Oxford Medicine (2020 Entry)

Hello!

I honestly breathed a sigh of relief when I saw this thread, because I have been full-speed ahead to apply for a100 at oxford for 2020 entry since I was 14 and I was thoroughly certain I was being way too overambitious and obsessive haha
I did pretty well in IGCSE (I'm an international student) with 8 A* and 1 A. I really hope that's good enough. Currently trying to survive IB.
Any advice to stay sane through the application process?

Reply 3

nik_med01

7

Original post by WeLoveMaggie

Hello, thinking of applying to Oxford for Medicine in 2020 and mainly just wanted to see and meet others going through this process.

I might possibly apply. I applied this year and got rejected before the interview so if I don't get an offer from my next preferred university, St. Andrews, then I will reapply as I don't want to go to the other unis I've applied to, I just put them down as safe options and I think Oxford is worth another shot, esp now that I've been through the admissions process already.

Stats: 7A*s, 3A's GCSE, 4A's AS Level, 4A*s predicted grades, 6.7, 5.4, 3A BMAT

Reply 4

Hi all!

I may apply to Oxford for the 2020 entry.

I came from a low-performing school I switched schools 3x (missed like 1 year of education), despite this, I was in the top achievers of my school :smile:

.

GCSEs: 3A* 5A 5B and merit in additional maths. I also sat 2 A Levels (AS+A2) early and achieved AB. (Aiming for A* in both.)
AS prediction: AAAAAAA (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Portuguese and Spanish)
Work experience: Working on it
Competitions: Participating on quite a few!
Summer schools: Applying for UNIQ medicine and a few others...
BMAT: As I am applying for 3 BMAT unis, I will focus on the BMAT

I'm surprised to see that there aren't many 9+ A*/8/9 pupils at the moment, maybe we'll see them soon? :tongue:

Reply 5

Original post by WeLoveMaggie

My results put me in the top 2% of the other 200 students in my year as most people got a mix of 4-5 passes I think. I go to a relatively disadvantaged school which for most of my time at that school was in need of "significant improvement" according to Ofsted. I was working at a Level 4 in Maths at the beginning of Year 11. And was getting mainly 5's in my subjects.

I was in a similar situation, I'm glad to see other disadvantaged students applying for Oxford :smile:

.

Original post by varshb

Hello!

I honestly breathed a sigh of relief when I saw this thread, because I have been full-speed ahead to apply for a100 at oxford for 2020 entry since I was 14 and I was thoroughly certain I was being way too overambitious and obsessive haha
I did pretty well in IGCSE (I'm an international student) with 8 A* and 1 A. I really hope that's good enough. Currently trying to survive IB.
Any advice to stay sane through the application process?

Hey there! Great IGCSE results!

Where are you from? And what IB subjects are you doing at HL and SL?

An advice is: NEVER LET YOUR WORK PILE UP! I look forward to see this thread in October when we start to panick because of interviews and rejections. :P

Original post by nik_med01

I might possibly apply. I applied this year and got rejected before the interview so if I don't get an offer from my next preferred university, St. Andrews, then I will reapply as I don't want to go to the other unis I've applied to, I just put them down as safe options and I think Oxford is worth another shot, esp now that I've been through the admissions process already.

Stats: 7A*s, 3A's GCSE, 4A's AS Level, 4A*s predicted grades, 6.7, 5.4, 3A BMAT

Wow! Your GCSEs are great! If you had a higher score in unit 2 you probably would've received an interview... Good luck if you chose to reapply :smile:

Reply 6

Hi all,

I am interested to applying to medicine but I am not definitely sure which uni I would choose out of Oxbridge. I am also probably going to apply to UCL as well.

My A Levels are triple science and maths and I am predicted all As.

I am slightly annoyed as my school doesn't give out A*s in the first report in December. The problem is that the next report isn't out until March but by then I would have already applied to work experience, summer schools etc. so my application isn't as competitive.

I thought of taking Further Maths to make my application decent but my teachers advised me to do 4 instead so I can focus a lot more on the BMAT/UKCAT in the upcoming months.

My internal exams (from which my university predictions are based) are at the end of April so hoping to be predicted 4A*s in them.

My GCSEs are:
99999999988A (A in FSMQ Maths)

Oxford focuses on GCSEs and I know my GCSEs are quite strong, but then again Oxford medicine will probably be receiving a lot of applicants with all 9s. Another negtive of Oxford is that it takes a lot lower number of medical students than Cambridge. These reasons are pushing me towards Cambridge. I guess I will decide after visiting the open days in the summer. :tongue:

Reply 7

Original post by Jman10101

Hi all,

I am interested to applying to medicine but I am not definitely sure which uni I would choose out of Oxbridge. I am also probably going to apply to UCL as well.

My A Levels are triple science and maths and I am predicted all As.

I am slightly annoyed as my school doesn't give out A*s in the first report in December. The problem is that the next report isn't out until March but by then I would have already applied to work experience, summer schools etc. so my application isn't as competitive.

I thought of taking Further Maths to make my application decent but my teachers advised me to do 4 instead so I can focus a lot more on the BMAT/UKCAT in the upcoming months.

My internal exams (from which my university predictions are based) are at the end of April so hoping to be predicted 4A*s in them.

My GCSEs are:
99999999988A (A in FSMQ Maths)

Oxford focuses on GCSEs and I know my GCSEs are quite strong, but then again Oxford medicine will probably be receiving a lot of applicants with all 9s. Another negtive of Oxford is that it takes a lot lower number of medical students than Cambridge. These reasons are pushing me towards Cambridge. I guess I will decide after visiting the open days in the summer. :tongue:

Really impressive GCSEs, I'm sure that you'll have a good shot at either, if you want to be a bit safer then I'd go for Cambridge as they have more places.

I'm also applying for UCL (and Imperial and KCL)! Nice to see other people here with the same interest ^^

How is the work experience going?

Reply 8

nexttime

Original post by WeLoveMaggie

Hello all.

Here are my GCSE results:
Biology: 8
Chemistry: 8
Physics: 8
Maths: 7
English Lang: 6
English Lit: 6
Drama: 6
Business: B

My results put me in the top 2% of the other 200 students in my year as most people got a mix of 4-5 passes I think. I go to a relatively disadvantaged school which for most of my time at that school was in need of "significant improvement" according to Ofsted. I was working at a Level 4 in Maths at the beginning of Year 11. And was getting mainly 5's in my subjects.

I'm studying Biology Chemistry and Maths with AAA as my current predicted grades (only just started Yr12)

I'm hoping to apply to study Medicine at Oxford.

You've seen the stats I presume

https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a100_medicine_admissions_statist_3

As you can see you can overcome lower GCSEs, mainly by having some kind of disadvantage flag (what was your school's 5A*-C rate?), but the numbers are very small.

Original post by varshb

... I have been full-speed ahead to apply for a100 at oxford for 2020 entry since I was 14 and I was thoroughly certain I was being way too overambitious and obsessive haha

Erm well, perhaps not overambitious? Not sure about the second part though :p:

But in all seriousness, you must surely realise just how low your chances as an international are. The applicant to offer ratio never gets lower than 50 to 1, and it can be >100, and many truly exceptional applicants get rejected. You can (and should!) apply obviously but please don't be gambling too much on being successful here!

Original post by Jman10101

Hi all,

I am interested to applying to medicine but I am not definitely sure which uni I would choose out of Oxbridge. I am also probably going to apply to UCL as well.

My A Levels are triple science and maths and I am predicted all As.

I am slightly annoyed as my school doesn't give out A*s in the first report in December. The problem is that the next report isn't out until March but by then I would have already applied to work experience, summer schools etc. so my application isn't as competitive.

I thought of taking Further Maths to make my application decent but my teachers advised me to do 4 instead so I can focus a lot more on the BMAT/UKCAT in the upcoming months.

My internal exams (from which my university predictions are based) are at the end of April so hoping to be predicted 4A*s in them.

My GCSEs are:
99999999988A (A in FSMQ Maths)

Oxford focuses on GCSEs and I know my GCSEs are quite strong, but then again Oxford medicine will probably be receiving a lot of applicants with all 9s. Another negtive of Oxford is that it takes a lot lower number of medical students than Cambridge. These reasons are pushing me towards Cambridge. I guess I will decide after visiting the open days in the summer. :tongue:

There are some differences between the unis:

- Cities - I'd suggest visiting both. Oxford's a more active city.
- Accommodation - more available at Cambridge - though most students at both can get accommodation for the first 3 years at least.
- Size - Oxford med school is half the size. There is only 4-8 medics per year at each college (whereas at cambridge it can be up to 25 or so)
- Transfers - at Oxford some students can go to London after 3 years (essentially any university you choose). At Cambridge you're there for all 6.
- 3rd year options are more limited at Oxford, although doing something completely tangential at Cambridge (law, economics etc) is no longer allowed under normal circumstances.
- Cambridge has more focus on anatomy, including dissection rather than prosection. Oxford focuses on other aspects of medicine instead.
- Oxford gets much higher student satisfaction

Edit: people might also be interested in an alternative league table I put together. Its mainly trying to show how dumb the mainstream ones are and shift people's ideas about what a league table can be - rigid vs you choosing your own weightings for each criteria - but there's some interesting data in there too.

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4759394#primary_content

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 9

Original post by Crow_M

Really impressive GCSEs, I'm sure that you'll have a good shot at either, if you want to be a bit safer then I'd go for Cambridge as they have more places.

I'm also applying for UCL (and Imperial and KCL)! Nice to see other people here with the same interest ^^

How is the work experience going?

I think I will apply to KCL as well since they use UKCAT but probably not Imperial as I want another uni that uses UKCAT and one that isn't in London, maybe something easier to get into as well because it is common for med applicants not to get a single offer.

I have completed some work experience at my local GP surgery and I am trying to get some in a hospital at the moment. I am currently just cold-calling doctors there and hopefully I can get some.

Reply 10

Original post by Jman10101

I think I will apply to KCL as well since they use UKCAT but probably not Imperial as I want another uni that uses UKCAT and one that isn't in London, maybe something easier to get into as well because it is common for med applicants not to get a single offer.

I have completed some work experience at my local GP surgery and I am trying to get some in a hospital at the moment. I am currently just cold-calling doctors there and hopefully I can get some.

I'd look at Bristol uni, it's really good as well :smile:

I am trying to get a few placements. I plan to go to some medicine masterclasses.

Reply 11

Original post by Crow_M

I'd look at Bristol uni, it's really good as well :smile:

I am trying to get a few placements. I plan to go to some medicine masterclasses.

Bristol is a good one but still I think I will aim for one lower than that.

I saw the medicine masterclass day at Cambridge, it seems good but I don't think it has much on the application process. It seems like it is just a few lectures on interesting topics, tbf I would go rather than not go but have no way of getting there.

Reply 12

Original post by Crow_M

I'd look at Bristol uni, it's really good as well :smile:

I am trying to get a few placements. I plan to go to some medicine masterclasses.

Are you interested in going to the USA or other countries?

Reply 13

Original post by Jman10101

Are you interested in going to the USA or other countries?

USA. I plan to apply to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, etc.

I may also apply to a few others such as Lisbon, Melbourne, etc. But it's mostly US and UK unis.

Reply 14

Original post by Jman10101

Bristol is a good one but still I think I will aim for one lower than that.

I saw the medicine masterclass day at Cambridge, it seems good but I don't think it has much on the application process. It seems like it is just a few lectures on interesting topics, tbf I would go rather than not go but have no way of getting there.

Bristol is really good, if you want to go lower then I heard that Cardiff Uni doesn't look much at your UKCAT (I live in Cardiff and they said they only use it if two people have the same grades, etc.

I'd have to wake up at like 5am to make it, that'll be fun but let's try 😆. I mean, the more knowledge the better I guess?

Reply 15

anon_7211

4

Original post by WeLoveMaggie

Hello, thinking of applying to Oxford for Medicine in 2020 and mainly just wanted to see and meet others going through this process.

Hi,
Maybe applying to Oxford or Cambridge.
Currently studying A-level Biology, Chemistry, Maths and AS- computer Science.
GCSES:
English Lnaguage - 8
English Litreature - 8
Biology - 9
Chemistry - 9
Physics -7
Maths - 7
Religious Studies - 8
Geography - 8
French - 6
I am prediced A,A,A,A

Reply 16

Original post by Crow_M

USA. I plan to apply to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, etc.

I may also apply to a few others such as Lisbon, Melbourne, etc. But it's mostly US and UK unis.

Would you have to study premed then?

I would also like to study in USA as I am interested in working there but I don't think I would get into a good college nor would I ever be able to afford it.

Reply 17

The Medic Portal

11

Hi all!

Good luck to everyone applying for medicine at Oxford for 2020 entry! Here are some resources you might find useful:

- Medicine at Oxbridge
- Oxford Medicine Interview

And some general application tips for each stage of the med school application process here:
- Medical Work Experience
- Choosing a Medical School
- UKCAT
- BMAT
- Personal Statement for Medicine

Hope this helps! :smile:

The Medic Portal

Reply 18

Original post by Jman10101

Would you have to study premed then?

I would also like to study in USA as I am interested in working there but I don't think I would get into a good college nor would I ever be able to afford it.

I would take a biology major and a chemistry minor and I'd take pre-med stuff as the unis that I'm applying to offer it (there's no formal pre-med programme but they do those classes).

If you come from a low income household you can go to Harvard for almost nothing! You can also get a job on campus in some other top colleges. Don't be put off by the cost as there's a lot of international financial support!

Reply 19

varshb