Best students interviewed first at Barts???

**NickF** · 09-02-2006, 12:16 AM

I heard from a friend of mine who's mother interviews at Barts that apparently the best candidates on paper are interviewed first in early january? Has anyone else heard about this? And if so is it just a Barts policy or do other uni's do this aswell??

**MikeyU** · 09-02-2006, 01:30 AM

I haven't heard of this policy before... wouldn't it be pointless?- I don't see what Barts have to gain from interviewing all of the better candidates at one particular time...and its been said a million times before- do they actually have the time to rank the applications?

**Libosoulja** · 09-02-2006, 02:31 AM

in terms of grades yes they do, al they have to do is input the data, as for other charactaristcs they cant

**MikeyU** · 10-02-2006, 01:30 AM

so Libosoulja, do you thing NickF is right? Why would they interview the 'best' applicants at a particular time?

**Gabby** · 10-02-2006, 07:19 AM

Hi folks - according to the leaflet given out when I had my interview at Barts - they make a point of striving to treat all applicants fairly and equally by reviewing all of those interviewed, they do one review in January and one in March. They say that there is no advantage/disadvantage to an applicant regardless of where in their interview cycle they are called for interview.
I am tempted to believe that they look at the 'whole package' rather than ranking and interviewing by grades in the first instance. Why do I say this...?
If it had come down to a straight 'A' level grades consideration above everything else - I would not have been invited for interview already lol!
Also - at my interview they did emphasise the fact that I am an 'unusual' candidate ( I know, I know - I wasn't too sure whether that was unusual - good, or unusual-bad, I suppose I will find out in March lol)
I think Barts are very keen on a broad range of interesting medical students at their Uni - they look beyond the straight A*/grade A @ A2 to the person behind the application.
I'm secretly hoping that they are also capable of looking beyond the gibbering apology for a mature and intelligent woman who so cruelly impersonated me at my interview.....but maybe I am expecting too much even from such an illustrious institution. As Groucho Marx once said "I wouldn't join a club that would have me as a member"

Sorry folks - what a long post!
Take care and good luck
Gabby x

**medicineftw** · 11-02-2006, 05:54 PM

I'm sure that rumour isn't true NickF, for one it is in their interest to always be choosing the very best people to come for interview, interviewing people with "no hope" towards the end of the process would be a waste of their time and effort.

Also, there was a large mix of personalities and AS grades out of the people that were there on my interview day so it doesn't seem to be ordered by grades!