Frequently Asked Questions

There are no minimum GPA requirements.

Competitive candidates will demonstrate at least 2-3 recent semesters of academic success in upper-division biomedical and/or animal science courses regardless of overall GPA. Reviewers will assess academic trends in context of course load, workload, rigor, unique circumstances, and relevance to the candidate's career goals and prep for the veterinary curriculum. 

Yes. We utilize the VMCAS calculated, overall cumulative GPA for administrative purposes. Candidates with less than or equal to a 3.2 overall cumulative GPA will first undergo a focused academic review. Those that demonstrate grade trends with recent academic improvement, as previously described on this site, in context of other application materials will be returned to the general applicant pool for further consideration. 

Reviewers will not see a candidate's overall cumulative GPA; however, they will have access to the primary institution GPA provided by the candidate in the application. Reviewers will use the candidate's verified transcripts for academic assessment of coursework and academic outcomes. 

We will not utilize a Last 45 credit hour or prerequisite GPA. 

The VMCAS will calculate an overall cumulative GPA from all verified transcripts submitted. Applicants should make sure that all transcripts are submitted and verified to ensure proper GPA calculation. Visit the VMCAS Help Center: Calculating Your VMCAS GPAs for more information. 

All grades including graduate and non-degree seeking course work will be included in the overall GPA calculation.

You can have <3.2 GPA and still be competitive! If you have recently improved your academic trends, especially in advanced biomedical/animal science course work, this will demonstrate to the reviewers your ability to handle advanced science course work regardless of your GPA.

If you have recent low or mixed academic trends, focus on the next semester and the opportunity to improve. Assess the tools you may need to succeed including adjusting your workload and course load, seeking assistance with the instructor or a tutor or utilizing advised accommodations.  

More experience hours will not offset recent poor academic performance. 

If you have or will graduate with an undergraduate degree, but still need to show improved academic outcomes, you can consider taking additional course work as a non-degree seeking student, second bachelor's, or graduate student. Course work can be completed in person or online. Consider full-time, part-time, or individual course load based on your financial and personal situation. There is no preference and candidates should chose what works for their situation, what will lead to their success, and what will meet their career needs.

A minimum of 66 semester hours is required for admission to the professional DVM program. This includes:

• 8 semester hours of General Biology with Labs
• 8 semester hours of General Chemistry with Labs
• 3 semester hours of Organic Chemistry
• 3 semester hours of Biochemistry
• 4 semester hours of Microbiology with Lab
• 6 semester hours of Mathematics (college algebra or higher)
• 6 semester hours of Physics
• 6 semester hours of English Composition
• 22 hours of Electives

See more specific course descriptions under Course Prerequisites.

Yes. Prerequisite course work should be completed within 10 years of matriculation into the DVM program. Organic, Biochemistry, and Microbiology must be within the 10-year window. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis. 

Yes. Candidates can complete prerequisite courses, including labs, at any CHEA accredited university, community college, or online institution. Course work must be completed for a grade and for credit and appear on an official transcript.

No. All prerequisites are required to be completed by the Spring semester before matriculation. If applications are due in September, required courses would need to be finished by the end of the following Spring semester. Final official transcripts for students who have been accepted into the DVM program must be submitted directly from the educational institution to the LSU Vet Med Office of Admissions and Student Success at svmadmissions@lsu.edu. 

See dates and deadlines for more information. 

To satisfy the requirement, prerequisites must be completed for a C- or better. Any grade lower will not satisfy the requirement. 

Academic evaluation of applicants will focus on demonstration of recent academic success in upper division biomedical and/or animal science courses. Prerequisite GPA will not be considered. It may be more beneficial for a candidate to achieve high scores in advanced scientific courses rather than repeating lower level, introductory prerequisite courses. 

Yes. It can be personally helpful to an applicant to prepare themselves for the veterinary curriculum by taking advanced biomedical and/or animal science course work. High achievement in these courses can support the learner's experience while in the DVM program and demonstrate academic capability as an applicant. 

Some of the scientific course areas directly related to the veterinary curriculum include anatomy, biochemistry, cancer biology, cell biology, developmental biology, disease biology, endocrinology, epidemiology, genetics, histology, immunology, medical terminology, microbiology, molecular biology, nutrition, pathology, physiology, reproduction, toxicology, virology, and/or animal science/clinical science (e.g., production animal science, companion animal science, etc.) or similar coursework.

Yes. Credit earned through advanced standing is accepted to fulfill prerequisite courses. Official credit earned from the AP exam must be reflected on your undergraduate transcripts. 

Yes and No. 

Prerequisite course work must be completed for a grade and for credit with a C- or better to fulfill the requirement. Prerequisite courses completed between Spring 2020 and Summer 2021 (the COVID pandemic response) that were graded as P/F will satisfy requirements if a "Pass" was earned. 

Non-required courses maybe taken as a Pass/Fail and will not count toward the overall cumulative GPA.

No. An applicant must have completed 66 semester hours at an accredited college prior to entering the DVM program but does not need to earn a degree to be admitted.

No. The pre-veterinary requirements may be completed at LSU or at any other accredited college or university offering courses of the quality and content of those prescribed in the LSU General Catalog. 

No. There is not a preference for a specific undergraduate or graduate major. Applicants should pursue a degree path that provides opportunity to complete prerequisite courses, explore personal interests, prepare for the professional veterinary curriculum, and create alternative career opportunities if admission is not immediately granted after degree completion.

No. Applicants should choose an institution that provides multiple high-quality courses that will prepare them for the veterinary curriculum. This is preferred over selecting a unique institution for each required course; however, there are many reasons why a candidate may have transcripts from multiple institutions including course work from advanced college credit during high school, summer courses, graduate degrees, or supplementing course work not offered at the primary institution.

No. LSU Vet Med does not require or accept GRE scores for consideration.

Veterinary and animal experience is not required; however, first-hand veterinary/animal experiences can impact the applicant's ability to express their interest, career goals, and understanding of the profession through the application. 100-300 veterinary/animal experience hours is generally recommended in the area of the candidate's interests.

A minimum of three letters of evaluation are required. One of the evaluations must be from veterinarian who can evaluate your potential in the profession. Letters of evaluation must be submitted via the VMCAS application. Please carefully follow the application instructions for more details.

All applications and fees must be submitted through VMCAS before the deadline in mid-September. See Dates and Deadlines for more information. Failure to meet deadlines will result in the rejection of the application for that cycle.

No. There is only one application deadline each year in September for the following Fall matriculation. All application will be reviewed at one time and all decisions will be released together.

The Mission and Values Statements of the Office of Admissions and Veterinary Admissions Committee serve as a guide for candidate selection. Applicants should review the General Requirements page and Application Selection Process page. 

No. We will not accept additional information for review by the admissions committee after the application deadline. Fall and Spring transcripts will be required of interviewed, offered, and alternate candidates once decisions have been released. In progress experience updates will not be considered. Letters of recommendation must be submitted through the VMCAS by the application deadline. Letters received directly by our office will not be considered. 

No. DVM candidates admitted to the program at the non-resident tuition rate cannot claim Louisiana residency after one year. State laws do not allow for reclassification for tuition purposes. 

Candidates that are interested in resident tuition can consider moving to the state and establishing resident status one year prior to planned matriculation. One cannot be enrolled as a student in courses during this establishment period. These candidates can request to be considered as resident-applicant during that cycle with proof of residency/residency plan. 

No. We will not provide information on an applicants' offer order or rank position. Because of variability in the number of offers made from year to year, rank does not provide reliable information for alternate candidates to base their likelihood of receiving an offer. 

Yes. All applicants must submit a current application each year they wish to be considered for admissions to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. This includes all official college transcripts and three letters of evaluation prepared using the current year's forms. 

VMCAS will give you the choice to use the previous cycle data to re-apply in the current cycle or to start a fresh application by deleting your existing data. Do not create a new account. Instead, keep the same account and CAS ID number from the previous cycle. Information such as coursework, attached transcripts, etc. can be copied into the new application. Letters of recommendation, essays, payments, and program-specific information cannot be copied into the new application.

A new LSU supplemental application must be completed each application cycle.

Yes. You are encouraged to make improvements to your application and re-apply. Because the volume of applications we receive far exceeds the number of positions available in our program, many competitive applicants can be denied each cycle. Applicants are encouraged to seek advice and be persistent. 

Previous application decisions (e.g., denial, withdraw, alternate, etc.) do not impact a subsequent application.

Yes. The Director of Veterinary Outreach and Admissions provides one on one candidate advising year-round. Applicants can request an appointment by emailing svmadmissions@lsu.edu. Applicants should be within 2 two years of submitting an application before requesting an advising appointment.

Advisees are encouraged to provide a current CV or resume and unofficial transcripts for review. Appointments will focus on future application strength and not on past application outcomes. Limited information, if any, is available for feedback from previous cycles. The Director will not provide individualized essay review and feedback.