Students who hope to enroll in veterinary school in fall 2021 can start the application process months earlier than normal.
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges reported that the next application cycle will open Jan. 22, 2020 — compared to the tradition May date — and close Sept. 15, 2020.
While applicants won’t be able to select specific schools until May 12, the added time is an opportunity to “enter coursework, request letters of recommendation and request transcripts,” AAVMC stated.
The change, which AAVMC described as “a significant departure from past practice,” could benefit procrastinators.
“While the annual VMCAS application cycle is normally active for about four months, most applicants typically wait until the last minute to complete their applications,” AAVMC stated. “For example, during the 2018-19 cycle, 6,470 (79.4%) applicants waited until September to submit their applications, with 45% of applicants submitting during the final week.”
All U.S. veterinary colleges with the exception of Texas A&M University are part of the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS).