Can you realistically redo your A levels and reapply to Vet School?

Hey there,
I didn't get into vet school for this year and I am going to reapply this coming September. However I am feeling very unconfident about my exams. I got an A in Biology, C in Chemistry and B in Physics at AS and was sure to stick through it and get my Chem up to an A. However it's been harder than I thought it would be on top of my A2 exams. In January alone I had 7 exams, as I had no study leave there was no way I could properly prepare for all of them and didn't achieve what I needed. The worrying thing is I didn't improve in my Chains and Rings resit, with another C yet got a B in the Chains, Rings and Spec.

I am taking Chains and Rings for the 3rd time, along with How, Far, How Fast as they should be easy marks! But obviously this is far from the case. I feel that I won't get my grades this year, as I have been set back with too many resits, and can't focus properly on the A2 exams let alone not having many marks in the bank.

So the question is, can you really redo your A-levels and be considered? I know they say in the prospectus’s they will accept resits but I am seriously doubting that I will have a chance, if I dont get them this time round. Infact I have even come to considering that I may have to do something else, but as I have spent my life trying I feel that it is not an option. Or will it have to be?!

Ta very much! :smile:

Reply 1

overtherainbow

I think it depends on the vet school- though i did see someone at the nottingham interviews who had retaken (though im not sure if they got a place!)

Reply 2

Annaconda

liverpool, bristol and RVC accept retakes.
Blahhh, dissey, emikoo and i think a few others have retaken and got offers, ask them for more info (or just wait for them to come here)

Reply 3

J_E_N_N_Y

can i just say it is very possible to get those grades up this summer. I had 10 exams in jan a2 and got a D in bio a C in chem and an E in my physics (all unit 4's) i did ok in maths though. I also failed to improve my chains and rings resit (infact it went down), failed to improve my unit 3 bio resit (stayed the same) but did improve my chem unit 1 resit from a c to a b.
In june i then did another 20 exams (granted it was something like 9 resists). My c in chem went to a high A, my D in bio went to a high A and my e in physics went to a c. My AS resits in bio went from B to A and B to higher B. AS resits in chem went from B to A and B to A. Overall i got AABC (c in physics, B in maths and A's in chem and Bio). i got the chem grade by one mark but nevertheless i am now at liverpool so getting grades up can be done.

Reply 4

HannahUVM

It is definitely possible to get your grades up even with doing resits. I brought my AS grades of BCCD up to BBBb even with 17 exams in the A2 summer and only a week of work because I finally got scared that i'd fail totally. Not enough to do vet med obviously but it's totally possible with your current grades.

Reply 5

emilyyy

As others have said try not to be to pessimistic about this; it's perfectly that you'll do better in your resits than you're imagining.
However, good on you for having a sensible head on and exploring other options, should it not go your way.

It's perfectly possible to attempt retakes and gain offers at several universities. Liverpool, Bristol and the RVC definitely all accept retakes - and I think Nottingham might too :s-smilie:

The only stipulation is that, generally, any subject you retake outside your initial two year A-Level course is passed at a grade A. So if you retake your chemistry, they'll require that it is passed at an A as a condition of your offer :smile:

For now, let that ease your worrying somewhat and just focus on the exams with a positive attitude; I've upped modules from U's to A's before. Ultimately I took my overall D/E grade AS chem to a B grade A2.
Good luck :smile:

Reply 6

mistermeowingtons

I think that maybe you should consider doing something different. You can resit exams until the cows come home but if you're not achieving the required standard then I would suggest going into a field that is less competitive.

Unless this is a childhood ambition that you must realise, then personally, I would give up on being a vet.

Reply 7

emilyyy

mistermeowingtons

That's a shocking piece of advice, right there.

You're telling them just to give up? When it's perfectly plausible that they will achieve the required grades following a couple of resits?
What planet are you on?! Where would anyone be in life if everyone followed that train of thought? :tongue:

Reply 8

HannahUVM

emilyyy

That's a shocking piece of advice, right there.

I agree!
Just because I got BBBb at A-level doesn't mean that I can't be a good vet. I hated A-levels and consequently didn't do as well as I should but now I'm at vet school and I have only dropped below 90% once because it's something I actually want to be doing.

Reply 9

Emikoo

Hey
The answer to your question is yes is it realistic.
I re-applied to Bristol, London, Notts and Glasgow. Notts and Glasgow I only realised after don't really like you re-sitting but Bristol and RVC don't mind. Infact the only reason I didn't get an interview or offer from Bristol was because of my work experience, they actually told me it was nothing to do with my grades as they were acceptable. RVC just ask that you get an A in the exams your re-sitting. And I've got an offer from them.

Don't give up. It is a bloody pain re-sitting. I had to re-sit literally every exam block. Its my thrid year now of exams and re-sits every january and june. Its annoying yes. Its tiring yes. But it will be worth it.
I'm now revising for yet two more chmiestry re-sits to get that final 1% I need to get my A so I can accept my offer.

I know I can do it, and you can too, and its not a case of "You can resit exams until the cows come home but if you're not achieving the required standard" because at the end of the day all these exams are tough and sometimes it is more exam technique which people struggle on than the actual content. Or at least thats my problem.
Ask me to tell you all about arenes and I can no problem. Ask me to calculate something to do with benzene and then blah blah blah and I tend to make silly mistakes.

Stay strong and don;t doubt! If you start to doubt too much then you may not want this bad enough. keep telling yourself how much you want to be a vet!!!

Reply 10

Ems24

I'm currently in my first year of vet school at Liverpool. It definitely depends on the uni and how far off you were last time, but don't be disheartened. A lot of my year are retake students and I myself applied for zoology last year, never thought I'd get into veterinary. Anyway I didnt get the grades for uni last year and got BBC, so reappplied and did a load of retakes and ended up with AAA and am here!

So yes, it's realistic depending on what uni you apply to, what your grades are, what the chances are of you getting your grades up are and very important, how much work experience you have.

Good luck!!

Reply 11

cjdh123

I'm looking for some advice! These years AS exams did not go to plan at all and I'm so disappointed as I got CCEU. I don't even know what happened and I've not experienced grades this bad all year. I am dropping the subject I got a U in (physics) and I have decided to re sit my chemistry, biology and psychology exams (I am also having psychology remarked as was getting A's all year). I've been continuing with work experience in the hope that I would still be able to apply to veterinary school.

What I'm asking is when would be the best time to apply? Would it be wrong to try and apply for 2016 entry or should I defer for 2017? I don't mind taking a gap year in the slightest as it will give me time to possibly travel to gain more work experience and complete my D of E award.

Does anyone have any thoughts or think I am dim to be carrying on with the application process?