too much of a gamble?

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

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Wangers

I wouldn't bother redoing GCSEs if you already have A levels in hand. For example - whats the point in having 3A*s for triple Science when you have AA for bio and chem at A2? Aginst fellow gap year students, you'll just look like a tit.

If you want to do something a little more productive, you could always just read more generally to broaden your horizons, general knowledge is satisfying and helps to just make you a more rounded person. (As well as reducing the chance of you being completly ignorant of something at interview).

I have personally been told that this was acceptable by some medical schools, a resit is when you redo a subject. Im suggesting that you do 'extra' subjects, and gain A* in them. So that you can fufil the entry requirements, for unis.

I know that some unis just ask for pass grades B and bove in english, maths and science. While some ask for more. the truth is that the majority of applicants will have mainly A and A* at GCSE as well as having predictions in AAB/AAA.To reduce the number they will reject applicants, with less than for example 8 As etc, they wont admit it but they will.

An applicant to Kings had 2 A*, 6 A and 3 Bs and was rejected from Kings on the basis of GCSES and placed on the EMDP programme instead, for people with 'not so good' GCSEs or A-levels in London. And yet the person got an interview at Imperial.

Yes, there is a chance that a great UKCAT score ,BMAT score or Personal Statement will get you an interview, but just to increase your chances doing a couple more GCSEs will not hurt your chances and will [B]show motivation etc.

Nevertheless, already having the A level grades is different from having predicted grades, so I think that increases your chances. But with more people applying, alot more applicants will be reapplicants with also great GCSES. So again GCSES may come into it.

Sorry its long.

Reply 21

bright star

what would you gain by doing more GCSEs? i doubt they'd even be considered. you'd be better off doing something you enjoy, unless GCSEs are what floats your boat, in which case go right ahead. when you become an admissions tutor, let me know :wink:

Reply 22

Nasher and Basher

Im simply saying what I was told by Admission Tutors for medicine.

Reply 23

HawkAhriman

does anyone have any reccomendations as to what would be good books to read in order to broaden my horizons in the area? The only book I'm reading at the moment that might fit here is a Brief History of Time but that's at a stretch...

on the GCSE's thing...will the fact that I have a C in English be a problem? I mean, I have close to 100% on both of my English Language exams and a low A on my coursework. Does English Language A-Level trump English GCSE or do you need both Language AND Literature?

also..

Nasher and Basher

see, the problem I have here is the word "some medical schools"...I'm not sure it's gonna work in my favour to limit myself even further than I already have in terms of medical schools. I'm not convinced it's worth excluding myself from some to get a better change of getting into others...I could be wrong though, I'm not exactly that knowledgable on the subject.

Reply 24

bright star

i would say that resitting GCSEs is totally pointless unless you have a D or below in maths/engish. some universities ask specifically for an A/B in english so you'd need to look at the published requirements for each uni. of those, feel free to ask them if your A level can make you eligible to apply. if they do have specific requirements, i can't see doing a resit fooling them into thinking you meet them.

universities are far more open about admissions policy than people believe. it's not a big game where they just make up rules and don't tell them to anyone. they don't want to waste anybodys time least of all their own with applications they won't consider.

Reply 25

Wangers

Can I just point out that for most unis, once they want you and you're literate and intelligent - they may well waive the GCSE requirements - whats the point in rejecting a eprfectly good applicant now because they diddn't work 3 years ago if they've turned themselves around?

Reply 26

Nasher and Basher

Okay, so everyone is against the GCSEs thing !

Just work your butt off get the A-level grades, get the experience. a great personal statement and reference and you'll be fine.

Yes, its true that you dont need to do GCSEs again, to apply to medical school- as long as you have a good UKCAT or BMAT you should be fine.

As Unis are also looking for potential, you can be a late starter.

I just offered that advice as thats what Im gonna do next year, if I dont get into med this year and personally thought, thats what I should have done this year if I had the time etc

Reply 27

HawkAhriman

uhm...by the way...they're introducing A* grades in 2008, right?

will that effect my chances, since lots of 2008 applicants will have A* grades whereas I'll have a maximum of an A?

Reply 28

bright star

i'm sure they're clever enough to work that one out :wink:

Reply 29

AEH

Nasher and Basher

Just work your butt off get the A-level grades, get the experience. a great personal statement and reference and you'll be fine.

Possibly my favorite use of the word "Just" ever.

Reply 30

Nasher and Basher

HawkAhriman

uhm...by the way...they're introducing A* grades in 2008, right?

will that effect my chances, since lots of 2008 applicants will have A* grades whereas I'll have a maximum of an A?

Actual grades trumps predicted grades.

Its a new exam, I dont think that the majority of people will come out with A*, its too early- it probably still has clitches etc.

Reply 31

soos

if on your personal statement you gave a reason as to why your gcses were not so great, maybe they would be more willing to consider you. its all very well to say that if you get the grades work experience and good personal statement youll be fine, but you have to remember that the majority of people will also have all these, and the med schools will be looking at anything they could use to differentiate people and reject them.
it might be worth considering doing something to make you stand out a bit- for instance i went abroad to africa for a month between lower sixth and upper sixth, to do work experience in a hospital and i really feel its helping with my application at the mo. if you did something like that which would set you apart they wouldnt be so inclined to reject you as soon as they saw gcse results, because they would think you were genuinely dedicated to medicine. also if you did it in the summer, you could include it in your personal statement by october 08.

i dont see the point in redoing gcses if you could come up with a good reason of why they were bad! obviously dont go lying and saying someone died or something otherwise your screwed, i would just bend the truth a bit and make it worse than it really was :biggrin:

Reply 32

HawkAhriman

I really, really wish I had a good reason for my GCSE grades being bad. The fact of the matter is that is 99% my fault, though. I could probably blame it on my school being really crappy (I actually had some of the best results in the year) or my friends being a bad influence but really there's no way of putting it that would sound good on an application.

on the other thing...I sort of thought about going abroad during the summer or something and getting some work experience there but I don't actually have a passport, so I don't think that's really an option. Passports take months to be sorted, too, so I'm not sure that would work.

any other suggestions on how I could "set myself apart"?

EDIT: what exactly do the universities expect from you if you become a resit student? I know that they want better grades, but are they just generally more willing to reject you if you're resitting an entire year or do they just expect more?

because looking at my GCSE grades, I'm fairly certain I don't even stand a chance of getting into medicine with these grades. as in, literally not even a remote chance, I barely even stand a chance with decent grades by the looks of it.

Reply 33

bright star

can i just point out that you won't really get extra credit for your experience being abroad, they don't discriminate based on things that are unavailable to some based purely on financial boundaries. i'd say they'd hold that on the same level as experience in this country, unless you can reflect really well and compare with british healthcare. if you want to go abroad then go for it, but don't expect it to win you brownie points.

Reply 34

bright star

okay i've just read that post again and am getting a bit annoyed by how defeatist you're being.... i can't go abroad this summer because i don't have a passport?!? everyone can get a passport in 6 flaming months.... as i said, there's no need to go abroad at all, but if you don't it should be because you decided against it, you can't afford it, you'd rather do something else, not because you cba to get a passport.... :rolleyes:

pull your socks up!

Reply 35

HawkAhriman

sorry. not so much defeatism as I'm just sort of unfamiliar with the whole going abroad thing.

you're right on both counts though, I suppose.

any suggestions on things that WOULD set me apart from the pack, though?