Medicine 2017 entry

I'm the only one applying for medicine at my sixth form this year, is anyone here applying to Nottingham? If so, do you know how many points are likely to get you to personal statement reading stage? I have 37 points, and I think it'll either be 37 or 38 to get to that stage. I understand that I'm taking a risk with Nottingham. Good luck to you all with your application!

I think he should be ok with the A* at A level x 3 as long as he did them in 2 years with not many resits

As long as those universities aren't GCSE heavy I think he stands a pretty good chance of getting at least an interview somewhere

Unless you have seen his personal statement, and have worked in all of these Universities, then you actually haven't got a clue if he'll even be considered, never mind get an interview. Whilst your message may be well meant, please don't give false hope - it simply isnt fair.

Sorry, I didn't mean to give false hope, just thought his UKCAT score is good, his experience sounds really good. Plus his aslevel scores and a levels scores sound really good. So I don't think he has a bad chance at all. But it was just my opinion anyway.

Sorry, I didn't mean to give false hope, just thought his UKCAT score is good, his experience sounds really good. Plus his aslevel scores and a levels scores sound really good. So I don't think he has a bad chance at all. But it was just my opinion anyway.

Thank you for your help some people just like to bring people's hopes down my son has also applied to foundation medicine too where you only need BBC he has excellent A Levels straight A* and Exeter only look at A levels he goes in their tier 1 and if that is not oversubscribed they will not rank UKCAT but last years it was 562 in tier 1 so fingers cross this year is not high too so 663 should be ok you got to take chances,someone with few extra GCSEs doesn't mean they are brighter as you know A levels are a lot harder.thank you again people has got into medicine with lower grades than that,

Thank you for your help some people just like to bring people's hopes down my son has also applied to foundation medicine too where you only need BBC he has excellent A Levels straight A* and Exeter only look at A levels he goes in their tier 1 and if that is not oversubscribed they will not rank UKCAT but last years it was 562 in tier 1 so fingers cross this year is not high too so 663 should be ok you got to take chances,someone with few extra GCSEs doesn't mean they are brighter as you know A levels are a lot harder.thank you again people has got into medicine with lower grades than that,

I think he has an equal chance as other applicants, however you cannot feel he is ahead of others due to his Alevel grades

Tell him good luck!

Hang on here, I think this is getting a little out of hand, people are not trying to bring your sons hopes down, they are just being realistic (60% of people get no offers for medicine each year, its super duper competative - I think they were more trying to imply that nothing is ever certain).

So your son applied to Liverpool, Exeter, Leicester and Southampton foundation year. So this is assuming your son meets 3 of the criteria for this. Personally with his achieved A-levels of A*A*A* he should have just applied for A100, foundation years are often more competative and are more likely to be given to people who really do require the lower offer, your son is not exactly disadvantaged considering his absolutely outstanding Alevel grades. But non-the-less its done now.
I would say for leicester its very risky, Liverpool with a lot of Bs at GCSE is also risk and it depends how good his PS is really. Exeter will be almost certain of an interview (providing they deem the rest of his application as good). I definetly think you have a chance here.

The whole thing about GCSEs vs A-levels, honestly it doesnt matter, get into medicine in whatever way you see fit, below average grades in one or the other shouldnt matter to much providing you applied to your strengths. Universities tend to use GCSEs a) because Alevels have yet to have been sat and b) because it shows competency in carrying a wide varied workload to success (much like medicine will be). I honestly would say GCSEs were as hard as Alevels as you had more subjects to juggle and a heck of a lot more exams.

Honestly I dont think now is the time to get hasty and start saying things on this forum about people bashing down your hope, everyone is tense and anxiously waiting for replies and they are just trying to help.

I wish your son all the very best with his application. Has he got a preferred choice of medical school yet?

Thank you yes he is eligible for foundation Southampton he has rang them they said as long as he satisfied the criteria doesn't matter his A levels are above BBC,He would like Leicester he has 42.5 which just about good enough as they give score for achieved Alevels ,based on last year and year before his score is enough but then again its depends on quality of applicants they get,Liverpool because he just meets their minimum cretria 15 points but website also says they may consider 12 points if you have achieved A levels of AAA.The reason he didn't apply to Southampton A100 because they have high UKCAT he only got 663.yes you are right foundation is quite competitive,He thinks if he gets that it will help him a lot ,He studied at school with very low GCSEs results,In A levels he worked very hard himself researching and using lots of practice,He was the only one to get A* in chemistry and Biology in his school and one other child got A grades in both these subject who got into medicine after first being refused by notttingham pre interview but invited in July for interview ,so some times you need a little bit of luck too.The school was in needs to improve.I wish all applicants good luck don't give up try again .

Nice to hear he thought this out very thoroughly. the one thing I will say is that leicester changed it scoring system this year so that means what was required last year/in previous years may be significantly different, I wouldnt base it off last year if I were you, just keep hopeful that he has a good score.
As for liverpool when I applied 2 years ago the cut off score was 15, but I remember them saying that even with 17 you may not get your personal statement read, so its all about the cohort that are applying.

Your son worked super hard and he deserves his place for medicine!

Thank you, you absolutely right but sometimes you do have to take risk.Just hope Liverpool do read is personal statement ,I don't understand why they say on website with Achieved A levels they may consider even 12 points ,this choice I can see may be it is risky.He probably been better with Southampton A100 as well .never remind Hope he gets couple of interviews fiingers cross.

Thank you, you absolutely right but sometimes you do have to take risk.Just hope Liverpool do read is personal statement ,I don't understand why they say on website with Achieved A levels they may consider even 12 points ,this choice I can see may be it is risky.He probably been better with Southampton A100 as well .never remind Hope he gets couple of interviews fiingers cross.

Hang on here, I think this is getting a little out of hand, people are not trying to bring your sons hopes down, they are just being realistic (60% of people get no offers for medicine each year, its super duper competative - I think they were more trying to imply that nothing is ever certain).

So your son applied to Liverpool, Exeter, Leicester and Southampton foundation year. So this is assuming your son meets 3 of the criteria for this. Personally with his achieved A-levels of A*A*A* he should have just applied for A100, foundation years are often more competative and are more likely to be given to people who really do require the lower offer, your son is not exactly disadvantaged considering his absolutely outstanding Alevel grades. But non-the-less its done now.
I would say for leicester its very risky, Liverpool with a lot of Bs at GCSE is also risk and it depends how good his PS is really. Exeter will be almost certain of an interview (providing they deem the rest of his application as good). I definetly think you have a chance here.

The whole thing about GCSEs vs A-levels, honestly it doesnt matter, get into medicine in whatever way you see fit, below average grades in one or the other shouldnt matter to much providing you applied to your strengths. Universities tend to use GCSEs a) because Alevels have yet to have been sat and b) because it shows competency in carrying a wide varied workload to success (much like medicine will be). I honestly would say GCSEs were as hard as Alevels as you had more subjects to juggle and a heck of a lot more exams.

Honestly I dont think now is the time to get hasty and start saying things on this forum about people bashing down your hope, everyone is tense and anxiously waiting for replies and they are just trying to help.

I wish your son all the very best with his application. Has he got a preferred choice of medical school yet?

Thank you yes he is eligible for foundation Southampton he has rang them they said as long as he satisfied the criteria doesn't matter his A levels are above BBC,He would like Leicester he has 42.5 which just about good enough as they give score for achieved Alevels ,based on last year and year before his score is enough but then again its depends on quality of applicants they get,Liverpool because he just meets their minimum cretria 15 points but website also says they may consider 12 points if you have achieved A levels of AAA.The reason he didn't apply to Southampton A100 because they have high UKCAT he only got 663.yes you are right foundation is quite competitive,He thinks if he gets that it will help him a lot ,He studied at school with very low GCSEs results,In A levels he worked very hard himself researching and using lots of practice,He was the only one to get A* in chemistry and Biology in his school and one other child got A grades in both these subject who got into medicine after first being refused by notttingham pre interview but invited in July for interview ,so some times you need a little bit of luck too.The school was in needs to improve.I wish all applicants good luck don't give up try again .

This was a great read! You seem like a genuinely lovely parent! Hope all goes well for your son.