Any vet med/nursing/animal sciences courses with no biology a level

I had a change of heart over summer and heavily regret taking physics over biology, firstly because I don’t enjoy it and secondly because it’s not really useful for my career paths, currently I do maths textiles and physics. I’m planning on applying to universities for fashion design but just as a back up, since I’ve always loved it and would be curious as to whether I could get in, I wanted to apply to some kind of veterinary medicine / science / animal science course. Does anyone know of any courses I can apply to with no biology a level?

Reply 1

ReadingMum

19

you only get one personal statement to cover all courses. If textiles is your target then I would stick with that - it is hard enough to get on the vet med etc courses when you are certain it is your dream so I can't imagine you would get offers for something that is obviously not that.

Reply 2

RambleAmple

17

To add on from above, like 90% of the vet med course is biology, and I imagine a lot of other animal science courses are also heavily biology orientated. I think having A Level (or similar) biology knowledge does help when it comes to the course and knowing you are prepared for it. You’d also have to do work experience in various animal establishments for weeks before applying to vet med, and the application deadline is October 15th, and chemistry is also generally required. Perhaps you could apply to some sort of animal science course and ask the uni if they’d accept a separate personal statement, but I don’t think vet med (and probably vet nursing) would work for you.

Reply 3

luushaaannn

OP

2

Original post by RambleAmple

To add on from above, like 90% of the vet med course is biology, and I imagine a lot of other animal science courses are also heavily biology orientated. I think having A Level (or similar) biology knowledge does help when it comes to the course and knowing you are prepared for it. You’d also have to do work experience in various animal establishments for weeks before applying to vet med, and the application deadline is October 15th, and chemistry is also generally required. Perhaps you could apply to some sort of animal science course and ask the uni if they’d accept a separate personal statement, but I don’t think vet med (and probably vet nursing) would work for you.

yeah that's what I imagined and makes sense, I was honestly even considering switching subjects in year 13 to biology because I feel like I could catch up on the content based on watching some videos and looking @ the spec, but now you remind me the deadline is in October even if I did that it probably wouldn't be possible to successfully apply anywhere. The fact I don't do biology aside, do you still think someone who's done minimal work experience with animals (for example I've worked on family members' farms a few summers and volunteered at a pet shop in year 10) could still get into some type of vet course with very good grades and a good personal statement? Obviously it doesnt compare to the people who have done better work placements and focused more on it but just curious to see where id stand

Reply 4

RambleAmple

17

Original post by luushaaannn

yeah that's what I imagined and makes sense, I was honestly even considering switching subjects in year 13 to biology because I feel like I could catch up on the content based on watching some videos and looking @ the spec, but now you remind me the deadline is in October even if I did that it probably wouldn't be possible to successfully apply anywhere. The fact I don't do biology aside, do you still think someone who's done minimal work experience with animals (for example I've worked on family members' farms a few summers and volunteered at a pet shop in year 10) could still get into some type of vet course with very good grades and a good personal statement? Obviously it doesnt compare to the people who have done better work placements and focused more on it but just curious to see where id stand

Many vet schools stipulate that the work experience cannot be family businesses and that it must also be completed in the 18 months or 3 years (dependent on vet school) prior to the application deadline. The vast majority of vet schools don't look at personal statements and the ones who do don't rate it much. Grades, past getting the minimum AAA for most vet schools, don't matter - you don't get any extra points for getting 3 A*s compared to 3 As, except maybe for Cambridge. For other animal courses, sure you could stand a good chance maybe. For vet med, I am afraid I don't think you'd really have a standing. The work experience requirements (vet schools will stipulate a minimum amount of hours + types of placements, e.g. clinical with a vet and non-clinical on farms, kennels etc) are a basic minimum which is judged initially alongside grades - so you don't have enough hours, you will get instantly rejected from those vet schools. It used to be the case for all vet schools, but since covid some have got more lenient on this. But even the ones who don't require a certain number of hours it doesn't mean have very little/no work experience - a candidate who hasn't been focused has very little chance I'm afraid. You need to be able to reflect on your placements well too, that is basically what you'll have to do for all of your additional forms and interviews within the application process for all vet schools. You are trying for a spot on a course where there is 10+ applicants per space, and the very vast majority reach all the minimum requirements and likely have a lot of recent relevant work experience they've worked hard on reflecting from. I'm not even sure most vet schools would actually allow you to submit a personal statement just for them if your actual one is about fashion design. I also think if you haven't done actual work experience at a vet practice (even for a week or two) you won't know exactly what you are getting yourself into, which I don't mean rudely but this field has very poor mental health overall and it isn't that uncommon for applicants to come into it with rose-tinted glasses before they start doing proper work experience.

If you are truly interested in going to vet school, I would take a gap year to do work experience, learn more about the career, get the correct grades in the right subjects (whether that means switching now or continuing with your current A Levels then sitting the biology in the gap year). Then you could stand a very good chance at getting into vet school. Gap years are common amongst the vet school cohorts, some unis even give out deferred offers, and honestly it takes many people reapplying a couple of turns to get in, even if they have been serious about it their entire life (I stand as proof). So you wouldn't be the odd one out and imo it is worth to do it this way if you really want it. And work experience is there to help you too - you might either feel you were meant to be a vet after all and saved yourself from potentially starting a course you'll end up not wanting to do (and potentially saving yourself paying tuition fees for a second vet degree down the line), or you'll hate it and that'll save you stress of applying for a 5 year course that is extremely stressful in itself. I think if you are not that bothered about being a vet but rather just want to do an animal related science degree, I do think non-vet courses would more than likely give you a chance.

Any vet med/nursing/animal sciences courses with no biology a level

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