Admissions statistics for Medicine at Cambridge (Specifically relating to Maths)

I found an interesting page about medicine at Oxford - http://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/courses/preclin/statistics

Can anyone find a similar page for Cambridge?

I would like to know the percentage of offer-holders who did Maths at A-Level. I know Maths isn't needed for medicine, but Cambridge asks for 3 sciences/maths and a couple of colleges ask for it specifically, so I want to know how much of an impediment it would be to not have Maths.

Thanks

Reply 1

Antidote

Original post by LauriC

If you want a truthful (or at least more truthful) answer I would email them or call them.

Agree with this regarding contacting them directly. Doesn't seem to be any info lurking on the net, as far as I'm aware. If the university admissions office aren't able to help, you could also try contacting individual colleges directly. Good luck!

Reply 2

John Locke

Original post by LauriC

All I could find was:

Applications/acceptances 2009 entry: 1,702/27

But to be honest, I doubt Cambridge will vary much from Oxford, if it's an inpediment for Oxford, Camridge will most likely see it as an inpediment too.

They say a lot of stuff on their website that isn't tecnically true, like needing or not needing maths, in the same way they consider all applicants regardless of GCSE's even though it is common knowledge that to stand any chance you need at least 6 A*'s. If you want a truthful (or at least more truthful) answer I would email them or call them.

BS - find me any evidence to support that statement. it's not in their best interest to mislead applicants and the prospect of a smoke and mirror style of admissions process is rubbish. if you can come up with something better than 'but its common knowledge!!!!1111' then i'll be very supprised...

i am certain there are people studying medicine there without 6A*s at gcse. although there is nowhere that says better gcses arent considered to be better, the minimum requirements dont imply anything about the realistic competative requirement.

Reply 3

stac4321

Original post by John Locke

Okay, well fair enough, I don't know if you would cinsider it 'hearsay' but our Head of Sixth form called the Admissions Officer (trust me, she is a force to be dealt with) as soon as everyone who applied got something back from them. They said as it is so competative, they are taking GCSE results increasingly into demand and that this year, they rejected applicants who fell down in their GCSE's which meant that they had to draw the line at how many applicants they could consider, which were those with a below average [for Oxford] number of A*'s at GCSE's.

Well anyway, yes they are very good at looking at students on whole, rather than what's just on the UCAS form because they go through all the trouble of interviews and that. And if someone has a reasonable 'excuse' (for lack of a better word) of not reaching their full potential. Just saying, there seems to be a point where they have a cut off line, whether or not that is precisely 6A*'s or whatever I'll admit I have no idea. That;s just what were told to have to stand a 'reasonable chance' of getting in...

Ohhhhhhh I don't know why they don't put that on the website, I was just trying to help! Anyway maybe they don't want to appear to elitist, or maybe shed their steriotype? Or not to seem to agressive about grades so as not to put off really bright students that don't have them, but deserve a place there....

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 4

stac4321

Also, bear in mind that Oxbridge is very good at weeding out the students with the most potential, and they interview a lot lot lot more students than they have places for specifically to do so. So yeah, I would contact them first to see if you have a realistic chance, but I don't think it affect you massively beyond the point of getting an interview- once they've interviwed you much of their decisision will be based on that, not your A Level choices. But do contact them first, they won't look at you if you don't have the entry requirements in the 'right' A Levels, but that's the beauty of collages so you might just have to be rather strateigic with your application :smile:

Reply 5

Huw Davies

I'm not sure it says anywhere on that link that not having Maths is an impediment at Oxford - people with it do have a slightly increased chance of getting an interview but there are plenty of other reasons why that might be, not just a preference for applicants with that particular level. Maybe people doing Maths A-level have better GCSEs, or do better on average on the BMAT?

LauriC, are you talking about Oxford or Cambridge? Oxford make no secret of the fact that their selection for interview is based on a combination of GCSE %A*s and the BMAT - the worse your GCSEs, the higher the BMAT score you need. I don't see that your head of sixth form has unearthed any information not readily available on the Oxford admissions website.

In general there is no reason for universities to have hidden requirements or preferences - there isn't any shortage of applicants so why create the work of sifting through applications you don't want anyway?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 6

John Locke

In support of Huw's comments;

Original post by LauriC

it's not whether or not i think thats heresay, it is heresay... im sure she is but i doubt she was able to unearth any more than the huge (!!) amount of information oxford publish on their website! no medical school that i am aware of is so explicit with its own statistics! (see - here). the admissions process is no secret either! 50:50 weighted BMAT (weighted 40:40:20):% of GCSEs at A* (modified to take intro account school obtained at) - producing a score. the top 385 autoshortlisted for interview and the remaining 40 decided by considering all elements of applicants UCAS forms and mitigating circumstances. where is this 'secret information'..? well how about Stage 2 - Shortlisting < there? hell they even give you the selection criteria they will be using throughout the whole process (here). not only that but its further reenforced in the section on statistics (linked above) and even in the acknowledgement email sent to everyone that applies! its the same info given out on open days.... what more could you expect!

really secretive eh...!

Original post by LauriC

Well anyway, yes they are very good at looking at students on whole, rather than what's just on the UCAS form because they go through all the trouble of interviews and that. And if someone has a reasonable 'excuse' (for lack of a better word) of not reaching their full potential. Just saying, there seems to be a point where they have a cut off line, whether or not that is precisely 6A*'s or whatever I'll admit I have no idea. That;s just what were told to have to stand a 'reasonable chance' of getting in...

there is no such arbitrary cutoff, achievement is considered in the context described above. whilst not everyone can be considered for offers, everyone that applies is considered for interview in relation to the competition in a given year. there is no reason to be as arbitrary as you are describing.

Original post by LauriC

Ohhhhhhh I don't know why they don't put that on the website, I was just trying to help! Anyway maybe they don't want to appear to elitist, or maybe shed their steriotype? Or not to seem to agressive about grades so as not to put off really bright students that don't have them, but deserve a place there....

see above, there is no hiding, the information is easily accessed and understandable.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 7

Semsa

[QUOTE=John Locke;29012837]In support of Huw's comments;

it's not whether or not i think thats heresay, it is heresay... im sure she is but i doubt she was able to unearth any more than the huge (!!) amount of information oxford publish on their website! no medical school that i am aware of is so explicit with its own statistics! (see - here). the admissions process is no secret either! 50:50 weighted BMAT (weighted 40:40:20):% of GCSEs at A* (modified to take intro account school obtained at) - producing a score. the top 385 autoshortlisted for interview and the remaining 40 decided by considering all elements of applicants UCAS forms and mitigating circumstances. where is this 'secret information'..? well how about Stage 2 - Shortlisting < there? hell they even give you the selection criteria they will be using throughout the whole process (here). not only that but its further reenforced in the section on statistics (linked above) and even in the acknowledgement email sent to everyone that applies! its the same info given out on open days.... what more could you expect!

really secretive eh...!

there is no such arbitrary cutoff, achievement is considered in the context described above. whilst not everyone can be considered for offers, everyone that applies is considered for interview in relation to the competition in a given year. there is no reason to be as arbitrary as you are describing.

see above, there is no hiding, the information is easily accessed and understandable.
The question was about Cam, not Ox.