Official Thread: (Undergraduate) Medicine 2023 Entry

Hello,

I had extenuating circumstance too,

i wouldn’t recommend putting it in your personal statement, as the PS should be a positive place where you talk about your skills and experiences that make you suited for the course, of course you can talk about it in good light but not as extenuating circumstance, the school will do the same thing with their references,

UCL has a contextual offer calculator so I’d recommend you check that to confirm,

another advice I would give you for sure is to try your best to not let your circumstances impact your studies, i know it’s much easier said than done, but I remember the medical schools being really difficult with this as they have to make sure they’re consistent and fair to everyone else

Wait, Oxford no longer does the 50% GCSE thing for 2022??? @becausethenight

Wait, Oxford no longer does the 50% GCSE thing for 2022??? @becausethenight

Hi, thanks for the replies. I had looked at those before, but I am pretty sure they were for 2022 entry, so was a bit unsure...

Hi I hope you dont mind me asking this,
what UCAT score did you get?

They have updated their website to say so, so clearly it is confirmed! Thank you for pointing that out

"For applications received for 2023 entry onwards, we will no longer be using the Personal Statement as part of the selection procedure. We encourage applicants to use the opportunity of writing their personal statements to think reflectively about their skills and experiences, and how they have helped to prepare them for a career in medicine. This includes evidencing attributes, skills, behaviours and values needed to work within the healthcare service.

From 2023 entry onwards, we will be using BMAT scores alone to select eligible students for interview. Average scores for our applicants over the last 3 cycles are available on our website. Scores for each section do vary each year and we advise candidates to use the averages as an indicator only." https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions/selection-interviews/selection-procedure

Their average BMAT of interviewees was 2022 cycle - 5.8, 5.8, 3.3A (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions) so this could make them the highest BMAT cutoff university, as I think that is around the average for Oxford last year, and they will now only be looking at BMAT, and last years' average presumably included people whose lower BMAT was compensated for by PS etc previously.

Question is, when will Cambridge have to take the plunge now

@Riley123456

I don't have recent data on the interview to offer ratio, but I did enjoy my interview there a lot when I had it

I know I probably seem very down on UCL, but I'm sure they're a great medical school, and everyone I know there likes it - this is all purely from an applications perspective, so people are making informed decisions about where to apply! I have seen very good people, with excellent stats all round, be rejected from UCL pre-interview with no idea why, unfortunately.

Never if they want to remain holistic

I agree, lots of people with very great stats never ended up getting an interview previously at UCL~ though if you get an interview, it is great!

Surprising that they’re not going to be holistic for 2023 entry- wonder what the cutoffs will be this year!

How long will the MSC let this go on though I think they have a goodish system though as they do interview ~80% of applicants, so they do have a lot more information to base the decision on?

Offer! International AAA

Hey! My UCAT was 675 B1 (2020/21 application cycle)

They have updated their website to say so, so clearly it is confirmed! Thank you for pointing that out

"For applications received for 2023 entry onwards, we will no longer be using the Personal Statement as part of the selection procedure. We encourage applicants to use the opportunity of writing their personal statements to think reflectively about their skills and experiences, and how they have helped to prepare them for a career in medicine. This includes evidencing attributes, skills, behaviours and values needed to work within the healthcare service.

From 2023 entry onwards, we will be using BMAT scores alone to select eligible students for interview. Average scores for our applicants over the last 3 cycles are available on our website. Scores for each section do vary each year and we advise candidates to use the averages as an indicator only." https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions/selection-interviews/selection-procedure

Their average BMAT of interviewees was 2022 cycle - 5.8, 5.8, 3.3A (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions) so this could make them the highest BMAT cutoff university, as I think that is around the average for Oxford last year, and they will now only be looking at BMAT, and last years' average presumably included people whose lower BMAT was compensated for by PS etc previously.

Question is, when will Cambridge have to take the plunge now

@Riley123456

The thing is, it means you have no idea how you'll be assessed. For example, I didn't take Maths A level - does that mean I score points for being "rounded" or lose them for not showing "holistic science ability"? What about 10 versus 11 GCSEs? What if the person reading my PS thinks it's "not holisitic" for some reason? Whereas, if you apply to somewhere that's very transparent, you can be sure that you'll very likely interview, or at least be aware of the level of risk you're taking.

Personally, I'd say if you have a strong academic profile, there are much safer places to apply than UCL - but it's obviously your decision

And even if you like BMAT more, I'd always have at least 1 UCAT uni unless your UCAT is genuinely terrible because what happens if you're sick on BMAT testing day

I hope Cambridge dont tbh I do think its slightly unfair as your personality and drive isnt shown through your BMAT score; however it does eliminate a problem being that some people pay people to write their PS for them, giving them an advantage over others. How will it work though? I thought UCL and Cambridge didnt have a cut off score.

I didnt think about it like that but that makes a lot of sense. Is imperial the same or are they more transparent?

I wouldn't put it in "for the sake of it", but if you can somehow link it to medicine, go ahead.
It's more the sort of thing your teacher might put in your reference?