<a https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7467335'> Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

How important are predicted grades BMAT universities

Bomb

I am hoping to apply to the BMAT universities.

How much emphasis are predicted grades when considered in application? I think I read somewhere on Cambridge's site that they don't value predicted grade as much as it is quite subjective (please correct me if I am wrong!)

Say someone has 7 predicted A*s and the other person 6A*s and an A (no way do I have these grades, just an outrageous example), will the person with 6A*s and an A be less advantaged?

Also, how much are achieved grades valued by Cambridge, Imperial or UCL? What is the difference between 7 predicted A*s and say someone with 4 achieved A*s and 3 predicted A*s (total of 7 subjects as well)?

Of course the admission process due to several other factors, such as BMAT, interview , PS etc, but I am just wondering just how important predicted grades really are.

Thanks in advance for all constructive replies!

P.S. Which of the Cambridge colleges puts most weighting on interviews, A levels, BMAT respectively?

Thanks

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

im7

As far as I know, Cambridge look at your UMS scores from AS level. They ask you to submit an additional questionnaire which asks you for your marks at AS and these are considered at Cambridge. Usually successful applicants have 90% UMS or above.

Imperial look at your predicted grades - it is one of the criteria they use when short-listing candidates to invite to interview (after the BMAT cutoff). Their first criteria (after the academic screening to check if you have the minimum requirements) is the BMAT score - on this alone, many candidates are rejected as you need to meet the cutoff in every section. After this, they shortlist candidates to call for interview, at which point they look at your UCAS form, including your predictions. Here is a link to their form: http://blog.unireq.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ICL-Shortlisting-Report.pdf

UCL say on their admissions policy that they look at predicted grades (http://www.ucl.ac.uk/medicalschool/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions/faqs/select.pdf). It is hard to know exactly how much importance they put on this, however, from what it seems, UCL look at your application as a whole and so it is not essential to have amazing predictions. They seem to focus more on AS results though as they say that a strong performance at AS, particularly in Chemistry and Biology, is advantageous.

I don't know anything about Oxford though!

:smile:

Reply 2

Bomb

Original post by im7

Thank you so much for your reply, in a few hundred words you've answered almost all of my queries! On a side note, does UCL look at UMS then, since I haven't read that on their site before, however I'd assume most applicants for medicine has an A in chemistry and biology as there is no A* in AS, how can they decipher without using UMS a strong performance at AS?

Thanks again for your reply!

Reply 3

im7

Original post by Bomb

Yes UCL does look at UMS scores for a lot of medical applicants. They ask a lot of applicants for their UMS scores if they have not already provided it on their UCAS form (although not every single applicant like Cambridge does). I don't know the exact reasons for this, but if you did get good UMS then I would provide it for them on your UCAS form

Reply 4

Bomb

Original post by im7

Thank you again for your reply! I am noT aware that you can enter UMS on UCAS, do you enter it alongside the grade received? (eg. A* 90%) ?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 5

im7

Original post by Bomb

Thank you again for your reply! I am noT aware that you can enter UMS on UCAS, do you enter it alongside the grade received? (eg. A* 90%) ?

When you put your subject and modules, next to the 'grade' option is box labelled 'other' - you can put your UMS in this box.

Sheffield actually ask you to do this; here is a copy of their admissions policy:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.198034!/file/ADMISSIONSPOLICY_public.pdf

If you scroll down to page 4, you will see exactly what they mean