Pre-Vet Studies
Randolph College’s pre-veterinary program offers you the well-rounded foundation you’ll need for this demanding career.
Why Pursue a Veterinary Career at Randolph?
Careers in veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, or veterinary research are highly desirable. But these days, competition for admission to veterinary school is stiff.
The number of applicants to the 33 accredited veterinary colleges in the United States has risen in the past decade. Acceptance rates are between 10%-15%. That’s why an excellent undergraduate preparation is essential.
Randolph College’s pre-veterinary program offers you the well-rounded foundation you’ll need for this demanding career.
It will also thoroughly prepare you for admission to veterinary school or other graduate programs in the field.
Preparing for Veterinary School
Select a Major
You can major in anything. The choice of major is not a factor in veterinary school admissions decisions.
However, most pre-vets major in biology because of the extensive biology requirements as well as the preparation it provides for the biology subject test of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), a prerequisite to admission to many veterinary colleges.
Academic Performance
Good grades in science are important. Vet school applications are extremely competitive. You need As and Bs in most of your science courses and a 3.0 or better to apply to most schools.
The Academic Services Center can help you meet this challenge.
The Liberal Arts Advantage
Excellent preparation makes the difference. You will interview with vet schools as part of the application process.
Randolph’s liberal arts education provides you with a strong foundation in communication skills, and the Career Development Center offers you practice in “mock” interviews.
We also recommend that you take a course in public speaking.
Faculty Mentors
Your faculty advisor will help you develop your Randolph Plan to chart a path that will help you meet your goals.
The faculty health professions advisor will assist you with any additional academic or co-curricular requirements and application procedures, and will act as a resource.
Coursework
Required Courses
- General and organic chemistry
- Mathematics (as preparation for physics)
- Genetics and Molecular Biology
- Physics (calculus-based or noncalculus-based physics)
- Physiology
- Public speaking courses
- Writing and rhetoric courses
- Zoology
Recommended Courses
- Advanced biology courses such as genetics and developmental biology
- Biochemistry
- Bioethics
- Other advanced biology courses (varies by school)
Practical Experience
Internships
An internship is essential to students interested in veterinary medicine, and most schools require experience in handling a variety of animals outside a classroom setting.
You should gain experience with large and small animals and, if possible, with research animals.
Randolph College offers you options for internships both on- and off-campus:
- On-campus
- Most of our students engage in advanced level research projects with their faculty mentors, such as those offered as part of the Summer Research Program.
- Off-campus
- Amherst Veterinary Hospital
- Animal Emergency Medical Center
- Tampa Zoo
- Windhaven Equine Clinic
In addition, many veterinarians are willing to work with pre-vet students—check with the Career Development Center and local vets for summer job opportunities.
Natural History Collection
The Randolph College Natural History and Archaeology Collections, established in 1895, contain hundreds of zoological specimens including birds, mammals, fishes, reptiles, insects, marine invertebrates, and fossils.
The collections boast an excellent herbarium containing thousands of specimens of plants indigenous or introduced to the eastern United States, specifically Central Virginia.
The collections offer a cross-disciplinary approach to developing crucial skills of observation and methodology in the research of natural sciences.
Networking
The College has a long tradition of alumnae and alumni networking. The alumnae and alumni contact database gives you access to Randolph graduates in the field from all over the country.
Top Ranked Professors
Randolph College’s faculty are consistently recognized as among the best in the nation. The Princeton Review ranked the College in the Top 20 for most accessible professors in the 2021 edition of its flagship college guide, The Best 387 Colleges.
Randolph has been ranked in the top 20 for most accessible professors for four consecutive years.
Health Professions Advisor
The faculty health professions advisor will guide you, serve as a resource, and answer questions about academic or co-curricular requirements and application procedures.
Ann Fabirkiewicz
Charles A. Dana Professor of Chemistry, Pre-Medical and Pre-Veterinary Studies Advisor
Read More... Ann FabirkiewiczOnly at Randolph
Randolph students can take advantage of unique programs which give them a more enriching education than can be found anywhere else.
The Randolph Innovative Student Experience (RISE) program provides every student a $2,000 grant to fund research, creative work, experiential learning or other scholarly pursuits.
Randolph graduates learn to think critically, solve problems and work well with others. They are prepared to succeed in all aspects of life.
Two courses per half-mester means you get to focus in and dig deep into your coursework while still having time for the rest of the college experience. Two classes. Seven weeks. Repeat.
Randolph students work with faculty mentors to explore a broad range of disciplines as they chart their academic path.
