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Veterinary Medicine Graduate Applicants 2012

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Original post by cornish_pasty
Hey, im going to be applying this october for 2012 entry. At the mo im going into my 3rd year of bioveterinary sciences at liverpool. Ive been put in a bit of a panic now by this thread - i hadn't really considered my A level grades before!! I got BBC in the end in biol history and chemistry, but was on AAB before the summer sittings. I basically had all this drama with changing 6th forms after the first term and switching to all different exam boards which put me a bit behind, leaving me constantly doing some resits. Had a bit of a melt down in A2 summer, in tears, stopped revising etc;;

End result, my offer for Veterinary at liverpool was changed to biovet after exam results. For my GCSE's i got 6 A*s 3As and 1 B(drama lol). And so far in my degree im on a first, got a first in all of my modules for the last 2 years bar 2 which were both high 2-1s so i was going to use the angle of that showing my actual capabilities blah blah blah. But now im slightly worried A-level wise about where i stand with applying and my chances?

Work experience wise i have (before my degree) 5 weeks at a mixed practice, 1 year volunteering sundays at the RSPCA 1 week dairy, 1 week stables, 1 week lambing booked - got me a liverpool offer.

By this application i will have on top of that (yes i am re using it all lol) 2 weeks mixed vets 2 weeks LA vets, 2 weeks at a stables 9 weeks sundays at the RSPCA, 1 week dairy, 2 weeks lambing, 1 week pigs.

How much are my A-levels going to hold me back/what should i do?


Are you aware of the massive graduate fees? You might as well leave your current degree and resit your A levels and get in as an undergraduate.

Otherwise i got a place at liverpool as a grad with A levels of BBC so it's not so much of a problem if you have a degree already :smile:
Original post by spooksthehorse
Are you aware of the massive graduate fees? You might as well leave your current degree and resit your A levels and get in as an undergraduate.

Otherwise i got a place at liverpool as a grad with A levels of BBC so it's not so much of a problem if you have a degree already :smile:


Yea i know, but im hoping for RVC or nottingham. Im already going into my 3rd year so have 2 years of student debt, then with the fees all going up to 9000 anyway it would still leave me in a lot of debt! Plus, i know a lot of people who have dropped out over 2 years through a degree and have problems with student finance not wanting to fund their new degree.

That makes me feel a bit better A-level wise! I decided at the time that re sitting wasnt my best bet. Not sure if that was the right decision now but it's one ive got to live with lol. It was mainly due to needing AAA if you were applying after 6th form with re sits, which i didn't believe i could get.
Reply 82
hi everyone, haven't been on here for a while but good luck to anyone waiting for results of any kind!
Reply 83
Hiya all, I'm nervous but here goes!

I thought it was about time I introduce myself! I registered a while ago but haven't been on the forums as I have been so busy. Now it is getting round to application time it's nice to read about other people in my position. Especially as nearly every vet I speak to tells me not to do it!

I'm Emma, a 23 year old Animal Science BSc (hons) student, I have one term left to finish in January and will graduate in July 2012. I am applying In September for 2012 to Bristol, Edinburgh, RVC and unsure of the last place. I don't know how I will afford it but I will be sending off hundreds of letters if I do get a place! I am just finishing up draft number 2 of my personal statement and already planning to scrap it and work on number 3, I'm finding it quite hard!

So far i have done:

2 years at a cattery, weekends
1 year at a riding school/livery, 2 days a week
1 year at a rabbit rescue, 2 days a month (still going)
2 weeks at a small animal referral hospital, and then over a year volunteering 2 days a week (still going)
1 week mixed practice
1 week small animal and equine practice
3 weeks dairy and beef farm
1 day at a testing laboratory

I've loved doing my work experience and next week I am spending a week at an equine hospital, and I am looking forward to probing them about the stem cell therapy they do! Then I have a day at an abbotoir the week after. Unfortunately I couldn't get any lambing until next year, but hope that won't be too much of an issue.

One practice also offered me a paid job after my week there (paid, money, yes!!) so I am waiting to hear back from them. I really hope they can fit me in somewhere!

I am starting to think about applying for deferred entry, since they have put the fees up, at least then I can work and save up for part/most of it. Anyway I hope everyones stuffies are going well, work experience and applications :smile:
Reply 84
Original post by Eevee13
Hiya all, I'm nervous but here goes!

I thought it was about time I introduce myself! I registered a while ago but haven't been on the forums as I have been so busy. Now it is getting round to application time it's nice to read about other people in my position. Especially as nearly every vet I speak to tells me not to do it!

I'm Emma, a 23 year old Animal Science BSc (hons) student, I have one term left to finish in January and will graduate in July 2012. I am applying In September for 2012 to Bristol, Edinburgh, RVC and unsure of the last place. I don't know how I will afford it but I will be sending off hundreds of letters if I do get a place! I am just finishing up draft number 2 of my personal statement and already planning to scrap it and work on number 3, I'm finding it quite hard!

So far i have done:

2 years at a cattery, weekends
1 year at a riding school/livery, 2 days a week
1 year at a rabbit rescue, 2 days a month (still going)
2 weeks at a small animal referral hospital, and then over a year volunteering 2 days a week (still going)
1 week mixed practice
1 week small animal and equine practice
3 weeks dairy and beef farm
1 day at a testing laboratory

I've loved doing my work experience and next week I am spending a week at an equine hospital, and I am looking forward to probing them about the stem cell therapy they do! Then I have a day at an abbotoir the week after. Unfortunately I couldn't get any lambing until next year, but hope that won't be too much of an issue.

One practice also offered me a paid job after my week there (paid, money, yes!!) so I am waiting to hear back from them. I really hope they can fit me in somewhere!

I am starting to think about applying for deferred entry, since they have put the fees up, at least then I can work and save up for part/most of it. Anyway I hope everyones stuffies are going well, work experience and applications :smile:


Hi! I would deffo advise going for Notts as your last choice, RVC and Notts are circa 10k cheaper per year after all! And with the writing letter thing unfortunately it is an avenue that lots of people have explored to little avail :frown: if you hint on the Internet you'll find people who have had newspaper articles written about them begging for donations or sponsorship, blogs of students who ask for donations etc all to help with grad fees. Your work exp sounds brill so if you're getting a 2:1 or above I reckon you're on track - but RVC and Notts are unfortunately ridiculously competetive for grads :-/ gap year sounds like a good plan as you're right, they're unlikely to increase significantly for a while but you could apply this time for deferred entry for peace of mind :smile:

There's also the option to study abroad...there's a great UVM Kosice thread on here which is the Slovakian vet school where they offer an English speaking, UK and Europe accredited 4 year vet med course for grads. The people who go there seem to love it! It's 7500 euroes per year fees wise so much cheaper than here and although you won't be able to get a student loan cost of living is MUCH cheaper too. Definitely an option I was considering before I was lucky enough to get a place at RVC :smile:
Reply 85
Original post by stef_vet?
Hi! I would deffo advise going for Notts as your last choice, RVC and Notts are circa 10k cheaper per year after all! And with the writing letter thing unfortunately it is an avenue that lots of people have explored to little avail :frown: if you hint on the Internet you'll find people who have had newspaper articles written about them begging for donations or sponsorship, blogs of students who ask for donations etc all to help with grad fees. Your work exp sounds brill so if you're getting a 2:1 or above I reckon you're on track - but RVC and Notts are unfortunately ridiculously competetive for grads :-/ gap year sounds like a good plan as you're right, they're unlikely to increase significantly for a while but you could apply this time for deferred entry for peace of mind :smile:

There's also the option to study abroad...there's a great UVM Kosice thread on here which is the Slovakian vet school where they offer an English speaking, UK and Europe accredited 4 year vet med course for grads. The people who go there seem to love it! It's 7500 euroes per year fees wise so much cheaper than here and although you won't be able to get a student loan cost of living is MUCH cheaper too. Definitely an option I was considering before I was lucky enough to get a place at RVC :smile:


Thanks for your reply :smile:

Originally I was planning on applying to Notts but my A level grades are poor, and I am sure I won't get in. However, when/if I don't get in this time I will be resitting one of them so I could apply the year after. I'm glad you think my work experience sounds good, I am panicking about my lack of large animal experience! But I have so much practical experience from my degree, especially with cows and sheep, that I hope will cover it. Thats why my personal statement is way over the limit at the moment, I have so much to put in.

As for my degree, I am currently dead on 70%, with one term to go. So I am feeling the pressure, one bad exam and I'll drop below the threshold! I feel I really need to push for a first to prove that I am academically capable, as my A level grades don't reflect this :frown:.

I think I need to look into the Slovakian course, I would definately try there if I don't get into the UK.

Ah, you are at RVC, thats where I would love to go, and not because of the money aspect. I visted there this year and fell in love! Everyone was so lovely. I am just terrified about the BMAT! It probably sounds worse than it is (...I hope).
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Eevee13
Thanks for your reply :smile:

Originally I was planning on applying to Notts but my A level grades are poor, and I am sure I won't get in. However, when/if I don't get in this time I will be resitting one of them so I could apply the year after. I'm glad you think my work experience sounds good, I am panicking about my lack of large animal experience! But I have so much practical experience from my degree, especially with cows and sheep, that I hope will cover it. Thats why my personal statement is way over the limit at the moment, I have so much to put in.

As for my degree, I am currently dead on 70%, with one term to go. So I am feeling the pressure, one bad exam and I'll drop below the threshold! I feel I really need to push for a first to prove that I am academically capable, as my A level grades don't reflect this :frown:.

I think I need to look into the Slovakian course, I would definately try there if I don't get into the UK.

Ah, you are at RVC, thats where I would love to go, and not because of the money aspect. I visted there this year and fell in love! Everyone was so lovely. I am just terrified about the BMAT! It probably sounds worse than it is (...I hope).


I started at the RVC last year - onto their grad entry course, so am starting third year this year. Where are you doing your degree? I did Animal Science - at Nottingham.

How poor is poor for A levels? It may still be worth applying to Nottm since their fees are soo much better for grads! You would almost 100% get an offer from Edinburgh (since they don't even interview grads), so you would have an offer for vet med anyway, and then just a case of trying to find where you want to go/can afford.

Quite a few people resit a levels anyway, I know a few people in my year at RVC who did. Equally there are a fair number of us who didn't, but it seems to becoming more common people resitting them to try and be more competitive with regards to places!

Your work experience certainly looks fine. :smile: Obviously a first would be fantastic, but don't get yourself too stressed if it did drop to a 2:1, there are plenty of people on the grad course at RVC with a 2:1 (and some with literally *just* a 2:1.)

As you've said, you could apply for deferred entry. I would def say apply for deferred, rather than having a post uni gap year and then applying, as some people don't get in first time round, so it would mean you still have the chance to reapply without having to take a second year out. RVC will look at two applications (as with some of the other unis), Nottm will only look at an application a second year if you weren't interviewed in the first application. If you want to post your PS in the personal statement helpers forum when you have finished it, there are a few vet students in there who can help you by reviewing it.

The BMAT is a horrible exam I found...but the only good thing is that it is meant to be! It feels strange sitting an exam where the time limit is so tight I had to guess a lot of questions and struggled to finish the paper - but if you go in expecting that, then it won't worry you as much when it happens! I found the hardest thing was that I had forgotten a lot of my basic science knowledge. Some of the BMAT preparation books are really, really useful. Practice papers/books helped me improve from loads from when I first tried a past paper to when I sat the exam. I suggest buying some of them to practice and get an idea for what it is like. Use GCSE science/maths revision guides to get back up to speed on that. It is worth putting the effort in as the RVC do have a cut off which they won't interview below. This will vary year on year (depending on how well people have scored/if it was a hard exam/spread of marks etc), but it is a definite thing to do well on for getting an interview.

If you've got any more questions there are enough of us grads on here now to help you out with application stuff! Good luck!
Reply 87
Hi! I am doing Animal Science at Hartpury College. At A level I got BBD:frown:, due to being unwell and in hospital, which isn't really an excuse but makes me feel better, heh. This is another reason I am thinking about deferring, as it may well be worth bringing Biology up to an A, and the D in Chemistry up in my year out. The RVC admissions guy said it wouldn't matter due to my experience and degree, but I know how hard the competition is, and that it does matter really.

I am trying to keep in mind that the BMAT is meant to be horrible! I have the latest BMAT book and am currently going over all my GCSE maths and sciences to refresh everything. Then I will be doing all the past papers I can.

I am really struggling with my personal statement. I am now down to 47 lines from 90 (eek) but I feel as though I'm not coming across how I intend to. I am just sounding very void of emotion, hmm. So I might scrap it once again and try a 5th version! I will definately post in the personal statement forum.

Thankyou for the advice. How you have found the first year? Oh and I don't think I said earlier but congratulations on your place, stef_vet :biggrin:
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Eevee13
Hi! I am doing Animal Science at Hartpury College. At A level I got BBD:frown:, due to being unwell and in hospital, which isn't really an excuse but makes me feel better, heh. This is another reason I am thinking about deferring, as it may well be worth bringing Biology up to an A, and the D in Chemistry up in my year out. The RVC admissions guy said it wouldn't matter due to my experience and degree, but I know how hard the competition is, and that it does matter really.

I am trying to keep in mind that the BMAT is meant to be horrible! I have the latest BMAT book and am currently going over all my GCSE maths and sciences to refresh everything. Then I will be doing all the past papers I can.

I am really struggling with my personal statement. I am now down to 47 lines from 90 (eek) but I feel as though I'm not coming across how I intend to. I am just sounding very void of emotion, hmm. So I might scrap it once again and try a 5th version! I will definately post in the personal statement forum.

Thankyou for the advice. How you have found the first year? Oh and I don't think I said earlier but congratulations on your place, stef_vet :biggrin:


Sounds similar to my story - BBC in my alevels, but spent much of that time with a long term health problem, and then in hospital during my first year of my degree. Makes me feel better knowing why I didn't achieve what I needed, but doesn't tend to make any different to the universities.

I wouldn't worry too much about the biology, as you can show that your animal science degree will have provided you with plenty of biology knowledge to make up for your a-level. It would be the chemistry that may be worth resitting if you decided to. You may well still be ok with it anyway though. I would have thought it is still worth trying to apply this year (esp for places that will look at two applications - like RVC). Then if you get an offer without resitting, then great, but if you don't get in and that seems to be a reason why you could resit without losing anymore time.

PM me your email address if you want and I'll email you a copy of my PS. I wouldn't worry too much about it being devoid of emotion, whilst you obviously want to explain how much you want to be a vet and why, within the space available you have to focus on stating the information that want to know.

First year is pretty intense on the four year course, just because of the volume of work to learn. Not so much that the work is 'hard' but just so much of it!! It felt a bit like we were moving through modules at the speed of light, but virtually everyone in our year passed - so it can't have been as bad as it felt! I'm looking forward to starting clinical stuff now :smile:
Reply 89
Original post by kookabura
Sounds similar to my story - BBC in my alevels, but spent much of that time with a long term health problem, and then in hospital during my first year of my degree. Makes me feel better knowing why I didn't achieve what I needed, but doesn't tend to make any different to the universities.

I wouldn't worry too much about the biology, as you can show that your animal science degree will have provided you with plenty of biology knowledge to make up for your a-level. It would be the chemistry that may be worth resitting if you decided to. You may well still be ok with it anyway though. I would have thought it is still worth trying to apply this year (esp for places that will look at two applications - like RVC). Then if you get an offer without resitting, then great, but if you don't get in and that seems to be a reason why you could resit without losing anymore time.

PM me your email address if you want and I'll email you a copy of my PS. I wouldn't worry too much about it being devoid of emotion, whilst you obviously want to explain how much you want to be a vet and why, within the space available you have to focus on stating the information that want to know.

First year is pretty intense on the four year course, just because of the volume of work to learn. Not so much that the work is 'hard' but just so much of it!! It felt a bit like we were moving through modules at the speed of light, but virtually everyone in our year passed - so it can't have been as bad as it felt! I'm looking forward to starting clinical stuff now :smile:


Sounds exciting :smile: thanks for your advice. I'll definately be applying this year and if chemistry is the problem then I can resit that. My friend is now an A level chemistry teacher and has offered to tutor me if I need, which is lovely (and cheap!). I would love to read your PS if that is ok, I think I am almost finished on my final draft; but I have stared at it so much I can only see what I have left out, and not what is in it. I also thought I read somewhere that RVC require you to name and date all your work experience placement in your PS, but I definately do not have room to do that. So I haven't :tongue:.

It feels good to be getting the ball rolling though and be sorting my application now. Slowly things are coming together!
Original post by Eevee13
Sounds exciting :smile: thanks for your advice. I'll definately be applying this year and if chemistry is the problem then I can resit that. My friend is now an A level chemistry teacher and has offered to tutor me if I need, which is lovely (and cheap!). I would love to read your PS if that is ok, I think I am almost finished on my final draft; but I have stared at it so much I can only see what I have left out, and not what is in it. I also thought I read somewhere that RVC require you to name and date all your work experience placement in your PS, but I definately do not have room to do that. So I haven't :tongue:.

It feels good to be getting the ball rolling though and be sorting my application now. Slowly things are coming together!


I'll email it you now. :smile: Don't worry about not listing dates/places. I don't know why they say that...because virtually no one ever has room to! If you get an interview with them, they send a questionnaire for you to fill in with all that information anyway.
Reply 91
Hello again guys :smile: Just wondering, if any of you are applying to cambridge can you apply for the open college application? Or do we have to specifically choose which college we prefer as we're graduates? :s-smilie:
Reply 92
Original post by Tali_91
Hello again guys :smile: Just wondering, if any of you are applying to cambridge can you apply for the open college application? Or do we have to specifically choose which college we prefer as we're graduates? :s-smilie:


I'm almost 100% sure you can apply for the open college choice but they'll only consider you in the ones that take mature students if you're +25 (most do but I think I remember that a couple only take non-mature

Also HUGE good luck to you all, was thinking today about how nervous/excited etc I was this time last year and it's so worth it! I'm going on holiday tomorrow but everything's currently completely overshadowed by the fact that I cannot wait till 26th Sept when I start at RVC!! fingers crossed for you all, if anyone wants any advice (or just someone to moan to about the agonising process!) who's coming from a non-science degree I'm happy to let you read my PS, tell you about my interview experiences etc :smile:
Reply 93
Original post by stef_vet?
I'm almost 100% sure you can apply for the open college choice but they'll only consider you in the ones that take mature students if you're +25 (most do but I think I remember that a couple only take non-mature

Also HUGE good luck to you all, was thinking today about how nervous/excited etc I was this time last year and it's so worth it! I'm going on holiday tomorrow but everything's currently completely overshadowed by the fact that I cannot wait till 26th Sept when I start at RVC!! fingers crossed for you all, if anyone wants any advice (or just someone to moan to about the agonising process!) who's coming from a non-science degree I'm happy to let you read my PS, tell you about my interview experiences etc :smile:



Thankyou :smile:

Ahh I'm so nervous/excited! Seriously hoping to get into RVC! I love love love it there, the course sounds amazing and ahhh! (oh and the Hawkshead campus is about 10mins away from my boyfriend - always an added bonus! :colondollar:)

If you wouldn't mind me looking at your PS that'd be awesome :smile: I'm on my 3rd draft at the moment and it'd be quite interesting to see how other people have set theirs out etc!
Reply 94
Hi, I'm just wondering on the UCAS form do we have to put Private finance for the fee code? I know we don't get a tuition fee loan but I was going to apply for the maintenance loan. Does that have anything to do with UCAS?
Application forms are the bane of my life at the moment. I'm trying to find a job for the year!
Reply 95
Original post by Loosy
Hi, I'm just wondering on the UCAS form do we have to put Private finance for the fee code? I know we don't get a tuition fee loan but I was going to apply for the maintenance loan. Does that have anything to do with UCAS?
Application forms are the bane of my life at the moment. I'm trying to find a job for the year!


This is the one I put on my application last year:

Fee payer
SLC,SAAS,NIBd,EU,Chl,IoM
I don't remember having to put a code in but ticked the box or whatever that said I was paying the fees myself. The maintenance loan has nothing to do with the UCAS bit. They just want to know if the Student Loans Company would be paying your fees or not.
Reply 97
Original post by Loosy
Hi, I'm just wondering on the UCAS form do we have to put Private finance for the fee code? I know we don't get a tuition fee loan but I was going to apply for the maintenance loan. Does that have anything to do with UCAS?
Application forms are the bane of my life at the moment. I'm trying to find a job for the year!


I put the private finance option, as we obviously dont get any loan for tuition fees! Maintenance loan doesn't have anything to do with your UCAS application :smile:
Reply 98
Thanks! I thought private finance was probably the right option but I don't want to fill anything in wrong!
Reply 99
Thanks! I thought private finance was probably the right option but I don't want to fill anything in wrong!

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