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Bristol Vet school Q&A

Hey all,

For anyone that is applying to bristol vet school, i thought it would be handy to start a thread where you can ask any questions you like regarding Bristol Uni and the Vet course in particular, including applying, accreditation, etc.
I'm currently a 4th year Bristol vet student. I've had an interesting application process, and thought I could offer advice to those applying.

Thanks,

Karate_kat

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Reply 1
Heey, I have an interview in Bristol on the 14th (AAAH!!), have you any tips on what to expect? I know a fifth year vet there pretty well, so he has filled me in but anything extra I can learn will help me prepare! Do you know whose interviewing/what to expect? How did you find the interview and why did you find the application process interesting? Thank you muchly :biggrin: x
Reply 2
Thanks for offering to help!

I'm hoping to apply next year for a 2013 as a mature student. Slightly different route as doing an Access Course. I found the stats that 5% of students at Bristol are Access which made me feel better as I was beginning to think there was no chance!

Would be good to know how many mature students there are on your course - are you on the 6 or 5 year?
Reply 3
Original post by cionasmith
Heey, I have an interview in Bristol on the 14th (AAAH!!), have you any tips on what to expect? I know a fifth year vet there pretty well, so he has filled me in but anything extra I can learn will help me prepare! Do you know whose interviewing/what to expect? How did you find the interview and why did you find the application process interesting? Thank you muchly :biggrin: x



Well Done! Are these the 1st interview dates to be sent out?
Generally, I'd say know your personal statement inside out - if you have written about a certain placement in more detail, be expected to have quite a few questions on it. For example, I wrote about an equine placement I did, and including "I learnt about management of pasture, including the importance of poisonous plants, e.g. ragwort", and I had quite a few questions on ragwort. Also be clued up on recent issues, diseases, vaccinations, etc. as for all unis.
It's also a good idea to ask about intercalated degrees/research at the end as they seem to love people who are considering the research side of the veterinary medicine.
There are quite a few interviewers - they're generally vets (and the lecturers!) that work at langford - small, large, and equine practitioners.
Although Bristol was my first interview, it was by far the one I felt most relaxed in (compared to my cambridge and liverpool interviews - I wasn't a fan of the multiple 5 min stations there).
Well... you may say I got in via the back door - initially interviewed in november, on hold after interview, then rejected in march (when all the interviews had finished) but put on a list of reserves in case not so many people got their grades, then offered a place on results day!
Reply 4
Original post by Vicstress
Thanks for offering to help!

I'm hoping to apply next year for a 2013 as a mature student. Slightly different route as doing an Access Course. I found the stats that 5% of students at Bristol are Access which made me feel better as I was beginning to think there was no chance!

Would be good to know how many mature students there are on your course - are you on the 6 or 5 year?


There are quite a few people that have taken a gap year or who are post-grads (so mid 20s), and usually a few other mature students. When I started there was a woman that was approaching 50, but she sadly had to stop due to money issues (she was also a post grad).
And I'm on the 5 year course (by the 6 year course I'm assuming you mean that with the pre-vet year?)
Reply 5
I wish I was mid 20's still!!

My boyfriend is a med student and there's a 55 year old woman in his year....made me realise that I'm not too old.

Yes sorry meant the pre vet year - I've been advised to apply for both the 5 year and prevet seeing as I'm doing an Access course. Already booked in for the VetQuest weekend and studying like mad so I guess that's all I can do!
Reply 6
Original post by karate_kat
Well Done! Are these the 1st interview dates to be sent out?
Generally, I'd say know your personal statement inside out - if you have written about a certain placement in more detail, be expected to have quite a few questions on it. For example, I wrote about an equine placement I did, and including "I learnt about management of pasture, including the importance of poisonous plants, e.g. ragwort", and I had quite a few questions on ragwort. Also be clued up on recent issues, diseases, vaccinations, etc. as for all unis.
It's also a good idea to ask about intercalated degrees/research at the end as they seem to love people who are considering the research side of the veterinary medicine.
There are quite a few interviewers - they're generally vets (and the lecturers!) that work at langford - small, large, and equine practitioners.
Although Bristol was my first interview, it was by far the one I felt most relaxed in (compared to my cambridge and liverpool interviews - I wasn't a fan of the multiple 5 min stations there).
Well... you may say I got in via the back door - initially interviewed in november, on hold after interview, then rejected in march (when all the interviews had finished) but put on a list of reserves in case not so many people got their grades, then offered a place on results day!


Wow that is quite interesting! Yes,these are the first to be given out, is that a good sign? Oh, ok, so it stays pretty linked to your personnal statement then? I feel like I've done loads of preparation, but its hard to tell because I bet everyone else is doing loads too! Thanks :biggrin: x
There are 13 grads in the 1st year this year :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by cionasmith
Wow that is quite interesting! Yes,these are the first to be given out, is that a good sign? Oh, ok, so it stays pretty linked to your personnal statement then? I feel like I've done loads of preparation, but its hard to tell because I bet everyone else is doing loads too! Thanks :biggrin: x


It's just later than I thought they'd start! Cos when I applied they started early-mid November. It was when I applied, and I'm pretty sure it was the same for the following year, so I assume it's stayed the mainstay of the interview. I agree with that - you feel you've done the best you can do, but then everyone else is (generally). Good luck for you interview :-)
Reply 9
Do you know roughly how many people Bristol interview each year? I know there's about 13 applicants per place overall but I was wondering what the statistics are now I've got an interview! :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by ellie157
Do you know roughly how many people Bristol interview each year? I know there's about 13 applicants per place overall but I was wondering what the statistics are now I've got an interview! :smile:


I have a feeling its around 400 that are interviewed :/ one in four chance ... not too bad but still pretty tough competition! Good luck, whens your interview? Mines on Wednesday!x
Reply 11
Original post by karate_kat
It's just later than I thought they'd start! Cos when I applied they started early-mid November. It was when I applied, and I'm pretty sure it was the same for the following year, so I assume it's stayed the mainstay of the interview. I agree with that - you feel you've done the best you can do, but then everyone else is (generally). Good luck for you interview :-)


Thanks! :biggrin: x
Reply 12
Original post by cionasmith
I have a feeling its around 400 that are interviewed :/ one in four chance ... not too bad but still pretty tough competition! Good luck, whens your interview? Mines on Wednesday!x


Mine is also on Wednesday, good luck too! :smile:
Original post by cionasmith
I have a feeling its around 400 that are interviewed :/ one in four chance ... not too bad but still pretty tough competition! Good luck, whens your interview? Mines on Wednesday!x


^
well, they'd probably make 150 - 200 offers for the 120 odd places they have so better odds than that :smile:
Reply 14
Original post by ellie157
Do you know roughly how many people Bristol interview each year? I know there's about 13 applicants per place overall but I was wondering what the statistics are now I've got an interview! :smile:


http://www.bris.ac.uk/vetscience/undergraduate/bvsc/

But I think this is an old statistic because there were about 1650 applied in my year, and 550 interviewed for 180 offers...I vaguely remember those figures from my interview day.

Good luck though, just be smiley and confident and you'll be fine.
Reply 15
Original post by oaktrees
http://www.bris.ac.uk/vetscience/undergraduate/bvsc/

But I think this is an old statistic because there were about 1650 applied in my year, and 550 interviewed for 180 offers...I vaguely remember those figures from my interview day.

Good luck though, just be smiley and confident and you'll be fine.


Thanks! :smile:

Yeah I've done all the research I can really so hopefully if I'm really enthusiastic and try and give all the questions a good go without getting spooked by hard ones it shouldn't be too bad!
Reply 16
I've had an offer!!!! It came through the post this morning :biggrin: Thanls to everyone for all the advice, very much appretiated!
Reply 17
Original post by cionasmith
I've had an offer!!!! It came through the post this morning :biggrin: Thanls to everyone for all the advice, very much appretiated!


Well Done!! That's great news!
Reply 18
To karate_kat, I have had an interview at Bristol on the 29th of Feb and then yesterday got an email from them saying they are still considering my application, but today I had an UCAS track email informing me I have been unsuccessful, is this what happened to you:?
Original post by Vicstress


Already booked in for the VetQuest weekend and studying like mad so I guess that's all I can do!



I'm glad I'm not the only person booked on it! Are you going on Saturday or Sunday? I'm going Saturday (I booked way back in September and only remembered about it last week!)

I'm applying for 2014 entry, so a while to go yet :smile:

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