Washington State Vet School Interview: Format, Dates and Who Interviews
What happens at the Washington State vet school interview, who gets one, and how offers are decided.
Washington State invites top Washington, Idaho and Montana resident applicants to a 30-minute personal interview with behavioral and knowledge-based questions. Montana residents interview in Bozeman in November, and Washington and Idaho residents in Pullman in late January or early February. WSU's pages describe no interview for WICHE or nonresident applicants, who hear in mid to late January.
Key facts (2027 entry)
- Format
- A 30-minute individual interview. The admissions committee asks behavioral and knowledge-based questions.
- Who is interviewed
- Top Washington, Idaho and Montana resident applicants. WSU's pages list no interview for WICHE or nonresident applicants.
- Where
- Montana residents in Bozeman, Montana. Washington and Idaho residents in Pullman, Washington.
- When (2026-27 cycle)
- Montana residents in November. Washington residents in late January. Idaho residents in early February on the college's apply page, or late January on the admissions hub timeline.
- What it assesses
- Motivation, communication, teamwork, compassion, empathy, professionalism, integrity, ethics, maturity, experience with a veterinarian in your area of interest, and knowledge of the profession.
- How the interview counts
- The admissions committee reviews applications holistically and recommends who to admit, waitlist or deny to the DVM director of admissions and associate dean of professional programs for final review.
- Class size
- The Class of 2030 had 2,920 applications and a class size of 142 (129 admitted in the cycle and 13 preadmitted), from 198 Washington, 55 Idaho, 23 Montana, 73 WICHE and 2571 nonresident applications.
What happens on the day
WSU's interview is one personal conversation with the admissions committee, not a circuit of stations.
- 30 minutes. Top resident applicants are invited for a 30-minute personal interview.
- Behavioral questions. Expect to be asked about real things you have done, such as working in a team or handling a hard moment.
- Knowledge-based questions. WSU says it checks your knowledge of the profession. It tells applicants to stay up to date on current events and issues in veterinary medicine.
- Your own application. Review your VMCAS application so you are comfortable with questions aimed at something in it.
- Dress professionally. WSU says to treat it as a professional interview and to prepare and dress accordingly.
Stay for the extras. WSU encourages you to extend your stay in Pullman for events that may include a class or facility tour, meeting current students and an evening mixer.
How you get an interview
Your residency decides which pool you are in, and only the resident pools interview. Within those pools, WSU invites its top applicants.
Your applicant pool
- Washington residents. Up to 55 seats. Washington residents study in Pullman for all four years.
- Idaho residents. Up to 11 seats, through the cooperative program with the University of Idaho. Residency certification is due September 1, 2026.
- Montana residents. Up to 10 seats through the cooperative program with Montana State University. Year one is in Bozeman and the last three years are in Pullman.
- WICHE and nonresidents. Up to 60 seats in Pullman. Two seats are reserved for international applicants, who are also considered in this pool. Decisions come in mid to late January.
What reviewers look at
WSU uses a holistic review of academics, experiences, letters and essays. It also considers work and family demands and economic, cultural and educational challenges.
- Four GPAs. Cumulative, science, last 45 semester (60 quarter) hours, and prerequisite GPA, as calculated by VMCAS. There is no minimum GPA and prerequisites have no expiration date, but all 65 minimum semester credits of prerequisites must be complete with a grade of C- or higher by August 1 of the year you begin the program (8 semester credits of biology with laboratory, 8 of inorganic chemistry with laboratory, 3 of genetics, 3 of biochemistry, 6 in upper division biomedical science courses, 4 of physics with laboratory, 3 of statistics and 3 of algebra, pre-calculus or higher math, plus 6 of English composition or communication and 21 of arts and humanities, social science or history, which a bachelor's degree prior to matriculation fulfills).
- Nonresident screen. Nonresidents with a science GPA above 3.5 and a last-45-credit GPA above 3.6 move on automatically. Others get a second academic review.
- Non-academic qualities. Communication and teamwork, motivation and leadership, maturity and professionalism, knowledge of the profession, and diversity of background and experience.
- Three letters. At least one from a veterinarian. You can send up to six, and letters from family members or personal friends are not reviewed.
How offers are decided
After review, the admissions committee recommends who to admit, waitlist or deny. The DVM director of admissions and the associate dean make the final review.
- 2 to 3 weeks. Each resident group hears 2 to 3 weeks after its interviews.
- Email decisions. All applicants get their decision by email, and all decisions are final.
- Tiered waitlists. WSU keeps separate waitlists for each residency group and nonresident review group, each with up to four tiers.
- April 15. The deadline to accept or decline an offer. AAVMC member schools cannot require a decision before this date.
Requirements and dates
You apply through VMCAS, answer WSU's own questions inside it, and pay a $70 WSU supplemental fee outside it.
WSU's own essays
WSU's extra questions ask how you will contribute to a community that values dignity, equity and inclusion. Another asks which part of the program resonates with you most, such as simulation-based education, clinical communication training or the Diagnostic Challenge program.
The 2026-27 timeline
These dates are from WSU's 2026-2027 timeline. Exact interview days are not published yet, so watch your email.
- September 1, 2026. Residency certification deadline for Idaho and Montana applicants.
- September 15, 2026. VMCAS application due at 11:59 pm Eastern. WICHE applicants are strongly encouraged to certify by this date.
- November 2026. Montana resident interviews in Bozeman.
- Mid to late January 2027. Decisions for WICHE and nonresident applicants.
- Late January to early February 2027. Washington and Idaho resident interviews in Pullman.
- April 15, 2027. Deadline to accept or decline an offer.
Last cycle's dates (2025-26)
For the Class of 2030, Montana residents interviewed November 18-19, Washington residents January 28-30, and Idaho residents February 3-4.
How to prepare
You get 30 minutes, so have your stories and your view of the profession ready before you walk in.
- Build a story bank. Pick five or six real moments that show teamwork, leadership, a mistake, a conflict and compassion. Use the situation, what you did and what you learned.
- Know the profession's issues. Read up on topics like workforce shortages, antimicrobial resistance, One Health and the cost of care, and form a view you can explain.
- Know your area of interest. WSU looks at your experience with a veterinarian in the area you want to work in, so be ready to describe what you saw and did there.
- Practice out loud. WSU itself suggests studying common questions and practicing alone and with others.
Know why WSU. Read up on the cooperative programs with Idaho and Montana and WSU's communication training, so your answer to why this school is specific.
Practice questions
Questions in the style of a Individual interview (residents only) station, written for applicants to Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. They are practice questions, not the school's own. Open one for what a strong answer does.
Tell me about a time an animal's unpredictable behavior caught you off guard. How did you regain control of the situation?
Describe the moment briefly, focus on the calm, safe steps you took, and say what you now do differently.
In your own words, can you explain why antimicrobial resistance is considered one of the major crises facing veterinary medicine today?
Explain it simply, give one example from animal practice, and link it to human health without drowning in detail.
A sheep farmer in a severe drought can no longer afford to feed his flock. He plans to open the gates and let the sheep fend for themselves in barren hills. How do you intervene?
Stay calm and practical, put the sheep's welfare first, and offer realistic options and local support rather than blame.
Often, treating animals means treating their owners. If you are drawn to this field partly because you prefer animals to people, how will you manage the client-facing side of the job?
Be honest, then show with a real example that you can listen, explain and build trust with people.
Thinking back on your veterinary observation hours, what was the most surprising or unglamorous part of a veterinarian's day-to-day work?
Pick one specific, real moment and show it made you more committed, not less.
Why veterinary medicine, and which part of a veterinarian's work do you expect to find most rewarding?
Give one specific reason rooted in your experience and tie it to the kind of work you have actually seen.
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington State interview all vet school applicants?
No. WSU invites top Washington, Idaho and Montana resident applicants to interview. Its pages list no interview for WICHE or nonresident applicants, who get decisions in mid to late January.
How long is the WSU vet school interview?
30 minutes. It is an individual interview with behavioral and knowledge-based questions from the admissions committee.
When are WSU vet school interviews?
For the 2026-27 cycle, Montana residents interview in November in Bozeman. Washington residents interview in late January in Pullman, and Idaho residents in late January or early February, depending on which WSU page you read.
Is there a minimum GPA for WSU vet school?
No. WSU has no minimum GPA, though all prerequisite courses require a grade of C- or higher before entering the program. Nonresidents first go through an academic screen where a science GPA above 3.5 and a last-45-credit GPA above 3.6 move them on automatically. For the Class of 2029, admitted students had an average cumulative GPA of 3.76, prerequisite GPA of 3.73, science GPA of 3.76 and last-45-semester-credit GPA of 3.83.
How many students does WSU admit?
The Class of 2030 had 2,920 applications and a class size of 142. Seats are split by residency, with up to 55 for Washington residents.
Sources
Official pages only, read on the date shown. Schools change their process every year, so check the school's own page before you apply.
- Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine: Apply to DVM Program · read October 24, 2026
- Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine: Admission Requirements · read October 24, 2026
- WSU DVM Admissions Hub: Non-academic Requirements (and Interview) · read October 24, 2026
- WSU DVM Admissions Hub: Admissions Decisions · read October 24, 2026
- WSU DVM Admissions Hub: Admissions Timeline · read October 24, 2026
- WSU DVM Admissions Hub: Residency · read October 24, 2026
- WSU DVM Admissions Hub: 2030 Class Statistics · read October 24, 2026
- AAVMC: VMCAS Applicant Guide 2027 · read October 24, 2026