Medicine 2023 Entry - Part 2

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

aaaahhhh!!

A- star, A-star, A for A level predictions.

DD also bit disappointed with BMAT here - 4.6,5,2.5A - only for Cambridge - we'll see. They don't go by BMAT alone they say.

I would agree with that. BMAT is normalised, so should not change so much from year to year.

@Africa2go a total of 10 from the first 2 sections and 3.5A was enough for top 20% for 2019 entry, but I don't know what the threshold was as they were cagey!

@UCATBMAT great username!

Thank you @Monkey2001 , do you know anything more about Leeds - I had thought it was a straightforward points cut off but is it more subjective than that?

@Africa2go In 2019 it was just the points, but I assume that they may need a cut off within the points as they used to interview around 1,000 out of 2,500 applicants. So full GCSE points, AAA+ predicted and a top 20% BMAT guaranteed an interview. Then they have to give interviews to people without full marks by definition as only 20% could get full points for BMAT. I think you have only been able to drop one point for the last few years.

Thank you!

What an excellent score @buckleten - very deserving of an interview... and place!

And DD has an interview from Cambridge! From Jesus. Came in 10mins after she sent an email as they had said to do if you hadn't heard by 25th. Delighted!

@UnclearNuclear Congratulations! What a news!

Thank you! @GoldieRetrieversRule1 we're delighted for her.

Congrats to mini @UnclearNuclear

Fab news everyone. Hopefully the DCs will all smash their interviews!!

Has anyone booked hotel accomm for Manchester or can recommend somewhere? Wondering whether to focus on near airport or in city centre, or somewhere else entirely. We won’t be bothered about shopping or sightseeing, just looking for a quiet place for interview prep but convenient to get an uber to the interview location.

We’re going in early Feb and should land around 6pm the evening before (touch wood!). Have been through Manchester airport before but totally unfamiliar with it in terms of traffic, roads, areas etc TIA

Lovely news about successful BMATs and interviews . A colleague at work bounced in to tell me her son’s BMAT score yesterday with huge relief and it really brought home to me the pressure of applying pre BMAT results . I knew the system obviously but hasn’t really thought about how the process feels for the kids as DD didn’t want to go that route. Meanwhile I am worried DD hasn’t carved out enough time to prepare properly for interview in 10 days time~ she has two significant coursework deadlines looming , work shifts and last night a little sleepover thing for her 18th .
We did make a plan but it’s very tight. She is personable and comfortable talking to people and I suspect she thinks that will carry her through it and she can refresh her reading on ethics etc last minute. The first interview is Sheffield so she has the questions and I know she is thinking about her answers but yet to pin anything down. I am balancing pushing her to get on and not overwhelming her. Just waiting for her friends to get up and go home this morning then will see where we are at today. DH wants her to give up her job completely - I think she is better reducing her available hours but he might have a point . I’m aware that if she is successful all of this work life balance stress will be hers to manage at uni - it suddenly seems very short time until she could be leaving home!

@Peachy2005 best way to get around in Manchester is the metro, so you just want to stay near a metro station. Metro goes to the airport too.

@Cathpot sounds like your DD has the skills needed to ace an interview already. Her job will have equipped her with the ability to chat to strangers, deal with things when they go wrong and think on her feet.
For Sheffield get her to bullet point a few things she'd like to say for each question. Then think about examples or ideas for each one.
I'm prepping our students and trying to convince them they are good enough is always a challenge. But I get them to chat to everyone and anyone they can - at the bus stop, on the bus, at work, in a shop. Just to get used to talking ! There aren't really any wrong answers, just ones you didn't try to answer. Think out loud so they can see your reasoning.
Good luck everyone. It feels almost normal again this year 😊😊

@mumsneedwine
Thank you that’s a nice thing to say and sensible advice- I’m going to get her to set up notes on her phone so she can add ideas for answers as they come to her in the day . She did manage to rope 3 sleepover friends into her EPQ research this morning and got the last of her data done- but now can’t get her head into coursework after predictably late night. She’s off for run in the rain to try and reset her brain.

@HoneyMobster @MidLifeCrisis007 thank you! She is very nervously waiting, and has not really had any interview practice, except for me reading questions from a book! I have told her to ask one of her teachers if they would maybe practice with her.

DS Cambridge interview (Emmanuel) came in at 10.20pm last evening!. He'd given up hope and logged on this morning to check as their deadline was yesterday to let people know.

Thankfully the 2 slots he has have managed to avoid the 3 school orchestra and choir concerts/services he is part of that week- thank goodness.

@Lottsbiffandsmudge brilliant! All the very best for your ds

Great stuff @Lottsbiffandsmudge

@Lottsbiffandsmudge how exciting. Well done to your ds.
Hope they can all go through the next stage successfully.

My Ds has been considering getting Uplearn for Chemistry since he finds it a little challenging. I wondered if any of you have any experience with this platform. Would you recommend it ? His exam board for Chemistry is OCR A. But we don't know if he could use it for his Maths OCR B Mei and Biology Wjec Eduqas as well since Uplearn doesn't cover the same exam boards apparently.

I just popped on here to wish everyone the very best of luck.

We were in this position last year, and this board was amazing. DS got offers from Belfast and Leeds, and is currently in 7th? 8th week at Leeds medical and loves it. LOVES it. Leeds, student life, the medical school, the course, the content, every single little bit.

He’s an A* student but didn’t do brilliantly in UCAT, then aced BMAT. Belfast interviewed virtually, but real people… Leeds interview was seeing a question on screen and then speaking to a blank screen. Awful. They all gave some frank and honest feedback after offers came in, so I hope it changes for this cohort.

Any questions about Leeds/ halls of residences etc, please do ask, I’d love to repay the help we got last year.

I had understood that the interviews are conducted by the Faculty of Medicine and not the college. But DS interview appears to be the college fellows. I am a complete novice to this process so I might have it all wrong. Does the faculty or the college select the offers?

@Monkey2001 you mentioned upthread that BMAT applicants are down this year - I have trawled for data about number of takers but can't find anything at all. Just wanted to compare to last year's numbers (as you can for UCAT etc). Any suggestions as to where this info might be?