Daughter wants to be a vet. Need advise on Senior schools with specialism is science

[cardmakerex65]

I was wondering if anyone could give me some first hand knowledge of the High School at Aberfoyle Park please. My daughter is wanting to be a vet when she leaves education and we are at the moment in the process of looking at schools around Adelaide that may be instrumental in helping her to achieve her dream. She does not want to leave the UK, but has agreed to give it ago. She likes the look of Aberfoyle Park, since they will allow her to continue to wear trousers and not to have to wear skirts!! and the fact that it does have a STEM connection with the universities. It is important that I find the right school that will cater to her needs to become a VET. She is in year 8 at the moment and will be probably starting September/ October this year, assuming our visa comes through soon. We aim to move September this year, which would give her a chance to settle a bit before having to really concentrate on her studies.

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Cheers

Helen

[NicF]

Then last thing your daughter will want to wear in summer is trousers (shorts are more like it), and I certainly wouldn't pick a school on this alone. Once in school she will probably want to wear what everyone else is wearing anyway. I shouldn't think it would matter what school your daughter goes to, she should be able to get in to an appropriate University course from any of them provided she gets the appropriate scores in year 12. I would look at which Universities offer vetinary courses and what there entry requirements are first. Having said that it might be worth having a look at Urrbrea High school. It's a specialist agricultural school with Animal studies as one of it's specialist areas and entry is via application letter. It's the only public school I am aware of that is not zoned.

[cardmakerex65]

Thanks for that. I won't pick a school purely on uniform, but having the option for trousers and shorts is going to have to be high on the list. She is not a girly girl, in fact she is the only girl in her class who wears trousers. She hasn't worn a skirt or dress in 6 years.

I will take a look at Urrbrea High school now.

Many thanks.

[noworriesmate]

Then last thing your daughter will want to wear in summer is trousers (shorts are more like it), and I certainly wouldn't pick a school on this alone. Once in school she will probably want to wear what everyone else is wearing anyway. I shouldn't think it would matter what school your daughter goes to, she should be able to get in to an appropriate University course from any of them provided she gets the appropriate scores in year 12. I would look at which Universities offer vetinary courses and what there entry requirements are first. Having said that it might be worth having a look at Urrbrea High school. It's a specialist agricultural school with Animal studies as one of it's specialist areas and entry is via application letter. It's the only public school I am aware of that is not zoned.

 

Great advice - I didn't know that school existed, it looks like a wonderful experience.

 

NWM

[Diane]

The required ATAR (University Entry) score for Veterinary Science here is in the high 90s - it's showing as 98.2 on this page which means she will have to complete Year 12 with a score in the top 1.8%, so you are best off looking at schools with very high achievements. Private schools might be the way to go, or there is the option at Year 11 of perhaps doing the final two years at somewhere like the USC in Adelaide (which is fee paying) and very focussed on University entry to the University of Adelaide. Some state schools also have excellent results, but I would look at results rather than uniform if your daughter is adamant that this is the direction she wants to go in. A friend's daughter who didn't get the required ATAR did a year of Animal Sciences (or something like that )instead to get her score up to the level required. http://www.adelaide.edu.au/degree-finder/bscpv_bscaspv.html

[cardmakerex65]

Thanks Diane, I have been searching all evening and my eyes are tired now. She is currently in the UK on track for hitting the A* mark and knows what she has to do. She is focused so hopefully. I have looked at the schools results and the top schools are all private and there is no way we can afford that since our son is going to Queensland to study Marine Zoology.

Thank you for your help it really makes a big difference when we are still so far away, but have such big decisions to start making.

[Diane]

Thanks Diane, I have been searching all evening and my eyes are tired now. She is currently in the UK on track for hitting the A* mark and knows what she has to do. She is focused so hopefully. I have looked at the schools results and the top schools are all private and there is no way we can afford that since our son is going to Queensland to study Marine Zoology.

Thank you for your help it really makes a big difference when we are still so far away, but have such big decisions to start making.

 

Lots of the private schools offer academic scholarships so might be worth investigating that as well. If you find a private school you like, always worth a phone call to the school to check the scholarship situation. Both of mine were lucky enough to get scholarships, and neither were the brightest or highest scoring in their cohorts (not saying they aren't bright, just not the top ones:smile:)

[cliffy]

My daughter did Vet Science in WA, as there was no course in SA at the time, but other people we know from SA have completed their Vet degree at any of the Interstate Universities or even in New Zealand. As previously said, there is much competition and you have to get a near perfect score these days.

But you should first look at the requirements for entry at the individual universities as they all vary, even with subjects necessary. I seem to remember Melbourne is admission to a General Science degree, with transfer after a year to Vet Science, depending not only on grades, but on suitability.

We sent my daughter to a private school in year 10 and she gained entry to Murdoch Uni from there. She could not have completed the necessary range of subjects at her Secondary School (no Physics) and personally, although she was very hard working and ambitious, I am not confident that she would have obtained the necessary score, 98+, without excellent teaching as well.

[Blossom]

I went to tafe at urrbrae, and the place was a joy to go to every day. I would have killed to go to a high school like that. The setting is beautiful with hills behind it. The birds singing all around you. Olive trees and grape vines, along with fields of farm animals. Absolutely beautiful.

 

They have all the farm animals you'd expect, plus a little native animal area too. They also have an aquaponics bit. She'd get to wear her trousers and overalls too. ;-)

 

They show some of their animals, and have a monthly (I think) market day where the public can buy produce. But the kids can buy eggs, meat, sausages they've made, fish they have reared at any time it's available through the school canteen.

 

The kids always seemed very happy, and I never noticed any picking or bullying, even with some of them looking quite individual. (Tafe shares a lot of the space like canteen, library, outdoor areas etc).

 

I'd love for my daughter to go there once she is big enough.

 

ps, I went three days a week for two years.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Blossom
Stupid iphone

[cardmakerex65]

Blossom, you make it sound ideal.

I will wait till the visa arrives then talk to her about it. As I said before she is the sticking point on our whole move so not going to suggest anything more until it is a definite, but I think the whole animal thing will really be the deal maker. We have already had to agree to her getting her own dog when we move, but that is not an issue, I already have an assistance dog so another in the house is not a problem, it will just have to get used to being left when the other one comes with us everywhere.

 

Thank you everyone for your help it means so much.

Cheers

 

I went to tafe at urrbrae, and the place was a joy to go to every day. I would have killed to go to a high school like that. The setting is beautiful with hills behind it. The birds singing all around you. Olive trees and grape vines, along with fields of farm animals. Absolutely beautiful.

 

They have all the farm animals you'd expect, plus a little native animal area too. They also have an aquaponics bit. She'd get to wear her trousers and overalls too. ;-)

 

They show some of their animals, and have a monthly (I think) market day where the public can buy produce. But the kids can buy eggs, meat, sausages they've made, fish they have reared at any time it's available through the school canteen.

 

The kids always seemed very happy, and I never noticed any picking or bullying, even with some of them looking quite individual. (Tafe shares a lot of the space like canteen, library, outdoor areas etc).

 

I'd love for my daughter to go there once she is big enough.

 

ps, I went three days a week for two years.

Edited January 21, 2015 by cardmakerex65