AS grades for medicine at Oxbridge

rat2006

I really really want to apply to Cambridge to study medicine. I got my AS results yetserday which were...

Biology: A (UMS score - 298/300)
Chemistry: A (UMS score - 285/300)
Maths: A (UMS score - 295/300)
French: A (UMS score - 283/300)
History: B (UMS score - 230/300)

For my GCSEs, I got 11A*s.

I really want to go to Cambridge, but am not sure if they want straight As at AS level. Have I scuppered my chances of getting to Cambridge with a B in history, or do I still have a chance of getting in?

Reply 1

Tommy07

1

I dont think the universities see the AS grades only your predicted grades for A-levels. Cambridge wants straight As so.....i think you need to work harder in history, and prove to your referee that you can get an A in history overall.
There is no harm in trying!
Good Luck

Reply 2

Twiglet

2

Just to clear things up, on ur UCAS form you just put the 'letters' for the grades, on your College form for cambridge, they may well ask you for specific module scores (they did for me).
If you "really really" want to apply to Cambridge, then go for it tbh, the B in history is not the end of the world. I suppose if you wanted you could email your college and ask if it matters.
We just can't predict if you have a chance of getting in - there are SO many other factors apart from A-levels.
I would say, if you want it, go for it :smile:

xxx

Reply 3

Helenia

20

Tommy07

I dont think the universities see the AS grades only your predicted grades for A-levels. Cambridge wants straight As so.....i think you need to work harder in history, and prove to your referee that you can get an A in history overall.
There is no harm in trying!
Good Luck

Perhaps you should only comment on systems you know about.

OK, rat2006, I really don't think you should worry. Cambridge DO ask for your AS grades and will request all your individual UMS marks as well. They don't want "straight As" though; they will expect you to be able to get As in your science subjects but won't chuck your application out because of a B in History! Frankly, your history grade will not matter at all in the face of your other 4. Bear in mind that nowhere near everyone will have 5 ASs, so having a B in one, which is not related to Medicine at all, will not disadvantage you.

I can't say for sure that you will get in, but with great GCSEs and high UMS in all your sciences, you stand every chance. Are you carrying on with History? Some colleges might be mean and ask for AAAAA if you're taking 5 subjects; others may just ask for AAA/AAAA in your science subjects (I took Bio, Chem, Maths and German, and my AAA offer specifically did not include German).

So basically, don't give up hope at all! PM me if you want any more information about Cambridge medicine.

Reply 4

omaremad

A note to take heed of, is that oxbridge arent the nicest of people.

Their approvals are not based on grades but also other social factors,
there was this case on the news 2 years ago i think where a girl from a government school with high grades was refused because of her school.

The girl was then accepted into harvard :rolleyes:

.

On my work expericene i asked most of the juniour doctors and they said The name of a uni wont affect your carreer much, what would affect your career would be if you got lots of honours did a bsc etc.. at uni. so even if you enter a lesser uni its prolly easier to get better marks there.

dont listen to me i havent even applied yet :smile:

Reply 5

Lecter

12

*cough* laura spence! That person by the way had 3 other offers from medical schools yet declined them as she didn't get into cambridge; bohoooo. Was a load of BS to be honest. She was the second pupil form her school to go to Harvard. She was from a middle class and went to a good state school.
My mate in year 13, didn't get A in further maths as he got a B yet was pooled to another cambridge college. Our school was an average, bog standard state school.

Reply 6

Piggy

1

I'm in a similar position as you rat2006, Got As in Bio, Maths, Chem, French but B in Critical Thinking - I got told not to bother applying to Cambridge cos they'll hate the B and plus I got nowhere near as high UMS's as yours (got 241/300 in OCR Chem oops) yet I still think I'll try at least. Nothing to lose, well, except my faith in myself but never mind!

Reply 7

Helenia

20

omaremad

A note to take heed of, is that oxbridge arent the nicest of people.

Their approvals are not based on grades but also other social factors,
there was this case on the news 2 years ago i think where a girl from a government school with high grades was refused because of her school.

The girl was then accepted into harvard :rolleyes:

.

On my work expericene i asked most of the juniour doctors and they said The name of a uni wont affect your carreer much, what would affect your career would be if you got lots of honours did a bsc etc.. at uni. so even if you enter a lesser uni its prolly easier to get better marks there.

dont listen to me i havent even applied yet :smile:

REALLY don't listen to him. The Laura Spence case is one sure-fire way to anger any Oxbridge medic. It was hijacked by the government to try to make a completely redundant point, and almost nobody here actually believes that it was her school that let her down.

Guys, you have 4 As at AS level. This puts you at least on a par with most applicants. The fact you have a B in a 5th, irrelevant subject, is not going to make you be automatically rejected. Oxbridge medics are not superhuman, nor are the admissions tutors!

Reply 8

Cataclysm

2

Helenia

Guys, you have 4 As at AS level. This puts you at least on a par with most applicants. The fact you have a B in a 5th, irrelevant subject, is not going to make you be automatically rejected. Oxbridge medics are not superhuman, nor are the admissions tutors!

Then why is it when you take kryptonite near them they start to lose their power and their intellect? I remember reading somewhere that every Oxon/Cantab has the some super power or the other, I'm sure you're on of the "Water Walkers" - come on, admit it. There is no shame in that.

Had to be said :biggrin:

Reply 9

Flapthefish

So its totally not worth applying to oxbridge without 4 A's at AS level even if your predicted grades are all A's at A2 level????

Reply 10

Flapthefish

Infact...is it worth applying for medicine anywhere without all A's at AS level??? Please hellppp!

Reply 11

Cobra36

So i was quite pleased with my AS results, but now i'm slightly disheartened. I was hoping to apply for oxbridge (i don't know which one) and in my AS's i got Biology - A, Chemistry - B, Physics - B and Double Maths, AA. I'm dropping biology, as my school wouldn't let me do 5, and it couldn't fit into the timetable. I got 6A*s, 3As and 2As at shortcourse GCSE.Is it still worth a shot? Or would it be a waste of a choice. I know it's not all about the grades etc etc, but they're damn important. Any advice? Thanks

Reply 12

Helenia

20

Cobra36

So i was quite pleased with my AS results, but now i'm slightly disheartened. I was hoping to apply for oxbridge (i don't know which one) and in my AS's i got Biology - A, Chemistry - B, Physics - B and Double Maths, AA. I'm dropping biology, as my school wouldn't let me do 5, and it couldn't fit into the timetable. I got 6A*s, 3As and 2As at shortcourse GCSE.Is it still worth a shot? Or would it be a waste of a choice. I know it's not all about the grades etc etc, but they're damn important. Any advice? Thanks

They are important. You will NEED to be able to get your Chemistry up to an A, and Physics too (they may not count F. Maths as a separate subject if they're being arsey). But if you can do that, and if your teachers are happy to predict you that, then go for it.

Flapthefish

So its totally not worth applying to oxbridge without 4 A's at AS level even if your predicted grades are all A's at A2 level????

I wouldn't say that. But you'll need those predictions to be realistic, and you'll need to perform well at BMAT and in interview. But it's still a possibility.

AS grades for medicine at Oxbridge

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