Medicine 2026 part 2

[mumsneedwine]

Thought I'd start another one.

Huge congratulations on the Edinburgh offer - sounds like they are one of the first schools to offer! (Think BSMS send some early offers to high scorers.)

No Liverpool interview invitation here (yet...). Suspect it will go the way of Sheffield and Manchester.

Thanks so much for your help

@Justdancevancelook at Nottingham elite athlete programme too. Guaranteed interview if are eligible.

Sorry @catty29

Without scrolling back through all the msgs, if I remember right your DD got the same UCAT as DS= 2050, non contextual, band 2? he got invited to Liverpool interview. If they are sending out alphabetically, we’re in the top of the alphabet, 🤞 your surname beings with W!

@CarpetDiem surname is almost W! But UCAT was a bit lower: 1940. I've seen lower on Reddit but sounds like they could be contextual. Haven't lost hope...

@Justdancevance

Edinburgh Elite athlete policy here ( they give them extra points so more likely to get an interview )

https://uoesport.ed.ac.uk/performance-sport/elite-athletes-policy

Dundee University programme ( there’s A LOT of Irish students at Dundee )

www.dundee.ac.uk/sports-union/performance-support

@Justdancevance St Andrews elite athlete policy - rowing is one of the 8 sports they support.

https://sport.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/performance/scholarships/

Just seen someone on The Student Room get an invite to Liverpool with Ucat 1820 B2 non contextual, so fingers crossed, you’ll get one soon.

Congratulations on the offer, what a Christmas present!

Fingers crossed for some more interviews and offers of places coming through soon.

DD didn't get a Liverpool interview with a UCAT of 1850 so she's now got 1/3 (Sunderland) and still waiting for Keele. Really upset poor thing, as people said above she's been getting lots of 'but you're really smart, of course you'll get a place' from friends who aren't applying who have got lots of (non-medicine) offers from Russell Group Universities. She's also saying 'I don't want to go somewhere that rejected me for medicine to do something else' so doesn't even know what to put as her 5th choice.

TBH I don't think the med schools expect huge amunts of WEX (maybe Sunderland does)

Just wanted to address this. Sunderland is interested in voluntary or paid work in a public facing role and how you reflect on that, NOT shadowing HCPs. The pre-interview questionnaire was classic 'tell me about a time you did X'. DD had only done online medical WEX but had voluntary work with Park Run, in a charity shop and paid work as a lifeguard all in the last two years. All her answers were based on her lifeguarding and first aid experience at a busy large leisure centre. The interview was mainly hot topics.

So sorry to hear about Liverpool @JaninaDuszejko. I haven't read elsewhere on socials of any rejections yet, just those with invitations and those waiting.

Yeah, she'd been at the open day where they said they interviewed everyone who met their minimum criteria so she was sure she'd get an interview (I wasn't so sure based on the UCAT). Sunderland said they would send out offers at the end of January so we now have a long wait for that.

so sorry to hear this @JaninaDuszejko it is harsh and like you say, difficult for people not applying to med/dent to understand even... We've had alot of 'but he's so smart - sure to get in'... and it's so difficult to explain why I'm feeling anxious. I imagine from their point of view, they are probably thinking 'tiger mum' (I'm of Asian descent as well)...!

Ah - thanks for clarifying on Sunderland. This is such a tough process @JaninaDuszejko . My DD also 'only' has 1/3 at the moment (waiting for Southampton and expecting a rejection from Sheffield). I keep trying to reassure DD as she gets all sorts of unhelpful comments - if they were applying for different courses they would undoubtedly all have a full battery of offers from 'top' Russell groups but the bar for medicine is so high. Also, even getting one interview this year is, I think, pretty brilliant. Wishing you and your DD a lovely Christmas and hopefully a little break from all this stress x

You only need one offer. It's tough this year with UCAT carrying so much weight at so many Unis. Everyone is trying for the same students so there could be some strange goings on May time (it's happened before that previously rejected have ended up getting offers !). Don't get hopes up, but it's not over until results day. 🤞🤞

Newcastle has ended up with a lot in clearing over the last two years which seems to reflect rather poorly on their application process.

My Dd has an interview for ARU early Jan. Anyone else on here applied there? She had a rejection from Newcastle yesterday. Manchester rejection a while ago and waiting on KMMS. ARU is her first choice anyway so hopefully she’ll do well at interview. She qualified for a contextual application at ARU and Newcastle. Ucat 1840 A level predicted grades ABB so lower than others on here. Good luck to other DCs with their preparation and interviews.

My son interviewed at Notts under the elite athlete scheme. Feel free to shout if you have any questions.

DD rejected from Liverpool with 1940 B3. There seems to be a mix of interview invitations and rejections in.the 1900-1950 UCAT zone so I'm guessing this was the borderline territory where they either looked at PSs or SJT. I've basically just said the same on a FB post. Someone with 1940 B1 but lower GCSEs than my DD has an interview according to that FB post, so I'm guessing it's SJT as for GCSEs it's just getting 15 points I think (no.advantage to straight 9s).

Weird how there were 18-- UCATs getting interviews without being contextual. I think you need to declare contextual factors so don't think they were unknowingly contextual. Don't believe everything you read on the internet!

Pleased that DD will be done with interviews by mid-Jan so she can focus on A-levels. Looking for a positive here 😀

Sorry to hear about that @rockstuckhardplace . The info online does seem to be contradictory from different sources but as you say you can't rely on any of it unfortunately. Hopefully your DD will move on from this. Remind me again, she interviewed at Leicester and which others were you waiting for?

It is really hard to get perspective on this whole application process because we see so much online but even though we know most only post positive news it still makes it feel like everyone is getting interviews/offers/ going to oxbridge. I see an occasional post highlighting how much of an achievement even getting to the point of being able to apply for med it is for our YP and it really is! I keep reminding my DD of this, they have already done so much to get to this point and it is easy to lose sight of this when we are deep into the waiting game.

Hope your YP and you all get a bit of a break over Christmas. DD finishes school today so can catch up on some sleep soon.

On a final note, there was a post (somewhere) showing BSMS stating they had a 25% increase in applications this year, and there is an overall 10% increase in med applications. Making it even harder for our YP this year!

I'm so sorry @rockstuckhardplace - that's difficult when you see others with similar or even slightly lower grades getting through.

In other news... we are STILL WAITING for QM.

@bluefineliner DD is cool. She was still up partying at 5am when I left for swim club (school finished yesterday). She's interviewed at Leicester, and has Dundee in January. Dundee is her top choice but she is RUK so will need to really shine. Out of the running for Sheffield and Liverpool. It's a weird year. I'm pleased she made rational, informed choices rather than chasing perceived prestige. Oxbridge and London were never on her wish list but she would have tried for Bristol if she'd had a significantly higher UCAT.

We are skiing over New Year (avoiding Feb this year due to mocks) so she will get a break. Not that she's the kind of child who needs encouragement to take a break!!

There has to be a cut-off somewhere and decisions need to be made somehow. That's life! But I don't think I'd be so upbeat if she was in line for four pre-interview rejections. There must be quite a few strong candidates in that boat this year.

QMU published their cut-off: did you see? 2198 for home which is a combo of UCAT score and academics (don't know what or how).

thanks @rockstuckhardplace you have such a positive attitude and do enjoy your ski break!! We are off to the Cotswolds with the fam.

Yes, I did see the 2198 cut off, and with DS' 2240 + 2 A stars 1 A, that takes him to 2400.... which logically is over the cut off right? And yet...we wait. I feel like those primary school games where everyone stands up and gets knocked off when their number gets called...and we are still standing and waiting (which is great if it's that game we're talking about...!!)..