Veterinary school applicants soar by 19%

The number of applicants to DVM programs through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service jumped 19% for the 2020-2021 admissions cycle.

Overall, 10,273 people applied to at least one veterinary school, an increase from 8,645 last year. The 19% increase compared with recent annual rises of 6% to 7%.

The AAVMC called the spike “extraordinary” and could only speculate about the reasons.

“The specific factors responsible for the extraordinary increase remain unclear; however, several things could have contributed,” the organization said. “The AAVMC opened this year’s cycle in January as opposed to May to enable applicants to have more time to construct their applications. The AAVMC’s Office of Admissions and Recruitment also presented more informational webinars and increased communication with applicants.

“Also, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased public awareness of the importance of the veterinary medical profession in several ways. The rise in the number of people working remotely from home has led to increased attention toward family pets and greater appreciation for the human-animal bond. That’s led to busier clinical practices and rising animal shelter adoption rates.

“People may also be more aware of the role of the veterinary medical profession in preventing and fighting zoonotic infectious diseases like the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

Forty-four veterinary programs worldwide use the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). Every U.S. veterinary school with the exception of Texas A&M and Texas Tech universities participates.

According to the AAVMC, students in the most recent cycle applied to an average of 4.89 schools.

The 2021-2022 application cycle will open in January 2021.