ABAC’s Pre-Vet Club has 14 students accepted to veterinary colleges

TIFTON, Ga.—The ABAC Pre-Vet Club proudly announces the acceptance of 14 of its members into veterinary colleges beginning in August of 2026, with two students on waiting lists.

Admission to veterinary colleges is one of the most competitive graduate processes in the United States, with many requirements and expectations students must meet. Students must have high GPAs (averaging more than 3.6), at least 500 supervised veterinary hours, 700 animal hours, extracurricular activities; leadership and organizational skills; and volunteer experience. Many colleges also require interviews with potential candidates as part of their acceptance process.

The national acceptance rate into vet school in the U.S. is approximately 10% to 15%, demonstrating the difficulty of this challenging task. Dr. Jenny Harper, professor of biology, serves as the advisor to the Pre-Vet Club and has received two grants supported by the Capacity Building Grant for Non-land-grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program entitled “Southwest Georgia Veterinary Medicine Candidate Growth Capacity Building Program” (NLGCA grant 2021-700001-34780) and “Planning a Georgia Veterinary Science Pipeline: Preparing Students for Careers in Veterinary Medicine in the Underserved Region of Rural South Georgia” (NLGCA grant 2024-700001-43542). These grants have helped build strong partnerships with organizations and institutions in the veterinary community to offer ABAC students with opportunities that strengthen their applications to veterinary schools.

ABAC student members of the Pre-Vet Club have had the opportunity to work closely with the faculty and staff at the University of Georgia Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory to complete internships, with the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association for guidance and internships, local veterinarians for shadowing, and many volunteer opportunities with surrounding animal shelters and zoos. These focused efforts through grant work at ABAC have successfully produced students who can accomplish their goals of becoming veterinarians in a very competitive market.

ABAC students accepted into veterinary schools in 2026:

· Luke Abel, University of Georgia
· Jennifer Albertson, University of Georgia
· Jazzmyn Armstrong, Ross University
· T.J. Bowden, University of Georgia
· Lauren Clayden, Clemson University and the University of Oklahoma
· Hayden Crook, University of Georgia
· Levi Crook, University of Georgia
· Ashton Curry, University of Georgia
· Cody Davis, University of Georgia
· Mary Davis, University of Georgia and Pennsylvania State University
· Makenzie Hester, University of Georgia and Clemson University
· Ethan Torres, Royal Veterinary College
· Taylor Stegall, Ross University
· Megan Williams, University of Georgia

“Students were accepted into six different colleges across four states and three countries,” said Harper. “We are incredibly proud of these hardworking individuals and can’t wait for them to start this journey on their path to becoming veterinarians. The ABAC Pre-Vet Club has worked very hard over the years to provide students with opportunities to strengthen their résumés; develop lasting friendships and networking skills; and learn as much as possible about the veterinary medical field. We will continue to carry out these efforts for our students and offer even more options for them through high-impact practices such as internships, undergraduate research, and experiential learning through study abroad programs. The goal of the ABAC Pre-Vet Club is to have every student accomplish their goals and dreams.”