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Confusion between University acceptance for Maths

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Original post by MickeyMouse2
If you're still talking about medicine, then it DOES NOT matter what A-levels you do, as long as you've got chemistry and biology (some uni's only need one of these.). It's much better to get three A's and doesn't matter what your third subject is. Take drama or PE or music, or whatever subject you think you can easily get an A in. Most importantly, check the individual university medicine admissions pages. Good luck with your GCSE's.


urm , no definately do not do Drama or PE... There are people applying with maths further maths , physics, bio chem. What makes you think OP can get in with PE, biology and chemistry -_-
Original post by Jayce.x
Do you know which units you'regoing to take for math? I want to do medicine too and am thinking about c1-c4 and either fp1, fp3 or fp1, s1.


Do D1 as it is quite easy and perhaps D2 or S1. FP ones are quite difficult unless you like pure maths/ calculus and you have a good teacher.
Original post by Wahrheit
Yeah I was extremely lucky to have gone there to be honest. Some of the reason for the success rate will be because they told us from about year 9/10 "if you don't get at least 6A*s don't apply, if it's 6 and not 7+ then don't expect much." I didn't apply for medicine in the end myself, but it was my plan for a couple of years so I went to the weekly application sessions at school and everything. The training will be the rest of the reason for the high success rate.

That's awesome that you got in without help, in my opinion makes the achievement much more impressive.


Is this a private school if you don't mind me asking? Anyways, that is amazing. 20 people in my school don't even want to do medicine let alone get an offer for it...
Remember you need an A in whatever third A level you choose. That third A level doesn't have to be maths. If there is something you enjoy more and feel like you're stronger at then choose that subject over maths.

In my opinion, if you think you're only gonna scrap a B in GCSE maths then you will probably struggle with A level maths (you would have to put a LOT of work into it). I'm not really informed about use of maths but I have heard it is seen as quite a soft subject, this may disadvantage your medicine application. However, to be sure it is best to email the medical admissions of some different universities as to whether they will accept use of maths or not.

I have an offer for medicine right now and although I do biology, chemistry and maths I know a lot of offer holders whose third subject is different (e.g. economics, psychology, French, etc.) I think that it is important to choose something you're good at and you enjoy because otherwise you will probably struggle.

Good luck with it all. If you have any questions feel free to PM me (might not reply till Friday since I've got exams this week).

Lauren xx
Original post by lahorizon
urm , no definately do not do Drama or PE... There are people applying with maths further maths , physics, bio chem. What makes you think OP can get in with PE, biology and chemistry -_-


It's much better to do a subject that you can get an A/A* in than do a third science A-level and get a B. Universities only specify for maximum chemistry and biology. The third choice is up to you. When those people doing further maths, maths, physics etc. get 5 B's they won't be off to med school.
Original post by lahorizon
Is this a private school if you don't mind me asking? Anyways, that is amazing. 20 people in my school don't even want to do medicine let alone get an offer for it...


Yeah it's a private school. Thing is with schools like mine is that so many parents who send their kids there are doctors themselves and that definitely rubs off on the kids too!
Original post by MickeyMouse2
It's much better to do a subject that you can get an A/A* in than do a third science A-level and get a B. Universities only specify for maximum chemistry and biology. The third choice is up to you. When those people doing further maths, maths, physics etc. get 5 B's they won't be off to med school.


Yh I see your point but there are people getting A*s in physics as a third a level or in maths or like psychology, who are also applying for medicine. if OP wants a 3rd alevel that is not too hard then I suggest psychology or perhaps a humanities or something, but deffo not Pe or drama. A-level selection does matter a whole lot not just the end grade.
Original post by Wahrheit
Yeah it's a private school. Thing is with schools like mine is that so many parents who send their kids there are doctors themselves and that definitely rubs off on the kids too!


Ahh I see. My cousin recently graduated from medicine but he went to a standard if not quite bad secondary school, and he was telling me almost all the other students on his course are from private school . I guess it is alright but I feel bad for the state kids who want to also do medicine just as much but are let down by bad teachers and weak ucas support.
Original post by lahorizon
Yh I see your point but there are people getting A*s in physics as a third a level or in maths or like psychology, who are also applying for medicine. if OP wants a 3rd alevel that is not too hard then I suggest psychology or perhaps a humanities or something, but deffo not Pe or drama. A-level selection does matter a whole lot not just the end grade.


For medicine, subject doesn't actually really matter. Grades do. Selection for interview is made on grades, personal statement and entrance exams. Subject (past having chemistry and biology) doesn't come in to it at all.
Original post by ForestCat
For medicine, subject doesn't actually really matter. Grades do. Selection for interview is made on grades, personal statement and entrance exams. Subject (past having chemistry and biology) doesn't come in to it at all.


Yes but unis have lists such as Cambridge and they group subjects for what they prefer and do not prefer. All I am saying is for OP not to do Drama or PE because let's just be honest: it does make a difference. You will hardly meet anyone who picked PE or Drama who is doing medicine. OP is competing with plenty of private school students from schools which don't even offer PE or perhaps Drama at a level, let alone them doing it and getting an offer for medicine. I am just thinking of who OP will be competing against and picking a weaker subject just to get an A* is not a good idea because plenty get A* in much harder subjects. Medicine is not some easy degree so unis need to see that you can handle the work load and also are interested in the field. If OP picks psychology rather than Drama, it helps because it is linked much more to medicine, thus showing interest as well as capability.
Original post by lahorizon
Yes but unis have lists such as Cambridge and they group subjects for what they prefer and do not prefer. All I am saying is for OP not to do Drama or PE because let's just be honest: it does make a difference. You will hardly meet anyone who picked PE or Drama who is doing medicine. OP is competing with plenty of private school students from schools which don't even offer PE or perhaps Drama at a level, let alone them doing it and getting an offer for medicine. I am just thinking of who OP will be competing against and picking a weaker subject just to get an A* is not a good idea because plenty get A* in much harder subjects. Medicine is not some easy degree so unis need to see that you can handle the work load and also are interested in the field. If OP picks psychology rather than Drama, it helps because it is linked much more to medicine, thus showing interest as well as capability.


Yes, but medicine selection doesn't work that way. Because of competition each university has its own way for narrowing down applicants, subject choice doesn't enter in to it. Like I said, its done on entrance examination, ps and then interview performance. Who knows, drama may help someone perform really well in interviews (anyone who says an interview isn't a performance hasn't done enough of them).

Everyone always bangs on about how biology/chemistry/maths is relevant to medicine or gives you amazing skills. I could make similar arguments for most subjects. PE teaches you how to let your energy out in a constructive fashion, it teaches you to analyse team working. I'd imagine Drama would be highly valuable when it comes to OSCEs, which, whilst they test knowledge, are basically a well rehearsed performance.
In reality, very little of anything anyone studies at a-level will be of any use in medicine.
Don't do use of maths and if you can't do maths, do a better subject.

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Original post by afghan-superman
Because I'm getting A's in chemistry and biology. Maths isn't essential for medical school, Bio and Chem is.


Don't wanna put you down but two As and a B in those subjects do not make you competitive at all. Medicine is heavily oversubscribed and small things can make and break it for you, including GCSE grades and A level choices.

Also don't bother with use of mathematics, is it even accounted for as an A2 subject? I thought it was an extra.
Original post by ForestCat
Yes, but medicine selection doesn't work that way. Because of competition each university has its own way for narrowing down applicants, subject choice doesn't enter in to it. Like I said, its done on entrance examination, ps and then interview performance. Who knows, drama may help someone perform really well in interviews (anyone who says an interview isn't a performance hasn't done enough of them).

Everyone always bangs on about how biology/chemistry/maths is relevant to medicine or gives you amazing skills. I could make similar arguments for most subjects. PE teaches you how to let your energy out in a constructive fashion, it teaches you to analyse team working. I'd imagine Drama would be highly valuable when it comes to OSCEs, which, whilst they test knowledge, are basically a well rehearsed performance.
In reality, very little of anything anyone studies at a-level will be of any use in medicine.


Thank you for your support, I totally agree with you. Plus in PE you learn the names of muscles which is much more medicine related than learning what a sin graph looks like.

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