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A level options oxbridge medicine

Hi there. I'm in year 11. Going on to study medicine(hopefully) at oxbridge. I wish to take five a levels from the following-
1) maths
2) chemistry
3) biology
4) physics
5) further maths
6) French
And, a potential extra of Creative Writing as a sixth in my free time.
Which five would you recommend and why? Do you think restive writing is worth considering?
Thank you!

Reply 1

jamestg

Original post by PixelatedOwl

Honestly doing this many is ridiculous. They won't really care about creative writing or french or physics or FM.

Just choose four A-levels, which include biology and chemistry - and then carry on all four at A2. Due to the reforms, taking 6 A-levels, or even AS subjects, is ludicrous since your exams will be linear.

I obviously don't know about your subject preferences - but I'd choose maths, biology, chemistry and physics or further maths.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

Buymoria

Original post by PixelatedOwl

Would advise only taking 4 A levels not five and to be frank I really doubt creative writing would be all that helpful.

Unless French is very easy for you I wouldn't take that as it's largely irrelevant and would add little to your application.

Unless you'd excel at physics I'd only take that to AS and take Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Biology at A level/

Reply 3

Cherub012

Original post by PixelatedOwl

Take maths, biology, chemistry and physics.

Then if you can handle any more, do AS Critical Thinking and/or an EPQ (maybe spread these over the two years).

Reply 4

PixelatedBunny

Thank you for replies so far. Bump?

Reply 5

aoxa

Original post by Cherub012

Take maths, biology, chemistry and physics.

Then if you can handle any more, do AS Critical Thinking and/or an EPQ (maybe spread these over the two years).

Like Oxbridge are going to accept Critical Thinking as an A/AS level.

Reply 6

username1738583

oxbridge prefer maths physics chem and bio

don't try and show off doing 6 as u will most likely buckle under it and get mediocre results

Reply 7

Cherub012

Original post by aoxa

Like Oxbridge are going to accept Critical Thinking as an A/AS level.

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/entrance-requirements/alevels

•

A Level Critical Thinking isn't considered an acceptable third A Level subject for any course at Cambridge. While it is regarded as a worthwhile addition to your portfolio of qualifications as a fourth AS or A Level subject, it's unlikely to be part of a conditional offer.

Reply 8

aoxa

Original post by Cherub012

http://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/entrance-requirements/alevels

•

They say that, but I bet no one has ever gotten into Cambridge medicine with Critical Thinking.

Reply 9

jamestg

Original post by aoxa

They say that, but I bet no one has ever gotten into Cambridge medicine with Critical Thinking.

Actually, some people would have.

The difference is it's a correlation, not a causation. Some people would have critical thinking, yes, but they're obviously not at Cambridge because of it. And critical thinking, no matter how good the grade, will substitute for bad grades.

Reply 10

Cherub012

Original post by aoxa

They say that, but I bet no one has ever gotten into Cambridge medicine with Critical Thinking.

How much of a bet? I personally know a guy who did this.

Original post by jamestg

And critical thinking, no matter how good the grade, will substitute for bad grades.

No way lol.

Reply 11

nexttime

You've got classic 'I'm good at everything therefore i need to do all the exams' syndrome.

You don't need to do everything. Three is entirely sufficient, and what most people who get accepted into Oxford for medicine have.

Consuming all your time doing 6 is far less preferable than having 3 or 4, and having time to read around your subject, being up to date on health news, getting lots of voluntary work and work experience, properly preparing for the entrance exams and interviews, and generally doing things far more valuable to your application than A-level number 6 in further maths (a subject that many med schools don't even accept).

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 12

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by aoxa

They say that, but I bet no one has ever gotten into Cambridge medicine with Critical Thinking.

Both Oxford and Cambridge use the BMAT to filter applicants - and Critical Thinking is going to be very helpful in scoring well on all three sections of the BMAT.

Reply 13

Shencha

Firstly, a lot changes from gcse to a level, I would say focus on getting into medicine and don't be too caught up on oxbridge, even if you get the grades you may still get rejected.

Idk why you want to do 5/6...? There's no advantage- go do some volunteering or extracurricular instead, this will strengthen your application to other unis.

If you take bio, Chem and Maths, the door is open to any med school in the U.K., so I think these are essential. I would do these 3 to full A level, and if you're insistent on doing a 4th AS, choose what you'll enjoy the most/find the easiest

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