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Is Cambridge worth it?!

I have wanted to go to Cambridge for medicine ever since i found out about it.
I have the GCSEs (7A*2A) and Im doing Biology, Chemistry , Psychology and Maths this year (year 12).
But I've never had anyone tell me the truth behind the massive 'only for clever people' echo placed alongside hearing the name.
What would Cambridge medical students say?
(edited 4 years ago)

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Your GCSEs are ok for Cambridge, forget the "only for supernaturally clever people", work hard get good grades in your A Levels and BMAT and smash the interview :smile:
Original post by BlueIndigoViolet
Your GCSEs are ok for Cambridge, forget the "only for supernaturally clever people", work hard get good grades in your A Levels and BMAT and smash the interview :smile:

thank you.lol that 'ok' is giving me anxiety.
Original post by selcouth.eh
thank you.lol that 'ok' is giving me anxiety.

They are in no way bad at all, but not the highest bearing in mind this is Cambridge, but as long as you do well in the BMAT you are very likely to get an interview, so in that way is better than Oxford (selective for interview and high GCSE requirement) - just dont take anything for granted and work your socks off if you want it :smile:
Original post by BlueIndigoViolet
They are in no way bad at all, but not the highest bearing in mind this is Cambridge, but as long as you do well in the BMAT you are very likely to get an interview, so in that way is better than Oxford (selective for interview and high GCSE requirement) - just dont take anything for granted and work your socks off if you want it :smile:

thank you yet again.
i know you didnt ask for this but i'll tell you anyway, i have preread all the biology and chem as level content and am now actually going through that content at school. I do at least 6hrs (2 before school and 4 after)-in no way am i saying hours = good grades but personally i feel like intense blocks work best for me.
I feel like I'm not doing enough.
i'm assuming that you probably have done alevel and are probably in uni or finished-- so i was thinking any tips?
Reply 5
Original post by selcouth.eh
thank you.lol that 'ok' is giving me anxiety.


Applicants on average for Cambridge med have 7 A*s. Offer-holders have 9, hence they're ok GCSEs for Cambridge (you'd be stuffed for Oxford).
As you do more research about medical schools it's possible you may go off Cambridge a bit for medicine. Or you may not. It's risky to have your heart set on Oxford or Cambridge in general.

Now, it's not just the GCSEs and A-levels. Getting yourself the necessary predicted grades is just the preliminary step to thinking about applying. When it comes to study hours as you mentioned, yeah you're doing enough. I never did 6 hours of work in a single day, ever - i simply did enough.
My honest opinion is that 6 hours of independent study a day, at this stage, is massive overkill no matter what your goals.
One of my friends got an interview very luckily because he didn’t do too well in his BMAT, his GCSEs were similar to yours. He smashed his interview and I think that was a big reason he got he offer.
From what I’ve heard it is good to prove how much you like and are interested in medicine etc so id recommend an EPQ on a medical subject and doing medical experiences such as internships etc
Reply 8
cambridge don't really care why you want to be a doctor, or about your extra curriculars. they want to see that youre clever. good grades, good bmat, good interview. thats it.

6 hours a day is way overkill.

is it worth it? definitely. probably one of the most unique uni experiences in the country.
Original post by Arifali4
One of my friends got an interview very luckily because he didn’t do too well in his BMAT, his GCSEs were similar to yours. He smashed his interview and I think that was a big reason he got he offer.

If you dont mind, could your mate chat with me one day over this shiz?
Original post by Qualms&Facepalms
From what I’ve heard it is good to prove how much you like and are interested in medicine etc so id recommend an EPQ on a medical subject and doing medical experiences such as internships etc

I was actually wondering on whether to do it this year or next year. What would you say?
Original post by meme259
cambridge don't really care why you want to be a doctor, or about your extra curriculars. they want to see that youre clever. good grades, good bmat, good interview. thats it.

6 hours a day is way overkill.

is it worth it? definitely. probably one of the most unique uni experiences in the country.

Thank you for replying. I did six hours during gcse days and tbh I felt extremely fine with it. Maybe I'll try and stop being so harsh on myself.
Original post by Sinnoh
Applicants on average for Cambridge med have 7 A*s. Offer-holders have 9, hence they're ok GCSEs for Cambridge (you'd be stuffed for Oxford).
As you do more research about medical schools it's possible you may go off Cambridge a bit for medicine. Or you may not. It's risky to have your heart set on Oxford or Cambridge in general.

Now, it's not just the GCSEs and A-levels. Getting yourself the necessary predicted grades is just the preliminary step to thinking about applying. When it comes to study hours as you mentioned, yeah you're doing enough. I never did 6 hours of work in a single day, ever - i simply did enough.
My honest opinion is that 6 hours of independent study a day, at this stage, is massive overkill no matter what your goals.

With my sixth form (it counts as a disadvantaged sixth form cause of the area) they push us when we tell them we wanna go to a Russle group uni.
Original post by selcouth.eh
With my sixth form (it counts as a disadvantaged sixth form cause of the area) they push us when we tell them we wanna go to a Russle group uni.

Another question I have is that: I've read about the transition program but I don't know if it's in action yet. Anyone know?
Original post by selcouth.eh
Another question I have is that: I've read about the transition program but I don't know if it's in action yet. Anyone know?

Transition year won't be in place until the academic year 2021-22 iirc, maybe the year after. Cambridge is now participating in adjustment though (if you don't get an offer the first time round, but you hit particular widening participation criteria, and then you get the required grades and above whatever your first choice uni was wanting, you could get a second go come results in summer).
Original post by Paralove
Transition year won't be in place until the academic year 2021-22 iirc, maybe the year after. Cambridge is now participating in adjustment though (if you don't get an offer the first time round, but you hit particular widening participation criteria, and then you get the required grades and above whatever your first choice uni was wanting, you could get a second go come results in summer).

My alevels (A2) are in 2021, Would i be included? So when i apply, would it have started?
As far as I'm aware Cambridge aren't very focused on GCSEs for medicine (they are generally not very fussed about them for any other course either, although for medicine they may put slightly more weight on them). Provided you are predicted at least A*A*A (I imagine they might want an A predicted in your 4th subject but I could be wrong) and do well in the BMAT, I think you have as good a chance as anyone else of being invited to interview. Do look at the style and structure of the Cambridge course compared to others (e.g. more limited clinical work in the pre-clinical phase, very lecture based, quite academic/research oriented generally, the intercalated Part II year, Cambridge tutorials etc), and make sure it suits your interests/aptitudes.

Bear in mind Cambridge require 3 STEM subjects (which they do not count psychology as) to apply, so if you were going to drop a subject, if you wanted to keep Cambridge as an option it would have to be psychology. Other medical schools have no such requirements or even preferences, as I understand however.
Why does everyone want to do medicine? What is it about medicine that you like?
Original post by selcouth.eh
My alevels (A2) are in 2021, Would i be included? So when i apply, would it have started?


Maybe - but it depends what subjects are included on the transition year. It might not include medicine/sciences in the initial years. Nothing's been published yet about it, so keep an eye on the website. However, don't go relying on entering via a transition year anyway.
Original post by Paralove
Maybe - but it depends what subjects are included on the transition year. It might not include medicine/sciences in the initial years. Nothing's been published yet about it, so keep an eye on the website. However, don't go relying on entering via a transition year anyway.

oh okay, I understand, will do.

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