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Medicine at Cambridge GCSE grades

My GCSE grades were 3 A* 7A 2BI know that this is below average, however I did them under difficult circumstances. However I would love to go to Cambridge. I heard that they don't focus too much on GCSE grades. Do you think I will be able to do it if I mange to get all A's at as level and A* A* A at A2? Do you know any one that is doing medicine there with similar grades? Kind regards
Original post by Schoolgirl99
My GCSE grades were 3 A* 7A 2BI know that this is below average, however I did them under difficult circumstances. However I would love to go to Cambridge. I heard that they don't focus too much on GCSE grades. Do you think I will be able to do it if I mange to get all A's at as level and A* A* A at A2? Do you know any one that is doing medicine there with similar grades? Kind regards


Those are really good GCSE grades but I get why you are worrying. I think if you were to get very high UMS of around 95% across your AS then yeah apply. Cambridge ask for UMS so it is important that they are at least above 90%. Also of course make sure you are doing Bio, Chem, Maths. Further Maths if you want or maybe Psychology?
Original post by Schoolgirl99
My GCSE grades were 3 A* 7A 2BI know that this is below average, however I did them under difficult circumstances. However I would love to go to Cambridge. I heard that they don't focus too much on GCSE grades. Do you think I will be able to do it if I mange to get all A's at as level and A* A* A at A2? Do you know any one that is doing medicine there with similar grades? Kind regards


Those GCSE grades are certainly much lower than the average will be, but if you get high UMS at AS (above 95%) then it is perhaps worth applying. Although A*A*A is the standard offer, you will not be in a strong position if you apply with those grades post-A2, as most successful applicants will have A*A*A* or even A*A*A*A* (or even more). How well you do on the BMAT will also affect the strength of your application.

There are a few important differences between medicine and other subjects. Firstly, medicine is incredibly competitive at all universities. Although someone applying for say History can afford to "throw away" one of their application slots on an outside chance at Oxbridge, this doesn't apply for medicine, where you need to make sure all of your applications are strong. Secondly, medical degrees are standardized across universities. Although a PPE degree from Oxford is much more valuable than one from Hull, their medical degrees are more on par. Oxbridge courses do have some advantages, but in many cases these can be outweighed by advantages of other universities: e.g. well-known academics in a specialism you are interested in, or a course structure you like. You should choose which medical schools to apply for based on differences between the courses and how well you fit their admissions criteria, not on perceived prestige.

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