Official: University of Nottingham A100 2024 Entry Applicant thread

Hi all,

I've calculated my score to be 132 :

GCSE's: 10 9's
A*A*A* predicted
UCAT = 2650 :
SJT Band 1, VR = 560, DM = 710, QR = 730, AR = 650


Would it be risky to apply to Notts? Or would it be better to apply to Lincoln?
I'm choosing between these two, Cardiff, and Keele, as my 4th choice.

I would have thought either Notts or Lincoln would be OK and both safer than Cardiff or Keele

Really?? I would have thought so too if I just took in my 132/150 score, but for med applicants that actually get in or get an interview, the UCAT score is quite high at around 2800+ and I'm only at 2650!

Really?? I would have thought so too if I just took in my 132/150 score, but for med applicants that actually get in or get an interview, the UCAT score is quite high at around 2800+ and I'm only at 2650!

Your 2650 could score the same points as 2800, if the breakdown fell right! Nottingham use wide bands to score UCAT and 610 and 700 score the same. As pointed out, it is the overall score that matters and interview is the only thing used for making offers (unless a tiebreaker)

Thank you! So would you recommend I apply to Notts or Lincolin? dont want to take too big a risk with Notts!

hi
could i possibly have some help with working out my score for nottingham/lincoln, and maybe some advice on whether or not to apply?
2680 b2
VR 600
DM 600
QR 750
AR 730
A*A*A predicted chem, bio, psych
non contextual
thank you for your help

unfortunately your band 2 means it wouldn't be advisable to apply, as you instantly lose 15 points

Hi
I am currently a medical student (1st year) but last year, I was in the same position as all of you guys!

I ended up getting an interview and subsequently an offer.

I know how difficult it can be to prepare, ESPECIALLY if you don't have experienced individuals around you such as siblings/cousins/relatives/friends that were successful applicants. Point being, I would love to provide help for those that really need it i.e. contextual applicants. I enjoy helping anyway, and absolutely loved the interview parts of my application process. Please PM me, and ask me anything you want

Hi! I'm not a contextual applicant but would you be able to give me some advice?

My shortlist is: cardiff, qub, kent & medway, keele, lincoln

My predicted are A*A*A*, GCSE's 10 9's, UCAT 2650 (Band 1)

I think I'll apply to cardiff, qub, & kmms, but I'm stuck between keele & lincoln as my 4th. Any advice whatsoever would be great!!

Assuming you have 600s in all subsections of the UCAT (you have not given your Lincoln score, nor enough information for people to calculate it) then Lincoln should be an interview and nobody can say re Keele, as scoring of the PS is subjective, so Lincoln is the safer choice.
If you do have 132 for Nottingham/Lincoln, then Nottingham is a far safer option than Cardiff, unless you are welsh? Many, many applicants are rejected with full GCSE marks every year. If you are insistent on Cardiff, then you need to tailor your PS to their requirements, which means Keele is even more risky, as you cannot be sure to tick both med schools' boxes.
KMMS are also effectively a lottery as nobody knows how they contextualise scoring

Leicester is likely to be safer than Cardiff, as are Aston, Aberdeen and HYMS.
Your safest and most predictable options are QUB, Lincoln, Aston, Aberdeen, Leicester and depending on your score, Nottingham

I think I score 132 for the Nottingham scoring system, but I think it may be too risky to apply there as last year the average UCAT score given an offer was in the 2800's which is definitely not me. It's also a more popular uni than lincoln, with more people applying, so I thought it may be too risky (especially since I got the lowest in my VR subsection: 650). It's a shame because Nottingham was my dream uni!
Do you know much about Aston and Leicester? From what I researched they seemed like very small unis and I didn't like the vibe much. But then again, I'm not in a position to be super picky!

Nottingham with 132 will be fine. UCAT is not used post interview, and offers are given based on interview performance.
Because of the wide bands Nottingham use to score UCAT, people with 2800s UCAT may have very few, if any, more points than you. Abd you have full GCSE points, which will be pretty uncommon
You exceed recent cut offs and GCSE grade inflation has dropped, so there are fewer 8s and 9s about than last year or the year before.

Aston has 100 places, Leicester has about 310 places, so is not a small med school at all. What is more important, the vibe or the qualification? You will be a Dr, with the same qualification whichever med school you graduate from. If the place is more important, there are easier courses to get on to than medicine

So do you think it would be better to apply to Notts or Lincoln?

I looked at leicester right now and I would score 62 I think (30 from UCAT, 32 from GCSEs). Is this a competitive score? I'm sure that I want to apply to cardiff & qub, so I'd have to choose 2 out of keele, kmms, and leicester.
I wasn't aware that cardiff had any specific PS requirements like keele tho?

You can apply to both? Though you only get 1 interview, the cut off for an offer may well be different - previously, people have got offers for neither, both or just Lincoln, depending on their interview score.

Your Leicester score is 58.5. Cut off was 59.5 last year, but they have changed their scoring system and now score 8s and 9s differently, so that will come down
Cardiff is a very risky choice, but if you like it enough to potentially throw 1 option away, fine. They use PS as the 2nd stage of shortlisting adn if you don't tick their boxes, you are out - and they do not say exactly how they decide that.....
Leicester would be the safest of the 3 listed, but Aston even safer, and probably Aberdeen, too.
I have given you the safest options in my earlier post

(Thank you so much for all ur help by the way!)

I heard that cardiff may be scoring 8's and 9s differently? But even so, would you say the fact that they prioritise welsh & contextual students, significantly reduce my chances of getting in?
If so, do you think choosing Notts instead would be safer for me?

My current choices: notts, qub, keele, kmms/leicester/lincoln, (cardiff?)

Did you hear this from Cardiff? They did score them differently a few years ago, but Wales uses the letter system and it does not exactly align with the English number system, so they changed back. The scoring part of the website still says
"GCSEs
9, 8, A* = 3 points

7, A = 2 points

6, B = 1 point"

So although it would be typical Cardiff to do that with clear evidence to the contrary on their website, I would not trust it without written evidence to the contrary.

I just think you cannot assess realistic chances, unlike most other med schools, so to me, I would not be applying, as it is effectively a punt in the wind. Less than 8% of English applicants got an offer and over 27% of Welsh ones did.
Notts is definitely safer, as I would be pretty sure you will interview and you have around a 10-15% chance of shortlisting at Cardiff, it seems......

But this is off topic for here, so take it to the "which med school" thread if you want to aks more questions, please

yeah wow i didn't realise just how much being non-welsh makes a different for cardiff (thank you so much for the info)

Now my top two i think are nottingham and qub. do you know anything about keele, kmms, and leicester?