How to Apply

Applying to Veterinary and Physician Assistant Schools

For students starting veterinary or PA school in fall 2021.

If you are planning on starting veterinary or physician assistant (school) in fall 2021, here is some important information. 

If you plan on asking the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee for a committee letter, contact Dr. Maria Cuevas to obtain all the required forms. All forms need to be submitted to Dr. Cuevas by February 17, 2020. 

Applying to Veterinary Schools

The application service for veterinary schools is the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). You must submit your application in summer 2019 for fall 2020 admission.

Timeline

November 1

January–February 

  • Fill out the Review My Application (RMA) form, and submit it to the Pre-Med Advisory Committee by February 17.  It asks you to list and describe the experiences that have been significant to you, answer short essay questions that help you develop your story,  provide names of who will write letters of recommendation for you, and identify schools you may apply to. Make an appointment with the Center for Career & Professional Development  (CCPD) to help you with your personal statement. Start early; everything takes longer than you think. It will take you several weeks to get everything done.   
  • Fill out and submit a signed Request to Prepare a Committee Letter of Recommendation form with the names of committee members who have been classroom instructors of yours. Please make sure to indicate on this form when you would be able to meet for an interview with some members of the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee.
  • Submit your professional résumé: state your planned graduation date and the degree you will receive. Please include your full name, including your middle name, in the heading.  Make sure it looks professional; if you need help, please make an appointment to see someone at the CCPD. They are experts and are more than happy to help you.
  • Fill out and submit a Request to Access Records form .              
  • Request that your letters or recommendation be sent directly to Dr. Maria Cuevas , chair of the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee, before May 17, 2020. Your personal and professional references should send their letters as Word documents or as PDFs on their official letterhead with their signature included. Letters should be emailed with your name in the subject line. 

SEE etiquette for REQUESTING LETTERs OF RECOMMENDATION ETIQUETTE

March–April 

  • If you choose to have the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee prepare your letters of evaluation and recommendation, you will be required to have an interview with members of the committee.  The interviews will take approximately 20–30 minutes and will be held March 4, 2020–April 30, 2020.
  • Plan to take the GRE exam. Although September is the last month to take the GRE, it is better to do it much sooner.

May 

  • The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) opens on May 9, 2020.
  • Send a final transcript to the VMCAS after your spring grades are posted.
  • The VMCAS will verify your courses and grades and then release applications to veterinary schools.

September–April 

  • The VMCAS closes on September 17, 2020. Do not wait until September to submit your application. We encourage you to submit all your materials no later than July 15. 
  • In September and October, complete and submit your supplemental applications if not included in your VMCAS primary application.
  • Interview.
  • Receive your decisions of acceptance, waitlist, or rejection by mid-March. See individual school websites for their interview and decision timelines. On April 15, you can hold only one acceptance in a veterinary school. 

Applying to Physician Assistant (PA) Schools

The Pre-Medical Advisory Committee does not usually send a composite letter of recommendation. Below, you will find some general information regarding the application service and timeline.

PA schools use the Centralized Application Service for Physician Assistants  (CASPA) as their online application service. 

Timeline

To do now

  • Familiarize yourself with the website.
  • Research school programs.
  • Create a spreadsheet of schools you will apply to, noting their deadlines, required courses, and minimum hours of healthcare experience. Be sure you will have all requirements fulfilled. 

February–April 

  • Gather your experiences in one place, using CASPA’s directions to begin to categorize your activities.
  • Begin contacting those you will ask for letters or recommendation.
  • Draft your personal statement. If you need help, please make an appointment to see someone at the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD).They are experts and are more than happy to help you.
  • The CASPA application cycle opens April 25, 2019. Create an account, and complete the Colleges Attended and Evaluation sections.
  • Complete the GRE or MCAT.
  • The CASPA application cycle closes on April 1, 2020. For some schools, the deadline may differ from the application’s cycle dates. Make sure to check on the individual schools’ websites.

At least 10–12 weeks prior to the first deadline

  • Request and send an official transcript.
  • Begin entering coursework into your application.
  • Confirm that your evaluators have received a request from CASPA.

At least 6–8 weeks prior to the first deadline

  • Submit and complete your application; CASPA will then verity your courses and grades and transmit data to your selected schools; schools will begin to screen applicants and send secondary applications.

Fall 2019 to spring 2020

  • Complete secondary applications.
  • Interview.
  • Accept admission offers from fall to spring; CASPA closes in March but some applicants may be accepted off the waitlist from March to July

Application resources