did anyone get higher a level grades than predicted grades? if so, what did u do?

Hi Im currently in y12 studying biology, chemistry, geography and psychology (but i plan to drop psych end of this year). i want to study medicine but i flopped my y12 exams for bio + chem, and throughout the year ive been averaging C for both…so i think i will take a gap year. my ucas predicted grades are going to be released later in july and they would probably be lower than the entry requirements for 2026 applications into med schools.

if i work really hard for my a levels and get higher grades which meet the entry requirements for medicine, should i take a gap year and apply for 2027 entry with my a level grades? i understand clearance is near impossible for med schools, and if i do take a gap year i hope to do volunteering/wex.

im also worried and a bit confused about the short time period between the date when i receive my a level grades (probably august) and the early entry date to apply for med (15th october). if i do end up applying for med, should i start studying for my ucat when i get my a level grades or much earlier, as the time period between is really short (august and september).
should i apply for similar courses with lower entry requirements with my predicted grades and decline any offers i get if i receive higher a level grades?
i heard that if u take a gap year to apply for med, people take the ucat exams twice and most score higher on the second time - is this true?

sorry about the many confusing questions, but if anyone has gone through a similar experience, any advice would be appreciated.

Reply 1

Unrei

Original post

by 6anna6

Hi Im currently in y12 studying biology, chemistry, geography and psychology (but i plan to drop psych end of this year). i want to study medicine but i flopped my y12 exams for bio + chem, and throughout the year ive been averaging C for both…so i think i will take a gap year. my ucas predicted grades are going to be released later in july and they would probably be lower than the entry requirements for 2026 applications into med schools.
if i work really hard for my a levels and get higher grades which meet the entry requirements for medicine, should i take a gap year and apply for 2027 entry with my a level grades? i understand clearance is near impossible for med schools, and if i do take a gap year i hope to do volunteering/wex.
im also worried and a bit confused about the short time period between the date when i receive my a level grades (probably august) and the early entry date to apply for med (15th october). if i do end up applying for med, should i start studying for my ucat when i get my a level grades or much earlier, as the time period between is really short (august and september).
should i apply for similar courses with lower entry requirements with my predicted grades and decline any offers i get if i receive higher a level grades?
i heard that if u take a gap year to apply for med, people take the ucat exams twice and most score higher on the second time - is this true?
sorry about the many confusing questions, but if anyone has gone through a similar experience, any advice would be appreciated.

I mean you can ask your teachers to change your predicted grades, especially if you have been doing well the whole year. I got an E in my maths year 12 mock and time skip to year 13, I’m predicted with A in maths, have extra time and have an offer for med. So that’s the easiest option to have your predicted grades changed.

Option two. Opt for clearing, I’m not being funny but I’m doing A levels now and you know if an exam has gone really good or really bad. If you know you will have suitable grade for med (AAB or ABB lowest) then start calling unis early for clearing when the time comes. And clearing is hard for med but if you start early (next year for you) you can find out which unis have spaces and call around about what grades will be suitable. I know someone who got into med through clearing.

Then Option Three. Take a gap year and apply next year, make sure you are still doing medical related things in your gap year, like charity work, Healthcare assistant maybe. But yh, and once you have the chance to apply again, you will probably get in if you have achieved good grades because you have an actual grade and not predicted ones. But you still have to do good in your interview, but it’s quite easy after you have had some tutoring on it, so if you are able to get a tutor for interviews.

Another thing to remember, is to get a good UCAT score. Also you can do a deferred entry offer for some unis in year13, which might accept your predicted grades but that means that you have to do the UCAT that year, which costs £70 but if you don’t get any offers in year 13, it is kinda just a wasted £70.

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