The Student Room Group

Cambridge Medicine A100 Re-Application

Following a Cambridge A100 application and interview, one was rejected sans pooling (winter or ARP).

Home (English) student
GCSE: 9 (Triple Science, Geography, History, Theology) and 8 (English Literature, English Language, Mathematics)
also Distinction (GCSE English Speaking NEA)
Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Physics, Polish 5A* (predicted)
UCAT 3120 Band 2 (97th percentile)
Gold and Silver Awards in numerous science Olympiads

Applications (with interviews pending) to UCL, ICL, Bristol (also KCL Biomedical pending)

Main interest in ophthalomogy and scientific research.
Concern that the other courses may lack the same scientific education as Cambridge.
And one wishes to attend the MOST superior medical school in the United Kingdom.
-Preferably whilst actually residing near the University (one believes that UCL only offers Year 1 accomodation and ICL deports medical students to Acton, away from their comrades in Kensington?) - it would take circa 1-1.5 hours just to get from my abode to the university (without any tube or bus strikes).

(-NOTE: One is aware that nominally, one's medical school does not affect one's prospects in the NHS)

Should one re-apply next year to Cambridge (or Oxford) and withdraw application to any other universities (if they offer offers)?

Concern that if one does set on re-applying, and reject other offers, one may later obtain a pitiful UCAT and/or not obtain any offers next year.

One has considerd the safer option of accepting any other offers, then re-applying for Cambridge A100. However this would mean that one would have to re-start Year1, which is not a major issue. The larger issue is that Cambridge seems not to accept such applicants (Oxford excplicitly states this; the Cambridge Undergrauduate Admissions had to be contacted directly to obtain this answer).
Cambridge Admission replied thatthe answer is most probably no, but this may vary between Colleges.
A number of colleges have answered positively, but ONLY if the course is substantially different (NOT Medicine).
Is anyone aware of any exceptions?
(i.e. any Cambridge medical student who has otained their place by re-application whilst studying elswhere?)

How many successful Cambridge A100 medicine re-applicants is anyone aware of?

Lasty, would it be wise to demand FOI for interview feedback? - the College that one applied to does not offer feedback this year.
Reply 1
Of course you can ask for feedback either directly from the university as most applicants who were rejected would do,or by using the FOI route, but please use « I » rather than « one »
Original post by Euapp
Of course you can ask for feedback either directly from the university as most applicants who were rejected would do,or by using the FOI route, but please use « I » rather than « one »

Thank you, but how would one ("I") make this FOI request, and could it cause the Admission Team to blot one's ("my") name out the/their LIST, preventing future application?.

Furthermore, may one ("I") ask for thy ("your") own experiences?

Thank you
Reply 3
Original post by Aaron Hornbeam
Thank you, but how would one ("I") make this FOI request, and could it cause the Admission Team to blot one's ("my") name out the/their LIST, preventing future application?.
Furthermore, may one ("I") ask for thy ("your") own experiences?
Thank you
https://www.information-compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/foi/request#:~:text=Requests%20should%20be%20submitted%20by,write%20again%20with%20our%20response.
A freedom of information would have to be questions that are not specific to you. It would give answers, for example to questions concerning cut off levels on test scores, minimum interview scores, private / state educated applicants, average GCSE’s or A level scores from which you could perhaps work out where you fell down. Up to you to pose the questions that are of most interest to you in working out how you could have made a stronger application. Sometimes the difference between getting an offer or not really is paper thin so try to be kind to yourself.
If you want answers specifically concerning your application you will have to contact the admissions team of the college you applied to and ask for feedback.
As long as you remain courteous there is no reason why asking for feedback would harm any future application that you might make.
(edited 1 month ago)
Original post by Aaron Hornbeam
Following a Cambridge A100 application and interview, one was rejected sans pooling (winter or ARP).
Home (English) student
GCSE: 9 (Triple Science, Geography, History, Theology) and 8 (English Literature, English Language, Mathematics)
also Distinction (GCSE English Speaking NEA)
Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Physics, Polish 5A* (predicted)
UCAT 3120 Band 2 (97th percentile)
Gold and Silver Awards in numerous science Olympiads
Applications (with interviews pending) to UCL, ICL, Bristol (also KCL Biomedical pending)
Main interest in ophthalomogy and scientific research.
Concern that the other courses may lack the same scientific education as Cambridge.
And one wishes to attend the MOST superior medical school in the United Kingdom.
-Preferably whilst actually residing near the University (one believes that UCL only offers Year 1 accomodation and ICL deports medical students to Acton, away from their comrades in Kensington?) - it would take circa 1-1.5 hours just to get from my abode to the university (without any tube or bus strikes).
(-NOTE: One is aware that nominally, one's medical school does not affect one's prospects in the NHS)
Should one re-apply next year to Cambridge (or Oxford) and withdraw application to any other universities (if they offer offers)?
Concern that if one does set on re-applying, and reject other offers, one may later obtain a pitiful UCAT and/or not obtain any offers next year.
One has considerd the safer option of accepting any other offers, then re-applying for Cambridge A100. However this would mean that one would have to re-start Year1, which is not a major issue. The larger issue is that Cambridge seems not to accept such applicants (Oxford excplicitly states this; the Cambridge Undergrauduate Admissions had to be contacted directly to obtain this answer).
Cambridge Admission replied thatthe answer is most probably no, but this may vary between Colleges.
A number of colleges have answered positively, but ONLY if the course is substantially different (NOT Medicine).
Is anyone aware of any exceptions?
(i.e. any Cambridge medical student who has otained their place by re-application whilst studying elswhere?)
How many successful Cambridge A100 medicine re-applicants is anyone aware of?
Lasty, would it be wise to demand FOI for interview feedback? - the College that one applied to does not offer feedback this year.

redo the ucat before a level results day so if you flop you can still accept your other offers
Medicine is so competitive and the medical school doesn't matter at all, so I would recommend very strongly against reapplying unless you get straight rejections because there's no guarantee you'd get any offers the second time round, so it's a huge risk for no gain. Medicine courses have to be accredited by the GMC so why are you worried that the scientific education will be insufficient elsewhere. Oxbridge are not the only good universities (despite all the people on TSR who say otherwise), UCL, ICL, Bristol and KCL are all unis held in very high regard where you will get an excellent education
Original post by rotaryfd3s
redo the ucat before a level results day so if you flop you can still accept your other offers

Wise advice.
Original post by Walkablecities
Medicine is so competitive and the medical school doesn't matter at all, so I would recommend very strongly against reapplying unless you get straight rejections because there's no guarantee you'd get any offers the second time round, so it's a huge risk for no gain. Medicine courses have to be accredited by the GMC so why are you worried that the scientific education will be insufficient elsewhere. Oxbridge are not the only good universities (despite all the people on TSR who say otherwise), UCL, ICL, Bristol and KCL are all unis held in very high regard where you will get an excellent education

Yes, quite true, but the GMC does not ensure that all degrees are the same content. The same degree "MBBS", or similar, but different content. And different living experience for 6 entire annums. Different opportunities for non-NHS jobs.
Original post by Aaron Hornbeam
Yes, quite true, but the GMC does not ensure that all degrees are the same content. The same degree "MBBS", or similar, but different content. And different living experience for 6 entire annums. Different opportunities for non-NHS jobs.


The benefit is going to be marginal, if any, when looking for jobs outside the NHS or abroad compared to London or Bristol, is it really worth jeopardising your place getting into medicine at all for such a small potential benefit? Imperial is almost the same as Cambridge for prestige anyway, it's consistently ranked in the QS top 10 in the whole world, some years just ahead of and others just behind Cambridge

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