Does being "pre-vet" during undergraduate education give you an advantage when applying to vet school?(READ)

Question:There are not a lot of undergraduate universities that have actual pre-vet programs (purdue is one of them). A lot of students that want to go to vet school are just pre-med but make sure they fulfill all the pre-reqs for vet school. (You don't have to go to a pre-vet program to get into vet school as long as you fulfill all the required courses). I want to know if when applying to vet school you have an advantage being part of a real pre-vet program over someone who completed the pre-reqs through pre-med. Basically, are you at a disadvantage in the face of these people if you prepared for vet school by doing pre-med and doing all the required courses in addition to working with animals outside of schoo. If so, would you be better off going to a university with a pre-vet program or a more competitive, prestigious university that may not have pre-vet?
Please answer only if you know or have personal experience... not just what you are inclined to think.

Answers:
It seems clear to me that you already know that all that matters with respect to your formal undergraduate education is that you complete the appropriate course work. Pre-vet programs tend to exist at universities with vet schools because of the odd requirements of the vet school that don't jibe with undergraduate programs in biology, chemistry, or whatever. For example, some vet schools require communications, business, or nutrition classes. Since the bio or chem departments at the same university can't justify the inclusion of these courses into their majors, they've created these "pre-vet" programs. Honestly, the purposes of such programs are to pacify students who believe that they shouldn't have to pick their "general electives" strategically (or who don't get it...) and make-nice with the folks in the vet school who (generally) don't understand why anyone would want to major in bio or chem without also wanting to go to vet school.

So there's really no "prestige" that goes along with pre-vet programs that conveys an advantage. It's just a convenience that facilitates taking the necessary pre-reqs.

That said, though most vet schools deny it, your probability of getting in to a particular vet school is slightly greater if you do your undergrad at that institution. There's a little bias in accepting "their own" students, and again... this is partially political as the vet schools seek to maintain good relationships with the rest of the university. Still, if you're good enough to get into vet school, then in reality you can overcome that minor bit of bias in the system.

Of course you also have to keep in mind that grades and courses are only part of the battle, and you have to gain the extracurricular experience as well.

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