Not getting any offers. But getting entry requirement grades or above in the exams?

It doesn't seem like I'm going to get any offers.
If entry requirements are AAA all round and I achieved AAA or higher, what would be the best course of action?
I don't think there was an issue with my personal statement I received 2/3 interviews 4th didn't do interviews. my UKCAT was above average.
I think I lost the offer based off the interviews but who knows.

My plan is to achieve AAA or higher and reply next year, sit the ukcat again and go to the interviews and hopefully be more successful.

Thank you to anyone who can help

Reply 1

username2950308

What work experience do you have?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 2

StationToStation

The problem probably was your interviews then yeah, and you should try to improve on that for next year. It's impossible for us to say what went wrong - could be that your answers didn't have a good enough content or structure, could be that you came across as someone who doesn't have good enough communication skills or commitment to medicine, could be something else. You should do a post-mortem of your interviews to try to figure out what went wrong. It wasn't necessarily anything big - the competition is tough and sometimes luck can be the difference between getting an offer and a rejection. How did you prepare for the interviews and how did you feel they went?

Also, it would be useful to be as tactical with picking unis as possible so that you'd get interviews at all of them. :smile:

Reply 3

aaronm12

Original post by BringMoreCoffee

What work experience do you have?

Posted from TSR Mobile

-2 weeks / 10days shadowing registrar in general hospital
-3 weeks shadowing and helping out in a biomedical lab aboard
-1 day overseeing a post-mortem abroad
other things in the personal statement:
-swim national level captain of a swimming club
-fluent in Hungarian
-volunteer to coach children how to swim

Reply 4

username2950308

Original post by aaronm12

I this may be the problem. Only patient facing experience really counts for something, so working in a lab is probably not getting you many points. Same for the post mortem, so you basically only have two weeks work experience which looks like a token amount. Spend the next year doing proper patient care, for example regular work/ volunteering in a care home, St John Ambulance or whatever. Keep notes on what you have learned from your experiences to use in the interviews.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

nexttime

UKCAT was "above average" - doesn't necessarily mean it was good enough for the unis you applied to.

Lack of voluntary work is another identifiable weakness.

Your plan is a good one. Good luck.

Reply 6

aaronm12

Original post by StationToStation

I had one practice interview. It was ok
the first real interview was at Sheffield it was an MMI I did a lot of preparation on things I should say especially ways to tackle situational judgments questions which i thought it would be mainly. I had 6 sections I think I did well in 2 and not so well in another 2.
I was asked to play 20 questions. and was told they would analysis the thought process of what question i asked if it was logical and structured.
I think I did this poorly
I was also asked about the historical achievements of the city Sheffield. which unfortunately I knew little of.
my second interview at Southampton consisted of a normal interview which i though went very very well, and a group task
the group task was to discuss a topic, I think I managed it poorly also.
the other two universities are Edinburgh who don't do interviews
and kings college who i have not heard from and am accepting a decline
overall I was surprised not to get any offers I don't think I was that bad

Reply 7

aaronm12

Original post by nexttime

UKCAT was "above average" - doesn't necessarily mean it was good enough for the unis you applied to.

Lack of voluntary work is another identifiable weakness.

Your plan is a good one. Good luck.

so If I were to get AAA or above this year would that put me at a competitive advantage if i apply next year or would it be exactly the same as this year but instead of a conditional offer (if any) it would be an unconditional one?

if i got AAA then that is no advantage to someone next year getting offered AAA
whereas if I got A*AA that would be a competitive attribute.

Reply 8

nexttime

Original post by aaronm12

Maybe. Unis don't release very specific info so its difficult to know for sure.

Just get the highest grades you can, the best UKCAT you can and the most voluntary work you can before you apply.

Reply 9

StationToStation

Original post by aaronm12

Lol the Sheffield interview sounds like an... experience. I'd recommend getting the ISC interview book, it has some pretty great advice on how to approach different questions types and how to build your answers. Reading "A very short introduction to medical ethics" might also be useful.

As others have said, volunteering/working at a caring setting is a really good idea. It will look good, and it will also help you improve your communication skills and confidence which will help with the interviews.

Edinburgh is, like, ridiculously competitive. You need a >740 band 1 UKCAT, >8A* at GCSE, >A*AA at A level and a solid ps to have a good chance of an offer. I've seen people with some pretty stellar statistics being rejected today - it's absolutely not a reflection on your capability to get into med school, it's just so competitive. (My grades are about equivalent to 5A* at A level and I found out after applying that they will reject me because of my grades, just because I have a grade equivalent to A in biology, even if I get full points in other sections. :redface:

)

With King's your UKCAT and/or GCSEs might have been a factor. Roughly speaking you need >680 band 2 and pretty good GCSEs to get an interview. Don't give up on them yet though - there's a reason they haven't rejected you yet! They're known for being super late, some people only hear back in May and there are still interview dates coming up.

With regards to your question about grades - it depends on the uni. I believe that Edinburgh, for example, would treat you just the same, whereas Exeter would give you an advantage. (Although you don't want to apply with AAA to either.)

Best of luck - you sound like a pretty strong applicant and I'm sure you'll get offers next year even if you were less lucky this time around. :smile:

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 10

Level 10 Woke

Original post by aaronm12

I experienced the same thing last year. I was rejected, after interview, by Cambridge, Leeds, QUB. I decided to take a gap year & work on my interview technique. I did this by joining St Johns Ambulance, volunteering in various charity shops, getting a job at various supermarkets & finally getting a job in a busy cafe.

This year after re-sitting UKCAT & BMAT, I applied and was offered a place by 2 universities. During your gap year it's far too easy to fall into a depressive slumber. Try and get out there & apply for some jobs that are customer facing, they helped me a lot with my nerves and thankfully it has all worked out in the end.

Good luck.

Reply 11

aaronm12

Original post by 10 Level Woke

Thanks a lot, it helps knowing someone has been through it and been successful
can I just ask how the UCAS application went. Did the sixth from/ college write a reference and send it off like originally if so how did it work out exactly? or can you do it individually?
It's just my college had a lot of authority over it. they were difficult and it was a nightmare. I wouldn't like to illicit their 'help' again unless its easier.
Also what a level grades did you get?
Thanks again

Reply 12

Ghotay

Original post by aaronm12

I think 2 weeks shadowing a reg is great, and definitely what you should focus on in terms of work experience. The other stuff is good, but you need to reflect on what you learned about what it's like to be a doctor, the patient experience in hospital etc. first and foremost.

The swim stuff is also good, but remember to focus on the skills you have developed through being captain/coaching. Just the fact that you are captain is not very important/impressive - med schools care about the teamwork/leadership/communication skills most of all!

The fluent in Hungarian bit is also a bit dodgy. In what context are you mentioning this? Are you bilingual or did you learn the language later? Tbh this is something that is also not very impressive to med schools. Lots of people speak two languages, and unless you taught it to yourself or something (which would be good bc it shows motivation and self-study skills), I probably wouldn't even mention it. There are more important things you could be spending your word count on

Reply 13

Level 10 Woke

Original post by aaronm12

My school/6th form were really helpful. They wrote another reference - basically a copy & paste from last year. I don't believe you can do it individually unless you fall outside the timeline of A Levels. It is much easier to go back to the person who wrote your original reference.

A levels A* AAA
AS AAA
GCSE A* A* A* A* A* A* A* A* A A A A
Gold & Silver Biology Olympiad.
Plus some other bits & bats...Nothing outstanding.

I think a lot has to do with interviews. If you get to interview stage, your grades basically mean nothing at that point.

Reply 14

6med

Don't be discouraged, your work experience and grades all sound great, maybe your interviews weren't the best but remember that there is also an element of luck and many deserving students are unfortunately turned away every year. Don't give up hope! I have several friends who were rejected first time round and applied again, you would never guess it because they are such brilliant medical students and looking back, that initial rejection seems so insignificant.

Best of luck with next year if you reapply and let us know if you would like any other advice, especially with admissions tests and/or interviews :smile:

Alex, 4th year UCL medic
6med

(edited 7 years ago)