Veterinary Nursing 2019 offers

Hey! I have just received an offer from RVC as well and I'm trying to pick between there and Hartpury. I have heard the accommodation at RVC is meant to be pretty bad so i really don't know where to pick.

I actually didn’t mind the accommodation at RVC and I guess you could stay in the flats if you disliked the houses. I’m not sure how much I like the actual campus though, as it is quite small and I wish I had seen the inside of the bar there. But I did like that the gym was free and the fact it’s so close to london. I think I’m leaning more towards other uni choices because of the mix, I think I would like to be somewhere with students doing different courses not just vet nurses. Plus with RVC it’ll be mainly just girls on site and living with and I’m not sure how I feel about that either. I’m really stuck 😭 think I’ll just write a pros and cons list and hope that helps me

The RVC is a great place and has good rep but Yh I’ve seen the accommodation after a SVN kindly asked if I wanted to look inside. It’s a house share for around 6 people, sinks in the rooms and 2 shared bath rooms. Not a lot of space but it’s flexible in terms of you only pay when you stay

Hi all,

I'm a second year SVN studying at the RVC. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. But to answer some of your questions already asked...

The bar on campus is quite small, if I'm honest. Not many people go there. In terms of social life, RVC definitely lacks that. The campus is quite small, but there is a free shuttle bus that goes to the train station. From there, it's a 20 minute train into London. However, in terms of nights out, it is a nightmare to get home from London if you stay after the last tube... Unless you stay out until the first tube in the morning.
In terms of socialising, the only people you'll socialise with are other vet nurses, or vets. Mostly you will just socialise with your year group though.

In terms of the course though, it is really interesting. The course is tough, definitely, and the RVC expects a lot out of you. Most of the lecturers are amazing, and are experts in their knowledge. The accommodation is relatively cheap compared to other places, I guess.

I think in terms of picking somewhere to study, you're best thinking of what YOU want out of uni. If you want a more social aspect to uni, I definitely wouldn't recommend the RVC. But if you like a challenge, are competitive, maybe the RVC is for you.

Good luck on everything!

Thank you so much!

The only question I have is regarding social life and activities and opportunities available. In your honest opinion what is the social life like? And what would you say are your favourite and least favourite parts about being a SVN at RVC?

I’m making my decision in a few days and I’m thinking about firming Harper Adams, but I much prefer the location of RVC so would just like as much positives and information before I make my final decision as I don’t want to regret 4 years x

Like I said, the social life isn't much at RVC. For fresher's week, there's events on every night. You can pick and choose which ones you go to. Most are in clubs in London, but some are alcohol-free. There's a free bus to the fresher's events (usually about 7pm) and then buses back at 1am, or you can make your own way home. There's also a Fresher's Fair on during Fresher's Week, and this allows you the ability to see all the different societies and clubs. So there's clubs ranging from Dog Agility to a club for people interested in Zoos, and a bunch of other stuff. There's sports teams too.
If you join any of these societies, then they will have activities etc throughout the year. So for example, sports clubs meet up every Wednesday for a social.

If you don't join a society, then there's not much else to do. The Buttery is the pub on campus, but it is very small. They will host certain things, like for example with Game of Thrones on every Monday, they show it in the Buttery. Sometimes there are various events like pizza parties, film nights, but mostly these are part of the societies. There's a free gym on campus that's honestly quite nice, and they have pretty much everything in there. You also have the option of walking in and around campus, as it's mostly in the countryside. There's a free shuttle bus to take people to Potter's Bar (which is where the shops are, and train station) or to nearby areas such as Tesco's and other places for students wanting to live outside campus. The train takes 20 minutes into London, and London has absolutely everything.

I think the best thing about being an SVN at RVC is probably the way the course is set out. Most other universities will teach for a year, and then you do placement for a year. Here, you do a few months of theory, then a few months of placement etc... So it's really nice having a balance. The lecturers are also really good, and most are experts in their fields.There's a huge library, and study rooms, so you have a lot of resources and stuff for your exams or assignments.

The least favourite parts would definitely be a social life. RVC campus is lovely, but it's very secluded so if you want to go anywhere, you're best going to London. If you drive, however, it's really beneficial, as there's always the opportunities to drive and see the area around Potter's Bar. So you can go to Enfield, or it's about an hour to the beach.

When I was picking between universities to go to, I chose between RVC, NTU and Anglia Ruskin. I enjoyed all of the Open Days. I found NTU was too far away from everything, and Anglia Ruskin had travel between two campuses, whereas RVC had everything in one campus, and as I drove, the secluded countryside wasn't that much of a problem.
Whatever uni you choose, you'll get your degree. So definitely base it on what you want out of uni life.