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Veterinary Medicine Graduate Applicants 2012

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Original post by Loosy
Just wondered whether anyone is going to be retaking any A levels this September?
I only have a C in chemistry so far and I was planning to retake it because Notts don't take graduates with lower than a B.
But I've been looking at the cost and it seems to work oout at about £3000, which I'd obviously rather save for the uni fees. Plus it will mean losing money from working etc. I can't decide whether I should just not apply for Notts and put all my hopes on RVC this year, which would be my ideal uni because I would be able to stay at home (saving more pennies).
Would you guys say it would be worth it? Could it increase my chances of getting into RVC as well?


I dont really think RVC will take a C either. They might say its ok, but in reality the competition is so high you'll be up against lots of people with straight A's and tonnes of work experience, so I think to have any chance you need to re-take :smile:
Reply 21
Original post by tigercallie
I dont really think RVC will take a C either. They might say its ok, but in reality the competition is so high you'll be up against lots of people with straight A's and tonnes of work experience, so I think to have any chance you need to re-take :smile:


Ok, thanks :smile: I know a grad at RVC with a C in chemistry so it is possible but you're right I think I probably need all the help I can get! lol
Just the money side of things again :rolleyes:
Reply 22
If you've done chem before and just need to get a better mark then you may be able to get away without paying so much if you just teach yourself and get a tutor a couple of times if there are some things you need help with. I re-sat my bio like this and just asked a friendly school if I could take the exam with their students as an external candidate. Just an idea that would be a compromise :smile:
Original post by stef_vet?
If you've done chem before and just need to get a better mark then you may be able to get away without paying so much if you just teach yourself and get a tutor a couple of times if there are some things you need help with. I re-sat my bio like this and just asked a friendly school if I could take the exam with their students as an external candidate. Just an idea that would be a compromise :smile:


I got an interview from RVC with a C in Chemistry. My feedback from them was that my interview wasn't good enough but my grades were fine :smile:

What was your first degree in? Maybe it depends if you did more chemistry at uni? I did Zoology so did a bit of chem with that :smile:
Reply 24
Original post by spooksthehorse
I got an interview from RVC with a C in Chemistry. My feedback from them was that my interview wasn't good enough but my grades were fine :smile:

What was your first degree in? Maybe it depends if you did more chemistry at uni? I did Zoology so did a bit of chem with that :smile:


My degree is Zoology and I have done a module in biochem and had a little bit of Chemistry in other modules. I did email RVC admissions a couple of times to ask whether my chem grade was any good but they never replied. Might have to ring instead.

I did look into studying for Chemistry myself but because it has a couple of practical modules I'd need access to a lab as well, so it seemed like it might be quite awkward. I'm going to an open evening in a couple of weeks for the college I was thinking of studying, so I suppose I can ask when I'm there :smile:
I'm a graduate taking chemistry for the first time, and my RVC offer stipulates I need an A grade:/

The RVC and Nottingham in particular seem to be getting tougher about it, but I think it's largely an effort to be fair.

A-levels and Scottish Highers are standardized and allow you to compare easily between students; university degrees vary wildly in their comparative standards. The majority of students will get a 2.1, but the way a degree is classified at two different universities won't necessarily represent the same standard. There are 325 institutions listed by UCAS as able to confer degree status, it would be unrealistic to expect academics to know the relative merits of each so that they could compare between two students.

If they use A-levels, then it's easy to tell between people at a glance. Also, you can resit A-levels and they are relatively easy to access for learners outside a traditional academic institution; whereas a degree isn't.

I think it's pretty fair; cutting grads a bit of slack where they have proved they can perform at a higher level, but not cutting them so much slack that it disadvantages sixth form leavers is a hard balancing act.
(edited 12 years ago)
Just wondering, but does anyone know why you're allowed to retake parts of A levels and get a higher grade? or am i wrong here? Its just you cant do that with highers, what you get is what you get, unless you re-take the whole thing, but uni's dont like that at all.
Original post by tigercallie
Just wondering, but does anyone know why you're allowed to retake parts of A levels and get a higher grade? or am i wrong here? Its just you cant do that with highers, what you get is what you get, unless you re-take the whole thing, but uni's dont like that at all.


An A-level is six units, three for AS and three for A2. You can retake any individual unit unlimited numbers of times.

Universities don't like students straight from sixth form retaking units, but they seem not to care about graduates and mature students resitting. I was under the impression when I contacted Liverpool at least, that resitting highers was also ok for graduates.
Reply 28
Hey have been around on other threads.

Currently study a BSc hons part time. finish next year. Also work full time at the moment. Doing an A level in Biology and higher chemistry night class next yr.

20 atm so will be 21 when I apply.
So yeh go us! :biggrin:
Hi, I have a human genetics degree from University college London and ABB in my A-levels (psychology, biology, chemistry) and would really like to apply for 2012 entry. Does anyone know about the fees/funding options as my parents are not rich and I'd have to fund myself. By then I would have been living away from home for a year and a half though. I graduated in 2009. I think it is probably a lost cause but I thought I'd do a bit of research and try find out.
Original post by nakashimayumi
Hi, I have a human genetics degree from University college London and ABB in my A-levels (psychology, biology, chemistry) and would really like to apply for 2012 entry. Does anyone know about the fees/funding options as my parents are not rich and I'd have to fund myself. By then I would have been living away from home for a year and a half though. I graduated in 2009. I think it is probably a lost cause but I thought I'd do a bit of research and try find out.


Try applying to RVC and Nottingham as they have subsidised fees so will be the increased £9,000. You could try and get a personal loan for the fees and can get a maintenance loan from the student loans company. I'm not 100% on the details of what classes you as an independent but i think you have to prove you've been self sufficient for a certain number of years like paying rent and bills from money that wasn't from your parents.

The other unis charge about £20k per year though :s-smilie:
Reply 31
Hello. For the self-sufficient side of things you need to be able to prove you have lived away from home independently for at least 3 years BUT you don't get a maintenance grant as a graduate anyway so it doesn't matter whether you're self-sufficient or not. If you have a 2:1 or above you may be acceptable for UK entry with ABB as your degree is science based but worth a check with the individual admissions teams to make sure.

Another option is to apply abroard. There are universities in Kosice, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Warsaw that teach vet in English. UVM in Kosice is definitely EAEVE accredited (or will be on this coming inspection) so you will be able to practice in England once you graduate. They also offer a 4 year course for graduates of a science degree, which again, you may qualify for. You won't get a loan if you study abroard but living costs are MUCH cheaper and the course is cheaper too, I think it's something like 7,500 euroes a year starting next year. That was what I was going to go for after working and saving for a couple of years but I was fortunate enough to get into RVC this year :smile: If you went straight to uni from 6th form you're probably the same age as me and for me I would have pursued and worked for as long as need be because it's the only thing I want to do. Good luck with whatever you decide :smile:
Hmm, I would need a loan. I am wondering with the increase in fees though isn't there meant to be chance for scholarships etc? Also I was wondering if the goverment would allow me to loan tutition fees from them as the fees are much higher. I guess i'll have to wait and see what they propose. I am going to try for RVC and notts though and see what happens. Also for grad entry, do we still need to take BMAT?
Original post by nakashimayumi
Hmm, I would need a loan. I am wondering with the increase in fees though isn't there meant to be chance for scholarships etc? Also I was wondering if the goverment would allow me to loan tutition fees from them as the fees are much higher. I guess i'll have to wait and see what they propose. I am going to try for RVC and notts though and see what happens. Also for grad entry, do we still need to take BMAT?


There won't be loans for fees for a second degree and generally scholarships etc don't apply to graduate applicants. Basically the only help you get at all from the government is the maintenance loan.

For grads, yes you still need to take the BMAT :smile:
Reply 34
Original post by spooksthehorse
Try applying to RVC and Nottingham as they have subsidised fees so will be the increased £9,000. You could try and get a personal loan for the fees and can get a maintenance loan from the student loans company. I'm not 100% on the details of what classes you as an independent but i think you have to prove you've been self sufficient for a certain number of years like paying rent and bills from money that wasn't from your parents.

The other unis charge about £20k per year though :s-smilie:


not necessarily... :frown: has anyone noticed that no one is saying anything about graduate fees at the moment?

nottingham have said that they haven't decided yet what the graduate fees will be - veterinary medicine is currently an exemption course so only charges undergraduate fees but it won't necessarily be so next year. :frown:

if the fee increases are all due to decreased funding then they might ALL charge full graduate fees... :frown:
Reply 35
Original post by schizopear
not necessarily... :frown: has anyone noticed that no one is saying anything about graduate fees at the moment?

nottingham have said that they haven't decided yet what the graduate fees will be - veterinary medicine is currently an exemption course so only charges undergraduate fees but it won't necessarily be so next year. :frown:

if the fee increases are all due to decreased funding then they might ALL charge full graduate fees... :frown:


That is true. But graduate places at veterinary school are already not funded by the government so the increase in tuition fees as a result of cuts to higher ed doesn't mean that the grad fees will go up to full fees at Notts and RVC as there's no real change for those places - other than that there are cuts and so the unis need (/want!) all the money they can get.

RVC particularly makes a lot of money and is also very big on being inclusive so I would doubt they would put their grad fees up to full next year. Notts who knows? They're a well off uni as far as I know but the vet school is relatively knew and may need the extra funding. Like you say, it's all a bit up in the air :s-smilie:
Reply 36
If Notts and RVC start charging the full grad fees I think I will have to go abroad instead.
Crossing my fingers though! I hope they announce it soon...
Reply 37
Original post by Loosy
If Notts and RVC start charging the full grad fees I think I will have to go abroad instead.
Crossing my fingers though! I hope they announce it soon...


apparently fees will be finalised by july...
Reply 38
Original post by schizopear
apparently fees will be finalised by july...


Ah right, thanks! Will just have to wait and see then...
I'm really curious about what will happen with fees.

I doubt everywhere will put the fees up to 20k. People used to talk about 'Calcutta degrees' because you could buy a degree from the University of Calcutta regardless of how silly/underqualified you were. Charging too much and having to take less qualified candidates devalues your product if you get a reputation for it.

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