Scottish Universities

Discussion and advice on University Education

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Marylou
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Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Post by Marylou »

DD wants to apply to Edinburgh for Vet Science (first choice!) - presumably this doesn't affect more vocational-type courses? Does it put English applicants at a disadvangate since Scottish applicants would already have their results when applying? :?
Marylou
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by KB »

Hi Marylou

If you look on the Ed Uni web site for Vet Science it shows the entrance requirements for Scottish students as requiring a sixth year & Advanced Highers so in effect they are being expected to be at A2 standard before they start the course.
I'm not sure then that they would have their results before they apply? Guess only their Highers grades but then English students have their AS module grades.
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Post by Marylou »

Thanks - I don't really know much about the Scottish system and certainly didn't know about some university courses starting earlier!

Yes, the AS results are out in time for applications, but don't know how much weight these carry as opposed to predicted A2 grades.
Marylou
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by KB »

I don't know about Vet schools - except that it is hard to get in! but for Oxbridge you need very good AS results as well as high predicted A2 results.
I think with the most competitive courses you pretty much need 'everything' because there are enough students who can tick all the boxes to fill the places!

It looks like the Vet course is more like English courses and demanding A2 level entry for everyone, whereas the science degrees seem to start at a lower level than in England & take an extra year - presumably because the Scottish students tend to come in with Highers which will not have taken their study to the same level as A2s.

English students with top grades are therefore deemed able to cope with the 2nd year courses from the start. I suspect partly because they have covered much of the 1st year work & partly because they are considered good enough students to make up any gaps quickly.

It doesn't mean that the degree course as a whole is weaker than an English one - just that the starting point is lower, so they take an extra year to get students up to Honours level.

In England most 4 year courses either offer a year in industry (so the actual teaching is still over 3 years) or there is an option in the 2nd year to choose between 3 years-for a Bsc or 4 years-for an MSc.

This is our understanding anyway!

Choice comes down to finding a highly respected course that fits the student's requirements at a University where they feel comfortable and is in a location where they want to spend 3/4 years of their life. Nothing much then :)
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