Cheltenham student faces £109,000 vet tuition fees

“Yes, it's hard to get in and yes it's 5 years of student tuition fees. But it's worth it. My daughter did it and we are a one parent family so not well off.. We didn't have anyone to ask for help in raising money as most people have their own financial committments for their own children and other things. She worked in a vets after school, had a Saturday job and even through Uni worked weekends in a shop. It was extremely hard work but she got there in the end. Most young people going to Uni will have massive debts at the end but if you are committed enough the hard work is worth it. She has been in a practise for a year now and has been paying off her debts for the last year but that is something she knew she would have to do. Remember you are not the only student who will have debts if your family aren't rich!”

“Supernova,
I'm afraid that your suggestion makes little business sense to any current commercial enterprise. I will ignore the bit about paying off a tuition fee loan once earning over £20k since Amy will not be getitng a tuition fee loan for this element so it's pretty irrelevant.
20% of the average vet salary (and let's not forget that Amy will start on less than the average) of £37k per year is £7.4k per year. At that rate it would take Woodlands, or any other practice who may receive a similar proposal, 14.8 years to recoup their investment. I do not know of any investor who would be prepared to shoulder that cost for such a protracted period of time.”

“Thing is, the Uni gavy train has hit the buffers.
When you look back, why on earth did we need Sales Directors and Deputy Sales Directors for an educational establishment? Because the Labour Party turned the whole thing into a business, where you had uni's poaching from each other, offering incentives etc.
Today, you pay for what you get, including a first class education, then if you're lucky enough to get the job that you want, you'll only start paying it back at just over £20k, and then at a peppercorn rate.
If you're THAT dedicated, you'll manage anything.
Personally, I would contact Woodlands with a view to setting up some sort of arrangement wherby after qualies, she works there, paying say 20% of her salary off the £100k bill she'll incur.
And can I just say that at eight years old, I wanted to be a racing driver, but reality kicked me in the face, and now I drive................vans!”

“i for one wish Amy all the best and hope her dream of becoming a vet comes true. Too many people are quick to put a downer on anyone wanting to get on in life and make something of themselves,probably because they are jealous.”

“Fee's in general are a disgrace, my daughter too qualified to do social work but then the bar was changed and it went pearshaped due to additional costs added in order to further her preffered career. I fear too many students are being sucked in for higher education then bitterley let down when the degree course is completed.
Good luck but unfortunately many thousands are in the very same boat.
I feel very sorry when they have studied hard for no rewards.”

“Gallopingbear. If you had read this properly, including the well written detailed comment from Amy, you will have read that at no point did she nor her family beleive she would be fully qualified after this degree. After seeking a huge amonut of advice and doing research, the degree was a stepping stone to enable her a better chance of getting a place on the vet course, which, as you see, has proved valuable and she has been offered a place after many years of hard work and dedication both in and out of education!”

“So, when Amy's family thought she would be fully qualified at the end of her degree whilst covered by the student loan? You would have thought that vets at the surgery where she has worked for five years would have advised her on the route to take. Have to agree with Sam Hane- people seem to think they have a right to go to University..sometimes you just have to say 'that's life' and find another way. However, good luck to you and fairplay if you do find benefactors. I feel that we already subsidise students enough.”

“Sorry, veterinarian not Vegerinarian!! Gotta love predictive text!”

“Nurdol, I'm afraid I disagree with you completely. Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act it is illegal for anyone other than a qualified Vegerinarian to operate on any animal so nurses will never be allowed to do so. Their training does not include surgery or the overall responsibility of the start to finish diagnosis and care for an animal. I am sorry that you have evidently had a bad experience and would never condone anyone undertaking any unnecessary work for financial gain, from builders to vets to dentists. I cannot believe that that sort of breach of trust is rampant although, knowing human nature, I am sure it does sometimes happen as well. As I said before, earnings of a typical vet fall far below the earnings of a typical GP. Last figures I read put the average vet salary at £37k and GPs at £110k. Wen you consider that vets are lawfully allowed to treat humans but GPs are not allowed to treat animals...... I feel it is a very worthwhile profession and ensures proper care is given to our animals, be they companion animals, food producers or exotics. Consider also that food production animals must be treated in such a way that their products are not dangerous for human consumption, zoonotic diseases must be suitably handled to prevent human health problems and vets are on call 24/7/365 and I don't think the public who pay for their services, usually, get a bad deal.”

“That's a very good response from Amy. It shows how many mistakes the report has, (not to mention the spelling of Hartpury).”