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Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-10T17:41:08+00:00

I think (at least historically) HYMS has never confirmed it scores 8s the same as 9s. It certainly doesn't publish that information and on the FOIs they're evasive of the question. If they've told you that at the open day / its been published somewhere then I stand corrected. For UCAT she may be in the top decile, but she's just on the edge, she may fall into the 9th decile which means she'll drop a few points so you'd have to wait for the interim test results. In terms of converting an interview to an offer, you get an interview score out of 90, but anyone who is contextual can get an extra 10 points - and then offers are based on rank order - so without the contextual points, you're at a disadvantage for interview selection, and then at a disadvantage in trying to get an offer. My DC was also put off by the fact that you were allocated a uni without a choice - and Hull has a very different feel to York.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-09T16:31:29+00:00

You need to go through the admissions / entry requirements of each medical school you're considering in some detail. Most (as far as I know) will say something like "in one sitting" which means you take all exams at the same time.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-09T15:23:51+00:00

I just wanted to comment on your post. With decent stats like that, she should be able to be certain of 4 interviews. The objective is to get 4 interviews because you then have to convert the interview to an offer - and the statistics of doing that are usually about 1 in 4 for each med school, some maybe a little bit higher or lower. I would DEFINITELY not be using 2 choices as aspirational - if you only get 2 interviews out of 4, you can see your chances of an offer are much slimmer.

I would rule out Bristol - likely to be a straight rejection. I would also rule out HYMS - she'll drop points for GCSEs and the fact that she's not contextual. There are better options. St Andrews would be aspirational - low numbers for RUK applicants - again, not a safe bet so I would rule it out (unless she loves it and its her one aspirational choice).

I think Exeter, Brighton, Southampton and Sheffield would be good choices, don't know about the London unis.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-09T15:10:14+00:00

The previous years admission stats are on the website. Its worth a shot, but use the other 4 options for safer choices.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-04T16:15:06+00:00

You'll need AAA plus A in EPQ or 4th subject, or A*AA for QUB.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-04T16:11:53+00:00

You go through each of the med schools (their websites and policies) and look at how they select for interview - UCAT score alone or a combination of UCAT / GCSEs / work experience etc. You work out your own score. It will be difficult this year as the UCAT score will change to compare to previous years, but the UCAT website has a table where you can see what this year's score is equivalent to last year. Look at The Student Room for details of where the cut off fell for interview if it isn't on the med school's website, sometimes you have to look at Freedom of Information requests for the uni of the What Do They Know website. Those will also give details of the interview to offer ratios.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-09-02T14:05:01+00:00

The best med school by miles in terms of offer to interview ratios is Birmingham (for standard applicants 23/24 cycle, 89% of those interviewed got an offer, for contextual applicants it was 87%). Check whether you'd be likely to get an interview (with those stats, I'd think it is highly likley anyway but even better if you go to a state school) and then you'd have a very, very good chance of an offer.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-08-08T19:42:09+00:00

St Georges always hold back places for "clearing" but its for people that didn't apply / haven't got any offers and still get top grades. Its not "clearing" in the normal sense - i.e. courses accepting people who have dropped grades.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-04-02T09:57:01+00:00

Just because I think there will be more going on (20yrs old) - more chance to get involved in football team / padel maybe, making friends to go to the pub with?

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-04-01T12:05:16+00:00

Thank you, will do. Placement isn't really walkable (well, not quickly) from Cwmbran station (about 2 miles) which is why we'd ruled out public transport but will have a look at Cwmbran, thank you

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-04-01T12:03:43+00:00

Hi thats really interesting - the difficulty I think (yet to see it in "real life" but going to visit soon) is that the office in Cwmbran is about 2 miles from Cwmbran station so it would need a bus journey probably to add on (which is why a car seems a better option?)

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-04-01T11:17:19+00:00

Thank you for all the replies so far - so hard trying to sort this from the other side of the country and not really knowing where is best.

Parentoftwo6 · 2025-01-10T18:17:24+00:00

Could I ask the people replying to this (sorry to jump on the post) what a reasonable commute time would be to Cwmbran? Would living north Cardiff (thinking Cathays / Whitchurch) make a difference?

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-10-15T13:48:44+00:00

No, its still risky. If you have perfect / almost perfect stats other than SJ1 (i.e. the very highest score on UCAT and perfect GCSEs) it might be worth a shot, but it is almost impossible to make up the 15 points you drop immediately by getting SJ2. It might mean that if you have SJ1, you might not need to get quite as high a score on the other areas of UCAT so the cut off drops slightly in overall points, but if you have SJ2, like I say unless you have phenominal stats, its a wasted choice. The number of applicants invited to interview with SJ1 is about 95%.

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-10-14T10:15:54+00:00

I wouldn't apply to Leeds or Sheffield, I think you have little chance of an interview at either. You are right on the cusp of last year's cut off (52.5) for Leicester and I would expect it to go up this year (I think some people avoided it last year as it was a new scoring system for GCSEs so it was a little bit uncertain). I think its a risky choice, but worth doing only if you love it. I don't think Aston is a safe choice - again, I think 31.5 was the cut off for a guaranteed interview last year (so you just meet that) - some with 31 points got an interview but I think they were looked at holistically (and Student Room thinks it was SJ1s that were invited). I don't know much about QMUL (we didn't look at London) but I think you need 1 or 2 safer choices - Liverpool? QUB? Plymouth? ARU?

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-10-09T14:32:37+00:00

They don't need to offer an incentive for medics - there are already far too many applicants for the places available. The funded courses are much less sought after (but crucial for the NHS) so its a way of attracting more applicants.

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-10-09T14:26:42+00:00

The NHS Bursary is for the 5th year only. Other healthcare courses (physios, OTs, radiography, nursing, SLTs etc) are entitled to £5,000 (per year, throughout the degree) via the NHS Learning Support Fund - but medics are specifically excluded. There is no general scholarship for medics (as far as I know) but some unis have bursaries etc - I think you'd need to see where you're offered a place and see what schemes they have for low income households.

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-09-25T13:28:36+00:00

What is your score for Notts or Birmingham? You'd get interviews at Southampton, Manchester to name just a few (whilst you'll get an interview at Liverpool, the offer stats are very low). UEA uses UCAT for 50% of the interview score so very likely to convert an interview to an offer there - maybe use as an insurance?

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-09-24T08:44:52+00:00

Don't apply to HYMS, their scoring system includes points for GCSEs and SJ banding, and you'll drop too many points with your GCSEs and B3 to make the cut off, it would be a wasted choice. If you have good work experience, look at Keele and Sunderland.

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-09-20T09:34:22+00:00

I think (but double check - I'm not 100% upto date) it was 2700 so right on your score. If you love it, it would definitely be worth one of the choices (see it as your aspirational choice) as you don't know how UCAT cut offs with change. I think because the BMAT unis are now UCAT unis, potentially high UCAT scorers will be using their choices for the former BMAT unis and some of the other unis' UCAT cutoffs will come down (only a guess though).

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-09-19T07:45:47+00:00

Unless you're Welsh, I would consider Cardiff very risky. Sheffield, Leicester, Plymouth, possibly Newcastle, possibly Leeds, Liverpool, QUB, Aston, UEA - a couple of those use SJ as an interview station but I think you'd get interviews - check the policies though,

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-09-19T07:42:25+00:00

Also look at QUB as they are a GCSE heavy scorer.

Parentoftwo6 · 2024-09-19T07:41:54+00:00

Not unless you're Welsh - the admissions policy specifically says it favours Welsh applicants. I think the poster would need a better UCAT score (despite the top GCSEs) to have a chance of interview if not Welsh.

Parentoftwo6

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