Admissions procedures at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria

The admission procedure implemented in fall 2005 in consequence of new laws passed in summer 2005 is described and evaluated. The general set-up, the underlying considerations, and the changes resulting from the establishment of this procedure are presented.

Admission variables and demographic information (sex, age, nationality) for 172 students who entered their first academic year at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (VUW) and their academic performance measured according to their results in the three first-year examinations (successful versus unsuccessful) were assessed. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between predictor and outcome.

Regression analysis indicates that Austrian students were more likely to be unsuccessful than German students (R(2) = 0.366, p < 0.001). Previous school performance was the best predictor for success in the Austrian cohort (R(2) = 0.196; p < 0.001), whereas the personal interview scores provided the best predictor in the German cohort (R(2) = 0.122; p < 0.05).

This study supports our existing selection practices relating to cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The number of strugglers may be reduced on the basis of an admissions procedure, but struggling may not be excluded by the existing selection practices, which do not assess a specific threshold but are related to a score-ranking system and a predefined number of available openings in the program.