Medicine 2018?

[Katisha]

Is there already a thread for medicine applications for 2018 entry?
If not can I start one?
Wondered if anyone knew about the Birmingham GCSE situation as DS has A stars and As at GCSE and likely to be predicted A stars at A level but is coming up on their offers calculator as unlikely to get an interview.
Is it pointless to apply to Birmingham if not all stars at GCSE? Didn't get a star in biology.

Sorry, Nottingham interview in first week of Jan.

We had to wait ages Swing I sympathise it is so tough but plenty of time left - and it all came good for us in the end! All your DC needs is one offer x

Well, managed to get DD to enter Next today (her worst nightmare!) We got a lovely dark blue trouser and jacket suit, it really is flattering - however, the shirt selection was "grim" - her word and I had to agree. TK Max next door, so got a smart designer shirt for less than £20. A quick nip to Asda for some flat shoes and I think she is sorted. She looked so grown up, it made me proud and just a bit sad.

I think we admired the navy trouser suit but went for the charcoal stripe dress/ jacket/ trouser. I don’t think there was anywhere better than Next for the money. We got the blouse at Warehouse & shoes M&S so pretty similar!

Swingofthings all the best in your new job, it will be a good distraction. I am sure your DD will hear from Manchester soon - December we think? Be good to have that. Full of admiration for all medicine applicants, it is a hard slog... DD's school friends have not heard from their choices yet -one is more BMAT focussed, but I don't which particular Unis/Med schools. Lots of 18th parties coming up, DD spending too much time trying to find an outfit for a Gatsby themed party - I am off to the charity shops next week.

Thanks 2B1Gmum. Wishing DD's interviews (at least those further away) take place before I start the job as asking for time off to take her to interviews days after my first day is really not cool. I think two of her choices have indicated that interviews will be the first week of January.She will be celebrating her 18th birthday on New Year's Eve, so would be nice to have a few days to grow some neurons back before an interview!

Whose DC is going to an interview this week? Good luck to them

I hope dates you get work to your favour, but it is cool to have a DC invited to a medicine interview! I briefly toyed with the idea of DD going on her own - she gets her way round London without a worry, but the long distances and possible delays mean it is unlikely. Tbh if she gets Manchester I have only been there once many years ago and am keen to visit too. As mentioned I have Jury Service in January, so a complete unknown until I am on a case as to when I am free, so DH has been warned to keep annual leave available. My DD's best friend is also a New Years Eve Baby - double excuse to party for them and much needed I imagine.

Oh, jury duty, that's typical isn't it!

As you say, I too was looking forward to this time together to bond about something we've shared in the last two years. Her dad definitely won't go with her. She sees him regularly, but he has never been anywhere with her and never been interested in her education. She would be the one finding herself looking after him! She'd be fine travelling on her own, but it would be nice to be there with her just to take away the stress of making sure she is in the right place at the right time. Never been to Manchester myself (nor Bristol but I've kind of written this one off!)

DD is turning 18 on NYE and her cousin 21 on the same day!! DS was supposed to be born on that day too incredibly enough but made a late entrance 5 days later! We laugh that she certainly has the best birthday to celebrate but as she said, as a future medic, she might very well end up at work anyway!

I found it useful to go. DD had three interviews in a week in March, as well as three sets of coursework to complete, so for logistical reasons with the two London ones, I picked her up from school and we stayed overnight.

This meant:

1. we could have a nice dinner, much better than eating on your own. I had printed off key pages from each website, not least so she did not get confused about which University she was at, which she read before bed.
2. It meant we could go for a walk in the morning, better than her sitting fretting. Bristol suddenly changed the interview from am to pm, which could have been difficult with a 10.00am check out, plus it meant she had flexibility if the post-interview tour proved longer than expected.
3. MMIs take ages so I was able to explore, including looking at the accommodation.
4. In case there are difficult decisions to be made at the end of the cycle, it really helps to have seen your child's reaction to different Universities.

And Swing, don't give up yet. A city break in Bristol was lovely.

Needmoresleep, I do agree with all your points. Tesco vouchers come in useful for eating out on the visit.

DD has a second mock interview at school tonight - I am expecting it to be a different experience to last time.

DS1 went through grad job interviews last year, got mucked about with a last minute time change - poor boy was completely thrown by that. Got to last stages with 2 jobs, but no offers - he is currently applying all over again. He did ask me to read through one of applications, nice to know I am still useful to him too. So keeping my fingers crossed for him as well.

Ah, I meant non-London. The London one was easy. It was the hospital she was born in, and she already knew the A&E well.

DD really enjoyed the MMIs. Partly because everything was so late, and she was well into the cycle of mocks, coursework and A level revision, so had little emotional energy left to engage in worrying about interviews. By then she was reasonably resigned to taking a gap year, so was as focused on achieving good results, as getting a place. Some, including the role plays, were apparently fun. Not everything will go well, so part of the trick was not to let one bad station worry you.

Thanks swing. Its my DD who has an interview this week - on Thursday in Bristol. We're just going for the day, by train, so hoping for no rail issues! I'm not really sure how she's feeling about it - it was her birthday yesterday and she has a ballet exam on Friday, so lots on her mind!

I hope everyone who's DCs haven't heard back yet are managing to stay positive. It is so hard that different places give out interviews at different times and usually in several batches.

We are trying to explain to people that although DD has done really well to get interviews, that it is still really competitive to be offered a place and many more people are interviewed than places available.

Gosh 2B1Gmum, that must be stressful going through that process with both your children at the same time!

Really hope I get to go with DD for all the reasons cited but it's a high-ish level job and making a first good impression is essential, so if it comes to having to pick, it will have to be the job and a lot of phone calls/texts with DD. I think she would prefer that I went with her, but ultimately I don't think she would be that phased going on her own as long as well planned before. I think she would actually welcome the challenge. I wonder how many international applicants do come on their own from much further away.

Your description of your DD going through interviews Needmoresleep reminded me of how I felt going to my job interview and indeed, it made it a lot easier than I went with the attitude 'what will will be', but a hard one to take when you so desperately want something.

adrinkofwater, best of luck if I am not too late. Bristol seem to have a preference for busy people so if her ballet exam comes up it is probably a good thing to mention!
I totally understand your final sentence, a friend asked yesterday how my DD was getting on, she knew we had visited UEA where her daughter is studying American Studies. She said 'has she had any unconditional offers or scholarships? My daughter got both.' I must have looked completely baffled, and then answered 'this is medicine, just one offer would be a dream come true' for my DD.

Thanks 2B1Gmum We are going by train tomorrow, so hoping the storm tonight doesn't cause too many leaves on the line and delay the train!

Just read your post adrinkofwater. Good luck to your DD tomorrow, hope all goes without any issues and you too get a good time together, especially afterwards.

Same here when people ask about progress and I explain we're waiting for interviews and that this will be stressful time. I get the usual 'oh don't worry, I'm sure she'll get offers to all'. If I dare add that this is quite exceptional for any applicant to get offers to all places, I get a 'yes, but your DD is exceptional, she'll do it'.

It does annoy me a bit because it undermines the fact that every applicants have already overcome so much and accomplished a lot and my DD is no different to most. Most people rejected would most likely have got a place to study any other discipline.

Very best of luck to all those with interviews in the coming days/weeks and those still waiting to hear!
Is anyone considering the new medical school at Anglia Ruskin? They are planning a Sept 2018 intake subject to all approvals and are taking pre-applications directly rather than via UCAS. There was an open day last weekend - did anyone visit?

Good luck to Adrinkofwater & DD. Any q’s about Bristol practicalities? Hope the weather is better because parts of the Uni (Park Street) are stunning in the sun. Don’t know where you need to go but it’s too far to walk from Bristol Temple Meads to either the hospital & definitely the Uni. Taxi about 20mins, traffic permitting. If you want a bus, it’s an 8 or a 9 depending where you want to be (same circular route, one goes clockwise, one anti-clockwise).

Still no news from Leicester. We know we will be borderline - going with no news is good news for now. 2 down, 2 to go.

Swing - I know what you mean. Sounds feeble being so excited for our kids to “just” get interviews. People just don’t get it. I think they think it’s a slam dunk. I’m already so proud of how far she’s got. One offer. We only need one offer. My mantra.

DDs friends are getting unconditional offers & whilst delighted for them, it seems so unfair! Unconditional 😩

Fingers & toes crossed for those starting out on interviews & those still waiting to hear.

Thanks Somerset The interview is in the Richmond building (students union). The plan is to get a bus unless train is late and we are in a major panic!! We have 1 1/2 hours form train arriving to interview time so hopefully all will be OK!

Hoping more of you will get interview news soon!

Good luck to adrinkofwater and your DD, hope she smashes that interview! I was surprised to find out that students with unconditional offers can already start applying for university accommodation! Gosh, our DC will be left with the shoe box rooms!

Bus is good then & quite regular. No 8. 20mins ish. Middle of the day traffic should be fine. Good luck.
Afterwards if time turn right at bottom of main steps & walk down to the Triangle & top of Park Street for shops, restaurants & the iconic Bristol Uni buildings (library, museum etc). 10min walk.

bustimes.org.uk/services/8-temple-meads-clifton-temple-meads?date=2017-11-23

Click the box Show All Stops to see time at SU Clifton.

UEA interview invites started coming out today.

Hi biscuit2000

My DS did not want to got to the Ruskin open day although extra points for being in East Anglia they seem say they would be purely ranking by UKCAT and 7th decile might not cut it. I spoke to them as they seem to have not been allocated the funded student places in September so it looks uncertain they will be actually proceeding for 2018 but who knows and it would be a 5th choice on top of UCAS but my DS not keen on being a guinea pig year of first intake.

I see UEA are starting to send out interviews (TSR) any news for any mums? Still no news here, BMAT results going over Friday, all the other medics at school have at least one interview (all Leicester).

No news re UEA and the BMAT login is mislaid :/

Hello everyone,
My daughter applied to Birmingham,Bristol,Newcastle and Sheffield for medicine. And Bio Med as her back up choice at Newcastle. She got an offer for Bio Med from Newcastle on the 16th of October. But hasn’t got any interview invites for medicine yet😪😪 Does that mean that she will not be getting any offers now?
She applied as an international student as we live in Singapore.