Medicine 2019 - Part 2

[Monkey2001]

Oops, looks like none of noticed the old thread was full!

@HostessTrolley @Hoodiemum @4catsham @mamamedic @medicmom @mimiasovitch @Nightowlpossibly @ProfessorLayton1 @Tinkobell @Weaverspin @Itsthekissing @Sluj @Mumneedswine @Movingmountains

Apologies to any regulars I have missed

Why on earth would you need to know about the city? .

MrsGrammaticus I think a straightforward read of the various posts (other posters' as well as my own) make it crystal clear that people with experience of the process at Oxford and Cambridge are trying to help, not 'get at'. If there's an obvious weak link in an application and one's trying again, the thing to do is to make that weak link good, or you'll get the same result a second time around.

@mamamedic Thank you that's very encouraging. DS going to speak in depth to college tomorrow but will probably look at re-enrolling for Year 13 (thinking of doing biology with a tutor and maths and physics at college with the possibility of an EPQ). I will encourage him to get in touch with some of the medical schools that look like possibles (he still has his heart set on Sheffield- his firm. Luckily they have a understanding resit policy).

Hoodie- thanks for your kind words and congrats on your dds place at
St. Andrews.

DD Still extremely disappointed at losing her place. But doesn't really want to talk about it right now, and I don't know what to say to make her feel better.

Family and friends all told her how well she has done overall even with a B grade in chemistry. . And expressing surprise that she didn't still get her place. But I don't think they really understand the fierce competition to get into medicine and how easy it is to lose your place by slipping even one grade so although well meaning , it just makes her feel worse. She also feels like she has let everyone down.

She is not sure if she wants to re-sit as she said she did her absolute best and could not have done any more .So not sure where we are going from here.

Once again congrats to everyone's DCs who did make it. the next few weeks will be an exciting and busy time for you all, preparing for them leaving. Enjoy!!

Nightowl, sorry I missed your sad news. There are a number of places which take AAB - Sheffield with EPQ at A/A, at least one of the new ones, maybe Edge Hill. Bristol has an enormous Widening Access list, seems to inclide half the state schools in the country! Lots of places do not need* Chemistry so she could get herself an A in ANYTHING - was there a favourite subject she gave up to do the subjects for medicine?

You may remember that Newcastle gave AAB offers to the people who performed best at interview so she would be in a strong position to get an unconditional offer as she will have an extra year of maturity and, hopefully, more work experience.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

@Nightowlpossibly....I'm so sorry to hear of your DD's sadness. Sometimes best to leave well alone for a while, let the dust settle. There were a good number at our DD's school that didn't make but instead have opted for : physiotherapy, speech & language therapy, neurosciences, biomed science, pharmacology etc...there are so many great sounding courses as well as medicine.......

Dundee also have a route with a foundation year....anyone looked at that?

Foundation years have specific eligibility criteria. For Dundee's, students must either have AAA including no more than one science (and not have taken chemistry), or be from a disadvantaged background or have experienced severe personal circumstances (see www.dundee.ac.uk/study/widening-access/in-context/#!faq-0). All medicine foundation/gateway years operate one or other of these sets of requirements.

Bit of a late update. DD missed her offer and spent last Thursday morning on the phone going through clearing. She got a call on Thursday evening from Nottingham who were the only ones who had taken her details. Interviewed on Saturday, offered a place on Sunday at the new med school in Lincoln (but run by Notts). She has been lucky I think, Nottingham score on UKcat and GCSEs - both of which were very good. Then she performed well at interview. Don't let anyone tell you that clearing isn't worth doing unless you have AAA!!
It was immensely stressful, but worth it obviously.

Yay @Quadratilla! Sooo pleased for you and DD 🎂🍸🍾🥂

Monkey2001- thank you. I have looked at Sheffield and cannot see AAB only AAA and no mention of EPQ.

The new Kent school is AAB but the two A grades still need to biology and chemistry with the B grade for any other subject at least that's how DD and I understand it.

Widening participation not possible for us though ironically we live just a few streets away from an eligible postcode!

hull York will take AAB plus an EPQ if you make them first choice.
And looks like edge hill will accept ABB with at least bio or Chem at A grade and the other at B grade. Will potentially look at those but DD really wanted to go to kings! Will discuss when she is ready to talk about things.

Mrs Grammaticus- agree there are so many other courses she could do that can lead to an equally satisfy.ing career. Although DD says a B grade in chemistry will exclude her from lots of biomed courses at the UNIX she would like to go to at least. ( will need to look into that). As you say I am letting the dust settle and giving her time to accept what has happened and to think about the next step.

Cimaglobal.com

Nightowl, I'm not sure if link above about Sheffield will work but if not, basically you have to go to entry requirements and then scroll down and click on the tab called "applicants offering A levels and EPQ" . Not sure if this helps your dd or not. I think you're right to give dd time before she wants to talk about it. It can be so upsetting for the dteens when they miss by one grade - the cost of having a pre results application system is high in terms of the stress for disappointed students I think.

@Nightowlpossibly - Sorry if this sounds harsh, but if she's missed the conditions of a medicine offer and is having to reapply while resitting one or more A-levels, she isn't in a position to be terribly choosy. When you do feel she's ready to talk about things, try to get her to appreciate that if she is dead set on medicine she'll have to be flexible on which university.

Sheffield's offer is AAB for students who have A or A* in an EPQ, as long as they have an A in either chemistry or biology. See www.sheffield.ac.uk/medicine/prospective_ug/applying/entryrequire .

Ah, Toby's link is better to Sheffield than mine. Nightowl is your dd applying for a review/remark - sorry if I've missed this!?

Sirtoby- I think deep down she does knowt this, but she just needs time to adjust her expectations. it's only been a few days! She is not planning to resit, hence looking at any places that will accept the B grade. Thanks for the links will go and check them out.

Soonerthanithought- thank you for the info on Sheffield and the link.
Thank you for the kind and understanding words. DD not applying for re-mark as advised on results day too far off boundary.

Have checked links and found the EPQ and A level requirements.
Could be a possibility she meets all the criteria. Will mention , when DD ready to discuss, thanks all.

Nightowl this is the ENORMOUS list of school which get you into the contextual offers category. DS's school is there, half the state schools in the country seem to be!

www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/study/undergraduate/documents/English-aspiring-state-schools-2020-21-cycle.pdf

Quadratilla Impressive turn-around story - phew!

Nightowl - meant to say the list for Bristol

Ah, I see about the remark Nightowl.

It sounds as though there are several potential options for the future! but it takes a while to 'reset' I think. Yes they know the offers are conditional, but it's only human to have in some ways at least got into the mindset that you're going there. (On a tangent, even the use of the word 'firm' acceptance suggests a degree of certainty that in reality isn't there!)

Perhaps even harder for the medics/vets/dentists because they have gone through so much effort and hassle to get the offer (have not had one of those dc, but the contrast with most other applications is quite marked! O/b and other interviewing places excecpted).

when my child was applying one medical school person told us they had so many applicants that he looked for any reason at all to cut the numbers down. If there is any weakness in an application - and not having Chemistry and Biology at A level is a weakness - then if they have no offers first time round its sensible to deal with the weakness.

There are online courses for A levels, because young people dont necessarily want to stay on at school. They dont have to stay at their previous school, another school or 6th form college may be happy to take on someone who has already got decent results. There may be other courses that help improve their application e.g. www.edx.org/learn/human-anatomy (but check how medical schools of interest see these).

Quadratilla congratulations to your child. That sort of determination and persistence will stand her in good stead later.

@alreadytaken....then if they have no offers first time round its sensible to deal with the weakness .....you know this kind of statement reads as being a bit snotty on an otherwise supportive thread. As you said, this was 'one person' who we don't know from Adam. What some posters are grappling with is published and confirmed entry requirements versus their DC's outcomes....who bloody knows! It's just speculation and at the end of the day unless an admissions director is prepared to come on this thread and spell it out...we just go round and round in circles. I deeply commiserate to those worthy and hard working candidates who were not successful this year - everyone deserves a break and hopefully a bit of time and renewed purpose will encourage some to re-apply. My DS would be mortified if I called him "child" btw, he's a young guy with his own destiny in his hands!

@batedbreath Quadratilla's child will still be her child when one of them dies, perhaps you are one of the teenagers pretending to be an adult who use these forums as you dont appear to understand that.

The "one person you dont know from Adam" was one of those who was interviewing and selecting applicants. There are many people involved in admissions at any medical school, there are some at every open day and they are very helpful with specific questions about whether an application is likely to be competitive.

It's advice - people take it or leave it as they please, but it's the same advice from many people.

And by the way, I'm flattered by the teenager remark! 😂 If only! I'm 49 and parent of a "child" who received a full compliment of offers. I have a view on what worked for my "child" 😂But I hardly that qualifies me to give advice like I'm some bloody careers guru!

Ok a fresh question! My dd wants to put medicine and biology at St. Andrews on her form. Is this madness? I’ve suggested she ring their admissions but thought I’d ask you lot too. Anyone’s kids/teen/student done this and got in for either?