Over the past five years, the average increase in applications to veterinary schools has been just over 2% per year, according to data from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). Applications dipped slightly in 2010 compared to 2009, decreasing about 1 percent. But applications for 2011 are back on track, increasing about 2 percent.

Twenty-one was the age of most of the applicants (29%), and more than three-quarters are female (77%). The overwhelming majority are white and 97 percent are from the United States.

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine reported a large rise in applications for its incoming class. The school said in a news release that applications to its DVM program rose by 11 percent this year over last year, "a historic surge" for the program.