Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Augustana College provides an exceptional preparation for students wishing to become veterinarians. The coursework is rooted in biology, chemistry and physics. And, with numerous advance courses in subjects such as histology, parasitology, neuroanatomy and biochemistry, your preparation for vet school at Augustana is second to none. Over the past five years, Augustana has had an acceptance rate into vet schools of 82% (compared to a national average of 35%).

As a pre-vet student you will have a small list of schools from which to choose. Most vet schools are at state-supported schools and so, give priority to their state's residents. Therefore, your best chance for acceptance is often at the vet school in your home state. In the past ten years, Augustana’s pre-vet students have been accepted to the schools of veterinary medicine at the following universities: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Iowa State University, University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, Kansas State University and University of Minnesota.

One characteristic that almost all vet schools have in common is the desire for all applicants to have as much clinical experience as possible before applying. Most undergraduate schools will require you to obtain this experience on your own. We will help you gain and diversify your clinical experience here, during the school year. Typically, we will start a student out in the clinics during their second year. This will allow them to adjust to college during the first year, and hopefully get a good start on their academics. We have several clinics within the Illinois Quad Cities to utilize, ranging from 100% small animal practices to those which emphasize large animal work. If you choose, you may also participate in the internship program during the senior year, during which you would earn 4 or 9 hours of academic credit working with experienced veterinarians.

Our new $23 million science complex secures Augustana’s place among the nation’s most respected centers of undergraduate instruction in science and the pre-health professions. The science building offers students the latest in high tech labs and research facilities, including the cadaver dissection lab. Cadaver dissection offers pre-professional students an additional edge in preparation for vet school as Augustana is one of the few undergraduate schools in the country to offer this hands-on opportunity to its students.

Augustana College graduates do not merely survive vet school, they succeed and are commonly their class leaders.

For more information contact:
Augustana Admissions
E-mail: admissions@augustana.edu