The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
Original post by Mum.ac
Hi,
I'm applying this year for 2020 entry as a mature student. Just finishing 2nd year of a Biomed degree (predicted 1st). Planning to take BMAT on 31st August - I'm starting to look at resources to prep. anyone else in similar position?

BMAT Ninja used to be the most popular, along with the Youtube videos 6med have produced.

Late last year Medify brought out a BMAT training bank. Theirs seemed to be the best resource for UCAT by far, but I don't know whether their BMAT course is better than Ninja. As the BMAT is done on paper they can't simulate the exam to the same extent as they can for UCAT.
Reply 2
As Leeds are not exactly transparent about their shortlisting, here is a summary for A level applicants.

Applications are scored out of 40, with 27 points for GCSEs/AS levels, 8 points for A levels and 5 points for BMAT. They are a bit vague about what they do with the PS, but it is not included in the points system.

The GCSE points are calculated for your 9 best including maths, english and science. 3 points for A*/9/8, 2 points for A/7, 1 point for B/6. They have confirmed this is unchanged for 2020 entry.
If you have done AS levels and have AAA, they give you the full 27 for that instead of the GCSE points.

You get 8 points for AAA A levels achieved/predicted.

The BMAT scores of all applicants are converted to a single score. I don't think anybody managed to work out quite how they convert it, but they say that sections 1 and 2 have double the weighting of section 3. I was told by Admissions that they do not use the letter in the score, but others got different responses. For 2019 5,5,3A got 5 points, so the threshold for top BMAT band was no higher than that and was probably a little lower.

For 2019 entry, regular (non-A2L) applicants needed 37 points - so 6A*s, 3As at GCSE, AAA at A level, top band BMAT was just enough for an interview. There will be more people with a high number of 8/9s this year as some of the old As would have been 8s, so there is a risk that people will need 38 points this year.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 3
Guys, wanting to go Leeds, did really bad at gcses didn't care tbh, but turned my life around year 12, doing much better now, 3 As predicted. Maths, chem, bio.
Gcses 3A*, 2As, 4Bs and a C, I'm a part of A2L... Do I have a chance?
Reply 4
Original post by ibyss
Guys, wanting to go Leeds, did really bad at gcses didn't care tbh, but turned my life around year 12, doing much better now, 3 As predicted. Maths, chem, bio.
Gcses 3A*, 2As, 4Bs and a C, I'm a part of A2L... Do I have a chance?

Sorry, but definitely not on the general admissions route. I don't know whether you might have a chance if you qualify for Access to Leeds. If not it would be a waste of an application and you should look elsewhere unless you have AAA at AS.
Reply 5
Original post by TCL
Sorry, but definitely not on the general admissions route. I don't know whether you might have a chance if you qualify for Access to Leeds. If not it would be a waste of an application and you should look elsewhere unless you have AAA at AS.

I mean I'm a part of Rfe, just recently found out I have dyslexia, got experience etc... It's kind of funny how I did rubbish at gcse but a level, it's like I'm another person..
Too bad I can't do all my gcses again, without wasting a year that is. I'm still go for medicine, got my heart set on it. That's what I'm going to do. IA
Reply 6
Original post by ibyss
I mean I'm a part of Rfe, just recently found out I have dyslexia, got experience etc... It's kind of funny how I did rubbish at gcse but a level, it's like I'm another person..
Too bad I can't do all my gcses again, without wasting a year that is. I'm still go for medicine, got my heart set on it. That's what I'm going to do. IA


You could try e-mailing Admissions and ask whether late diagnosis of dyslexia would count aa extenuating circumstances. This year you needed 37/40 points to get an interview. 27 were for GCSEs. Ask them how many points you woukd get for your GCSEs with your extenuating circumstances. There are plenty of other med schools where your GCSEs will not hold you back, but maybe not Leeds.
Reply 7
What is their email?
I know, but Leeds is close to home, saving money and all that blah, blah.
Really like Leeds.
I'm part of reach for excellence, I got onto the medicine strand, at Leeds uni, so visit the uni pretty much every month. Been there dozens of times, easily.
Anywho
Original post by TCL
You could try e-mailing Admissions and ask whether late diagnosis of dyslexia would count aa extenuating circumstances. This year you needed 37/40 points to get an interview. 27 were for GCSEs. Ask them how many points you woukd get for your GCSEs with your extenuating circumstances. There are plenty of other med schools where your GCSEs will not hold you back, but maybe not Leeds.
Reply 8
Hi, I want to apply to Leeds as an undergraduate student.I know my GCSE grades might not be high enough (i have 3A*, 4A, 2B and C) but I had scoliosis when I was doing my GCSEs and this did effect me a lot. For anyone who doesn't know what scoliosis is, its when you have a curved spine. I had a double curve which one was 55 degrees, and the other was 60 degrees, this caused me a lot of pain and I could not have surgery for it before my GCSEs because I had some other problems and i also would've missed my GCSE's as it takes a month to recover from the surgery. I was wondering if this would count as an extenuating circumstance?
Reply 9
Original post by ccaine
Hi, I want to apply to Leeds as an undergraduate student.I know my GCSE grades might not be high enough (i have 3A*, 4A, 2B and C) but I had scoliosis when I was doing my GCSEs and this did effect me a lot. For anyone who doesn't know what scoliosis is, its when you have a curved spine. I had a double curve which one was 55 degrees, and the other was 60 degrees, this caused me a lot of pain and I could not have surgery for it before my GCSEs because I had some other problems and i also would've missed my GCSE's as it takes a month to recover from the surgery. I was wondering if this would count as an extenuating circumstance?

We can't advise you on that here, you have to e-mail or call Admissions at Leeds and ask them. I am afraid you would not get through without reduced requirements for your extenuating circumstances.
Hi! I'm applying to Leeds with 8As 1B for GCSE/O Levels and straight As for A Levels. What BMAT do I need to get an interview offer from Leeds?
Original post by puravi
Hi! I'm applying to Leeds with 8As 1B for GCSE/O Levels and straight As for A Levels. What BMAT do I need to get an interview offer from Leeds?

See the scoring system a few posts above. With no A*'s your GCSE score is too low to get to the cut off even if you get maximum points on your BMAT.
Reply 12
Original post by puravi
Hi! I'm applying to Leeds with 8As 1B for GCSE/O Levels and straight As for A Levels. What BMAT do I need to get an interview offer from Leeds?

Aren't you international? Was it possible to get A*s for the GCSEs you took? Did you do AS levels? 3 As at AS and 3 As at A level gives you full academic points. You then would have needed to not be in the bottom 20% of BMAT, we don't know where the cut off was, but will be lower than Cambridge. My son got into the top 20% with a combined score of 10 for first 2 sections and 3A for third section.
Original post by Laycity
See the scoring system a few posts above. With no A*'s your GCSE score is too low to get to the cut off even if you get maximum points on your BMAT.

I'm overseas applicant haha there are no A*s, A is the max so I got a perfect score
Original post by TCL
Aren't you international? Was it possible to get A*s for the GCSEs you took? Did you do AS levels? 3 As at AS and 3 As at A level gives you full academic points. You then would have needed to not be in the bottom 20% of BMAT, we don't know where the cut off was, but will be lower than Cambridge. My son got into the top 20% with a combined score of 10 for first 2 sections and 3A for third section.

ooh, nope there arent A*s or AS here. Seems like the BMAT cutoff for Leeds is very low hmm
Reply 15
Original post by puravi
ooh, nope there arent A*s or AS here. Seems like the BMAT cutoff for Leeds is very low hmm

There is no "cut off" for BMAT at Leeds. I suggest you email Leeds with your stats explaining that you are International and A*s were not available. You should ask them what the cut off score out of 40 was for international applicants.
Been to the open day was impressed this will be one of the options
Original post by TCL
As Leeds are not exactly transparent about their shortlisting, here is a summary for A level applicants.

Applications are scored out of 40, with 27 points for GCSEs/AS levels, 8 points for A levels and 5 points for BMAT. They are a bit vague about what they do with the PS, but it is not included in the points system.

The GCSE points are calculated for your 9 best including maths, english and science. 3 points for A*/9/8, 2 points for A/7, 1 point for B/6. They have confirmed this is unchanged for 2020 entry.
If you have done AS levels and have AAA, they give you the full 27 for that instead of the GCSE points.

You get 8 points for AAA A levels achieved/predicted.

The BMAT scores of all applicants are converted to a single score. I don't think anybody managed to work out quite how they convert it, but they say that sections 1 and 2 have double the weighting of section 3. I was told by Admissions that they do not use the letter in the score, but others got different responses. For 2019 5,5,3A got 5 points, so the threshold for top BMAT band was no higher than that and was probably a little lower.

For 2019 entry, regular (non-A2L) applicants needed 37 points - so 6A*s, 3As at GCSE, AAA at A level, top band BMAT was just enough for an interview. There will be more people with a high number of 8/9s this year as some of the old As would have been 8s, so there is a risk that people will need 38 points this year.


May I ask where was the source of this information as I am quite confused as I havent seen this on their website
Reply 18
Original post by nidhish04
May I ask where was the source of this information as I am quite confused as I havent seen this on their website

No, it is from digging, e-mails, FOIs and experience! Most medical schools tell you their minimum requirements but are not very transparent about how to assess your real chances of getting an interview!
Original post by TCL
No, it is from digging, e-mails, FOIs and experience! Most medical schools tell you their minimum requirements but are not very transparent about how to assess your real chances of getting an interview!

Ohhh I see. I have completed A levels and obtained A*AA and GCSEs are 2 A*s, 6 As and one 5. You mentioned as levels getting 27 points but they didn’t exist during my year of study so does that mean as I’ve done my a levels I get 27 points and would I get in?