COVID-19 D.V.M. Admissions FAQ

For Applicants (2024 Cycle)

We understand that candidates may have questions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our admissions committee acknowledges that we are all navigating these unprecedented times to the best of our ability, and encourages applicants to rest assured that these circumstances will be taken into consideration during the application review process.

Admission Requirements

Will pass-fail or satisfactory-unsatisfactory grades be accepted?

While CSU has always assessed prerequisites based on conventional A-F grades, we understand that many academic institutions will be applying pass-fail or satisfactory-unsatisfactory grading scales to courses moved to online platforms due to COVID-19. To ensure that no applicants are disadvantaged by these changes, CSU will accept pass-fail or satisfactory-unsatisfactory grading for Spring/Summer/Fall 2020 courses and Spring/Summer 2021 courses even if there is a letter grade option. Prerequisites taken in Spring/Summer/Fall 2020 or Spring/Summer 2021 must be completed for credit with a C- or better, or a “pass” or “satisfactory” equivalent. CSU will not accept pass-fail grading for Fall 2021 prerequisite courses.

Petitioning for a grade

We are aware that the ability for candidates to petition for letter grades is inconsistent across academic institutions, and even across courses within an institution. It is at the discretion of the candidate whether they should petition for a letter grade versus a pass-fail or satisfactory-unsatisfactory mark for Spring/Summer/Fall 2020 or Spring/Summer 2021. The admissions committee will consider that a candidate’s application may present with all, some, or no letter grades for these semesters. Repeat courses: We encourage candidates to petition for a letter grade, so the grade change may be recognized.

Candidates are encouraged to briefly address any challenges, including inability to obtain letter grades, in the Special Circumstances section of the Colorado Supplemental Application.

What if I can't obtain enough veterinary experience hours prior to applying?

The D.V.M. admissions committee recommends 300-500 veterinary experience hours at the time of application. We understand that candidates’ plans to obtain this experience during the spring/summer/fall of 2020 and spring/summer of 2021 may have been disrupted by the coronavirus epidemic, resulting in reduced veterinary or other experience hours for the 2022 application cycle. Should this be the case, in alignment with our holistic admissions process, candidates are encouraged to focus on the quality of their experiences rather than the number of hours. Candidates are encouraged to briefly address any challenges in securing experiential opportunities in the Special Circumstances section of the Colorado Supplemental Application.

Candidates who have obtained online veterinary experience should also use the Special Circumstances section of the Colorado Supplemental Application to provide an explanation for choosing this option.