Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Is there any point in putting a 5th choice - advice please?

Hi all,

I am just choosing where to apply (11A*, 1C at GCSE and 4As at AS) and am wondering whether it is advantageous to put a fifth choice or not?
I'll probably be applying to Oxford, Birmingham, Bristol and Brighton for Medicine.

Basically, does it look better if I don't have a 5th choice - I know that I wouldn't take up the place in reality so it seems a bit odd to apply as my backup backup plan! Or, should I put a 5th so I don't regret it when I have no offers?!

Your thoughts please?

ETA: Why the negative rep?

(edited 11 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

blahblah772

if you're not gonna take the 5th place don't put one, probably tells the uni you are determined for med

to the kid who negged. why apply for a place that you are definitely not gonna take, "I know I won't take up the place in reality", and stop someone else getting an offer

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

Miracle Day

You can only pick 4 for Medicine anyway?

Edit: Ohh a 5th for a different subject, nevermind

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 3

Flyteryder

Each university you apply to only knows you've applied to them. They can't see you fifth choice or any of your other choices, so no it doesn't look better if you don't have a fifth choice.

Use your fifth choice for something like biochemistry or biology or something medicine related. If you get 4 rejections for medicine then you at least have something medicine related you wouldn't mind doing.

Reply 4

Good bloke

Original post by Flyteryder

Each university you apply to only knows you've applied to them. They can't see you fifth choice or any of your other choices, so no it doesn't look better if you don't have a fifth choice.

Not quite. Each choice can see how many choices you have made, though not what and where those choices are until after all decisions have been made.

Reply 5

Clare~Bear

Like flytender says, they can't tell what other unis you apply to. Although they might be able to if you apply to a course in the same department in one of those, if they realise that is.

Medicine is incredibly competitive and even with your grades and A*A*A* predictions, you're not guaranteed a place. Although applying to anything such a s biochemistry/ biomedical studies etc might not be successful as your PS will obviously for medicine.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 6

laurel1

Original post by Miracle Day

You can only pick 4 for Medicine anyway?

Sorry I didn't make that clear - I'm talking about putting a fifth choice in for Biomed or something.

Original post by Flyteryder

Ok - so they can't see if I've put 4 or 5 down? I thought the other choices were just "blacked out" so they'd still see if I had 4 or 5 choices?

And yes, if I did a 5th I'd go for Biomed, but I wouldn't use it, if I don't get an offer this year I'm going to work as an HCA and then reapply next year.

Thanks!

Reply 7

tikkitak

If you wouldn't want to actually go to your fifth choice and do a different course, and you're sure you're going to get the grades you need for medicine, then you don't really need to put a fifth choice. I didn't, as I knew I wouldn't want to do a different degree. When I got 4 rejections the first year I just took a gap year and reapplied as I got the grades I needed. Although you could put a fifth choice just in case you don't get the grades? Or just in case you get 4 rejections and suddenly decide you wouldn't mind doing a different course? You can always reject their offer?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

laurel1

Original post by tikkitak

If you wouldn't want to actually go to your fifth choice and do a different course, and you're pretty sure you're going to get the grades you need for medicine, then you don't really need to put a fifth choice. I didn't, as I knew I wouldn't want to do a different degree. When I got 4 rejections the first year I just took a gap year and reapplied as I got the grades I needed. Although you could put a fifth choice just in case you get rejected from medicine, then just reject it if you decide you really really don't want to do it?

Yes, this seems sensible. If nobody knows whether I will be looked on more favourably with just my 4 med choices (more committed?) then I guess I'll put a 5th. Choices choices!

Reply 9

Good bloke

Original post by laurel1

I thought the other choices were just "blacked out" so they'd still see if I had 4 or 5 choices?

See my post number 5 in this thread.

Reply 10

Electronica

If the university sees that you have made only four choices then the only impression they will get from your character is that you are reckless. Not really what you want from a medical applicant.

Reply 11

tikkitak

Original post by laurel1

Yes, this seems sensible. If nobody knows whether I will be looked on more favourably with just my 4 med choices (more committed?) then I guess I'll put a 5th. Choices choices!

I don't think it will make any difference at all to your application if you put a fifth choice. Lots of people put a fifth choice, I don't think it will make you look any less committed than someone who doesn't (you might even look more sensible :tongue:

) Just make sure you do some research into your fifth choice and make it something that realistically you could see yourself doing. Otherwise there's really no point in having it there!

Reply 12

blahblah772

Original post by blahblah772

if you're not gonna take the 5th place don't put one, probably tells the uni you are determined for med

oh really?

yeah, I reckon so

oh well thank you for the response

that's alright

****

Reply 13

Good bloke

Original post by Electronica

If the university sees that you have made only four choices then the only impression they will get from your character is that you are reckless. Not really what you want from a medical applicant.

Hardly. They will see that the applicant is definitely committed to medicine and not currently interested in other subjects and is likely to have plans for a gap year in case of receiving no offers.

Reply 14

dragonkeeper999

Look at courses which allow the top students to transfer into medicine if they want after a year - I remember reading about one in some prospectus... not sure which one though, which isn't much help, sorry :P I think it was a biomed course. Then, you still have the option to go into medicine.

Reply 15

POWCATTY

i advise you to put a 5th choice. even if you dont really want to take it atm, you might change your mind later. i applied 3 times and each time put a 5th choice, but i decided to take gap years instead to improve my PS for medicine, however a few of my friends took up their backups and are very glad they did.

Reply 16

Ketchup'n'Mustard

Original post by blahblah772

oh really?

yeah, I reckon so

oh well thank you for the response

that's alright

****

Are you... are you talking to yourself o.O

Reply 17

Zubby77

I just applied this cycle, and I knew that I would 100% take a gap year and reapply rather than take up a backup course, so I didn't bother with it. As some people have said, you might be stopping someone else getting a place, but also you won't need to worry about going to another interview/writing another personal statement for the backup that you're not going to take in the end, if they ask for either of those.