[Hygeia]

As it's getting closer to the medicine deadline, more and more of these threads are appearing in the forum and people are getting a little frustrated with the them so this thread is for all of those queries (the x uni or y uni questions, the where should I apply with these grades etc).

I'll start with some useful links:

• What you might like to consider when deciding where to apply
• The pros and cons of various universities
• For all your where CAN I apply questions, have a look at the main medicine wiki page which contains links to the GCSE/A Level/UKCAT requirements of each university, allowing you to exclude those medical schools where you don't meet the requirements.
• You can use the spreadsheet attached to the first post of this thread to input your data and find out at a glance where you are able to apply.

A couple of FAQs

• Which medical schools are easier to get into?
  The simple answer here is none of them, all medical schools are very competitive and those with a lower applicant to offer ratio one year are likely to have a much higher one the next year.
  However, it is possible to apply smart - for example getting into Birmingham if you don't have the requisite number of A*s would be very difficult where the same number of A*s at another medical school are fine. Similarly, if your UKCAT is not brilliant, applying for medical schools which love the UKCAT might not be very sensible. You can make it easier for yourself by doing some research into the medical schools (using the links I posted earlier).
• Should I apply to X university or Y university?
  This is a very personal decision you have to make on your own as it is where you may be studying for 5 or 6 years. Do you have a gut instinct over which to go to? What is it you like about each? What don't you like? Have you visited both, if so, which did you feel more 'at home' at? Some people find it helpful to draw up a list of pros and cons for each if they're really struggling to decide. You can also have a look at what current students say about their medical schools in the link I posted earlier.

Any further threads on this topic will be merged with this one and hopefully some one will respond to each giving advice, however, try to do some research on your own first! I'll add FAQs as and when they come up.

[RollerBall]

I'm having trouble picking where I want to apply to. I was originally planning on applying to Bristol, Leeds, Leicester and BSMS.

I know this is a pretty pointless post and I'll get "Apply where you want" etc but I just need ideas and maybe a university I've skipped over would be good for me or vice versa.

I'm not applying to Bristol after all now because they said they want two lab sciences, even though they said on the open day maths was fine with chemistry. So I've dropped Bio and don't particualy want to take it back up for the sake of one university, which I may not even get an offer/interview at.

Brighton I'm a bit scared at the overwhelming competition and places per applicants compared to other medical schools. Yes I know all medical schools are competetive but Brighton is especialy.

I don't really want to live in London and would prefer a city rather than campus University and from what I've gathered about it, I don't want a full PBL course, but would prefer half and half or so.

GCSEs:3A*s, 5 As, 2 Bs, 1 C
AS: AAAA (Bio, Chem, Math, Geog)
A2 predictions: AAA (Chem, Math, Geog)
UKCAT: Sitting it on the 29th (Bricking it)
PS/Extra Curric/Work XP: Cba listing it, since it means jack at the end of the day without writing about it properly, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Any ideas?

[aimz08]

(Original post by RollerBall)
I'm having trouble picking where I want to apply to. I was originally planning on applying to Bristol, Leeds, Leicester and BSMS.

I know this is a pretty pointless post and I'll get "Apply where you want" etc but I just need ideas and maybe a university I've skipped over would be good for me or vice versa.

I'm not applying to Bristol after all now because they said they want two lab sciences, even though they said on the open day maths was fine with chemistry. So I've dropped Bio and don't particualy want to take it back up for the sake of one university, which I may not even get an offer/interview at.

Brighton I'm a bit scared at the overwhelming competition and places per applicants compared to other medical schools. Yes I know all medical schools are competetive but Brighton is especialy.

I don't really want to live in London and would prefer a city rather than campus University and from what I've gathered about it, I don't want a full PBL course, but would prefer half and half or so.

GCSEs:3A*s, 5 As, 2 Bs, 1 C
AS: AAAA (Bio, Chem, Math, Geog)
A2 predictions: AAA (Chem, Math, Geog)
UKCAT: Sitting it on the 29th (Bricking it)
PS/Extra Curric/Work XP: Cba listing it, since it means jack at the end of the day without writing about it properly, so you'll have to take my word for it.

Any ideas?

Sheffield is a city university. Depends on your UKCAT though I think there cut off is something like 670/675 cant remember exactly.

Also what is the place/applicant ratio for BSMS? Is it more competitive then say Cardiff?

[EmersonDrain]

Newcastle

[lostphotobooth]

Bristol are GCSE whores from what I have heard so am not sure that is a wise choice? Though, someone else might be more useful with regards to Bristol as I don't know much about them

Leeds and Leicester should be okay for you. Last year, a friend of mine got offers from both and her GCSEs weren't as good as yours, and neither were her AS Levels.

If your UKCAT goes well, maybe consider Newcastle? IIRC, their course has PBL as well as an integrated curriculum.

[mmmspam]

Have you thought about Notts or Manchester?

Also maybe don't completely rule out PBL courses - people I know on them mostly didn't think they'd like them, but apparently they're 'not what you expect' and 'actually a really easy way of learning' and that sort of thing.

[Hippysnake]

Kcl. Icl? Ucl?

[RollerBall]

I havn't looked at Manchester much due to the massive amount of PBL and very little lectures. Notts require bio @ A2 so rules that out. I've never looked at newcastle either, I'll have a look now. Don't they have a high UKCAT cut off?

I don't want to sit the BMAT (Should have said that in my OP) and I can't afford to live in London.

[lostphotobooth]

(Original post by RollerBall)
I havn't looked at Manchester much due to the massive amount of PBL and very little lectures. Notts require bio @ A2 so rules that out. I've never looked at newcastle either, I'll have a look now. Don't they have a high UKCAT cut off?

I don't want to sit the BMAT (Should have said that in my OP) and I can't afford to live in London.

Yeah, Newcastle rank everyone based on UKCAT. ~650 should be safe enough if last year is anything to go by.

Also, Newcastle require 3 A grades (and a prediction of 3 A grades IIRC) and I think they may also require biology A2.

Have a look at this:

http://www.medschoolsonline.co.uk/index.php?pageid=78

[infernalcradle]

have a look at medschoolonline.com

it tells you the chance you have in getting into a school, the app/place ratios and typical offers etc....

[RollerBall]

Uch, it's so fustrating. I really don't want to take bio this year because I can't stick any more frigging plants. I scored much better in my Geog/Maths than I did bio. I scrapped an A in Bio (244) but got 90% in both maths and geog and really dont want to throw those away since I'm far more likely to get an A grade in those than in Bio.

[lostphotobooth]

(Original post by RollerBall)
Uch, it's so fustrating. I really don't want to take bio this year because I can't stick any more frigging plants. I scored much better in my Geog/Maths than I did bio. I scrapped an A in Bio (244) but got 90% in both maths and geog and really dont want to throw those away since I'm far more likely to get an A grade in those than in Bio.

Well, at AS Level, my UMS for bio was 247, and despite being predicted an A at A2, my teachers thought I'd only get a B. I worked pretty hard and managed to come out with an A overall (albeit only just at 491 UMS).

EDIT: Alternatively, if you can take the workload, why not continue all four onto A2?

[RollerBall]

(Original post by lostphotobooth)
Well, at AS Level, my UMS for bio was 247, and despite being predicted an A at A2, my teachers thought I'd only get a B. I worked pretty hard and managed to come out with an A overall (albeit only just at 491 UMS).

EDIT: Alternatively, if you can take the workload, why not continue all four onto A2?

Our school won't let anyone take all four, nor do I really want to tbh. I'd rather concentrate on getting three As than spread and come out with AABB possibly.

Are there any Manchester students about or full PBL course users that wouldn't mind a chat about it? I havn't spoken to anyone properly who's done/doing a full PBL course.

EDIT: I'm looking into soton now. Leeds, Leicester, Soton, BSMS, Manchester.

[RollerBall]

Are there any students who would have a few spew minutes to chat about PBL and their experiences of it? I don't really want to make a thread about it and havn't managed to speak to anyone about it properly.

[Phalanges]

(Original post by RollerBall)
I don't really want to live in London

(Original post by Hippysnake)
Kcl. Icl? Ucl?

Genius.

[RoadWarrior]

Haven't you made one of these threads before?

[RollerBall]

(Original post by RoadWarrior)
Haven't you made one of these threads before?

Not that I know of. I made one about BSMS a few days ago asking about the competition.

[Phalanges]

(Original post by RoadWarrior)
Haven't you made one of these threads before?

I am on your to rep list.

Although apparently you repped me only three days ago (for this rather lengthy post).

[RollerBall]

(Original post by Phalanges)
Genius.

I wondered if anyone else would pick up on that lol. Don't you study in Manchester? Forgive me if I got the wrong idea, not sure where I even got it from just thought you did.

[figure-it-out]

Thought about glasgow? not sure what it's like but my friend's there atm doing medicine and loving it! He got modest gcse results but straight A's at A levels and loads of work experience. his offer was only AAB too, without interview! worth a look? How about southampton? that's campus and is a gooden =]