Assessment Manchester College. Maths & English?

[hopeful2]

Hi all

I'm a 25 year old girl invited to an assessment at the Manchester College this Thursday.

I'm not from the UK, so I just wonder if anyone would be able to tell me what to expect from this maths and english test?
What kind of maths is it? Are we talking multiplication, division, percentages etc or more advanced as graphs, algebra etc?
I'm really scared about the maths, as it's been years and years since I had anything to do with it.
I reckon the English bit would be fine, but please tell me about that as well if you want to

Do many people do access to medicine to become veterinarians?
Is that 'acceptable' at the college, or do you become like 'down the ladder' if you're taking the course to study veterinary science?
Let's say you get an interview and mention that you want to study veterinary and not medicine, is that a negative thing?

I've always wanted to study medicine, animals or humans don't really matter.


Hope you can give me some answers, guys. Many thanks
I'm getting really nervous - I have to make it.

[hopeful2]

Oh and: The letter also mentions that some will be asked to take an ICT test. Would anyone please tell me what this is? I can't seem to find any information about this.

[Born 2 b Medic]

Regarding reading Veterinary Science, I don't think it would pose any problems as the info on MANCAT's page clearly states students have progressed to your preferred area of study, though not as common as Medicine!

In the past, students have progressed onto university courses and careers, not only in medicine but also health care, biomedical science, veterinary science or any other health-related areas.

About the initial assessments, I have taken it last Friday though I had also taken it the year before. It seems to me mandatory to leave a remark here: As you said, you are from outside UK, which puts you in a similar boat with me. If you do not have good grades particularly in GCSE Math and English (min grade 'B'), they would not consider you for the Access to Medicine course even if you score impressively in the assessment. I am telling you this as it happened to me last year. They will instead relegate you to a pre-access (pre-medicine) course at Nicholls because of lots of applicants with better qualifications. The Access to Medicine group this year have received lots of interviews and offers from med schools from Nicholls campus alone, and there is a similar programme in the other campus of MANCAT, Northenden.

The ICT test is just written for formality that there is no such section in the assessment. The assessment is totally computer-based that evaluates applicants' Math and English level, and you will print your results straight from your PC. You will hand it over to the invigilator, and they would record the level obtained and return the result paper. The result just classifies your score as level I, II or III band but no specific numerical values. If you test yourself online on level II Math and English and do good, you will be OK. The Math starts with simple arithmetic operations, area of simple geometrical figures, then word problems and statistics (mean, median, cumulative frequency etc) whereas the English is more of simple comprehension reading, correcting spelling and picking appropriate words to insert into statements from those provided and punctuation. And do not forget they will ask you at the start to write something about yourself (your history or what makes you enrol for this course) at the end of the timed exams. You need to score a minimum of level II, and a little secret that I realised is the fact that you have to correctly answer at least the first five questions as the program is designed in such a way that every time you make a mistake early, it will direct you to a less challenging question which might hamper your score. Here is a useful link for Bksb sort of questions - go to level II section for Math and English, they might be a bit tougher than the real exam but a good warm up: Move On.

Good luck,

[hopeful2]

Thank you so much for the information - that really helped (and made me more nervous).
On my assessment letter I was advices to look at BBC - Skillswise - Homepage for reminders and challenges - which I've done over a few days. Do you think that will do? I seem to do that allright (lvl 3), only need a bit of refreshment when it comes to dividing massive numbers

I think I've seen your name in another thread here, are you Norwegian (me too, me too).
Did you succeed this time?

My English grades are good, Maths..well they're OK - so there's another concern now!

Again, thank you so much - it's a bit easier when you know what you're going to.

[Born 2 b Medic]

Hi, again!

Any online preparation material will do a pretty good job for you as long as what you are doing is at least level II. I would deem the assessment pretty easy, as I have witnessed it both last year and this year- passed it easily and interview is guaranteed for the access. Since I am already on pre-medicine programme at the college this year, mine is an internal progression now but still sat the assessment. Academically, except a bit at GCSE English, I am quite good in it. The problem is so long as you don't have British qualifications, you can't compete with home grown people for medical school. This fact ruined the chances of most people that I know without UK qualifications even if they claimed they have 'GCSE equivalent qualifications' in various European nations and elsewhere. Personally, I have way higher academic competence than what is needed for the access course, but med schools need qualifications done their way - the UK way - so was forced to go down and retake it! I would advise you to thoroughly consider applying to access to medicine as applying to medical school, if you are targeting success in your UCAS application which closes on 15th Oct for the fields of study you aspire to join.

[hopeful2]

It's now been three weeks since I did my assessment, and still not heard anything. Is that bad news? Thought they would send a letter either way. Getting a bit worried now.

[RichieGotNoPulse]

Did you not have an interview straight after?

Or do you have that then another?

[Born 2 b Medic]

@hopeful2, I would say you have to be patient cause there are lots of applicants and the process is lengthy. Last year, I sat the exam around the beginning of May and the invitation for interview was sent to me in mid June. This year I have already a place for the Access to Medicine at Nicholls campus.

[RichieGotNoPulse]

Did you not have a short interview after the assesment though, I did then th elady told me she is recommending me to the panel or something.

[hopeful2]

Hi guys, thanks for info.
Impatient as I am, I rang them today, and they could tell me it would still be a couple of weeks before the results are ready.
I was just getting a bit worried I didn't make it and they didn't bother to tell me.

I only did the maths and english test, no interview.