[Dodger0]

Who else is applying to KCL? Any advice from previous applicants who were successful in gaining entry would be very much appreciated.

[Pert]

(Original post by Dodger0)
Who else is applying to KCL? Any advice from previous applicants who were successful in gaining entry would be very much appreciated.

I have a place for 2012 feel free to ask anything

[bigbottle]

I rang KCL and managed to obtain the following information:

1. They place ALOT of emphasis on the UKCAT and academics in the initial stages of the filtering process.
2. There is no minimum requirement for duration of work experience.
3. Manual dexterity demonstration isn't so important in the personal statement.
4. Extra-curricular activities are important.

[Pert]

I would agree with the above


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[bigbottle]

I have a few questions for current students or to anyone that knows the answer:

1. When do you start treating patients?

2. Where do you go for your outreach placements?

3. When can you go for your elective?

4. How are you assessed? (MCQs, SAQs, Essays, Viva, Presentations etc ??)

5. Is it true that because there are approximately 160 people in the year (130 on 5 year and 30 on 4 year), the students don't get to know you that well on a personal level?

6. Generally, what type of students study Dentistry at KCL? Are most from private schools? Is it laid back or is there a lot of competition and stuck up people?

[Vian]

(Original post by bigbottle)
I have a few questions for current students or to anyone that knows the answer:

1. When do you start treating patients?

2. Where do you go for your outreach placements?

3. When can you go for your elective?

4. How are you assessed? (MCQs, SAQs, Essays, Viva, Presentations etc ??)

5. Is it true that because there are approximately 160 people in the year (130 on 5 year and 30 on 4 year), the students don't get to know you that well on a personal level?

6. Generally, what type of students study Dentistry at KCL? Are most from private schools? Is it laid back or is there a lot of competition and stuck up people?

I went to their open day last year, so if I remember correctly:

1. You start seeing patients by the end of the first year.

2. They can be in the UK or even abroad.

3. Isn't that the same as the outreach placements?

4. No idea

5. You probably wouldn't know everyone personally, but I doubt you'd end up knowing less people than at smaller dental schools.

6. I'd guess it's the same type of people you would find at other Dental Schools. You know, obsessed with teeth and closet sadists.

Hope that was of some help, good luck with your application!!

[splitstriker]

(Original post by bigbottle)
I have a few questions for current students or to anyone that knows the answer:

1. When do you start treating patients?

2. Where do you go for your outreach placements?

3. When can you go for your elective?

4. How are you assessed? (MCQs, SAQs, Essays, Viva, Presentations etc ??)

5. Is it true that because there are approximately 160 people in the year (130 on 5 year and 30 on 4 year), the students don't get to know you that well on a personal level?

6. Generally, what type of students study Dentistry at KCL? Are most from private schools? Is it laid back or is there a lot of competition and stuck up people?

1. You start treating half-way through BDS2 on Perio. You'll be doing some 'nursing' prior to that.

2. Not entirely sure what you mean. In 5th year, a chunk of the year goes to Portsmouth, to work in full dental teams.

3. Anywhere in the world.

4. All of those. End-of-year exams are MCQ/SAQ/Essays. You'll have clinical viva's/OSCE's throughout the course.

5. You will be acquaintances with everyone, but you couldn't know everyone on a 'personal level' even if there were only 50.

6. A lot of people from London as you'd expect, there are a fair number of private school kids, but it's a nice mix and match of background, personalities and abilities.

Good luck

[bigbottle]

(Original post by splitstriker)
1. You start treating half-way through BDS2 on Perio. You'll be doing some 'nursing' prior to that.

2. Not entirely sure what you mean. In 5th year, a chunk of the year goes to Portsmouth, to work in full dental teams.

3. Anywhere in the world.

4. All of those. End-of-year exams are MCQ/SAQ/Essays. You'll have clinical viva's/OSCE's throughout the course.

5. You will be acquaintances with everyone, but you couldn't know everyone on a 'personal level' even if there were only 50.

6. A lot of people from London as you'd expect, there are a fair number of private school kids, but it's a nice mix and match of background, personalities and abilities.

Good luck

Thanks for your reply, yes with regards to point 5 I was talking about clinical tutors and staff, not peers.

I'm from up North, I hope the Londoners don't mock my accent. :/

[BubberSher]

What is King's take on module retakes, lets say you dont get an A in your AS due to one module but retake only that module aand then get an A?
I know that due to the overwhelming number of applications, kings choose the very best- who get A's in first sitting.

Also i have heard a lot about UKCAT, but how can i ensure i perform well at it? Its not exactly an exam paper which you can practice and learn the stuff for the test as it is all aptitude based.

[Vian]

(Original post by BubberSher)
What is King's take on module retakes

Most, if not all, universities are indifferent to resitting modules. What they really don't like is taking more than two years to do A-Levels.

(Original post by BubberSher)
Also i have heard a lot about UKCAT, but how can i ensure i perform well at it?

There are a number of books that provide practice questions and tips on what to look out for (very handy for the Abstract Reasoning section). They say you can't improve on it, but that's all a bunch of lies (the head of admissions at Kings said so himself), though it does take quite a bit longer to get used to. You can get used to the exam format and learn how to answer familiar questions. I personally recommend the 600Q book.

[hopingtobeadentist]

(Original post by Pert)
I have a place for 2012 feel free to ask anything

What did you get for GCSE's and A Levels + UKCAT???

[Pert]

(Original post by hopingtobeadentist)
What did you get for GCSE's and A Levels + UKCAT???

GCSEs 4*s 5As B
AS AAAA
A2 predicted ***
UKCAT 675
Offer AAA inc bio and chem


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[hopingtobeadentist]

(Original post by Pert)
GCSEs 4*s 5As B
AS AAAA
A2 predicted ***
UKCAT 675
Offer AAA inc bio and chem


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Oh that's cool

What grades did you get in maths and english?
And what subjects did you take for A- levels?

Oh and what does "Offer" AAA inc bio and chem mean?
I hear so many applicants mention it but I don't really understand it

[Pert]

(Original post by hopingtobeadentist)
Oh that's cool

What grades did you get in maths and english?
And what subjects did you take for A- levels?

Oh and what does "Offer" AAA inc bio and chem mean?
I hear so many applicants mention it but I don't really understand it

I got As in both English and maths at GCSE and I took biology chemistry geography and physics at AS and dropped physics for A2.and the offer is 3As and you need to do biology and chemistry as two of those As at A2, does that make more sense


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[mahum]

(Original post by Pert)
I have a place for 2012 feel free to ask anything

Hi I was just wondering, if you don't attend a open day to a university do universities take that into condieration when selecting students, cuz i dunt think ill be able to make it to all the open days i want to go to

[710]

(Original post by Pert)
I have a place for 2012 feel free to ask anything

About your work experience?? What did you do? How much did you do? Will it kill off your application, if your work experience isn't quite great??? Were you torn between Medicine and Dentistry???? Away from your 4 choices for Dentistry, what was your 5th choice???

[Dev*]

any graduates applying for the 5 year course? Do we stand a better chance of getting in? Do you need 3As at A level too?

[Pert]

(Original post by mahum)
Hi I was just wondering, if you don't attend a open day to a university do universities take that into condieration when selecting students, cuz i dunt think ill be able to make it to all the open days i want to go to

They have very little way of knowing if you have been or not, for instance I went to the Sheffield open day and because I live 60 miles from sheffield I we t the extra 25miles up the road to Leeds on the same day and just walked around campus, no tour or anything


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[Pert]

(Original post by 710)
About your work experience?? What did you do? How much did you do? Will it kill off your application, if your work experience isn't quite great??? Were you torn between Medicine and Dentistry???? Away from your 4 choices for Dentistry, what was your 5th choice???

I did 2 separate weeks in two separate practices, a day in ortho and two days of max fax, I don't think your work experience can't be great as long as it is at least 2-3 weeks of dental shadowing

Extract of ps regarding work experience

"To pursue this new interest and to give myself an insight into the working life of a dentist I carried out two weeks observation in general practice in two different towns with different demographics. It was invaluable in illustrating to me the variety of work a dentist undertakes and the vast wealth of knowledge required. In my first week I also visited a dental lab, this was extremely useful in illustrating to me the importance of communication within the branches of the dental profession. An area that interests me greatly in a dental career is the varied career paths it offers and so I undertook a day of observation in an orthodontic practice and have booked for two days observing in surgery in the oral and maxillofacial department of my local hospital once I turn eighteen in October. I am also a NPLQ qualified lifeguard, I feel this has prepared me to make fast and accurate decisions in high pressure situations."

And I was never interested in medicine, I felt the basic job would be too mundane and would have to specialise whereas I felt dentistry is already a more specialised vocation even with the BDS.

And I did not bother with a 5th as I felt I'd rather reapply than do a degree and then postgrad, especially with £9k fees!


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[rickydentistry]

(Original post by Pert)
I did 2 separate weeks in two separate practices, a day in ortho and two days of max fax, I don't think your work experience can't be great as long as it is at least 2-3 weeks of dental shadowing

Extract of ps regarding work experience

"To pursue this new interest and to give myself an insight into the working life of a dentist I carried out two weeks observation in general practice in two different towns with different demographics. It was invaluable in illustrating to me the variety of work a dentist undertakes and the vast wealth of knowledge required. In my first week I also visited a dental lab, this was extremely useful in illustrating to me the importance of communication within the branches of the dental profession. An area that interests me greatly in a dental career is the varied career paths it offers and so I undertook a day of observation in an orthodontic practice and have booked for two days observing in surgery in the oral and maxillofacial department of my local hospital once I turn eighteen in October. I am also a NPLQ qualified lifeguard, I feel this has prepared me to make fast and accurate decisions in high pressure situations."

And I was never interested in medicine, I felt the basic job would be too mundane and would have to specialise whereas I felt dentistry is already a more specialised vocation even with the BDS.

And I did not bother with a 5th as I felt I'd rather reapply than do a degree and then postgrad, especially with £9k fees!


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which 4 schools did you apply to if you don't mind me asking?