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Higher education

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

Original poster

Medicine application

59 replies

MauAnt · 17/03/2015 15:25

Hello all
My daughter in L6 is considering applying for Medicine. She got 11A*s at GCSE and is doing Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Biology. She had wanted to do French but I discouraged her and now she thinks that she is at a disadvantage for medical school because she does not have a contrasting subject to science to show essay writing, breadth, all roundness and her ability outside Science and Maths. Won't her ability show in her GCSE results and is she really at a disadvantage for not taking a non science subject at A level?

OP posts:
Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 08:54

Yes that is the most logical option. Yet to know what the school will say as they seem to have assumed that she will be taking her A2 Maths this year (thus she has been prepared for this) and still do Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Further Maths in A2

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FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 09:23

Wouldn't it make more sense to take her A2 maths this year and take her FM next year? Her A2 maths can be cashed in again next year too if needed.

FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 09:28

MrsRodGilbert I can't believe that a school would be offered a place doing medicine with those A'levels. Even if they were incredibly academic. Medicine admissions have to be completely fair and transparent. I think someone must have got the wrong end of the stick.

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 09:28

Apparently many medical schools do not consider FM and Maths as two separate subjects so if she takes Maths this year she will be seen as only taking 2 A levels next year as they will discount FM

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Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 09:30

Not only will they discount FM but will question her ability to cope with 3 A levels in one year as she would have sat Maths this year.

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FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 09:39

I don't think that's correct. I understand that some Unis won't treat maths and FM as two A'Levels but as your DD will still be doing three at once in year 13 then it would be ok. Her maths A'level would be cashed or re-cashed at the end of year 13 - so she will be awarded 4 A- levels at the end of year 13 (one of which will be 'discounted' by some medical schools)

I'd phone a few medical school directly if I were you (and confirm in writing)

Private schools didn't tend to cash in maths A'levels that were done in year 12 but I don't know if that's changed.

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 09:42

When you say cashed do you mean the results are not disclosed until the end of year 13?

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FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 09:45

Alternatively, is there a reason she wouldn't just do the normal AS maths and the normal AS FM modules this year and the A2 modules next year. Surely, that would be an easier option that carrying on with A2 physics.

Does she know what universities she is interested in?

FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 09:48

Sorry x post.

That right, because the modules from maths and FM are, to some extent, exchangeable, some schools (mostly private) don't cash them in at all until the end of year 13 - while others cash them in at the end of year 12 and then re-cash them in.

I'll find a link that explains it better Blush

FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 09:52

HERE is the OCR Examination board guidance on cashing in.

They are calling it re-certification.

You could look on student room too. I'm sure they will have an easy to understand explanation.

It took me ages to work it all out.

You must double check though as everything is changing with A,levels so you must get the right information for THIS YEAR and for your DD examination board.

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 09:55

The universities require 3 A levels to be sat in A2 isn't the cashing in thing not quite legal? I have no idea about this but have remotely heard about it and wondered as the student is not meeting the Unis requirement by sitting an exam in Year 12 and less in Year 13? I might just be totally confused here as this is all new to me and my DD is my oldest and is the poor person I am learning on!!

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mrsrhodgilbert · 25/03/2015 10:00

I know, it sounds odd to me too but dd was quite sure and the student involved is not known for lying. We will see.

FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 10:16

Re-certification is completely normal for maths and FM. You have to list all the modules you have sat and are sitting on your ucas form so I would have thought it wouldn't look great if you took every module except for one in year 12 and only 1 in year 13.

You still have time to research this properly - ask the school about it and call up some of the medical schools. Doing maths in year 13 instead of physics would be a safer and easier option than physics.

I'm off out but I'll check this thread later.

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 10:34

That is definitely the safer option but I will call some of the unis

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FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 13:53

I would guess that maths, chemistry and biology are by far the most common A'levels for medicine applicants. I had a look at the stats for Cardiff on The WHICH UNIVERSITY website You get the same results for Sheffield, Birmingham and Southampton.

FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 14:06

MrsRodGilbert (BTW I love your user name). I'd be pretty sure there is a mix up in info. - Durham has just tweeted this morning that they are sending out their medicine offers over the next few day? Maybe they offer a related course or a foundation course?

I'm intrigued Smile

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 14:11

I have contacted some of the uni's and checked some of their sites and she will be better off deferring her Maths and taking it in A2 along with Chemistry and Biology. University of Bristol however consider Further Maths as a separate subject so will accept Further Maths in its own right as a 3rd A Level but as majority do not I think it is wise to play safe

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SecretSquirrels · 25/03/2015 14:18

Maths and FM courses are sometimes merged into one. DS took the AQA course in which they study all the Maths modules in Y12 and all the FM modules in Y13. The exam board then allocate the best modules first to the A level Maths and the remainder to the A level FM. I know this because DS had an offer which specified A* in FM and we had to contact the exam board to clarify the process.

So your DD's case she will end up with 4 A levels and three of them taken in Y13.

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 14:27

Secret Squirrel did your DD take FM in Year 13 as a 3rd subject and Complete Maths in Year 12 (at AS and A2 Level)?

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SecretSquirrels · 25/03/2015 14:56

He took 5 subjects in Y12 but dropped Biology. He did all the Maths modules in Y12 but they only cashed in the AS modules.
In Y13 he took Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics.
So in Y13 he got 4 full A levels including the cashed in Maths.
His college always use this course (AQA) for those doing FM. All the unis he applied to were familiar with this way of doing the two maths A levels but he was applying for a maths degree not medicine. As others have said, best to ask admissions offices directly for advice.

Mindgone · 25/03/2015 15:13

Fuckkityup, Durham require biology or chemistry at A2, and started giving out offers yesterday, so it's really quite plausible!

Original poster
MauAnt · 25/03/2015 15:22

Secret Squirrels it is very different with Medicine and you can see why they will allow that for Maths. Biology is also highly recommended for Medicine. I wish there was a site where successful medical applicants listed the courses they took at A levels

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dapoxen · 25/03/2015 16:43

MauAnt this thread on the studentroom web-site might be of interest to you: Medics and Applicants profiles.

FuckkityUp · 25/03/2015 19:49

mindgone you are right, I've just looked and you do only need Biology and no other science at Durham. I'm also sorry for doubting MrsRodGilberts DDs friend.

It's extra embarrassing as I am usually the first person to say that you must look at the actual Medical School admissions policies as there is so much misinformation about.

It looks like there are two medical schools that accept Biology with no maths or other sciences at A Level.

I'd post an 'embarrassed' smile face but I'm on my phone.

Mindgone · 25/03/2015 19:59

Grin fuckkity! (Love your name btw!) It all seems to change all the time, and, like you say, it's only worth relying on information from the unis themselves! And keeping it updated for annual changes!

DS2 is being driven demented at the moment waiting to hear from Durham!