Medicine 2026 part 2

[mumsneedwine]

Thought I'd start another one.

@HelenofSparta we're also on hold withn Bristol, but for 5th choice.

fantastic well done!! We are local to another med school but they don't seem to give much weight on being local... and we didn't apply there (not for any other reason beyond weight of chance getting an interview!)

Does anyone else have concerns that we've somehow gamed it too much that we don't know what the basis is for med schools to offer interviews? To use an analogy, if we all think that university X is like Harrods/Selfridges and it's 'out of our reach' then we'd all apply to university ABC which is more like a Debenhams and 'more within all our reaches'... which then means there'll be more applications at Debenhams, and fewer at Harrods?

which might mean that Debenhams could end up with 3000 applications all with really decent scores, and Harrods will have fewer but still high scores, and Harrods will be easier to get in compared to Debenhams...? Am I even making any sense? (you can see that the wait is killing me - not DS... he's doing his driving lessons!)...

I suppose @MyGreyBiscuit there is some variation year to year but it'll even out. There will be a percentage of kids who don't have the support so won't know to game it (or refuse to game it despite their adults telling them to). And the hard to get into universities will always be very attractive to students because of their prestige. It's really hard to tell how many students will be gaming it.

It's not really gaming, it's just applying to your strengths. Which always suggest 1 aspirational
if love it. You just never know.

Well done @JaninaDuszejko well done on the interview to your DD!

So no news here but just seen that Newcastle are have sent some today. DD desperately wants an interview but also doesn't want one in December, which these are so maybe they send in batches?

Fingers crossed she gets one at some point!

Sorry didn’t mean to imply people were gaming. I guess the applying to your strengths thing is right..except that we are basing it on what we believe happened the previous years. For example, St George’s said it was in person (as far as I know) but this year it’s online. We’ve checked it a few times. So I guess I’m wondering whether it’s a cost cutting thing (it costs a lot to have so many interview days and sessions) or whether it’s overwhelmed by so many applicants that this is the only way forward..or any other benign reasons (I’m obviously second guessing here).

I shall stop now and go have a bath. Have a super early start to the work day tomorrow. Have to prep!

2 years ago Newcastle did 2 batches - around now then just before Xmas - my DD was in the 2nd batch and her interview was after Xmas

It's a tough process for mums too ❤️

On of DS friends ended up with an online interview in a morning and an in person interview in the afternoon of the same day. He had to travel the day before then do the online interview in his hotel room.

Oh wow @2025parent ! That’s epic! Hope he did go to one of those places at least! And thanks @mumsneedwine for holding a non-judgemental space here (well, I hope that at least)… we just found out someone we know got an interview at one of our choices. They got 60 UCAT points more than DS (so maybe 2/3 questions more correct?)… so hopefully DS will get his email soon.

🤞🤞

He got offers at both but took the in-person one. DS got an online interview at the same place too and decided against that uni despite it being an early favourite. I am sure the interview being more personal in-person and getting to see those universities again made the difference for both of them.

@2025parent which places were these if you don’t mind saying? It’s funny one of DS’ options wasn’t even a place we were going to visit. It was actually the last place we visited… so perhaps there’s a sense that we should only choose schools after we get all the grades (including A levels!!!)

Has anyone applied to Keele? It's a firm favourite with DD after our visit at the weekend - but having seen how long they have to wait to find out if they have an interview (based on TSR thread), and how random the order of assessing PSs seems to be, I'm worried it will be quite a stressful choice.Will be interesting to see how they fare this year.

I have everything crossed for all of you!

That's amusing - DD is also feeling the same - wants interview invites, but not in December😁

We did let UCL know she won't be available on those few interview dates in December (school trip and work experience placement), so only Exeter might happen in December for DD. Sheffield and Southampton are both after mid-January.

The scores of those who got Bristol and UCL interviews so far are top 3% scores, wow. I'm trying to stay positive and I know UCL is the aspirational choice but it's hard. I believe in past years they invited people even late January, is that right?

DD's friend got a Newcastle interview today with a UCAT of ~2350. The friends applying through the partners scheme for widening access haven't heard yet.

@inae I know! I mean an interview would be amazing whenever it is 😂but that is DD all over.

@JaninaDuszejko Yes all the info I can see if that the interviews are for high UCAT scores so far. DD has a good score 2180 and a reasonable Newcastle score, but nowhere near the scores some are stating. I still feel it is early days though so am trying to be a calming voice to DD that it is far too early to overthink this (I need to take my own advice too of course).

DD has a day of MMI practice with another school today, the first she's done so it could go either way, meltdown that she knows nothing, or a realisation she can work on things with more focus. I have a feeling I know the initial reaction already 😉.

Positive vibes to all of us for the waiting...

We have applied to Keele this year. Its a fab uni. Not heard a thing so far

Yeah, we've not heard from Keele yet either. It's still very early though, only a few Universities have sent out their first interviews.

It's v v early days. Keep smiling. This will go on until April !

@mumsneedwine I don't have it in me... until April? How many bottles of wine is that then? 😫

DD is in good spirits at the moment, although that might all change when they get their interim report with the recent mocks peformance. 😅

@inae could all be sorted by Christmas if lucky. It is a tough process though. Hope not too drawn out this year ❤️

Can anyone recommend online courses / support for AQA a level chemistry … looks like she tracking for a B and obviously if she manages to get through the interview process it will all be for nothing without that A

@Thefatbutteredpig @JaninaDuszejko from what I have read Keele interviews applicants right through to April so it might be a long wait, but people being interviewed that late were still receiving offers, so really need to hold your nerve with Keele! But you probably know that. Hopefully your DCs have other applications that interview sooner so that they don't lose faith.