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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Fresh new 'mum of a medicine applicant' thread.

559 replies

Mindgone · 11/11/2014 11:58

I thought I would start a new one, as the last one went a bit 'off topic'! How's everyone getting on? Am so excited, and a bit nervous, as DS has two interviews coming up! How is everyone else's DCs preparing? Also, any tips from anyone who's been there?

OP posts:
Carriemac · 28/01/2015 07:42

Yes it is up to the individual,practice. It's better to contact the head GP than asking practice nurses or reception, the GPs are really keen to encourage prospective medics :)
I've had a course of them with no side effects, DS is booked in just before half term just in case. Anyone heard anything from leeds yet?

Oyster2 · 28/01/2015 11:28

Carrie, dd has had her Leeds interview. Apparently they said decisions would come through on around 20 Feb. Think they have been very clear in all their communications - impressed!

Original poster
Mindgone · 28/01/2015 15:08

DS has had his first 2 hep B injections with no problems other than a slightly sore arm for a day or so.
Hope you get good news Oyster

OP posts:
Carriemac · 28/01/2015 18:39

mind gone good luck tomorrow with interview . tell your DS to get stuck in enthusiastically at the MMI practical stations

Original poster
Mindgone · 28/01/2015 19:23

I will do Carrie, thanks! Btw, it's on Friday! :)

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Carriemac · 28/01/2015 20:44

of course it's only Wednesday today, been a long week...

Decorhate · 29/01/2015 19:32

Hope it goes well tomorrow Mindgone.

Is everyone done with interviews after tomorrow?

QueenQueenie · 29/01/2015 20:16

Yes, Good Luck for tomorrow Mindgone Junior. Hope it goes well...

Carriemac · 29/01/2015 23:12

Yes I think so. Just the agonising wait for leeds offers on 20th. Might be discussing accommodation choices soon !

Original poster
Mindgone · 30/01/2015 00:06

Thanks so much for all your good wishes girls! Flowers
I think he is less nervous, having an offer now, but still very keen, would love to have a choice!
Just a long wait for us all now, it's hard, but with them all having offers, they know what they're working for, and just need to knuckle down to it!
Carrie, hope you manage the wait ok, happy to help with DS1's opinions on accommodation, he's very opinionated! Btw, he didn't get his first choice of accommodation, even with an unconditional, but is very happy where he is, and thinks it worked out better! :)

OP posts:
SmillasSenseOfSnow · 31/01/2015 00:38

Just found this thread somewhat by accident. Feels very weird to be seeing this from the parents' point of view. Sorry I haven't read the whole thread, but I'm hoping you and your kids know that you can find a whole lot of (accurate) information in the Medicine subforum on TSR, right? :)

JP2014 · 31/01/2015 07:51

I wondered if anyone could let me know what they think of Netherhall School Cambridge? I have a 15 year old son and we are moving to the area. The Ofsted doesn't look good but I would love to hear from children and mums!

Many thanks JP

Decorhate · 31/01/2015 12:40

I think you'd have better luck posting in the Secondary education area jp. This thread is about offspring applying for medicine at university Smile

Original poster
Mindgone · 02/02/2015 23:53

Well, interviews now finished here, and the waiting continues! DS thinks his Nottingham one went ok on Friday, but hard to tell. I found a very nice mum to chat to and drink coffee with for a couple of hours!
Carrie, we got the train in the end as the traffic and the bit of snow looked quite iffy! The train was straightforward though, and very reasonable as it was off peak :)

Best of luck to all with interviews still to come, and any more early offers too! :)

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Carriemac · 04/02/2015 12:01

Mindgone I saw all the parents chatting nicely in the lobby as i passed through on friday! It will be very handy for the station when the tram is finally finished. I am finding the wait for leeds offers very stressful as Ds wants to get on and look at accommodation etc. Still one offer is better than none!

Oyster2 · 04/02/2015 12:28

At least Leeds have been specific about their date for offers. The others are all vague - some time in March they are saying!

Original poster
Mindgone · 04/02/2015 13:27

Carrie, we should have worn a rose or something! ;)
We're waiting for 'sometime in March or April'! Am glad the interviews are behind us, but worrying about grades now!

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Carriemac · 04/02/2015 17:29

I know. Ds thinks that the state school offers were AAA for birmingham ( his is A*AA) but I'm not convinced that's true. It's a minefield chatting to fellow parents of applicatants in real life though, our friends range from no offers to four or five. Most medicine applicants are 1 or none so far though.

Decorhate · 04/02/2015 19:56

Carrie, last year a pupil where I work (state) had a Birmingham offer & it was def A*AA.

angethomp190 · 05/02/2015 22:33

Hello everyone and I hope you don't mind me joining you.
I've just joined MN and wished I had earlier as it would have been great to have found this thread earlier as it is very stressful for us parents as much as the students.
My DD is applying to do medicine this year but hasn't had as much success as all your children. Congratulations to them all.
She was rejected from Imperial and Leeds and has had one interview in Brighton but we don't find out until end March. She hasn't heard from Liverpool even though others from her school have had interviews with less good grades. But it is a lottery to a large extent. The only offer she has is for her insurance choice of bio medicine at Kings College but she may not take this if her A levels are good.
I hope you don't mind me asking but are your children all in state schools or private? My dd goes to a state comprehensive in the north of England. I hope this doesn't make a difference.

Decorhate · 06/02/2015 06:08

Welcome ange!

I agree it is a bit of an ordeal for all concerned. So much research to do etc. My dd is at a state school.
I loved Kings when we visited on an Open Day but my dd also decided that if she didn't get any offers for medicine this year she would reapply next year providing her A2s were good enough.
Do you feel confident that your dd applied strategically enough?

Decorhate · 06/02/2015 06:13

Sorry, posted too soon!

I only ask because I notice she applied to three unis that use BMAT which many people would think is a risky strategy given you don't sit BMAT till after you have applied so don't know your score, unlike UKCAT.
How did she do in the BMAT?

angethomp190 · 06/02/2015 13:07

Hi Decorhate
The problem was that she said she did really badly in the UK Cat. She had wanted to apply to Nottingham and Sheffield but knew they would be a waste of time. In a way she had nothing to lose by trying the BMAT. She got an average score in that apparently which was not good enough for Imperial and may have been the reason Leeds rejected her - not sure.

It seems quite likely that she will be taking a gap year and re-applying and so we will be going through all this again unless she gets an offer from Brighton.

Original poster
Mindgone · 06/02/2015 13:48

Hi Ange, DS also decided to take a gap year if he got good grades but no offers, I think it's the best way to go in that situation if their heart is set on medicine. DS did a two day prep course for the ukcat, which we think helped a lot. Btw, he got a straight rejection from Sheffield even with a good score! On the other hand, Newcastle's cut off this year was 625 due to low ukcat scores. You can do loads of research, and apply strategically, and, as you said, there is still a good element of lottery about it all!
DS is in a selective state school in the north also, I don't think this has had any bearing on his application.
Best of luck to your DD for Brighton and Liverpool :)

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Carriemac · 06/02/2015 21:28

I think there are differences between state and private in that the private schools are very strategic in helping with applications, last year DSs school had 17 do med/ dentistry out Of 19 applicants.
On the other hand, the Unis quite rightly are a little softer on some state schools, using contextual data to lower the interview or offer thresholds.
Swings and roundabouts. I do think , with good grades in hand, sitting the UKCST or BMAT again really improves most peoples scores and offers.