[Rupa Patel]

Hi, I want to study Medicine at Manchester Uni, but I have just been diagnosed with dyslexia and I'm now worried that this will affect my chances of being chosen. I was only diagonosed just before my final A level exams, so I had sat all of my GCSE's and nearly all of my A level exams without extra time. So it is not as if I really needed it and that's what helped me to get my grades as I got the grades in nearly all of my exams without extra time. I want to know whether it will affect my chances of being given a place, and what would happen if I did not put it on my UCAS form. Also, whether there are any dyslexic doctors out there and any current medical students who are dyslexic?

Thank's

[Vulpes]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Hi, I want to study Medicine at Manchester Uni, but I have just been diagnosed with dyslexia and I'm now worried that this will affect my chances of being chosen. I was only diagonosed just before my final A level exams, so I had sat all of my GCSE's and nearly all of my A level exams without extra time. So it is not as if I really needed it and that's what helped me to get my grades as I got the grades in nearly all of my exams without extra time. I want to know whether it will affect my chances of being given a place, and what would happen if I did not put it on my UCAS form. Also, whether there are any dyslexic doctors out there and any current medical students who are dyslexic?

Thank's

Yes, of course there are. This diagnosis will not affect your chances of being given an offer, and many medical schools may allow you to have extra time during certain examinations throughout the course due to your dyslexia.

Don't worry about it!

[Rupa Patel]

Thanks for the reply, but I just feel that it will affect my chances. If you've got 2 applicants that are similar with similar grades and one is dyslexic you would rather choose the one who is not dyslexic.

[blueray]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Thanks for the reply, but I just feel that it will affect my chances. If you've got 2 applicants that are similar with similar grades and one is dyslexic you would rather choose the one who is not dyslexic.

If you get good grades it will prove you're amazing!

[Rupa Patel]

Suppose so but I didnt get like all A*'s at GCSE, I'm like just meeting the minimum requriments. Also, I got a grade C in GCSE English Language and Manchester ask for a B. I am going to resit it this year but I struggle with reading and spelling and I probably won't peform too well on the engligh part of the UKCAT.

[Helenia]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Thanks for the reply, but I just feel that it will affect my chances. If you've got 2 applicants that are similar with similar grades and one is dyslexic you would rather choose the one who is not dyslexic.

They won't know, AFAIK.

[PrismaticCore]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Hi, I want to study Medicine at Manchester Uni, but I have just been diagnosed with dyslexia and I'm now worried that this will affect my chances of being chosen. I was only diagonosed just before my final A level exams, so I had sat all of my GCSE's and nearly all of my A level exams without extra time. So it is not as if I really needed it and that's what helped me to get my grades as I got the grades in nearly all of my exams without extra time. I want to know whether it will affect my chances of being given a place, and what would happen if I did not put it on my UCAS form. Also, whether there are any dyslexic doctors out there and any current medical students who are dyslexic?

Thank's

Someone I know has dyslexia and has an offer to study medicine at St George's.

Basically, they don't give too much of a damn, as long as you can get your grades.

[Rupa Patel]

(Original post by Helenia)
They won't know, AFAIK.

How will they not know?

[Zedd]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
How will they not know?

I doubt that it will be disclosed to interviewers.

[Rupa Patel]

(Original post by PrismaticCore)
Someone I know has dyslexia and has an offer to study medicine at St George's.

Basically, they don't give too much of a damn, as long as you can get your grades.

Okay, I hope that is the case. Do you know what grades he got at GCSE?

[myyrh]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Suppose so but I didnt get like all A*'s at GCSE, I'm like just meeting the minimum requriments. Also, I got a grade C in GCSE English Language and Manchester ask for a B. I am going to resit it this year but I struggle with reading and spelling and I probably won't peform too well on the engligh part of the UKCAT.

Manchester operate a cut-off for the UKCAT so I would avoid them if you get a lower score.

[Helenia]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
How will they not know?

I may be out of date here, but I think that although you have to declare disabilities on your UCAS form, it's not actually on the part of the form that is seen by admissions tutors. So unless you write about it in your PS or your referee mentions it, they quite probably wouldn't know.

[PrismaticCore]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Okay, I hope that is the case. Do you know what grades he got at GCSE?

*she

I think she got like...6A*s, I never actually asked her, I've just heard her mention it once or twice.

[polldoll]

That is right Helenia, the interviewers and even when they are selecting students for interviews, they are not given access to the special needs section. So unless you mention it in your PS or bring it up in an interview (like I did.. oops) then it won't count against you at all.

I am dyslexic and I got in! I get extra time in exams and access to the DSA, which got me an amazing note taking dictophone pen thing plus a laptop. I know which areas I'm weakest in, so I work extra hard there.

Don't be ashamed of your dyslexia, but the main thing is.. Never use it as an excuse! It's not a get out of jail free card, it just means you might have a different learning style, or see things in a different way to others.

PM me if you have any other questions!

[Rupa Patel]

(Original post by myyrh)
Manchester operate a cut-off for the UKCAT so I would avoid them if you get a lower score.

Ohh, do you know what the mark is?

[Rupa Patel]

(Original post by PrismaticCore)
*she

I think she got like...6A*s, I never actually asked her, I've just heard her mention it once or twice.

Sorry

Thats good, unlike me I'm just on the minimum requriments

[thetobbit]

Dyslexics... Dyslexics everywhere

[Rupa Patel]

(Original post by Helenia)
I may be out of date here, but I think that although you have to declare disabilities on your UCAS form, it's not actually on the part of the form that is seen by admissions tutors. So unless you write about it in your PS or your referee mentions it, they quite probably wouldn't know.

(Original post by polldoll)
That is right Helenia, the interviewers and even when they are selecting students for interviews, they are not given access to the special needs section. So unless you mention it in your PS or bring it up in an interview (like I did.. oops) then it won't count against you at all.

I am dyslexic and I got in! I get extra time in exams and access to the DSA, which got me an amazing note taking dictophone pen thing plus a laptop. I know which areas I'm weakest in, so I work extra hard there.

Don't be ashamed of your dyslexia, but the main thing is.. Never use it as an excuse! It's not a get out of jail free card, it just means you might have a different learning style, or see things in a different way to others.

PM me if you have any other questions!

Yesss! Are you 100% sure this is the case?

What about the UKCAT, if I do the extra time version won't the uni know that I've done it?

[polldoll]

I'm 99% sure that this is the case!
As for the UKCAT, I also think they don't know you did the extra time version until later on, when the universitys may ask you to provide proof of your dyslexia.

Seriously, its not worth worrying about! You get judged on your academic merits, UKCAT and PS, not on any disabilities or things like that. According the the Disability Act (1998 I think??) they are legally not allowed to discriminate against people with a disability, so the suggestion that they would use dyslexia as a screening tool is illegal! So stop stressing, do the extra time UKCAT if it will give you the best chance of performing to your potential for UKCAT, and check the UCAS box!!

[myyrh]

(Original post by Rupa Patel)
Ohh, do you know what the mark is?

It's around 650ish but the cut-off can go higher or lower, it depends on the cohort.