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Dentistry application with low UCAT score

Hii, I received a UCAT score of 2330 and band 3 SJ (with predicted a level A*AA) do you think it’s worth applying this year for this course or is it too risky and should instead opt for dental therapy? Thank you

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take a gap year!!! and smash those a-levels. don't do dental therapy
Reply 2
Original post by indiequeen
take a gap year!!! and smash those a-levels. don't do dental therapy

Thxx!!!but what would I do in the gap year I feel like that would be a waste of time, also after dental therapy is 3 years nd I will be able to to do dentistry then but instead of 5 years it would be 4 years?
it's only a waste of time if you waste the time - there's so many valuable things to do. you can train to be a pharmacy assistant and get a job. or get a job at a dental practice reception.
graduate entry dentistry is so much more competitive. you'll need 2800+ ucat score and if you're passionate about what's an extra year waiting compared to a 3 year degree.
Reply 4
Original post by indiequeen
it's only a waste of time if you waste the time - there's so many valuable things to do. you can train to be a pharmacy assistant and get a job. or get a job at a dental practice reception.
graduate entry dentistry is so much more competitive. you'll need 2800+ ucat score and if you're passionate about what's an extra year waiting compared to a 3 year degree.

Yh true thanks 😊
Reply 5
Original post by mahak2005
Hii, I received a UCAT score of 2330 and band 3 SJ (with predicted a level A*AA) do you think it’s worth applying this year for this course or is it too risky and should instead opt for dental therapy? Thank you

Hi i'm in a similar situation with 2390 and band 2 but I wanted to do med idk if i should apply to pharm bc the career prospects interests me too and I also love chem and maths but idk if i should take a gap year.
Reply 6
Original post by ggeezz
Hi i'm in a similar situation with 2390 and band 2 but I wanted to do med idk if i should apply to pharm bc the career prospects interests me too and I also love chem and maths but idk if i should take a gap year.

Sameeee I’m also so confused wether to take gap year or not but I rly don’t want to
Reply 7
Original post by mahak2005
Sameeee I’m also so confused wether to take gap year or not but I rly don’t want to

I'm glad to know we're in the same boat, I bet you have similar concerns as me haha. Firstly if I do take a gap year lets sys i do work hard my alevels and get good results and i try the ucat again and work hard, what's the guarantee i'll do good enough to get into a med school, there's also the issue of interviews :frown: My parents don't actually mind me taking a gap year but they said if I do pharmacy then I won't take a gap year, I mean it makes sense bc there's no entrance exam anyways. I don't have a hatred to the idea of a gap year as I have seen many people with positive outcomes it's just the fear of wasting it if I end up not getting in and then I'd regret not doing the pharmacy application before the gap year yk? but best of luck! I found my vr really hard it was so bad i got 490
Hey, i got a ucat score of 2670 (bit disappointed as i was averaging and hoping for higher) and band 2 sj and was wondering which were the best unis to apply to considering my score, or if it's better that i take a gap year after my alevels and reapply.
Reply 9
Original post by ggeezz
I'm glad to know we're in the same boat, I bet you have similar concerns as me haha. Firstly if I do take a gap year lets sys i do work hard my alevels and get good results and i try the ucat again and work hard, what's the guarantee i'll do good enough to get into a med school, there's also the issue of interviews :frown: My parents don't actually mind me taking a gap year but they said if I do pharmacy then I won't take a gap year, I mean it makes sense bc there's no entrance exam anyways. I don't have a hatred to the idea of a gap year as I have seen many people with positive outcomes it's just the fear of wasting it if I end up not getting in and then I'd regret not doing the pharmacy application before the gap year yk? but best of luck! I found my vr really hard it was so bad i got 490

Lol me too I’m scared for the gap year like what if I can’t do anything also, if I do take a gap year I would have to revise for UCAT again which is a REAL PAIN! But if you r truly passionate about the course then ig should take it, but I acc don’t mind doing dental therapy instead. And if pharmacist is what you would enjoy then go for it or if medicine is the one then try applying if you get rejected then gap year will be your best option
Reply 10
Original post by cherries8
Hey, i got a ucat score of 2670 (bit disappointed as i was averaging and hoping for higher) and band 2 sj and was wondering which were the best unis to apply to considering my score, or if it's better that i take a gap year after my alevels and reapply.

Hey, I don’t think ur UCAT score is bad at all, I think you should try to apply nd ofc if you don’t make it u can do it again next year unless u wana do something else instead
Yeah I think I will apply as worst case is I take a gap year and reapply which is plan b anyways, but I do really want to do dentistry.
Im also in the same boat but my parents are really against taking a gap year and I am very unsure on what to do. I am the first in my family to go university but I got a very bad ucat score of 2370 band 3 and most unis will reject me. It also doesnt help that I picked physics instead of biology and do maths and chemistry too. I wanted to do engineering at first then changed my mind. Does anyone have any advice on what I could do next???
hey guys im a gap year student thats applying for medicine this year. Working for part of the year and travelling - trust me everything will work out. I actually applied to pharmacy first time round but achieved good Alevel grades and realised pharmacy wasn’t what I truly wanted to do - was always medicine. Got my ucat coming up but hopefully will all go fine :smile:
Reply 14
Original post by artsandscience
hey guys im a gap year student thats applying for medicine this year. Working for part of the year and travelling - trust me everything will work out. I actually applied to pharmacy first time round but achieved good Alevel grades and realised pharmacy wasn’t what I truly wanted to do - was always medicine. Got my ucat coming up but hopefully will all go fine :smile:

Hi! this was my plan too, when you applied after ur first time sitting the ucat did apply to med at all or just 5/5 for pharmacy instead? I was thinking of doing that maybe and see how my alevels go then consider after my results if i want to retake the ucat and do a gap year? If you don't mind me askng if u did end up applying to some med or just pharm 1st time and what you got in ur first ucat? thank you so much :smile:
Original post by ggeezz
Hi! this was my plan too, when you applied after ur first time sitting the ucat did apply to med at all or just 5/5 for pharmacy instead? I was thinking of doing that maybe and see how my alevels go then consider after my results if i want to retake the ucat and do a gap year? If you don't mind me askng if u did end up applying to some med or just pharm 1st time and what you got in ur first ucat? thank you so much :smile:


hii i applied for pharm first time round through ucas and no med. I had interviews from unis like UCL and Notts for example so got good interview practice. Maybe try and apply this year and you can always put pharmacy down as a 5th! I decided to really focus on my grades and allowed myself to think throughout y13 if a gap year was really for me! Lmk if u have other qs xx
Reply 16
Original post by artsandscience
hii i applied for pharm first time round through ucas and no med. I had interviews from unis like UCL and Notts for example so got good interview practice. Maybe try and apply this year and you can always put pharmacy down as a 5th! I decided to really focus on my grades and allowed myself to think throughout y13 if a gap year was really for me! Lmk if u have other qs xx

Thank You!! If you don't mind me asking did u end up getting offers after ur interview and if you did, when u decided to take a gap year im guessing u rejected them? did u do this before or after results day? :smile:
Original post by ggeezz
Thank You!! If you don't mind me asking did u end up getting offers after ur interview and if you did, when u decided to take a gap year im guessing u rejected them? did u do this before or after results day? :smile:

yes i got my offers :smile: after results day!! made the process much easier and a strong back up for me x
Original post by mahak2005
Hii, I received a UCAT score of 2330 and band 3 SJ (with predicted a level A*AA) do you think it’s worth applying this year for this course or is it too risky and should instead opt for dental therapy? Thank you

You can still apply with that score. A lot of universities look at other things like GCSE and extra curriculars. Write a strong PS and you have as much chance as someone with a high UCAT if you apply strategically.
Original post by ggeezz
Hi i'm in a similar situation with 2390 and band 2 but I wanted to do med idk if i should apply to pharm bc the career prospects interests me too and I also love chem and maths but idk if i should take a gap year.

You can apply with that score - pick wisely where you apply to. Write a strong PS. UCAT is irrelevant if you can get an interview. There are many other factors they look for bc they’re looking for people with the right skills and personality. If you have good GCSE PS and your teachers are predicting good A levels you just need to apply strategically. I have read about lots of students with offers who got low UCAT and ones with higher didn’t

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