The Student Room Group

low ukcat score

i got a score of 1750 which is an average of 583 in each section for the 2017. what are my options now? look for unis that don't consider ukcat very heavily? apply for a pre-med course? or just change my plans completely and look at life science degrees which has always been my plan b. 1A* 5As and 5Bs at GCSE

Scroll to see replies

Apply for non ukcat unis or unis that don't put too much emphasis on the UKCAT. Time for you to start looking at uni websites!

You could do the BMAT.

Most don't get in first time round so instead of giving up, take a gap year instead
Original post by cxcoaj
i got a score of 1750 which is an average of 583 in each section for the 2017. what are my options now? look for unis that don't consider ukcat very heavily? apply for a pre-med course? or just change my plans completely and look at life science degrees which has always been my plan b. 1A* 5As and 5Bs at GCSE


Hi cxcoaj

That's a shame about your UKCAT score but you do still have options.

Have you considered taking the BMAT?

Do let me know if I can help at all.

UniAdmissions
My friend had a low UKCAT score like yours and she got an offer from Bristol and QUB. But I don't think your GCSEs are good enough for QUB. You could apply to Cardiff as well though because they don't focus on it that much 😊
Reply 4
Original post by Mrs House
Apply for non ukcat unis or unis that don't put too much emphasis on the UKCAT. Time for you to start looking at uni websites!

You could do the BMAT.

Most don't get in first time round so instead of giving up, take a gap year instead


i know that's an option for me but i'm not really interested in taking the bmat and don't really want to take a gap year, thats why im looking at deciding to take a life science degree
Reply 5
Original post by UniAdmissions
Hi cxcoaj

That's a shame about your UKCAT score but you do still have options.

Have you considered taking the BMAT?

Do let me know if I can help at all.

UniAdmissions


i dont really want to take the bmat so i'm considering applying for a life science degree
Reply 6
Original post by Blobfish13
My friend had a low UKCAT score like yours and she got an offer from Bristol and QUB. But I don't think your GCSEs are good enough for QUB. You could apply to Cardiff as well though because they don't focus on it that much 😊


i have cardiff and bristol as my options but thanks
Original post by cxcoaj
i got a score of 1750 which is an average of 583 in each section for the 2017. what are my options now? look for unis that don't consider ukcat very heavily? apply for a pre-med course? or just change my plans completely and look at life science degrees which has always been my plan b. 1A* 5As and 5Bs at GCSE


At this point, it's BMAT or nothing.
Reply 8
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
At this point, it's BMAT or nothing.


so i shouldn't consider applying for a life science degree rather than medicine?
Original post by cxcoaj
i got a score of 1750 which is an average of 583 in each section for the 2017. what are my options now? look for unis that don't consider ukcat very heavily? apply for a pre-med course? or just change my plans completely and look at life science degrees which has always been my plan b. 1A* 5As and 5Bs at GCSE


Unfortunately, that score is really rather on the low side. Try applying to those that don't do admissions tests and make sure you do (and prepare well for) the BMAT!

Your GCSEs are quite low as well, so avoid places like Oxford, Birmingham, QUB, etc.

Good luck with your application, I am a rejected medic as well and will now hopefully reapply!
Original post by cxcoaj
so i shouldn't consider applying for a life science degree rather than medicine?


If you apply to Imperial and Brighton and Sussex (who have no GCSE requirements and low requirements respectively) with a good BMAT score, you'll have a high chance of getting in. Additonally, if you achieve AAA at AS, you will gain a full academic score for Leeds, which will mean a good BMAT score there would also give you a good chance of getting in.


Simply put, practise all the BMAT papers on the website, if you don't find yourself getting into the 5s in section 1 and 2, perhaps then it's suitable to apply for life sciences.
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
If you apply to Imperial and Brighton and Sussex (who have no GCSE requirements and low requirements respectively) with a good BMAT score, you'll have a high chance of getting in. Additonally, if you achieve AAA at AS, you will gain a full academic score for Leeds, which will mean a good BMAT score there would also give you a good chance of getting in.


Simply put, practise all the BMAT papers on the website, if you don't find yourself getting into the 5s in section 1 and 2, perhaps then it's suitable to apply for life sciences.


I agree, but for Imperial I would really be looking at 6s with low GCSEs rather than 5s. BSMS you should get away with 5s or high 4s.
Original post by cxcoaj
i have cardiff and bristol as my options but thanks

Don't apply to Cardiff, your GCSEs are no way near enough for them.
Original post by Blobfish13
My friend had a low UKCAT score like yours and she got an offer from Bristol and QUB. But I don't think your GCSEs are good enough for QUB. You could apply to Cardiff as well though because they don't focus on it that much 😊


Her GCSEs aren't good enough for cardiff
Original post by Cadherin
I agree, but for Imperial I would really be looking at 6s with low GCSEs rather than 5s. BSMS you should get away with 5s or high 4s.


6s is kinda overkill for Imperial. I think for Band 1 in recent years, it was around 5.8 and Band 2 around 5.6. Though it's worth keeping in mind that it has a pretty high cutoff of around 4.5 in both sections(last year). It takes out around 75% of applicants just like that. So really it becomes 2/3 applicants per place after the BMAT cutoff is applied.

The average successful Cambridge applicant has an average BMAT score of 5.9 and 6.0 (though in some years it's been 6.0 and 6.1)

I wonder if anyone has any rough conversions for BMAT score into UKCAT score in terms of rarity. Is 6,6,4 the equivalent of 750-800 on the UKCAT?
Original post by cxcoaj
i got a score of 1750 which is an average of 583 in each section for the 2017. what are my options now? look for unis that don't consider ukcat very heavily? apply for a pre-med course? or just change my plans completely and look at life science degrees which has always been my plan b. 1A* 5As and 5Bs at GCSE


Correct me if I'm wrong, but Cardiff look st GCSEs, often those who get interview have 7+ A*, I would go for another option
I gave my UKCAT test and was satisfied with all the scores except for the Verbal Reasoning section. I got 480 in VR, 650 in QR and 620 in AR. However, I got a BAND 1 in the SJT. I did O levels instead of GCSE's and got 2A*5A and 1B and am predicted A*AA for my A levels. Apart from that, I've done quite a lot of extra curricular:I was the Head girl of my school for 4 years, I am the head of the community and welfare society of my college and am one of the best debaters of my school and college.I also came 1st in a national video competition by the British Council and have taken work experience in a hospital and local Clinic. I was a little disheartened because of my UKCAT score but really want to apply for medicine. Where should I apply? I've thought of King's, Imperial, Edinburgh, Glasgow and am still deciding on the last option. What are the chances do you think? Will the rest of my academic and extras outweigh the VR score?? Please let me know!Thanks!
gave my UKCAT test and was satisfied with all the scores except for the Verbal Reasoning section. I got 480 in VR, 650 in QR and 620 in AR. However, I got a BAND 1 in the SJT. I did O levels instead of GCSE's and got 2A*5A and 1B and am predicted A*AA for my A levels. Apart from that, I've done quite a lot of extra curricular: I was the Head girl of my school for 4 years, I am the head of the community and welfare society of my college and am one of the best debaters of my school and college. I also came 1st in a national video competition by the British Council and have taken work experience in a hospital and local Clinic. I was a little disheartened because of my UKCAT score but really want to apply for medicine. Where should I apply? I've thought of King's, Imperial, Edinburgh, Glasgow and am still deciding on the last option. What are the chances do you think? Will the rest of my academic and extras outweigh the VR score?? Please let me know! Thanks!
Original post by ZainabBaber
gave my UKCAT test and was satisfied with all the scores except for the Verbal Reasoning section. I got 480 in VR, 650 in QR and 620 in AR. However, I got a BAND 1 in the SJT. I did O levels instead of GCSE's and got 2A*5A and 1B and am predicted A*AA for my A levels. Apart from that, I've done quite a lot of extra curricular: I was the Head girl of my school for 4 years, I am the head of the community and welfare society of my college and am one of the best debaters of my school and college. I also came 1st in a national video competition by the British Council and have taken work experience in a hospital and local Clinic. I was a little disheartened because of my UKCAT score but really want to apply for medicine. Where should I apply? I've thought of King's, Imperial, Edinburgh, Glasgow and am still deciding on the last option. What are the chances do you think? Will the rest of my academic and extras outweigh the VR score?? Please let me know! Thanks!


You wont get into KCL, Edinburgh or Glasgow with your UKCAT. You should definitely take the BMAT and go for 2 BMAT uni's, the only UKCAT uni's you may have a chance at are Bristol and Keele
Original post by HopelessMedic
You wont get into KCL, Edinburgh or Glasgow with your UKCAT. You should definitely take the BMAT and go for 2 BMAT uni's, the only UKCAT uni's you may have a chance at are Bristol and Keele


But do you think I still have a chance with the rest of my extras and academics. I mean, thats the real stuff right? Do you think I still have a chance at King's? Can my PS and reference along with the rest of my application overweigh the UKCAT score?
Original post by ZainabBaber
But do you think I still have a chance with the rest of my extras and academics. I mean, thats the real stuff right? Do you think I still have a chance at King's? Can my PS and reference along with the rest of my application overweigh the UKCAT score?


Not really. Kings look at everything, but a low UKCAT and "realatively" low GCSE's means you will likely get rejected. Pretty much everyone applying for medicine has extra curriculars and a decent PS/reference unfortunately. Best of luck

Quick Reply