Urgent help - Non traditional applicant to veterinary medicine (gap year) - resit Bio
Hey!
I'm on a gap year at the moment- I flunked my GCSEs (Grade 5s in both Chemistry and Maths), this meant that I couldn't take A level Chemistry as I originally planned. Instead I achieved: A* in Religious Studies, A in Psychology and B in Biology.
I am retaking both GCSE Chemistry and Maths during my gap year- I'm relearning all of the content from scratch (didn't remember a thing haha) and doing the exams in May/June.
I have only applied to three vet medicine universities as it's all I could do with my current situation. I've applied for Nottingham's Preliminary year, Lancashire's 5 year course and their foundation. Given that these are foundation courses they are insanely competitive AND Lancashire's foundation doesn't allow automatic progression to their 5 year course, so I'm not very optimistic.
I'm already pre-planning a second gap year, mainly for my own piece of mind so that I'm not stuck If I don't get any offers. I'm considering doing an access to HE course which will allow me to apply to the maximum of 4 universities (depending on the modules/credits) at a college near me when I am 19. OR, I am debating doing A level Chemistry for the year. But, there is no point in doing A level Chemistry without an A in A level Biology.
Its November already, If I'm being honest I am slightly behind on schedule with GCSEs because I've recently got a Job and more work experience coming up. I plan to finish content by end of Feb/early March.
Should I retake A level Biology? Is it reasonable giving my current situation? I'm also worried about funding it/being able to properly prepare myself. I could always resit biology in the second gap year alongside learning A level Chem? But I would have forgotten most of it- also the access to HE would be free for me at 19, so funds wouldn't be a problem with it.
Sorry for this being so long, I wanted to fully explain my situation. Please give me any advice that you can offer- I do want you to be harsh, but please don't try to change my mind on the career path because heart is set on it and I want to attempt every route I can.
Thank you so much! I hope you all have a good day
I'm on a gap year at the moment- I flunked my GCSEs (Grade 5s in both Chemistry and Maths), this meant that I couldn't take A level Chemistry as I originally planned. Instead I achieved: A* in Religious Studies, A in Psychology and B in Biology.
I am retaking both GCSE Chemistry and Maths during my gap year- I'm relearning all of the content from scratch (didn't remember a thing haha) and doing the exams in May/June.
I have only applied to three vet medicine universities as it's all I could do with my current situation. I've applied for Nottingham's Preliminary year, Lancashire's 5 year course and their foundation. Given that these are foundation courses they are insanely competitive AND Lancashire's foundation doesn't allow automatic progression to their 5 year course, so I'm not very optimistic.
I'm already pre-planning a second gap year, mainly for my own piece of mind so that I'm not stuck If I don't get any offers. I'm considering doing an access to HE course which will allow me to apply to the maximum of 4 universities (depending on the modules/credits) at a college near me when I am 19. OR, I am debating doing A level Chemistry for the year. But, there is no point in doing A level Chemistry without an A in A level Biology.
Its November already, If I'm being honest I am slightly behind on schedule with GCSEs because I've recently got a Job and more work experience coming up. I plan to finish content by end of Feb/early March.
Should I retake A level Biology? Is it reasonable giving my current situation? I'm also worried about funding it/being able to properly prepare myself. I could always resit biology in the second gap year alongside learning A level Chem? But I would have forgotten most of it- also the access to HE would be free for me at 19, so funds wouldn't be a problem with it.
Sorry for this being so long, I wanted to fully explain my situation. Please give me any advice that you can offer- I do want you to be harsh, but please don't try to change my mind on the career path because heart is set on it and I want to attempt every route I can.
Thank you so much! I hope you all have a good day
Reply 1
Original post
by MikaylaLCHey!
I'm on a gap year at the moment- I flunked my GCSEs (Grade 5s in both Chemistry and Maths), this meant that I couldn't take A level Chemistry as I originally planned. Instead I achieved: A* in Religious Studies, A in Psychology and B in Biology.
I am retaking both GCSE Chemistry and Maths during my gap year- I'm relearning all of the content from scratch (didn't remember a thing haha) and doing the exams in May/June.
I have only applied to three vet medicine universities as it's all I could do with my current situation. I've applied for Nottingham's Preliminary year, Lancashire's 5 year course and their foundation. Given that these are foundation courses they are insanely competitive AND Lancashire's foundation doesn't allow automatic progression to their 5 year course, so I'm not very optimistic.
I'm already pre-planning a second gap year, mainly for my own piece of mind so that I'm not stuck If I don't get any offers. I'm considering doing an access to HE course which will allow me to apply to the maximum of 4 universities (depending on the modules/credits) at a college near me when I am 19. OR, I am debating doing A level Chemistry for the year. But, there is no point in doing A level Chemistry without an A in A level Biology.
Its November already, If I'm being honest I am slightly behind on schedule with GCSEs because I've recently got a Job and more work experience coming up. I plan to finish content by end of Feb/early March.
Should I retake A level Biology? Is it reasonable giving my current situation? I'm also worried about funding it/being able to properly prepare myself. I could always resit biology in the second gap year alongside learning A level Chem? But I would have forgotten most of it- also the access to HE would be free for me at 19, so funds wouldn't be a problem with it.
Sorry for this being so long, I wanted to fully explain my situation. Please give me any advice that you can offer- I do want you to be harsh, but please don't try to change my mind on the career path because heart is set on it and I want to attempt every route I can.
Thank you so much! I hope you all have a good day
I'm on a gap year at the moment- I flunked my GCSEs (Grade 5s in both Chemistry and Maths), this meant that I couldn't take A level Chemistry as I originally planned. Instead I achieved: A* in Religious Studies, A in Psychology and B in Biology.
I am retaking both GCSE Chemistry and Maths during my gap year- I'm relearning all of the content from scratch (didn't remember a thing haha) and doing the exams in May/June.
I have only applied to three vet medicine universities as it's all I could do with my current situation. I've applied for Nottingham's Preliminary year, Lancashire's 5 year course and their foundation. Given that these are foundation courses they are insanely competitive AND Lancashire's foundation doesn't allow automatic progression to their 5 year course, so I'm not very optimistic.
I'm already pre-planning a second gap year, mainly for my own piece of mind so that I'm not stuck If I don't get any offers. I'm considering doing an access to HE course which will allow me to apply to the maximum of 4 universities (depending on the modules/credits) at a college near me when I am 19. OR, I am debating doing A level Chemistry for the year. But, there is no point in doing A level Chemistry without an A in A level Biology.
Its November already, If I'm being honest I am slightly behind on schedule with GCSEs because I've recently got a Job and more work experience coming up. I plan to finish content by end of Feb/early March.
Should I retake A level Biology? Is it reasonable giving my current situation? I'm also worried about funding it/being able to properly prepare myself. I could always resit biology in the second gap year alongside learning A level Chem? But I would have forgotten most of it- also the access to HE would be free for me at 19, so funds wouldn't be a problem with it.
Sorry for this being so long, I wanted to fully explain my situation. Please give me any advice that you can offer- I do want you to be harsh, but please don't try to change my mind on the career path because heart is set on it and I want to attempt every route I can.
Thank you so much! I hope you all have a good day
Reply 2
Original post
by MikaylaLCHey!
I'm on a gap year at the moment- I flunked my GCSEs (Grade 5s in both Chemistry and Maths), this meant that I couldn't take A level Chemistry as I originally planned. Instead I achieved: A* in Religious Studies, A in Psychology and B in Biology.
I am retaking both GCSE Chemistry and Maths during my gap year- I'm relearning all of the content from scratch (didn't remember a thing haha) and doing the exams in May/June.
I have only applied to three vet medicine universities as it's all I could do with my current situation. I've applied for Nottingham's Preliminary year, Lancashire's 5 year course and their foundation. Given that these are foundation courses they are insanely competitive AND Lancashire's foundation doesn't allow automatic progression to their 5 year course, so I'm not very optimistic.
I'm already pre-planning a second gap year, mainly for my own piece of mind so that I'm not stuck If I don't get any offers. I'm considering doing an access to HE course which will allow me to apply to the maximum of 4 universities (depending on the modules/credits) at a college near me when I am 19. OR, I am debating doing A level Chemistry for the year. But, there is no point in doing A level Chemistry without an A in A level Biology.
Its November already, If I'm being honest I am slightly behind on schedule with GCSEs because I've recently got a Job and more work experience coming up. I plan to finish content by end of Feb/early March.
Should I retake A level Biology? Is it reasonable giving my current situation? I'm also worried about funding it/being able to properly prepare myself. I could always resit biology in the second gap year alongside learning A level Chem? But I would have forgotten most of it- also the access to HE would be free for me at 19, so funds wouldn't be a problem with it.
Sorry for this being so long, I wanted to fully explain my situation. Please give me any advice that you can offer- I do want you to be harsh, but please don't try to change my mind on the career path because heart is set on it and I want to attempt every route I can.
Thank you so much! I hope you all have a good day
I'm on a gap year at the moment- I flunked my GCSEs (Grade 5s in both Chemistry and Maths), this meant that I couldn't take A level Chemistry as I originally planned. Instead I achieved: A* in Religious Studies, A in Psychology and B in Biology.
I am retaking both GCSE Chemistry and Maths during my gap year- I'm relearning all of the content from scratch (didn't remember a thing haha) and doing the exams in May/June.
I have only applied to three vet medicine universities as it's all I could do with my current situation. I've applied for Nottingham's Preliminary year, Lancashire's 5 year course and their foundation. Given that these are foundation courses they are insanely competitive AND Lancashire's foundation doesn't allow automatic progression to their 5 year course, so I'm not very optimistic.
I'm already pre-planning a second gap year, mainly for my own piece of mind so that I'm not stuck If I don't get any offers. I'm considering doing an access to HE course which will allow me to apply to the maximum of 4 universities (depending on the modules/credits) at a college near me when I am 19. OR, I am debating doing A level Chemistry for the year. But, there is no point in doing A level Chemistry without an A in A level Biology.
Its November already, If I'm being honest I am slightly behind on schedule with GCSEs because I've recently got a Job and more work experience coming up. I plan to finish content by end of Feb/early March.
Should I retake A level Biology? Is it reasonable giving my current situation? I'm also worried about funding it/being able to properly prepare myself. I could always resit biology in the second gap year alongside learning A level Chem? But I would have forgotten most of it- also the access to HE would be free for me at 19, so funds wouldn't be a problem with it.
Sorry for this being so long, I wanted to fully explain my situation. Please give me any advice that you can offer- I do want you to be harsh, but please don't try to change my mind on the career path because heart is set on it and I want to attempt every route I can.
Thank you so much! I hope you all have a good day
Hi!
I am part of the April 2026 cohort at Nottingham and I resat 2 GCSEs to get into vet school so i understand your situation.
In all honesty I see no point in resitting A-Level Biology. If you check the grade requirements for all the vet schools then you will learn some of them only require an A in either Bio or Chem and not both. (but most of these do require you still take both subjects even if an A is only achieved in one.) Even if you were to retake Biology, you would still need to take chemistry and achieve at least a B which would be a massive amount of work, time and money.
Doing A-Level Chemistry is an option however it’s a very big decision to make. The course is extremely demanding and difficult and I definitely don’t think you would be able to learn to an A grade standard in only one year, in which case I don’t see a point taking it unless you know you could achieve an A. With your B in Biology, anything lower than an A would not meet the grade requirements anyway.
I think your best options are to do the access to HE course and see what doors it opens up.
OR
Consider doing an undergrad course in something else (e.g. Bioveterinary science, animal sciences, biology, zoology etc) and then applying to vet school as a postgrad. This does obviously take longer, creates more student debt and (to my knowledge) you would only be entitled to student finance for the first degree, however it does avoid your subject issues and is actually a very common pathway that people take to get to vet school.
I can only suggest you do your research on all of these routes and then decide which is best for you as you need to prioritise yourself and what you think is going to benefit you most in the long run.
Any further questions I will do my best to answer. Hope this helps.
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