A levels panic, please help!

[PingPongPony]

I've started my A levels this year, chose Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Psychology. I'm loving biology, chemistry and psychology but absolutely hating physics, really regret taking it. My problem is that i want to be a vet, but i also would like to drop physics and swap it for art or photography not because they're easy (they are not!) but because i love them! Now my question is, to get into vet school do you HAVE to have a maths based subject??? if i have biology, chemistry, psychology and art for AS levels and drop art after AS's and carry on with the other 3 so end up with Biology, Chemistry and Psychology A2 levels, will i still have a good chance of getting into a vet school or can i just forget it??
Please help, i'm panicing and really unhappy with physics
(also is C&E)

 

[hoggedmane]

I would contact the university admissions office and ask them the question.
Good luck.

 

[kerilli]

back when I was at Uni my boyfriend was doing Medicine (not that dissimilar to Vet Medicine really) and he said that Physics was very helpful. He'd done Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry A-levels to get into Cambridge, not Biology.
As above though, check with Uni Admissions. Good Luck!

 

[GLW]

Royal veterinary college website only lists biology and chemistry as required.
http://www.rvc.ac.uk/Undergraduate/BVetMed/EntryReqs.cfm#a2

It's probably worth checking other universities (most will have requirements listed on the website) but it looks like it wouldn't be impossible and I think it's always better to study a subject you enjoy, you're bound to get a better result (and be happier!)

Good luck

 

[Mimi67]

Absolutely agree re: checking with the admissions office - a lot depnds on where you want to go - but my understanding of medicine and by extension, veterinary medicine is that Chemistry and Biology are the crucial ones. Either way it is hugely competitive and you are looking for top grades as well as work experience.

Some useful info here http://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/admissions-requirements-aug-2010/

Do your research carefully before dropping anything! (Not a vet and not an expert, but I am a teacher....!)

 

[Murphy88]

Chemistry and Biology are, AFAIK, the only 'must have' subjects. However, certainly when I applied you were expected to have 2 science subjects, and if the 3rd subject wasn't science/maths then it had to be 'academic'. Now I could be wrong, but I would strongly suspect that photography would not count as an academic A-Level, and I would guess that art isn't looked upon as highly either. Psychology I'm not sure of though, which is why it would be a good idea to chat to admissions tutors. It is so competitive, the last thing you want to do is put yourself at a disadvantage based on your subjects, so see what the uni's say, and remember although you drop your 4th AS level, it still has a bearing on UCAS points , and points requirements from vet schools can be higher than it is possible to achieve with 3 A-levels (390 points was pretty standard when I applied).

What about taking maths instead of physics? I hated physics too and so did maths instead of physics as my 3rd A-level, the only bit I struggled with in maths was the mechanical maths units, which I think goes to show that my brain just isn't wired for physics stuff! And if it makes you feel any better, I REALLY struggled with chemistry (got C's in some of my AS modules). I had to resit pretty much every exam and got myself a tutor, not fun but dropping chem wasn't an option, so it could be worse, you could hate one of the required subjects!

 

[Jesstickle]

What does your career advisor say?

I would imagine if you plan to go somewhere with the BMAT you're going to want to keep your maths fresh. ( I believe RVC use it too?) It isn't maths based per se but I think it's helpful to be competent at it?

 

[LollyDolly]

I was going to pursue a career as a vet, however when I went to my college open evening and spoke to the head of Admissions I was told that because veterinary science is one of the most popular courses to do at university you needed to have stellar A levels in good subjects. To get the best chance of being accepted she advised to take Biology, Chemistry, Maths OR Physics (Note: When it comes to A2 it is very hard to do Physics without also studying Maths as it gets very difficult!) and then a language subject.
She then advised to continue all 4 into A2 as oppose to dropping one at AS.

After that I reconsidered my options and instead got A levels in English Language, English Lit and Psychology with an AS in Biology.
I was much happier and I'm studying psychology at uni now and I have just gone into my second year

If I were you, I would at least continue Physics until the end of the year and drop it at AS level so that I at least had a minor degree in it. Also it gives you plenty of time to reconsider your options, after all you might change your mind!