Brief update on my university application.

[K9karen]

I have no doubt that you will awe the interviewers with your intelligence, grace, beauty, energy and confidence! Can't wait to hear how your interview with Cambridge goes! Lots of good energy and luck sent across the ocean!

[Rachel]

Ditto to what Karen said, and do let us know which University was lucky enough to get you.

[jennielynn1970]

Good luck, Zara!! I'll be thinking about you at Cambridge today!

[Medusa]

I'm sure that all will be smooth sailing for you. The world needs more good vets and no doubt you're one in the making.

[Killearn Kitties]

How did you feel about the first interview then? I hope it went well for you.
Good luck, but I am sure they will both be clamouring for you!

[Marigold2]

How incredibly wonderful Zara. My niece is a vet and yes the road is long, hard and at times lonely but the joy of realizing a dream stays with you all your life. Linda is a true animal lover and sees the beauty and joy in each creature she is perfect for the job and I am sure you will be as well.
If I may give you just one bit of advice..
Linda was always the smartest in every class she took all her life. When she got to Ohio State which is a first class vet school here in the states she wasn't the smartest any more. I am sure you have always been the brighest in every class as well. When you get to vet school you will be with your equals in intelligence, a new expericence for sure. Everyone stuggles, everyone finds the classes more difficult then they ever imagined and most get through it with a total sense of pride. It was a surprise to Linda how much work and how much there was to learn but she got through it and is doing well at her job in the clinic.
I wish you all the best of luck. I am sure you will make an excellent Dr and the animals and their humans will find great happiness and hope with you.

[Miss Z]

Thank you very much for all of your kind words.

My Cambridge interview was .... difficult! Of course, I wasn't expecting it to be a walk in the park, but a little part of me was secretly hoping that I would be asked questions I knew all the answers to.

I had two interviews at Cambridge - the first with a biochemist, and the second with the head of veterinary studies at the college. The first interview was the toughest. I was basically asked questions regarding biology and chemistry experiments; I'm guessing they were looking for how you apply your knowledge to answer questions on something you've never heard about or seen performed. Had a sticky moment trying to work out logarithms in my head, but other than that I gave the rest of the questions my best shot. Still, I didn't come out of that interview feeling particularly great.

The second one went better, I felt. The questions were still very academic but more vet-related, and I got the chance to bring in some anecdotes from my work experience, as well as articles and the likes that I've read. So, overall, I couldn't tell you how I think I did. I suppose it partially depends on how all the other applicants handled it!

The Cambridge college I've applied to, Sidney Sussex, is BEAUTIFUL. It's in the centre of Cambridge town whilst still being secluded within its own little walls. I would really, really love to study there, but of course I just don't know how my application has been judged. A friend who applied to study art at Oxford university got his rejection through a few days ago. And he thought his interview went well - so on that basis I'm a bit uneasy about my chances!

The Glasgow interview was entirely different. They were more interested in what I've gained from my work experience, my stance on ethical issues, my interests and me as a person. I felt that interview went quite well, as my debating experience has taught me to gab on and on about my points of view. But, of course, nothing is certain, and the other applicants I met that day seemed confident about it too. So, we'll see.

Glasgow is lovely too - they've just had an amazing new small animal hospital built. I could definitely see myself in one of the swanky little consulting rooms, haha.

I still haven't heard from my other universities (Edinburgh and the Royal Veterinary College, London), but I'll find out whether it's yea or nay from Cambridge and Glasgow in January.