Why have the entry requirments CHANGED?

Also, Imperial isn't a UoL College. And as far as i'm aware it was AAA already?

All the University of London schools (Barts, Georges, GKT, Imperial and RFUCMS) are going up to AAA this year because there's a lot more people than there are interview spots and they need to cut people out somehow.

Why have the entry requirments CHANGED?

Not really fair is it. Good luck.

How exactly isn't it fair? If you get AAA you get in. It's the same for everyone applying that year, seems fair to me. If you're suggesting that it's not fair because of previous years requiring only AAB/ABB, they could equally say it wasn't fair decades ago where CCC would get you into medical school and you could apply to as many different places as you like.

A neurosurgeon I shadowed only got 3 C's at A-level and studied at Barts, but at the same time decades ago when he graduated there were far fewer students leaving school with AAA/AAB/ABB. Regardless of whether A-levels have become easier or not, grade inflation is definitely occurring across the board in the UK (GCSE, A-level and degree) and therefore universities have little choice but to take this into account when setting academic requirement thresholds.

To get AAA, the applicant will probably have to sacrifice time when they could be doing work experience and extracurriculars and generally living a life. It also really favours people who find it easier to get the grades cause they're at private schools and well taught.

At this point, does it matter?
Work hard, you can do it. Believe me.

My Centiments exactly. A little bit of perseverance goes a long way!

You haven't done your A2s yet.

A Levels are pretty hard. I didn't get AAA and I don't think I could've without cancelling the part time job, cancelling world challenge trip which the job was for, cancelling weekly work experience, cancelling driving lessons, cancelling any sort of social life. And perhaps dropping my forth A2 and getting a chemistry tutor!!

I should have rephrased it to: A little bit of perseverence means bugger-all at A-level!

(By the way - i'm just starting my A-levels!)


But I can totally see where you are coming from, A2 is going to be exceedingly hard for myself. Hell i've even contemplated on having a tutor now to teach me AS Biology and Chemistry just to guarantee I don't get behind on the subjects.

you really dont need a tutor just make sure that when you A Levels start in september you start learning, dont make the same mistake i did at the start of the year and become overwhlemed with the ammount of freedom you get as a 6th former, (ps i screwed up my january exams and im hoping that june wasnt too late to sort out the errors in my ways.)

To keep you out.

It also really favours people who find it easier to get the grades cause they're at private schools and well taught.

The C in chemistry is bad news. Most med schools require chemistry and all of my offers stated I must get an A in chemistry + any 2 others so its one they really do like. Probably not insurmountable, just be aware of this.

Yes, I think that is quite true.

However, for the benefit of those still doing A Levels may I point out that a low grade e.g in chemistry AS is not a bar to getting into med school. I got a c (albeit a high c) in chem as and resat everything to get a (very high!) A at A2. It is possible.

I agree that some factors e.g. difficult home life, bad teaching etc may make it more difficult for some to get the grades.

However, it is ultimately the efforts of the individual pupil as to whether they make the grades. A good school doesn't guarantee good grades.