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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Vet Medicine 2020

620 replies

3catsandadog · 24/09/2018 12:09

Hi a new thread with DC applying to Vet Med next year or for anyone with DC already studying who could pass on some words of wisdom!

My DD is looking to apply to Cambridge, Surrey, Nottingham and Bristol.
She has a fair amount of work experience arranged already and we will do the open day circuit next year.

OP posts:
Mum7400 · 15/01/2020 19:56

Amazing news on cambridge offer.

handmedownqueen · 16/01/2020 12:21

What great news one of DD friends got offer for Med at Cambridge yesterday too

Original poster
3catsandadog · 16/01/2020 12:40

Thank you for support! Hope more offers come to everyone soon.

OP posts:
Original poster
3catsandadog · 17/01/2020 16:58

DD received Notts offer today for September cohort. It was a phone call which she missed about 5 times. Good luck for anyone waiting.

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 17/01/2020 17:30

Great news. Where are her favourites ? Think the Notts system of calling is a bit mean as it takes almost 2 weeks apparently to give them all out. So if on last day I imagine you'd have given up all hope. Haven't they heard of email 😂😂

Scottandcharlene · 17/01/2020 19:14

Congratulations 3catsandadog - quite a week in your house! DD hasn’t heard from Nottingham and you are right mumsneedwine, it’s a hard system having to wait. Liverpool seems the fairest, sending emails to everyone on the same day (Cambridge too I guess). Fingers crossed for everyone Smile

Original poster
3catsandadog · 17/01/2020 19:19

Thank you Scottandcharlene :)

Feeling dazed/amazed at the moment.

Need a long lie down ....

OP posts:
Bati · 17/01/2020 20:53

What an amazing week your dd is having Smile definitely a proud mum moment.

Dd is still waiting to hear back from Nottingham and RVC and still has Edinburgh interview to go to next month.

I agree Liverpool's way is definitely better letting everyone know the same day, this waiting for a phone call and people missing phone calls is very stressful to everyone waiting to see if they have been successful.

We have no idea when RVC is letting people know. Reading student forum, it seems no offers have been given out from them yet.

Shelbynich · 18/01/2020 10:07

Has anyone heard anything at all from Glasgow vet school, the last correspondence was that they would get back in touch but we have not heard a thing. Do they not send rejection emails???

Bati · 18/01/2020 17:13

Dd didn't apply to Glasgow and doesn't know anyone who did so have no idea with Glasgow x

mumsneedwine · 18/01/2020 17:27

DD said people on TSR saying they've not heard either so they must still be plodding through forms. They also say RVC are bit behind - no idea if this is true but might be a wait. Just want to know so DD can make decision and then just focus on exams. Too much head space taken up with all this uncertainty- well by me anyway !!!

Shelbynich · 19/01/2020 10:29

Agree about the headspace! You just want to know one way or another.

Bati · 19/01/2020 17:40

What is everyone dd's 1st and 2nd choice
My dd prefers liverpool and nottingham but liked rvc too, we havent seen edinburgh yet
Fingers crossed we hear back from interviews this week x

mumsneedwine · 19/01/2020 17:51

Mine isn't saying until she know what her options are. Doesn't want to choose somewhere that ends up not wanting her.

Shelbynich · 19/01/2020 18:17

My daughter is also not making a preference I think she would be happy with anything as long as she gets an offer.

follygirl · 19/01/2020 18:32

Sorry to hijack your thread but my daughter is hoping to apply for Vet Med in 2022.
She is doing Biology, Chemistry and then either History or Economics for A level. She's just done her mock GCSEs.

She has been doing work experience for a year already but I would love to know if she's on track to doing enough. It's a balance between studying, gaining experience and also being a normal teenager.

Could some of you tell me how much your children have done?

mumsneedwine · 19/01/2020 18:38

Hi. Mine did 5 weeks at various vet practices (3 small, 1 farm and 1 equine), 8 days at a zoo, week at RSPCA and years and years at a stable place that also educates kids on looking after horses. Did lots in year 11 and 12, and a bit in year 10 (not counted by RVC as too long ago), in fact during every half term. Got all interviews and Bristol offer so must be enough. No lambing or abattoir so not needed (whatever people tell you !!!).
It takes a lot of work by the kids and at the moment it's a bit painful waiting to hear. But I know from eldest doing medicine, this time next year it will all be forgotten and they don't care if get 1 offer or 4. Just 1 offer for everyone would be lovely 😊.

olliepolly · 19/01/2020 20:13

What has become clear to me is that all work experience is useful. My dd is a 3rd year vet student . They have to do EMS in the holidays initially for animal husbandry and later clinical. The contacts made early on are invaluable as it seems that most of her friends will do their EMS close to home as does my dd. Obviously there are exceptions.
The benefit of being close to home is saving on accommodation costs.
Also remember it is difficult for vet students to earn money in the holidays because of all of these commitments. My dd earned some money from lambing and occasional work in the farm shop/butchery/cafe where she did her lambing.

mumsneedwine · 19/01/2020 20:20

Some vet schools let them earn money by helping milk the cows. Bristol def did this.
A mixture of vet and husbandry experience is the key. Liverpool need 2 out of 3 of farm, equine and small animal husbandry and 2 weeks at vets. They interview everyone who meets this. Others have minimum requirements that all differ. Be aware that once UCAS sent a whole heap of forms need completing for each Uni. Some tell you some don't (RVC said a third of applicants forget !!!).

Bati · 19/01/2020 20:49

My dd didn't start work experience till after she sat her gcse's but in the end did 11 weeks in 6 different places.
She has been lucky and been invited for interviews to all 4 universities she applied to.
So far she has been to 3 interviews, hearing back from one so far with a offer and waiting to hear back from the other 2.
She goes to her 4th interview next month.

My advise is to look at each university and see what work experience they request - variety is the key to most and most don't except work experience connected to family members.

Good luck to your dd x

follygirl · 19/01/2020 21:07

Thanks for replying.
I have looked at the Universities' requirements and know that most won't count anything prior to October 2019.
She has already done:
3 days of lambing
6 days at a small animal vet
1 day with horse physio
3 days at a kennel
Every Sunday working in a yard
1 week working with rescued elephants in Thailand
ZSL Zoo Academy
Currently looking after a rescued hedgehog from a local charity

She will have dairy experience and hopefully calving (due to happen next month), she has places at 3 small vet practices, not large yet though although the dairy farmer has said that he might be able to help.

None of the placements are through family, just a lot of phone calls and asking around.
Luckily they would all have her back which is useful.

When you say weeks is it 7 days of work or 5?

Of the above work experience, only the kennel and horse physio have happened since October as she's been busy with mocks.

She also has a summer birthday which has affected some placements due to insurance.

Your children have all done so well.
Crossing fingers that they get the offers they want.

mumsneedwine · 19/01/2020 21:16

A week is 35 hours - most add hours up not days. She has a fab variety so just make sure she gets lots this summer in a good selection - Liverpool are def the most prescriptive. DD has much less than yours & has 2 offers and waiting on the other 2 so she sounds like a fab candidate. Just be aware zoo academy won't count for some as it's a paid thing and some don't count those. We know no one who is remotely helpful with animal things- DD just emailed and pleaded a lot.

Scottandcharlene · 19/01/2020 21:31

Don’t forget to ask for references from the work experience placements. They need to have the dates of work done and the name of the applicant. We had a frantic scramble getting everything we needed after the UCAS application went in. My DD is well organised but it was really frustrating that some of the references had bits missing (like specific dates) and I ended up driving around the county to a few to get them amended!

@Bati my dd has always liked Nottingham and Bristol best and it is just typical that these are the two she is still waiting to hear from! She would still be very happy to go to any of her choices though, and has signed up to the Liverpool offer holders day.

Bati · 19/01/2020 21:35

**Scottandcharlene

mumsneedwine · 19/01/2020 21:36

Oh yes, the references. DD collected them as she went along which saved so much time. Once all this ends we need to work out whose are going where ! On the medicine 2018 thread me and another mum now often get instagrams from our kids who met because of MN. Good luck to everyone for Notts this week.