Vet med at Cambridge
Hello!
I'm currently a year 12 student studying biology, chemistry and physics at college and I hope to apply to vet med at Cambridge next year. I really hope to get into Cambridge and plan to do an EPQ, HE+ and possibly an olympiad in the following year but I can't help but be concerned that I haven't chosen the correct or enough subjects. I know many applicants study maths but I'm not sure how Cambridge views physics for vet, are there any other applicants for 2024 or past/current students that have any insight on something like this?
Or any advice or guidance from current vet students would be very much appreciated.
Thank you x
I'm currently a year 12 student studying biology, chemistry and physics at college and I hope to apply to vet med at Cambridge next year. I really hope to get into Cambridge and plan to do an EPQ, HE+ and possibly an olympiad in the following year but I can't help but be concerned that I haven't chosen the correct or enough subjects. I know many applicants study maths but I'm not sure how Cambridge views physics for vet, are there any other applicants for 2024 or past/current students that have any insight on something like this?
Or any advice or guidance from current vet students would be very much appreciated.
Thank you x
Original post by happycappy
Hello!
I'm currently a year 12 student studying biology, chemistry and physics at college and I hope to apply to vet med at Cambridge next year. I really hope to get into Cambridge and plan to do an EPQ, HE+ and possibly an olympiad in the following year but I can't help but be concerned that I haven't chosen the correct or enough subjects. I know many applicants study maths but I'm not sure how Cambridge views physics for vet, are there any other applicants for 2024 or past/current students that have any insight on something like this?
Or any advice or guidance from current vet students would be very much appreciated.
Thank you x
I'm currently a year 12 student studying biology, chemistry and physics at college and I hope to apply to vet med at Cambridge next year. I really hope to get into Cambridge and plan to do an EPQ, HE+ and possibly an olympiad in the following year but I can't help but be concerned that I haven't chosen the correct or enough subjects. I know many applicants study maths but I'm not sure how Cambridge views physics for vet, are there any other applicants for 2024 or past/current students that have any insight on something like this?
Or any advice or guidance from current vet students would be very much appreciated.
Thank you x
Those are good subjects for vet med and the subjects that are needed are biology and chemistry which you have. Some may do 4 subjects but it's not required.
The Cambridge website states
A Levels in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
Most applicants have at least three science/mathematics A Levels and some Colleges require this and/or particular subjects. See individual College websites for details.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/veterinary-medicine
(edited 1 year ago)
@Peterhouse Admissions - is there any information you can add to what is on the website?
Hi there! (Thanks @Muttley79 for the tag)
I don't think there is a lot I can add, I'm afraid - I don't have any recent anecdotal data on Vet Med because we don't offer it at Peterhouse. I would, however, add the following (from the bottom of the 'Entry requirements' tab on the Veterinary Medicine page):
For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (60% of entrants). These successful applicants typically took Biology (98%), Mathematics (97%) and Chemistry (96%). For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.
and this, from the 'How to apply' page on the Department of Veterinary Medicine website (emphasis added):
You should be taking Chemistry, and at least one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. The latter three subjects are considered equally.
Many applicants are taking three science/maths subjects in total, and our experience suggests that they are more likely to be successful than those taking two - although every year we admit strong applicants who have taken only two science/maths subjects. In this context, we realise most applicants have had to choose their full A-level subjects soon after their GCSE results, with little opportunity to change afterwards, so the important thing is to work hard in the science/maths subjects you are doing.
Unsurprisingly, most of our applicants are taking Biology, but we do not require it - we certainly welcome applications from candidates who are doing well in the physical sciences and maths.
Three sciences is good preparation for Vet Med. You will be required to sit the NSAA as part of your application, which includes a compulsory Maths element. I would make sure you've brushed up on your GCSE-level Maths and looked over the syllabus and practice papers to ensure that you understand and are familiar with the Maths that might come up. If you have the option to take Core Maths, you might find this helpful, but it's not necessary if you're prepared to look over the Maths in the NSAA syllabus independently and ask for help when required.
I hope this helps!
I don't think there is a lot I can add, I'm afraid - I don't have any recent anecdotal data on Vet Med because we don't offer it at Peterhouse. I would, however, add the following (from the bottom of the 'Entry requirements' tab on the Veterinary Medicine page):
For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (60% of entrants). These successful applicants typically took Biology (98%), Mathematics (97%) and Chemistry (96%). For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.
and this, from the 'How to apply' page on the Department of Veterinary Medicine website (emphasis added):
You should be taking Chemistry, and at least one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. The latter three subjects are considered equally.
Many applicants are taking three science/maths subjects in total, and our experience suggests that they are more likely to be successful than those taking two - although every year we admit strong applicants who have taken only two science/maths subjects. In this context, we realise most applicants have had to choose their full A-level subjects soon after their GCSE results, with little opportunity to change afterwards, so the important thing is to work hard in the science/maths subjects you are doing.
Unsurprisingly, most of our applicants are taking Biology, but we do not require it - we certainly welcome applications from candidates who are doing well in the physical sciences and maths.
Three sciences is good preparation for Vet Med. You will be required to sit the NSAA as part of your application, which includes a compulsory Maths element. I would make sure you've brushed up on your GCSE-level Maths and looked over the syllabus and practice papers to ensure that you understand and are familiar with the Maths that might come up. If you have the option to take Core Maths, you might find this helpful, but it's not necessary if you're prepared to look over the Maths in the NSAA syllabus independently and ask for help when required.
I hope this helps!
Sorry to jump on this thread a bit late but thought I’d chip in my 2 cents- I’m a 3rd year vet at Cambridge and my a levels were biology, chemistry and physics! I know quite a few people who didn’t do maths A-level with some doing combinations like biology, chemistry and history. I’ve never felt at a massive disadvantage because I didn’t do maths a level, the maths you do in physics a level is about as much as you need for the vet course 
(Tbh physics did come in quite useful during first year- there was a fair amount of overlap between the electricity modules and the nerves topic and I was able to get my head around the concepts more easily so I’d say it was actually a good subject choice!)
(Tbh physics did come in quite useful during first year- there was a fair amount of overlap between the electricity modules and the nerves topic and I was able to get my head around the concepts more easily so I’d say it was actually a good subject choice!)
Original post by Firiridirirriie
Those are good subjects for vet med and the subjects that are needed are biology and chemistry which you have. Some may do 4 subjects but it's not required.
The Cambridge website states
A Levels in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
Most applicants have at least three science/mathematics A Levels and some Colleges require this and/or particular subjects. See individual College websites for details.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/veterinary-medicine
The Cambridge website states
A Levels in Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics.
Most applicants have at least three science/mathematics A Levels and some Colleges require this and/or particular subjects. See individual College websites for details.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/veterinary-medicine
Hi there!
Thank you so much for your reply! I have heard a few people mention that they got into camvet with 3 a-level qualifications. I was mainly concerned as many prospective Oxbridge applicants I know are pursuing maths heavy courses requiring subjects like further maths. Anyway, I'm grateful for all of your advice.
Thank you! x
Original post by Peterhouse Admissions
Hi there! (Thanks @Muttley79 for the tag)
I don't think there is a lot I can add, I'm afraid - I don't have any recent anecdotal data on Vet Med because we don't offer it at Peterhouse. I would, however, add the following (from the bottom of the 'Entry requirements' tab on the Veterinary Medicine page):
For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (60% of entrants). These successful applicants typically took Biology (98%), Mathematics (97%) and Chemistry (96%). For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.
and this, from the 'How to apply' page on the Department of Veterinary Medicine website (emphasis added):
You should be taking Chemistry, and at least one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. The latter three subjects are considered equally.
Many applicants are taking three science/maths subjects in total, and our experience suggests that they are more likely to be successful than those taking two - although every year we admit strong applicants who have taken only two science/maths subjects. In this context, we realise most applicants have had to choose their full A-level subjects soon after their GCSE results, with little opportunity to change afterwards, so the important thing is to work hard in the science/maths subjects you are doing.
Unsurprisingly, most of our applicants are taking Biology, but we do not require it - we certainly welcome applications from candidates who are doing well in the physical sciences and maths.
Three sciences is good preparation for Vet Med. You will be required to sit the NSAA as part of your application, which includes a compulsory Maths element. I would make sure you've brushed up on your GCSE-level Maths and looked over the syllabus and practice papers to ensure that you understand and are familiar with the Maths that might come up. If you have the option to take Core Maths, you might find this helpful, but it's not necessary if you're prepared to look over the Maths in the NSAA syllabus independently and ask for help when required.
I hope this helps!
I don't think there is a lot I can add, I'm afraid - I don't have any recent anecdotal data on Vet Med because we don't offer it at Peterhouse. I would, however, add the following (from the bottom of the 'Entry requirements' tab on the Veterinary Medicine page):
For 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry, the majority of entrants from an A Level background achieved at least grades A*A*A* (60% of entrants). These successful applicants typically took Biology (98%), Mathematics (97%) and Chemistry (96%). For the same period, the majority of IB entrants achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.
and this, from the 'How to apply' page on the Department of Veterinary Medicine website (emphasis added):
You should be taking Chemistry, and at least one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics. The latter three subjects are considered equally.
Many applicants are taking three science/maths subjects in total, and our experience suggests that they are more likely to be successful than those taking two - although every year we admit strong applicants who have taken only two science/maths subjects. In this context, we realise most applicants have had to choose their full A-level subjects soon after their GCSE results, with little opportunity to change afterwards, so the important thing is to work hard in the science/maths subjects you are doing.
Unsurprisingly, most of our applicants are taking Biology, but we do not require it - we certainly welcome applications from candidates who are doing well in the physical sciences and maths.
Three sciences is good preparation for Vet Med. You will be required to sit the NSAA as part of your application, which includes a compulsory Maths element. I would make sure you've brushed up on your GCSE-level Maths and looked over the syllabus and practice papers to ensure that you understand and are familiar with the Maths that might come up. If you have the option to take Core Maths, you might find this helpful, but it's not necessary if you're prepared to look over the Maths in the NSAA syllabus independently and ask for help when required.
I hope this helps!
Hello there!
Thank you very much for your reply, I'm grateful for your time. I have looked through the 'How to apply' page now and I'm more confident in my subject decisions. I am aware that the NSAA does require maths (at I believe GCSE level?) and I think my experience from GCSEs and some additional revision should allow me to complete the test relatively confidently.
Thank you for your help! your advice has been very helpful.
Original post by Vetgirl07
Sorry to jump on this thread a bit late but thought I’d chip in my 2 cents- I’m a 3rd year vet at Cambridge and my a levels were biology, chemistry and physics! I know quite a few people who didn’t do maths A-level with some doing combinations like biology, chemistry and history. I’ve never felt at a massive disadvantage because I didn’t do maths a level, the maths you do in physics a level is about as much as you need for the vet course
(Tbh physics did come in quite useful during first year- there was a fair amount of overlap between the electricity modules and the nerves topic and I was able to get my head around the concepts more easily so I’d say it was actually a good subject choice!)
(Tbh physics did come in quite useful during first year- there was a fair amount of overlap between the electricity modules and the nerves topic and I was able to get my head around the concepts more easily so I’d say it was actually a good subject choice!)
Hey there!
It's not a problem at all. I'm incredibly grateful for your reply!
I hope you are enjoying your time at University. It's reassuring to hear that you also took bio, chem and physics as I have heard rumours about the importance of maths as a subject for camvet. If you don't mind me asking, is there any advice that you might have to stand a better chance to get into the course? also, how has the experience been so far in your studies?
I hope you are enjoying your studies and I wish you luck with whatever exams may be upcoming
No worries at all!
In terms of making your application stand out, they like to see good grades, a strong NSAA score and discussions on your personal statement about the sciency part of vet med, particularly if you’ve seen a case on your work experience and decided to research further into it. They expect that anything you’ve put on your personal statement you have really looked into and understand a lot so be prepared to be grilled on any further reading and don’t put things down that you’re not 100% on! For the actual interview, I’d say the most important thing is making sure that your bio and chem knowledge is really sharp, in my experience they would start off a question that I’d know from my a level content and then go a bit deeper so I’d have to apply different concepts. If they ask you about something that you don’t know the answer to, it’s worth saying something along the lines of “I’m not sure of the exact answer but I know xyz so maybe it could apply” and just have a go- they’re not looking for someone who knows everything, they’re looking for someone with a lot of potential.
The course has been great fun and I’m very glad I ended up here! There’s been lots of great opportunities and the staff are really supportive and happy to explain everything. It’s been quite intense and I have struggled with the workload but once you get past second year it eases up and you’re doing more clinical things so it feels a lot more manageable. I’m currently intercalating in zoology and absolutely loving it- as much as I enjoy vetmed, it’s nice to have a break and explore different things and the zoology course equips you really well if you’re interested in exotic animal medicine. I’ve found I can still have a good social life on top of the workload, I do a lot of theatre tech work and have really enjoyed doing that on the side. You might hear a few rumours about the vet course here like that you don’t touch an animal for the first few years, you have too much work to have a life and that all Cambridge vets come out with no practical skills but I can honestly say that it’s not true and if you like the sound of the course and have done your research then you’ll enjoy it!
In terms of making your application stand out, they like to see good grades, a strong NSAA score and discussions on your personal statement about the sciency part of vet med, particularly if you’ve seen a case on your work experience and decided to research further into it. They expect that anything you’ve put on your personal statement you have really looked into and understand a lot so be prepared to be grilled on any further reading and don’t put things down that you’re not 100% on! For the actual interview, I’d say the most important thing is making sure that your bio and chem knowledge is really sharp, in my experience they would start off a question that I’d know from my a level content and then go a bit deeper so I’d have to apply different concepts. If they ask you about something that you don’t know the answer to, it’s worth saying something along the lines of “I’m not sure of the exact answer but I know xyz so maybe it could apply” and just have a go- they’re not looking for someone who knows everything, they’re looking for someone with a lot of potential.
The course has been great fun and I’m very glad I ended up here! There’s been lots of great opportunities and the staff are really supportive and happy to explain everything. It’s been quite intense and I have struggled with the workload but once you get past second year it eases up and you’re doing more clinical things so it feels a lot more manageable. I’m currently intercalating in zoology and absolutely loving it- as much as I enjoy vetmed, it’s nice to have a break and explore different things and the zoology course equips you really well if you’re interested in exotic animal medicine. I’ve found I can still have a good social life on top of the workload, I do a lot of theatre tech work and have really enjoyed doing that on the side. You might hear a few rumours about the vet course here like that you don’t touch an animal for the first few years, you have too much work to have a life and that all Cambridge vets come out with no practical skills but I can honestly say that it’s not true and if you like the sound of the course and have done your research then you’ll enjoy it!
Original post by Vetgirl07
No worries at all!
In terms of making your application stand out, they like to see good grades, a strong NSAA score and discussions on your personal statement about the sciency part of vet med, particularly if you’ve seen a case on your work experience and decided to research further into it. They expect that anything you’ve put on your personal statement you have really looked into and understand a lot so be prepared to be grilled on any further reading and don’t put things down that you’re not 100% on! For the actual interview, I’d say the most important thing is making sure that your bio and chem knowledge is really sharp, in my experience they would start off a question that I’d know from my a level content and then go a bit deeper so I’d have to apply different concepts. If they ask you about something that you don’t know the answer to, it’s worth saying something along the lines of “I’m not sure of the exact answer but I know xyz so maybe it could apply” and just have a go- they’re not looking for someone who knows everything, they’re looking for someone with a lot of potential.
The course has been great fun and I’m very glad I ended up here! There’s been lots of great opportunities and the staff are really supportive and happy to explain everything. It’s been quite intense and I have struggled with the workload but once you get past second year it eases up and you’re doing more clinical things so it feels a lot more manageable. I’m currently intercalating in zoology and absolutely loving it- as much as I enjoy vetmed, it’s nice to have a break and explore different things and the zoology course equips you really well if you’re interested in exotic animal medicine. I’ve found I can still have a good social life on top of the workload, I do a lot of theatre tech work and have really enjoyed doing that on the side. You might hear a few rumours about the vet course here like that you don’t touch an animal for the first few years, you have too much work to have a life and that all Cambridge vets come out with no practical skills but I can honestly say that it’s not true and if you like the sound of the course and have done your research then you’ll enjoy it!
In terms of making your application stand out, they like to see good grades, a strong NSAA score and discussions on your personal statement about the sciency part of vet med, particularly if you’ve seen a case on your work experience and decided to research further into it. They expect that anything you’ve put on your personal statement you have really looked into and understand a lot so be prepared to be grilled on any further reading and don’t put things down that you’re not 100% on! For the actual interview, I’d say the most important thing is making sure that your bio and chem knowledge is really sharp, in my experience they would start off a question that I’d know from my a level content and then go a bit deeper so I’d have to apply different concepts. If they ask you about something that you don’t know the answer to, it’s worth saying something along the lines of “I’m not sure of the exact answer but I know xyz so maybe it could apply” and just have a go- they’re not looking for someone who knows everything, they’re looking for someone with a lot of potential.
The course has been great fun and I’m very glad I ended up here! There’s been lots of great opportunities and the staff are really supportive and happy to explain everything. It’s been quite intense and I have struggled with the workload but once you get past second year it eases up and you’re doing more clinical things so it feels a lot more manageable. I’m currently intercalating in zoology and absolutely loving it- as much as I enjoy vetmed, it’s nice to have a break and explore different things and the zoology course equips you really well if you’re interested in exotic animal medicine. I’ve found I can still have a good social life on top of the workload, I do a lot of theatre tech work and have really enjoyed doing that on the side. You might hear a few rumours about the vet course here like that you don’t touch an animal for the first few years, you have too much work to have a life and that all Cambridge vets come out with no practical skills but I can honestly say that it’s not true and if you like the sound of the course and have done your research then you’ll enjoy it!
Hi again!
Thank you so much for replying! I know the minimum requirement would be A*AA but I have seen that accepted students usually have A*A*A* grades, I'm not sure if that applies to predicted grades as well though. I was lurking around TikTok and saw that someone was applying to camvet this year with a predicted A*A*A and didn't get an interview or any vet course offers from other unis which kind of stressed me out. I know you also did bio, chem and physics and the NSAA has a maths component to it, was the maths in the NSAA test manageable or was it a lot harder than GCSE level maths? I am looking into starting my statement soon but I'm figuring out how to make it eye-catching in a sense. I have heard people mention the importance of knowing your statement inside and out before and if I am fortunate enough to be invited to an interview I'll keep this advice in mind.
I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your studies, it's inspirational in a way
my college runs a vet society and I don't know a single one of them that is looking to apply to Cambridge and if it is brought up it's a "crazy" idea or it has a bad course structure but hearing that the rumours are not true is reassuring. The intercalated year sounds like an amazing opportunity truly and strangely enough I also really like theatre tech work although I haven't had the opportunity to make anything of that interest. I hope I'm not bombarding you with too many questions as I completely understand that you have a busy schedule but at the moment I think I'm on track with my chemistry and biology to get good predicted grades but physics is a little less forgiving. In your experience is A-level physics really difficult or are there any ways to get a good predicted grade? Also, if you are comfortable answering of course, which college did you choose at Cambridge?
Thank you again for your time
Original post by happycappy
Hi again!
Thank you so much for replying! I know the minimum requirement would be A*AA but I have seen that accepted students usually have A*A*A* grades, I'm not sure if that applies to predicted grades as well though. I was lurking around TikTok and saw that someone was applying to camvet this year with a predicted A*A*A and didn't get an interview or any vet course offers from other unis which kind of stressed me out. I know you also did bio, chem and physics and the NSAA has a maths component to it, was the maths in the NSAA test manageable or was it a lot harder than GCSE level maths? I am looking into starting my statement soon but I'm figuring out how to make it eye-catching in a sense. I have heard people mention the importance of knowing your statement inside and out before and if I am fortunate enough to be invited to an interview I'll keep this advice in mind.
I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your studies, it's inspirational in a way my college runs a vet society and I don't know a single one of them that is looking to apply to Cambridge and if it is brought up it's a "crazy" idea or it has a bad course structure but hearing that the rumours are not true is reassuring. The intercalated year sounds like an amazing opportunity truly and strangely enough I also really like theatre tech work although I haven't had the opportunity to make anything of that interest.
I hope I'm not bombarding you with too many questions as I completely understand that you have a busy schedule but at the moment I think I'm on track with my chemistry and biology to get good predicted grades but physics is a little less forgiving. In your experience is A-level physics really difficult or are there any ways to get a good predicted grade? Also, if you are comfortable answering of course, which college did you choose at Cambridge?
Thank you again for your time
Thank you so much for replying! I know the minimum requirement would be A*AA but I have seen that accepted students usually have A*A*A* grades, I'm not sure if that applies to predicted grades as well though. I was lurking around TikTok and saw that someone was applying to camvet this year with a predicted A*A*A and didn't get an interview or any vet course offers from other unis which kind of stressed me out. I know you also did bio, chem and physics and the NSAA has a maths component to it, was the maths in the NSAA test manageable or was it a lot harder than GCSE level maths? I am looking into starting my statement soon but I'm figuring out how to make it eye-catching in a sense. I have heard people mention the importance of knowing your statement inside and out before and if I am fortunate enough to be invited to an interview I'll keep this advice in mind.
I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your studies, it's inspirational in a way
my college runs a vet society and I don't know a single one of them that is looking to apply to Cambridge and if it is brought up it's a "crazy" idea or it has a bad course structure but hearing that the rumours are not true is reassuring. The intercalated year sounds like an amazing opportunity truly and strangely enough I also really like theatre tech work although I haven't had the opportunity to make anything of that interest. I hope I'm not bombarding you with too many questions as I completely understand that you have a busy schedule but at the moment I think I'm on track with my chemistry and biology to get good predicted grades but physics is a little less forgiving. In your experience is A-level physics really difficult or are there any ways to get a good predicted grade? Also, if you are comfortable answering of course, which college did you choose at Cambridge?
Thank you again for your time
(Sorry for not replying sooner- term has just started again so I’ve been a bit busy!)
I think most applicants do have 3A*s predicted but the standard offer here is A*AA so they won’t ask for 3A*s of you get an offer (occasionally they may ask for the A* to be in a specific subject but usually they’re happy with it being in a STEM one). As for some people with high grades who have been rejected without an interview, you’ve got to bear in mind that they might not have had as high a levels or the NSAA didn’t go well for them (some schools might predict grades based on ambition rather than expectation so they might want to see that these are grades you are likely to achieve- I’m not involved with deciding interviews though so don’t take my word on that!). As well as that, grades don’t guarantee you a place at other units and they want to see that you understand the profession and are prepared for the course so don’t interpret other people’s experiences as it being impossible to get in, just do the best you can and work on any weaknesses. Tbh I didn’t find the maths element as hard as I thought I would without a level maths, although at GCSE I did do the FSMQ paper so had a good understanding of maths already and just kept that knowledge up by practicing papers.
I had a similar experience in school- there were 5 people in my year applying for vetmed and most of them ruled it out because “it’s too much work” or just didn’t fancy the academic side of things so I did feel a bit left out. I ended up meeting some lovely people on vetcam who went on to apply (and one person I made friends with actually ended up with a place here which was nice!) and we had a group chat to discuss our applications which helped.
A level physics was definitely my weakest (partially because I had a different teacher to GCSE who was much less enthusiastic or supportive) so did find that it was harder than biology and chemistry. I brought it up a lot by learning my equations really well (try sticking them around your room so you look at them every day!) and focusing on how to answer exam questions. I don’t know how much the exams have changed since I took them but I remember being asked about the practicals and how to improve on them ie what could account for inaccurate results or why we’d use a certain piece of equipment.
Don’t be afraid to ask more questions- that’s why I’m on this site!
Original post by Vetgirl07
(Sorry for not replying sooner- term has just started again so I’ve been a bit busy!)
I think most applicants do have 3A*s predicted but the standard offer here is A*AA so they won’t ask for 3A*s of you get an offer (occasionally they may ask for the A* to be in a specific subject but usually they’re happy with it being in a STEM one). As for some people with high grades who have been rejected without an interview, you’ve got to bear in mind that they might not have had as high a levels or the NSAA didn’t go well for them (some schools might predict grades based on ambition rather than expectation so they might want to see that these are grades you are likely to achieve- I’m not involved with deciding interviews though so don’t take my word on that!). As well as that, grades don’t guarantee you a place at other units and they want to see that you understand the profession and are prepared for the course so don’t interpret other people’s experiences as it being impossible to get in, just do the best you can and work on any weaknesses. Tbh I didn’t find the maths element as hard as I thought I would without a level maths, although at GCSE I did do the FSMQ paper so had a good understanding of maths already and just kept that knowledge up by practicing papers.
I had a similar experience in school- there were 5 people in my year applying for vetmed and most of them ruled it out because “it’s too much work” or just didn’t fancy the academic side of things so I did feel a bit left out. I ended up meeting some lovely people on vetcam who went on to apply (and one person I made friends with actually ended up with a place here which was nice!) and we had a group chat to discuss our applications which helped.
A level physics was definitely my weakest (partially because I had a different teacher to GCSE who was much less enthusiastic or supportive) so did find that it was harder than biology and chemistry. I brought it up a lot by learning my equations really well (try sticking them around your room so you look at them every day!) and focusing on how to answer exam questions. I don’t know how much the exams have changed since I took them but I remember being asked about the practicals and how to improve on them ie what could account for inaccurate results or why we’d use a certain piece of equipment.
Don’t be afraid to ask more questions- that’s why I’m on this site!
I think most applicants do have 3A*s predicted but the standard offer here is A*AA so they won’t ask for 3A*s of you get an offer (occasionally they may ask for the A* to be in a specific subject but usually they’re happy with it being in a STEM one). As for some people with high grades who have been rejected without an interview, you’ve got to bear in mind that they might not have had as high a levels or the NSAA didn’t go well for them (some schools might predict grades based on ambition rather than expectation so they might want to see that these are grades you are likely to achieve- I’m not involved with deciding interviews though so don’t take my word on that!). As well as that, grades don’t guarantee you a place at other units and they want to see that you understand the profession and are prepared for the course so don’t interpret other people’s experiences as it being impossible to get in, just do the best you can and work on any weaknesses. Tbh I didn’t find the maths element as hard as I thought I would without a level maths, although at GCSE I did do the FSMQ paper so had a good understanding of maths already and just kept that knowledge up by practicing papers.
I had a similar experience in school- there were 5 people in my year applying for vetmed and most of them ruled it out because “it’s too much work” or just didn’t fancy the academic side of things so I did feel a bit left out. I ended up meeting some lovely people on vetcam who went on to apply (and one person I made friends with actually ended up with a place here which was nice!) and we had a group chat to discuss our applications which helped.
A level physics was definitely my weakest (partially because I had a different teacher to GCSE who was much less enthusiastic or supportive) so did find that it was harder than biology and chemistry. I brought it up a lot by learning my equations really well (try sticking them around your room so you look at them every day!) and focusing on how to answer exam questions. I don’t know how much the exams have changed since I took them but I remember being asked about the practicals and how to improve on them ie what could account for inaccurate results or why we’d use a certain piece of equipment.
Don’t be afraid to ask more questions- that’s why I’m on this site!
Hey again I'm sorry for the delayed response!
I see, I would assume that most applicants are very competitive academically and 3 A* should be expected. I have yet to figure out how my college does our predicted grades but I'll find out soon. It is true that different people probably have different circumstances around their application and I think that it will still be worth a shot to apply, the worst that can happen is a rejection which is completely harmless
I didn't do any extra maths papers in GCSE's but I did do well in my maths exam so hopefully those skills aren't completely lost yet! I'll look up some papers when I have spare time and brush up on my maths skills, I definitely need it for physics anyway!Yeah I do feel like although there is a nice relationship between the proespective vets at my college, I don't really have anybody to relate to in terms of trying for Cambridge. I was thinking of applying to vetcam this year! I was considering other "summer" schools or residencies but everything was in the thousands of pounds.
I feel like physics is where a lot of my effort academically is being put because it feels like everyone in my class is so clear with the physics concepts and it takes me a minute to get there. Tbf a lot of the people in my physics class are prospective engineers and architects and are more proficient with those sorts of ideas in a way. I am definitely trying to get some papers down to do for weekly revision and I have seen improvements from the very beginning of A-levels to now so I'll take that as a good sign! I think I'm sitting 3 papers for physics at the end of the two years? I'm doing the aqa spec so I think the third is a practical paper. For the mean time though I'll focus my time on the academic side of things so I can at least meet their minimum requirements by the time UCAS apps roll around.
I was wondering though, do you have any advice personal statement wise? or any resources that may be at all useful throughout the application and preparation process?
Thank you again for your time! I really appreicate you taking the time to answer my questions!
No problem (I’m pretty slow at answering anyway!)
Regarding summer schools or residencies- don’t be too fussed over those as they are very expensive and in all honesty won’t necessarily give you a better chance of getting in- vet schools understand that these are expensive and it would be unfair to prioritise someone who’s been able to afford it over someone who can’t.
Apparently things are changing regarding the NSAA and personal statement (I heard a rumour that they might be scrapping the NSAA soon so you might want to keep up to date with the prospectus and go to open days just to be sure- as I’m a student rather than part of the admissions team I’m probably not the best person to advise on what the current plans are so it’s worth checking up on there and don’t take my word for anything!).
Personal statement wise, I think the best thing to do is to read as many personal statements as you can to see the style in which you should write it and for Cambridge specifically, edge it slightly more towards the academic side. There’s no perfect personal statement, but the more you can add to give the interviewers ideas on what to ask the better. I would start my paragraphs off talking about my work experience, what I did and what I learned about the vet profession from it and what it led me on to do eg helped to take a blood sample from a bearded dragon at a SA and exotic vet clinic, learned how we apply knowledge to exotic species that we might not know as much about and that made me watch videos of exotic animal dissections. This is by no means a perfect way of writing a paragraph but it was what I felt happiest with!
Resources wise, try looking for papers or documents about a concept that you can link in to your work experience. I remember coming across a Cambridge HE+ website which had some good resources but I would have accessed this 4-5 years ago so I’m not sure if it’s still there. I read a good book “A Very Short Introduction to Veterinary Medicine” which was good for making me think about some relevant issues in veterinary medicine today. I read another book by a vet called “the travelling vet” which was a very interesting book and got me thinking about exotic animal medicine (a big interest of mine) and the thinking we use when treating different species, even if it was just a casual read rather than a scientific book!
I’d also recommend making the most of opportunities to do interview practice, whether that’s with a teacher or just explaining a concept to a friend. I struggled a lot with communication before I applied due to a few anxiety related issues and found that doing as much of that as I could made me sound much more confident and coherent. I would ask teachers and even my friends to do practice interviews and looking back, I think that was what really helped and I’m very grateful that they did that for me.
Regarding summer schools or residencies- don’t be too fussed over those as they are very expensive and in all honesty won’t necessarily give you a better chance of getting in- vet schools understand that these are expensive and it would be unfair to prioritise someone who’s been able to afford it over someone who can’t.
Apparently things are changing regarding the NSAA and personal statement (I heard a rumour that they might be scrapping the NSAA soon so you might want to keep up to date with the prospectus and go to open days just to be sure- as I’m a student rather than part of the admissions team I’m probably not the best person to advise on what the current plans are so it’s worth checking up on there and don’t take my word for anything!).
Personal statement wise, I think the best thing to do is to read as many personal statements as you can to see the style in which you should write it and for Cambridge specifically, edge it slightly more towards the academic side. There’s no perfect personal statement, but the more you can add to give the interviewers ideas on what to ask the better. I would start my paragraphs off talking about my work experience, what I did and what I learned about the vet profession from it and what it led me on to do eg helped to take a blood sample from a bearded dragon at a SA and exotic vet clinic, learned how we apply knowledge to exotic species that we might not know as much about and that made me watch videos of exotic animal dissections. This is by no means a perfect way of writing a paragraph but it was what I felt happiest with!
Resources wise, try looking for papers or documents about a concept that you can link in to your work experience. I remember coming across a Cambridge HE+ website which had some good resources but I would have accessed this 4-5 years ago so I’m not sure if it’s still there. I read a good book “A Very Short Introduction to Veterinary Medicine” which was good for making me think about some relevant issues in veterinary medicine today. I read another book by a vet called “the travelling vet” which was a very interesting book and got me thinking about exotic animal medicine (a big interest of mine) and the thinking we use when treating different species, even if it was just a casual read rather than a scientific book!
I’d also recommend making the most of opportunities to do interview practice, whether that’s with a teacher or just explaining a concept to a friend. I struggled a lot with communication before I applied due to a few anxiety related issues and found that doing as much of that as I could made me sound much more confident and coherent. I would ask teachers and even my friends to do practice interviews and looking back, I think that was what really helped and I’m very grateful that they did that for me.
Hi again!
I'm sorry about the delayed reply, end of year exams are coming up and college has been getting a bit busy. I ended up applying to vetcam this year which is tomorrow so hopefully, I'll get some insight and meet some new people there. From what I've heard they are making changes to the UCAS application process but that starts at the earliest in 2025 so it probably won't affect our graduating year. I'm looking into starting my statement soon but I have a big chunk of the work experience to be done in the summer. I have been looking through some successful applicant personal statements and I'm getting a rough picture of what I need to look into I have taken a look at the HE+ website for resources and other websites for super curricular ideas and I've begun to work through some of those. I'll look into those books when I have the time (probably after the end of years). Our college offers mock interviews, but they're only open to U6 so I'll look into interview techniques in the next academic year. Also thank you again for all the advice, I feel like the application process has already kind of started in a way and your advice has helped me get going with the start of my vet journey (hopefully!)
I'm sorry about the delayed reply, end of year exams are coming up and college has been getting a bit busy. I ended up applying to vetcam this year which is tomorrow so hopefully, I'll get some insight and meet some new people there. From what I've heard they are making changes to the UCAS application process but that starts at the earliest in 2025 so it probably won't affect our graduating year. I'm looking into starting my statement soon but I have a big chunk of the work experience to be done in the summer. I have been looking through some successful applicant personal statements and I'm getting a rough picture of what I need to look into
I have taken a look at the HE+ website for resources and other websites for super curricular ideas and I've begun to work through some of those. I'll look into those books when I have the time (probably after the end of years). Our college offers mock interviews, but they're only open to U6 so I'll look into interview techniques in the next academic year. Also thank you again for all the advice, I feel like the application process has already kind of started in a way and your advice has helped me get going with the start of my vet journey (hopefully!) Quick Reply
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