Admissions

The College of Veterinary Medicine considers for admission those students who possess the academic, professional, and personal qualities necessary for becoming exemplary veterinary professionals. Students seeking admission to the College must:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the veterinary medical profession.
2. Demonstrate service orientation through community service or extracurricular activities.
3. Have proper motivation for and commitment to the veterinary profession as demonstrated by previous compensated work, volunteer work, or other life experiences.
4. Possess the communication skills necessary to interact with patients, clients, and colleagues.
5. Pass the Midwestern University criminal background check.
6. Abide by Midwestern University's Drug- Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
7. Meet the technical standards for the college (see below).

Competitive Admissions

Within its competitive admissions framework, the College uses multiple criteria to select the most qualified, diverse group of candidates from the applicant pool. Applicants are evaluated and selected based on their academic achievements including coursework, relevant non-veterinary experience, veterinary experience, letters of recommendation, and interviews. It is advisable that applicants have significant veterinary, animal, research, or biomedical experience to strengthen their applications, but major accomplishments in any field are considered assets.

Rolling Admissions

CVM uses a rolling admissions process in which qualified applicants are reviewed, interviews are conducted, and selections are made at regular intervals during the admissions cycle.

Application Process

CVM uses the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). The VMCAS application is available online at www.aavmc.org. The VMCAS application cycle opens in January of each year. The VMCAS application deadline is generally mid-September.

In accordance with the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges acceptance deadline policy, students have until mid-April to finalize all admission decisions. Students may accept or reject an offer prior to this deadline. If a signed letter accepting admission and the required deposit are not received by the deadline, the offer of admission will be automatically withdrawn. Refer to the VCMAS website for specifics about the application process.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the CVM must submit documentation of the following:

1. Completion of prerequisite coursework or plans to complete the coursework prior to matriculation (confirmed by official transcripts).
   • Minimum science and minimum total cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
   • No grade lower than a C in any course will be accepted for credit.
   • Pass/fail and satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading is not acceptable in prerequisite science courses.
2. Completion of a combined minimum of 240 hours (6 weeks) in any of the following fields: veterinary medicine/veterinary practice, health science, biomedical research, or non-veterinary animal experience. Personal pet experiences are generally not included in the 240 hour (6 week) minimum. Students with additional hours of experience and a diversity of experiences will present stronger cases for admission.
3. Three letters of recommendation.
   • At least one of the letters must be from a veterinarian.
   • The other letters can be from other veterinarians or undergraduate science professors.
   • Letters written by family members are unacceptable.
   • Letters must be submitted by evaluators. Letters submitted by students are not accepted by the Office of Admissions.
4. Although not required, a bachelor's degree will make a candidate more competitive.
5. A minimum of 64 total semester hours/96 quarter hours.

Admission Prerequisites

Prerequisite Courses	Semester Hours	Quarter Hours
Biochemistry	3	4
Biology	8	12
General Chemistry with Lab	8	12
Organic Chemistry with Lab	8	12
Mathematics*	6	9
Physics with Lab	4	6
English Composition	6	9
Science Electives**	8	12

*Mathematics courses must be college algebra or higher; advanced placement math courses may be substituted for college courses.

**Science electives include cell biology, physiology, microbiology, genetics, animal nutrition, etc.

Interview and Selection Process

Applicants are responsible for tracking the receipt of their application materials and verifying the status of their application on the University website. Instructions for accessing application information on the University website will be sent to each applicant via email by the Office of Admissions. Applicants must keep the Office of Admissions informed of any changes in contact information.

The Midwestern University Office of Admissions will verify completed applications and will determine which applicants merit an further consideration based on criteria established by the CVM Admissions Committee. Interviews may be a required part of the process and are conducted on a rolling basis. The interview day will include an interview by a two-member panel, tour of the facilities, and an overview of the D.V.M. program. The Admissions Committee may recommend to accept the applicant, place the applicant on an alternate list, or deny the applicant admission to the College. Students will be notified of their status by the Office of Admissions.

Dual Admission Program

Selected students who have demonstrated the capacity to successfully manage course work for their primary academic degree may request to enroll in a second degree program. This can be developed in three different settings:

1. Students who are enrolled in one of the Midwestern University (MWU) master's degree programs and are accepted into a MWU doctoral degree program on the same campus may elect to complete the master's degree.
2. Students who wish to pursue a master's degree which is not offered at MWU (may include, but not be limited to MBA, MEd) should investigate information about their desired program and set up an appointment to discuss with a Dean's Office representative. Students have a number of options for institutions offering such degrees in the metropolitan area.
3. Students who wish to apply for a PhD program anywhere in the United States should investigate information about their desired program and set up an appointment to discuss with a Dean's Office representative. Typically, those entering a leave of absence to participate in a PhD program will do so between years three and four of the DVM program.

Reapplication Process

After receiving either a denial or an end-of-cycle notification from the Office of Admissions, applicants may reapply for the next enrollment cycle. Before reapplying, applicants should seek the advice of an admissions counselor. To initiate the reapplication process, applicants must submit their applications and all required documentation (transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) to the Office of Admissions through VMCAS. Applications are then processed according to standard application procedures.