Map for Y8 to vet school please

[silverysea]

Yes Toadmum that's it for Y9-10.

Wondering if I should give in to the chicken obsession. Lambing, hmm will have to look around the area. The local further ed college has lambing open days, maybe we should ask them though it's intake seems more vocational. The local zoo seems to offer a course-for 15-17- full this year so no prices shown-no doubt they are expensive-would it be worth it do you think?

[KB]

Friend who was vegetarian went to vet school and had to do 2 weeks in slaughter house - not for the faint hearted!

While admissions might only be interested in specific recent work experience, if they can get some experience early on it will probably help them when applying for the 'specified' placements later on (or put them off the whole idea

[franticmum]

Thanks Silverysea, Marylou and ToadMum re open events. I've booked on the RVC one and I like the fact that its free and run by them direct. I can see why they're so early in the evening for a school day but unfortunately, we'll have to miss the first 45 mins in order to dash straight from school. Not sure how much they'll tell you in 3 hours but certainly worth a look, I think. More than likely still go to the London one in February (not by RVC, and small fee per person), as that's a whole day and may give more info than the RVC one, owing to the duration difference. There will certainly be no excuses for not knowing what she's got to do after both of those!!

With the restrictions on age coming in to play, go for the zoo day, Silverysea, as personally, I think leaving everything until they're eligible, age-wise, for these things are going to be cutting it fine. That's my thought anyway. There are only so many school holidays in year 11 and 12 and they'll be a lot more homework then too! However, I do take note of the comment that only the last 2 years are taken into consideration. Do uni's realise all these new changes to age limits or is that part of the challenge, do you think - go out and find it, no matter how hard and prove your dedication?

[Marylou]

... or is that part of the challenge, do you think - go out and find it, no matter how hard and prove your dedication?

Yes, I do think there is an element of that in there, but admissions tutors are aware that it's easier for some than others. It's also worth mentioning that paid experience days are often excluded from work experience, as is caring for your own horse (though of course this can be mentioned as a hobby on the personal statement!)

Because of all the extra demands, I think it's a good idea to regard a vet school application as a two-year process. By all means submit an application in Y13, but it's important not to spend time on work experience at the expense of A-level preparations. If an offer materializes from that first application then regard it as a bonus, but if not have another go next year - having worked flat out to get the best possible A-level grades. Then use that summer to fill in any gaps in experience, and the rest of the time to maybe get a job and focus on the application, possibly do some travelling (interviews permitting!). You'd be surprised how many first-year vet students are in fact reapplicants. The fact that you're willing to go through it all again is in itself a sign of dedication.

[wonderwoman]

Remember that a degree in bioveterinary sciences, zoology etc. that are often put down as the "fallback" course do not qualify you as a vet, and there is virtually no chance of transferring from these onto a veterinary science/medicine course, whatever you may hear. And don't even think about applying as a postgraduate unless you really have ££££££ to spare...with a couple of exceptions (RVC), postgraduate veterinary course fees are not capped in the way that first degree fees are, but charged at full whack - i.e. up to £26,000 (Edinburgh) per year, and - what's more - there is no funding in the form of loans. So on top of the outstanding loan for the "fallback" course, your DD would somehow have to fund her way through postgraduate vet studies. Much better to take a year out and try again next year, or the year after - some determined souls have even succeeded on a third attempt!.

I'm sure many schools are not experts at applications for vet school and you will know far more than me from going through this with your DD ( and well done to her), but these routes are available. A vet friend of mine did Zoology as a first degree and is an excellent vet and a friend of my DD had a plan from a youngish age to do a degree in equine dentistry and follow it with a vet degree. He never had a different plan. He worked for 2 years as an equine dentist and then applied for veterinary science - but you're right about the cost, although accepted for courses in this country, he is studying in Europe for considerably less.

[silverysea]

That's interesting. I was assuming that you had to be qualified in the country you intend to practice in but apparently not necessarily, there is a test to pass but many qualifications might be recognised. DD is a dual US/European national.

I was looking confusedly at the possibility of study in i.e. Netherlands or Canada, but thought "forget it" when vet science kept coming up to the top of the list. Maybe too hasty?

Anyone met an American vet here? Or an Irish (Southern) one?

[Amber]

Wondering if I should give in to the chicken obsession.

http://www.bhwt.org.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you do, please get them from here.

All ours have come from there and as well as being good layers, they do seem genuinely to revel in being rescued and having access to fresh air and somewhere to move around after living in such awful conditions. Be warned - some come in a dreadful state, but that in itself will be a good experience for someone wanting to be a vet; and you are doing a useful charity deed into the bargain.

[Daogroupie]

In terms of getting a Y8 dd more focused on her school work you might want to think about getting her to attempt to win the dux award for Y9 for her school. This is an award given a high achieving Y9 student from each state school who then gets the chance to go and spend the day at University. Perhaps this would give your dd a goal to aim for. There are also lots of Gifted and Talented opportunities . Did she do the Science Y8 Faraday challenge at Hatfield University? Each local school sends a team and the final was last week. There will be lots of things like this going on, there is a Maths day in London this week and there was a language day at Canary Wharf last week. By staying in lower sets with her best friends she may well be letting herself down and missing out on all these things that will be going on other candidates CV's. DG

[silverysea]

She got the top set for whole year maths next year! hurrah!

Right rescue chucks, that's birthday sorted! DH may throw a wobbly. No, make that WILL.

Those are interesting activities I haven't come across, DG, I'll look out for them next year-they haven't been mentioned she's in the top sets otherwise where they exist and takes up whatever comes along, but Y8 seems to have had few academic extras. I see that from the newsletter too-y8 is for office duty since they have nothing important to do she told me ! The trip they used to get to France was dropped this year and they had to write a report on the trip they didn't get-guaranteed disaffection for already fed up DD. There has been nothing special for humanities and they got to do the UK Maths Challenge for maths, same as in Primary.

She has enjoyed music sports and various house competitions, it's just frustrating that some intellectually challenging activities aren't promoted. We parents take them to lots of activities they love but that seems to add to their feeling of wierd ness.

[Sallyltb]

The most useful course etc my daughter has taken is this one http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/short-cou ... production" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
She got her GCSEs out of the way, then did several weeks work experience in the summer holidays. She then did a week in October half term and a week at the beginning of January. Feb half term was spent in the animal labs at Glaxo. At Easter she did a week of lambing and four days with a Senior Lecturer at Cambridge in the operating theatre and seeing second opinion practice.

She's been spending Saturdays doing WEx and in the coming summer holidays she will do four weeks at three different vets and also some calving. In October half term she's at a rescue centre for the week, then she has basically finished, although she will probably do another week of lambing next Easter.

She's also fitted in odd days at an abattoir, with the council's animal warden and on a chicken farm. Altogether in 16 months she will have the equivalent of about 17 weeks WEx. Although most unis say they will consider you with six weeks, most like a lot more and Liverpool want 15 weeks now to get an interview.

It is hard work to get the weeks in and she has travelled for soe of it, slept on floors and done hard physical work in the cold at strange times of day. But it has made her even more certain that this is what she wants to do.