Please help me anyone who has done an A level in one year or who has experience of returning to uni as a mature student, especially if you studied veterinary medicine!
I’m in my 40s and want to completely change career and go to uni to train as a vet. There are a limited number of veterinary medicine courses in the uk and realistically I can only apply to one because of where I live and not wanting to move (children are settled where we are and we have family and friends here, so don’t want to uproot the whole family). I want to crack on and apply this October to start studying next September, but I don’t have a chemistry A level, which is the only entry requirement I don’t meet. So I’ve found a fast track course that is delivered online through the National Extension College (NEC) which will enable me to do the full A level in one year - does anyone have any experience of studying with NEC? Or are there any other providers I should consider? It’s a lot of money so I want to be sure that I get what I pay for. I have looked to see if there’s anywhere locally where I could complete it, but there isn’t anywhere that offers the one year option. So I think online is my best bet, although I realise I’ll need to attend exams and a practical assessment in person.
The uni I’m hoping to apply to have got a six year vet med programme instead of the five year course, which I’m eligible to apply for, but I’m reluctant to go this route because a) it would cost me an extra £10000 in tuition fees for that extra year vs the much smaller cost of doing the A level, which I could fund by continuing to earn in my current job and b) it would put my date of qualifying back a year.
If anyone has any experience or advice then please do share it with me - I’m really excited but also wondering if I’m crazy so would love to hear from others who have done similar!