How far are GCSEs important in getting in to Medschool?

Do you think they will look at GCSEs when for applicants in 2010 because of tghe A* in A levels

Do Oxford and Cambridge (Oxbridge)take GCSEs strictly. Does anyone know the minimum number of A*s needed for Oxbridge if they look at it strictly

People seem to be reading lots into stuff here and creating scenarios of "Make up for" various things. The minimum requirements are those in that year's prospectus. To be honest, it works like this, as I have seen it: Look at results page and add things up. If it adds up to x or above they keep reading, if it doesn't they throw it away. Numbers greater than x don't really confer any advantage because an A* or B in GCSE French doesn't make any discernible difference in the standard of doctor produced.

The next stage can differ significantly between schools; some will invite everyone at this stage to interview whereas others will try and make a scoring system with the personal statement. Again, same system as above applies. Work experience of some kind or another is now an absolute requirement for pretty much every school. I can tell you for nothing that here, lack of work experience means lack of place, end of story.

Interviews are the more subjective element. There are certain objective criteria that must be met and which will allow you to be scored against other candidates, but much of it depends on your performance on the day and how you respond to a particular selector's style of question. The challenge of an interview is being able to stand up straight and be polite under fairly intense pressure and then put forward a clear and objective argument about why you are better than the other guy, all the time fighting the more subjective challenges. I know some really rather fantastic candidates who failed a round of interviews one year and passed with colours the next. But you can only get to that stage with an application that has all the basics present and correct.

Does that offer any clarification? Again, check all your facts against current prospectuses because "My sister in 2004 did such and such" stories go out of date. I mean, almost everything about my application is out of date now and I'm only halfway through medschool, all my information comes from being on the other side of the fence this year.

does every applying for medicine need to do BMAT or UKCAT (is it hard)

Hello, i was wondering how do university's feel about GCSE resits? do they hate them? & another thing, which year do you sit the BMAT/UKCAT? 12/13?

GCSE resits aren't really on the menu as far as a medical school application goes I'm afraid. Whatever you've got is yours to keep.