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*MEGATHREAD* - The Ultimate 'Am I Good Enough For Medicine?' Angst Thread Mk II
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Original post by colourfulchaos
I'm still not sure. It's a great uni and everything, but I can't decide whether to apply or not. I want to see if I stand a chance of getting in, but is it worth having to revise/pay for the BMAT?
mega hard to get in, but its worth a try.
Here are my thoughts:
Original post by colourfulchaos
Yes
- getting accomodation and living on campus for the 1st year
- getting accomodation and living on campus for the 1st year
UCL has an amazing selection of halls. Everything from period 18th century to modern halls built last year. Living on campus is a big must. Commuting from North London is long (especially Enfailed where there is no tube)
Original post by colourfulchaos
- I've wanted to apply there for a while
Follow your dreams
Original post by colourfulchaos
- it seems like a good uni with great facilities
it goes without saying that UCL med school is top 5 in the country. Facilities are amazing too. As a medic you will be treated as a god among students (no joke, everyone hates medics for that reason)
No
- it's a 6-year course (another year of fees)
Original post by colourfulchaos
- accommodation in London can be expensive
True, but you get more loan due to being in london. And plus as UCL is a rich uni like Oxbridge they give out generous bursaries to most people.
Original post by colourfulchaos
- it's a 6-year course (another year of fees)
- having to study (even) hard(er) for the BMAT
- if I fail the BMAT it would've all been a waste of time
- it's a 6-year course (another year of fees)
- having to study (even) hard(er) for the BMAT
- if I fail the BMAT it would've all been a waste of time
If you wanna study medicine at a traditional university for a superior qualification you gotta put in the effort of course.
Original post by colourfulchaos
- I don't wanna be so close to home
Enfailed is like over 10 miles away. Living closeish to uni is actually not bad as travel costs to and from home are cut and if you decide you dont like halls you can always run back.
endotoxin
If you 'fail' the BMAT all hope isn't lost because they balance it with everything else you have to give you the highest score they can (PS, GCSE's AS results and Predictions) unlike Imperial who rely so much on the BMAT
Original post by colourfulchaos
I'm still not sure. It's a great uni and everything, but I can't decide whether to apply or not. I want to see if I stand a chance of getting in, but is it worth having to revise/pay for the BMAT?
- getting accomodation and living on campus for the 1st year
UCL doesn't have a 'campus' campus as such, but yes, most accommodation is within 10 minutes walking distance from Gower Street. Unlike other London unis, UCL guarantee you accommodation if you put them as your firm. Places like QMUL and KCL in some cases don't even consider your application if you live within the M25 or near London!
- I've wanted to apply there for a while
If it is somewhere you've wanted to apply, then I would say absolutely go and chase it!
- it seems like a good uni with great facilities
It is an excellent uni, particularly for medicine and biomedical science - but also for lots of its other faculties including Law, Maths, Politics and History. You'll meet so many great people. Facilities-wise, for medicine, the facilities are EXCELLENT! They have large high-tech labs, dissection rooms, a medics' library... And in terms of student facilities, it has plenty of libraries, bars (if you're into that), its own gym for £155/year and other bits and bobs which I'm sure you can research about.
- it's a 6-year course (another year of fees)
But the intercalation is a fantastic opportunity! You get to study (virtually) any other degree and get a pass in it! It could be something sciency like most people or you can choose to do things like medico-legal law, ethics, child health (have ward rounds at GOSH) or can even go to other universities for a year if they do a course you're interested in that UCL doesn't offer. And in the grand scheme of things, one year of extra fees, will not make any difference at all!
- accommodation in London can be expensive
It can be, but you will get a bigger grant and loan to accommodate that. Outside of London, most people get around £3.5k minimum, whereas within london its around £5k which really helps towards covering accommodation costs.
- having to study (even) hard(er) for the BMAT
I find the BMAT isn't as tough as people make out. Section 2 is just GCSE DOUBLE SCIENCE (nothing more, nothing less). Its just the fact that they don't present the information in a way your GCSE spec. does so it seems a little off putting, but you've got to get your head round that - medical school exams won't always be straightforward either. Section 1 is just logic skills, which you can get plenty of practise in and Section 3 should be fine so long as you can balance and argument logically.
- if I fail the BMAT it would've all been a waste of time
Although unfortunate things happen, you can work a little harder to make sure its not a waste of time. And unlike Imperial, who robotically select people for interview with their BMAT scores, UCL look at your whole application. On my interview day, there were people with significantly higher and lower BMAT scores to mine, indicating that everyone has been called up on different merits of their overall application. So even if the BMAT doesn't go as well as you've planned, you still have a shot at interview. And the chances of it going disastrously bad is pretty unlikely.
- I don't wanna be so close to home
I live in Greater London (Zone 4 on the tube map) and am not fussed at all about being so close to home. I'm moving out and there is no reason why I would visit home during term time anyway! Central London is like a new world on its own anyway... Don't let UCL being "close to home" be an issue.
Original post by purplefrog
UCL doesn't have a 'campus' campus as such, but yes, most accommodation is within 10 minutes walking distance from Gower Street. Unlike other London unis, UCL guarantee you accommodation if you put them as your firm. Places like QMUL and KCL in some cases don't even consider your application if you live within the M25 or near London!
If it is somewhere you've wanted to apply, then I would say absolutely go and chase it!
It is an excellent uni, particularly for medicine and biomedical science - but also for lots of its other faculties including Law, Maths, Politics and History. You'll meet so many great people. Facilities-wise, for medicine, the facilities are EXCELLENT! They have large high-tech labs, dissection rooms, a medics' library... And in terms of student facilities, it has plenty of libraries, bars (if you're into that), its own gym for £155/year and other bits and bobs which I'm sure you can research about.
But the intercalation is a fantastic opportunity! You get to study (virtually) any other degree and get a pass in it! It could be something sciency like most people or you can choose to do things like medico-legal law, ethics, child health (have ward rounds at GOSH) or can even go to other universities for a year if they do a course you're interested in that UCL doesn't offer. And in the grand scheme of things, one year of extra fees, will not make any difference at all!
It can be, but you will get a bigger grant and loan to accommodate that. Outside of London, most people get around £3.5k minimum, whereas within london its around £5k which really helps towards covering accommodation costs.
I find the BMAT isn't as tough as people make out. Section 2 is just GCSE DOUBLE SCIENCE (nothing more, nothing less). Its just the fact that they don't present the information in a way your GCSE spec. does so it seems a little off putting, but you've got to get your head round that - medical school exams won't always be straightforward either. Section 1 is just logic skills, which you can get plenty of practise in and Section 3 should be fine so long as you can balance and argument logically.
Although unfortunate things happen, you can work a little harder to make sure its not a waste of time. And unlike Imperial, who robotically select people for interview with their BMAT scores, UCL look at your whole application. On my interview day, there were people with significantly higher and lower BMAT scores to mine, indicating that everyone has been called up on different merits of their overall application. So even if the BMAT doesn't go as well as you've planned, you still have a shot at interview. And the chances of it going disastrously bad is pretty unlikely.
I live in Greater London (Zone 4 on the tube map) and am not fussed at all about being so close to home. I'm moving out and there is no reason why I would visit home during term time anyway! Central London is like a new world on its own anyway... Don't let UCL being "close to home" be an issue.
If it is somewhere you've wanted to apply, then I would say absolutely go and chase it!
It is an excellent uni, particularly for medicine and biomedical science - but also for lots of its other faculties including Law, Maths, Politics and History. You'll meet so many great people. Facilities-wise, for medicine, the facilities are EXCELLENT! They have large high-tech labs, dissection rooms, a medics' library... And in terms of student facilities, it has plenty of libraries, bars (if you're into that), its own gym for £155/year and other bits and bobs which I'm sure you can research about.
But the intercalation is a fantastic opportunity! You get to study (virtually) any other degree and get a pass in it! It could be something sciency like most people or you can choose to do things like medico-legal law, ethics, child health (have ward rounds at GOSH) or can even go to other universities for a year if they do a course you're interested in that UCL doesn't offer. And in the grand scheme of things, one year of extra fees, will not make any difference at all!
It can be, but you will get a bigger grant and loan to accommodate that. Outside of London, most people get around £3.5k minimum, whereas within london its around £5k which really helps towards covering accommodation costs.
I find the BMAT isn't as tough as people make out. Section 2 is just GCSE DOUBLE SCIENCE (nothing more, nothing less). Its just the fact that they don't present the information in a way your GCSE spec. does so it seems a little off putting, but you've got to get your head round that - medical school exams won't always be straightforward either. Section 1 is just logic skills, which you can get plenty of practise in and Section 3 should be fine so long as you can balance and argument logically.
Although unfortunate things happen, you can work a little harder to make sure its not a waste of time. And unlike Imperial, who robotically select people for interview with their BMAT scores, UCL look at your whole application. On my interview day, there were people with significantly higher and lower BMAT scores to mine, indicating that everyone has been called up on different merits of their overall application. So even if the BMAT doesn't go as well as you've planned, you still have a shot at interview. And the chances of it going disastrously bad is pretty unlikely.
I live in Greater London (Zone 4 on the tube map) and am not fussed at all about being so close to home. I'm moving out and there is no reason why I would visit home during term time anyway! Central London is like a new world on its own anyway... Don't let UCL being "close to home" be an issue.
The medic facilities are incredible as I used some during my Biomed degree. The dissection labs are great -one of my personal fav things I did at UCL. The Cruciform is an amazing building. Oh yeah my friends and I gate crashed a pub quiz in the Medics bar and we beat the medics (and all the free booze
)Original post by rollin 60s crip
it goes without saying that UCL med school is top 5 in the country. Facilities are amazing too. As a medic you will be treated as a god among students (no joke, everyone hates medics for that reason)
Enfailed is like over 10 miles away. Living closeish to uni is actually not bad as travel costs to and from home are cut and if you decide you dont like halls you can always run back.
it goes without saying that UCL med school is top 5 in the country. Facilities are amazing too. As a medic you will be treated as a god among students (no joke, everyone hates medics for that reason)
Enfailed is like over 10 miles away. Living closeish to uni is actually not bad as travel costs to and from home are cut and if you decide you dont like halls you can always run back.
Haha yep the Medics were despised by many.
Not in a bad way but more in a gtfo- out- of -the- library/cluster -we- booked- this -room -first kind of way. 
My family live in hack-(Crack)-ney so I was far enough to live in halls (Max Rayne ftw!) and still be close to home when money went dry or I fancied a little family time.
It is an incredible Uni but just like you I don't fancy another entrance test considering I've paid through the nose for the UKCAT! I may still go for it though depending on cost as UCL Is great. The iBSc is a great opportunity as you start to appreciate alternatives to straight medicine and can peruse other things. I don't need to do iBSc thank goodness as I have a real BSc.
You should definitely attend an open day.
(edited 12 years ago)
Commutting from Enfield is actually not that bad.
Train from enfield chase into finsbury park, victoria line to warren street or euston.....sorted 30-40min journey
Train from enfield chase into finsbury park, victoria line to warren street or euston.....sorted 30-40min journey
Original post by LewDacris
Commutting from Enfield is actually not that bad.
Train from enfield chase into finsbury park, victoria line to warren street or euston.....sorted 30-40min journey
Train from enfield chase into finsbury park, victoria line to warren street or euston.....sorted 30-40min journey
I know, I'm not worried about the travel/distance, it's just that I don't want to stay at home
Original post by colourfulchaos
I know, I'm not worried about the travel/distance, it's just that I don't want to stay at home
But you will be in halls for first year and then can live out with friends you make for the remaining 5 years?
Original post by purplefrog
! Central London is like a new world on its own anyway... Don't let UCL being "close to home" be an issue.
This ^ Central London is completely different from greater London.
I just did my ukcat now and got 490 670 620 610
Do I have a realistic chance for 5 year courses(I know no chance for 4 yr courses)
Which unis do I stand a chance in.
I have a fair amount of work experience and predicted to acheive 2.1.
Or is it better for me to focus on uni and then apply 2013 entry?
Do I have a realistic chance for 5 year courses(I know no chance for 4 yr courses)
Which unis do I stand a chance in.
I have a fair amount of work experience and predicted to acheive 2.1.
Or is it better for me to focus on uni and then apply 2013 entry?
hey guys,
over the past couple of weeks ive started to wonder whether i should apply to medicine or not.
i got BBBB at AS in biology chemistry maths and history, all very close to A grades
im predicted AAA for A2
im studying an OU course on medicines
im writing an epq essay on plastic surgery in ww1
i have a string of A*/A grades at GCSE
my 3 medical application choices currently are: Cardiff
Nottingham
Southampton
i am study biology chemistry and history at A2 (history to add some breadth to my subjects)
what do you think?
over the past couple of weeks ive started to wonder whether i should apply to medicine or not.
i got BBBB at AS in biology chemistry maths and history, all very close to A grades
im predicted AAA for A2
im studying an OU course on medicines
im writing an epq essay on plastic surgery in ww1
i have a string of A*/A grades at GCSE
my 3 medical application choices currently are: Cardiff
Nottingham
Southampton
i am study biology chemistry and history at A2 (history to add some breadth to my subjects)
what do you think?
I just did my ukcat now and got 490 670 620 610
Do I have a realistic chance for 5 year courses(I know no chance for 4 yr courses)
Which unis do I stand a chance in.
I have a fair amount of work experience and predicted to acheive 2.1.
Or is it better for me to focus on uni and then apply 2013 entry
Do I have a realistic chance for 5 year courses(I know no chance for 4 yr courses)
Which unis do I stand a chance in.
I have a fair amount of work experience and predicted to acheive 2.1.
Or is it better for me to focus on uni and then apply 2013 entry
From my (limited) knowledge, I would say that score is unfortunately not competitive enough even for A100 courses... you might be able to get away with an application to Cardiff though - I hear they only give the UKCAT a small weighting. Best if somebody confirms this though..
Original post by thevmedic
I just did my ukcat now and got 490 670 620 610
Do I have a realistic chance for 5 year courses(I know no chance for 4 yr courses)
Which unis do I stand a chance in.
I have a fair amount of work experience and predicted to acheive 2.1.
Or is it better for me to focus on uni and then apply 2013 entry
Do I have a realistic chance for 5 year courses(I know no chance for 4 yr courses)
Which unis do I stand a chance in.
I have a fair amount of work experience and predicted to acheive 2.1.
Or is it better for me to focus on uni and then apply 2013 entry
It depends what you mean by 'enough'. Some universities such as Birmingham do not use the UKCAT at all.
Others, as you will see in the original post, do not place that much weight on it. Stay away from unis which use a cutoff as you will not reach it with that score.
Wherever you apply, there will be applicants with far higher UKCAT scores than you. If you have a good PS and perform well at interview then there is still a chance, but you will have it harder than some others.
I suppose it depends if you want/are able to take a year out. If you can afford to then it would be nice to get that score up. On the other hand, there is a risk that you take the year out and don't improve on that score
It is a decision you have to make.Original post by TooSexyForMyStethoscope
It depends what you mean by 'enough'. Some universities such as Birmingham do not use the UKCAT at all.
Others, as you will see in the original post, do not place that much weight on it. Stay away from unis which use a cutoff as you will not reach it with that score.
Wherever you apply, there will be applicants with far higher UKCAT scores than you. If you have a good PS and perform well at interview then there is still a chance, but you will have it harder than some others.
I suppose it depends if you want/are able to take a year out. If you can afford to then it would be nice to get that score up. On the other hand, there is a risk that you take the year out and don't improve on that score It is a decision you have to make.
Others, as you will see in the original post, do not place that much weight on it. Stay away from unis which use a cutoff as you will not reach it with that score.
Wherever you apply, there will be applicants with far higher UKCAT scores than you. If you have a good PS and perform well at interview then there is still a chance, but you will have it harder than some others.
I suppose it depends if you want/are able to take a year out. If you can afford to then it would be nice to get that score up. On the other hand, there is a risk that you take the year out and don't improve on that score
It is a decision you have to make.I'm an international student and so can't apply to birmingham.
Original post by thevmedic
I'm an international student and so can't apply to birmingham.
Ah. That brings in a whole new level of complexity
Original post by TooSexyForMyStethoscope
Ah. That brings in a whole new level of complexity
I know, it nearly makes me impossible to apply.
do you know any were there is a slight chance?
Post this in the medicine forum for more specialist advice. Without the work experience, you will be at a disadvantage.
Original post by TheOwl
hey guys,
over the past couple of weeks ive started to wonder whether i should apply to medicine or not.
i got BBBB at AS in biology chemistry maths and history, all very close to A grades
im predicted AAA for A2
im studying an OU course on medicines
im writing an epq essay on plastic surgery in ww1
i have a string of A*/A grades at GCSE
my 3 medical application choices currently are: Cardiff
Nottingham
Southampton
i am study biology chemistry and history at A2 (history to add some breadth to my subjects)
what do you think?
over the past couple of weeks ive started to wonder whether i should apply to medicine or not.
i got BBBB at AS in biology chemistry maths and history, all very close to A grades
im predicted AAA for A2
im studying an OU course on medicines
im writing an epq essay on plastic surgery in ww1
i have a string of A*/A grades at GCSE
my 3 medical application choices currently are: Cardiff
Nottingham
Southampton
i am study biology chemistry and history at A2 (history to add some breadth to my subjects)
what do you think?
If you've got some work experience/voluntary work/good-ish UKCAT/desire to study medicine then why not?
If you said they're high-Bs, I'm sure with some hardwork you can bump them up to As. Why did you start doubting?
Original post by TheOwl
hey guys,
over the past couple of weeks ive started to wonder whether i should apply to medicine or not.
i got BBBB at AS in biology chemistry maths and history, all very close to A grades
im predicted AAA for A2
im studying an OU course on medicines
im writing an epq essay on plastic surgery in ww1
i have a string of A*/A grades at GCSE
my 3 medical application choices currently are: Cardiff
Nottingham
Southampton
i am study biology chemistry and history at A2 (history to add some breadth to my subjects)
what do you think?
over the past couple of weeks ive started to wonder whether i should apply to medicine or not.
i got BBBB at AS in biology chemistry maths and history, all very close to A grades
im predicted AAA for A2
im studying an OU course on medicines
im writing an epq essay on plastic surgery in ww1
i have a string of A*/A grades at GCSE
my 3 medical application choices currently are: Cardiff
Nottingham
Southampton
i am study biology chemistry and history at A2 (history to add some breadth to my subjects)
what do you think?
Do you have any work experience? Extracurriculars?
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