Any chance of changing course?

Hi,

I applied for medicine, and have gotten an offer from Nottingham (+3 other rejections). However, the problem is that I've realized that I kinda jumped into Medicine due to a host of other reasons, and I now want to do law. I did originally apply to Queen Mary for law (as my fifth choice) but I was rejected. I appealed, explaining my condition, but was turned down again.

Wondering if there's anything I can do right now to switch over to law? I'm not willing to decline my Nottingham place to enter Extra as that medicine place was pretty hard to get. Was wondering if UCAS Adjustment could allow me to apply to a different university for law? My Nottingham offer is AAA, but I reckon I could get an A*A*A*A at least. =S

Any advice on this? Would be really grateful if anyone could help! :frown:

Oh, and I'm applying as an international student. :frown:

Reply 1

williwill

Oh yeah, I'm doing Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Which I realize is an odd subject combination for law... Do you guys reckon it might affect anything? :frown:

I also have an a for Government & Politics AS, but I'm not continuing that into A2...

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2

oxymoronic

Original post by williwill

. Was wondering if UCAS Adjustment could allow me to apply to a different university for law? My Nottingham offer is AAA, but I reckon I could get an A*A*A*A at least. =S

It could yes, but only 500 applicants were placed via adjustment last year out of 686,000 UCAS applicants in total. The numbers of people adjusting to "top" universities are marginal - in 2011 there were only about 50 "adjusts" to Russell Group universities.

If you do get A*A*A*A or even meet your AAA offer then it would be probably better to take a gap year, work out what you want to do and then take it from there. You seem fairly confused and unsure so the time out would probably benefit you.

Have you considered speaking to Nottingham to see if they would swap your medicine offer for a law one? Internal course transfers are possible at any point of the UCAS cycle if the university departments agree. You will have to send them a new personal statement.

Reply 3

williwill

Thanks for your reply!

I wish I could take a gap year... My parents won't let me though. Where I come from, gap years aren't usually the norm, so my parents have been firmly against it. :frown:

I could try emailing Nottingham like you suggested. Do I email the law department, or the medicine department? And is there any chance of them revoking my medicine offer if they see this as a sign of non-commitment or whatever? It's my only offer, and I really don't want to lose it...

Reply 4

oxymoronic

Original post by williwill

Thanks for your reply!

I wish I could take a gap year... My parents won't let me though. Where I come from, gap years aren't usually the norm, so my parents have been firmly against it. :frown:

Surely your parents would rather you did a course you actually want to be doing though rather than definitely go to university this year but then hate it? Medicine is really tough as its very hard work (academically and emotionally, particularly in the later years where you're on placement constantly) so you've got to be desperate for the final product of being a doctor to put yourself through it. If you're unsure now then you're unlikely to get through 5 or 6 years of medical school let alone then have a career in medicine at the end of it. If you do end up going ahead with it when you'd rather be doing law there is a big chance you may end up dropping out so then you'd have a lot of debt and no degree.

I would contact the law department initially. Explain that you have a conditional offer for medicine (give them your UCAS details) and also submit a personal statement which explains why you'd like to do law. It doesn't have to be full length at this stage, but submit something that shows you're serious about it. At this stage don't ask if they will consider you now, just ask about the possibility of them reconsidering you for law. They might say no depending on their course requirements for law or they might say yes. You won't lose your medicine offer through doing this.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

username944192

It will be a different school at Nottingham so you need to act quickly. But if you haven't taken the LNAT then they won't let you in at all and I'm pretty sure the deadline for that was in January. Nottingham is an LNAT uni so it is a compulsory test (like the BMAT if you did that for medicine). And I expect you don't have any Law work experience either. You'd be best taking a year out because without the LNAT they won't let you in. Not being harsh, it's just one of the entry requirements (I had an offer from them last year when I applied for law).

The reason you were rejected from QM for law is probably because A) they are an LNAT uni also (not sure, I didn't apply there but you can find out on their requirements page) or B) law isn't a "back up" choice, it is equally as difficult as medicine to get into. They won't take kindly to you trying to fob them off as your back up medicine choice when it's a very prestigious and difficult degree.