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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:
Bati · 15/09/2019 09:04

How is everyone
wolfff her choices are Liverpool, Nottingham and Rvc. She originally was thinking Bristol as her 4th choice but when we visited she didn't really get a feel for it.
She did consider Cambridge but feels its more for if you want to go into research.
She has never wanted to go to Surrey.
She has looked at keele, which she did quite like the University however nothing for veterinary is built yet and there is somethings she is not sure about.
So that leaves us Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Any info would be good on either of these 2 universities
Are they a campus uni or are they more like Bristol and spread around the city.
Cost of living - mainly accomodation.
Is it true in Edinburgh most vet students commute about an hour to get to Dicks.
Is it harder to get into these universities because of how they allocate places.

Scottandcharlene · 15/09/2019 09:15

DD had a little cry yesterday. She is frustrated because she’s is waiting for a teacher to okay her personal statement and they didn’t do it when they said they would. I knew the pressure would build, she is so worried about not getting any offers. She doesn’t want to put a 5th choice as if she failed to get offers this year she says she would reapply next year. I don’t really know what is best, as there is no point putting a 5th choice just for the sake of it, but I did think it might be good for self-esteem if she at least got 1 offer! I think she will feel happier once the application is submitted, but it is definitely going to be a tough few months.

Original poster
3catsandadog · 15/09/2019 10:51

My DD pressed send yesterday evening on the UCAS so its gone to school now for references to be added.
Its definitely a relief when it goes in!

OP posts:
Bati · 15/09/2019 12:21

I am expecting lots of tears and stress this year. My dd is only applying for vetmed and has said the same in that she will apply again next year if she is without an offer this year.
Personal statement is done and her teachers are currently looking at it. We are hoping to have it back tomorrow. Dd just needs to decide her 4th choice.
Where are dc applying to?

mumsneedwine · 15/09/2019 12:24

PS written and just needs to be added to UCAS and to press send. Hopefully tomorrow - be good to see it go. DD applying to RVC, Liverpool, Bristol and Notts. No 5th as she too will reapply next year if no offers. I am trying to remain less stressed than 2 years ago when going through the medicine application with her sister. But it's so hard as it's all she's ever wanted to do so there is no plan B. Hand holding to all of us for next few months.

Original poster
3catsandadog · 15/09/2019 12:25

DD applying to Bristol, Surrey, Nottingham and Cambridge - she is possibly looking to go into research. If we were not so far south on the coast would have looked at Edinburgh and Liverpool as other possible options.

OP posts:
Bati · 15/09/2019 12:51

Fingers crossed all of them get at least 1 offer
I think dd is likely to go with Edinburgh as her 4th even though we have not seen it.
Keele/Harper is about 1 hour away which would be ideal just wish it was already up and running so you could see how it runs.
We are not far from Liverpool and leahurst is only 10 minutes away, which would be ideal if she got accepted there.

Original poster
3catsandadog · 15/09/2019 12:53

Yes one offer each would be great!

Fingers crossed to us all :)

OP posts:
olliepolly · 15/09/2019 16:02

Yes there is a bus commute out to Dick vet. Subsidised bus pass.
They like to live in the city to have the university vibe although some in later years will live more rurally out towards Penicuik . Commute out seems fine for most and was not considered a deal breaker.
Glasgow still has panel interview rather than MMI format unless they have changed in the last few years and an SJT type thing you sit at a computer on interview day. Glasgow university a a whole traditionally has large number of home students many of whom also live at home.

Bati · 15/09/2019 16:48

olliepolly how often do students go to the Dick vet.
Is is similar to Liverpool, where the first 3 years is at the main uni and then years 4 and 5 at leahurst or is like Nottingham Sutton Bonington campus and you spend all 5 years there.

Scottandcharlene · 15/09/2019 18:53

DD is applying to Bristol, Nottingham, Liverpool and Surrey. She is happier today and has seen that the Liverpool work experience form is available online. Hopefully her application will go off this week, and I think she doesn’t need that 5th option as she knows she would reapply if she gets no offers. None of her close friends are applying for competitive courses and so they are all very laid back about the process which makes it even more stressful for her!

mumsneedwine · 15/09/2019 18:55

Liverpool form nice and easy. Apparently they get worse !

olliepolly · 15/09/2019 18:58

Bati , they are at Dick vet for all 5 years.
Daily in year 1 for example so not like Liverpool.

Original poster
3catsandadog · 25/09/2019 19:01

All acknowledgements back from unis now with the exception of Surrey.

Just thinking ahead any ideas for interview wear? My DD has nothing suitable atm!

OP posts:
mumsneedwine · 25/09/2019 21:22

Same here. Acknowledgements received but only one form sent off so far. Trying to get RVC and Bristol off by next week. But it's tough as tests and school work still going on and no one at school can help. She's seen on some forums that some schools have teams of staff to help - she has me and I can't spell ! Fingers crossed what she has done is enough.

Bati · 26/09/2019 16:34

3cats I think smart casual would be fine for interviews
Dd hasn't sent her ucas off yet. She did a hygiene course last year that she passed and wants to add to her qualifications but the board comes under other, where she writes it in but it only allows 7 letters and the boards name is longer. She is waiting for school to find out so it can be added and then her ucas can be sent.
In the mean time she has been looking at the extra forms that need filling in.
She has found 3 out of the 4 universities she is applying to but we cant find the Nottingham one. Am I right in thinking they will send it to her once she passes their first stage.
Anybody know how much detail they need to go into in the extra forms.

mumsneedwine · 26/09/2019 18:25

Nottingham send after 15th October. And no clue as to how much detail ! DD says it's so hard to know what they want.

Bati · 27/09/2019 20:30

Dd has sent her ucas form today 😊 she has been working on additional forms. I was hoping they were just going to be about work experience but she has come across some essay style questions for rvc which have nothing to do with veterinary medicine 😕

Wolfff · 28/09/2019 07:33

Is that the BMAT? If so being able to organise ideas and communicate them is very important for a vet.

mumsneedwine · 28/09/2019 07:45

No BMAT. Supplementary forms that each Uni require. All different and all take ages apparently.

Wolfff · 28/09/2019 08:00

OK. DD had similar when she applied a few years back and they did take ages. However vet schools are full of kids that managed it, along with school work, work experience, a paid job and everything else. It's a hoop jumping process unfortunately.

Sounds like RVC have dropped the BMAT then and are using this instead. I imagine the idea is to show that you can organise your thoughts and communicate effectively.

mumsneedwine · 28/09/2019 08:38

Its not the time they take. DD will fit it in around school, paid job and volunteering just like everyone else. It's knowing how to answer the very conceptual questions. Agree it's another hurdle (used to those from medicine) but still tough to try and think of an answer.

Wolfff · 28/09/2019 08:51

Quite a few people on DD’s course (she is now in 4th) have dropped out or failed exams and repeat semesters or years.

I wonder if some people are so exhausted from the whole process of GCSE, A levels, the application process and then stepping up a gear to a quite intensive degree, that they lose sight of the point of it all.

She has just done a placement where the interns were regularly crying from the stress of dealing with large unpredictable animals and upset owners with 2 hours sleep in 48 hours. So it doesn’t necessarily get better.

mumsneedwine · 28/09/2019 08:59

Ridiculous isn't it. Medicine is just as bad. Although I can see some hope as DD has had lectures on wellbeing and whistle blowing and how to maintain a balance in life. Lots of mental health stuff creeping into training our next doctors. Maybe the vets need to start the same ?
Wish mine had wanted to be plumbers.

Wolfff · 28/09/2019 09:08

They do a lot of MH support stuff at her Uni and she is a peer supporter but the reality is different and interns seem to accept being treated like shit because they think they can get a great job after enduring it.

I will speak to her about whistle blowing. She has had one placement with a good work life balance in the charity sector and all the others seem to accept that is their lot.