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Should I apply to UCL with 4As but no A* predictions?

The title says it all really,
I got 4As and I'm carrying on bio chem psychology, but none have an A* prediction as UCL would want, so, is it worth applying there?

Help is appreciated!

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I wouldn't think it's a good idea, A*AA is UCL's minimum requirement, so you need to be predicted at least this to stand a chance.
Reply 2
Of course you should apply. Just because you aren't predicted an A* doesn't mean you can't get it.
They would probably just offer you a conditional offer and if you don't get it, you won't get in, its simple.

Good luck
Depends what your applying for , but yes def apply.
Apply bro. Predicted grades don't matter cos you got 4As.

Well done on your grades btw.
UCL is massively oversubscribed with students who are predicted or have already achieved at least one A*; practically speaking OP is not a competitive applicant sadly, so you are risking wasting an application. If your heart has been set on UCL then give it a go, but use your other 3 spots on safer bets.
Reply 6
Original post by TSR Mustafa
Depends what your applying for , but yes def apply.


I'm applying for medicine, should have specified earlier, I think I will!
Reply 7
Thank you all for your replies, I've had mixed reviews on here so I will give it all a thought, cheers :smile:
Original post by abzyyyyyy
The title says it all really,
I got 4As and I'm carrying on bio chem psychology, but none have an A* prediction as UCL would want, so, is it worth applying there?

Help is appreciated!


I personally wouldn't or at least phone up UCL. They might do a screening process whereby people who don't have the predicted grades get rejected straight away. It's what some unis do an UCL might do it as it is very competitive. I would try and get your teacher to predict you an A* in biology or chemistry otherwise it will be a wasted application.

Edit: for some reason I think UCL do this actually. So definitely check if they do. There is absolutely no point in applying to a uni where you will get rejected at the first hurdle.
Original post by theresheglows
UCL is massively oversubscribed with students who are predicted or have already achieved at least one A*; practically speaking OP is not a competitive applicant sadly, so you are risking wasting an application. If your heart has been set on UCL then give it a go, but use your other 3 spots on safer bets.


I know many people who have applied to UCL with AAA and got offers. It is dependent on the course, and OP stands a good chance of getting an offer if they pick a good course.
For medicine, they'll reject you before interview as it's an easy way of limiting the vast number of applications they receive. I'd say don't waste a choice, especially if you'd be sitting the BMAT just for UCL.
Universities know to take predictions with a pinch of salt. They'll see that you got 4As at AS and they will know you could have been predicted 4A*s at some schools.

My friend got 5As at AS but no A* predictions for A2 because it was the policy of his school to not predict A*s. He still got an offer from Imperial where the typical offer for his course was (A*A*AA) and he's now studying there.
Original post by thecatwithnohat
I know many people who have applied to UCL with AAA and got offers. It is dependent on the course, and OP stands a good chance of getting an offer if they pick a good course.


This is the medicine forum!
Medicine is very different admissions-wise from any other course, and UCL's med school is one of the most competitive in the country; and they require A*AA as a minimum requirement - in medicine minimum requirements are strict, OP may not even make the first cut especially if it is automated.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Bloxorus
Universities know to take predictions with a pinch of salt. They'll see that you got 4As at AS and they will know you could have been predicted 4A*s at some schools.

My friend got 5As at AS but no A* predictions for A2 because it was the policy of his school to not predict A*s. He still got an offer from Imperial where the typical offer for his course was (A*A*AA) and he's now studying there.


For medicine though?
Original post by theresheglows
For medicine though?


Grade predictions are massively biased depending on your school. Some schools will ALWAYS predict 1 grade up from the result at AS, in some cases they'll even predict 2 grades up. Whilst other schools will be very harsh with their predictions and only predict the same grade that was achieved at AS.

Universities are not stupid and they understand this. UCL will look at both the predicted and achieved grades together to decide whether to interview the OP. It doesn't matter how competitive the course is, they aren't going to disregard an applicant with perfect AS grades just because of their predictions.
Original post by Bloxorus
Grade predictions are massively biased depending on your school. Some schools will ALWAYS predict 1 grade up from the result at AS, in some cases they'll even predict 2 grades up. Whilst other schools will be very harsh with their predictions and only predict the same grade that was achieved at AS.

Universities are not stupid and they understand this. UCL will look at both the predicted and achieved grades together to decide whether to interview the OP. It doesn't matter how competitive the course is, they aren't going to disregard an applicant with perfect AS grades just because of their predictions.


Predictions may be biased, but a lack of A* predictions still implies that the A grades were on the low side if the school is not confident in predicting above an A (OP I'm not suggesting that this is the case for you!). As I said before, OP can apply if UCL is where they really want to go as they still have a chance, but realistically for medicine they will be at a disadvantage regardless, and you can only apply to 4 medicine places so each has to count. Those of us saying this are genuinely trying to advise the OP to apply in a way that will give them the max chance to get an offer for medicine, a course for which many applicants get no offers at all.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by theresheglows
Predictions may be biased, but a lack of A* predictions still implies that the A grades were on the low side if the school is not confident in predicting above an A (OP I'm not suggesting that this is the case for you!). As I said before, OP can apply if UCL is where they really want to go as they still have a chance, but realistically for medicine they will be at a disadvantage regardless, and you can only apply to 4 medicine places so each has to count.


I really disagree with you here. When I was doing my A levels, I achieved 93% at AS in further maths and I still really had to push my teacher to predict me an A* simply because the school had never produced an A* in further maths before. Also, as I mentioned, my friend's school NEVER predicts A* grades, not even if you achieve 100% at AS. UCL will be aware that some schools are like this.

As I said previously, UCL will take a wide range of factors into consideration including the type of school you're at, and the history they have with the school. I'm fairly sure I heard somewhere that universities flag up schools that repeatedly over predict grades.

They would NEVER favour an applicant that achieved something like AAB at AS but was predicted A*A*A over someone who achieved AAA yet was only predicted AAA.
(edited 8 years ago)
Predictions mean nothing.

My AS predictions where ABBC, I got AAAB (with B being remarked - was 1 UMS away from A) and got over 90% in all my 3 A's.
Original post by theresheglows
Predictions may be biased, but a lack of A* predictions still implies that the A grades were on the low side if the school is not confident in predicting above an A (OP I'm not suggesting that this is the case for you!). As I said before, OP can apply if UCL is where they really want to go as they still have a chance, but realistically for medicine they will be at a disadvantage regardless, and you can only apply to 4 medicine places so each has to count. Those of us saying this are genuinely trying to advise the OP to apply in a way that will give them the max chance to get an offer for medicine, a course for which many applicants get no offers at all.


Original post by Bloxorus
I really disagree with you here. When I was doing my A levels, I achieved 93% at AS in further maths and I still really had to push my teacher to predict me an A* simply because the school had never produced an A* in further maths before. Also, as I mentioned, my friend's school NEVER predicts A* grades, not even if you achieve 100% at AS. UCL will be aware that some schools are like this.

As I said previously, UCL will take a wide range of factors into consideration including the type of school you're at, and the history they have with the school. I'm fairly sure I heard somewhere that universities flag up schools that repeatedly over predict grades.

They would NEVER favour an applicant that achieved something like AAB at AS but was predicted A*A*A over someone who achieved AAA yet was only predicted AAA.


OP - If your school is like this, in that they don't willingly predict A*s, but you achieved 90% in AS modules, perhaps try and get your referee to mention your attainment it in their statement.
Original post by Bloxorus
I really disagree with you here. When I was doing my A levels, I achieved 93% at AS in further maths and I still really had to push my teacher to predict me an A* simply because the school had never produced an A* in further maths before. Also, as I mentioned, my friend's school NEVER predicts A* grades, not even if you achieve 100% at AS. UCL will be aware that some schools are like this.

As I said previously, UCL will take a wide range of factors into consideration including the type of school you're at, and the history they have with the school. I'm fairly sure I heard somewhere that universities flag up schools that repeatedly over predict grades.

They would NEVER favour an applicant that achieved something like AAB at AS but was predicted A*A*A over someone who achieved AAA yet was only predicted AAA.


You're still missing the point, we're talking about medicine here; if you have never applied to medicine then I understand how you would make the mistake of assuming that it is similar to other competitive courses, but the admissions process is completely different and you cannot generalise. Yes, they will take contextual factors into account but only regarding competitive requirements, not minimum ones; and med schools are not lenient on minimum requirements in the way that many other courses are. To make matters worse competition is fierce, with numerous applicants per place (we're talking sometimes 20:1) that have both AAAA at AS and predictions of A*AA or higher.
(edited 8 years ago)

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