Got 4 Rejections for Medicine (2014 Entry)...

I applied for Medicine, and got rejected from all of my choices without even being interviewed once... I'm thinking of taking a gap year and reapplying.... Would I have to apply for student finance next year or could I apply this year as a deferred entrant? And, since I would have finished my A Levels this year, would I still be considered as a student and be eligible for Student Finance? Thanking you in anticipation.

I applied for Medicine, and got rejected from all of my choices without even being interviewed once (I'm in my second year of A Levels by the way). I think that the rejections were due to a low UKCAT score (630/Band 4) and GCSEs (1A*,1Dist*,1Dist, 7As, 2.5Bs). My predicted grades were good (A*A*A in Maths, Chemistry and Physics respectively). I hold an unconditional offer for Chemistry, but I think it will be too expensive for me to do Chemistry and then apply as a graduate for Medicine. So, I'm thinking of taking a gap year and reapplying. Would you recommend me applying to the same universities next year as I did this year (provided that I achieve my predicted grades and improve on my UKCAT in the gap year)?

Also, this question may seem a bit stupid, would I have to apply for student finance next year or could I apply this year as a deferred entrant? And, since I would have finished my A Levels this year, would I still be considered as a student and be eligible for Student Finance? Thanking you in anticipation.

I'd take a gap year too.
But it isn't all about your ukcat. You got an interview yet still didn't get in, so that does show you need to improve on your interview technique too...
But better ukcat normally does mean more interview chances, but do work on the interview too

No, in the OP he said that he wasn't interviewed even once.

I applied for Medicine, and got rejected from all of my choices without even being interviewed once (I'm in my second year of A Levels by the way). I think that the rejections were due to a low UKCAT score (630/Band 4) and GCSEs (1A*,1Dist*,1Dist, 7As, 2.5Bs). My predicted grades were good (A*A*A in Maths, Chemistry and Physics respectively). I hold an unconditional offer for Chemistry, but I think it will be too expensive for me to do Chemistry and then apply as a graduate for Medicine. So, I'm thinking of taking a gap year and reapplying. Would you recommend me applying to the same universities next year as I did this year (provided that I achieve my predicted grades and improve on my UKCAT in the gap year)?

Also, this question may seem a bit stupid, would I have to apply for student finance next year or could I apply this year as a deferred entrant? And, since I would have finished my A Levels this year, would I still be considered as a student and be eligible for Student Finance? Thanking you in anticipation.

Before you reapply to the same universities do consider what their GCSE requirements are/how much emphasis they place on them.

And no you apply for student finance in the year you go to university. You aren't a student once you finish A-Levels until you start another course so if you take a gap year you aren't eligible for any money.

I don't think this is right. If you take a gap year you are still eligible gor student finance. I'm on a gap year and im am applying without issues. Plus I've had firiends on gap years who still got money. As long as you don't have any other degrees.

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You get student finance for the number of years of your course plus one, and you can apply for non-means tested loans for both tuition fees and living costs (as well as means tested grants/loans for living costs). Student finance applications open around six months before you are due to start each year of your course. This means that most people taking a gap year from Sept 14 to Sept 15 would apply via UCAS in Sept/Oct 14, get a job or work experience for the rest of the year, and put in their application to Student Finance about March/April 2015.

It depends on which universities you applied to, I suppose. I got 4 rejections as well with only 1 interview, but I only intend to re-apply to 1 or 2 out of those 4. What are your gap year plans?

I'd recommend taking a gap year and getting hands on care work to show commitment, which areas of the UKCAT do you need to improve on the most?

Before you reapply to the same universities do consider what their GCSE requirements are/how much emphasis they place on them.

And you apply for student finance the year you start the course. And yes you would still be eligible for finance.

Try getting into clearing don't get discouraged from the rejections they don't mean anything... Unis become very flexible and crave for students during results day because not everyone will get the grade they were predicted for and places become free but get taken just as quick because there will be people like you who actually got the grades..
I'm not sure if that works for medicine though.


Posted from TSR Mobile

I was in the same postition as you mate. First year I applied got 4 pre interview rejections. Was gutted. I was predicted AAA, and had 2A*, 5A, 3B at GCSEm also had 637.5 in my UKCAT. Had an offer for biomedical sciences but decided to try again. I was fortunate enough to get the AAA and I took a UKCAT course which helped me get 760 Band 2 in my UKCAT. I then applied to UKCAT heavy unis (i.e. unis which determine their interview applicants via their UKCAT - Glasgow, Manchester, Hull York and St Georges). Got 4 interviews as a result and am not sitting on one offer, one rejection, one waiting list, and one decision pending. I know how it feels to not get an interviews first time round. But if you get the grades just try again - people really underestimate the UKCAT, but a large no. of medical schools give interviews to students based on their UKCAT, so unless you have amazing GCSE's, this is probably the route to try and take. Of course getting a high UKCAT is easier said than done but try the Kaplan course (pretty expensive but I think its worth it). Hope that helps