The Student Room Group

How much does the medicine forum know about admissions?

I'm sorry, I don't want to offend anyone at all but i was just wondering. How valid are the claims about admissions and who they do (not) let in?After all, everyone is merely an applicant or a past applicant. Is anyone from/close to admissions? Things seem to be based on TSR stats (which are not representative) and friend's experiences. For example, the speculation that King's College reject everyone with less than 650 was based on the fact (?) that everyone with scores less than 650 got rejected in January (which was deduced from an applicant thread). But those are just a few people posting on a forum, how do we know they didn't have bad personal statements which resulted in rejection? Also the medical applicants and profiles are just a few of all the people who get into a certain medical uni. Do you base assumptions on experiences from off/online friends?

My big question is: How often are medicine TSR users correct about whether an applicant will get in or not to a certain medical uni?
Reply 1
I think that as a general rule the people that post here know a lot about medical admissions and you won't go wrong by following their advice (obviously there are a few idiots). they don't work in medical admissions - although I know a few have in the past - but research/watching countless numbers of people go through medical admissions cycle is good experience. I take everything with a pinch of salt and would not make a major decision without confirming with the University, but reputatable members I would take the advice of.

IE I would not apply to Kings College London with a UKCAT below 650 unless I had a string of A*s based on what I have read on this forum. I would say you'd be wise to do the same.


Ok just saw your edit:

No one can tell you whether or not you will get into medical school. Even if your mum was the admissions tutor of a medical school she could not tell you because it depends on what everyone else applying that year is like. What people can do here is tell you what it was like in past years, what kind of grades/experience/ECs people who did get an offer have, what the interviews were like. It is then up to you what you do with this information but the opinions given on here by reputable members are worth listening too. but no one can tell you whether or not you get in.
i dunno, but the medicine forum speaks words of wisdom...


also what annoys me more is the RETARDS that post pointless threads on "Are my GSCE's blah blah blah"...
A few of the older medics and doctors have been directly involved in admissions. The rest of us have been through the process and can offer good advice. Yes, some of it's anecdotal but if you've been through it you should have researched it well and can pass of some of this research to others who are only at the start of the process. You can also offer insider on courses, advice for the BMAT/UKCAT, advice that's been given to you by admissions tutors and good common sense, which a lot of applicants don't seem to have.

I'd say you'd do well to listen to people on here. If anyone's leading you up the garden path (usually along the lines of "don't even think about medicine if you haven't 14 A*s at GCSE" or "well obviously oxbridge and imperial are the best"), then they'll quickly be corrected by someone else.

Crucially though, I'd say it's difficult to judge who on this forum will get in to a particular university and who won't. People come across very differently online compared to real life and with universities who interview, what you're like as a person is incredibly important.
Reply 4
Boo.
How often are medicine TSR users correct about whether an applicant will get in or not to a certain medical uni?
As a general rule, we never make predictions. What we can do is guide people through the process and make recomendations. We can't and won't provide definitive answers unless they're either obvious or documented.

The core of the medicine forum is a dozen or so medical students or similar who have been in and around the medical admissions process for years, have been on TSR and similar forums for years and who have, collectively, formed a relatively well moderated body of opinion. But, we also have a lot of younger, more transient, users who have less insight and don't recognise the limits of their experience and annecdotes.
Reply 5
spacepirate-James
i dunno, but the medicine forum speaks words of wisdom...


also what annoys me more is the RETARDS that post pointless threads on "Are my GSCE's blah blah blah"...




I second that:p:
spacepirate-James
i dunno, but the medicine forum speaks words of wisdom...


also what annoys me more is the RETARDS that post pointless threads on "Are my GSCE's blah blah blah"...


This it so repetitive its also scary that some of the people who post this sorta rubbish will end up being doctors.

Ill listen to many of the members on here as they have been through it before and no alot about the process. In the coming months ill hopefully be shaping my application and will no doubt be ask for and listening to the advice given on here.

If you want be pedantic about it why dont we have a little experiment. Im going to post my stats on here and ask you good medics what you think i got offer and interview wise, then well see who was right - No checking the profile thread

This is for under graduate admission back in 2008


Year of Entry:2008
GCSEs:5A 4B 1C
AS Grades: aaab
A2 Prediction: AABb
UKCAT (if applicable): Somewhere between 600-650 i think can remember it being rubbish
Work Experience/Volunteering:
2 weeks gp
2weeks hospital
1year volunteering in a hospital
Extra Curricular: Taekwondo- 1st kup trained for 6years, piano - grade 8

Universities applied to and decisions:
Pennisula –
Hull / york –
Newcastle
Sheffield –

So if i was applying now would you guys recommend my uni choices and do you think id recieve an interview or offer.

Personnal statement was well written in my opinion and I interview well.

Reply 7
brokenangel
This it so repetitive its also scary that some of the people who post this sorta rubbish will end up being doctors.

Ill listen to many of the members on here as they have been through it before and no alot about the process. In the coming months ill hopefully be shaping my application and will no doubt be ask for and listening to the advice given on here.

If you want be pedantic about it why dont we have a little experiment. Im going to post my stats on here and ask you good medics what you think i got offer and interview wise, then well see who was right - No checking the profile thread

This is for under graduate admission back in 2008


Year of Entry:2008
GCSEs:5A 4B 1C
AS Grades: aaab
A2 Prediction: AABb
UKCAT (if applicable): Somewhere between 600-650 i think can remember it being rubbish
Work Experience/Volunteering:
2 weeks gp
2weeks hospital
1year volunteering in a hospital
Extra Curricular: Taekwondo- 1st kup trained for 6years, piano - grade 8

Universities applied to and decisions:
Pennisula –
Hull / york –
Newcastle
Sheffield –

So if i was applying now would you guys recommend my uni choices and do you think id recieve an interview or offer.

Personnal statement was well written in my opinion and I interview well.


Erm, how can anyone possibly tell you that? AFAIK nobody here tries to predict such things? :s

Can't comment on PS or interview, but at a quick glance you seem to meet the basic criteria of most med schools?

All I can say is your sig states you're studying biomedical sciences...
Reply 8
No Future
Erm, how can anyone possibly tell you that? AFAIK nobody here tries to predict such things? :s

Can't comment on PS or interview, but at a quick glance you seem to meet the basic criteria of most med schools?

All I can say is your sig states you're studying biomedical sciences...


I concurr that there is no way to make a reasonable stab at guessing offers/interviews from that post.

On another note get the hell back to revision, lest you be flung back into the cesspool of first year again.
No Future
Erm, how can anyone possibly tell you that? AFAIK nobody here tries to predict such things? :s

Can't comment on PS or interview, but at a quick glance you seem to meet the basic criteria of most med schools?

All I can say is your sig states you're studying biomedical sciences...


Haha yup thats the point im tryin to make, their no point in predicting as no one can actualatly quess it.

as for biomed i did get offers but i didnt get the grades :frown:

EDIT: Okay so no one got my sarcastic point crawls back under the rock she came from
terpineol


On another note get the hell back to revision, lest you be flung back into the cesspool of first year again.

Thanks :-) I do need a kick up the arse.
Reply 11
But it's almost common knowledge applying to kings without at least 9 A*s and good a levels will put you in a poorer position..I mean I read somewhere once that someone had the aforementioned and they were the weakest candidate..it's bizarre but true.
Reply 12
Malsy
But it's almost common knowledge applying to kings without at least 9 A*s and good a levels will put you in a poorer position..I mean I read somewhere once that someone had the aforementioned and they were the weakest candidate..it's bizarre but true.


How does that work?
Reply 13
Boo.
I'm sorry, I don't want to offend anyone at all but i was just wondering. How valid are the claims about admissions and who they do (not) let in?After all, everyone is merely an applicant or a past applicant. Is anyone from/close to admissions? Things seem to be based on TSR stats (which are not representative) and friend's experiences. For example, the speculation that King's College reject everyone with less than 650 was based on the fact (?) that everyone with scores less than 650 got rejected in January (which was deduced from an applicant thread). But those are just a few people posting on a forum, how do we know they didn't have bad personal statements which resulted in rejection? Also the medical applicants and profiles are just a few of all the people who get into a certain medical uni. Do you base assumptions on experiences from off/online friends?

My big question is: How often are medicine TSR users correct about whether an applicant will get in or not to a certain medical uni?


well there is a lot to be said for listening to the advice of someone who has probably done many hours of research on the subject - but clearly it isnt the same as speaking to admissions directly - you will get a more inside track on here but you have to think carefully about accuracy
Reply 14
Tyraell
How does that work?



god knows, tbh
Malsy
But it's almost common knowledge applying to kings without at least 9 A*s and good a levels will put you in a poorer position..I mean I read somewhere once that someone had the aforementioned and they were the weakest candidate..it's bizarre but true.

No, rubbish.

I know someone with a super high UKCAT who got in with either 1 or 2 A*'s. Generally they do like high GCSEs but they can overlook if you are a very strong applicant elsewhere.
Reply 16
sohanshah
No, rubbish.

I know someone with a super high UKCAT who got in with either 1 or 2 A*'s. Generally they do like high GCSEs but they can overlook if you are a very strong applicant elsewhere.



yeah, er, i never mentioned UKCAT, though, yeah, obviously that's another story
Reply 17
If anyone takes the word of people on a forum as gospel then they don't deserve to get in. Our aim is to supplement people's research with personal experience. Not applying somewhere because"someone on the internet told me not to" without finding out the black and white from the uni involved is just plain dumb.
The medicine forum is not filled with psychics, thus it can't guarantee whether you get in or not.

What it does do is provide snippets of med school related facts, wisdom, trivia and general nonsense that can help you make your own mind up. After that it's really up to you. Think of the medicine forum as the "big kids" at school sharing their experiences with you. They're educated and informed anecdotes, sure, but they are anecdotes nonetheless, nothing on this forum is gospel.

Though that said, the quality of advice given by the students, doctors and even sometimes the pre-freshers in 195 is top notch compared to many other similar forums.