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Higher education

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

Original poster

Medicine Applications 2017

539 replies

adski · 08/08/2016 14:11

As UKCAT season is in full swing and I can't find a thread anywhere else I thought I'd start this off. This is for parents of children looking to apply for Medicine at University with courses starting in 2017. UCAS application is only a couple of months away. It is hard to watch our kids put themselves through so much to work in the hardest profession imaginable and I thought it might be useful to start some sort of discussion here.

OP posts:
Kr1stina · 08/03/2017 11:09

Some information for those of you with children / mentees who are eligible for contextual offers etc :

DDs knows someome in this position, who just had two offers last week. Within days she has received emails from both universities informing her of extra financial and other support available and enclosing bursary application forms.

Both have also offered a mentor ( member of staff ) .

So there IS some help out there for the most needy students - tell your kids / mentees to keep the faith and get their heads down for the best grades possible.

From what I can see, the universities are making a genuine attempt to support some disadvantaged applicants. No it's not a level playing field by any stretch of the imagination , but it's better than nothing .

Abraiid2 · 08/03/2017 13:31

Thank you for the kind congrats. Ness it is A*AA. Should be ok but...

alreadytaken · 08/03/2017 13:57

for those with very high offers - med schools do accept lower grades sometimes, but not always. So they need to keep working but check track when they get their results if they are down a grade.

Ness1234 · 08/03/2017 14:24

Abraiid2 I understand where you are coming from!

Abraiid2 · 08/03/2017 17:42

So easy for something to go wrong on the day.

Powergower · 09/03/2017 06:53

Congrats to all the amazing kids and parents who have had an offer. Such lovely news after a stressful year. No news here for my mentee but still 1 interview to go and lots to reflect on from the experiences gained this year . Got everything crossed for my mentees and anyone still waiting to hear.

Haffdonga · 09/03/2017 08:00

Specially thinking of your mentees Power . Fingers crossed!

Original poster
adski · 09/03/2017 13:40

My DC has had four interviews.This morning they've just had their second rejection. They are still waiting to hear from two more but those Universities have both handed out quite a lot of offers so far. We always knew it could be a long haul but, after getting four interviews we thought they may stand a chance of bagging one offer. I am not sure what to say to them when they get home. Any suggestions?

OP posts:
YodasEars · 09/03/2017 13:49

Congrats to all those with offers, and good luck to those still waiting!

Kr1stina, I went to St Andrews a few years back. I know you said it isn't your daughter's first choice, but feel free to message me if she has any questions. I will say that I absolutely cannot fault the teaching I received there (I would say it is the best pre-clinical education in the UK), but the town isn't to everyone's tastes (including my own - though all my friends absolutely loved it).

adski, having been in that situation myself (actually got 4 rejections and a forced gap year), I think it's quite cathartic to recognise that it is, quite frankly, a bit shit and demoralising to receive rejections.

However, your DC still has two places remaining! At this stage in the game, after having four interviews, that certainly isn't bad going. Admissions processes can seem a bit of a mystery at times, and even if worst comes to worst, having four rejections isn't a reflection on your DC's suitability for medicine.

RedHelenB · 09/03/2017 13:53

adski - they must be strong candidates if they got four interviews. Make sure they ask for feedback in case they need to reapply next year (hopefully not!) Remember they are still in a strong position for half of their choices .

starshipenterprise5 · 09/03/2017 13:54

Adski that's such a blow for your dc (and you) though there's still surely a chance of one of the others...
I don't find that with my kids 'looking on the bright side' is helpful to them initially.
I properly acknowledge how dreadfully disappointed they must feel /how hard it is for them to get another rejection, etc, I find I can later do the optimistic stuff about two left to hear from/how rubbish the interviewers must have been not to want to snap them up etc. Too early to discuss gap years I think, still need to think positively about the final two.
I really hope they get an offer. This is just too stressful for them. X

Abraiid2 · 09/03/2017 14:42

adski, my husband worked out some kind of equation using the odds of each interview-to-offer ratio. With my daughter's three interviews he worked out that the chance she would get one offer was just over 80%.

Yes. He's a bit of a spreadsheet man.

With four interviews you must be in a stronger position than she was. She has had one offer.

Still very much in the game, I would say.

Abraiid2 · 09/03/2017 14:44

Sorry I meant to write 'ought to' not 'should'. And only statistically speaking of course. But it did cheer us up.

alreadytaken · 09/03/2017 15:05

adski I agree with recognising that this sucks. However they have had 4 interviews and some people dont get any so they have already done well in getting interviews. As for the offers being given out already - until rejected you are still under consideration so they still have two possibilities in play plus the possibility of phoning around on results day/ checking clearing.

Original poster
adski · 09/03/2017 15:16

Thanks everyone. It has really helped.

OP posts:
Kr1stina · 09/03/2017 18:11

I agree it seems really random. One of DDs friends had 4 interviews and has 3 offers ( and one still to declare ). Another got no interviews at all.

It's hard to see the difference between them on paper. Same school, identical exam results, very similar UKCAT scores ( both above the mean) , both have relevant work experience. Their school reference will be good. They applied to three of the same courses.

One with no interviews is now saying she thinks her PS let her down but the courses they applied to don't take much account of PS for selection for interview, it's all done on UKCAT and academic score.

It's a mystery.

Powergower · 09/03/2017 21:18

Yes don't lose hope. One thing this process has taught me is that the whole ordeal is without rhyme or reason! There's no telling what will happen. You can't second guess any part of it. And if your DC get an interview they have already done amazingly well.

unluckystar1234 · 10/03/2017 12:52

My DD got 4 interviews but all rejected . Not sure what happened on the interview . She is not a nervous person and matured as quoted by school ... 😞Still as parent Ican't digest her rejections ..

Haffdonga · 10/03/2017 13:00

Oh sorry unlucky. Hope your dd is OK. Will she try again next year? Anecdotally lots of people have better luck after a gap year of building their confidence and experience.

I agree there seems to be no way whatsoever of working out interview scoring. Ds is very much not a natural interviewee but has had an offer from the interview that he had definitely written off as a total failure and now a rejection from one he was extremely positive about and felt really good vibes.

unluckystar1234 · 10/03/2017 13:19

The school was surprised how she got rejected in all interviews . Feed back was her answers not strong as others . May be her soft voice and walk made her rejected ...... Sad

Kr1stina · 10/03/2017 13:39

Unlucky - so sorry to hear about your DD. I also wonder if having 100% of the weight on the interview favours the outgoing, self confident young people ( more likely to be boys ) than the quieter thoughtful analytical ones who will probably make better doctors.

At one station in an MMI, my DD was asked about a political matter in health care in another country which she didn't know much about. She talked about the pros and cons of each side of the problems but she was pushed and pushed to give a definite answer about what she thought was the " correct " view.

She said that she would need more information to give an opinion and was marked down, as apparently she just should have guessed.

Such a useful skill in a junior doctor - if in doubt - bullshit Hmm

She did badly in another because she didn't know how online sponsorship of sports events work.

And another because she didn't understand that if you accept a police caution , you are admitting the offence.

unluckystar1234 · 10/03/2017 14:28

Yes I can understand . My DD answered most of the answers calmly but think a bit ... to give the perfect sequence . May be they didn't like that . You really can't change your voice / style of talking . When she worked in an elderly home she was told she is v caring / patient and got all qualities of a good doctor . Am trying to be positive ..But now and then ... loosing a bit confidence thinking that next year also same can happen ...

unluckystar1234 · 10/03/2017 14:34

Yes I also noticed that ... people who have low academic/ work experience who wants to be a doctor for some other reasons got in to ... it's Luck ! What can I say ...

YodasEars · 10/03/2017 15:04

Unlucky, so sorry to your daughter, it's really shit.

Honestly, it isn't a reflection on her suitability for Medicine. Interviews will always be subjective - I've sat in on a few myself and have often had the entirely opposite opinion of a candidate than the person actually interviewing.

I received four rejections first time round; second time, I received four offers. I didn't change anything about myself, but applied tactically knowing that interviews weren't my strongest point.

Abraiid2 · 10/03/2017 15:35

Unlucky, is there any chance she might be on a waiting list?

This is really hard for your poor daughter. And you.