Veterinary Medicine Graduate Applicants 2012

Just figured I would add my thoughts to what everyone else has said.

I was in a similar-ish position to you, didn't get the grades at a level, so I panicked and got an offer through clearing for animal science. Realise in my first year that I wasn't happy with this and still wanted to go down the vet route, but didn't want to waste the years time and money I had spent and drop out with all the maybes of hopefully bringing my a level grades up, hopefully getting an offer for vet school etc. So I stuck it out, finished my degree, which was hard work when I didn't really want to be there and have eventually ended up at the RVC now doing what I should have done about 6 years ago.

Whilst being a graduate does have some merits in the way that I feel more ready maturity wise and academically to do the course now. But, it was a very long winded and expensive way to get that! Equally, plenty of people do manage the 'normal' route, so it is probably just a case of hindsight.

I would agree with the others in that whilst it is a big move, I would be inclined to drop out now. You can use it to show the uni's your motivation for being a vet and how much you have wanted to do this.

As the others have already said, grad entry whilst possible, is not as easy route by any means. It is fairly easy to get an offer from a high fee uni (edinburgh dont even interview grads), but it gets very competitive when you look at Nottm, RVC and Cambridge. Hence why a lot of grads end up going back and redoing a levels after their degree anyway to try and be competitive.

You don't get any funding for a second degree, whereas you would do it you dropped out of your first one in the first year. So all you get is a maintenance loan - that doesn't even cover my accommodation at the RVC.

Also, obviously some of the uni's do graduate entry (4yr degree programs) to take into your previous degree. They are *HARD*, I would say most people in my year are teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown at the moment. Personally, if I was at the likes of Edinburgh on a 4 yr degree paying their fees per year I would have lost the plot by now. I am seriously worried about failing this year and having to resit - if I was paying £20k + per year I couldn't do that. The financial burden of doing this as a graduate should not be underestimated.

Anyway...good luck with what you decide.

Thank you for the advice So what is it you're doing right now then? Are you applying/already at Uni? I've looked into going back to a college in my University city, and have a meeting with their careers advisor next week so I can talk about the options I have for re-taking A-levels or even taking up new ones.

I'm going to have to think about it seriously, and will talk to lots of people about it over the summer. It would be a huge effort to go back to college for 1 or 2 years and then to reapply, but if I know this is what I realy want to do then I reckon it will be worth it in the end I just don't want to let anyone down by dropping out!!

Thank you! As I've said in the above quote, it's not a decision I'm going to make lightly and I'm going to talk to as many people about it as possible (I've got a meeting with my head of year for Zoology and also a career's advisor for a local college) so hopefully by the end of summer I will have an answer. In fairness, it's not really a choice. It's whether I have the confidence in myself to take such a huge risk. :/

So what year of Uni are you in now if you don't mind me asking? Not that I'm going to be fussy about which university I go to, but what's RVC like to study at?

Hi everyone!

I'm planning to apply for Vet Med (graduate entry) at Edinburgh later in the year, does anyone know when we can actually start applying? I'm so excited and just want to do it now! I've just finished my 3rd year of Biological Sciences with one year to go. Wheres everyone applying to?

You can apply when UCAS opens which is beginning of September. You could still apply late for this year up until quite recently. Worth a try to phone them up and ask if they would accept your application now!

Nah they wouldn't accept an application from me this year unfortunately. I have to have at 2:1 or better for my biological sciences honours degree, and I didn't do the right subjects at school so graduate entry is the only route for me It would be nice though!

Edinburgh usually take late grad entry applications. Its advertised on their website i think. Sorry if i've read what you said wrongly, and you didnt mean this at all!

Hey again.. it's been a while since I've been on here!

I was having a look on the Bristol website at fees etc, and came across this - In all previous prospectuses, it has said this about fees:

"Tuition fees for UK and European Union (EU) students undertaking their first degree are set by the Government. In 2010/11 the tuition fees for UK and EU students will be £3,290."

Whereas in the 2012 prospectus it says: "With effect from 2012 the University of Bristol intends to charge an annual tuition fee of £9,000 (increasing annually in line with inflation) for all UK and EU students on full-time undergraduate programmes "

Is this just incredibly wishful thinking on my part? I'm trying to hang on to every ounce of hope here haha

Hey again.. it's been a while since I've been on here!

I was having a look on the Bristol website at fees etc, and came across this - In all previous prospectuses, it has said this about fees:

"Tuition fees for UK and European Union (EU) students undertaking their first degree are set by the Government. In 2010/11 the tuition fees for UK and EU students will be £3,290."

Whereas in the 2012 prospectus it says: "With effect from 2012 the University of Bristol intends to charge an annual tuition fee of £9,000 (increasing annually in line with inflation) for all UK and EU students on full-time undergraduate programmes "

Is this just incredibly wishful thinking on my part? I'm trying to hang on to every ounce of hope here haha

Hello, Im new on here

I am applying for vet med this october as a graduate. Graduated from Nottingham last year with a 1st in Animal Science which I am very proud of but I have decided I want to have a go at applying for vet school again!

I didn't do very well in my a levels, got Cs in Bio and Physics and D in chem which is a big regret of mine, thinking of resitting.

I have started getting more work experience, just a question, any one applying to RVC graduate course, do you think a weeks placement in August 2009 is too far away to count for one of the 2 weeks minimum in a vets? I think I remember them saying within the last 2 years.

Other experience I have so far is volunteering with the RDA since march once a week
1week at an open mixed farm
And just started going to a dairy farm on Saturdays which I love
Also trying to get a placement at a large animal vets

Im currently working as a temp as an animal technician in a rodent breeding unit so have experience there too

Hope I have a chance!

Hey Peggymeg

Just gave a thought to your idea of applying for vet med, and wanted to suggest you something. As you are currently working as an animal technician, you can opt for a course in veterinary technician also rather that veterinary medicine. The best thing is many reputed universities are offering online courses in veterinary technician. By doing these courses you can get a certification in veterinary technician and can also work as an animal technician simultaneously. Hence your source of income is not hampered. I would also like to mention that the salary of a vet tech is also healthy. The following site can guide you better.

http://veterinariantechnician.org/salary-information-for-veterinarian-technicians/

Hopefully you'll like the suggestion. For any further information please post a reply, I'll try to help you out.

Just figured I would add my thoughts to what everyone else has said.

I was in a similar-ish position to you, didn't get the grades at a level, so I panicked and got an offer through clearing for animal science. Realise in my first year that I wasn't happy with this and still wanted to go down the vet route, but didn't want to waste the years time and money I had spent and drop out with all the maybes of hopefully bringing my a level grades up, hopefully getting an offer for vet school etc. So I stuck it out, finished my degree, which was hard work when I didn't really want to be there and have eventually ended up at the RVC now doing what I should have done about 6 years ago.

Whilst being a graduate does have some merits in the way that I feel more ready maturity wise and academically to do the course now. But, it was a very long winded and expensive way to get that! Equally, plenty of people do manage the 'normal' route, so it is probably just a case of hindsight.

I would agree with the others in that whilst it is a big move, I would be inclined to drop out now. You can use it to show the uni's your motivation for being a vet and how much you have wanted to do this.

As the others have already said, grad entry whilst possible, is not as easy route by any means. It is fairly easy to get an offer from a high fee uni (edinburgh dont even interview grads), but it gets very competitive when you look at Nottm, RVC and Cambridge. Hence why a lot of grads end up going back and redoing a levels after their degree anyway to try and be competitive.

You don't get any funding for a second degree, whereas you would do it you dropped out of your first one in the first year. So all you get is a maintenance loan - that doesn't even cover my accommodation at the RVC.

Also, obviously some of the uni's do graduate entry (4yr degree programs) to take into your previous degree. They are *HARD*, I would say most people in my year are teetering on the edge of a nervous breakdown at the moment. Personally, if I was at the likes of Edinburgh on a 4 yr degree paying their fees per year I would have lost the plot by now. I am seriously worried about failing this year and having to resit - if I was paying £20k + per year I couldn't do that. The financial burden of doing this as a graduate should not be underestimated.

Anyway...good luck with what you decide.

Hi there, Been stalking for a while now.
I'm 27 Animal Health and Welfare BSc (Hons) 2:1 grad and am planning on applying this year.
I work (nearly ALL the time) and so gettinig any "formal" work experience time is hard. I have the following:
Assistnat Equine Yard Manager
Lambing on the college farm (helping the farm manager)
Groom SJ yard and dressage
Thoroughbred stud groom for 4 yrs
Breaking/ Re-schooling horses
Up and coming:
Groom British Pony Event team at European champs in Poland
LA vet practice October (after application)
Working on:
SA practice

Do you think this is any good or should I sack it off this year and get some more work ex (although this would be difficult due to work e.t.c).

What kind of things had you done, what was your degree in, what kind of things do you need in your PS (thats gonna be the killer). I REALLY wanna get into RVC or cambridge due to the whole fees thing! Think I could just about cover tuition with loans etc.

ANY advice you could give would be awesome, and p.s WELLDONE on getting in! How are you manageing to pay for it?

Becky x x x

Your work experience is very good, but possibly a little horse heavy? Like its brilliant you've done that much, but i would say you need to get some dairy and REALLY need to get the small animal experience. I know you said you're working on it :-) but if i were you i wouldnt apply until you had the SA done. You've got great experience, but the competition you'll be up against means you really need to cover all areas. If you can't do it over the summer, then i would hold off (unless you can apply twice to RVC/Cam - btw you didnt say notts - have they changed their fees for grads?) Goodluck!

If I do the BMAT this Nov and don't make a complete mess of it will it still count for the 2012 application cycle?