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Birmingham A100 2020 Entry

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Reply 40
Avatar for GANFYD
GANFYD
18
Original post by debbiebee
Thank you so much for the detailed replies! So with 4 x grade 9s, 4 x 8s and 2 x 7s (eng lit and French) am I right in calculating from the above that this would be a 5.5? If so, is this in the right ball park for Birmingham?

Thanks again.

Yes, that seems right.
You should be looking for around 8 as a total score, so based on last year's deciles, that means a score of 2710 and above, though it is quite possible that 2650 will be enough
The problem is each individual GCSE (difference between A and A*) contributes less in terms of calculated score out of 10 than UCAT does (difference between 2600 and 2660). Therefore, UCAT actually has a more significant role than GCSEs. You can muck up GCSEs, still get 4.5-5 out of 6, but then get 700 in UCAT and get about 8/10 which is better than getting 5.5-6 for GCSEs and getting 650 in UCAT to obtain about 1.8, which makes 7.3/10
Reply 42
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GANFYD
18
Original post by zamanh
The problem is each individual GCSE (difference between A and A*) contributes less in terms of calculated score out of 10 than UCAT does (difference between 2600 and 2660). Therefore, UCAT actually has a more significant role than GCSEs. You can muck up GCSEs, still get 4.5-5 out of 6, but then get 700 in UCAT and get about 8/10 which is better than getting 5.5-6 for GCSEs and getting 650 in UCAT to obtain about 1.8, which makes 7.3/10

4.5-5 on GCSE score is not "mucking up GCSEs". You would still need around 5A*s with As in core subjects if they were not A*s for this score. It is the Eng Lit requirement that gets a lot of people, for some reason. Birmingham require high performance across both academics and UCAT, but do drop the score for the vast majority of non-selective state schools
Original post by GANFYD
Yes, that seems right.
You should be looking for around 8 as a total score, so based on last year's deciles, that means a score of 2710 and above, though it is quite possible that 2650 will be enough

Is it possible the 2650 decile could drop to 2600 because of the reduced quality of applicant as a result of the drop in A level requirements?
I am literally clutching at straws XD
Reply 45
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GANFYD
18
Original post by zamanh
Is it possible the 2650 decile could drop to 2600 because of the reduced quality of applicant as a result of the drop in A level requirements?

I strongly doubt it, that is a big drop, but you never know! They will not publish their deciles until after you have applied anyway
I've got A*/8/9 in four of five 'core' subjects that Birmingham grades and a 6 in Eng lit. As for the other two subjects, those were A*s as well. With a UCAT score of 2770 (SJT Band 3), I calculated my Birmingham score and got 8.806. I just wanted to make sure this is right because I feel like its too high :s-smilie:
Also I heard Birmingham use the SJT post-offer if you're 5% within the cut off. Do you think it would be risky for me to apply there?
Thanks in advance!
Original post by nishnash01
I've got A*/8/9 in four of five 'core' subjects that Birmingham grades and a 6 in Eng lit. As for the other two subjects, those were A*s as well. With a UCAT score of 2770 (SJT Band 3), I calculated my Birmingham score and got 8.806. I just wanted to make sure this is right because I feel like its too high :s-smilie:
Also I heard Birmingham use the SJT post-offer if you're 5% within the cut off. Do you think it would be risky for me to apply there?
Thanks in advance!

I get you at 8.361 so check again? Your UCAT is right at the bottom of last years decile as well so be aware it may not score the same this year.

They only use the SJT as a virtual mmi station as part of the interview process. You’ll drop a few marks here if you get an interview.
Reply 48
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GANFYD
18
Original post by nishnash01
I've got A*/8/9 in four of five 'core' subjects that Birmingham grades and a 6 in Eng lit. As for the other two subjects, those were A*s as well. With a UCAT score of 2770 (SJT Band 3), I calculated my Birmingham score and got 8.806. I just wanted to make sure this is right because I feel like its too high :s-smilie:
Also I heard Birmingham use the SJT post-offer if you're 5% within the cut off. Do you think it would be risky for me to apply there?
Thanks in advance!

I make it 8.361 (4x4)+1+2+2 /4 =5.25 for GCSEs and you sit right on the border of their 8th decile, scoring 3.111.
Birmingham are now using SJT as a virtual MMI as detailed here
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-mds/courses/undergraduate/Medicine-and-Surgery-MBChB/info-interview-5-year-2019-20.pdf
so you would have lost 2/3 of the points available for that station.
If the deciles change and drop you down a band, you would sit right about what I suspect the cut off will be, so depends how badly you want to go to Birmingham and how safe your other choices are?
Reply 49
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GANFYD
18
Original post by Laycity
I get you at 8.361 so check again? Your UCAT is right at the bottom of last years decile as well so be aware it may not score the same this year.

They only use the SJT as a virtual mmi station as part of the interview process. You’ll drop a few marks here if you get an interview.

Snap! All covered, can I give up??
Original post by GANFYD
Snap! All covered, can I give up??

Absolutely not :biggrin:
Reply 51
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GANFYD
18
Original post by Laycity
Absolutely not :biggrin:

:hugs: Teamwork!
Original post by GANFYD
I make it 8.361 (4x4)+1+2+2 /4 =5.25 for GCSEs and you sit right on the border of their 8th decile, scoring 3.111.
Birmingham are now using SJT as a virtual MMI as detailed here
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-mds/courses/undergraduate/Medicine-and-Surgery-MBChB/info-interview-5-year-2019-20.pdf
so you would have lost 2/3 of the points available for that station.
If the deciles change and drop you down a band, you would sit right about what I suspect the cut off will be, so depends how badly you want to go to Birmingham and how safe your other choices are?


Oh that makes sense, thank you. I guess Birmingham is out! I was struggling to choose between Birmingham, Manchester, Plymouth, Leicester (where I think I have a score of 59.5) and St George's as my safe choice. Any advice on which one I should not go for so I can eliminate a few?
Reply 53
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GANFYD
18
Original post by nishnash01
Oh that makes sense, thank you. I guess Birmingham is out! I was struggling to choose between Birmingham, Manchester, Plymouth, Leicester (where I think I have a score of 59.5) and St George's as my safe choice. Any advice on which one I should not go for so I can eliminate a few?

Any of those other options would be fine. Look at teachiing style, location, size etc or just go with the one that appeals most! If you are keen you can look for info on interview to offer ratios (I posted some on Leicester's thread) and use that to help you decide
Original post by GANFYD
Any of those other options would be fine. Look at teachiing style, location, size etc or just go with the one that appeals most! If you are keen you can look for info on interview to offer ratios (I posted some on Leicester's thread) and use that to help you decide

its so difficult to decide! 😂😂 interview to offer ratio is a really good idea, i'll take a look at that. thanks!
Reply 55
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GANFYD
18
Original post by nishnash01
its so difficult to decide! 😂😂 interview to offer ratio is a really good idea, i'll take a look at that. thanks!

Better than only having 2 or 3 options!
Original post by nishnash01
I've got A*/8/9 in four of five 'core' subjects that Birmingham grades and a 6 in Eng lit. As for the other two subjects, those were A*s as well. With a UCAT score of 2770 (SJT Band 3), I calculated my Birmingham score and got 8.806. I just wanted to make sure this is right because I feel like its too high :s-smilie:
Also I heard Birmingham use the SJT post-offer if you're 5% within the cut off. Do you think it would be risky for me to apply there?
Thanks in advance!

8.361.... It is a safe score for an interview in Birmingham.
Reply 57
Avatar for LucyK01
LucyK01
2
A lot of people seem to have a numerical result for the offer calculator for birmingham, i was wondering how you access this as the one on the website just tells you likely/not likely
Original post by LucyK01
A lot of people seem to have a numerical result for the offer calculator for birmingham, i was wondering how you access this as the one on the website just tells you likely/not likely

The calculator doesn’t give you a score just a likely/ not likely, so it looks like you’ve found it.

You work your score out using this info

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/medical-school/applying-to-medicine/selection-for-interview.aspx
Additionally, you can mention WEX completed/UKCAT+GCSE combined score. For Birmingham Admission Statistics, please look at this link: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-mds/medical-school/Application-Statistics-Medicine.pdf

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