ASVT Admission Policies

Veterinary Technology program applicants will be considered for admission into the program if they achieve the minimum scores on the required sections of the ACCUPLACER test of the College Board administered at the university, as defined in the following chart.

The applicant may take each of the Accuplacer tests required for admission to a program up to three times initially, with at least 48 hours between attempts.  If the applicant does not achieve a passing score on the required tests after three attempts, the applicant must wait two months before retaking the failed test(s).   After the two-month waiting period, the applicant may take the failed Accuplacer test(s) up to three more times.  If the applicant does not achieve a passing score after these three attempts, the applicant must wait one calendar year before retaking all of the Accuplacer tests required for admission to the program.  The applicant will be allowed to take each of the Accuplacer tests up to three times after the one calendar year waiting period.  If the applicant does not achieve a passing score on each of the required test(s) after these three attempts, the applicant will not be able to take the Accuplacer tests again for admission to a program at the university.

In addition to meeting the minimum scores on the Accuplacer tests, each applicant must complete a questionnaire and an essay, and have an interview with the Program Director or designee. The interviewer will use a Candidate Interview form for the interview and will award points for the applicant’s questionnaire, essay, and responses in the interview according to a departmental rubric.

The interviewer will award points according to the departmental rubric for the applicant’s scores on the Accuplacer examination, other examinations, or a grade point average earned for a degree or diploma.  The interviewer will combine these points with the points awarded for the questionnaire, essay, and interview into a total score according to the departmental rubric.  Based on the total score, the applicant will be ranked among the other applicants who are applying for admission to the program with the current cohort.

The applicants who have met the minimum admission policies for an associate degree program, and who have the highest number of points awarded for the questionnaire, essay, interview and examination scores or grade point average, will be accepted for admission to the current cohort.  Should an opening occur, the applicant who has the next highest number of combined points may be accepted for admission.  If there are more than 45 individuals qualified for admission in a given cohort, those who are not admitted to the current cohort will be considered for admission into a subsequent cohort.

Applicants to the veterinary technology program are required to complete a background check form and pay the background check fee seven days prior to the start of classes.

Applicants with Criminal Convictions

Individuals with a criminal history may not be able to obtain licensure from the California Veterinary Medical Board.  Licensure is required to work in this field.  Without a license, you will not be able to obtain a job as a Veterinary Technician.

The university does not determine whether persons with a criminal history are eligible for licensure.  California state law requires a criminal background check be conducted on anyone applying for licensure as a registered veterinary technician.  Determination of eligibility is made on a case-by-case basis by The California Veterinary Medical Board.  The Board determines licensure eligibility at the time you apply for licensure, following a required criminal background check.  State law requires that the background check be conducted on anyone applying for licensure as a registered veterinary technician.

Individuals with a criminal history may be considered for admission to the Veterinary Technician Program on a case-by-case basis.

Stanbridge University will consider the nature and the severity of the acts or crime, the time that has elapsed since the commission of the act/crimes, the extent to which the applicant has complied with any terms or conditions of the probation imposed, and any other relevant evidence of rehabilitation.

Admission to the Veterinary Technician Program is NOT a guarantee that the California Veterinary Medical Board will determine that an individual is qualified for licensure.

Internship facilities may require release of background check data and criminal convictions may affect the ability of the Veterinary Technology program to place the student in an internship and, thus, may delay the student’s graduation date or affect the student’s ability to complete the program.

The following is an excerpt from the Veterinary Medical Board RVT application instructions document and is provided for clarification:

Section 144(b) of the Business and Professions Code authorizes the Veterinary Medical Board (Board) to collect fingerprints for background checks of applicants for registration. Fingerprints must be submitted electronically via Live Scan pursuant to Penal Code Section 11077.1. Fingerprinting is required to take the RVT Examination; the results from Live Scan must be received by the Board prior to examination.

Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) is information identified through fingerprint submission to the California Department of Justice (DOJ). CORI information includes criminal history information maintained by California local law enforcement, the DOJ, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other state law enforcement. CORI information is confidential and used solely for the purpose of determining whether an applicant has criminal history that would-be grounds for denial of an application, or suspension or revocation of a registration pursuant to Section 475 – 499 of the Business and Professions Code.

Candidates must disclose on the application whether or not there has been any disciplinary action taken against any registration, license, or certificate as a veterinary technician or any veterinary related license including revocation, suspension, probation, voluntary surrender, or any other proceeding in any state, territory or province. A separate letter explaining the action is required.

Candidates who have been convicted of, or pled no contest to, any violation of any law of the United States, any state or local jurisdiction, or any foreign country, must attach a letter of explanation that includes the type of violation, the date, circumstances and location, and the complete penalty received. Also include certified copies of arrest records and court documents. You must include all misdemeanor and felony convictions, regardless of the age of the conviction, including those which have been set aside and/or dismissed under Penal Code Section 1000, 1203.4 or 1210.1. (Traffic violations involving driving under the influence, injury to persons or providing false information must be reported).

For more information regarding Live Scan, please refer to the “Fingerprinting Requirements” information in this package, or the Board’s web site (www.vmb.ca.gov/applicants/examinations.shtml ). Your fingerprints must be processed at a Live Scan facility, and service must include both the DOJ and the FBI. Fingerprint processing fees are paid directly to the Live Scan facility.