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No A*'s at GCSE but Medicine!

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Original post by Doonesbury
A mock isn't a formal exam. It wasn't externally marked by AQA, your school just used AQA past, or specimen, papers and your teachers marked it. It's standard practice and you don't end up with an AS-level qualification.

Thats kind of stupid, some subjects have a new specification so we'd be getting practice from the 'old' spec papers which wouldn't really be 'practice', they should just let students sit the AS exams so they can have a better insight into exams in A2, I'll ask my teachers but anyways thanks :smile:
Original post by GCSE 9
Thats kind of stupid, some subjects have a new specification so we'd be getting practice from the 'old' spec papers which wouldn't really be 'practice', they should just let students sit the AS exams so they can have a better insight into exams in A2, I'll ask my teachers but anyways thanks :smile:


Blame Michael Gove not your teachers... :wink:

And just to be clear, there's no "A2" any more - the exams you sit for the A-level in Y13 include AS-level content.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Doonesbury
Blame Michael Gove not your teachers... :wink:

And just to be clear, there's no "A2" any more - the exams you sit for the A-level in Y13 include AS-level content.

So for universities (medicine) can you not apply with internal 'AS' exams, or they only accept external, if so, that means that I'm at a disadvantage this year for medicine taking in consideration of my GCSE'S.
Original post by GCSE 9
So for universities (medicine) can you not apply with internal 'AS' exams, or they only accept external, if so, that means that I'm at a disadvantage this year for medicine taking in consideration of my GCSE'S.


Have you applied this year?

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Original post by Doonesbury
Have you applied this year?

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yes. Just not for Cambridge
Original post by GCSE 9
yes. Just not for Cambridge


correction: So you have applied to others for Medicine, ok.

Did you put Bio and Chem as AS-levels on your UCAS?
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Doonesbury
correction: So you have applied to others for Medicine, ok.

Did you put Bio and Chem as AS-levels on your UCAS?

No, as they were linear.
Original post by GCSE 9
No, as they were linear.


Ok cool. Well you'll just have to see how things progress.

Good luck.

If you list the universities the medicine experts here might be able to give an opinion.


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Original post by Doonesbury
Ok cool. Well you'll just have to see how things progress.

Good luck.

If you list the universities the medicine experts here might be able to give an opinion.


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Thank you :h:, I am worried because not only were my GCSE'S poor, but my AS levels were internal, but we'll just have to see :smile:
Original post by GCSE 9
Thank you :h:, I am worried because not only were my GCSE'S poor, but my AS levels were internal, but we'll just have to see :smile:


List your choices to help others give specific advice. Each university approaches admissions slightly differently.

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Original post by Doonesbury
Thanks.

And Cambridge have said that GCSEs will not be more important than they are now.

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Right so all you need to do to get an offer then is get 10/10 on interview and 9.0 on all sections of admissions assessment, if you have no A*s at GCSE. And have A*A*A predicted grades. Great.
Original post by RedGiant
Right so all you need to do to get an offer then is get 10/10 on interview and 9.0 on all sections of admissions assessment, if you have no A*s at GCSE. And have A*A*A predicted grades. Great.


Please don't make things up.
Original post by Doonesbury
Please don't make things up.


How so?
I got 1A* and 6A; 630 for UKCAT and still got two interviews. Apply according to your strengths. Cambridge is competitive but if you show you have improved from GCSEs and ace ur bmat then you have a chance. Any medical school is great in this country as they are all accredited by GMC so don't worry about the rankings just apply based on ur strengths.
Original post by RedGiant
How so?


You are saying you need perfect scores in everything (10/10 interview and 9.0/9.0 , etc) to make up for 0A* at GCSE. You don't.

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Original post by Doonesbury
You are saying you need perfect scores in everything (10/10 interview and 9.0/9.0 , etc) to make up for 0A* at GCSE. You don't.

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So what sort of scores in said elements do you need then, if you have no A*s at GCSE?

I assume the interview and assessments must be more important, if the GCSEs are not. Realistically, who are they supposed to give offers out to if GCSEs cannot be any more important?
Original post by Boss987
I got 1A* and 6A; 630 for UKCAT and still got two interviews. Apply according to your strengths. Cambridge is competitive but if you show you have improved from GCSEs and ace ur bmat then you have a chance. Any medical school is great in this country as they are all accredited by GMC so don't worry about the rankings just apply based on ur strengths.

Did you get an offer?
Original post by GCSE 9
I'm so confused because AS is now linear so I don't know if they count as AS qualifications or not?


Contact leeds and see what they say. If you did internal exams (mocks) then you have no AS qualifications but just grades/mock results. I think leeds will still consider them maybe.
Original post by Anonymous
I see your point, I'm thinking of doing medicine at the most competitive university, I'll forget Cambridge maybe I'll look into the london uni's.


Remember that medicine is one of those course where it does not matter where you study. All medicine courses are regulated by the GMC. Your patients won't care where you study and it is not considered when you apply for jobs.

My advice is to apply to your strengths and try and find a place which will accept your GCSEs. Research all the uni and evaluate their GCSE requirements. Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, Barts, Imperial, Nottingham, Birmingham, St Georges, Leicester, Hull - these will all look at your GCSES. Why apply to these places when people will have better GCSES?

Have a look at places like Sheffield.
Original post by APPLICANT2016
Remember that medicine is one of those course where it does not matter where you study. All medicine courses are regulated by the GMC. Your patients won't care where you study and it is not considered when you apply for jobs.

My advice is to apply to your strengths and try and find a place which will accept your GCSEs. Research all the uni and evaluate their GCSE requirements. Cambridge, Oxford, UCL, Barts, Imperial, Nottingham, Birmingham, St Georges, Leicester, Hull - these will all look at your GCSES. Why apply to these places when people will have better GCSES?

Have a look at places like Sheffield.

London is close to me and Imperial said that they don't have GCSE requirements anymore for Imperial and Barts puts emphasis on UKCAT and UCAS points 50:50, so in realtion to the other unis mentioned they do put weight on GCSES but less so.
I don't meet the GCSE requirement for sheffied.

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