Need a brutal reality check
Hi, really crazy situation but I hope I can get some good advice as I’m extremely confused. I’m currently in year 13, studying A level Biology, Psychology & Economics. I originally was very confused with what I wanted to do, so I chose A levels I enjoyed. Fast forward to year 12, I began taking an interest in law AND medicine. I eventually realized that not having A level Chemistry meant I could not go into medicine, so inevitably I settled for Law. Now, I’m having doubts because medicine isn’t leaving my mind. I’ve researched about it, and to my surprise there are universities that don’t require chemistry (southampton, UEA and Kent). I genuinely am so mad at myself because if I hadn’t assumed, I could’ve made an application before the deadline & gotten a small chance of potentially pursuing medicine 
. Now, there’s a few options i’m considering but I don’t know if i’m being realistic- these all include taking a gap year (except the last one lol)
1st option;
-Apply for Law as planned (i’m applying to Southampton, UCL, Royal Holloway and Westminster)
-Get a deferred entry from one of them (cannot be southampton as Id want to apply for medicine in 2027, so that might be a problem?)
-Make a new UCAS application in 2027, apply for med for courses i can with no chemistry and pray for the best.
-If i don’t get into medicine, i’d have a backup of a place to study Law.
-Problem would probably be the chance of those unis not accepting deferrals
2nd option:
-Apply for Law this year, try to see if they defer just for that backup.
-Take A level Chemistry privately during my gap year.
-Apply to medicine courses in 2027.
-Worst case scenario of not getting in, I can go into clearing and potentially pursue something which I can later on go into medicine from.
-Pros of this is that I can actually go into clearing and have a realistic chance once again, which wouldn’t be the case without chemistry.
-Cons, i’ve heard doing an A level privately can be very costly and also very intense- it may be a lot to balance with med application preparations🙂*↕️
3rd option:
-Forget medicine. No gap year. Stick to Law lol
The main things I want to avoid is me potentially having to take a second gap year- which i really do not want to do, hence why I have to have a back up for medicine, since it’s so competitive. And me having to study for a ridiculously long time- i don’t want to be studying for 20+ years for a degree, I do want to actually put my skills to use 🥲
. Now, there’s a few options i’m considering but I don’t know if i’m being realistic- these all include taking a gap year (except the last one lol)1st option;
-Apply for Law as planned (i’m applying to Southampton, UCL, Royal Holloway and Westminster)
-Get a deferred entry from one of them (cannot be southampton as Id want to apply for medicine in 2027, so that might be a problem?)
-Make a new UCAS application in 2027, apply for med for courses i can with no chemistry and pray for the best.
-If i don’t get into medicine, i’d have a backup of a place to study Law.
-Problem would probably be the chance of those unis not accepting deferrals
2nd option:
-Apply for Law this year, try to see if they defer just for that backup.
-Take A level Chemistry privately during my gap year.
-Apply to medicine courses in 2027.
-Worst case scenario of not getting in, I can go into clearing and potentially pursue something which I can later on go into medicine from.
-Pros of this is that I can actually go into clearing and have a realistic chance once again, which wouldn’t be the case without chemistry.
-Cons, i’ve heard doing an A level privately can be very costly and also very intense- it may be a lot to balance with med application preparations🙂*↕️
3rd option:
-Forget medicine. No gap year. Stick to Law lol
The main things I want to avoid is me potentially having to take a second gap year- which i really do not want to do, hence why I have to have a back up for medicine, since it’s so competitive. And me having to study for a ridiculously long time- i don’t want to be studying for 20+ years for a degree, I do want to actually put my skills to use 🥲
Reply 1
Original post
by theorangecatHi, really crazy situation but I hope I can get some good advice as I’m extremely confused. I’m currently in year 13, studying A level Biology, Psychology & Economics. I originally was very confused with what I wanted to do, so I chose A levels I enjoyed. Fast forward to year 12, I began taking an interest in law AND medicine. I eventually realized that not having A level Chemistry meant I could not go into medicine, so inevitably I settled for Law. Now, I’m having doubts because medicine isn’t leaving my mind. I’ve researched about it, and to my surprise there are universities that don’t require chemistry (southampton, UEA and Kent). I genuinely am so mad at myself because if I hadn’t assumed, I could’ve made an application before the deadline & gotten a small chance of potentially pursuing medicine . Now, there’s a few options i’m considering but I don’t know if i’m being realistic- these all include taking a gap year (except the last one lol)
1st option;
-Apply for Law as planned (i’m applying to Southampton, UCL, Royal Holloway and Westminster)
-Get a deferred entry from one of them (cannot be southampton as Id want to apply for medicine in 2027, so that might be a problem?)
-Make a new UCAS application in 2027, apply for med for courses i can with no chemistry and pray for the best.
-If i don’t get into medicine, i’d have a backup of a place to study Law.
-Problem would probably be the chance of those unis not accepting deferrals
2nd option:
-Apply for Law this year, try to see if they defer just for that backup.
-Take A level Chemistry privately during my gap year.
-Apply to medicine courses in 2027.
-Worst case scenario of not getting in, I can go into clearing and potentially pursue something which I can later on go into medicine from.
-Pros of this is that I can actually go into clearing and have a realistic chance once again, which wouldn’t be the case without chemistry.
-Cons, i’ve heard doing an A level privately can be very costly and also very intense- it may be a lot to balance with med application preparations🙂*↕️
3rd option:
-Forget medicine. No gap year. Stick to Law lol
The main things I want to avoid is me potentially having to take a second gap year- which i really do not want to do, hence why I have to have a back up for medicine, since it’s so competitive. And me having to study for a ridiculously long time- i don’t want to be studying for 20+ years for a degree, I do want to actually put my skills to use 🥲
. Now, there’s a few options i’m considering but I don’t know if i’m being realistic- these all include taking a gap year (except the last one lol)1st option;
-Apply for Law as planned (i’m applying to Southampton, UCL, Royal Holloway and Westminster)
-Get a deferred entry from one of them (cannot be southampton as Id want to apply for medicine in 2027, so that might be a problem?)
-Make a new UCAS application in 2027, apply for med for courses i can with no chemistry and pray for the best.
-If i don’t get into medicine, i’d have a backup of a place to study Law.
-Problem would probably be the chance of those unis not accepting deferrals
2nd option:
-Apply for Law this year, try to see if they defer just for that backup.
-Take A level Chemistry privately during my gap year.
-Apply to medicine courses in 2027.
-Worst case scenario of not getting in, I can go into clearing and potentially pursue something which I can later on go into medicine from.
-Pros of this is that I can actually go into clearing and have a realistic chance once again, which wouldn’t be the case without chemistry.
-Cons, i’ve heard doing an A level privately can be very costly and also very intense- it may be a lot to balance with med application preparations🙂*↕️
3rd option:
-Forget medicine. No gap year. Stick to Law lol
The main things I want to avoid is me potentially having to take a second gap year- which i really do not want to do, hence why I have to have a back up for medicine, since it’s so competitive. And me having to study for a ridiculously long time- i don’t want to be studying for 20+ years for a degree, I do want to actually put my skills to use 🥲
1st option - doesn't work. In order to make a new UCAS application, you'd need to withdraw from any offers you are currently holding so you wouldn't have any back-up going into a fresh UCAS cycle.
2nd option - again, you cannot keep any law offers, but otherwise this is what's best, to sit Chemistry to open your options for Medicine and be able to apply to med courses more strategically. If you don't succeed and go through a course in clearing (or your fifth UCAS choice), note that Medicine transfer schemes and graduate Medicine courses are stupidly competitive so it would be advisable to take a second gap year, you're just simply incredibly much more likely to get into Medicine that way. If you end up choosing another degree anyway, make sure it's one you like and would be happy with whatever jobs it led to.
3rd option - big nope. Chase your dreams!
Reply 2
Theres quite a few that dont need chem.
Keele, Lancaster, Plymouth, UEA, Newcastle
Check Manchester and Southampton as well.
Keele, Lancaster, Plymouth, UEA, Newcastle
Check Manchester and Southampton as well.
Reply 3
hi!! I'm not super familiar with med and law but a few of my friends were in similiar positions. One applied for medicine and missed some grades so they went for Law through clearing and got into a russell group uni from clearing luckily. however, I can't say the same for the opposite as med is very competitive and technical (e.g. so much rely on a level practicals etc (btw might be a little costly to study privately due to the practicals) + most/all med students had to do the UCAT. So if you're set on medicine, do medicine, and if you can't do medicine, do law as back up next year. in fact, gap year for med courses might be beneficial for your application too if you get a long term work experience opportunity at a GP / hospital / facility. after all, med is both textbook + experience. Also, if you're interested, you might also want to look into biomedicine. Not sure what the requirements for that is, but my friend wanted to apply for this + did part time work at a pharmacy (although they are now reapplying for med). all in all, both are really impressive courses, but if you really feel drawn to medicine then do a gap year and make sure you start getting work experiences for that! good luck 
Reply 4
This type of thread baffles me if I am completely honest. The reality is that you're in completely the wrong frame of mind here to be applying to law OR medicine. Reading your post it appears to me that you don't actually know what you want to do and that's bad for two reasons:
Talk of having law or X or Y 'as a back up' is completely unrealistic and no one should be giving you that advice. If someone told me I should be thinking about law as a back up plan they obviously don't understand the motivation nor reasoning behind applying to medicine in the first place.
I'll say this again as I have written on other threads: people considering applying for these kinds of courses need to be 100% certain the course and the job that comes after is for them. If not, you're talking about spending the next few years of your life incurring debt and essentially ticking through your life for no end result.
These courses are not easy and they are not the sort of thing you apply for on a whim. They are demanding and in reality are just the gateway to a process that only begins in University and certainly is not completed there.
People scatter-gunning through ideas of a profession or vocation they want to do is fine by me, but they need to be serious when it comes to actually applying. Your application, your personal statement and your work experience needs to be tailored to fit the intended end goal. You might think you're an automatic fit on any course because you have AAA at A level or you're predicted the same: unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I've helped train applicants for interviews. Some of these people have been thinking about medical school entry for 2 or 3 years or they have already worked in healthcare 18 months part time because they've had 2 years out. They decided medicine was for them a couple of chapters ago. If I'd ever suggested they should consider law/physics/biomed or dentistry 'as a back up plan' they would simply ignore it because medicine is their sole and only goal.
1.
A lack of commitment or certainty will be detected in any interview and it will count against you
2.
A lack of focus is likely and this is going to make your academics a lot harder than they need to be Again, this can end up costing you when it comes to exams
I'll say this again as I have written on other threads: people considering applying for these kinds of courses need to be 100% certain the course and the job that comes after is for them. If not, you're talking about spending the next few years of your life incurring debt and essentially ticking through your life for no end result.
These courses are not easy and they are not the sort of thing you apply for on a whim. They are demanding and in reality are just the gateway to a process that only begins in University and certainly is not completed there.
People scatter-gunning through ideas of a profession or vocation they want to do is fine by me, but they need to be serious when it comes to actually applying. Your application, your personal statement and your work experience needs to be tailored to fit the intended end goal. You might think you're an automatic fit on any course because you have AAA at A level or you're predicted the same: unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I've helped train applicants for interviews. Some of these people have been thinking about medical school entry for 2 or 3 years or they have already worked in healthcare 18 months part time because they've had 2 years out. They decided medicine was for them a couple of chapters ago. If I'd ever suggested they should consider law/physics/biomed or dentistry 'as a back up plan' they would simply ignore it because medicine is their sole and only goal.
(edited 3 months ago)
There are 11 different medical schools you could apply to.
Incidentally I'd note you can go into a legal career with any degree.
Incidentally I'd note you can go into a legal career with any degree.
Reply 6
2
Original post
by ErasistratusVThis type of thread baffles me if I am completely honest. The reality is that you're in completely the wrong frame of mind here to be applying to law OR medicine. Reading your post it appears to me that you don't actually know what you want to do and that's bad for two reasons:
Talk of having law or X or Y 'as a back up' is completely unrealistic and no one should be giving you that advice. If someone told me I should be thinking about law as a back up plan they obviously don't understand the motivation nor reasoning behind applying to medicine in the first place.
I'll say this again as I have written on other threads: people considering applying for these kinds of courses need to be 100% certain the course and the job that comes after is for them. If not, you're talking about spending the next few years of your life incurring debt and essentially ticking through your life for no end result.
These courses are not easy and they are not the sort of thing you apply for on a whim. They are demanding and in reality are just the gateway to a process that only begins in University and certainly is not completed there.
People scatter-gunning through ideas of a profession or vocation they want to do is fine by me, but they need to be serious when it comes to actually applying. Your application, your personal statement and your work experience needs to be tailored to fit the intended end goal. You might think you're an automatic fit on any course because you have AAA at A level or you're predicted the same: unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I've helped train applicants for interviews. Some of these people have been thinking about medical school entry for 2 or 3 years or they have already worked in healthcare 18 months part time because they've had 2 years out. They decided medicine was for them a couple of chapters ago. If I'd ever suggested they should consider law/physics/biomed or dentistry 'as a back up plan' they would simply ignore it because medicine is their sole and only goal.
1.
A lack of commitment or certainty will be detected in any interview and it will count against you
2.
A lack of focus is likely and this is going to make your academics a lot harder than they need to be Again, this can end up costing you when it comes to exams
I'll say this again as I have written on other threads: people considering applying for these kinds of courses need to be 100% certain the course and the job that comes after is for them. If not, you're talking about spending the next few years of your life incurring debt and essentially ticking through your life for no end result.
These courses are not easy and they are not the sort of thing you apply for on a whim. They are demanding and in reality are just the gateway to a process that only begins in University and certainly is not completed there.
People scatter-gunning through ideas of a profession or vocation they want to do is fine by me, but they need to be serious when it comes to actually applying. Your application, your personal statement and your work experience needs to be tailored to fit the intended end goal. You might think you're an automatic fit on any course because you have AAA at A level or you're predicted the same: unfortunately it doesn't work that way. I've helped train applicants for interviews. Some of these people have been thinking about medical school entry for 2 or 3 years or they have already worked in healthcare 18 months part time because they've had 2 years out. They decided medicine was for them a couple of chapters ago. If I'd ever suggested they should consider law/physics/biomed or dentistry 'as a back up plan' they would simply ignore it because medicine is their sole and only goal.
I really appreciate your honesty. Based on your experiences, is there anything you can advise to overcome my confusion? Can I improve my frame of mind?
Reply 7
Original post
by theorangecatI really appreciate your honesty. Based on your experiences, is there anything you can advise to overcome my confusion? Can I improve my frame of mind?
You need to decide what you want to do. Having a wide range of ideas about a future career and the process involved is fine pre-application. I'd encourage everyone to explore these ideas and research them. But once you get to the application stage you need to have a firm goal in mind and an overall plan to get there.
These courses are not easy to get on to and for good reason: they are demanding. Universities know that people who are unsure of their actual overall aim are less likely to have a good time and actually complete them, too. So the barrier of entry is high.
The average medical student isn't just someone with a load of A's at A level. Virtually all of them will have a 'story' about they came to medicine and how they obtained their place on the course. Being an all-As student isn't enough- it's considered par for the course for medical school.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- Guy I met online trying to meet up with me
- will cambridge look down on me for mental health issues
- LNAT advice / questions
- Resource: Deep dive into ESAT Scoring (IRT, Equating, and why there is no "Cohort Cur
- 📝 The Countdown Begins: 1 Month to Go! Time to Start Revving Up for GYG! 🚀
- English lit gcse help
- who is the worst person in history
- A-Level choices help
- A level English Language coursework affect on grade
- Grades not good enough for Bath
- Motivation needed please!
- Kaplan International Pathways at UBIC (URGENT NEED FOR HONESTY)
- Investment Banking / S&T best career route? PLEASE HELP!!
- Can i get in uni even if my grades are bad ?
- Durham university review/rant
- Am I wrong?
- City of London - Law LLB
- 23 in LNAT, do I even have a chance of getting of offer from KCL law?.
- What are the igcse edexcel maths a grade 9 topics
- I Messed up with my friend real bad
Latest
Trending
Last reply 5 months ago
How much do predicted grades matter for top universities?Last reply 6 months ago
The Ultimate Clearing Directory 2025 – lists and links for all unisLast reply 6 months ago
UCAS Applications + Uni Applicant Thread Directory for 2025 **Official Thread**Last reply 6 months ago
What happens on Results Day and Clearing - ** please read this first **Last reply 6 months ago
Are you, or did you consider, applying to a Scottish University?Last reply 6 months ago
Are you currently making your university choices for 2026? What help do you need?Last reply 7 months ago
Applying to geography at uni without having studied geography A-level?Last reply 7 months ago
What happens on Results Day and Clearing - please read this firstLast reply 7 months ago
Year 13s: how are you feeling about getting the grades you need for uni?Last reply 7 months ago
Common Misconceptions about University ClearingLast reply 7 months ago
does it really make a difference if i go to a non russell group uni??
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
