BIOveterinary science graduate seeking help
Hello,
Basically i am looking for some help / advice from people based on the current situation i find myself in. I am about to graduate with a degree in Bioveterinary Science from the Royal Veterinary College this year however i only choose to do this degree since i didnt get onto the BVetMed when i applied after doing my A levels. I applied to get onto the graduate entry for the BVetMed again this year and despite working at a 2:1, having a very good reference and more than the required amount of work experience i still didnt get even an interview let alone a place.
I now find myself with this degree in bioveterinary sciences which is so new no one has heard of it and it makes it difficult to find any sort of direct career for it. Everyone i know only did it to get onto the vet degree and as i dont particularly enjoy research i just dont know what to do or what i can actually do with my life.
Every careers site i look at is absolutely no help and frankly i am all about to give up, i really am at a loss. I feel like ive wasted 3 years of my life doing a degree which is so useless i may as well not have it.
Sorry for the rant, anyone in a similar situation or with help / advice would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks.
Basically i am looking for some help / advice from people based on the current situation i find myself in. I am about to graduate with a degree in Bioveterinary Science from the Royal Veterinary College this year however i only choose to do this degree since i didnt get onto the BVetMed when i applied after doing my A levels. I applied to get onto the graduate entry for the BVetMed again this year and despite working at a 2:1, having a very good reference and more than the required amount of work experience i still didnt get even an interview let alone a place.
I now find myself with this degree in bioveterinary sciences which is so new no one has heard of it and it makes it difficult to find any sort of direct career for it. Everyone i know only did it to get onto the vet degree and as i dont particularly enjoy research i just dont know what to do or what i can actually do with my life.
Every careers site i look at is absolutely no help and frankly i am all about to give up, i really am at a loss. I feel like ive wasted 3 years of my life doing a degree which is so useless i may as well not have it.
Sorry for the rant, anyone in a similar situation or with help / advice would be greatly appriciated.
Thanks.
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Ugh, what a nightmare position to be in. Have you contacted any of the universities to get specific advice as to why your application was unsuccessful? I think this is the first step - if you're still considering vet med anyway - as it means you can target these areas in order to strengthen any new application you make.
As Jen says, what sort of A-Levels have you got under your belt?
Are you still considering vet med, and are you asking advice on that? Or have you been put off the career following this one lot of rejections, and are now considering another career - so asking what sort of careers you could follow with your degree?
Have you spoken to any of your old lecturers etc for ideas?
When you say research doesn't appeal to you is this all research, or lab-based research?
As Jen says, what sort of A-Levels have you got under your belt?
Are you still considering vet med, and are you asking advice on that? Or have you been put off the career following this one lot of rejections, and are now considering another career - so asking what sort of careers you could follow with your degree?
Have you spoken to any of your old lecturers etc for ideas?
When you say research doesn't appeal to you is this all research, or lab-based research?
For some of them you dont even need that much work exp...just lots of cash! Where did you apply?
schmel86
What A-levels do you have? You need a minimum of BB in Bio and Chem for the 'cheaper courses' at notts and rvc, although notts require AA now. Also you would stand a fair chance at the unis with higher fees if you have a lot of work experience....
Notts have gone up to AA?! How did you find that out?
OP, I'm the same as you, Im doing Biovet but on reflection I should have chosen a more sought-after degree. I work in a vet lab on Saturdays and theres no way I could imagine working there all my life. I need the hustle and bustle, I need the people, I need the drama!
Im sorry to wannabe-lab people out there, but gram staining slides all day is not as glamourously sexual as you might think...
You need to weigh up you options:
1. Get a job in science (food science, human research, animal research...)
2. Take a year out to further support your application and reapply.
3. Take a year out working in the industry to support your application and reapply (Nursing?)
4. Get a completely unrelated job (eg. banking) and work your way up that career ladder.
None of your options will seem appealing until the disappointment wears off - but you aren't out of chances yet. If you want it badly enough I have absolute faith that you can make it happen.
x
1. Get a job in science (food science, human research, animal research...)
2. Take a year out to further support your application and reapply.
3. Take a year out working in the industry to support your application and reapply (Nursing?)
4. Get a completely unrelated job (eg. banking) and work your way up that career ladder.
None of your options will seem appealing until the disappointment wears off - but you aren't out of chances yet. If you want it badly enough I have absolute faith that you can make it happen.
x
schmel86
What A-levels do you have? You need a minimum of BB in Bio and Chem for the 'cheaper courses' at notts and rvc, although notts require AA now. Also you would stand a fair chance at the unis with higher fees if you have a lot of work experience....
I'm so annoyed with them about that. If they'd said that up front I never would have applied there- think it's a bit unfair for them to move the goalposts after saying in their prospectus that they want BB. Oh well...
theparsniplady
I'm so annoyed with them about that. If they'd said that up front I never would have applied there- think it's a bit unfair for them to move the goalposts after saying in their prospectus that they want BB. Oh well...
Nooooo they say BB in their prospectus, but the fact is the only grads I know there have got in with AAB or ABBB. I think a minimum for the course is BB, but obviously due to the competition that is one of the criteria. Also, they dont have as many places as other unis. RVC has around 30-40 places a year, whilst notts has more like 5-10 places- its very limited as they only take on 90-100 students. I may be wrong but its just what I have heard.
Thanks to everyone for the replies. This is my first time on these forums (:P) and i wasnt sure what to expect.
For my A-levels i got BBC in biology, chemistry and then physics, missed both A's by one percent =(. The rejection from RVC said i didnt get an interview because my BMAT didnt reach the required score of 15 (i got 14.7) so it has been very tough. As it goes i am already in debt from this degree and if i did get on the vetmed i have no idea how i would fund it since it would be a postgrad degree and im not rich (!), hence why not applying elsewhere due to cost, but all i know is ive never wanted for anything so bad.
I did consider reapplying next year or in a couple years to the RVC, perhaps after doing a college based course to train as a vet nurse, but lots of surgeries are saying they will only take on student nurses if they are doing the degree and college based training is hard to come by now
obviously if i did it as a degree id be in the same position as if i got on the vetmed since it would be postgrad.
And by not liking research i mean lab based, if i could find a more practical, hands on PhD type thing i might be happier but no luck with that either
Sorry for the long reply and although i dont like to hear people are also in my position id does make me feel a bit less lonely lol x
For my A-levels i got BBC in biology, chemistry and then physics, missed both A's by one percent =(. The rejection from RVC said i didnt get an interview because my BMAT didnt reach the required score of 15 (i got 14.7) so it has been very tough. As it goes i am already in debt from this degree and if i did get on the vetmed i have no idea how i would fund it since it would be a postgrad degree and im not rich (!), hence why not applying elsewhere due to cost, but all i know is ive never wanted for anything so bad.
I did consider reapplying next year or in a couple years to the RVC, perhaps after doing a college based course to train as a vet nurse, but lots of surgeries are saying they will only take on student nurses if they are doing the degree and college based training is hard to come by now
obviously if i did it as a degree id be in the same position as if i got on the vetmed since it would be postgrad. And by not liking research i mean lab based, if i could find a more practical, hands on PhD type thing i might be happier but no luck with that either
Sorry for the long reply and although i dont like to hear people are also in my position id does make me feel a bit less lonely lol x
The fact you say everyone else you know took the degree simply to get onto the vetmed course (and then most likely alot of them will be in your position) kind of makes me angry at the universities for not forseeing this problem. They've invented this new degree, without realising that so many young hopefuls are going to go for it seeing it as nothing more than a way into vetmed, only to be disappointed later.
And sorry to be frank but didn't you forsee the problem 3 years ago? Postgrad entry is notoriously hard, and as for your problem with not being able to fund it, didn't you see that coming either? Even when I was 16 I knew I'd only go to university once and that would be that, because of the money issue (not rich either lol).
And sorry to be frank but didn't you forsee the problem 3 years ago? Postgrad entry is notoriously hard, and as for your problem with not being able to fund it, didn't you see that coming either? Even when I was 16 I knew I'd only go to university once and that would be that, because of the money issue (not rich either lol).
No TAD when we applied you could get funding for as many degrees as you wanted and the unis didnt charge tuition fees (when I went the tuition fee was only £1100). Which means.......it sucks! I would have taken a year out and resat if I had known. But hey! Never mind, we'll get there in the end!
I'm in a similar-ish postition, in that I have an animal related degree and don't know what to do or where to go with it. I know that doesn't help the OP with their problem, but there are lots of people out there with the same issues.
The points TAD has made are fair enough in that, yes, ideally it is something that would/should be thought about before starting another degree. I can only talk for my situation, but unfortunately, through bad planning on my part and bad advice from several sources, I made what with hindsight was probably the wrong decision. I got onto my degree through clearing, when I realised I hadn't got the right a-level grades. I took advice from the uni, my college and connexions, all said that would be the best way to get onto a vet course with my lower a level grades. They all said it would be easier to get on that way, I wouldn't have a problem getting a place provided I got a 2:1 or a 1st etc. With hindsight, it was bad advice, but at the time I trusted careers advisors to know what they were on about The uni quoted jobs that people had got into with this degree, again, me being naive, I didn't realise that they were 'one offs'. That they were the few select people from the past several years who had managed to get good jobs after uni, by luck, by knowing the right people in the right places etc.
It sounds like I am moaning I know. And apologies for taking this thread off track. Everyone is different, in my case I think I made the wrong decision. It is my fault for not finding everything out fully to start with. I thought I had at the time, but I believed the wrong people. It is now a case of trying to make the best out of a poor situation.
Try to go easy on the criticism of people for having ending up in a situation they didn't foresee.
The points TAD has made are fair enough in that, yes, ideally it is something that would/should be thought about before starting another degree. I can only talk for my situation, but unfortunately, through bad planning on my part and bad advice from several sources, I made what with hindsight was probably the wrong decision. I got onto my degree through clearing, when I realised I hadn't got the right a-level grades. I took advice from the uni, my college and connexions, all said that would be the best way to get onto a vet course with my lower a level grades. They all said it would be easier to get on that way, I wouldn't have a problem getting a place provided I got a 2:1 or a 1st etc. With hindsight, it was bad advice, but at the time I trusted careers advisors to know what they were on about
The uni quoted jobs that people had got into with this degree, again, me being naive, I didn't realise that they were 'one offs'. That they were the few select people from the past several years who had managed to get good jobs after uni, by luck, by knowing the right people in the right places etc. It sounds like I am moaning I know. And apologies for taking this thread off track. Everyone is different, in my case I think I made the wrong decision. It is my fault for not finding everything out fully to start with. I thought I had at the time, but I believed the wrong people. It is now a case of trying to make the best out of a poor situation.
Try to go easy on the criticism of people for having ending up in a situation they didn't foresee.
kookabura
As I have already said, I'm in a similar-ish postition, in that I have an animal related degree and don't know what to do or where to go with it. I know that doesn't help the OP with their problem, but there are lots of people out there with the same issues.
The points TAD has made are fair enough in that, yes, ideally it is something that would/should be thought about before starting another degree. I can only talk for my situation, but unfortunately, through bad planning on my part, bad advice from several sources, I made what with hindsight was probably the wrong decision. I got onto my degree through clearing, when I realised I hadn't got the right a-level grades. I took advice from the uni, my college and connexions, all said that would be the best way to get onto a vet course with my a level grades. They all suggested it would be easier to get on that way, I wouldn't have a problem getting a place provided I got a 2:1 or a 1st etc. With hindsight, it was bad advice, but at the time I trusted careers advisors to know what they were on about The uni quoted jobs that people had got into with this degree, again, me being naive, I didn't realise that they were 'one offs'. That they were the few select people from the past several years who had managed to get good jobs after uni, by luck, by knowing the right people in the right places etc.
It sounds like I am moaning I know. And apologies for taking this thread off track. Everyone is different, in my case I think I made the wrong decision. It is my fault for not finding everything out fully to start with. I thought I had at the time, but I believed the wrong people. It is now a case of trying to make the best out of a poor situation.
Try to go easy on the criticism of people for having ending up in a situation they didn't foresee.
The points TAD has made are fair enough in that, yes, ideally it is something that would/should be thought about before starting another degree. I can only talk for my situation, but unfortunately, through bad planning on my part, bad advice from several sources, I made what with hindsight was probably the wrong decision. I got onto my degree through clearing, when I realised I hadn't got the right a-level grades. I took advice from the uni, my college and connexions, all said that would be the best way to get onto a vet course with my a level grades. They all suggested it would be easier to get on that way, I wouldn't have a problem getting a place provided I got a 2:1 or a 1st etc. With hindsight, it was bad advice, but at the time I trusted careers advisors to know what they were on about
The uni quoted jobs that people had got into with this degree, again, me being naive, I didn't realise that they were 'one offs'. That they were the few select people from the past several years who had managed to get good jobs after uni, by luck, by knowing the right people in the right places etc. It sounds like I am moaning I know. And apologies for taking this thread off track. Everyone is different, in my case I think I made the wrong decision. It is my fault for not finding everything out fully to start with. I thought I had at the time, but I believed the wrong people. It is now a case of trying to make the best out of a poor situation.
Try to go easy on the criticism of people for having ending up in a situation they didn't foresee.
Yer, you're completely right. The unis/careers people make out like if you have a 2:1 you'll walk onto a vet med course, which, other than at edinburgh, just isn't the case. Also, they seem to push absolutely everyone into going and getting a degree and fail to mention that there are no graduate jobs around. But then from what I've read on here recently careers advisors seem to give some pretty terrible advice full stop.
Anyway, back on track...OP, don't give up on being a vet if that's what you want to do! Looks like you were painfully close to the BMAT threshold- surely if you get some practice in and then retake it next year you can get over that threshold?
Or I guess you could resit bio and or chem to get them up to an A and give Nottingham a go, if you really can't afford any of the others.
As long as you make good use of your year out to get a huge amount of work experience, earn some money to put by for the next few years and do everything you can to enhance your application it won't really be a waste of a year- especially if it gets you where you want to go!
kookabura
As I have already said, I'm in a similar-ish postition, in that I have an animal related degree and don't know what to do or where to go with it. I know that doesn't help the OP with their problem, but there are lots of people out there with the same issues.
The points TAD has made are fair enough in that, yes, ideally it is something that would/should be thought about before starting another degree. I can only talk for my situation, but unfortunately, through bad planning on my part, bad advice from several sources, I made what with hindsight was probably the wrong decision. I got onto my degree through clearing, when I realised I hadn't got the right a-level grades. I took advice from the uni, my college and connexions, all said that would be the best way to get onto a vet course with my a level grades. They all suggested it would be easier to get on that way, I wouldn't have a problem getting a place provided I got a 2:1 or a 1st etc. With hindsight, it was bad advice, but at the time I trusted careers advisors to know what they were on about The uni quoted jobs that people had got into with this degree, again, me being naive, I didn't realise that they were 'one offs'. That they were the few select people from the past several years who had managed to get good jobs after uni, by luck, by knowing the right people in the right places etc.
It sounds like I am moaning I know. And apologies for taking this thread off track. Everyone is different, in my case I think I made the wrong decision. It is my fault for not finding everything out fully to start with. I thought I had at the time, but I believed the wrong people. It is now a case of trying to make the best out of a poor situation.
Try to go easy on the criticism of people for having ending up in a situation they didn't foresee.
The points TAD has made are fair enough in that, yes, ideally it is something that would/should be thought about before starting another degree. I can only talk for my situation, but unfortunately, through bad planning on my part, bad advice from several sources, I made what with hindsight was probably the wrong decision. I got onto my degree through clearing, when I realised I hadn't got the right a-level grades. I took advice from the uni, my college and connexions, all said that would be the best way to get onto a vet course with my a level grades. They all suggested it would be easier to get on that way, I wouldn't have a problem getting a place provided I got a 2:1 or a 1st etc. With hindsight, it was bad advice, but at the time I trusted careers advisors to know what they were on about
The uni quoted jobs that people had got into with this degree, again, me being naive, I didn't realise that they were 'one offs'. That they were the few select people from the past several years who had managed to get good jobs after uni, by luck, by knowing the right people in the right places etc. It sounds like I am moaning I know. And apologies for taking this thread off track. Everyone is different, in my case I think I made the wrong decision. It is my fault for not finding everything out fully to start with. I thought I had at the time, but I believed the wrong people. It is now a case of trying to make the best out of a poor situation.
Try to go easy on the criticism of people for having ending up in a situation they didn't foresee.
You are right, certainly when I was at school I got different advice from careers officers, teachers, family, friends etc. No-one is psychic, you just don't know how things are going to turn out. All you can do is work hard and hope for the best.
You certainly don't need to justify yourself, or feel bad for not making the right decision all those years ago. We all grow up, we all become wiser, and most importantly we all gain hindsight which is impossible to have when you first start out. Its all part of life experience and its all too easy for people who get into vet school first time around to not understand that. Personally, I'm GLAD I didn't get in first time around, since I'm now having doubts about my commitment towards it anyway just a few months before I am supposed to apply. I may use my degree to apply for something else.
I wish you lots of luck whatever you decide to do
theparsniplady
careers advisors seem to give some pretty terrible advice full stop.
You aren't wrong there, my advisor, who works at glasgow uni told me i could do vet as a second degree for £3000 a year at Glasgow, how wrong she was. Also, out of interest, she's now presenting a channel 4 show on careers, personally i'd stay well clear.
Although i'm lucky to have to offers - i wondered if i would be in the same position as you a few years ago as i took on an animal science degree at the last minute (literally the week before the course started) as an alternative to my BDD a-levels to get to vet med... but i made sure that why i was during first year i looked into other areas which i could go into - but i know the feeling that i didn't really want to do them.
With the current climate graduates are not getting graduate level jobs - they are lucky if they pick up 12k jobs - certainly no where near the 15k repayment threshold - all the while their student loans are accruing interest
I would suggest that you use this next year to find a general job, and apply again after this year - you were close the minimum RVC Bmat score. Personally i wouldn't even bother with NOtts - it appears they are very anti grad but as schemel says they have such limited places - something they don't make clear until much later after applications have gone in.
Work on your BMAT and look into raising some captial. YOur unlikley to get a degree level job this year unless your very lucky so give it one last try and use this time to make your application stand out above all the other bioveterinary science grads that have come out and are in the same boat
Good luck with whatever you decide
With the current climate graduates are not getting graduate level jobs - they are lucky if they pick up 12k jobs - certainly no where near the 15k repayment threshold - all the while their student loans are accruing interest
I would suggest that you use this next year to find a general job, and apply again after this year - you were close the minimum RVC Bmat score. Personally i wouldn't even bother with NOtts - it appears they are very anti grad but as schemel says they have such limited places - something they don't make clear until much later after applications have gone in.
Work on your BMAT and look into raising some captial. YOur unlikley to get a degree level job this year unless your very lucky so give it one last try and use this time to make your application stand out above all the other bioveterinary science grads that have come out and are in the same boat
Good luck with whatever you decide
I must say, careers advisors and most teachers know jack **** about applying for Vet Med. I had one teacher try to convince me that I should go for a bioscience degree and then I could transfer to Vet Med as that would be easier.....this is completely impossible although she didn't believe me.
If I were you, I'd keep trying. You sound like you really want to persue vet med so why not at least try one more time? You might regret it otherwise.
Like others have said, the absolute first thing I would do is get specific feedback from the Unis you applied to and see why you were rejected.
Where did you apply to? Liverpool seems to like graduates, as do the scottish unis but unfortunately they come with the 100k price tag.
Another suggestion I have is have you looked into the Vet Med course in Kosice Slovakia? It's a really good course which is recognised and only costs around £3000 a year. A vet who worked at one of the practices I did WE at was an english vet who studied there and the partners were really impressed with him. It's not for everyone but it may be a consideration and the path of least resistance if you still want to persue being a vet.
If you search the vet forums you will find tons of info about it and you can apply right up until something silly like july of the same academic year.
If I were you, I'd keep trying. You sound like you really want to persue vet med so why not at least try one more time? You might regret it otherwise.
Like others have said, the absolute first thing I would do is get specific feedback from the Unis you applied to and see why you were rejected.
Where did you apply to? Liverpool seems to like graduates, as do the scottish unis but unfortunately they come with the 100k price tag.
Another suggestion I have is have you looked into the Vet Med course in Kosice Slovakia? It's a really good course which is recognised and only costs around £3000 a year. A vet who worked at one of the practices I did WE at was an english vet who studied there and the partners were really impressed with him. It's not for everyone but it may be a consideration and the path of least resistance if you still want to persue being a vet.
If you search the vet forums you will find tons of info about it and you can apply right up until something silly like july of the same academic year.
Here's one thread discussing the (english speaking)slovakia course:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=15025423&highlight=slovakia#post15025423
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=15025423&highlight=slovakia#post15025423
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