Vet Medicine

4

Hi, I did not meet the grade requirements for vet med but decided to go to college to complete a science course to try and bring my grades up. have now found out that they will not consider me with the college course i have decided to study. would i be better applying for a zoology course or vet nurse course and then applying for a vet course. i really want to study this but feel like everywhere i look it’s now just disappointment so a bit of advice would be great.

Reply 1

kenzie2408

OP

4

or can i complete a HND in animal care at college and be considered?

Reply 2

wombats

7

What science course are you doing? Have you considered doing an Access to HE course? You'll need to make sure the units match up with what the university want and not all universities accept them, but many will. Bristol and UCLan both do.

Reply 3

RambleAmple

17

Be careful with taking a different degree first - you will not get tuition fee funding for your second degree so then would have to pay 9.25k for 4/5 years out of pocket which is obviously expensive, it is obviously a lot longer and you may be stuck on a course you aren’t 100% interested in, and graduate entry is even more competitive than for the standard 5 year and some may still ask for certain grades. It is still an option to consider and many people do do a first degree before vet med for various reasons, but make sure you are aware of these factors before making that decision. As others have mentioned, an access to HE course would likely be the more “safe” option financially, but do read all the fine prints for whatever option you go for to ensure you will be considered by the vet schools.

Reply 4

kenzie2408

OP

4

Original post by wombats

What science course are you doing? Have you considered doing an Access to HE course? You'll need to make sure the units match up with what the university want and not all universities accept them, but many will. Bristol and UCLan both do.

there is a swap course offered at my local college but due to sitting my highers, i wouldn’t qualify for that course until I was 25

Reply 5

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

16

Original post by kenzie2408

Hi, I did not meet the grade requirements for vet med but decided to go to college to complete a science course to try and bring my grades up. have now found out that they will not consider me with the college course i have decided to study. would i be better applying for a zoology course or vet nurse course and then applying for a vet course. i really want to study this but feel like everywhere i look it’s now just disappointment so a bit of advice would be great.

Hi @kenzie2408,

I took a BSc in Zoology last year and am now studying an MRes in Wildlife Conservation. Whilst I loved my zoology degree it is very biology/science based. It does not teach you about caring for animals but instead is more about learning biology in an animal context. There are some modules you may enjoy like Animal Behaviour but you will also have to do some chemistry and evolution based subjects. I would advise looking more into zoology degrees and the modules they cover to understand if this would be the right step for you.

One positive I would say about the zoology degree at the University of Southampton is that from second year it is very flexible. For example, I got to choose all 8 of my modules in my 3rd year and some of those were from completely different degrees like environmental science. Therefore you could make it more tailored to your interests.
Here is a link to our zoology degree: University of Southampton - BSc Zoology

I hope this helps and let me know if you have anymore questions.

Abby (4th year student)
BSc Zoology + MRes Wildlife Conservation

Reply 6

kenzie2408

OP

4

Original post by Uni of Southampton Students

Hi @kenzie2408,
I took a BSc in Zoology last year and am now studying an MRes in Wildlife Conservation. Whilst I loved my zoology degree it is very biology/science based. It does not teach you about caring for animals but instead is more about learning biology in an animal context. There are some modules you may enjoy like Animal Behaviour but you will also have to do some chemistry and evolution based subjects. I would advise looking more into zoology degrees and the modules they cover to understand if this would be the right step for you.
One positive I would say about the zoology degree at the University of Southampton is that from second year it is very flexible. For example, I got to choose all 8 of my modules in my 3rd year and some of those were from completely different degrees like environmental science. Therefore you could make it more tailored to your interests.
Here is a link to our zoology degree: University of Southampton - BSc Zoology
I hope this helps and let me know if you have anymore questions.
Abby (4th year student)
BSc Zoology + MRes Wildlife Conservation

thank you so much!

Reply 7

UCLan Student

Official Rep

16

Original post by kenzie2408

Hi, I did not meet the grade requirements for vet med but decided to go to college to complete a science course to try and bring my grades up. have now found out that they will not consider me with the college course i have decided to study. would i be better applying for a zoology course or vet nurse course and then applying for a vet course. i really want to study this but feel like everywhere i look it’s now just disappointment so a bit of advice would be great.

Hi @kenzie2408,

I am Martina, a first year vet student at the University of Central Lancashire.
I haven't followed a "typical" journey into veterinary medicine myself, so I completely understand how you feel! Before starting the vet course at UCLan, I completed a BSc and MSc and had various life experiences. I can assure you it's never too late to start, and I'm glad you're not giving up on your dream!

During my first year, I met many people with diverse ways into the course. Some people have a degree (Vet nursing, biology etc..) achieve 1:1 or 2:1 so they could be considered during the application. They have chosen a degree as they did not meet all the A Level requirements.
It is important to keep in mind that if you plan on starting a degree and planning then to study for another one (eg. you complete a Bsc and then go into vet med) and ask for a Student Loan to cover the fees, you can only do this for you first degree and you will need to find the second degree yourself (which is not ideal).
Another option would be to do an Access Course (usually they last less than a year). Check the vet school requirements to see what courses they accept. This can be an excellent way to get the grades you need without spending three years studying for a degree. I know quite a few people in my vet course who have taken this route.
I hope this helps!
Good luck 💫

Martina - 1st Year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery

Vet Medicine

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Articles for you