I phoned up a couple of uni's a while back and got the impression it was pretty much just as competetive as the vet med course, so pretty much 1 vacancy has 10 applicants for it.
My age is only holding me back when i phone up vets and they say "We only take schoolkids aged around 14-15 for work experience". I had the biggest chain of local vets turn me down 'cause they were dubious of my adult education (Access course), too. I'd rather try get in this year, i'm bored of wasting time working an awful job. I'll write up a statement anyway, by the time i send it off hopefully i'll have arranged some volunteer work at a not very local RSPCA centre who have all kinds of animals. Even lots of small/exotics which i am particularly interested in. And i'll harass (nicely of course) some more vets, and hopefully i will have a couple of weeks under my belt with the prospect of me going and doing it weekly.