What medical schools weight BMAT/UKAT or personal statement over GCSEs??

Original post by Alexandraxx1

Just what the title says What medical schools weight BMAT/UKAT or personal statement over GCSEs??
I have predictions of AAA lots of work experience volunteering and lots of extra curricular, assuming I got a high UKCAT/ BMAT and my personal statement was good , where can I apply to medicine that don’t mind not very good GCSEs

GCSEs are taken contextually and not really part of the admissions requirements.

Reply 2

OP

Original post by alleycat393

GCSEs are taken contextually and not really part of the admissions requirements.

I have bad GCSEs compared to other applicants , I was wondering if there was any where that did take that into consideration when choosing applicants and as long as you meet the minimum requirement they don’t look at it again?

Reply 3

username2975726

20

Pretty much all of them. A good BMAT/UKCAT + PS >>>>> GCSES

Reply 4

Original post by Alexandraxx1

I have bad GCSEs compared to other applicants , I was wondering if there was any where that did take that into consideration when choosing applicants and as long as you meet the minimum requirement they don’t look at it again?

Like I said GCSEs are not part of the entry requirements.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by alleycat393

Like I said GCSEs are not part of the entry requirements.

But I thought this is one of the things that sets you apart from other applicants and some medical schools love GCSEs ( I know Birmingham does)

Reply 6

Original post by Alexandraxx1

But I thought this is one of the things that sets you apart from other applicants and some medical schools love GCSEs ( I know Birmingham does)

Brum doesn't specify GCSEs in their entry requirements. What you did 2 years ago matters far more than what you did longer ago than that and things like your test scores and personal statement and better indicators of your ability to do medicine. We can go round in circles for ages but I don't have the time for that. Apply where you meet the entry requirements and think is the best for for your profile.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by alleycat393

Brum doesn't specify GCSEs in their entry requirements. What you did 2 years ago matters far more than what you did longer ago than that and things like your test scores and personal statement and better indicators of your ability to do medicine. We can go round in circles for ages but I don't have the time for that. Apply where you meet the entry requirements and think is the best for for your profile.

If you don’t have time then don’t help me , what I’m asking is if I applied to oxford with my GCSEs I wouldn’t be accepted as I don’t have 10A* , so I was wondering where weights application more with the other stuff, as Birmingham is like 50% GCSEs and 50% everything else , so where is less weighted towards GCSEs , I kno where I meet the entry requirements

Reply 8

Original post by Alexandraxx1

If you don’t have time then don’t help me , what I’m asking is if I applied to oxford with my GCSEs I wouldn’t be accepted as I don’t have 10A* , so I was wondering where weights application more with the other stuff, as Birmingham is like 50% GCSEs and 50% everything else , so where is less weighted towards GCSEs , I kno where I meet the entry requirements

People with terrible GCSEs get into Oxford with otherwise strong applications and people with great GCSEs don't get in because of otherwise weak applications.

I don't have the time to help someone who asks the same thing again and again without doing their research and with no interest in listening to the answer unless it's what they want to hear. Otherwise we help loads of students daily and will carry on doing so. By all means feel free to help yourself. Good luck!

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 9

OP

Original post by alleycat393

Brum doesn't specify GCSEs in their entry requirements. What you did 2 years ago matters far more than what you did longer ago than that and things like your test scores and personal statement and better indicators of your ability to do medicine. We can go round in circles for ages but I don't have the time for that. Apply where you meet the entry requirements and think is the best for for your profile.

If you don’t have time then don’t help me , what I’m asking is if I applied to oxford with my GCSEs I wouldn’t be accepted as I don’t have 10A* , so I was wondering where weights application more with the other stuff, as Birmingham is like 50% GCSEs and 50% everything else , so where is less weighted towards GCSEs , I kno where I meet the entry requirements

Reply 10

OP

Original post by alleycat393

People with terrible GCSEs get into Oxford with otherwise strong applications and people with great GCSEs don't get in because of otherwise weak applications.

I don't have the time to help someone who asks the same thing again and again without doing their research and with no interest in listening to the answer unless it's what they want to hear. Otherwise we help loads of students daily and will carry on doing so. By all means feel free to help yourself. Good luck!

I have done plenty of research and I know what I know, I am listening to what you’re saying you just don’t understand what I’m asking?

Reply 11

username2199397

18

again predictions mean nothing. as long as you get the grades in your alevels,ukcat/bmat and write a good statement you are fine

Reply 12

MezmorisedPotato

18

Original post by alleycat393

Brum doesn't specify GCSEs in their entry requirements. What you did 2 years ago matters far more than what you did longer ago than that and things like your test scores and personal statement and better indicators of your ability to do medicine. We can go round in circles for ages but I don't have the time for that. Apply where you meet the entry requirements and think is the best for for your profile.

This is incorrect, Birmingham weights GCSES at 70% for selection for interview and then UKCAT as 30% weighting. Birmingham is therefore GCSE heavy.

Just like that, there are other universities with some GCSE weighting e.g. Leicester, some Oxbridge colleges, etc.

As to answer the OP's question, universities which focuses mainly personal statement based and/or UKCAT, include Newcastle, Bristol, UEA/HYMS, Liverpool etc.

N.B These lists aren't exhaustive, please do some independent research as criteria's change.

May I ask what specifically your GCSEs are? That would help narrow down options. The criteria could change at any time and so meeting the requirements won't guarantee you an interview or a place. Please do some more of your own research on each university specifically to truly choose which one suits you.
Good luck :smile:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 13

Original post by Alexandraxx1

I have done plenty of research and I know what I know, I am listening to what you’re saying you just don’t understand what I’m asking?

I’m saying the same thing as others in this thread are but no none of us understand you. Clearly you know best so as I said before why not just go ahead and help yourself :smile:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 14

TSR740

7

Original post by Alexandraxx1

If you don’t have time then don’t help me , what I’m asking is if I applied to oxford with my GCSEs I wouldn’t be accepted as I don’t have 10A* , so I was wondering where weights application more with the other stuff, as Birmingham is like 50% GCSEs and 50% everything else , so where is less weighted towards GCSEs , I kno where I meet the entry requirements

Your best bet is to maybe apply to Bristol-make sure you get as much work experience, volunteering, extra curricular activities and read articles related to medicine such as The Gurdian Doctors between now and the time you’ll apply to medicine- include these all in your personal statement and spend loads of time on in, ask as many people as you can, including doctors to read over and improve it or to help you cut it down. That way you’ll be able to get a really good personal statement and Bristol use only 15% towards GCSEs, 15% A level, 20% UKCAT and a huge 50% of the decision for interview is based on personal statement, so this is also a good one to go for, also look at unis that look at you holistically, I’d recommend applying to Kings College London EDMP medicine course, it’s a 6 year medicine course with entry requirements of ABB, and you just take the first few years slower than the normal medicine course which is nice-it is however exactly the same course and content and qualifications as their 5 year medicine course. You’ll get into Kings EDMP (extended medical degree programme) easy with poor GCSEs if you have a good UKCAT score. Also, try Lancaster for medicine-they have a heavy weigh in on the BMAT score. Also, score yourself using the Leicester medicine Admissions scoring process-if you score above 58 you’re pretty much going to get an interview. Hope that helps :smile:

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 15

OP

Matsh

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 16

Original post by MezmorisedPotato

This is incorrect, Birmingham weights GCSES at 70% for selection for interview and then UKCAT as 30% weighting. Birmingham is therefore GCSE heavy.

Unfortunately that is very misleading. I suggest you spend some time on the brum medicine website and refrain from misleading applicants.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 17

OP