Veterinary Technology Program Admission Guide | OCTC

Program enrollment is limited due to facility constraints and admission is not guaranteed. Interested applicants should contact the program faculty early to allow time for completion of all required forms. Students who complete the program will be awarded the Associate in Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology and are eligible to sit for the national/state exams to obtain licensure.

The Veterinary Technology program is accredited by the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (CVTEA)

Admission Requirements: All Veterinary Technology program applicants are required to...

  • ...be 18 years or older by time of admission
  • ...have an ACT Composite score of 18+
  • ...have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.7*

*Applicants who have earned a ā€˜Cā€™ or better in the following courses will receive additional consideration:

  • MAT 150- College Algebra
  • BIO 112/113- Intro to Biology/Lab
  • AHS 120- Medical Terminology

two students studying in vet tech lab

All Veterinary Technology program applicants are required to complete the following steps prior to applying for program admission:

  1. Apply for admission to OCTC if you're not already a current OCTC student.
    • Please, note that you may receive an acceptance letter/email from OCTC. This is NOT acceptance into the Veterinary Technology Program.
  2. Attend one online or in-person Pre-Admission Information Session
  3. Complete the ACT assessment. Visit ACT.org to learn when and where the next test is available. Scores must be obtained by the student and submitted with the Veterinary Technology program application (linked in Phase II).
    • An ACT composite score of 18+ is required for admission to OCTC's Veterinary Technology program.
  4. Complete the TEAS Assessment
    • Applicants must complete both the TEAS and ACT assessments. Scores must be obtained by the student and submitted with the application (linked in Phase II).
    • The TEAS assessment can be scheduled at the OCTC Downtown Campus. Students must make an appointment. Please, schedule your appointment online in a timely manner prior to applying to the program.
    • Please, note that you may receive an acceptance letter/email from TEAS. This is NOT acceptance into the Veterinary Technology Program.
  5. Obtain Letter/s of Recommendation
    • Veterinary Technology Program applicants must submit a letter of recommendation along with their application (linked in Phase II). Letters should be written by someone who knows the student on a professional level. Family and close friends should be excluded.
  6. Complete a minimum of 16 Clinical Experience Hours under the supervision of a Licensed Veterinary Technician

Once you've completed steps 1-6, you are ready for Phase II of the OCTC Veterinary Technology program admission process.

two vet tech students in scrubs giving thumbs up

Applicants will be ranked for admission based on an objective point system. Points will be awarded using the following method:

  • Admission Requirement
  • Total Points Possible
  • Applicants Points

Cumulative GPA (x 10) 40
 
Composite ACT Score 36

Note: ā€˜0ā€™ points will be awarded for GPA and ACT that do not meet program requirements. 

Total grade points for recommended preprogram courses 60

Note: Total grade points for recommended preprogram courses: MAT 150, BIO 112, BIO 113, AHS 120, based on final grade. 

Maximum points possible = 60
A= 15 pts, B= 10 pts, C= 5 pts, D= 0pts

40+ Clinical Experience Hours 20

A minimum of 16 clinical experience hours is required for admissions. Additional points will be awarded for more than 40 hours. 

Points will be awarded as follows: 40 hrs = 10pts, 80 hrs = 15pts, 100+ hrs = 20pts.

Personal Statement 20

Each question in the Personal Statement section of the application will be scored 1-5 based on criteria including: professionalism, articulation, knowledge of the profession, grammar. 

Total Points: 176

The Owensboro Community and Technical College Associate Degree Veterinary Technology Program is a selective admissions program. Space is limited.

  1. The Veterinary Technology Admissions Committee reviews the list of applicants, who are objectively ranked by points.
  2. The Admissions Committee determines the number of applicants who will be admitted. This number is predetermined based on guidelines set forth by the Programā€™s Accrediting Body (CVTEA) and may be subject to change.
  3. Applicants who have not been previously admitted to the Program, with the highest total points are offered seats.
  4. Other Qualified applicants who are not accepted for admission are placed on a waiting list (may not apply to students seeking readmission). Applicants on the waiting list may be admitted if space becomes available.
  1. Submit completed, official high school transcripts (if graduating high school student).
  2. Complete all required background checks, drug screens, health physical, and immunization through third party vendor: CastleBranch.
    • This will be discussed at orientation with students required to complete before start of classes.

Admission into the Veterinary Technology program is contingent upon students receiving the mandatory pre-exposure rabies vaccine. Of all the communicable diseases to which a veterinary medical professional may be exposed, the contraction of rabies, while unlikely, can be lethal. Therefore, the Owensboro Community & Technical College Veterinary Technology Program requires that all students be vaccinated against this disease.  This requirement is consistent with the Center for Disease Controlā€™s guidelines for persons in this field. Additional information will be provided to incoming students at summer orientation.

group of vet tech students with cat