*CLOSED* - The "Which Medical School Should I Apply To?" Uberthread [part 4 of 5]

Hi @GANFYD I am back!
I have a question now. the ucat decliles were released today. My score would be in the top 10 percent ( 2860), so I would get 100 points for exeter. Do you think someone with higher ucat score which would still get the same point as me has a higher chance of getting an interview ?
I would very much appreciate a response.

Your research is excellent, and you have mentioned all of the issues and pitfalls.
None of us know how places will treat your qualifications, but for your UCAT, ARU, UEA (though use SJT at interview), Edge Hill, SGUL, Southampton, Liverpool, Plymouth seem sensible suggestions,and if youcan get info about a GCSE "score" then Leicester and Aston may be possibilities

Aberdeen score A levels for their academic component, and need very high grades for RUK, as they only have 21 places

Nobody knows how Keele score the R&R
KMMS contextualise everyone, and will not be able to do that for you, so who knows what they will do
Cardiff will use PS as a cut off, as have more applicants than they have interview places, and again, this is very subjective.
Hence I would see all of these as less safe than those that rely on numbers.

Nowhere really views your application holistically, except maybe Cambridge, it just takes too long and is too open to bias. Manchester deny a scoring system, but I am pretty sure there must be one, at least to a certain point,which will be done by computer or admin, even if the appications that get through this are looked at by a human, as otherwise they leave themselves open to some pretty hard to defend complaints!

Hi everyone. I posted a few days ago just after doing my UCAT but don't think I had a reply yet (apologies if I've overlooked one, and I do appreciate that the volunteers here have many other requests for help and their own lives to live!). I suspect I was a bit too vague (and my situation is too “niche”), so since then I've really worked at narrowing down my options. Here are my stats, and I'd be really grateful for expert opinions on my ideas so far please (NB I'm applying as a Home student despite having EU qualifications):

GCSEs
Hard to say for sure because I have EU qualifications from the end of middle school that some unis say they will accept as GCSE equivalent, while others want my results from the equivalent of Year 11 in the UK. But they aren't saying exactly how they would score them, for me to be able to accurately calculate a pre-interview score... (am trying to go back to some of them about that).
My middle school grades are: overall score of 9/10 in the final exams. Over the year, 1 x 10 (English), 2 x 9s, 7 x 8s (inc science and maths), 1 x 7.
My “Year 11” grades are: 1 x10 (maths), 2 x 9s (Biology-Chemistry and English), 3 x 8s (inc Physics), 4 x 7s, 1 x 6 (PE lol!).

A-Levels
Again would be an EU equivalent which most universities have said they will accept, and equivalences for AAA seem to vary from 90-96% overall (so I will need that as a predicted grade – hopefully, as my school don't usually send people to the UK so aren't used to giving grade forecasts!).

UCAT
2740 B3
VR 680
DM 710
QR 680
AR 670

Work experience
Currently organising experience/volunteering in a local hospital now Covid rules are being relaxed.
Attended two-week medical “summer school” online and am doing various online work experience programmes available to non-UK residents (BSMS, Patient Journey to GP, Weekly Surgery).
Regular volunteer on local farm.
Often help schoolmates with English, Chemistry, Maths.

The options
I'm still doing lots of research to see who will accept my overseas qualifications and how they will view/score them, but this is what I'm thinking for now:

Had considered but have now ruled out
Glasgow, Bristol, Exeter – my UCAT and/or academics aren't up to the cutoff.
Nottingham/Lincoln - ditto (but one query: I understood selection is the same for both, but have seen suggestions in some posts that there may be some difference - but anything that might make a difference to me?)
Newcastle – possibly ditto, though I have written to them (as instructed on one of their Admissions open day videos) since my UCAT came in at between 2700 and 2800. SJT not used there, I think, as long as you get B1-3.
Manchester – B3 likely to make an application too risky.
UEA and Sunderland – won't accept my/overseas qualifications.

Possible but risky
HYMS – 10 points (I gather) dropped for the B3, and I have no contextual points (despite meeting many of the criteria, but not in UK terms). Plus I don't know how they might score my academics.
Sheffield – just on last year's cut-off, but maybe worth a punt? SJT possibly not a deal-breaker as only scored post-interview and would only mean dropping two points?
Leicester – depending on how they will score my “GCSEs”. SJT OK as it's not B4.

Less risky
Southampton – above last year's cut-off, but who knows this year... SJT not used.
SGUL – above the usual cut-off and SJT not used.
Liverpool – depending on how they score the “GCSEs”. B3 OK and SJT not otherwise used.
Plymouth – above the usual cut-off and SJT not used.
Aston – again depends on academic scoring in my case, plus the final UCAT deciles. SJT not used.

Unknown quantities – any thoughts/clarification please?
Aberdeen – I'm above the usual UCAT cut-off but can't find detail of how they score academics. SJT not an issue, I think.
KMMS – I guess I'd beat their “very generous” UCAT cut-off but again can't work out how they'd score my application and couldn't get an answer about whether they ring-fence a certain number of places for each of their categories (I'd be Group D, I gather). SJT OK being B1-3.
Keele – above the usual cut-off, but not sure how my R and R form would be likely to match up, since the school set-up here is very different (no societies or prefects etc). SJT OK, being B1-3.
Cardiff – I'm waiting to hear their thoughts about my school background, but UCAT and SJT seem OK.

Overall, since the scoring issue seems to be critical and I just can't work out how I match up to other Home candidates with GCSEs/A-levels, I wonder if anyone knows whether the selection process is really purely a numbers game, or whether there are certain places where they are more likely to look at a “non-standard” application like mine more in the round or even consider it in a separate “pile”? (I read about Manchester's holistic route, but fear my SJT will be too problematic there.)

@GANFYD @becausethenight @TCL If you have the time, I'd be eternally grateful if you could take a look at the options I've narrowed down so far.

Huge thanks to all the experts on this forum for your invaluable advice and generously given time – I've learned so much from you all already!

Hi everyone,

Sorry to be reposting my stats. Since the final deciles came out and I was wondering if applying to Kings College London would be safe or not.

GCSEs: 4 x 9, 5 x 8, 1x 7 (French)

A-Levels: A*A*A* (Biology, Chemistry, Psychology). Plus A* in EPQ. (196 Tariff Points)

UCAT: 2770 (84th Percentile) & my prized Band 1!

Originally my options were: Imperial, UCL, Barts & St George. But would Kings be safe for me to apply to? I think I might swap it for St George, or UCL.

@becausethenight @A_J_B @GANFYD [Sorry for tagging you, I know you guys are super busy! ]

Well, they did not admit 492 people in my cohort, and that is what it seems to say (it refers to 2019-2020, which is my application cycle)! Faculty confirmed to us it was 402.
That may include 90 deferred places...?

Have a look at this chart to see where to apply depending on your UCAT.
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=1032499&d=1633211030

@becausethenight I have now incorporated GANFYD's feedback into my spreadsheet summarising safe application scores. Can you please put this GANFYD-approved one on the first post and delete the other one

I appreciate the advice gleaned through the forum and big thanks to all volunteer experts and this spreadsheet is super work put together but I am struggling to understand why UCAT < 2700 is risky for Manchester? That seems brutal with the final deciles now out.
Could any of the experts provide some comment. I know I am looking for some reassurance for my own logic which might not be very logical 😊
In 2020, Manchester UCAT standard cutoff was 2640
2640 was 70th percentile in 2020
There were (30% * 34,153) = 10,246 applicants above the cutoff
In 2021, my UCAT 2690 is 76th percentile
There are (24% * 37,230) = 8,935 applicants above 2690
Can I say that 2021 Manchester cutoff should be around 2660 which is 73rd percentile, and there are (27% * 37,230) = 10,052 applicants above 2660 (similar number to 2020)
Might be clutching at straws but would be great to get some ideas. Thanks 😊

Hi everyone,

Sorry to be reposting my stats. Since the final deciles came out and I was wondering if applying to Kings College London would be safe or not.

GCSEs: 4 x 9, 5 x 8, 1x 7 (French)

A-Levels: A*A*A* (Biology, Chemistry, Psychology). Plus A* in EPQ. (196 Tariff Points)

UCAT: 2770 (84th Percentile) & my prized Band 1!

Originally my options were: Imperial, UCL, Barts & St George. But would Kings be safe for me to apply to? I think I might swap it for St George, or UCL.

@becausethenight @A_J_B @GANFYD [Sorry for tagging you, I know you guys are super busy! ]

King's would be a good choice since they look at SJT (unlike Barts and SGUL). You would also get max points for GCSEs and you have a good UCAT score. Only 14% of candidates got a B1 (much lower compared to last year) so you might as well use it your advantage

You'd be quite likely to get an interview anywhere I think (provided you double-check that they'd accept GCSE extenuating circumstances, but no reason why they shouldn't).
I don't know much about any of the unis you mentioned, but have a look at their websites for course structure and have a look online at the location if you can't go and visit in person, and pick your favourite!
Good luck!

I'm not an expert but I really like your reasoning. I'm also planning to apply to Manchester (instead of Anglia Ruskin), so hopefully the cutoff doesn't drastically rise!