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By Lucy Aldridge

From the moment I set foot on the Harper Adams campus, I knew I'd found my home for the next four years. As someone who's always been passionate about animal care, choosing the right university for veterinary nursing was a big decision. Let me share why Harper Adams won me over. 

That country charm 

Growing up in a city environment down south, the rural Shropshire setting of Harper Adams was a breath of fresh air – literally! The sprawling green campus, surrounded by farmland, immediately put me at ease. It felt like the perfect place to study animal care, away from the urban hustle. Despite not being from an agricultural background like many of the students here, I am from an equine background, so this definitely helped with feeling at home here - many of the societies I have been involved with have been equine-based (polo and equestrian), although they do range from anything to everything! 

The welcoming community 

During my first visit, I was struck by the friendliness of everyone I met. From the lecturers to current students, everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there - this is what made Harper stand out from other universities, as the environment was so incredibly welcoming (from both students and staff), but also provided its own unique feel/atmosphere. This sense of community was a huge draw for me, especially knowing I'd be far from home. 

Hands-on from day one 

I've always been a practical learner, so when I heard about Harper's emphasis on hands-on experience, I was sold. The idea of working with animals from the get-go, rather than just reading about them in textbooks, aligned perfectly with my learning style. This ranges from laboratory work, to practical handling sessions with a range of species (ranging from small reptiles to pigeons and horses!), and depending on the course stream, I've also had physiotherapy- based sessions with canines and equines this year, too. 

The placement year 

The prospect of a full year working in a veterinary practice as part of my degree was both exciting and slightly terrifying. But I knew this real-world experience would be invaluable. Plus, the support Harper offers in finding and preparing for placements gave me confidence. What drew me in about Harper with this aspect, in comparison to other universities, was the possibility of both paid and unpaid placements, but also allowing us to choose to undertake this anywhere in the country, and not just within a certain radius of the uni, meaning that students are able to live at home to undertake this if they wish and find this most suitable for them. I did my placement year at Davies Veterinary Specialists mainly, learning from a large number of very experienced veterinary specialists with canines and felines. I also undertook some of this time at a first-opinion practice close to them, learning more about exotic and wildlife species as well, which was great fun! 

Small class sizes 

Coming from a large school, the promise of smaller class sizes at Harper was very appealing. I have found the variety of having small tutorial sessions, along with larger lectures, provided a good level of variety within each day, along with lab and practical sessions within this. This variety has helped keep every day interesting, from year one to four. However, it has been especially useful on weeks when the timetable is busy. In year one these smaller groups were also extremely helpful with getting to know everyone on the course much better. 

State-of-the-art facilities 

 During my tour, I was blown away by the veterinary nursing facilities. The mock veterinary classrooms, complete with kennels, consulting rooms, radiography rooms makes it all feel like I was already working in a clinical setting. I really could picture myself learning and growing in these spaces and they really will help us when we finally become Registered Veterinary Nurses at the end of our degree. Having our own building to study in, as well as in the library and around the rest of campus, really does help with motivation, when you are surrounded by other veterinary science students also! 

A degree with options 

The ability to specialise in small animal rehabilitation or companion animal behaviour was a huge plus. Personally, I chose the small animal rehabilitation stream, and really appreciated how I can tailor my degree to my interests as they develop, and what this will provide me with for the future. The specialised modules for this really are interesting, with the detail provided being amazing, and it has also been really nice to pick the optional modules of equine and exotic nursing for this last year for me, enabling me to become as well-rounded in many species before full-time employment in the veterinary industry post-graduation. 

The atmosphere

There's just something special about the atmosphere at Harper Adams. The passion for agriculture and animal care is palpable. It's a place where being enthusiastic about farming/animal science/engineering is celebrated and intertwined throughout the campus life. As I progress through my studies, I'm more convinced than ever that I made the right choice. Harper Adams isn't just giving me a degree; it's providing me with a supportive community, practical skills, and the confidence to pursue my dream of becoming a veterinary nurse, with support also post-graduation. To anyone considering veterinary nursing, I can't recommend Harper Adams enough. It's more than a university – it's become my second home, and I couldn't be happier with my decision to study here that I made many years ago.