AVM Frequently Asked Questions

Middle school students are admitted on a first-come, first-serve basis; as long as the application is complete and the session is not full. High school, college, and adult applicants usually have a B+ or better grade point average, strong science grades, expressed interest in learning more about the veterinary profession, and significant animal-related experience.

The AVM program balances lectures, hands-on activities, discussions and laboratories to provide participants with a better understanding of the veterinary profession and the demands of veterinary school. The program is not an animal camp. Participants will have contact with animals through large and small animal handling demonstrations. Please see the sample schedules for each session for further information about animal-related activities.

The AVM program is intended to help confirm that veterinary medicine is the right career path for you. If you have already applied to veterinary school, we feel that you have already chosen your desired career path. However, we are happy to talk with you about this situation. Please email us at avm@tufts.edu to schedule a meeting or phone call.

The Cummings School campus does not have student housing. Students admitted to the High School residential programs stay on the Tufts Medford campus and are bussed to and from Cummings School. Participants in the middle school, college, and adult sessions are responsible for their own transportation and accommodations.

Yes, we encourage you to reapply! You will need to complete a new application and provide us with updated official transcripts and letters of evaluation.

AVM sessions are very popular and spaces are limited, so we discourage students from attending the same grade-level program more than once. For instance, if you attended a middle school session, we encourage you to wait until you are eligible for a high school program to reapply. If you do choose to reapply for a grade-level program that you have already attended, please note that the AVM office reserves the right to deny admission in order to allow other students the opportunity to participate.

Tuition is nonrefundable.

Yes, students graded on a quarterly system are required to submit their midyear grades in January or February. These transcripts should indicate your First Semester (both 1st and 2nd quarter) grades and must be sent directly from your school.

Each letter of evaluation should be uploaded to the online application system by your evaluator (preferred) or your evaluator can mail the letter directly to our office.

No. Standardized test scores are not required.

Middle School applications are reviewed on a rolling basis after January 1st and granted first-come first-served with verified program eligibility and initial deposit. Denied applications for the middle school program may be refunded their initial deposit.
High School applications are reviewed following the February 15th deadline and admission is competitive.
College applications are reviewed on a rolling basis after January 1st and admission is competitive.

Yes. When a session becomes full, applicants may be placed on the waiting list. Our middle school sessions are first-come, first-served; if a spot becomes available, the next student in line will be contacted. The high school and college waiting lists are ranked; if a spot becomes available, all waiting list applications for that session are reviewed again and the strongest applicant is selected to fill that spot.

Spaces do become available every year, and we encourage applicants to remain on the waiting list.

Yes. Students are supervised at all times by trained residential counselors.

Tufts Pre-College Programs staff is developing a series of social activities throughout the program so that students can meet each other across programs and so that students can participate outside of program hours. These programs include both on-campus and weekend excursions throughout the city of Boston. In the past, activities have included Duck Tours, movie night, soccer, guest speakers from a variety of disciplines and much more! Confirmed social activity details will be provided closer to program start.