Clare medicine 2024 interview

My friend got rejected pre-interview from Clare college (cambridge) with all 9s and what he thought was a good bmat score - for those who did get interviews this year, what was your bmat score? Were you contextual/non-contextual, international/home, go to a private/state school?

How many GCSEs and what was his bmat score? Happy to share mine if he shares first (seeings as he's asking the question) :-)

My friend got rejected pre-interview from Clare college (cambridge) with all 9s and what he thought was a good bmat score - for those who did get interviews this year, what was your bmat score? Were you contextual/non-contextual, international/home, go to a private/state school?

GCSEs are not considered for short-listing, academics involve A levels, needing minimum 2A*A in Chemistry and one of Biology, Mathematics and Physics

How many GCSEs and what was his bmat score? Happy to share mine if he shares first (seeings as he's asking the question) :-)

he does bio chem maths, 3a* predicted in all. his bmat score was 6, 6.1 3A

Then he has red flags in his application or they have made an error

Then he has red flags in his application or they have made an error

6, 6.1, 3A

what sort of things do you mean by red flags? his personal statement & reference were quite strong, and he has 3 other interviews from other unversities already. if there was an error, how would you advise going about contacting cambridge to ask about or solve that?

@GANFYD do you think a rejection for predicted 4 A* (maths, biology, chemistry, physics) and 5.7, 5.9, 3A in bmat could also be an error?

@GANFYD do you think a rejection for predicted 4 A* (maths, biology, chemistry, physics) and 5.7, 5.9, 3A in bmat could also be an error?

Maybe Cambridge have changed how they shortlist people, but they have historically interviewed most people with a realistic chance of achieving 2A*A at A level and then used all elements of an application to make decisions about offers, but maybe they now apply a BMAT cut off.
I would contact the college and ask for clarification for the reason for the rejection.

There have been cases before when some colleges have filtered by BMAT pre interview, although I don't know if it's happened recently.

Also eg see Trinity's website which says something like they don't typically interview candidates who do not perform well on bmat especially section2.

6.1 is a reasonable score, I would have thought?
Past average BMAT's interviewed at Clare have been in the region of 10.4 - 12 and the person mentioned in the OP had 12.1, with higher average scores for offer holders, seemingly confiirming the use of BMAT post interview.
And for 2022 entry at Cambridge, lots and lots of people with lower BMATs interviewed
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/data_for_a100_medicine_2022_entr_2#incoming-2161903
And offer in this sort of region
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/admission_statistics_a100_3#incoming-2465095
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/880399/response/2099665/attach/3/FOI%202022%20530%20Waheed%20data.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/medicine_a100_2036#incoming-2223783

But as I say, they may have changed it this year

6.1 is a reasonable score, I would have thought?
Past average BMAT's interviewed at Clare have been in the region of 10.4 - 12 and the person mentioned in the OP had 12.1, with higher average scores for offer holders, seemingly confiirming the use of BMAT post interview.
And for 2022 entry at Cambridge, lots and lots of people with lower BMATs interviewed
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/data_for_a100_medicine_2022_entr_2#incoming-2161903
And offer in this sort of region
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/admission_statistics_a100_3#incoming-2465095
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/880399/response/2099665/attach/3/FOI%202022%20530%20Waheed%20data.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/medicine_a100_2036#incoming-2223783

But as I say, they may have changed it this year

someone else on tsr (on the cambridge megathread) mentioned getting an interview with 5, 5.9, 3A - they did say they were non contextual as well. presuming bmat scores have been used, surely 12.1 and 3A would be enough?

Was that at the same college or a different one? I'm not sure about the last few years, but certainly I know that previously, different colleges can use the bmat differently pre-interview.

The bmat score of 6.0, 6.1, 3A is quite good though. So definitely worth emailing the admissions office to request feedback on why you/your friend weren't shortlisted. Best to do this ASAP just on the very rare offchance there was an error.