Medicine 2021 - part 2

[Millylovespuddles]

Following on from the first thread:
DD now has UKAT booked for mid-August. She couldn’t get a driving theory test booked until after the UKAT date, but will keep an eye out for cancellations.
Now, her big dilemma is Oxbridge it not....

Ah thanks all. It’s for 2022 entry so I have a year to learn all this!

Good luck for everyone's DC for Sheffield tomorrow- I'm in work and am going to have to resist the temptation to keep reminding my DS to check his track and emails. If the cut off increases a lot from last year then that's going to be a worry...

Good luck all - have your DC given some thought as to when they would like an interview? DD has been saying that if she’s lucky enough to be selected, and it’s one of those scenarios where you log on and choose a slot, then she’d like early Jan as she has two mocks before Xmas and one afterwards, so it would spread things out.

What do you think? Is there any advantage to choosing an earlier date? Would they hear the outcome any faster?

Obviously this is all IF she’s asked to interview - not tempting fate but trying to be organised in the hope of good news at some point.

@LaLaFlottes DS would like the interview in December, if he is lucky enough to get one. But that is only because his mocks start in January, so he would prefer to get interviews over. But given that only Sheffield does there even seem a hope of getting one in December, that is what he would prefer. If he had mocks in December, then I am sure he would have gone for January. Don't believe it will make any difference how soon one hears. From what I understand, Sheffield have tended in the past to let people most know over the period of a week or so, regardless of when they interviewed. Last year that was a week at the end of February, but this year they have suggested it will be later. I have heard of some people possibly hearing earlier, but I think they are the very rare ones (ie the ones that stood out as exceptional), and it is probably ambitious to hope one is one of those. And even then, I don't think they hear immediately, only at the point that they have decided they are clearly exceptional (not sure about Sheffield, but Bristol definitely works that way, 90% are put "on hold" after interview, until the end of March, with a tiny handful being offered earlier).

@bimkom thank you - that’s all really good to know. We will see what news comes from Sheffield tomorrow - good luck all - for Sheffield and everywhere!

Good luck to all Sheffield applicants today. Ds hasn't applied there but it'll be good to see the ball rolling for those who have. Good to see Sheffield sticking by their regular timetable even in these uncertain times.

Good luck all for Sheffield today. Heres hoping DD checks her email whilst at school and lets me know if something comes through!!

No e-mails from Sheffield yet, but the website confirms the UCAT cut off for this year is 2740.
Last year it was 2660 and the year before was 2630.
Good luck everyone!

Lala.... wow, that jump in cut-off is making me nervous. Not waiting to hear from Sheffield, but I feel for all of those who are. Positive thoughts folks and here's hoping for good news.

Wow, almost 100 points. Quite the jump.

Good luck to all of you waiting, hope it's this morning.

Cut off point increase of 80 points representing a 3% increase over 2019.

8th decile starting point 40 points higher than 2019 (2730/2690)
9th decile starting point 50 points higher than 2019 (2850/2800)

So candidates needed to be comfortably into the 8th decile at 2740 to be on/above cut off.

Not great news for my DS sadly ☹️- he'd have comfortably got in last year so thought he was making a strategic application and the 80 point increase in cut off is now making him v nervous about his other choices as they are likely to be similarly tight. I'm assuming less places available due to CAGs last year means higher cutoffs everywhere? Onwards and upwards I suppose!

Sorry to hear that @MazarineBlue

Some Uni's do buck the trend from year to year though as applications are not evenly spread across all med schools so don't give up hope just yet. Where else has your DS applied ?

My daughter has had an invite so looks like they are starting to come through.

Really sorry to hear that about your son @MazarineBlue. COVID and cags have really made things harder for our year 13's.
Seems v unfair.

It is quite worrying news isn't it when you look at the difference it has made to the deciles.

DD did what she thought was the right thing in not over preparing for the UCAT, and she didn't give it masses of time. But I think in a year when scores have been so much higher it's really going to disadvantage her and I'm worried for her choices which would have been safe last year.

We can only hope and there is always the gap year option...

Congrats @redtulip12 that's great news!

My son has texted me to say he had an invite from Sheffield and has booked his interview.

I'm very sorry to hear that too @MazarineBlue. It's so cruel knowing that in a normal year all would be okay. Best of luck for the next ones. I had wondered with Sheffield if there might be disproportionately more applications this year, given the A level uncertainty and their offer policy of allowing a slip of one grade to a B for a strong EPQ. Pure speculation but could mean that other med schools' UCAT threshold hike isn't so pronounced.

Does anyone know when Sheffield send the questions out? I thought they came with the invite...

@Djchickpea I thought that they said in the open day it was around a week before the interview.

That makes sense thanks. I was just a bit confused as uni website says questions go out with the invites, but it seems fairer to send at a set time before the interview

DS also has an interview - just! But just is in, that is all we need. really sorry to hear that @MazarineBlue.

Redtulip and opoponax massive well done to your dc. Great news.

Mazarine - keep your fingers crossed, there is no calling it this year so your son could still be in with a chance.

I'm astounded at the ucas cut off for Sheffield. It means all the unis well have higher cut offs and those with excellent ucat scores who applied strategically might be really disadvantaged. I really hope our year 13 get some leniency. I know the cags were no one's fault but the inflated grades have impacted current year 13 massively.

Congrats @bimkom and @opoponax my dd is waiting until she gets home before booking a slot. Not sure that's the best plan- she will probably end up with the slot next week that no one wants!!

I'm assuming that no news is good news bearing in mind DD's UCAT score.

If some Uni's don't have such a large increase in applicants then a slightly lower UCAT score could still be "above the line" elsewhere.

It depends on how strategic applications have been I guess and what the distribution is across all med schools. The newer med schools (like University of Lincoln Medical School, which I'm reliably informed isn't even a finished building yet although the campus looked lovely from what we've seen online) may be more attractive this year despite their newness.

Thank you @redtulip12 and @Powergower and big congrats @Bimkom. Just making it doesn't matter one bit, the UCAT score is irrelevant once you are through to the interview. An offer is all about the interview in Sheffield apart from a minor adjustment for SJT band.

@SATSmadness which med schools is your DD waiting to hear from?