Clemson Vet School opens!
Small town feel, setting students up for BIG THINGS.
Clemson Vet School, ladies and gents!
Clemson University in South Carolina will open its doors for its inaugural class to take a seat… August 20, 2026!!
Here is a clip from “student’s day” as one of our two Mentorship Students that were accepted here documented her journey!
Watch this!
Next: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED!
1. Who’s in charge?!
Meet Dr. Steven Marks
Dr. Marks met with me one morning and I’m so grateful to have spoken to him. Here’s a little about him.
My gut? He’s great. He really, really wants his students to succeed. He is incredibly aware of the real world that new vets face and he wants to set his students up for success. His utmost concern is the safety and success of his students.
Proof: every single admitted student in their inaugural class got some kind of scholarship/ financial support. For. 4. Years.
2. What are their core values?
Clemson wants to contribute to society and to the community. They want to give the state of South Carolina quality vets who are ready to work. Vets who can provide on day one.
They want to provide care in underserved areas of their state.
I asked Dean Marks to “pick a vibe.”
His answer: “Clemson has a fantastic culture- you really feel like you belong here.”
3. What kind of students are they looking to admit?
They, like all vet schools, need students who can handle the curriculum. (That’s why the GPA will always always be in your “score”)… wants to see applicants with not only a solid GPA but Clemson wants to see applicants with experience that has helped them find their “why” in veterinary medicine.
GPA minimum for in-state applicants: 3.0
GPA minimum for out-of-state applicants: 3.4
*They want to see some applicants that come from a rural background- these are the communities that need vets and they want to provide vets to rural areas!
They want their students to understand “servant leadership,” what it means to truly think of others.
Prereqs:
(C- or higher in these classes!)
- No GRE required
- No Casper test required
- They want to see:
100 Hours Vet Experience
100 Hours Animal Experience
100 Hours Community Service
Read the detailed requirements here!
4. What about the Vet School’s 4th (clinical) year?
Clemson will have a “partially-distributive model of Year 4 Clinical Training.” Students will complete required and elective clinical clerkships utilizing a blend of on-campus and off-campus rotations. Approximately 50% of the clerkships will take place on-campus with the CVM Community Clinic for small animals, and the CVM Ambulatory Service for large animals. The remaining 50% of the clerkships will take place off-campus at veterinary practices in the South Carolina region- organized into hubs and referred to as Clemson CVM Clinical Partners. Students will also have the opportunity to identify and complete a variety of “externship” rotations at approved sites.
The 4th-year clinical training program, referred to as the Clerkship Program, also gives students 4 weeks of vacation and 4 weeks of time to prep for the NAVLE.
5. What’s up with accreditation? How does that work?
All new Vet Schools go through the accreditation process.
First step: Consultative visit- the COE comes to visit the proposed vet college to hear and see their plans.
Second: Comprehensive visit- the COE visits again to see evidence of the plan. If it goes well, the school is awarded a Letter of Reasonable Assurance.
This allows the school to admit students, and is where Clemson is now!
Last: Full Accreditation This is awarded after the first class takes the NAVLE and graduates.
**Every Vet School has to be re-accredited every 7 years!! (I did not know this!)
6. Dr. Katie’s takeaways:
(Congrats if you made it this far!)
I LOVE that this Vet School is being constructed from the inside out, thoughtfully and proactively, with its community in mind! Clemson knows their state, they know what they need, and they intend to provide it.
I also love that they are designing their curriculum with intention: for instance, their students will take “Professional Development Courses,” which will focus on communication, building a team of nursing staff and supporting and utilizing them, business-running type classes, and more. I wish I had access to this back in my day!!
Want to apply to Clemson (and other Vet Schools?)
Need one-on-one help?
A big thank you to Dean Marks- I wish you guys the best of luck! I know your students will feel your dedication to their dream. I def did!!