1. Evidence of motivation over an extended period of time.
2. Veterinary work experience (paid or volunteer) and other animal-oriented experience, e.g. agricultural, shelter, zoo. A minimum of 80 hours of veterinary experience (working directly with a vet) is required by Ohio State. The average number of hours of veterinary experience for accepted students at OSU is about 500.
3. Demonstrated ability to communicate fluently, verbally and in writing, with a variety of types of people. Veterinary medicine requires an ability to work with people as well as animals.
4. Realistic understanding of: the daily routine for a veterinarian, typical salaries, prospects for group practice versus individual practice, awareness of veterinary occupations other than small and large animal practice, etc.
5. At least two letters of recommendation from veterinarians.
6. Indication of work ethic, i.e., how are summers spent, what kind of course load is taken during academic year, etc.
7. Indication of academic ability, i.e., transcripts and letters of recommendation. For example, Ohio State requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 for in-state residents to obtain an interview without petitioning, out-of-state applicants need a 3.4 GPA, and the mean GPA for their accepted students is about a 3.6.
8. Scores on graduate exam, i.e., GRE, MCAT or VCAT. For Ohio State, the minimum test scores required are: GRE - 955; MCAT - 24; VCAT – 50%.
9. Nonacademic activities such as community service, working to pay for college, campus organizations, leadership experience, etc.
10. Performance at personal interview.