The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is overhauling its admissions process to place greater emphasis on life experience and personal qualities, moving beyond its traditional reliance on academic performance.

According to CBC News, until now, grades accounted for 60 per cent of a candidate’s evaluation, with the rest based on an interview and a behavioural aptitude test. Starting in the 2025–26 academic year, academics will make up just 40 per cent of the score. A new test, worth 20 per cent, will assess compassion, empathy, teamwork, and integrity. Successful applicants will proceed to an interview (30 percent) and submit a personal essay (10 per cent).

“Essentially, the entire decision on whether or not an applicant would get an interview came down to their academic score,” says Dr. Anne Marie Carey, AVC’s dean of academic and student affairs in conversation with CBC News. “But there’s a lot more to being a successful veterinarian.”

AVC’s new admissions model aligns with changes seen in other professional programs, such as medical and nursing schools.