Hopeful Medics - Do not apply to Manchester Life Sciences as your 5th choice!!!!

Okay, basically. Well - not basically because this may be long.

I love Manchester uni. So I applied there for both Medicine and Biomedical sciences. I looked at the website and it did say AAA - ABB. But I didn't think I would get the AAA offer. Throughout my A levels things have been rocky Medicine wise. So to be honest, I didn't even think I would get any offers and didn't mind doing Biomedical Sciences. I got an interview and was there on there on the interview day when they told us that we would be given our predicted grades as offers. The reason? To stretch us. But they also told us thatof if we firm them they will pull down the offer. I had my interview and got my offer AAA.

Fast forward to results day I got a C in chem. Again. But I also have 2 medicine offers. What am I to do? Should I reject my medicine fers and firm biomed? Could I do that after all it took to attain them? What if I manage to pull through and get an A in Chem?
So I call Biomedical sciences. I try to reason with them and explain my situation. I was told (not very nicely, bet I'm not the first to go) that no, they will not reduce my offer (even though other candidates can enter the same course with ABB) because "they do not want to be anyone's insurance". His words. He said that I have to make my decision.

Needless to say I will not be firming them. I would rather go on a gap year than spend three years on a course I was tricked on. No where on the website did it mention that they tailor the offer to your predicted grades. If it did, I would never have applied. Why accept medicine personal statements if you don't want medicine applicants. I could have applied elsewhere, I chose Manchester because I like the uni but I no longer like the department. By making your predicted grades the offer they have ensured that they will be the highest offer you have. And they've done it in such an underhanded manner. This feels like a pride thing gone out of hand. I may not go to uni this year. And it sucks. They know why insurance choices were made, right? Or is it only for the 'lesser unis and courses'.

Is this even legal? Can I complain to someone?

Reply 1

RexyB

Um... Hello?

I'm getting negs but only one person has replied and none to actually help. If you have a problem with what I wrote please explain it. I would like to know what I've done wrong.

Reply 2

Jenx301

unfortunately for you, unis can pretty much offer whatever they want... not much you can do. I have got an offer which was CCC and after they gave me the offer sent an email telling me it had been changed to BCC. I know its not much but could be the difference between meeting my place + not. What Im trying to say though, is that you just have to decide what you want to do about it... decide your firm based on the place/course you like the most. If manchester was your fave then put that as a firm.

Reply 3

RexyB

Original post by Jenx301

Thanks. *sigh* It's upsetting but I've made up my mind. But its just such a gamble. I'm quite afraid.

Reply 4

Jenx301

Original post by RexyB

Thanks. *sigh* It's upsetting but I've made up my mind. But its just such a gamble. I'm quite afraid.

yeah I understand.. my whole uni application went completely wrong a few times from my teacher sending the wrong predicted grades to a uni I had an offer for withdrawing their course after the 15th jan deadline. I actually cried a few times over it! So what have you accepted as your firm + insurance? I did mine yesterday and I was so nervous!

Reply 5

chan3571

why not do the best that you can to try to get into the medicine course?

Reply 6

RexyB

Original post by Jenx301

I firmed Manchester Medicine. Yesterday, too. So nervous. Plus, I had to decline Peninsula's Medicine offer. Don't feel like I should be declining ANY Medicine offers. :smile:

Original post by chan3571

why not do the best that you can to try to get into the medicine course?

1) you assume I haven't tried up till now? That I'm applying to Medicine but what? I can't be arsed to work for it?
2)If that was what everyone expected then what would be the point of insurance choices? They are a safeguard. A just-in-case. They are the reason applicants can only apply to 4 Medical schools.

Reply 7

MissLightyear

Original post by RexyB

I thought the reason you could only apply to 4 was to help the admissions teams because there are so many applicants?

Reply 8

Jenx301

Original post by RexyB

I firmed Manchester Medicine. Yesterday, too. So nervous. Plus, I had to decline Peninsula's Medicine offer. Don't feel like I should be declining ANY Medicine offers. :smile:

aww bless you! i think a lot of people feel nervous about firming... dunno about you but I am *so* indecisive and I always wonder if I chose the right thing! Eeek. Oh well, Im sure things will work out for both of us :biggrin:

Reply 9

chan3571

Original post by RexyB

I firmed Manchester Medicine. Yesterday, too. So nervous. Plus, I had to decline Peninsula's Medicine offer. Don't feel like I should be declining ANY Medicine offers. :smile:

I just think if the unis give an offer, they actually expect you to achieve it. And what's the point of applying to a course that you won't be able to meet their requirements? If that is your case, then why do you waste places when other applicants don't even get one single offer?

Reply 10

Select Username

Original post by RexyB

Um... Hello?

I'm getting negs but only one person has replied and none to actually help. If you have a problem with what I wrote please explain it. I would like to know what I've done wrong.

I applied to Manchester university for Biomedical Science You say that nowhere on the website does it say that they tailor the grades to your predicted but it did say so in the brochure that was sent to me before my interview telling me about the day that your offer would almost certainly be your predicted grades. However my predicted grades were AAA and my offer was AAB, which was a shock (but I'm not complaining since chemistry also screwed me over).

I think the way they react is because the Life Science department have such an amazing reputation. Manchester university many not be top 10 overall on the league tables but the Life Science department rivals Oxbridge and that's probably why they are so harsh to medical students. They understand that being a med applicant you need a 5th option but I think that being as they feel that want students who are solely focused on the Life Sciences and research. I agree that they seemed a little too proud but considering the achievements they have made (i.e. Curtis Dobson) I think they will be a bit prejudiced to anyone they think isn't obsessed with becoming a research scientists and winning them loads of Nobel Prizes.

I think the offer they give you is based on what they think you are capable of achieving. If they really didn't want you they wouldn't have given you an offer but I understand why you're angry since there's no point having an AAA offer as your insurance when you firm is AAA.
Personally I like the range of offers that they give as sometimes the brightest of people may not have the best A Level results so they take things like your personal statement, interest in the course and uni into account which is difficult to show when you are a med applicant.

Anyway I hope you don't end up hating Manchester Biomedical Science too much as you'll be spending a lot of time in the same area as the biomedical students so don't hate us too much and good luck on getting the med offers :biggrin: