Vet school predicted grades

Can I apply for vet schools with predicted grades AAB? Or what is my best option for other pathways? Thanks
subjects are biology, chemistry, geography

Can I apply for vet schools with predicted grades AAB? Or what is my best option for other pathways? Thanks
subjects are biology, chemistry, geography

Yes, some vet schools require AAB and not AAA - although most stipulate the As have to be in chemistry and biology. Make a table of all the vet schools (not that many so won't take too long) and their courses (most are the 5 year standard but there is also some gateway/prelim 6 years, and accelerated post-grad 4 years) and all their grade and work experience requirements so you know where you stand. Nottingham supposedly don't look at predicted grades but I'd check first via call/email. Don't apply anywhere you don't meet the minimum for, including GCSEs - that is a quick rejection when there are about 10 applicants per spot with the vast majority reaching all requirements. The good thing is that apart from maybe Cambridge, most vet schools do not rate you any higher based on if you get higher grades - i.e. if their minimum is AAB, someone getting 3 A*s won't be further up the list than you. Work experience is as important as grades, if not more as that is a big part of the forms and interviews.

If you can't find four standard 5 year courses to apply to, look into the gateway courses, although some may stipulate rules like you have to be part of widening participation criteria or can't get above certain grades, and there are also very limited spots on gateway courses. As it is just predicted grades and vet school is quite a 'flashy' subject for schools to get a student in for, I'm sure you can attempt to up your predictions - offer the teacher your B is in to do extra work/tests to prove you can get an A, speak to higher up people like headteacher, get parents involved, just go all in if necessary as it is your future you're advocating for. There is the postgrad route where you could take another first degree than apply for either 4 or 5 year vet courses after, BUT obviously it is much longer, you will be doing a subject you may not be interested in for 3 years, the 4 year course is even more competitive than the 5 year and you won't get a tuition fee loan for a second degree, so essentially you'd have to pay 9.25k x 4/5 years out of pocket, so I wouldn't recommend going down that route.

If you fail to get grades necessary or don't get offers (which is very common! I didn't get any offers in my first application round and only got 1 in my second) then the best route imo is to take a gap year and reapply. In that time you can work on any missed grades, up your work experience, reflect on the last application round, and with the rest of your time do whatever you want - travel, relax, work to get some savings for uni. I know gap years aren't generally appealing to a lot of people at your age and I never intended to take one but it was a blessing in disguise. But for now, find unis you do meet all requirements for and if you can try and get AAA predicted just to open more doors while you can before worrying about 'later', good luck

Thanks so much for your help. The issue lies with that the B is predicted in chemistry. I don't think she'll give me an A as have spoken to her already. I will look into it- would it be crazy to just apply to Nottingham this time round to get an idea of the application process, then (hopefully I will get an A in the actual A level) apply next year to 4 if I don't get in?

Not crazy! I think gap years are a great idea in general for whatever reason, it’s a great chance to mature outside of a school environment and have a break before starting an intense degree. I definitely matured as a person and got a lot of transferable skills (as well as important savings) just working at a restaurant during mine, I changed from an introvert to an extrovert with much more confidence and I feel it’s really helped me get the most out of placements and even just uni life. I do think having one application round for experience increases your chances at getting in next time as you can reflect upon it and know what to expect, and if you do get in first time then happy days! I’m not as familiar with all the different unis and entry requirements nowadays so I would see if there are any others you can apply to as there may well be, and for some I think if you are a widening participation applicant they will forgive the B being in chemistry - if in doubt, it won’t hurt to email them to know for sure. And once term starts again in September I’d still give your teacher another shot - again go full guns in, gather up any evidence of you getting As, all your revision tools, offer to do a mock exam before the October UCAS deadline, get your parents to write a letter or come in, discuss with your headteacher/higher up head of subject/your tutor. It might seem embarrassing now but long term it is your future, and it is only 1 grade and predicted grades are just essentially made up by your teacher, my school certainly just gave everyone what they needed for the course as long as it wasn’t absurd, at the end of the day it’s up to the student to actually achieve it to get in and there’s no point holding someone back from their dreams.

Thanks again for the help! I really don't think they'll give me an A as there hasn't been much evidence of it throughout the year to be honest, I reallt do try but chemistry is just a difficult subject for me. Out of interest, where do you study?

I found chemistry terrible too, luckily there isn’t much of it in vet school tbh it’s just more the basic concepts applied. I was honestly lucky being the first covid year because the highest I got was a C but my teachers liked me so predicted me an A so that was my final grade 😂 Maybe you can still talk to higher ups or get parents involved though? Just to say you really need it. Can also do some past papers yourself before term starts again and show progress within them.

I am going into my third year at Liverpool