Medicine 2025 entry - part 2

[HGC2]

Not sure how to link old thread, can anyone help me do this?

Onto UCAT and personal statements now - good luck everyone!

@mumsneedwine where do I find the information on Keele's focus on work experience? I want to make sure DD hits the mark

@SoTiredNeedHoliday start here and look at the bit 'how to write a PS'

www.keele.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/undergraduatecourses/medicine/medicinehowtoapply/#person-specification-for-a-keele-medical-student

DS did UCAT today and got 2700 SJT3.
He will definitely apply to Cardiff, and he thinks Liverpool. He's thinking about Birmingham and Exeter but UCAT score may not be enough. His GCSEs were good I think he would score max for them and he is Welsh. In some universities he seems to qualify for contextual based on his college and our address, but not all. It's so confusing!!

@sproutsandparsnips contextual is not an exact science either. They all look at different things. His choices look good (as long as 3 A star predictions for Exeter). Nice UCAT that gives him options.

Re Notts elite athletes - DD’s sport is surprisingly on the BUCS (ski race / slalom) .. do you find out if you’re successful for athlete scheme before you put in your ucas application though or do you have to apply blind?

Many thanks @mumsneedwine will bear in mind re: Exeter.

I got an offer from Birmingham last year and they are GCSE focused but also want good UCAT. It's worth a try if he wants but not guaranteed. I know last year someone that got a Liverpool interview with a similar score and band 3

For context I had 99999999987 as GCSEs and 3000 band 1 I think Birmingham do really look at academics.

His UCAT is still good just make sure to not apply unis that instantly reject Band 3

Thanks @Chemistrytutoring - that's encouraging. Yes Birmingham will be aspirational!

Yes you do. The Sports dept clarify if they have flagged your application for fast track.

De-lurking to say thank you for all the amazing support you share here and to seek advice. Process seems so stressful!
DC trying to work out shortlist.
2950, SJT band 1
9x grade 9 and 1x grade 8 at GCSE
3x A star predicted in chem, bio and maths.
Weekly hospital volunteering and short work exp in hospital and GP.
Not contextual.
Totally loved Oxford and Sheffield, also keen on Leeds and Newcastle though not been to those open days.
Seen Manchester and Cambridge and liked too but not quite as much.
Do her top 4 sound ok? Maybe Oxford too risky under 3000?

Really good stats I got 4 offers with almost identical ones last year. I applied to Leeds and Sheffield and think both of those would be good. I'm actually at Leeds now. Sheffield especially rewards band 1 at interview with an extra 'virtual' station

@Fingersalwayscrossed DD is considering fairly similar places with fairly similar stats (think she is inching towards Oxford, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle).
Newcastle has been a late contender for her due to their new scoring system - you've probably seen this already, but they are weighting academic/UCAT scoring 50% post-interview rather than going 100% on interview once shortlisted and I think your DD's stats would work in her favour there.
DD likewise has had in her mind that 3000 was her Oxford cut-off. I think if your DD really likes Oxford it might be worth the risk as she's fairly likely to be able to guarantee herself three interviews elsewhere and no one really knows what the Oxford cut-off will be. Definitely safer options out there though!
There are people with far more expertise on here, but I think she'd be safe with getting an interview at Leeds and Sheffield too.

Thanks very much @Chemistrytutoring and @maybemedmum. Best of luck to you/ your daughter and everyone else here. So impressed by all these determined and positive future doctors. And thanks too to @mumsneedwine for all the info and encouragement you’ve shared on here.

@london26 A good chunk of that drop last year should be maintained because it was caused by them treating 9s and 8s differently for the first time. So structural rather than being driven by annual changes in UCAT scores and application rates (will have been some of those ebbs and flows too of course).

Just wondering if anyone knows the most recent Barts UCAT cutoff as I can't seem to find it anywhere.
Thanks

@london26

www.qmul.ac.uk/fmd/study/undergraduate/courses/admissions-statistics-for-medicine--dentistry/

Hi I have been reading all the messages with interest as I want to help my daughter with her application but I have not studied in this country so I have no clue. She wants to apply to medicine and just taken the UCAT. these are her stats.

UCAT 2890 SLT band 1
GCSEs: 6 9s (including biology and chemistry and English language) 2 8s (math and physics) 2 6s (art and English lit)
predicted grades: still not sure whether she will get any A star but it will be 3 As at the minimum

she has done 2 weeks hospital work experience and volunteering work for over a year

she really liked Bristol but given her UCAT score, it will not be a possibility.

we don’t know where to start. Is there a student satisfaction league table? Any advice on how she should choose her 4 options. Time is ticking and she is still at the drawing board. Thanks in advance

@Lurea she has a good ucat and once she has predicted grades it should sift a few more in or out, but she should have a wide range of choices. I would start by trying to work out with her what sort of place she wants to go to. Does she want to go to London? A big city? A campus university? Northern England? Southern England? Wales? Scotland? NI? How far is it to travel home?

If she is applying from England it can be harder to get into Scottish and Welsh universities so we ruled those out from the start. They are there for five years so it is important that it is somewhere she will be happy. We narrowed it down to a long list of about ten, we were able to visit the places but you can get a sense from online tours/ you tubers.

It is hard to know what impact having all students applying with UCAT will have. There may be some who didn't bother with the BMAT so didn't apply to Oxbridge but with a good ucat and without the need for an additional exam might put one of them down instead of Bristol. My dd put down one place which was a little risky but she had a few others she knew she had a good chance with so it was worth the risk. It paid off and she is very happy there. She has lots of safer options too with those stats.

Thanks for the advice. Yes we have excluded Scottish and Welsh universities as we live in England. Which uni is your DD and does she like it?

Hi I got 4 offers and study at Leeds med school. The stats your daughter has are good meaning there are lots of potential universities. The UCAT isn't really a concern at all because I got 3000 Band 1 and had no issues. However the cutoff seems to increase a little each year and Leeds only went to UCAT last year. BMAT isn't used anymore.

The higher the A level predicted the better, for the final offer you will likely only need 3 As but 3 A* predicted at least is a clear benefit.

GCSEs are okay, I had 9 9s, 1 grade 8 and 1 grade 7 for context so not too dissimilar. Leeds and Birmingham are 2 I applied to and both are very heavy on GCSE focus. Sheffield is good for Band 1 as give extra points at interview for it.

Any questions let me know I applied to York, Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham

Look online at the websites entry requirements for each univeristy and apply strategically so you get at least 3 offers guaranteed. And then if you really want to choose one aspirational one.

Question about Notts- my daughter would score 123 on their scoring system but the cut off last year was 132. Is this a wasted choice?

@JuMcGoo I'm afraid, yes. Lowest it's been is 30 with me scoring. Sorry. There will be better choices. Notts needs a string VR, SJT1 and some nice GCSEs.

@Lurea she's close to Bristol cut off, so if an absolute favourite it's worth a punt. Just choose 3 other 'definites'. Lots on offer with her stats.

Hello everyone, I hope it’s ok to join this thread. Was on the medicine 2024 one last year and found it so helpful.

Our situation is that my DD had 3 offers in last year’s round but missed her grades. I’m hugely proud of her determination and resilience and she re-sat all 3 in June and now has 3 As is maths, biology and chemistry.

She did her UCAT this morning and got 3060 and Band 1 for SJT, which she’s really pleased with.

Her GCSEs were good - 2 x 8 & 8 x 9 and she’s spending this year working on a local mental health trust as part of the admin team liaising with families and carers.

But we need some help about where to apply to! I’m worried that she’ll stand no chance because of needing to re-sit. Her heart is still with BSMS and she’s wondering whether to call admissions for advice.

Other places she’s keen on are Southampton and Bristol. I think Bangor might be a good option and that she’d be better suited to a campus. (Offers last year from BSMS, Exeter and UEA).

Apologies for such a long post! All help/advice very welcome! And look forward to supporting each other through this tricky journey. Many thanks!

Thank you @mumsneedwine .Where could she apply with SJT 2, 2770 Ucat, and eight 9s and three 8s at GCSE? She’s doing the IB and has been predicted the entry required grades for most unis.