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Newcastle Medical School 2012 Entry Applicants

Poll

UKCAT score average?

Hey guys, well there probably is one already but I couldn't find it :biggrin:

.... which is a little weird considering how late it is, but hey bump is there already is one :wink:

Anyway all getting ready for applying, either first timers or reapplicants.

UKCAT poll added, and don't be disheartened is yours doesen't seem as high.... this is TSR after all :tongue:

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Reply 1
Hey guys. :biggrin:

A bit of info about Newcastle's admission policy (which can be found here):

Selection for interview - "shortlisting"

First things first, they check that applicants reach the minimum A-Level/GCSE requirements. All those that do are ranked by UKCAT score and approximately the top 40-45% are given interviews. The interview shortlisting is done purely on the UKCAT average. Having additional A*'s at GCSE or A-Level, for example, will not help or make it easier to achieve an interview. The UKCAT score required for interview will vary year on year because each year the UKCAT scores of those applying change. You will either be given an interview or rejected.

2011 entry UKCAT cut-off was 675 (then lowered to 667.5 later in the cycle).
2010 entry UKCAT cut-off was 645
2009 entry UKCAT cut-off was 615

You can expect it to increase this year. It is impossible to know by how much. In the past it has increased approx. 30 points year-on-year, but this may change.

UKCAT scores are given to Newcastle on or around the 5th November. You can expect interview invites from this date. My interview date for 2011 entry was 19 Nov, and I received the invitation (first by email, and then letter) on or around the 12th Nov. The latest you can be rejected for not meeting the UKCAT cut-off is around mid-February, so don't give up hope!

Interview

If you are above the UKCAT cut-off then you will be invited to interview. The medical school describe the purpose interview as "to confirm whether the candidate has the aptitude, motivation and personal qualities to succeed as a medical student" and they are held between mid-November and early March. You will be interviewed by two members of academic staff, which may or may not be practicing doctors (I was interviewed by two doctors). Each individually fill in an assessment form which is very structured. They rate you on a 4-point scale (1 being crap, and 4 being exceptional) on the following criteria:

Choice of Newcastle - self explanatory.

Reflection on the commitment to care and role of a doctor - caring nature, insight into a career as a doctor, understanding of the NHS, ethical issues, etc.

Reflection on personal attributes - learning styles, communication skills, ability to deal with questions, ability to explain complicated concepts, non-academic and personal interests, personal attributes (strengths/weaknesses, self motivation, leadership, teamwork), coping with stress

Verification of Personal Statement - ability to verify personal statement and draw on examples

Overall performance at interview - rated on your overall performance


(All of these and a more in-depth description of each is available in the admissions policy I linked before.)

They won't tell you your scores until after the end of the application cycle. After then, you can apply for them and you get a letter if you're interested and nosy like I am. :p:

Using all these 4-point scores, they will somehow give you an 'overall interview score' (which is separate from overall performance, by the way) which allows you to be ranked with the other applicants. This is the reason they do not give out any offers until they have finished interviewing everybody. Once they rank all of the applicants they have interviewed, they will give offers to approximately 400 of them. You have about a 43% chance of gaining an offer after interview. The interview stage is tough. It is not a case of "gain interview = gain place".

If you are ranked in the top 400-odd people they interviewed, you will be given an offer from early/mid-March. The first offers last year came out on 9th March (the day I got my offer! hooray!) and from some rumours floating around last year tend to be given out in some kind of descending interview score order.

Key Dates (all estimated based on previous cycles)

UKCAT deadline: 07 Oct 2011
UCAS deadline: 15 Oct 2011
UKCAT scores given to Newcastle: ~05 Nov 2011
Interview invites expected from: ~12 Nov 2011
Interview period: ~19 Nov 2011 - ~19 Feb 2012
All pre-interview rejections given out: ~12 Feb 2012
Offers start to be given out: ~9th March 2012
All post-interview rejections given out: End of March 2012
Post-offer open day: 4 April 2012 and 11 April 2012

Key Stats (approximate, based on 2010 entry cycle)

Places: 352
Applications: 2057
Interviews: 928
Offers: 400

Chance of interview: ~45%
After interview, chance of offer: ~43%

2011 entry UKCAT cut-off was 675 (then lowered to 667.5 later in the cycle).
2010 entry UKCAT cut-off was 645.
2009 entry UKCAT cut-off was 615

Hope this helps!

2012 Entry Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups​/381347678544606/
(edited 12 years ago)
Just wondering if anyone had an idea about what the cut off score will be and also if anyone knows what it was last year specifically for Newcastle.

Thanks
Reply 3
Original post by Bazinator360
Just wondering if anyone had an idea about what the cut off score will be and also if anyone knows what it was last year specifically for Newcastle.

Thanks


Last year the cutoff was 675. :smile:
Reply 4
I vaugely remember being told the cut off last year was 2600. But it changes year on year, they just take the top candidates for interview. So if that particular year has low UKCAT scores overall then the cutoff will be lowered.
Reply 5
very high end of the 600s? maybe 690 or into the 700s :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by SomeoneYouDon'tKnow
Does anyone know if the cutoff score is the average score, or a minimum in each section? I just took my UKCAT, would love to apply to Newcastle but got 640 in the verbal reasoning section despite doing well in the other three sections. Does this mean I'm unlikely to get an interview or is it the average that is looked at?
Thanks :smile:


Newcastle uses the average score as it's cutoff point. (675 last year)
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by Vulpes
Sorry. Newcastle uses the average score as it's cutoff point. With a cutoff of 675 last year, your chances aren't great. :frown:


I think you misread what he is saying mate, he said that he got 640 in one of the sections so if he has done well in the others his average could be high? :smile:
Reply 8
Original post by SomeoneYouDon'tKnow
Does anyone know if the cutoff score is the average score, or a minimum in each section? I just took my UKCAT, would love to apply to Newcastle but got 640 in the verbal reasoning section despite doing well in the other three sections. Does this mean I'm unlikely to get an interview or is it the average that is looked at?
Thanks :smile:


It is an average i think mate, if you got around 690 you might have a chance but you would be near the bottom i suspect, but who knows :smile:
Reply 9
Original post by raveen789
I think you misread what he is saying mate, he said that he got 640 in one of the sections so if he has done well in the others his average could be high? :smile:


Oh oops :tongue: Thanks for the correction.
Reply 10
Original post by Vulpes
Oh oops :tongue: Thanks for the correction.





how is the ukcat made fair, if someone has done it first and told the other person who hasnt done it yet what is on the test ?
do they change it daily, cause i know a few people who have done that ?!
Original post by xpolly123x
how is the ukcat made fair, if someone has done it first and told the other person who hasnt done it yet what is on the test ?
do they change it daily, cause i know a few people who have done that ?!


Yep it's the same paper for everybody, so make sure you get the latest test date and some good friends who are willing to give you the answers.

/joke



Use your brain...seriously.

You might need to use it in med school.
Reply 12
Original post by Vulpes
Newcastle uses the average score as it's cutoff point. (675 last year)


it was 665 last year..
Reply 13
Original post by raveen789
very high end of the 600s? maybe 690 or into the 700s :smile:


I went back and found a thread from a whole year ago and they were predicting the cutoff to be around 700 - and it was 665! :/
Reply 14
Original post by Marky
I went back and found a thread from a whole year ago and they were predicting the cutoff to be around 700 - and it was 665! :/


Yeah :/ I think they were just trying to be on the safe side, i mean it could be 680 this year, but to be safe id apply with 700 ish and I would be edgy even if I had 690, but I love Newcastle so I could risk it lol. I am yet to do the UKCAT :redface:
Got told on the open day it was gonna be about 720ish :nopity:

Not sure if they were joking or not :nothing:
Reply 16
Original post by kimprovising
Got told on the open day it was gonna be about 720ish :nopity:

Not sure if they were joking or not :nothing:


They can't predict it, they are probably trying to scare people from applying :colone:
Original post by raveen789
They can't predict it, they are probably trying to scare people from applying :colone:


I hope so :afraid:
Reply 18
Original post by kimprovising
Got told on the open day it was gonna be about 720ish :nopity:

Not sure if they were joking or not :nothing:


I went on the Newcastle open day and in the main talk they couldn't even remember what last year's cut off was!

No one knows for sure what it'll be - they interview the top 1000 applicants! :smile:
Reply 19
Original post by Marky
I get your point but I seriously doubt it'd be as high as 680! They are interviewing more this year and are expecting less applicants! Yeah I also loved Newcastle - amazing city!

Good luck with your UKCAT! I'm so glad it's all over for me! :biggrin:


Oh good news i hope its less then 680 im worrying a lot about the UKCAT i can't think as fast as it wants me to! :frown: how did you do in it :biggrin: maybe with practice i might improve my speed :smile:

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