Medicine 2018 part 3

[SomersetS]

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

Thanks mumsneedwine. That's great to hear. I heard that they have a Medsoc ( which we had at the Sixth Form College) which I think is invaluable.
We're in a Market town beginning with W just over the border in Berkshire so F is a bit of a distance, but so many youngsters seem to do the journey now. The comps in our town are great, but I'm not sure what kind of support they would give to a potential medic hence looking at F.

Thanks movingmountains. Surely if final exams are not that bad nor must be the first year's. It will be odd though not to be 'keeping an eye' :)

Sugarappleplane DD was in a similar boat deciding on 6th form. She applied to go to a comprehensive school with one of the highest number of pupils getting places to medical school and a support network dedicated to supporting applicants through the process. She was told she would definitely get a place but they had an unprecedented number of applicants that year and couldn't offer her a place. She therefore started at a newish small local 6th form, then only two days after starting, the school contacted her to say they had a place for her. I thought she'd jump at the chance at she loved it but she'd already psych herself to get on with the local school and turned it down. I fretted worried this was a very bad mistake.

As it turned out, it was a real blessing. The other school was a 40 minutes train journey and 20 mbs walk either side and the first year there were many strikes resulting in cancellations. The school she went to was only 10 mns walk and that allowed her to have more time to work, volunteer and revise and the experience was much less tiring.

At the first meeting with her teachers and head of school I made it clear that DD intended to go to Medicine and anything lower than her getting As wouldn't do. Her teachers were very supportive to her and the other 3 medicine applicants. The school was definitely clueless about the requirements of the application process but DD couldn't have got better information via myself through this thread and tsr. She is the only one who got in out of the 4. Two picked the wrong schools and got no interviews, another one got an offer but didn't get the grades however DD said that it was predictable as had done little studying throughout the year and thought he could leave until last minute.

It's a tough decision whether to pick an excellent school further away or pick the good local one. I think what it came down to in the end was DD being lucky to have had excellent teachers.

Very interesting what you say about the UKCAT Zerosugar. I definitely think being prepared for it is so important, lots and lots of practice! But even then, there are so many other factors which can influence the final score. I always thought it very strange that the test is taken in a driving test centre, hardly optimum conditions.....often hot, stuffy, busy and noisy!

Swingofthings, my DS’s experience of first year, from what he has told me, was full-on, but manageable, if they stay on top of things. The medics had things on even in Freshers’ Week that were compulsory, but there was time to socialise too. The workload did increase over the following weeks, and he spent most evenings writing up notes, watching lecture echo etc. He tried to get everything done by about 8pm so that he could spend time with his friends, or Skype his girlfriend!
He said for those who didn’t keep on top of the workload, or work steadily and consistently, they tended to struggle with the end of semester exams (my impression is, nothing like as stressful as A levels though!) . His friend sadly struggled and has decided to do an alternative degree.

Hey, we are on 954 messages so we probably need to start Medicine 2018 Part 4 pretty soon!

Somerset does that mean you have the remark back and your DD has gone up a grade? Good luck with the phoning today!

Also hope your DD is feeling better again!

adrinkofwater sorry, yes it does. With DD for outpatient follow up today & she is refusing to ring. Think she thinks she's had enough disappointment. I'm working on her..... Even so, should help her cause when applying to transfer from Med Science to Med in March.
However, I'm still delighted (though quietly cross with AQA & school).

Thanks for your insight swingofthings. You are all a wealth of knowledge on here and I've enjoyed every minute I've been lurking. Long may you all continue to provide each other and us Parents coming up behind you support and encouragement.

When choosing a sixth form there are always going to be pros and cons. School vs college, near vs far, medic application help vs nothing. We all have to go by our own and children's judgement. But I can tell that the next stage, choosing the right Medical schools, is far more challenging by the sounds of your posts - eek!!

Good luck to all your DC's whatever they are studying and wherever they are going next year. They will have a blast if I remember my Uni days correctly 😜

Somerset, hope appt went ok and also the phone call 🤞

Somerset I've got everything crossed that Uni might still have one tiny space left for you. I thought they were supposed to wait until 31st so remarks could be completed but maybe medicine is different as capped spaces.
For 6th form I'd say choose the one they like best, not based on medicine or any other reason (mine knew nothing if Medsoc, which was supportive for the kids). We live in A so a train ride and walk, but then they drive (down the M3 - I tried not to think about it !). She said it was worth it.
However my youngest is staying at school 6th form as doesn't want to do the journey. So that's right for her. We are researching vet school applications so know what she needs regardless of help they can give.

Thanks sugarapplelane, I think most of us will be happy to continue sharing knowledge and encouragements.

Somerset that's amazing news! What's the call about? Seeing if she can still take her conditional place? Whatever the outcome that's fantastic but understand the frustration of getting it wrong in the first place. Which subject is it?

Somerset I feel so bad for you and your DD. Glad the remark was worth it, but also so frustrating. I was just telling my DD about it and she said "she must phone!". I understand your daughters fear of more disappointment, but really hope all works out!

Ooh one thing sugarapple. At F parents evenings are by invitation (eg they need to see you) so I have never met any of DDs teachers, or even her tutor. It's very much like a mini Uni (as much as 3,800 16-18 year olds is mini). You get a progress report every term but to be honest I've left it all up to DD and trusted her to get on with stuff. It's probably not the place for a parent who likes to be involved 😁. They do run really good info evenings for student finance and parental stuff but otherwise it's down to the students. Hope that helps.
Somerset, I spoke to someone that your situation happened to last year and she was offered a place for this year with a promise of first choice of accommodation. She's just got back from the most amazing gap year travelling with no stress of worrying. Good luck 🍀

Mumneedswine - I went to a fab sixth Form College in Colchester which was very similarity F in terms of numbers and the " it's up to the student now - they're grown ups" mentality. Some thrived, some didn't. I loved it and had the best 2 years. Horses for courses and all that, but I imagine my DH, who stayed on at school to do his A-levels, would have hated the non cosseting environment of a Sixth Form College. DD is more like me in terms of independence etc.
You have given me food for thought- thank you.

Do urge your DD to call the Med school after her re-mark Somerset. As mumneedswine said, they may over her a place for next year so she can have a year out having fun...

@Somerset - I hope your daughter has called the Med School if she now has the grades. A friend of DD's just got their remark back today (achieved an A* on remark) and phoned Oxford and they agreed to give her the place so well worth it! At worst your DD could be offered deferred entry as I know some Unis have done this for some candidates this year. Bonus if she doesn't have to take the dreaded UKCAT again.

Somerset, if she did not call today she should think about it carefully tomorrow over the weekend and draft a careful email explaining what has happened, ask if there is still scope to be admitted this year, and if not, would they consider offering her a firm deferred place.

Then wait an hour on Monday monring and phone them, resending the email if the person she speaks to has not seen it.

DD says quite a number of medics in the years above have told her they regret not taking a gap year. And though she did not earn much, she broke even and had some fantastic experiences. She should first sleep on it and then ask. If she does not she could well regret it. If you want to be a medic this is where you want to be, and the mix of study and placements is quite different than on a straight academic degree.

And Prof, thank you. I had forgotten about Keele. The poor kid just bombed one section but really badly, the section that they had previously done best on. They should do BMAT but are feeling too fed up and have decided to use this year as a practice, focus on A levels and try again next. This is what DD thought she would do and it had the advantage that she was relatively relaxed going into interviews.

Somerset - I know you know this and are trying to persuade your dd to ring but I'll join the chorus. Our friend's dd was in the same boat as yoursand while all her friends wildly celebrated their grades, she stayed hidden feeling almost suicidal locked in her bedroom . When the re-mark came through, her grade went up from a C to an A but she felt oddly flat about finally getting what she needed. However her uni did accept her and she started that year and is having an excellent time, the trauma of results day forgotten.

BUT I'll also second what Needtosleep said about gap years if your dd takes one instead. Neither of my dss did one and both wish they had. I had it in my head that STEM degrees didn't favour gap years but they both say at least half their course mates took one and they felt somehow less 'mature' and mentally ready for uni than the gap year takers seemed.

As for how first year med school compares to A levels stress-wise? Yes, there's study, yes there's stress but for ds2 it was nowhere near as stressful as Yr 13 and that was alongside having a ball as a first year student with all the many thrills and spills that entails. It's scary for them because they are competing (and they are competitively ranked against each other) against other students who are as academic and 'all round' achievers as they are so they just don't know how they'll fit in until results day but if they are really there because they want to be they will have the time of their lives. Not sure the fresher joy will carry on as he goes into higher years

Good luck to all whatever they do (especially to their mums )

Somerset - really hope your DD has phoned. I know of one boy who got rejected from Cambridge due to an E in RS. He started at Newcastle but grade eventually got upgraded to an A* 😳 and Cambridge accepted him and paid his costs at Newcastle!

Hello wise mums of 2018, can you help a 2019 Mum?
DD applying this year.
6Astars, 2A, 2B at GCSE, predicted 2Astar 1A for A level. UKCAT 2610 band 1 - VR let her down which has left her pretty upset.
Looking at:
Bristol - but so uncertain now they aren’t not looking at PS
Newcastle - I fear Ukcat borderline at best
Notts - scores 45/56 so far, can’t find cutoffs for them?
Liverpool
Southampton - complete information vacuum re Ukcat thresholds

Her PS is strong (2.5 weeks work exp in Hospital and GP, a years volunteering on elderly care ward, county level sport and deputy head girl so v involved at school), seems so unfair that Ukcat thresholds mean so many never get to demonstrate this - have been following your thoughts on the whole brutal process.
Anyway, would really value your thoughts!

@sergeantmajormum - we only have experience of one of the Unis you mention and that’s Nottingham. My DD applied with UKCAT 2700, SJT band 1, 8 As, 2A and predicted grades AA*A. Her PS was a strong one - lots of varied work experience and long term volunteering in a hospice etc etc. We worked out that she had 48/56 as a starting point. She never even got an interview. When we queried it the Uni were very reluctant to give feedback and were very unhelpful. Their administration leaves a lot to be desired too - they offered her a number of alternatives and gave her a few weeks to decide on these but then updated her UCAS track as “rejected” 48 hrs later without allowing her time to decide on alternatives. I would avoid Nottingham as it may be a wasted choice. Looking back on it I think she had a lucky escape!

Attraction of Nottingham now is that it at least has other pre-interview criteria so UKCAT is diluted out a bit! So many others select just on score which as discussed earlier in the thread means there’s no mitigation of a “bad” 2 hours test.
Where did your daughter end up?

@sergeantmajormum - our experience of Nottingham is also similar Im afraid 😟 . At the open day they told us my DS score of 48 with UKCAT oh 2950 would guarantee him an interview. He had a strong PS and got an interview at Bristol and Liverpool which are notoriously strong on PSs. Yet rejection without any reason from Nottingham. He wasn’t too bothered as it was his least favourite- mainly as most of their accommodation is catered. He did like the course though. He is off to Sheffield which he loved from beginning the whole process. Liverpool was a very close second and again has a great course. Have you loooked at HYMS, SGUL or with those predicted grades EXeter?

Thank you, the whole process is less than transparent! Bristol and Liverpool def on her list, doesn’t want a London school (too close to home!) and Exeter needed 3Astars for year 13s last year! She’s loathe to change too much now and is prepared to have a gap year if this year’s strategy doesn’t work, it’s hard to dissuade them when they set their hearts on places and work so damn hard, even if more strategic applying might be more sensible .....

Mine obviously has different perspective of Notts as got an offer and starts in a few weeks (first few balls already planned). If it helps she had 6 A*s and 4 As with a UKCAT of 2780 and a 1 (they use the SJT in their scoring). At open day they did emphasis they liked part time work - said they'd prefer working at McDonalds than months with a surgeon as showed resilience, patience and commitment. Mine worked at Waitrose.
She also loved Sheffield (was her insurance) and applied to Liverpool (I loved) and Southampton. Got offers from them all somehow - still not sure why !!!

Dear mums could you please help me to chose medical schools for my daughter applying 2019? Her GCSE is 5A*and 5A. Prediction is AAA in biology, chemistry and maths . UKCAT 2590 band3 (disappointment)6 months Carehome , pharmacy ,one week in a special need children school and one week at the cardiology department.Thanks