Vet School? Best Bachelor’s Degrees Revealed! (Don’t Wait!)
The best bachelor’s degree for veterinary school is one you can afford, excel in, and use to complete each target program’s prerequisites. Biology and animal science can fit those courses well, but no major is required everywhere. A bachelor’s degree itself is not universally required either. Check accreditation, course rules, costs, and application criteria before you enroll.
If you are comparing colleges, you may be trying to answer two questions at once: “Will this degree prepare me for vet school?” and “Will the cost be worth it?” The answer depends less on a major’s name than on whether your courses meet veterinary programs’ rules and whether you can build a strong application without taking on avoidable debt.
In reviewing applicants’ plans, I often see a costly problem: a course counts toward a bachelor’s degree but does not meet a veterinary school’s specific lab, credit, or content requirement. The fix is practical. Pick target programs early, confirm their current requirements, then choose a bachelor’s pathway around those rules.
Veterinary School Admissions: Accreditation, Application Systems, and Selection Criteria
Accreditation is a formal review of a school or professional program. Institutional accreditation applies to the college; veterinary-program accreditation is separate. Before you apply, check both where relevant, then review each DVM program’s admissions pages for prerequisites, deadlines, residency policies, and selection criteria.
The AVMA Council on Education (COE) accredits veterinary programs. Check its current list to confirm a DVM program’s status; do not assume that a college’s institutional accreditation means its veterinary program is accredited. COE status matters for educational quality assurance and may affect eligibility for certain licensure pathways.
For undergraduate study, check whether the college has recognized institutional accreditation. The U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) directories are useful places to verify it. Accreditation does not, by itself, prove that a course will satisfy a veterinary school’s prerequisite.
Many U.S. veterinary programs accept applications through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS). Some also require separate forms or materials. Deadlines, testing policies, and other rules vary and may change each cycle. Check the current VMCAS instructions and each program’s admissions page, rather than relying on an old checklist.
There is no single national GPA cutoff that guarantees admission. Use an overall and science GPA of 3.5 or higher as a planning target, not a promise or universal rule. Compare your record with each school’s published minimums and class profile, if available, and track science and prerequisite grades separately.
Choosing a Bachelor’s Degree: Prerequisite Curriculum, Credits, and Course Planning
A bachelor’s major is your main field of undergraduate study; prerequisites are the courses a veterinary program requires before admission. The right major leaves room for those courses, fits your interests, and works with your budget. Biology and animal science often align well, but no single major is preferred by every school.
| Bachelor’s pathway | Why it may fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | Often overlaps with science prerequisites and can offer broad course choices | Whether required chemistry, physics, and labs fit your degree plan |
| Animal science | Includes animal-focused study and may connect with relevant experience | Whether the program leaves room for all target-school prerequisites |
| Other major | Can match a student’s strengths or interests while prerequisites are completed separately | Added course load, cost, scheduling, and any extra time to graduate |
Common prerequisite subjects include biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, math or statistics, and writing or English. Some courses need labs. Each veterinary program sets its own rules for course titles, credits, lab hours, and whether older coursework remains valid. Do not assume that similar course names mean the courses are interchangeable.
Before enrolling, make a school-by-school matrix. Record the course name, credit amount, lab requirement, timing, and any expiration rule for every target program. Ask the program’s admissions office if a course is unclear, especially if you are transferring credits or taking a class at another institution. Keep written replies with your academic records.
A low-cost course is not a bargain if it does not count and you must repeat it. This is a key risk for transfer students and people taking prerequisites at a different college. Check course content and acceptance before paying tuition.
Academic Success and Student Experience: GPA, Veterinary Exposure, and Support
A competitive application brings together grades, veterinary exposure, recommendations, and other evidence that you understand the work. Veterinary exposure means time spent learning about veterinary care in relevant settings. Schools differ in how they assess experience, so follow their stated criteria instead of treating one hours target as universal.
Protect your GPA by planning difficult lab courses carefully. Check course sequences, lab capacity, and prerequisites for enrollment; a missed course can delay graduation or an application. Keep a record of your science GPA as well as your overall GPA, and seek academic support early if a class is going poorly.
Experience should help you learn what veterinary work involves, not just add a line to an application. Look into opportunities with veterinarians and in settings relevant to your goals. Record your dates, hours, duties, and what you learned. Programs may value different types of experience, so read their criteria and ask questions when needed.
Build relationships with people who can speak to your preparation and conduct. Veterinary programs set their own rules for references, including who may write them and how recommendations are submitted. Give recommenders time, share your goals and experience record, and confirm that each program’s requirements are met.
Use this sequence to keep the process manageable:
- Choose several AVMA COE-accredited target programs.
- Compare their prerequisites, degree expectations, residency policies, tests, and deadlines.
- Select a major and course plan that meet those requirements at a cost you can manage.
- Review your grades and experience record as you progress.
- Confirm current application rules, documents, and dates before submitting.
DVM Career Pathways: Licensure, Employment Outcomes, and Cost-to-Value
A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), or Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), is the professional degree required for veterinary practice. A bachelor’s degree can be part of the path, but it is not a universal admission requirement. Compare the full cost of undergraduate study and veterinary school with current program outcomes and your likely borrowing.
Admission rules differ. Some veterinary schools require a bachelor’s degree, while others may admit students who have completed the required prerequisites without one. Check the current policy for each program; do not add years of undergraduate study based on a general assumption.
To compare cost, use your likely net price, not just the published tuition. Include fees, living costs, aid, and the time required to finish. Then compare the cost of completing a bachelor’s degree with the cost and timeline of any alternative route that meets your target schools’ rules. Do not treat a higher salary figure as a guarantee of personal return.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes wage and employment information for veterinarians. Use it as a broad occupation-level reference, not a promise of what you will earn. Earnings can vary by location, role, experience, and employer. A school’s reported outcomes also need context: check the reporting period, who was counted, and whether figures describe graduates or all students.
| Planning choice | Potential benefit | Cost or risk to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Major in biology or animal science | May align degree courses with some prerequisites | The major alone does not ensure admission or meet every school’s rules |
| Choose a lower-cost college | May reduce undergraduate costs | Confirm transferability and prerequisite acceptance before enrolling |
| Earn a bachelor’s before applying | Provides a completed degree and broader study | Adds time and cost if target programs do not require it |
| Apply without completing a bachelor’s | May avoid extra undergraduate study where permitted | You must still complete all required courses and meet program rules |
Two planning scenarios to test your course choices
These are planning examples, not claims about real applicants or guarantees of admission. They show how the same major choice can lead to different costs depending on course acceptance and program rules.
- Transfer student: A student plans to finish a biology degree after transferring. Before enrolling, they compare course syllabi and credits with target programs’ prerequisites and ask admissions staff about uncertain courses. That check can help avoid paying twice for a class that does not transfer or qualify.
- Student deciding whether to complete a bachelor’s: A student has finished the prerequisites but has not completed a degree. They check whether each target program requires a bachelor’s, compare the time and net cost of finishing, and weigh those costs against other parts of the application they still need to build.
Before accepting a DVM offer, compare program accreditation, eligibility for relevant licensure pathways, total cost, aid, and available outcomes. Ask schools how they report debt and completion data. Then estimate your own borrowing and monthly payment using the actual loan terms available to you. A national salary figure cannot replace that personal calculation.
Conclusion: Choose the Pathway That Fits Your Target Schools
There is no universally best bachelor’s major for veterinary school. Choose a field you can sustain, earn strong grades in, and use to complete the exact prerequisites required by your target programs. Verify accreditation, course acceptance, deadlines, and costs before committing. Your next step is to build a school-by-school checklist and confirm any uncertain course with admissions staff.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a bachelor’s degree to get into veterinary school?
Not always. Requirements vary by program. Check each target school’s current admissions rules.
What is the best major for vet school?
There is no single required major. Biology and animal science may align with prerequisites, but other majors can work if you complete each school’s required courses.
Is biology or animal science better for vet school?
Neither is best for every applicant. Compare degree requirements, prerequisite coverage, course schedules, cost, and your interest in the subject.
What GPA should I aim for?
A 3.5 or higher overall and science GPA is a useful planning target, not a national cutoff or guarantee. Review each program’s published requirements and class information.
Which courses are commonly required?
Many programs require biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, math or statistics, and writing or English. Exact courses, credits, and labs differ by school.
Can I take prerequisites at a community college?
Policies vary. Ask each target veterinary program whether it accepts the specific course and lab before you enroll.
Do all veterinary schools use VMCAS?
Many U.S. programs use VMCAS, but application steps and supplemental requirements vary. Confirm the current cycle’s instructions for every school.
Do I need to take the GRE?
Not necessarily. Testing rules differ by program and may change. Check each school’s current admissions page.
How do I check if a veterinary program is accredited?
Use the AVMA Council on Education’s current list of accredited veterinary programs. Do not rely only on the college’s institutional accreditation.
How can I lower the cost of preparing for vet school?
Compare net college costs, plan courses around target programs’ requirements, confirm transfer credit in advance, and avoid classes that will not satisfy prerequisites.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Benjamin Carter. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
