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Questionable gcse grades for medicine.

I have spent a month in Cambridge with a summer programme and I completely fell in love with it!
I've known from very little that medicine would be a dream come true for me but I haven't really achieved the grades I should be dreaming of too. Perhaps I was young and lazy...

GCSE GRADES:
A in Maths
A Modern Greek
A Physics
A in Biology
B in Chemistry
B in Geography
B in Human Biology

I haven't yet taken any A-level exams and since now they are back to linear, I will be sitting Bio, Chem and Phy along with maths in 2017.
I do already though have an A in the Greek A-level.
My GCSE B's where really close to the A grade.

All I want to know is,
Can I still give it a try and apply to Cambridge or just forget about it?
If you can ace the BMAT, ace interviews, get AAAA at AS and an A*A*A*A -ish predictions, there really isn't any harm trying!
Reply 2
Avatar for Ghotay
Ghotay
13
You haven't listed any GCSEs in English?
Reply 3
Avatar for DragonEmily
DragonEmily
OP
Sorry my mistake. I do have an A* in English as first language
Original post by Ghotay
You haven't listed any GCSEs in English?
Original post by DragonEmily
I have spent a month in Cambridge with a summer programme and I completely fell in love with it!
I've known from very little that medicine would be a dream come true for me but I haven't really achieved the grades I should be dreaming of too. Perhaps I was young and lazy...

GCSE GRADES:
A in Maths
A Modern Greek
A Physics
A in Biology
B in Chemistry
B in Geography
B in Human Biology

I haven't yet taken any A-level exams and since now they are back to linear, I will be sitting Bio, Chem and Phy along with maths in 2017.
I do already though have an A in the Greek A-level.
My GCSE B's where really close to the A grade.

All I want to know is,
Can I still give it a try and apply to Cambridge or just forget about it?


Cambridge care much more about A-levels than GCSEs, so if you get A*A*A* at A2 and do well on the BMAT you certainly have a chance. However, since you won't have AS UMS by the time you apply, your application will be based solely on your GCSE's, BMAT, personal statement and reference (of which the first two are the most important).

Since medicine is very competitive at all universities (it's not like other subjects where you can safely "waste" an application on Oxbridge) you will need all four of your slots on UCAS. Your GCSE grades are much lower than most Cambridge applicants' will be (the typical candidate will have more than 8 GCSE's, and mostly A*'s with a few A's). This means your application is unlikely to be successful, and I would strongly advise against it. However, if you ace your A-levels (4 A*'s) there is nothing to stop you applying post-A2, when you would have a much better chance.
Reply 5
Avatar for ranz
ranz
5
Your gcse;s are not at all bad. youre pretty much average to what most people look for.
I know Cambridge website says they want you to just pass the gcse's but people will come with full A*'s but I say, ace your alevel's and BMAT and youll have a solid chance!

good luck!

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