The Student Room Group

5th Choice Application

Hiya :biggrin:

Just wondering if anyone is applying for a different 5th choice on their UCAS forms in September as well as the 4 veterinary choices?

Not sure how it works - I know you can only submit one personal statement, so in that case the statement for the 5th choice would have to be sent out separately.
But do we apply all together or apply for veterinary then our 5th choice later?

Any help would be great thankyou!

:smile: :smile: :smile:
Original post by VeggieGirl
Hiya :biggrin:

Just wondering if anyone is applying for a different 5th choice on their UCAS forms in September as well as the 4 veterinary choices?

Not sure how it works - I know you can only submit one personal statement, so in that case the statement for the 5th choice would have to be sent out separately.
But do we apply all together or apply for veterinary then our 5th choice later?

Any help would be great thankyou!

:smile: :smile: :smile:


Courses for biomedical sciences and similar know that they'll be getting applications from [Vet] Med students. My friend actually got an offer for chemical engineering from bath as his 5th so they're pretty flexible.

You can apply all at once or choose your 5th later on - up to you. Remember it's best to make sure the 5th is in by January 15th.
Reply 2
Ahhh thankyou :smile:

My fifth choice is Marine Biology so I hope this would be acceptable also.
Original post by VeggieGirl
Hiya :biggrin:

Just wondering if anyone is applying for a different 5th choice on their UCAS forms in September as well as the 4 veterinary choices?

Not sure how it works - I know you can only submit one personal statement, so in that case the statement for the 5th choice would have to be sent out separately.
But do we apply all together or apply for veterinary then our 5th choice later?

Any help would be great thankyou!

:smile: :smile: :smile:

No, all your choices will receive the identical form with the identical statement. You may ask the fifth choice whether they will accept an additional statement sent separately, but they don't have to agree and they will still see your original one. That being said, universities know that vets, dentists and medics only have 4 choices, so they will know why you've done it. What effect that has on their decision is for them alone to decide.
Reply 4
Yeah I was told by the careers department at college that they have people applying for vet/med/dentist and have their fifth choice as a backup and are (apparently) pretty used to it.

It's annoying as I'm feeling I'm putting my self up for failure for my fifth choice already by being so specific to veterinary :/
Original post by VeggieGirl
Yeah I was told by the careers department at college that they have people applying for vet/med/dentist and have their fifth choice as a backup and are (apparently) pretty used to it.

It's annoying as I'm feeling I'm putting my self up for failure for my fifth choice already by being so specific to veterinary :/

You have no choice. Vet med is so competitive that anything less than 100% commitment in your ps will make it easy for them to eliminate you from the pile.
Original post by VeggieGirl
Yeah I was told by the careers department at college that they have people applying for vet/med/dentist and have their fifth choice as a backup and are (apparently) pretty used to it.

It's annoying as I'm feeling I'm putting my self up for failure for my fifth choice already by being so specific to veterinary :/


What is the point of applying to other random courses if you are 100% committed to being a vet? Chances are you're simply going to reject these offers anyway - you might as well leave them blank.

If it is your second or third time applying and this is your last opportunity to go to university by all means include a couple of "insurance" choices.
Reply 7
Okay, Thankyou. I just hope I get in first time round! I don't know what i'm gonna do for a year otherwise :/ Thanks
Original post by VeggieGirl
Yeah I was told by the careers department at college that they have people applying for vet/med/dentist and have their fifth choice as a backup and are (apparently) pretty used to it.

It's annoying as I'm feeling I'm putting my self up for failure for my fifth choice already by being so specific to veterinary :/



My 5th choice was Cell Biology at Manchester and got accepted there. They emailed me to ask me to write a new PS statement for their course. Other Unis might to the same. They weren't happy that I was their backup, but can me an offer anyway.

I didn't see it as setting myself up for failure. It's just another option that you might use. The reality is that the Unis are picky because they can and many good applicants get rejected. I probably wouldn't have taken up the offer and reapplied but at the time I rather have that option, simply because I could. The interview they gave me was also useful for my other interviews, because I was never used to speaking to strangers in that sort of setting.

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