Need?
Check our requirements to see what courses you may be missing. You may need to return to college to gain your prerequisite courses to apply for admission.
If your courses are older than 10 years, you may
- need to retake specific courses (for example, organic chemistry, biochemistry, or an advanced life science course)
- take high-level courses in the subject areas (for example, take higher-level biology courses with labs instead of completing general biology again)
How Do You Achieve This?
Pre-Vet Programs
Some colleges and universities offer post-baccalaureate, pre-vet/pre-med programs. These programs provide the additional coursework needed to apply to a medical curriculum and often offer some advising.
Continuing Education Department
The continuing education department at your local college or university may offer the correct courses. Be sure to select courses that challenge you and fulfill all our requirements.
Information for High School Students
Preparing for your future at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine is never too early! Our veterinary students are interested in animals, science, and learning, and are strong academic achievers. As you go through your high school program, take a full course load that will prepare you for a rigorous college curriculum, especially in the sciences.
Advanced Placement (AP) Credit: What counts?
Chemistry and Physics, with a score of 4 or higher, will satisfy the General Chemistry and Physics prerequisite courses and credits, respectively. AP English and Biology will not.
However, AP English or AP Biology may help you skip freshman-level, introductory courses. This will allow you to take a year of upper-level courses, e.g. Biology courses with labs that fulfill our requirements in those areas.
Visit the College Board website to learn more about AP courses.
Suggested High School Courses
High School
Take all college preparatory courses in all major subjects, especially biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, trigonometry, statistics, environmental/earth science, and English. Computer science, history, and languages are also important. Take all at the highest level your high school offers. New York State students should earn a NYS Regents diploma.
College
You need at least 60 semester credits (the equivalent of two years of full-time study) to enter the program, as long as you have completed all the prerequisite credits and courses. This means you can enter the D.V.M. degree program as early as the end of your sophomore year in college, and a bachelor's degree is not required.
You can study any major, so choose one you enjoy if you gain all the required prerequisite courses. Most veterinary colleges require 10-12 college science courses.
Choosing a Four-Year College/University
When considering what college or university to apply and attend, remember to:
- Apply to the most competitive colleges where you believe you can gain acceptance.
- Consider your learning style, the majors available, the extracurricular activities, internship and research options, and any other activities that will make you a well-rounded student.
- The Admissions Committee will assign points to the college you attended based on its competitiveness. We measure the competitiveness based on Peterson's Guide to Four-Year Colleges ranking system. They then compare your college to those of other applicants.
Make sure to balance your academic and extracurricular life in college. Knowing how to prioritize school with your personal life and other activities is a good lesson to learn early in college. It will help you succeed in both gaining admission and doing well in our D.V.M. curriculum.
When to Apply to the D.V.M. Program?
- Most students start preparing their application during their junior year and submit it in the fall, when they are starting their senior year. For an overview of the process, visit our application timetable.
- Highly qualified students may apply in the spring of their sophomore year under our Early Acceptance pathway and enter the program after completing their third year of college.
- Some students may apply as early as the end of their freshman year, as long as they have the appropriate number of prerequisite credits and courses completed and a minimum of 30 semester credits in college.
Animal Experience
Although finding opportunities to volunteer or work for a veterinarian while in college may be easier, you should start getting animal experience as early as possible. During high school, you can:
- Volunteer at a zoo, a wildlife center, or a local shelter
- Help out at a humane society
- Work at a stable, cleaning or grooming horses, or a pet shop
- Participate in 4-H
Tips
Try to work with several animal species, not just cats and dogs. We value a diversity of experiences. Keep track of the hours of experience you gain.
Transcripts
We don't ask for high school transcripts or SAT scores. However, pay close attention to course choices, GPA, and studying for the SAT. This will allow you access to a larger selection of colleges, and choose one that will prepare you better for the D.V.M. program.
Things to remember:
- When you apply, you must send all your official college transcripts to VMCAS, and your AP Chemistry and/or Physics scores to us.
- For any college-level courses taken in high school, you must have the transcript sent in from the college that awarded the credits (not your high school transcript).
High School Summer Program
Learn about the profession through joining the Veterinary Explorations Program of the Precollege Studies. As a high school student, you can register for credit courses. Cornell's School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions offers this summer program. We recommend the following courses:
Other precollege studies courses of interest:
Strengthen Your Preparation for a Future Application
Sign up for an Admissions presentation and tour. We host them one Friday afternoon each month, from March to November. The visit is divided into two parts, each about one hour long: a presentation and a tour guided by a current D.V.M. student.
- Schedule an appointment with the Director of Admissions over the phone or Zoom. Please use this Bookings link (appointment details can be found under the 'i' info button). On-campus appointments (Tuesday-Friday only) can be made by calling 607.253.3700 and selecting Admissions.
- Sign up for a Pre-Vet or an Applicant Roundtable where you can learn more about how applications are reviewed and ways to strengthen a future application.
