Medicine 2018 part 2

[LoniceraJaponica]

New thread here

Booface and Watfordmummy, I'm with you: I'm not going to let on that Edinburgh emails might be imminent. A couple of weeks ago I excitedly rushed to tell DD that Birmingham emails were out (within seconds of TSR revelations) - which only served to hasten the onset of sadness and deep despair! Let's all sssshhhhh about it!

Off up to Nottingham for place holders (5th choice) day in March (from Watford). I was thinking of driving on the day?

Any suggestions? Or things to look at. Not done one of theses before.

Thank you

What day is it watfordmummy ? Just so I know when my DD should hear by - one way or other. How is it 5th choice ? They only get 4

Sorry to hear about your DD being so upset SomersetS. I wondered (whilst unnecessarily stalking the HYMS thread on tsr) which campus she had been given. It is all just so emotional. At least she doesn't have to decide what to do at the moment.

2B1Gmum has your DD also found out about her campus? How does she feel?

Yes drinkofwater DD has Hull and is happy, we visited York on open day, stayed over and had a fun evening (Hen night at hotel and felt like a destination in York on a Saturday night); but Dd liked the look of Hull on the website and the accommodation etc. So an offer holders visit is planned. She is feeling lucky, first interview and an offer. She still has Liverpool interview to come which has been her favourite - I am not entirely sure of her reasoning, but also likes look of UEA too for the course and feel of Norwich - so we will wait to hear mid March. She has asked to cancel her MAnchester interview (Swingofthings!). I thought about it for a day or so, she argued that she would pick Hyms over Manchester because of course structure etc and would rather have an extra day to revise for mocks and Liverpool interview, on balance I could see her view. She is growing up!

Luck does have a part to play in this process, sickness, weather, order of MMI which Dd feels can make a difference.

DD didn’t chance a risky choice, she played it safe for a good shot at an interview.

I have a friend, considerably younger than me, did medicine at Cambridge - she doesn’t think she would get in today, she gave up after her first year in a London hospital, she said her heart wAs never in it but her school and family pushed her towards it. It just wAsnt for her in the end.
I am sure the process now would have made her think twice much earlier!

Had a very sad conversation with DS last night - he was saying how nervous he is about upcoming Liverpool interview. He says its because this is the one he wants more than the others and he feels underprepared - I tried to reassure him - he has been preparing for weeks on top of everything he did for the two before Christmas. He says it is so stressful as he doesn't have any offers yet and he realises he may not get one at all. I feel so very sad for him - I think that this is what is also so hard for us Mums - when they were little everything felt in our control and on the whole we were able to make things better! I feel helpless at moment. In hindsight I think I might have looked at offer dates before making choices as an earlier offer makes all the difference I imagine (but not a rejection!). Sheffield hopefully won't be too much longer and Bristol - who knows!!!!
Is there anyone else still with no offers?

Hello all (after a long time - sorry been so caught up with other aspects of life!!)
Congratulations to all those with offers (and some with 2 - wow!!) and hello to all those new to the thread.
Movingmountains, I am entirely with you, 2 interviews down and the third one (Liverpool too) next week. Application fatigue has definitely set in here with lots of doubts, no offers here either, my DD has been very anxious especially as most non medic application friends are sitting on offers, some unconditional too. She too is aware of the possibility of no offers, but very philosophically said to me 'd'you know if after interviews 3 med schools don't want to offer me a place, I would have to sit and look at myself and decide whether I am right for medicine as I have tried to be myself at interviews and that is who I am! (Made me shed a tear or two) this was while we were watching Blue Planet on catch up and she then decided being a camera person for David Attenborough would be the coolest job ever so was reformulating plan B.
Still doing prep for Liverpool however despite that - good luck to everyone who has interviews coming - and best of luck for those offers to come anyone at Liverpool next Thursday??

Here. DD has had one rejection (but an offer for a different course), one upcoming interview and is still waiting to hear from 2 more. As she has very little work experience (not for want of trying - she won't turn 18 until July and many places would take her due to being too young), she isn't expecting to get into medical school this year, although I know she will be very disappointed. She had a rejection from her 5th choice as well.

It is galling because there are several under-performing students in her 6th form who are getting offers for all 5 universities they have applied to (obviously not medicine), some being unconditional offers. These students are getting Ds and Es, and DD is consistently getting As.

She isn't the most confident of people anyway and is so nervous about next week's MMIs. She thinks she is going to bomb.

What sort of prep are people doing for the interviews BTW?

LoniceraJaponica - medic portal is really good for prep. There is one page which has types of questions and what to say and what not to say. DS also got a book from Amazon which has MMI practice. Stevie3 I think it is getting to them all - our interview is next Wednesday at Liverpool.

My DD said Liverpool was the nicest and friendliest one she's had. No tricky stations, no trying to catch them out, and chocolates at the end. No offers here either, 3 interviews done and 1 to go on 1st March. Earliest will hear is Sheffield on about 7th. It's tough and a bit sound destroying for us all - all her friends have unconditional offers and planning their accommodation. She's planning a year out !

No offers here either. One rejection pre-interview (BMAT!!), one post-interview. 2 chances still out there ... Actively encouraging Plan B conversations now.

Thanks for all your kind words. Yes she was given a firm offer to HYMS on Friday night, no campus specified, then got an email on Tuesday which confirmed she was allocated to York. She went to pieces.

I know it sounds ungrateful to not just be ecstatic that she got an offer but she LOVED Hull at the Open Day and really did NOT love York at theirs. We went to view York because she loved Hull so much.

She was ecstatic to get their offer on Friday but I think surprised herself with how much she cared about the campus decision when it actually happened. She has had a minor meltdown.

She rang Admissions herself yesterday and asked if it was possible to change, before they gave out all their allocations. They said "no, but if you firm, perhaps it might be possible in May if there is an imbalance, or in August after results"! Apparently, they reserve the right to change it anyhow up until that point!!! At the Open Day in York DH spoke to Head of Med Admissions who did agree that the "no choice" was an issue and they were considering making a change - clearly they didn't. I really don't understand why they can't offer the kids a preference at interview.

Her Deputy Head of Sixth Form found her in a puddle of tears yesterday and she came home. She then rang Admissions herself in disbelief and got the same story. So, unbelievably, DDs favourite choice now stands no chance. Thankfully, she got a surprise offer from Leicester which she really really likes. Quickly booked the Offer Holders Day for that this morning! At the moment she can't be persuaded to go to York's but I'm still working on it.

Will wait on Liverpool as interviewed Monday.

Think really DD is exhausted by the whole process and too tired to think straight - half term and 18th Birthday next week so hopefully we can recover & talk rationally.

This morning she seems more balanced. Am letting her go in late as double free, so we can chat.

Gosh - astonished that what should have been great news has tipped us over the edge. Think it's just got too emotional.

(update - she has agreed to book onto offer day - phew).

See now I've caught up with all your posts while I was typing mine and I feel awful. Ungrateful. Guilty. We do feel very fortunate and we keep reminding ourselves that, it's just the emotional energy invested spilled over the top.

I absolutely understand how you feel those that are waiting on offers and it is awful for DCs. An early offer does help them get into the right frame of mind and I agree 2B1G, sounds like the additional stress of 4th interview, if she won't take it, is unnecessary. Agree friends with Unconditionals makes it tougher still.

Liverpool was DDs fourth interview, on Monday, and MovingMountains, Stevie3 for info she said it was quick paced (apart from document checking at the start) but straightforward and friendly - no catching out - just what you expect from their info. And there was chocolate! I think they will all be most nervous for their favourite, that's only natural but hopefully their keenness and enthusiasm to be there will shine through and pay off.

Lonicera is it Leicester you are waiting for? DD says Leicester was the most relaxed, friendly and "fun" (?!!) of them all. Hope that reassures & good luck.

At least here everyone understands how emotionally involved we are in this - I just can't explain it to my friends who's DCs are applying for English, Geography etc. Thankfully DS hasn't even done GCSE's yet - it will take me that long to recover after this.

I agree with all the sentiments trying to help and at the same time not adding to the nerves. At one point I bought DD a book of questions on Amazon, decided not to take them too seriously and of course none have come up in either of her first two interviews, but it is good practice for thinking on your feet.

I also bought a star shaped key ring to say how proud I was of DD getting this far which goes to interviews with her. Tell your DC you know they have it in them to be great doctors, just before there interview and now is their chance to let the medical school know too.

From what I have gleaned Liverpool do a maths station it is said to be fairly simple (or rather not A level for those of us whose DC didn't carry on with maths); there is also a video to watch before hand as a sort of pre brief.

Perhaps my DD doing AS level drama has helped and also applying for deferred so Plan B sort of in place (results are not a forgone conclusion!).

The medical schools want to know our DC will suit the course, can self direct and learn, can work as a team and listen to opposing views, will not make judgements and are happy to admit to having faults.

Interestingly both my DD and another on TSR (post offers) admitted to reading something and coming to a simple conclusion at Hyms, then walked into the station to discover their mistake - clearly both recovered and whether it showed or not it wasn't disastrous. Won't say more but poster on TSR gives a little more away. I suspect it may have been deliberate, but maybe not.

Weirdly classmate of DDs had an odd experience at UEA, but hasn't divulged - so DD went into that one very nervous and expecting something strange to happen, but had nothing to report.

I found open day at Liverpool very friendly and lovely admissions lady who clearly was very proud of her students, I think I have said before, we asked her about deferred entry and whether to put something in writing about plans - she said 'just let us know on UCAS and then have a lovely year off, relax and enjoy it, you deserve it'.

March does feel like a long time to wait, and to keep focussing on school work is tough. Keep positive, just getting this far is a huge achievement, 40/50% ish chance post interview for many!

I think this last 6 months will prepare them well for if/when they start Uni. It is a tough course and even tougher when they qualify and start work. We are waiting for 2 Unis now and hoping it is all sorted by the end of Feb so that DD can concentrate on grades. I am glad I didn't have to go through it all as an applicant - so tough and disheartening when they don't get an interview and friends get unconditional offers for their courses.

Thank you all for the Liverpool tips..... mmmm chocolate - will definitely go down well with DD!
2B1Gmum - great minds - key ring for DD too at first interview for Bristol!!!!
Lonicera our best tips: know your med school and it's course, smile (even when it doesn't seem to be going well!) and let your personality shine through, you can be over prepped and loose yourself amongst a whole lot of 'knowledge' that hasn't always been needed at interview in our experience - very good luck to your DD.
We're still waiting for Southampton but know haven't made the UKCAT cut off - cannot see why DC's are kept in limbo for decisions that have already been made, ultimately it doesn't help the stress!

Somerset glad to hear about visit to offer holders day, York will sell themselves, they want these applicants and whatever your DD decides I am sure she will come back feeling proud of her achievements so far, and rightly so.

I have a nephew and a lovely daughter of a very good friend sitting the all new GSCEs this year - it will be interesting to see how it pans out. On the whole I think schools get carried away and ask them to sit too many, but maybe that is the schools round here.

DD has one friend whom she is finding a little frustrating at the moment, lack of understanding on how tough and being a bit dismissive - same friend has also backed out of their holiday plans but DD can live with that, plenty of others are still on board. She is genuinely happy for all her friends who have offers and has seen some disappointments too. This process is much more akin to eldest DS applying for jobs - he has started all over again a year later after leaving Uni. It is disheartening, he is a hard worker, unusually neat, polite, organised - but he failed at the final hurdle for his favourite job last year and it has knocked his confidence. Working in M&S is bringing in some money at least...

HAHA (slightly hysterical laughter) in our house we're doing the all-new GCSEs AS WELL AS the med school applications. Teachers seem unable to get through the whole curriculum or have any idea how to grade mocks. Is it any wonder I'm a quivering wreck?

Oh movednorth - us too, not helped by teachers commenting to year 13's that they think schools gcse results will fall this year as they don't know the new courses themselves either 😳😳😂 (laughing hysterically)
Somerset great that your DD is going to offer holders day, I remember all those years ago accepting my med school place (as was the only one I had!) and feeling very apprehensive about the city, but came to love it and all the people in it, so now look back very fondly at my old med school. She has done so well to get this far. Keep smiling all 😊

I can too you all. I have one applying to Mrs school, one doing the new GCSEs and me, well I'm one of those teachers having a nervous breakdown teaching said GCSEs. I am guessing with grades as we have no guidance from exam boards, who have changed the required practical last month - for May exams. It is a big fat mess.

Top not too 😳. Supposed to be marking more mocks from year 11 but need a break. It's too demoralising 🤪

Oh pants. Not Mrs. Med school. Stupid predictive text 😂😂

Movednorth and others, I can't think of anything constructive, how about - swalk to the top of a hill, scream loudly and walk very slowly back down again!

My Uncle is Chief Examiner for a drama board, he told me last summer he didn't have a clue about the new exams, as their whole examining process was changing.

Also it is particularly tough for students that revision books are not geared up for new specs. either.

that is walk not swalk - just goes to show I am loosing the plot a little (whilst chasing a builder for a new plan for extension that was supposed to happen last summer so as not to disturb DD's exams!).