2018 Veterinary applicants

To be fair it is a bit out the way but the way the people act around there really put me at ease when I went to interview, it felt like a place that you could settle in well to if you know what I mean? I do want to go to surrey open day, but only just realised they are looking for an A in physics GCSE (which I only have a B in) so that is quite a major thing I managed to skip lol. I'm hopefully also going to the bristol open day as I haven't managed to look around there (only managed to look around RVC, nottingham and liverpool on the days of my interviews lol)

ah no that's a shame! if you have done well at maths then maybe you could ring up and they'd let you in with the B at gcse physics anyway? always worth asking! oh okay, last time I went up it wasn't an open day so maybe the vibe will be better when I go up this time Bristol is so nice!! I really really hope I get an offer from there again!

I've got an A in maths so I guess I could give it a go? And is it? I have no idea what to expect to be honest aha. I know with the a level reforms that they now accept retakes but I need to find out whether they'd accept a retake in maths (not a reformed subject) or not, so I've got a lot to sort out!

Yeah you may as well try if you like it! I'm pretty sure they accept any retakes, it doesn't matter if the subject is reformed or unreformed!

I haven't that much work experience. Mainly only have:

2 weeks Vet practice
1 week kennel and cattery
1 week equine
X weeks at a petting zoo

Hi! I'm not 2018 entry as I will be 2019 entry however I was just wondering if anyone here picked Psychology at A Level? My current options are Biology , chemistry and history, however I am really interested in Psychology, but I feel like that would lower my chances of getting into uni?

I'm taking art a-level, because I know I'll get at least an A. I go to a Nottingham Uni final year practice every Saturday, and when I've asked the vets there about my choice, none of them have been concerned in the slightest. In fact, they say it'll make me stand out - in a good way.
Try and make something about it relevant to vet med though, like perhaps do your own personal study of animal psychology so come UCAS applications, your referee can mention how you have your own interests related to both psychology and vet med. There are drugs out there for animal mental health, I ended up at a meeting about them.
In art, I've dedicated my whole art course to animal anatomy. Use it to your advantage and prove them you're really passionate about vet med. c:

EDIT: That said, I can't apply to Glasgow because I don't have three sciences/two science + maths. Look at the individual uni requirements first and then decide. Nottingham won't mind at all, neither will RVC or Edinburgh or Liverpool or Surrey. Cambridge may be a little pickier. Bristol is fine with it too I think.

Hey to all my other 2018 applicants!

I'm probably going to apply for Nottingham, RVC, Surrey and Liverpool.
My work experience is:
- 2 weeks equine vet
- 2 weeks small animal vet
- 1.5 weeks of large animal vet over Saturday mornings from February
- 1.5 weeks of a pet hotel (cattery, kennels and hydrotherapy) over Saturday afternoons and 4 full days
- 1.5 weeks of dairy farm
- 1 week of goat husbandry
- 1 day in an abattoir

And I'm rounding off my personal statement's third draft so I have more time for edits. Getting so nervous now, feels unreal I'm actually applying.

I was exactly the same! What helped me to start was to list all of the things I wanted to say about myself and then grouped them together, so I had one group for acadamic stuff, one for work experience stuff and one for general achievements etc. Once you get the idea of what you want to say then you can start adding in the extra details to make it flow. Hope this helped a bit and congrats on the brilliant as grades!

Hey! I'll be 21 when I start at Bristol in 2018 Where are you thinking of applying?

PS wise, I found it helpful to write down positive traits I have, examples from work experience (veterinary or not!) where I have demonstrated these traits, then link them back to/pick the ones that fit veterinary as a course and career best.

Also - mention extracurricular stuff. Let them know you're capable of balancing work and fun. e.g. I wrote about my running to blow off steam, and how I ran the Land's End to John O' Groats distance this year, which was a personal goal of mine. Knows how to relax - check. Is active - check. Can make and achieve goals - check. Whatever you do, link it back into to how it makes you someone who personally suits this choice.

If you're really stuck, try not to write beginning - middle - end; it can be really daunting, and can make you lose track of what you may want to say. Initially just jot down ideas as they come, and gradually form them into coherent paragraphs.
I would say don't stress how much you love animals/science etc as that's something that's more or less a requirement for the course. Instead, just demonstrate it by mentioning your motivation to take science A Levels as a mature (19+) applicant, and the hours of work experience you've put in. In other words, show, don't tell.

Other than that, I can't really think of much else! Be truthful, but don't be afraid to big yourself up.

Good luck!

I adored Cambridge and Glasgow. Something about pretty buildings and I'm sold! Also like Nottingham, so I'm just trying to figure out my 4th choice between Liverpool/Surrey/RVC.

I really didn't like Bristol (no reason other than gut feeling when I visited, which was a shame because my dad did chemistry at Bristol back in the stone age and I was really excited to visit) and I can't afford to visit Scotland twice so I'm not going to visit Edinburgh as I visited Glasgow in June.

*What extracurricular stuff!?* I loved studying again too much to have had much of a life this last year oops!

But thank you so much for your reply that was really helpful.

Glasgow is still forever and always my dream. </3 I still plan to do post-grad there (if I'm not broke lol). If you think you can make the grades, go for it! Although it is especially difficult for English applicants.

I visited Edi on an open day and also interviewed there: I found it a really lovely city, and vet school. The staff were all super friendly. But again, the non-Scottish thing. There were so many English applicants interviewing for so very few places when I went up. It's not to say you won't get in, just that if you're stuck for cash and you're not 100% set on the Scottish unis I would maybe look at applying elsewhere, even if they are stunning and have great programmes. Compared to Glasgow I found Edi a lot more touristy, which makes sense given it is the capital up there. People in general, just out on the streets, were a lot more friendlier in Glasgow, and I found it had more charm - but that's just me, and I'm biased.

RVC and Liverpool are both also really nice. I've visited both of the London campuses, and they're wonderful; if you haven't already, I'd really recommend having a gander, if only for a snoop.

Good luck with everything! I'll try to help with anything else if I can, but AC, LTC & co are much more qualified, haha.

I would really really really really really really not get hopes up about doing a post grad at your point in the world

5 year course first

You'll change your mind about what you want to do at least thrice lol

That is true Though a lot of the vets I've met in my region have done at least a CertAVP. Chances are, though, I will get to the end of 6 years and have had enough of it for the time being lol