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!

Quite surprised by that data - it would suggest a very high chance of interview and offer. I am sure I saw a much higher application number somewhere before.

@KielderWater that is really helpful. How did you find such granular detail and should I be able to find that for all Scottish/Welsh/Irish options?

Just googled Aberdeen medicine admission statistics.

@KielderWater thank you! I agree, scores seem v low!

DD says she is not putting down a 5th choice. She can’t think of anything else she would rather do.
She feels even if she gets a non-medical offer, it won’t make a difference to her, if doesn’t get a medicine one.
As you say there is still time to decide re 5th choice

If you need Extra and you haven't put a 5th it will take about 2 weeks to put another choice in, get that offer and then reject it. By which time any medicine Extra places will have gone.
There is no harm in putting a 5th. No one sees it. Last year one of mind put golf management (got rejected as its v competitive, but was at least ready if needed clearing).
Hopefully it's never needed.

Just to add in relation to clearing surpsingly a few unis had medicine in clearing which I wouldn't have expected so worth bearing in mind nearer to results day I think. To be honest I never used UCAS extra or clearing myself this year so don't know much about it though

Does Medicine ever appear in Extra?

I don't believe so at least

What is extra?

Its called ucas extra I think if you dont get any offers or something you can apply to another course through UCAS extra. For medicine I don't know how useful it would be even for choosing a different course because you don't hear back from unis until later than for other courses. A Google search should help

Medicine has been in Extra several times. Once when the government added more places in Feb, when new medical schools opened with late notice and memorably once when a Uni didn't like many of the candidates it had interviewed.

It's not often but it does happen. But if don't want to put a 5th, don't.

It is explained here https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/after-you-apply/types-undergraduate-offers/extra-choices. Dd was lucky to have a couple of offers by mid Feb so we didn't really look into it. You have to either have been rejected by all places or rejected all offers/ combination of the two.

It does seem backwards to require people to apply for a non-medical course and reject it in order for them to be able to apply for another medical course through Extra or Clearing.

The process is not just set up for medicine. Other courses are v often in Extra

Yes but for other courses you can use all five options for your chosen course

I think you can still apply without a 5th choice but for clearing the 5th choice does allow it to be a faster process or something

But seriously don't worry about what can't be controlled if your child works hard and applies strategically they will get interviews and they aren't nowhere near as bad as people make out. Good luck

if your child works hard and applies strategically they will get interviews

I know you did well but your experience isn’t typical. The vast majority of medical school applicants are not successful. It must also be remembered that the average UCAT score is around 2500 so medical schools which accept lower scores will have a lot of competition for places too. Requiring a Plan B and a Plan C, including Extra and Clearing is not unrealistic.

It was just a suggestion ! You don't have to put a 5th.

Yeah I totally agree with you on this. A gap year also isn't out of question myself and many others I know would have rathered go down that route so didn't put a 5th but from the other valuable opinions on here I have realised its actually quite beneficial - my careers team at school didn't help much unfortunately

But I do believe interviews are 'easy' to pass with the right preparation. A lot of people go in underprepared or try and act like someone they are not etc

I was stressed about interviews like most people but after doing them I realised they are totally fine

@Chemistrytutoring I don't think interviews are "easy" at all - the stats really don't support interviews being easy - the vast majority of interviewees will have prepared well for interviews and come across well, just not quite well enough to be in the top third say who are made offers. Usually at least half / two thirds, possibly more of those interviewed will be rejected. It really isn't the case that so long as you're prepared for interviews, you'll easily come out with 3 or 4 offers - for most parents / applicants on this board, its giving a slightly false impression just how tough it is even to get one offer. You did amazingly well (am sure we'd all love our children to be in the same position) so your experience is really valuable, but I think you're in the minority of having 3+ offers when lots of applicants will get none, despite being prepared.

I agree to an extent but people always told me I was too quiet and I'd struggle the most with interviews. Also people would talk about the bias amongst the interviewers etc so I'm just trying to say I know that they can seem daunting but once you get an interview it is a huge step in the right direction. Most interviews are quite predictable and the same preparation can be done for most of them aswell. It may appear that a lot of the students are prepared but I still believe that if you prepare the right way and thoroughly you will be fine

@Chemistrytutoring is it time to get on with enjoying freshers week and being a first year medic? I presume your user name is because you do some tutoring but you will be able to find plenty of business off mums net
I really hope you have a wonderful time at your med school I can’t remember much of freshers week!
you have given some great advice ( thank you ) and we also have @mumsneedwine who has years of experience on this

HI, with the change in government etc is the increase in medical student places still taking place for the 2025 year and d

• o you think that will affect the application requirements (primarily UCAT is my concern).
• Do you think it will be across all uni's or just a few as inferred here.
• And finally should we be taking this into account in our application process?

Boost in med school places

• not significantly
• those with capacity
• no