Barts and The London medicine applicants 2014

If you did 4 AS's you get the UCAS points for the subject you cashed in. Also, any other tariff able qualifications are used- that is your EPQ, OCR Nationals, ASDANS, Music examinations etc. if you have these then you will probably be above the tariff with three A2, but otherwise you will have to continue with 4.


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So you mean I get Ucas points from one AS and 3 A2 predictions, in addition to music exams? That's alright because I got 4 As at AS and grade 6 piano, so will that put me in a good spot?

Thanks guys! And welcome to the thread

I personally was wondering how the interview was for you guys, did you find it difficult? What type of questions did they ask?

Hey, what was your UCAS tariff and UKCAT score? At interview, did they ask questions relating to your PS? Also how long is the interview, and what was it like, in terms of no. of panelists, how nice they were etc. etc.

Another question: how many hours would you say you spent working on and refining your PS?

Hi there!
I spent 4 years over A levels due to illness so my UCAS tariff was a little odd, applied with a tariff of around 500. Now I have my A2 results it is 650. My UKCAT was 792.5.

For my personal statement I had to explain why I took so long over A levels (hospital for anorexia) so was frank and put that in my first paragraph (risky move, perhaps why Bristol rejected me). The personal statement overall is pretty short so it didn't take long to write it, most of the time was trying to make it shorter! Maybe 4-5 hours over several weeks including revisions?

My interview was 10mins with 2 panellists. Quite relaxed, they were very nice - much nicer than the Kings interviewers! I was incredibly nervous and babbled some nonsense at the first question about the ethics scenario, but the female interviewer told me to take a deep breath and start again, haha. Thought I had lost it then but clearly not!
They then asked the standard work experience questions, tell me more about this volunteering on your personal statement, etc.
The last question they asked was strange though - 'what caused your anorexia?' Luckily I took it in my stride and was polite, answered to the best of my ability, and they let me go I think that question was intended to make me angry, to show I wasn't ready for the course. Some others I know were asked strange questions a bit like this, so be mentally prepared for such 'illegal' questions.

And one piece of advice - shake the hand of and make eye contact with each interviewer you have, they actually seemed surprised I did that!

Overall I found I built the interview up to be far more stressful than it actually was. After Kings it was a breeze, and the students in the waiting room with tea and chocolate biscuits did their best to put us all at ease

I am SO HAPPY I'm going to this medical school as everyone has been so welcoming, and they have fantastic support for anyone who has had/currently has health problems. The first year halls are right by Barbican station too, really looking forward to moving in next week!

Good luck to all of you

Hi there!
I spent 4 years over A levels due to illness so my UCAS tariff was a little odd, applied with a tariff of around 500. Now I have my A2 results it is 650. My UKCAT was 792.5.

For my personal statement I had to explain why I took so long over A levels (hospital for anorexia) so was frank and put that in my first paragraph (risky move, perhaps why Bristol rejected me). The personal statement overall is pretty short so it didn't take long to write it, most of the time was trying to make it shorter! Maybe 4-5 hours over several weeks including revisions?

My interview was 10mins with 2 panellists. Quite relaxed, they were very nice - much nicer than the Kings interviewers! I was incredibly nervous and babbled some nonsense at the first question about the ethics scenario, but the female interviewer told me to take a deep breath and start again, haha. Thought I had lost it then but clearly not!
They then asked the standard work experience questions, tell me more about this volunteering on your personal statement, etc.
The last question they asked was strange though - 'what caused your anorexia?' Luckily I took it in my stride and was polite, answered to the best of my ability, and they let me go I think that question was intended to make me angry, to show I wasn't ready for the course. Some others I know were asked strange questions a bit like this, so be mentally prepared for such 'illegal' questions.

And one piece of advice - shake the hand of and make eye contact with each interviewer you have, they actually seemed surprised I did that!

Overall I found I built the interview up to be far more stressful than it actually was. After Kings it was a breeze, and the students in the waiting room with tea and chocolate biscuits did their best to put us all at ease

I am SO HAPPY I'm going to this medical school as everyone has been so welcoming, and they have fantastic support for anyone who has had/currently has health problems. The first year halls are right by Barbican station too, really looking forward to moving in next week!

Good luck to all of you

Ahh thanks for that! Good luck for when you begin

Do they send you a paper or something a week before the interview?

Hey guys,

So I'm going into Year 12 right now and my GCSE scores were a little mediocre (2A*s in Maths and History, 7As in Spanish, English Language, Bio, Chem, Physics, English Literature and Art, and 1B in French ) My results are good but they're not brilliant, especially considering I go to a Grammar School.
I'm taking Bio, Chem, Maths, History and General Studies for AS and will probably be dropping Maths and General Studies at A2. I'm obviously aiming for 4/5 As at the end of AS and all As at least at the end of A2. I've identified what I did wrong at GCSE (NOT ENOUGH REVISION ) and plan to work much harder at A Level from the first lesson.
I volunteer once a week in the small Chapel at my local Hospital, transporting patients from their ward to the Chapel and also volunteer regularly at one of the small shops in the same Hospital which raises money for the Hospital (last year they raised aprox. £100,000)
I've also volunteered at a GP for one week and spent one week at 6 six different departments at a Hospital (ranging from A&E to Radiology to Surgery- It was Great!) I also do a lot of extra curricular activities at my school, ranging from Debate Club to Head of School Council) I speak 3 different languages fluently, not including English, two of which I taught myself (even though my first language is English) and I have been altar serving for the past nine years.

My current Uni choices are
1. UCL (first choice)
2. Either Cambridge or Barts
3. Bristol
4. Leicester

Even though, whilst typing all of this out, I was thinking 'Wow, I've done quite a bit of stuff', I know how competitive Medicine is, especially at UCL which is where I've been dreaming to go for as long as I can remember.

I know my GCSEs put me at a disadvantage, but if there is even the slightest way to improve my Application, could you please please reply to this post.
Even if you don't have anything to contribute, you can PM me or quote me on advice on how to get Work Experience, Voluntary Work or anything else, I'm researched a lot of Med School Unis quite extensively, it's actually a little embarrassing.

Please Note: That I'm not trying to brag or 'show off' on what I have done so far or trying to belittle anyone; I'm literally so worried that I'm not going to be good enough for UCL, or any medical school, and I'm not here to ask if I am either, but I would just like to know how I can improve my Application.
Anything will be helpful; thank you! 


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Hi guys, I've just done my UKCAT and I only got a 670 average which I'm pretty gutted about to be honest but not all hope is lost! I'm either going to be predicted A*A*A*A or A*A*A*A* and I have 58 UCAS points from music and ASSET. I really want to apply to Barts but I'm terrified that my UKCAT isn't high enough! I don't really know where I'd have a good chance of applying for my other 3 places because my gcse's aren't that fantastic with 4A*s 6As and 1B and the B being in english language. I love barts, if only we could all get in haha

Hi there! Don't worry about your UKCAT too much it's a decent enough score. I'm starting at Barts this year and got in with a very low score of 645 . It's not the end of the world and your UCAS tariff seems very good with those predictions.

Hi there! Don't worry about your UKCAT too much it's a decent enough score. I'm starting at Barts this year and got in with a very low score of 645 . It's not the end of the world and your UCAS tariff seems very good with those predictions.

Hi there! Don't worry about your UKCAT too much it's a decent enough score. I'm starting at Barts this year and got in with a very low score of 645 . It's not the end of the world and your UCAS tariff seems very good with those predictions.