[p3bbl3z]

Ok I'm new here, but i'm wondering if anyone could help me.

I am currently on an animal management ND and aiming for a DDD.
Always had an over enthusiastic interest in science and animals.
I've only ever had one career aspiration, that being veterinary work.

I am wondering what options I have (university wise) as I know I am limited due to doing a ND over A levels
Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of being accepted onto a veterinary medicine course.

I have done the following work experience:
4 weeks - Zoo
4 weeks - 2 different vets
Volunteer work - Rescue centre

and I will also be doing some work on a farm. i.e. lambing, calving.
We are also building and maintaining a farm at college

Thank you in advance for you help!

[Dinkyferret]

I think you need to contact the universities individually and discuss with them in detail your qualifications. We (as a forum) do our best to help but your situation isn't a standard one so requires uni input.

[Annaconda]

Originally Posted by p3bbl3z

Ok I'm new here, but i'm wondering if anyone could help me.

I am currently on an animal management ND and aiming for a DDD.
Always had an over enthusiastic interest in science and animals.
I've only ever had one career aspiration, that being veterinary work.

I am wondering what options I have (university wise) as I know I am limited due to doing a ND over A levels
Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of being accepted onto a veterinary medicine course.

I have done the following work experience:
4 weeks - Zoo
4 weeks - 2 different vets
Volunteer work - Rescue centre

and I will also be doing some work on a farm. i.e. lambing, calving.
We are also building and maintaining a farm at college

Thank you in advance for you help!

i knoe liverpool accept national diploma, so contact them see what teh exact rewuirements are. yu may have to do a science A level as well

[Mattisabiologist]

You could always take a year out after your ND and do some A levels to give you some more options - that is if not having them severly limits your choices. You could use the rest of the year to do more work experience as well. Definitely check with the unis you're thinking of applying to because it's a very competitive course as far as I understand it.

[p3bbl3z]

Thank you for your help.
I am considering taking a year out to take some A levels, and yes Liverpool does accept the ND but I need an A/S in a science subject too. Is it worth considering a zoology degree then applying for the accelerated programmes available.
I am just concerned about my age, being 19 now, will I be too old then. (after a 3 year degree)
Thank you again.

[xFuture_Vetx]

Originally Posted by p3bbl3z

Thank you for your help.
I am considering taking a year out to take some A levels, and yes Liverpool does accept the ND but I need an A/S in a science subject too. Is it worth considering a zoology degree then applying for the accelerated programmes available.
I am just concerned about my age, being 19 now, will I be too old then. (after a 3 year degree)
Thank you again.

If Vet Med is what you really want, then don't let age get in the way of your dream.

x

[p3bbl3z]

Originally Posted by xFuture_Vetx

If Vet Med is what you really want, then don't let age get in the way of your dream.

x

Sorry I didn't mean I think I will be too old, I mean will the universities? Will I be looked down because of my age? (I would be 24)

[xFuture_Vetx]

Originally Posted by p3bbl3z

Sorry I didn't mean I think I will be too old, I mean will the universities? Will I be looked down because of my age? (I would be 24)

They shouldn't to be honest as that's ageism! So long as you have the w/e and the grades you should be considered but check with the uni's. The only thing is that Grad entry is very competitive so you should try to exaust your options to get in now. x

[p3bbl3z]

Thank you very much for your help!
I am considering the A level option. Thanks again

[OllyH]

Also grad entry can be very expensive. Notts, cambridge and RVC charge normal tuituion fees but the other vet schools all charge around £18-20k a year.

[emilyyy]

The uni's will never reject someone on the basis of age.

If I were you before you get too bogged down in thinking of grad entry I would investigate your options as they stand at present, and then look down the A-Level route rxtensively.
Grad entry is possibly even more competitive than standard entry - and a whole lot more expensive.
You could spend two years getting the A-Levels at very little cost, then getting the student loan for the D100 - or spend three years getting a related degree, using the student loan for that, and then having to scrape the funds together for the D100.

I know which option I'd choose. Lots of people seem to see post-grad entry as a magical back door. It's a viable option, sure - but one that, in my opinion, should only be taken up when every other avenue fails

[xFuture_Vetx]

Originally Posted by OllyH

Also grad entry can be very expensive. Notts, cambridge and RVC charge normal tuituion fees but the other vet schools all charge around £18-20k a year.

Cambridge charge College fees though which makes it more expensive. In Ed you can do the vet course in 4 years too which makes it cheaper than some places.

x

[x_Bex_x]

there are some 27year olds in my first year class

[SiaSiaSia]

I know a few people who do the ND and like 1/2 extra alevels as well to boost their options? You could do that?

[p3bbl3z]

Originally Posted by SiaSiaSia

I know a few people who do the ND and like 1/2 extra alevels as well to boost their options? You could do that?

This is what I would want to do, but unfortunatly my college does not offer A/S or A levels.
I have enquired at all my other local colleges if it would be possible for me to do either A levels or A/S on a part time/evening basis.

Thank you for your help everyone!

[Dinkyferret]

Being older will not hamper your application in fact you can use it to your advantage like I did (I'm 23 atm) It shows that you haven't just fallen out of the education system into veterinary but have spent time considering the course as a whole. I have a friend at Liverpool who is 34, she started Vet med at liverpool at the usual age and then dropped out after a year, she has now realised that being a vet is what she wants to do with her life and Liverpool gladly reaccepted her.

[nellied]

To assist your ND you usually need to have an AS level in Biology. If you go through each of the university websites then they usually have alist of what they accept under alternative qualifications. There was one that definiatly accepted ND's and another that required you to have an AS level as well and others that only accpeted a levels

[p3bbl3z]

Sorry just want to ask one more thing.
Will this also count as experience?
At least one day a week in college, we spend the entire day in our animal unit tending to the animals down there.
Husbandry, health checks etc. The animals we have varies from rodents, reptiles, cats, dogs etc.

[nellied]

Originally Posted by p3bbl3z

Sorry just want to ask one more thing.
Will this also count as experience?
At least one day a week in college, we spend the entire day in our animal unit tending to the animals down there.
Husbandry, health checks etc. The animals we have varies from rodents, reptiles, cats, dogs etc.

I did the same thing in the 1st year of my degree, (i'm at a college with an animal unit which also caters for ND & foundation degree as well as BSc' setc so its a similar set up) I put it down as work experience on my liverpool work ex form and no one seems to have had a problem with it as you are technically shadowing the technicians and after all are learning about the care and husbandry of a range of species so in my book it counts.

I think it totalled around 10 days when you worked out how many days had actually been spent on the unit over the weeks for the module though for ND i know they do spend a greater chunk on the unit.

[p3bbl3z]

We do it at least once a week (We have a set day for it, but sometimes spend other days down there too) and we do it for 2 years. Which I think works out at about 6 weeks.