I'M GOING TO BE A ROYAL VET!!!!!
I received my offer for the BSc(Hons) & BVetMed Combined Degree programme from the University of London's Royal Veterinary College yesterday. It is the oldest and most prestigious veterinary institution in the country, and ranks among the best veterinary universities in the world. And I can't believe I've got in!!!
After the hardship of my Cambridge rejection, I began to doubt I'd be happy at another university. I was very grateful for the offer I received a week later from Glasgow University, but when I was there, something just didn't feel quite right for me. Sure, the people were friendly, and the newly built small animal hospital was incredibly impressive, but in my gut, I wasn't sure it was somewhere I wanted to spend 5 years of my life.
Fast-forward to February, I received an unexpected straight-out rejection from Edinburgh University. Even though I didn't rank it above Glasgow, it was a serious blow to my confidence, particularly after I inquired about the rejection, and I was told my application simply did not cut the mustard. I value modesty, but it doesn't wash with me that 180 other applicants had more than 11 A*s at GCSE, and 5 As at AS level, with top predictions for A2 level, and 3 years worth of work experience. Plus, how could I merit a Cambridge interview, and not an Edinburgh one? So I'm not quite sure what happened there.
By this time, I was feeling incredibly sick of universities and all the stress of applying for what is the hardest degree course to get onto over here. So many people I spoke to said I should thank my lucky stars that Glasgow wanted me, for this year more than ever, there will be candidates who get 4 rejections and no offers at all. But no matter how hard I tried to feel good about it, I just knew it was not where I wanted to end up.
By mid-February, I was called to interview at the Royal Vet College. It was, in all honesty, a choice I'd put down mainly because I'd taken the entrance exam (which Cambridge also use), and they were one of the few universities that offered a vet degree with an intercalated year of scientific study, which I'm more keen to do. I missed the Open Day last year, and so had never actually been inside either of the campuses. I went purely off the information in the prospectus when putting it down as a choice. And, if I am perfectly honest, at the time I believed I had a better chance of getting into Cambridge than the Royal Veterinary College, as I knew that not only were they very strict on academic ability, but also wanted candidates with extensive work experience at exceptional placements. I had also heard that they were more keen on making offers to gap year students, as they already had their A level results.
Before my interview, I had a tour of the Hawkshead campus, which is their rural sector, where farm animals are kept and most of the clinical years take place there. 5 minutes in, and I was in LOVE.
The place clicked for me right away. The site is gigantic, with the most amazing facilities. The practical rooms, small animal theatre and various offices devoted to various studies, such as tropical disease, put Cambridge to shame. The giant lecture theatre, with large animal dissection area (complete with crane for lifting elephant/rhino/whatever-else-we-happen-to-get corpses into the building - larvely) was mindblowing. I got on with all the people there, and just walking around made me feel like a vet. Suddenly I did not feel at a loss about Cambridge at all.
My interview... was rough, rough, rough. I was quizzed on my knowledge of bluetongue and foot and mouth disease, the structure and function of viruses, genetics, my perspective of a vet's role in the food standard's agency, and my stance on animal testing. I felt I gave good answers, but fell prey to the inevitable demons of the mind that convince you that you could have said something better! Not one of my interviewers smiled during the interview, as had been the case at Glasgow, and I became pretty adamant that they didn't rate me.
I was considering taking the year out to reapply to the RVC, as I made the decision that I could never be truly happy at Glasgow knowing there was a place I knew in my heart was right for me. I was dreading making such a risky decision, and in a way, it felt like admitting defeat after 7 years of hard work, and 15 years of desperately wanting to be a vet student.
But after such a long and strenuous ordeal, I was sent a notification the the RVC had made me an offer of 3 As at A level, and I was (and still am!) ecstatic. I cannot believe I am going, or that I managed to get into such a top establishment. I have been reading in student publications lately that in fact, many Cambridge vet applicants chose the RVC over Cambridge, and I truly now believe I would have done the same. I wanted Cambridge because of the name and the kudos. I realise that I want London because I'll be happy, have a great time, and start a blossoming career.
My best friend has recieved an offer from the Slade School of Fine Art, the top art school in the country, and it is also a 5 minute bus ride away from the RVC Camden campus, where I'll be spending most of my first 3 years.
Sorry for such a long post! And thank you for the PT support I've had throughout my application. It is very much appreciated. I can now be happy that 3 years worth of infrequent PT visits due to commitment to work has paid off.
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12/02
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