The Student Room Group

Is it feasible to get a place at a vet school after achieving poorly at GCSE?

20 y/o

Doing an access course that consists of psychology/biology/chemistry

I was thinking one of the vet schools that have preliminary years may give me a chance? My school was one of the low scoring schools and I come from a working class background. None of my immediate family have attended University.

Feel free to ask any questions

If it isn't feasible, I may try graduate entry vet med. Just want to know everyone's opinion.
I'm going to ring up the vet schools admissions and ask them as well.

Thanks : - )
Original post by KyleH123
20 y/o

Doing an access course that consists of psychology/biology/chemistry

I was thinking one of the vet schools that have preliminary years may give me a chance? My school was one of the low scoring schools and I come from a working class background. None of my immediate family have attended University.

Feel free to ask any questions

If it isn't feasible, I may try graduate entry vet med. Just want to know everyone's opinion.
I'm going to ring up the vet schools admissions and ask them as well.

Thanks : - )


Nottingham and RVC have gateway course so if you meet three of the widening participation criteria you definitely still have a chance!!
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/veterinary-gateway#tab-entry-requirements
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/veterinarymedicineandscience/veterinary-medicine-surgery-gateway-year.aspx

Just by reading other people's comments on TSR a lot of people recommend you don't go down the graduate entry because of the costs plus some unis still look at school grades, just fyi! :smile:
Reply 2
Original post by eilidhhhh
Nottingham and RVC have gateway course so if you meet three of the widening participation criteria you definitely still have a chance!!
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/veterinary-gateway#tab-entry-requirements
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/courses/veterinarymedicineandscience/veterinary-medicine-surgery-gateway-year.aspx

Just by reading other people's comments on TSR a lot of people recommend you don't go down the graduate entry because of the costs plus some unis still look at school grades, just fyi! :smile:


Thank you.

If I don't go for this it'll be Radiography.

I just don't think it's worth the risk applying for such a competitive course at two universities. And if I don't get in it's another year down the drain.
Original post by KyleH123
Thank you.

If I don't go for this it'll be Radiography.

I just don't think it's worth the risk applying for such a competitive course at two universities. And if I don't get in it's another year down the drain.


If you are thinking of ever doing graduate entry vet med - will you or you family be able to afford the £9-£20,000 of annual fees? You can only get a tuition fee loan for your first degree, anything after that will involve up front costs.

The fact that you aren't prepared to put more than one vet school on your choices will limit your chances massively (like you say, it's competitive) and I would also question your dedication to become a vet if you aren't using all your choices. It is a tough course that requires a lot of dedication and perseverance before you get to the end goal.

You musn't think that not getting in to uni is a "year down the drain" - there is a lot you can achieve before going to uni and there really isn't a huge rush - a year in your life is a drop in the ocean.

Good luck in whatever you may do!
Reply 4
Original post by SilverstarDJ
If you are thinking of ever doing graduate entry vet med - will you or you family be able to afford the £9-£20,000 of annual fees? You can only get a tuition fee loan for your first degree, anything after that will involve up front costs.

The fact that you aren't prepared to put more than one vet school on your choices will limit your chances massively (like you say, it's competitive) and I would also question your dedication to become a vet if you aren't using all your choices. It is a tough course that requires a lot of dedication and perseverance before you get to the end goal.

You musn't think that not getting in to uni is a "year down the drain" - there is a lot you can achieve before going to uni and there really isn't a huge rush - a year in your life is a drop in the ocean.

Good luck in whatever you may do!


I would apply to more - but I don't meet the entry reqs. Being 20 years old, (Classed as mature student?) I just want to get my career on the road.

Thanks a lot for your comment :smile:
Original post by KyleH123
I would apply to more - but I don't meet the entry reqs. Being 20 years old, (Classed as mature student?) I just want to get my career on the road.

Thanks a lot for your comment :smile:


I started vet school at 24 years old. I would never say I had years which 'went down the drain' and i wanted this enough to ensure that no matter what I did, i got here in the end. If you want a quick fix to get your career on the road you either have to go back and get the correct grades required because you really want to do this, or you have to pick another career option because this degree is not something you enter into just because you think being a vet might be for you. If you don't meet the entry requirements and you're really dedicated to doing this, make sure you do meet the entry requirements by re-sitting or by other means.


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Reply 6
It depends on how poorly you done, ideally you should go for an access to medical studies course, I'm having to go dow that route myself.
Original post by SilverstarDJ
If you are thinking of ever doing graduate entry vet med - will you or you family be able to afford the £9-£20,000 of annual fees? You can only get a tuition fee loan for your first degree, anything after that will involve up front costs.

The fact that you aren't prepared to put more than one vet school on your choices will limit your chances massively (like you say, it's competitive) and I would also question your dedication to become a vet if you aren't using all your choices. It is a tough course that requires a lot of dedication and perseverance before you get to the end goal.

You musn't think that not getting in to uni is a "year down the drain" - there is a lot you can achieve before going to uni and there really isn't a huge rush - a year in your life is a drop in the ocean.

Good luck in whatever you may do!






Some people have reasons to study at a particular uni. I.e. family ties. My wife has a permanent job she is happy in, our child goes to school, and we have a house in a particular area so for me this limits where I can realistically apply I find it a bit insulting for you to say that makes me less dedicated.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by FluentinLies
Some people have reasons to study at a particular uni. I.e. family ties. My wife has a permanent job she is happy in, our child goes to school, and we have a house in a particular area so for me this limits where I can realistically apply I find it a bit insulting for you to say that makes me less dedicated.


If you've got family etc then that's totally different, but you would still be reducing your chances massively by only applying to one.

My husband however had a job he was happy in and we lived 3 hours away. We made the decision as a family to move in order for me to progress in the career I wanted to ultimately do.


Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 7 years ago)

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