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Career and Employment Service: Vet School - what if I don’t get in?

Introduction

What can you do if you don’t think you’ll get into Massey’s Vet Programme - or didn’t? Naturally you will wonder what you are going to do if you are not offered a place for this programme on which you have set your heart! You might have been aiming towards this for years and have given little or no thought to alternatives.

First and foremost, realise that:

  • You are not alone - about 250 students apply for the programme and only 75 are offered places in its professional phase.
  • It is not the end of the world.
  • You are not ‘a failure’. About one third of those who are accepted each year have been unsuccessful at least once before so you are competing with people who have significantly greater academic experience than you. In fact some already have a completed degree - (work experience is not part of selection but a requirement. 80% on G.P.A. and 20% on STAT score).

Now though? Here we’ll help you to address this question. You’ll find useful information and advice and - crucially - links to further sources of help. Take time to explore all that’s on offer and remember Massey staff can help you.

Enhancing your chances

 

There are, of course, many other careers where you can work with large or small animals and Massey offers a range of degrees which make this possible. Every year though, students like you do what they can to enhance their chances and many try again for the programme, whilst studying towards other relevant degrees. There are so many factors which prevent students from achieving their potential and it is critical that you are pro-active in minimising these factors.

To do so is not suggesting weakness or any sort of inability - rather it is knowing when and where to access appropriate support to maximise your chances and your performance (athletes will always consult expert coaches in seeking to achieve their potential!).

How to assess your chances of future BVSc selection

At this stage you may like to make contact with:

Sue Gribbin, Programme Administrator Vet Science for advice on the approved papers that are available if trying again and future grades required to increase your GPA to the recommended B+/A- levels. Also speak with the Programme Administrators for other Science related programmes offered.

Massey's Centres for Teaching and Learning help with study, exam and writing skills.

The Student Counselling Service no matter how big or small the problem speaking with a counsellor can help, as problems can exhaust us and hinder us from enjoying our studies, life and relationships and pursuing goals, dreams and interests and - naturally - from achieving our potential.

Plan B?

If you don’t have one, how can you develop a Plan B? What can you do if you aren’t accepted onto the programme? To do so, begin by remembering:

  • we can all do a wide range of things happily and well
  • you will have a number of options that could help you to achieve the things that attracted you to the Vet programme.

Take time to explore why you wanted to become a Vet. What attracted you to this degree? Your reasons might include:

  • Salary and earnings potential (vets seldom become rich!!)
  • Work environment - what was it about the environment attracted you? What else provides a similar environment?
  • Opportunities for professional development
  • Range of work on offer
  • The ability to ‘make a difference’ - what does this really mean for you? Are there other work areas which enable you to "make a difference" as well?
  • Respect and status - yup! One of the bright students at school - and this is a degree attracting bright students who are stretched and must be perfectionists? Is this the most important thing?
  • Desire to work with animals - are there other programmes which enable you to do this? Naturally the answer is "yes".
  • Opportunity to work internationally.

There may well be a variety of other issues and concerns not addressed here.

Want to work with animals? - Career options and related Massey programmes:

 

Further career options - from CareersNZ:

Staying with Science? - Massey programmes in the College of Sciences:

Massey programmes in other Colleges:

Generating additional career ideas:

Your choice of career could have a significant part to play in the university studies that you do. For many careers a qualification in a particular discipline is either required or preferred. The links that follow will help you to generate and explore career options:

Want to contact someone for more advice and information?

From the College of Sciences:

Sue Gribbin
Programme Administrator
College of Sciences
Science Tower B, Level 2, Room 2.17
Phone: 06 350 4170
E-mail: S.J.Gribbin@massey.ac.nz

From the Career and Employment Service:

John Ross
Career Consultant
Student Counselling & Careers Service
Level 2, Registry Building
Phone: 06 350 5923
Email: emcareers@massey.ac.nz

or vet@massey.ac.nz

From the Student Counselling Service:

Perhaps you are wondering if this is the right degree - or if the suggestions of your parents and friends should really carry so much weight.

If you want to discuss your thought in a non-judgemental and non-threatening environment it might be helpful to speak confidentially to one of the team in Student Counselling on Level 1 of Registry - s.counselling@massey.ac.nz

A counsellor can also assist you to maximise your potential and minimise the issues which make achieving the very best you can difficult!

Now I want to go to -

 

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Last updated on Thursday 22 September 2011