Medicine 2018 part 3

[SomersetS]

Hope you all find this - didn't realise I took 999! Whoops.

Can I ask how many A levels did your DC did?
Mine started with 5 ( maths, further maths, economics, biology and chemistry) but dropped economics ( did not enjoy and the teacher did not help )
She is doing WJEC board and has done some papers which will be taken into account towards A level.
A part of me says that she should do further maths as well ( she would have done 70percent of maths at AS) - purely if she is good in maths then she should continue it.
Am really confused as I don't want the universities to think that she has not done full 3 A levels so she is disadvantaged!
She was dead against medicine when she started sixth form and wanted to do economics so her A level choices were made for this !

DD started studying 4 A levels and the EPQ. She decided to drop the EPQ after Xmas as she started to do volunteering and working and it was all too much. She then dropped FM this year.

She had deliberated whether to do FM or not it doesn't count as a 4th A levels for most medical school but at the time, she was still considering a 2nd option which could have been studying Maths at Uni as that's her strongest subject. She, nor I, knew at the time that if you are indeed naturally good at Maths, it is a wise choice to make because of the marking system as the Board will count FM results towards Maths for those Units that can be used in both. This happened for one unit for DD.

So yes, would advise anyone good in Maths to do FM at least to AS levels, although will Maths changed to become linear (or whatever it's called) and no more AS levels?

She has done at least three modules of the A level maths ( we are in wales so still old A levels, works about 75%of the syllabus ) this year but has some to do next year. The way School does it is that it does accelerated A level maths in AS level and most of the further maths next year.
If she drops FM then she has 3 AS and A levels ( with most of the maths done in AS level) - would this be of disadvantage?
The frustrating part is she is capable of doing 4 A levels but is stuck with FM which is not valued by the medical schools!
She went to kings college open day on her own and apparently asked about this but they did not bother about it

My understanding at open days was you need Biology Chemistry and one other. Maths or Further Maths will be fine but they won't count both. Some will value the Economics to AS showing a broader learning. The advice seemed to be "just do 3 and make sure they are all As" at the same sitting
My DD did French as a third so not au fait with the way Maths works. Humanities & language positively considered by some (BSMS, HullYork etc) but believe any "proper" third works.
Julian at Sheffield actually changed his policy after a girl asked about A Level Maths in Year 12 & then Biology & Chemistry Yr13 - originally those taken a year early didn't count! Check the Sheffield TSR thread & specifically Julian's posts for clarification.

@ProfessorLayton1
There is a useful link here:

furthermaths.org.uk/medicine

@Movingmountains thanks for the explanation about EPQ. I know its not relevant to her offer (it wasn't even medicine related) but still hope it might make them look favourably if needed!

My DD did 4 A levels in year 12 and really didn't want to drop one, but after asking at every open day she finally relented and dropped German after AS. Now she is so glad that she did. They are a lot of work. Her school were great though and let her keep going to the German lessons, she just didn't have to do the course work or revise for exams!

ProfessorLayton, my DD didn't even do maths, her school wanted her to and kept putting it on her timetable (she was on gifted register for maths for many years), but she was insistent she wanted to carry on with Geography as her third A level - and if medicine didn't turn out to be the subject to her she would go back to Marine Biology. She did her fourth AS in drama. As SomersetS says BSMS and HYMS like to see humanities, (DD got a very early interview and offer from HYMS, didn't apply to BSMS and offers from UEA and Liverpool, turned down interview at Manchester, so lack of maths and no fourth A level no problem with any of them).

Only one college at Cambridge insist on maths at all, so doing Further Maths is not a requirement or an advantage unless your DC just loves it and is guaranteed A/A* without compromising Chemistry & Biology.

A young man did ask this at HYMS, and was told, do three A Levels, get the grades in all three - that is the priority. There is a maths station at Liverpool interview, but DD said it was easy mental maths and I believe maths will help with UKCAT - DD found she had lost her speed after not doing maths for a year other than than in Bio, Chem & Geog - which of course all need reasonable maths skills.

Thanks all for your replies..
She has not done the exams in economics for AS - dropped it before the exams although she did all the work.. the teacher was a bully and has been sacked!
So she has only maths ( most of it done in AS ) , Chemistry and biology for A levels if she drops FM.
So, will the universities look at her application unfavourably compare to someone who is doing all three A levels?

I am confused, she is continuing with maths, maths is a stand alone A level. FM means more modules but is not a fourth A level, of course this may have changed since my DS took maths.

A few Universities might be hoping to see an AS level in a fourth subject.... however in the borough where I live most schools are sticking to 3 A levels and a fourth subject to AS is no longer on offer, this has only been the case since the new linear exams. I am not sure how this will effect entry requirements in the future. Have a look at The Medic Portal website, it is very useful for up to date info. in each medical school's requirements.

www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/choosing-a-medical-school/comparisontool/

My findings are the same as 2B1GMum. Biology, Chemistry + 1 other. It could be Maths, Physics,Geog, French, Economics etc. Only Cambridge want it to be Maths (A Level, not Further).
If your DC loves Maths & can def get an A in Further Maths then brilliant, but if not, stick to basic A Level Maths if they definitely want to do Medicine. It's ALL about 3 As plus UKCAT/ BMAT & work experience or volunteering. Not much else.
Hope that helps?

Thanks all
I feel reassured now, there is no point in her continuing FM is it is not required

Here comes the worst (but final) week for DD. French clashes with both Biology & Chemistry this week. Poor thing has French & Biology back to back tomorrow with a half hour break in isolation (no fresh air, no notes) to change from thinking in French to Science. The same again on Wednesday with Chemistry.

Grade 8 Flute Thurs to just to add to the fun.

I have a bottle of Prosecco & a new bottle of Bombay in the fridge ready for Thursday night!

Fingers crossed for everyone. We are nearly at the final furlong.

That's a tough week for DD Somerset! And flute in the mix too, good luck to her. DD has bio, chem and the two hardest maths papers next week, she just wants them all over and done with. DS still plodding on with GCSEs, just German to go now. All finished by Friday, gin and prosecco sounds like a good plan. Dd going out clubbing on Friday whilst DS has prom on Saturday. I feel exhausted just thinking about it all!

Looking forward to Wednesday as it's DDs last Chemistry exam 😉 We are off shopping on Thursday and she is having a well deserved night out at Spoons on Friday with her friends. I will be in with my I am looking forward to a good holiday before results day!

GCSEs done here and DD2 just heading off to yet another party tonight. Although says she'll be home early as has work experience this week (vet journey beginning).
DD1 finishes Weds with 2.5 hr Chemistry exam and going clubbing that night to celebrate. And then off to Zante the following week (trying not to think about that !).
Almost there ........

Wednesday's the end there too!! Tomorrow Biology and then paper 3 Chemistry on Wednesday.

DS heading off to Kavos on Tuesday and then working though summer until he heads off inter-railing after result day - celebrating the otherwise.

Fingers crossed all xx

@mumsneedwine I can see why those parents took part in hat tv program spying on their kids!! I don't think I'll sleep for the week he's there!! (Ridiculous I know!!)

Friday is the final one for DD. I think she's really fed up with it all now though. Definitely not as much revision being done this weekend. She is upstairs doing pilates just nowJust hoping she can put her all into these final 4 exams.

Fortunately DS still has some GCSEs this week. So they finish at more or less the same time.

Watcordmummy I'm not going to think about it !!! She went to another Greek island last year but was not party central. She's off to Central America the week after and I'm less worried about that. Foam party is already booked 😳
Anyway she's now watching Love Island so all revision has stopped. Maybe Dr Alex will help her learn by osmosis (if you don't watch this will mean nothing 😂)

DD heading to Tenerife for her post exam holiday. I won't sleep either!

Good luck to everyone for the final push this week!! My DS has four, last one is maths on Friday then he heads off that night for Thailand with three mates... they haven't even got the first night booked - you've got to love them!

DD's timetable has been OK, last week was the worst, I have a friend whose DS had Maths, Geog & Econ all on one day.. with Economics being last, he said he was talking to himself before the final one, saying 'dig deep you can do it'! DD's last is unified Chemistry on Wednesday, sitting Biology as I type - presume most others are too, although the contents of the third paper seems to vary considerably depending on exam board.

All the best for the last week, and 'dig deep' all!

DD going to Portugal in July, 17 of them! All organised on my credit card.... they have all paid me back :) Then she has a lovely few days in Denmark with a good friend who is Danish - much more chilled, I am jealous of that one!

Booface, Thailand will be fab. They should find accommodation easily enough and wonderful food and beaches....

Spent my wedding anniversary cleaning a student house in Durham, 6 rugby playing students, none of whom can see dirt or mess...... another couple of parents spent two days cleaning. Good news is the landlady was very happy and declared it cleaner than when they moved in, deposit will be returned - yeah!

AQA bio another mixed exam according to DD. Still no idea how she has done. She mentioned her insurance med school today , wondering if they'd take a dropped grade. Bit worrying!

DD not feeling great after biology today either. OCR A. She is feeling frustrated as she said its not that it was a really bad paper, she just doesn't feel she did that well. I too am worried, but trying to be positive! 3 exams still to go.