*MEGATHREAD* - The "Which Medical School Should I Apply To?" Uberthread [part 3 of 3]

I posted on the last thread before this one was made, do I have to post again here??

Think it’s worth a shot?

Just you, me and @ecolier here, then!

I need some help in where to apply:
stats
999999887
ucat: 670 average, B1
Alevel predicted: A*A*A*

My issue is that mostplaces that only use ucat have a threshold of around 677 or 680 so its quite unpredictable. Im going to apply for notts, liverpool and queens belfast because they have a strong emphasis of gcses for selection for interview.
I really want to apply for birmingham but although i wouldnt have got an interview last year, I would have got one the previous 3 years. And their admissions is slightly chaning this year which isnt awful for me but its a bit risky.

Considering cardiff but they dont have much information on how academics and ps are scored sooo any advice for my final option??!!?!

What are your thoughts? Where have you narrowed it down to?

NOoooooo. It takes too long!
I am picking out the lovely, polite, thought out questions and dealing with those!

Hi Application Gods! Still busy hoovering up your meticulous advice, thanks so much. I know you're busy and I've taken up loads of time already so obviously answer the wee youngsters first and if you get a second then brilliant, really appreciate it.

Son got A*A*A*A achieved A level (maths,chem, bio, French)
UCAT 2860
VR - 520
DM - 700
QR - 750
AR - 890
AAAA AS level
GCSE 5A*5A
Fairly sure he'll be applying QUB, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool

I love a good worry! Obviously going to check the mid ucat figures seeing as everyone is performing so well but just wondering what your thoughts are on a few things.

1. Would his low VR score (eldest boy wonder decided the night before his brother's ucat that telling local ghost stories would be a good idea and kept him awake until 6am) have any ill affect, just eg SGUL like their sub sets above 500? He had super long-winded historical texts that he couldn't pretend to find interesting!!
2. Is Glasgow now a tad risky with the deferrals and the caps on RUK applicants?
3. He was rejected post interview last year from QUB, he was very naive and had no idea how to prep and the relevance of reflection, how to connect his work experience and skills to those necessary for med school. Looking at the list of questions on the ISC website I'd say this is going to be a long 3 months!
My question is this.. would QUB be willing to give him another chance now that he has completely researched how what and why or do you think they might regard him as a bit iffy and not offer him another interview?
Apologies for this long post I just wanted to get this bit out of the way and cleared up. Have had the best laughs going through this thread this week (L plates 😂) still wonderful people providing wonderful help.

Thank you all.

I'm so sorry 🙈 I thought I was just asking a question on this thread but it appears to have got lost. It's not important but if you find it somewhere else I really am extremely sorry for me being totally useless at using these forums! I received a chatterbox badge for it I assume that means it was too long!! Forgive me it's def put me off posting you can all relax 😆

My teacher had a meeting with Cardiff uni admissions tutor the other day and they said they rarely look at UCAT scores, if ever. I don't know whether to believe this, but then again, it fits with their idgaf attitude smh

Shortlisted : St. George, Plymouth, Southampton & KMMS...any other Univ where I can apply with these grades?

Hi, really struggling at narrowing down uni's
My stats are
GCSE's = 9999776B
Predicted A-levels = A*AA
UCAT = 2810 (702.5) Band 1

seriously considering HYMS, Keele, Sheffield and UEA
also thinking about Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln, Southampton and Edge Hill
any help would be greatly appreciated
thanks

1) Only SGUL care about a minimum subtest score, AFAIK

2) The hassle with Scottish med schools is getting an interview, as fewer places can mean higher cut offs. THey fo have fewe RUK applicants per place, on the whole. Your son will get an interview no bother, and then interview to offer ratios are similar for RUK and Home (Scottish) applicants - though these are generally on the lower side compared to English unis, with Glasgow just under 50% (St Andrews is up nearer 80%), this may be relevant if he is not so great at interviews

3) QUB's policy on reapplicants
"Applicants who have already Satisfied Academic Requirements (Please also refer to 3.18 below)
Applications from candidates who have already achieved the normal academic requirements in their second level examinations, for example AAA at A-level plus A in a fourth AS and are applying for Medicine for a second time, will only be considered if they included Queen’s as one of their Medical choices first time round ie evidence of commitment to the University is important from the outset. Such candidates who have satisfied the subject requirements, will be awarded 36 points at Stage 1. Points will then be awarded according to performance in UCAT to give an overall score for shortlisting purposes. UCAT must be retaken as it is only valid for one application cycle.
Applications from candidates who have already achieved the normal academic requirements in their second level examinations (as above) will also be considered if they have never applied through UCAS for medicine before and are therefore applying to this subject for the first time because of a change in career plans."

They will score him, and if he meets the cut off (he will) then they will interview him, and the experience last year might just make it a bit easier this year.

My advice for interviews is to have bullet point answers for all common questions and then to group reflections on WEx etc into headings such as Leadership, Teamworking, Empathy, Communication, Problem solving (as per the MSC document) and bullet point anything relevant under these headings (many will fit into more than one, eg my son used Rugby Captain for teamworking, leadership, communication and problem solving!). Do not rehearse full answers, or the tendency is to try and give the answer you have learned, which may not be exactly what was asked, but practice answering questions as many times as possible and draw on the bullet point examples already thought out. It then becomes easy to answer any question on these subjects without sounding over-rehearsed and stilted (at which point, I just change my question and people flounder). Also to video yourself answering questions, so you can see those annoying little habits that distract an interviewer and shows you the importance of smiling! I love the smiley ones, it shows they are at least trying to make the most of the experience!

And well thought out, polite, reasoned questions are more than welcome - it is what we are here for! And the entertainmnet value, of course

Also think this may be better in another thread @ecolier?