The mission of the Oregon State University Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine Admissions Committee is to select applicants who: 1) have a high probability of successfully completing the professional program, 2) possess the qualities deemed valuable in a veterinarian, 3) have a varied knowledge of the veterinary profession, and 4) contribute to the cultural, geographic, professional, and economic diversity of the student body and the profession.
An applicant's academic history is carefully assessed with the objective of answering the question, "Does the applicant's past academic performance generate confidence in his/her ability to succeed in the veterinary curriculum?" To answer this question, the following factors are taken into consideration:
The Admissions Committee strives to select candidates who are likely to demonstrate the following qualities in their future veterinary careers:
To select candidates who are likely to have these qualities, the VMCAS and supplemental applications are evaluated together with the applicant's letters of recommendation. These attributes are also evaluated during the interview (for Oregon residents only). During the admissions evaluation process, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to view and consider any publicly available information pertaining to applicants. This information may include, but is not limited to, social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
Applicants should have exposure to and an understanding of the veterinary profession. The following areas are assessed:
The Admissions Committee and faculty recognize the value of a diverse student body. Applicants from diverse backgrounds may bring unique perspectives and enrich the veterinary educational experience as well as the profession. Therefore, the Admissions Committee seeks to accept applicants from a variety of ethnic, educational or social backgrounds that may be underrepresented in the veterinary profession. Each applicant is evaluated in terms of his/her stated background and professional goals in light of current and projected future needs of the veterinary profession. The Admissions Committee is wholly committed to the non-discrimination policy of Oregon State University in all of its admissions procedures.
Following the holistic review of all applications, the Admissions Committee makes recommendations for offers of admission to the Dean of the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, who makes the final decision based on the same criteria as listed.