2011 Entry- Hopeful Medic Thread :)

Well done on the results + offer.

I took it around 25 September but if I have to do it again then I would definitely do it earlier as I couldn't really look at the BMAT until after I had done it and then I had schoolwork to deal with. (And I was still trying to perfect my ps)

I may have done better at the BMAT (particularly section 3) if I had practised more.

Yeah that seems very late. I meant after my exams as in July/August time but thanks for the tip. I need to sort out my timescale for thigns like this. Might do a bit on BMAT and draft a PS during the summer while I'm at it.

Also does taking 4 A Levels really have no benefit? Because I do Bio, Chem, Physics and Maths and I'm planning to take all 4 onto A2. I'm not particularly keen to drop Maths as I am pretty good at it and Physics is my favourite subject. Is it a disadvantage to be taking 4 A Levels on? I thought I'd be able to cope but after hearing how many people are dropping subjects has made me doubt my decision.

Yeah that seems very late. I meant after my exams as in July/August time but thanks for the tip. I need to sort out my timescale for thigns like this. Might do a bit on BMAT and draft a PS during the summer while I'm at it.

Also does taking 4 A Levels really have no benefit? Because I do Bio, Chem, Physics and Maths and I'm planning to take all 4 onto A2. I'm not particularly keen to drop Maths as I am pretty good at it and Physics is my favourite subject. Is it a disadvantage to be taking 4 A Levels on? I thought I'd be able to cope but after hearing how many people are dropping subjects has made me doubt my decision.

Yeah, I also had a similar question... I'm taking 5 at AS and I want to do drop 2 but will this put me at a disadvantage?

Wow, that was quick. Personally I think I'm capable of the 4 A Levels but the only thing I'm worried about is possibly falling behind others and also, my careers advisor told me to drop a subject. Though on the other hand, at A Level you only need 3 of your A levels at the appropriate grades to achieve your offer whereas at AS Level you need as high a mark/UMS as possible to relieve pressure in your A2 year so I guess as long as you can scrape the grades or get close at A2 you'll be fine. But yeah, I'm more worried about what the Universities will think and whether it will be an advantage or diasvantage or neither.

Wow, that was quick. Personally I think I'm capable of the 4 A Levels but the only thing I'm worried about is possibly falling behind others and also, my careers advisor told me to drop a subject. Though on the other hand, at A Level you only need 3 of your A levels at the appropriate grades to achieve your offer whereas at AS Level you need as high a mark/UMS as possible to relieve pressure in your A2 year so I guess as long as you can scrape the grades or get close at A2 you'll be fine. But yeah, I'm more worried about what the Universities will think and whether it will be an advantage or diasvantage or neither.

x

You seem to know a fair amount about Medicine and Cambridge. I wanted to ask how detrimental a single resit would be in Physics, which is my fifth subject, to my Cambridge application. Thanks.

Right. Deferred entry/Gap year good for medicine or not?

Considering all the grade requirements are going up to AAA next year you really don't want to risk doing 4 and getting AABB rather that 3 and getting AAA also most of my friends that have done 4 this year have really regretted it as you do not need it and it is alot of work

Considering all the grade requirements are going up to AAA next year you really don't want to risk doing 4 and getting AABB rather that 3 and getting AAA also most of my friends that have done 4 this year have really regretted it as you do not need it and it is alot of work

All? 7 are putting up their requirements up to AAA but that doesn't mean all med schools as of 2011 want AAA.

All? 7 are putting up their requirements up to AAA but that doesn't mean all med schools as of 2011 want AAA.

No but if you want more than a snowball's chance in hell of getting in then you better have AAA at least. The academic requirements are the easiest to meet, if you can't even reach them then how do you plan on coping with the other elements?

I don't know what'll happen next year, but there are people this year getting unconditionals with AAB. So what if someone gets As in chem and bio at A2, but gets a B in something irrelevant, like history per se. Will they struggle with the 'other elements' then, even if they are clearly good at the science subjects med schools want?