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How to make my application stronger for next year?

Right, so I've had 4 rejections for medicine this year, which sucks (although understandable considering the HUGE competition), but it's what I want to do so I'm reapplying! Basically I'm looking for ways in which I can make my application stronger, so as to stand a much better chance next year. Any help would be great, feel free to be blunt in areas where you think I should be doing better, but try and tell me what I should do to improve please :smile: Here's a breakdown of my stats (I'm Scottish btw):

4th year results : 111111AA -Standard Grades/Intermediate 2's

5th year results: AAAAA - Highers, (Chemistry, Maths, Physics, English and Music)

This year I'm doing Advanced Higher Chemistry, Advanced Higher Music and Higher Human Biology. I should be fine for A's in Biology and Music, but I'm going to have to cram the hell out of Chemistry (still time tho :tongue:)

My UKCAT is the main area where I think I fell down (or at least this is the reason that the universities voiced.) So aye, I didn't do nearly enough preparation and tanked it, getting 577.5 average :tongue: I'm going to spend considerable time getting ready for it this time, and having asked on other threads I've a basic idea of how to prepare, but any tips would be more than welcome!

Work Experience: A week each in a GP's surgery, pharmacy and elderly home, but I think I had only done the elderly home by the time of my personal statement, so couldn't put the others on it (hadn't got confirmation that I would be able to do the others, so couldn't honestly put them down, just said that I was in the process of organising more.)

Extra curriculars: Not going to put down all my stuff but the main ones are:

Going to do charity work in Malawi this summer, play musical instruments (grade 7 bass, soon to be grade 8, played in various football teams, rugby teams, involved in project to create a "centre of chinese learning" in a school, had various jobs in football stadiums and removals.

I'm taking a gap year so suggestions on what I should do to boost my application for next time would be much appreciated! I'm keen to get a job in a health related area, but I'm not sure how I'd go about doing this and how hard it would be in the current climate. I'm definitely going to do a lot of volunteer work aswell, but I'm unsure what else I should be trying to do. Cheers in advance for any help :biggrin:

Also, what universities would you suggest that I apply to? I'm keen on the Scottish ones due to the fees, but I'll go anywhere! :tongue:

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Reply 1
Improving your UKCAT score by far will make your application much, much stronger. That's pretty much all I can say...

Regarding which universities to apply to - depends on your UKCAT score!
Reply 2
Original post by Beska
Improving your UKCAT score by far will make your application much, much stronger. That's pretty much all I can say...

Regarding which universities to apply to - depends on your UKCAT score!


Cheers! :smile: I wish there wasn't a limit on how much I could rep you! :tongue:
Reply 3
Original post by atomos
Reflect on what you learned in your PS
(not that I got accepted, so my advice may or may not be of any use :tongue: )
but i read over mine again and although at the time I was sure i'd said what I gained from everything, it mostly sounded like a list :redface:


I'd tried to do that but must have not done it well enough :tongue: Not read mine in a while!
Original post by KCosmo
I'd tried to do that but must have not done it well enough :tongue: Not read mine in a while!


I cringed when I reread mine.
No wonder noone wanted me :tongue:
You are basically my twin. I got a 577.5 average on the ukcat also. Where in Scotland do you live by the way?
Reply 6
Apparently there are videos on youtube of someone with tips about the ukcat, im not sure what the link is as i've only just been told about it but it might be worth a look :smile: also i think there are ukcat courses things. I've heard of people do really well from them, but whether thats because they went on the course or because they're actually just good at it, don't know.

If you're applying to some of the same, it might look good (maybe) because its like "I didnt just put you down because i needed a 4th choice, I've reapplied" in a way i guess it shows committment :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by firestar101
You are basically my twin. I got a 577.5 average on the ukcat also. Where in Scotland do you live by the way?


Glasgow aswell :tongue: Maybe we were separated at birth? :tongue:
Original post by KCosmo
Glasgow aswell :tongue: Maybe we were separated at birth? :tongue:


Yeah. I am from Glasgow too. We probably were separated. Lol.

Have you tried looking for health care work in Glasgow. I am finding it impossible to find any.
Reply 9
Original post by Quackers93
Apparently there are videos on youtube of someone with tips about the ukcat, im not sure what the link is as i've only just been told about it but it might be worth a look :smile: also i think there are ukcat courses things. I've heard of people do really well from them, but whether thats because they went on the course or because they're actually just good at it, don't know.

My son went on the KAPLAN course in London - said everyone else on the course was scoring really highly and he was really low and made him feel useless - However when he got back from it he realised how much more effort he needed to put in and just went over and over the 600Q book. So don't waste money on courses just keep repeating the questions in the book - you will improve.
[QUOTE="agonyaunt;30444351"]
Original post by Quackers93
Apparently there are videos on youtube of someone with tips about the ukcat, im not sure what the link is as i've only just been told about it but it might be worth a look :smile: also i think there are ukcat courses things. I've heard of people do really well from them, but whether thats because they went on the course or because they're actually just good at it, don't know.

My son went on the KAPLAN course in London - said everyone else on the course was scoring really highly and he was really low and made him feel useless - However when he got back from it he realised how much more effort he needed to put in and just went over and over the 600Q book. So don't waste money on courses just keep repeating the questions in the book - you will improve.


Thanks :smile: I was wondering about whether or not to go on one but I think probably best just to practise practise practise!
Reply 11
So the main advice is to do better in the UKCAT and say what I learned from my work experience in my personal statement? Anything else?
Reply 12
You could try and get more work experience during your gap year? Like, shadowing experience. That way if in an interview you're asked about how you decided you wanted to be a doctor you'll have lots to talk about and it'll sound genuine, so they'll know that you know what you're letting yourself in for and you'll be a "safer choice"... That's what I'm planning to do if I have to take a year out (which is looking quite likely!)
Reply 13
Original post by KCosmo
So the main advice is to do better in the UKCAT and say what I learned from my work experience in my personal statement? Anything else?


definitely the above two.

I would probably say that if you get less than 680 in the ukcat it's better not to risk a ukcat school but rather go for a bmat or non-ukcat school (bristol and liverpool, -i think..)
or a ukcat school that values it in a limited way eg HYMS

because otherwise you're probably wasting choices

also, relate everything that you include in your PS to why you want to study medicine and what you've learnt from each thing, not just work exp. so that includes extra-curricular activities etc.

In summer/gap year, my plan was going to be getting a job as a healthcare assistant, joining the adult SJA (or red cross) or getting a regular job and volunteering in spare time/getting other clinical work exp.

I may not have got 4 offers but I've had 4 interviews so my ps was obviously fine- interview style is another story. ...

out of interest, where did you apply?
More voulentary and work ex
That's what i'm doing
We both have a fair amount of work ex but as you said it's immensly competitive so the more the better.
Better UKCAT?
and no Personal statement is perfect so work on it as much as you can, that's what i'm going to do.
good luck with next year.
Btw do scotish uni's not cover the gap in the fee's?
They do in Wales luckily
Reply 15
Original post by Lingo09
definitely the above two.

I would probably say that if you get less than 680 in the ukcat it's better not to risk a ukcat school but rather go for a bmat or non-ukcat school (bristol and liverpool, -i think..)
or a ukcat school that values it in a limited way eg HYMS

because otherwise you're probably wasting choices

also, relate everything that you include in your PS to why you want to study medicine and what you've learnt from each thing, not just work exp. so that includes extra-curricular activities etc.

In summer/gap year, my plan was going to be getting a job as a healthcare assistant, joining the adult SJA (or red cross) or getting a regular job and volunteering in spare time/getting other clinical work exp.

I may not have got 4 offers but I've had 4 interviews so my ps was obviously fine- interview style is another story. ...

out of interest, where did you apply?


Cheers for the reply :smile:
I applied to Aberdeen (still not heard back, but my chances are astronomical at this point :tongue:), Dundee (rejected), St Andrews (interviewed then rejected), Glasgow (rejected.) I know it was ridiculous to apply for Glasgow with such a bad UKCAT, but I heard how competitive Edinburgh is, and wanted to stay in Scotland because of the fees. I'm currently hunting for some health related work, if I don't get any then I'll just have to do loads of volunteering! :smile:
Reply 16
Original post by joemullally
More voulentary and work ex
That's what i'm doing
We both have a fair amount of work ex but as you said it's immensly competitive so the more the better.
Better UKCAT?
and no Personal statement is perfect so work on it as much as you can, that's what i'm going to do.
good luck with next year.
Btw do scotish uni's not cover the gap in the fee's?
They do in Wales luckily


Cheers, hopefully will be volunteering in hospitals soon! :smile: Sorry, I don't really understand your question :tongue: Taking a gap year shouldn't affect my fees in any way if that's what you mean?
Original post by KCosmo
Cheers, hopefully will be volunteering in hospitals soon! :smile: Sorry, I don't really understand your question :tongue: Taking a gap year shouldn't affect my fees in any way if that's what you mean?


English fee's go up to 9 grand
the welsh government covers the gap between the 3 grand and the 9 grand for us even in english uni's
Are the scotish government doing things like that?
i'm assuming you're scotish btw
Original post by KCosmo
Right, so I've had 4 rejections for medicine this year, which sucks (although understandable considering the HUGE competition), but it's what I want to do so I'm reapplying! Basically I'm looking for ways in which I can make my application stronger, so as to stand a much better chance next year. Any help would be great, feel free to be blunt in areas where you think I should be doing better, but try and tell me what I should do to improve please :smile: Here's a breakdown of my stats (I'm Scottish btw):

4th year results : 111111AA -Standard Grades/Intermediate 2's

5th year results: AAAAA - Highers, (Chemistry, Maths, Physics, English and Music)

This year I'm doing Advanced Higher Chemistry, Advanced Higher Music and Higher Human Biology. I should be fine for A's in Biology and Music, but I'm going to have to cram the hell out of Chemistry (still time tho :tongue:)

My UKCAT is the main area where I think I fell down (or at least this is the reason that the universities voiced.) So aye, I didn't do nearly enough preparation and tanked it, getting 577.5 average :tongue: I'm going to spend considerable time getting ready for it this time, and having asked on other threads I've a basic idea of how to prepare, but any tips would be more than welcome!

Work Experience: A week each in a GP's surgery, pharmacy and elderly home, but I think I had only done the elderly home by the time of my personal statement, so couldn't put the others on it (hadn't got confirmation that I would be able to do the others, so couldn't honestly put them down, just said that I was in the process of organising more.)

Extra curriculars: Not going to put down all my stuff but the main ones are:

Going to do charity work in Malawi this summer, play musical instruments (grade 7 bass, soon to be grade 8, played in various football teams, rugby teams, involved in project to create a "centre of chinese learning" in a school, had various jobs in football stadiums and removals.

I'm taking a gap year so suggestions on what I should do to boost my application for next time would be much appreciated! I'm keen to get a job in a health related area, but I'm not sure how I'd go about doing this and how hard it would be in the current climate. I'm definitely going to do a lot of volunteer work aswell, but I'm unsure what else I should be trying to do. Cheers in advance for any help :biggrin:

Also, what universities would you suggest that I apply to? I'm keen on the Scottish ones due to the fees, but I'll go anywhere! :tongue:


- Improve your UKCAT to at least 600 (if applying to certain med schools e.g. Kings, then 700+)
- Work experience
- Rewrite your ps
- Practice interview technique
Reply 19
Original post by joemullally
English fee's go up to 9 grand
the welsh government covers the gap between the 3 grand and the 9 grand for us even in english uni's
Are the scotish government doing things like that?
i'm assuming you're scotish btw


yep I'm scottish! :smile: I'm not sure if we get that, I think that we just get no fees for the scottish universities, but would have to pay in full for the english ones. Hopefully I'm wrong though, it would give me a lot more options if we did get the gap covered!

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