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Original post by Anonymous
Can I do Medicine with no A*'s in GCSE, I'm currently in my 2nd year of sixth form and I got- (AS level)

AAAA In Maths, Biology, chemistry and EPQ which was related to the NHS.

Do I have a shot :smile:


If you ace the BMAT then maybe. But sorry I don't think you'd have that much of a chance for Oxford/Cambridge due to the lack of A*s at GCSE. Don't get me wrong your AS Levels are very good but Medicine is one of the most competitive courses there is. By all means apply but just be aware that there will be a lot of applicants applying with much better GCSEs. It's also worth noting that the lowest number of A*s at GCSE last year for Cambridge medicine was 2.
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by RedGiant
If you ace the BMAT then maybe. But sorry you can forget Oxford/Cambridge.

But Cambridge said they don't put as much emphasis on GCSE'S than on AS and A level predictions?
i dont understand why universities care about gcses
You can still get into cambridge ignore @RedGiant
Work hard on your BMAT and your UKCAT
There is no point of acing your GCSES if you flop your A-levels
Original post by Anonymous
But Cambridge said they don't put as much emphasis on GCSE'S than on AS and A level predictions?


For most subjects there that's true, but medicine has a ridiculously large amount of hugely competitive applicants. We're talking about the majority of applicants having more than 10 A*s at GCSE. They have to draw the line somewhere, which is why I'm afraid you would have a slim chance at Cambridge with those GCSEs.

Here is the official data for average/median number of A*s for Cambridge medicine:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/166972/response/409437/attach/2/FOI%202013%20205%20Harris%20response%20letter%20and%20data.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Ex-pert
You can still get into cambridge ignore @RedGiant
Work hard on your BMAT and your UKCAT
There is no point of acing your GCSES if you flop your A-levels


What I've said is true. Most successful applicants (offer holders) for Cambridge Medicine have around 10 A*s at GCSE. I'm not saying they will have 0 chance, but it is unlikely.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by RedGiant
What I've said is true. Most competitive applicants for Cambridge Medicine have at least 10 A*s at GCSE. It says this on their website. I'm not saying they will have 0 chance, but it is extremely unlikely.


Are you OK?
10 A*
Do your research it is not even on the cambridge website
He got four As at As
He will get into Cambridge if he works hard
Original post by Ex-pert
Are you OK?
10 A*
Do your research it is not even on the cambridge website
He got four As at As
He will get into Cambridge if he works hard


Cambridge puts more emphasis on the way YOU THINK
GCSES test how well you can regurgitate information
Reply 9
Original post by RedGiant
For most subjects there that's true, but medicine has a ridiculously large amount of hugely competitive applicants. We're talking about the majority of applicants having more than 10 A*s at GCSE. They have to draw the line somewhere, which is why I'm afraid you would have almost no chance at Cambridge with those GCSEs. Unless you had like 100% raw marks in all 4 AS Levels, but even then you would have a very slim chance. Sorry.

I see your point, I'm thinking of doing medicine at the most competitive university, I'll forget Cambridge maybe I'll look into the london uni's.
Original post by Anonymous
I see your point, I'm thinking of doing medicine at the most competitive university, I'll forget Cambridge maybe I'll look into the london uni's.


Are you actually listening to him ?
dont let him destroy your dreams with a single comment
Original post by Ex-pert
Are you actually listening to him ?
dont let him destroy your dreams with a single comment

It's because medicine itself is very competitive, with my GCSE'S maybe a few people have got in (with any medical school) and Cambridge (very competitive) said that the lowest amount of A*'s someone got for Medicine was 2A* and last year 5 A*, I highly doubt I'd be abe to get in, my AS grades were strong (got over 95 UMS in the sciences and maths) but I only got 4A's for GCSE and the rest B's which I don't think is enough?
Original post by Ex-pert
Are you OK?
10 A*
Do your research it is not even on the cambridge website
He got four As at As
He will get into Cambridge if he works hard


It's a well known fact which has been stated by Cambridge before. You clearly don't know what you're talking about and your logic is flawed if you think "Cambridge puts more emphasis on the way YOU THINK" is the reason why you'll get accepted into the most competitive course there is. And your closing statement "He will get into Cambridge if he works hard" is again flawed. The GCSE profile, along with AS levels, predicted and BMAT are what form the academic record - of which are mainly what get the applicant "into Cambridge". Here's a link to Oxford's (https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics) while I find Cambridge's statement.

OP, there are many other great unis where you can do medicine that don't place as much emphasis on GCSEs. Don't let your GCSEs make you not want to apply. By all means apply to Cambridge but you should know that there Medicine is the only course where Cambridge do use GCSEs quite harshly.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Anonymous
It's because medicine itself is very competitive, with my GCSE'S maybe a few people have got in (with any medical school) and Cambridge (very competitive) said that the lowest amount of A*'s someone got for Medicine was 2A* and last year 5 A*, I highly doubt I'd be abe to get in, my AS grades were strong (got over 95 UMS in the sciences and maths) but I only got 4A's for GCSE and the rest B's which I don't think is enough?


Im not gonna dictate your future
Do whats best for you
You do know Cambridge takes many things into account such as your schools ranking where you live and so on
Original post by RedGiant
It's a well known fact which has been stated by Cambridge before. You clearly don't know what you're talking about and your logic is flawed if you think "Cambridge puts more emphasis on the way YOU THINK" is the reason why you'll get accepted into the most competitive course there is. And your closing statement "He will get into Cambridge if he works hard" is again flawed. The GCSE profile, along with AS levels, predicted and BMAT are what form the academic record - of which are mainly what get the applicant "into Cambridge". Here's a link to Oxford's (https://www.medsci.ox.ac.uk/study/medicine/pre-clinical/statistics) while I find Cambridge's statement.

OP, there are many other great unis where you can do medicine that don't place as much emphasis on GCSEs. Don't let your GCSEs make you not want to apply. By all means apply to Cambridge but you should know that there Medicine is the only course where Cambridge do use GCSEs comparatively.


Show me the evidence for 10 A* GCSEs
Stop feeding lies to OP
Reply 15
Not at Oxford, idk about Cambridge. But there are loads of unis that just check to make sure you meet their minimum GCSE requirements and then rank people based off UKCAT (Southampton, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, there are a few others too I think) or BMAT (Imperial). Exeter rank on predictions and UKCAT (you basically need 3 A* predictions for them). So check to make sure you meet their minimum requirements and try your hardest in the entrance exams, which are obviously by no means easy.
Original post by Ex-pert
Are you OK?
10 A*
Do your research it is not even on the cambridge website
He got four As at As
He will get into Cambridge if he works hard


@RedGiant is correct, the average applicant does indeed have around 10 A*s at GCSE. That said you can get in with less, but 10 A*s is typical - which the data below supports.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/166972/response/409437/attach/2/FOI%202013%20205%20Harris%20response%20letter%20and%20data.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

Original post by Ex-pert
Cambridge puts more emphasis on the way YOU THINK
GCSES test how well you can regurgitate information


Not really, GCSEs are used to show how you compare within the cohort of the year's applicants.
Original post by Ex-pert
Im not gonna dictate your future
Do whats best for you
You do know Cambridge takes many things into account such as your schools ranking where you live and so on

I do have contexual data, but not what they want
OP you could still apply but as it's already been stated, I wouldn't be too hopeful of getting an offer.
Original post by mosam00
Not at Oxford, idk about Cambridge. But there are loads of unis that just check to make sure you meet their minimum GCSE requirements and then rank people based off UKCAT (Southampton, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, there are a few others too I think) or BMAT (Imperial). Exeter rank on predictions and UKCAT (you basically need 3 A* predictions for them). So check to make sure you meet their minimum requirements and try your hardest in the entrance exams, which are obviously by no means easy.

What are entrance exams?

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