Medicine 2022 entry

[Monkey2001]

Support thread for aspiring medics.

We want all our DCs to succeed, whatever their school type. We share knowledge to help them to achieve their goals, celebrate success and support if things don't go well.

As we press the "send and pay" buttons on UCAS, we wish all our DC the best of luck in this tough year with so much uncertainty.

@opoponax

Congratulations to all on the latest flurry of interviews. Sorry to hear about the Exeter email *@MidLifeCrisis007*. Mistakes do happen but that's a particularly cruel one.

It was really cruel. It's not hard to see why the recipients got their hopes up on receiving this personalised email!

It has really knocked the wind out of DD's sails.

@seekinglondonlife

Don't want to derail, but very quickly want to ask about Irish universities. I can't see anything on the websites about interviews, just the HPAT. Is this correct - they don't have any interview process?

Yes! Just done on academic ability! We would have gone for it if DS hasn't got gap year offers and he had done a GCSE language. The cycle starts about now for 2022 entry.

Excerpt from TSR post on Birmingham thread:

I didn't get an interview because I didn’t meet the threshold. My score was 7.611, no contextual points. UCAT 2820, verbal reasoning 590 ( which they use to differentiate

So it was REALLY difficult for non contextual applicants. 7.611 is a high score

..... Max a non-contextual applicants can get is 8.

The Dean lives on my road monkey and without thinking I said to herDH that there's no way DD would apply (although she'd have been happy to go there) due to this skewing
Isn't it something like an utterly stellar UCAT is completely negated having by none of their contextual points? That's what I seem to recall from looking at criteria last year

7.611 is full marks for academics and second decile UCAT for Birmingham applicants.

The only non-contextual applicants who will have interviews if that TSR poster was genuine (and they seemed genuine) are:

1. People with top decile UCAT (2021 - 2910) and at least 8888887 in the GCSEs scored

1. People with at least 8888888 and top decile UCAT or second decile with a very high VR score.

This is after Birmingham changed the algorithm because it was over skewed towards contextual last year.

2023 non-contextual applicants - think carefully before applying to Birmingham with a UCAT below 2930ish even if you have perfect academics unless they change the algorithm!

@Monkey2001 DD and her 2 friends both have Birm. interviews and are in the 2nd of your categories. However, for all of them it was the riskiest choice.

Can anyone explain to me (in easy words) how the waiting lists worked last year?

@KingscoteStaff so when a student turns a Uni down (because they firm or insure elsewhere) an offer will go out to a waiting list candidate. Don't expect much movement until May/June (although can happen sooner).
For Bristol and being on hold, this means they haven't decided yet as still looking at applicants. So good enough for a place, just depends on everyone else.

@KingscoteStaff the frustrating thing about waiting lists is that you can only stay on them whilst you have not accepted another medicine offer. Sheffield make the number of offers they have decided on, then put everyone who scored at least 3 at all interview stations on their waiting list. Somebody whose top choice was Sheffield, but is holding an offer from another med school loses their place on the waiting list one they Firm the other one. I think you stay on the waiting list of you have Firmed a non medicine course.

So could you end up on 2 or more waiting lists, and can you find out where you are on the list?

@KingscoteStaff yes and usually no. Could end up on 4 waiting lists. Most won't tell you where you are I'm afraid. It's v frustrating.

QUB is one uni that will tell you where you are on the waiting list. We had a student last year who was told and achieved a place and started there in September.

I think Plymouth does too. Exeter has in the past told people how many "yes"s they had, not sure whether they get their rank, but they can take a view on where they might be - I think they have 7 stations and each one is a yes/no result, no number scores.

DD had her 3rd and final interview this morning - with Bristol. She seems quite happy with the way it went.

Now the waiting game begins.

Best of luck to all those waiting for an Oxford decision tomorrow!

DD did Maths test for Birmingham this morning - all good.

Good luck for tomorrow to Oxford applicants!

Edinburgh interview tomorrow. DC very nervous

Good luck to all the Oxford applicants🤞
Notts for DS tomorrow then two more next week then that's it - just the nailbiting waiting to hear to look forward to!

Yes, 🤞 for all Oxford people today! DD has one interview this week, one next week and waiting to hear from the last one (we feel that she has a good chance of getting an interview from, based on past years, but who knows this year!). Think interviews will be over and done for us by mid February, which will be a relief. Focusing on A levels seem to be a piece of cake compared to med school interviews. Some of the sample questions I’ve seen seem challenging to answer even for a mature adult, I really feel for those 17 year olds who have to face them.

DD got an Oxford offer! Delighted that it's her first one. Is that the first offer on this thread?

Congratulations@SandyBayley- you must all be thrilled!

Just a bit @Solarlantern ! I can't quite believe it.

Sandy well done to both of you 🎉🎉🎉

Congratulations 🎉 @SandyBayley ‘s DD!