so you can apply for 4 medicine courses...

but what about your other 2 university applications? will it look weird, or go against me if I apply for two courses in non-science subjects? like, I'd instinctively want those other two options to be french/italian/japanese/linguistics type thing. will that jeopordise the medicine applications if I don't go for another science-y degree?

Reply 1

FTC199

13

the universities only know what courses you apply to at theri university so if you apply to newcastle for medicine but SOAS for japanese, they wont ever know.

and you only get 5 choices on UCAS, four of which can be used for medicine so you only have 1 "back up" if you use all 4 medicine places

Reply 2

cchilstonev1

1

Nope. They all say something like 'It doesn't lower their perception of your commitment to medicine'. As long as you don't write too much about the other choice in your personal statement.. that could look weird.

Reply 3

Pepe Le Poosh

14

But the back-up choice may see your personal statement is highly geared towards medicine and reject you on the basis that you're not committed to their course.

Reply 4

alvo23k

Its 1 other application....UCAS changed it slightly...
And I think the science degree would be better. I left mine blank, but a lot of people go for courses related to medicine like biochemistry, etc.

Reply 5

willowtree

OP

WICKED, that really cheers me up :biggrin:

I've been stuck choosing between medicine and languages forever, and think I've pretty much chosen medicine but it's good to know that the choice doesn't have to be made finally for a long time.

Reply 6

Miss Monkey

10

I had two Biomedical Science options as my backups and got offers from them, but it was obvious from my personal statement they were my fall backs. You'll get one other choice which you can use it for whatever you want and the medical schools won't mind. However your backup choice may well wonder why you're applying for languages with a medicine personal statement! Just depends on the uni. Good luck :smile:

Reply 7

Renal

17

Why would you bother? I presume you want to go into medicine, why would you be satisfied with anything else?

Reply 8

willowtree

OP

okay, hadn't considered personal statement stuff- I'll think about it when I get there.

Renal: I wouldn't be entirely satisfied, you're right, but there has to be a fifth application, and languages rather than science "without the sick people" is what I'd be more "satisfied" with

Reply 9

Renal

17

willowtree

but there has to be a fifth application,

Unless things have changed dramatically, you do not have to apply, even if you are forced to apply you can withdraw the next day and even if you must apply, cannot withdraw and end up 'allocated' to that course you don't have to turn up.

Moreover, you do not have to start university next year - if you do not get into medicine, the most sensible course of action is often reapplying rather than doing a degree that you don't want to do.

Reply 10

willowtree

OP

well, putting all my eggs in the "medicine" basket so to speak does not sound great. If I get 4 rejections then I'll want to think about something else.

Reply 11

Miss Monkey

10

willowtree

well, putting all my eggs in the "medicine" basket so to speak does not sound great. If I get 4 rejections then I'll want to think about something else.

In my opinion, to have a good chance of getting into medicine you will have to put all your eggs in one basket, in as much as your personal statement should be completely geared towards medicine. If medicine is what you want to do, and you get at least AAB in your A2s, reapplying is a very realistic option if you have no offers.

Reply 12

Jason2k6101

If your UCAS personal statement is clearly geared towards medicine and you're worried that your languages choice may not be too impressed, then you can always write a separate personal statement or a letter/e-mail, outlining why you would like to enrol on their course, to the admissions tutor or admissions office of the department concerned.

You could even link in why you want to do a languages course with why you're applying to do medicine. Well, that is if you're creative enough. Perhaps a link with communication and a flair for people from different backgrounds and cultures?

Reply 13

Renal

17

willowtree

well, putting all my eggs in the "medicine" basket so to speak does not sound great. If I get 4 rejections then I'll want to think about something else.

If anyone detects a hint of that attitude, 4 rejections will be increasingly likely.

Reply 14

Glendstar

8

Thats a good point by Renal, you really have to commit yourself to medicine. To most people who apply for it if they don't get any offers, they apply the year after if they get the grades. Your back-up choice should only really be if you don't manage to get the grades to most.

Reply 15

FTC199

13

if you are thinking of medicine with a languages back-up though, your choices for A2 subjects will be difficult as you need sciences for medicine but languages for the other. How would you be able to do this and still show your commitment to either?

Reply 16

Asclepius

12

Maybe if you're dead set on making a fifth application you should make it a bit of a throwaway choice, apply but then pretty much forget about it. Concentrate on medicine all of the way through from that point, but in the knowledge that if everything goes wrong and you decide against a gap year you will still have a place somewhere to do something. But don't bother mentioning it in your PS at all, you need to show a complete commitment to medicine

Reply 17

willowtree

OP

FTC199: I plan on taking French, Biology, chemistry and Maths AS-levels, plus GCSE Japanese next year. Then I'll probably drop maths and do A2 in french, bio and chem, plus an AS in Japanese.

as you can see I've got a lot of time to look at it all, and this is so hypthetical that it hurts :smile:

calm down renal, I'll work it out clever and I like the way Alex L suggested I pursue it.

Reply 18

IcarusExMachina

3

But the thing is, Renal, and everybody else is right. You can't act like "i'll apply but not with everything i have, i'll leave some for my backup"

If you are even considering another course when you go to your interviews, it won't go well. You have to be medicine all the way (then again, you do have 2 years to go)

So stop worrying.

Reply 19

Saffie

11

Icarus1.0

But the thing is, Renal, and everybody else is right. You can't act like "i'll apply but not with everything i have, i'll leave some for my backup"

If you are even considering another course when you go to your interviews, it won't go well. You have to be medicine all the way (then again, you do have 2 years to go)

So stop worrying.

loads of people apply to a fifth subject and still get a medicine offer, its possible.

If you want to apply for a language with a medicine PS though, it may not go down too well. Someone said you can submit a separate PS, I dont think UCAS allow that.

I also disagree with the notion that you're not allowed to be interested in anything other than medicine.

so you can apply for 4 medicine courses...

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