From local college to fourth best University in the world Ryan’s journey!

An aspiring Vet and current John Leggott College student has taken the next step towards academic excellence, with an interview secured to study Veterinary Medicine at The University of Cambridge.

Ryan Walker, who attended Huntcliff School before enrolling at John Leggott College, has always wanted to be a Vet. His love of animals started from a young age, and his studies have since been focussed on achieving his dream career. Now, in addition to studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Further Maths (he achieved a grade A in A Level Maths a year early), Ryan is applying to study on a highly-competitive course at the fourth-highest ranking University in the world!

As Ryan is pursuing a degree in Veterinary Medicine, his application was submitted earlier than other courses, and the Opportunities & Destinations team at John Leggott College were on hand to offer support. Ryan was paired with Progression Mentor Laura Warburton, who provided guidance on his personal statement and conducted mock interviews to help Ryan develop valuable interview experience.

Ryan said “I found the whole team to be really useful, and my Progression Mentor was very approachable and supportive. She helped to keep me motivated, even when I was rejected from other Universities I applied to. The mock interview process was great to help me become comfortable under pressure in an interview environment.”

The application process to study Veterinary Medicine at The University of Cambridge was conducted through the UCAS system, in exactly the same way as all other University courses applied to by thousands of students across the UK every year. Supplementing his personal statement, Ryan also completed an admissions questionnaire to assess his abilities in problem solving, data analysis and application of scientific knowledge. He credits his confidence completing the assessment to his Biology Teacher at John Leggott College, who “gave me the encouragement and confidence I needed to apply, and lots of subject-specific support.”

Aside from his academic studies and successes, Ryan has also completed a range of work experience to give him a clear insight into the working life of a Vet. The Opportunities & Destinations team at John Leggott College organised placements at two different Veterinary Centres, and Ryan has also recently completed a one-week shadowing experience on a local dairy farm. This is all hugely valuable to help prepare Ryan for a career in Veterinary Medicine, and is of great benefit to his application, as this demonstrates a clear dedication to personal development.

Ryan has now been invited to interview at The University of Cambridge, a huge step towards achieving his aspirations. Next week, he will take the journey to the University with his Grandparents, to embark on one of the most important days of his professional life. Not only will his interview dictate whether he will successfully join such a prestigious institution, it will also determine Ryan’s focus as he completes his A Level studies and prepares to say goodbye to North Lincolnshire for pastures new.

We’ll be catching up with Ryan after he attends his interview, so look out for the next step of his journey reported next week! In the meantime, if you want to find out more about how John Leggott College can help you to achieve your career goals, visit our website www.leggott.ac.uk.