Starting Your Bachelor's Degree

So you have made it to the first real challenge on your way to become a vet. There is a lot to learn about yourself and college your freshmen year. So what major do you declare if you want to be a Veterinarian? That may seem like a straightforward answer. Biology. But to become a vet you do not need to have any specific major. As long as you complete the prerequisite classes you will qualify for admissions. Now most students are Biology or Chemistry majors since the prereqs and course materials overlap so much. The admissions committee takes into consideration other majors and likes to make a diverse class. So you can be an Art major or Political Science and get into vet school as long as you do the prereqs.


At my university it was unusual to finish a BS degree in a mere 4 years. It took me 4.5 years because of the availability of classes. I advise you take the prerequisite classes for vet school ASAP. They can be tough but schools are different in their registration for classes. I ran into trouble when I changed my major after my freshmen year. My school gives priority registration of classes to 1st years then in the following order: 5th+ year, 4th year, 3rd year, and lastly 2nd year.


So when it came time for me to register for classes for my 2nd year all the 1st year students filled up the prerequisites I needed for Vet school. This is why it took me 4.5 years (including all summers) to graduate. So to avoid this, stick to your major and take as many prerequisite classes as you can do at a time. Do not overload yourself. Make sure you give yourself an easy class to give yourself a break. I like classes like rock climbing, Scuba diving, or photography to use as an outlet of stress.


Here are the classes that are generally part of the prerequisite material for veterinary schools (give or take a few classes depending on the school):

1. General Biology w/ lab - 2 semesters (8 units)
2. Biochemistry - 1 semester (3 units)
3. General Chemistry w/ lab - 2 semesters (~10 units)
4. Organic Chemistry w/ lab - 2 semesters (~10 units)
5. Physics w/ lab - 2 semesters (8 units)
6. Statistics - 1 semester (3 units)
7. Calculus I/II - 1-2 semesters (3-6 units)
8. Social Science and Humanities - (6 units)
9. English Composition - 2 semesters (6 units)
10. Communication - 1 semester (3 units)

Some schools require the following:

1. Microbiology w/ lab - 1 semester (4 units)
2. Animal Nutrition - 1 semester (3 units)

Now remember these are just the generic requirements. Every school is slightly different so make sure to check the schools you want to apply for. Become familiar with this site: AAVMC. This is the portal where you submit your application to most of the schools. At the link is a list of each school and the requirements for each. 

I will not go into how hard it is or statistics just yet for getting into school. I will worry you of those later. For now remember to continue volunteering or getting a vet technician job in order gain experience. Remember get a WIDE VARIETY of exposure to the veterinary field to show that you are a well rounded applicant. 

Some ways to find experience:

1. Pre-Veterinary Club
2. Vet Technician Job Postings (craigslist, newspaper ads, job postings)
3. Animal Shelters
4. Zoos
5. Wildlife Refuges
6. Pet Stores
7. Pet sitting
8. Ranches/Stables