Medicine 2023 Entry - Part 2

[opoponax]

Anyone out there with DC applying or reapplying for Medicine 2023, please join a friendly thread for mutual support and useful advice.

For DS1 the UCAS coordinator sent me the draft and asked whether we wanted anything changed for his second application. First time he was shown it, but not given a copy. I don't think DS2 saw his, but they are used so little that we did not ask. I think it is really weird that they can't see their predictions and reference on UCAS, they should be able to see all the data that the universities can see.

It makes me v v angry. But they are fighting back as much as they can. I think a v bumpy road is ahead.

@monkey2001 absolutely. It's just knowing that the school has input the predictions properly. Also, I know the school reference is hardly used but you kind of want to know what is in it, particularly when you are applying for an interview-based selection process and you know that the university sees it.

@opoponax
Did Newcastle ask your DC to submit a separate PS for Bio Med ? TIA

@HAMROGUE Newcastle Biomed don't look at PS - as long as predicted CCC+ they give standard offer to all applicants.

@HAMROGUE exactly as Monkey said. Just the one PS submitted that was tailored to medicine and standard offer of AAB.

Hope everybody is well and DCs are getting ready for the next phase. My son started talking about taking a gap year and deferring his entry etc. I wondered if med schools accept deferred entry and if it is advised.

Sheffield say that they offer up to two years deferral no questions asked.

@Cratos most will. Get the offer and then ask. Once they want you they are normally happy to wait

@mumsneedwine and @Unexpecteddrivinginstructor thank you very much. He applied to Sheffield, Liverpool, Bristol and Leicester.

@Cratos the only one I know of which does not make deferred offers is St Andrews. Liverpool made deferred offers to people who had not requested them as a way of managing the waiting list.

@Monkey2001 thank you so much for the info 🙏🏼 something else to think about and manage if he gets any offers.

Sheffield's view was that they would prefer you to go off and find yourself or whatever rather than start the degree and then realise that it isn't what you wanted. They didn't mind if your gap year was medicine related or not.

@Unexpecteddrivinginstructor thank you very much for clarifying Sheffield's position. It makes a lot of sense though the Gap year idea makes me a little nervous.

@Cratos gap years have worked out very well for both of mine, only downside was that DS1 started in 2020 which was horrible for students. Both went/will go with a few thousand in the bank, having taken a break from full time study and gained useful life skills.

@Monkey2001 that sounds very positive. Perhaps my concern is not very rational. I worry about him not continuing his studies after taking a break.

I took a gap year and there is nothing like a series of fairly menial jobs to motivate you to go back and work at uni.

Will I be the first one to start with news about an invitation to an interview? DC got the news today about an interview at Kings College at the end of November. Hopefully you children will get good news soon too.

Great news @GoldieRetrieversRule1 ! Was that a BMAT uni? Out of interest.

@UnclearNuclear It's UCAT.

@GoldieRetrieversRule1 wow! Amazing to hear: so pleased for your dc. All the very best to them

Ah thought that was more likely for timing but thought most London ones were BMAT (my DD did not really look at London ones so I have no clue really!). So great for your DC!

Congratulations on the interview @GoldieRetrieversRule1 , I assume your DC has an insane UCAT score - on TSR today there was a Bristol interview for someone with 3430 and a KCL interview for someone with 3270, both must be in the top 0.5%, I think 3430 is probably in the top 20 or so candidates!

thank you very much @Thethingswedoforlove , @UnclearNuclear and @Monkey2001 ! Very kind of you! Yes, DD UCAT score was similar to the one mentioned for KCL. Wish your children invitations for the interview very soon!

Congrats @GoldieRetrieversRule1 x Are the BMAT scores available for students to download ?