A new universal application doubled the number of applicants applying to the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine, making the selection process tougher.

The total number of applications this year was 1,826 as opposed to 889 in 1995, according to Vern Hawkins, assistant director of admissions. No matter how many applications are received, the number of applying students selected is narrowed down to only 100 each year for the freshman class.

“We like to have all those applications to work with when we are making selections,” Hawkins said.

Not including ISU students who applied, there was a total of 1,697 applicants who applied to the College of Veterinary Medicine as compared with last year’s total of 812, Hawkins said.

Of this year’s total applicants without ISU students, 1,617 were non-Iowans, 62 were Iowans and 18 were foreign students. Last year’s results not including ISU students was 765 non-Iowans, 39 Iowans and eight foreign applications.

Hawkins said that the number of ISU students who apply stays relatively constant each year at 60-70 applicants. He said the number of Iowans applying including both ISU students and other resident transfers was 165 this year as opposed to 116 last year.

Associate Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine Eldon Uhlenhopp, said, “There has been a trend to increase in the number of applicants each year.”

This year was the first year for the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS), and it had an enormous effect on the numbers, Uhlenhopp said.

The VMCAS is a universal application that is accepted at many veterinary schools in the United States. It makes it easier for students to apply to more than one veterinary school with only one application, Uhlenhopp said.

Caryn Hurd, a senior in animal science from Nemaha, was one of the 100 to be accepted for the 1996 fall class.

“I was surprised,” she said when she received her letter of acceptance on March 23. “I was trying not to keep my hopes too high because I just didn’t know.” Hurd said she was relieved to receive her acceptance for this fall.

“I really hadn’t thought about ‘Plan B’,” she said.

Hurd used the ISU application rather than the VMCAS when she applied. “I knew that they had a new application process, but I didn’t know how it was going to affect in-state students. I knew it would be rougher for out-of-state.”

With the huge increase in the number of applicants, Hurd said, “I’m sure glad that I wasn’t on the selection committee.”

“It is very competitive for out-of-state applicants,” Uhlenhopp said.

The college admits only 100 students into the program each year. Forty of those spaces are ear-marked for non-residents. The veterinary school has spaces contracted with North Dakota and South Dakota for up to 10 students apiece. They also recently contracted with New Jersey for up to four students per year. There are only 16 to 25 non-resident and non-contracted spaces available.

“This year we had roughly 1600 applicants for those spots,” Uhlenhopp said.

James Kramer, a junior in animal science from Worthington, Minn., had to face the tougher out-of-state competition for those few spots and wasn’t accepted for this fall. Kramer said he didn’t expect to get in since he is an out-of-state student.

“I’ve been through the process once, I’m pleased with the outcome,” he said about being on the waiting list as a junior and a non-resident.

“I was pretty surprised at the huge increase. A lot were due to the universal application,” Kramer said. “It was kind of nice to see so many applied to Iowa State veterinary college. It shows the level of competition within the nation. The college is a higher quality that people know and respect.

“I’m just a junior and this is my first time to apply. I will apply again next year.” Kramer plans to continue this fall as an undergraduate and to complete his animal science degree in four years. He says that a good thing about the animal science major, is that he’ll still be eligible to graduate and be marketable for a job.

“I’ll still be really happy with a career in animal science and the animal industry,” he said.

Uhlenhopp said many of those students have applied at other veterinary schools as well, so ISU may be just one that they are considering.

“It’s obvious that there’s something about Iowa State University, the state of Iowa and the college of veterinary medicine that made them apply here,” he said.

A major concern, however, is that applicants will be deterred from applying after hearing the large numbers, according to Uhlenhopp. “The opportunities for getting in [are] great for an Iowa State pre-vet who is an Iowa resident. We want them to know that.”

Brant Jauer, a junior in animal science from Hinton, received his acceptance in to veterinary school in his third-year of undergraduate work.

“It’s really a nice feeling — I was one out of the 1,800 or so applicants to be chosen.” Jauer said, “It [VMCAS] didn’t affect me too much, so I wasn’t too worried.”