anyone got into imperial with B in science gcse?

[switchday]

Originally Posted by Isabella Grammaticus

None of you have actually answered the question though, the prospectus is theoretical, whereas amirah's askin if anyone's actually got in with that

maybe true but exactly as i told her in one of her earlier threads..if you want to do medicine..you shouldn't be playing the odds if you've got the minimum grades required.

you should be prepared to accept 4 rejections and then reapply if you really want to do it. if you're looking to take the "i'd prefer medicine but will settle for something else just so i dont have to take a year extra" approach then your determination isn't 100%..which it needs to be for medicine if you ask me.

[Wannabe-Doc]

Originally Posted by sdnet

For reference, how much is above-average work exp and volunteer work?

Above-average in terms of quantity and quality - the more you do, the better. Any awards achieved as part of it (I received an Excellence award with the Millennium Volunteers) makes it better. Quality is also important - make sure it's relevant, that you've actually learnt something useful or developed skills, and that you haven't just shadowed a consultant for a couple of days and not really done anything.

Anything unique will make it all the better, something that nobody else will have will make you stand out more (I'm sure thousands of people do the standard old people's home, disabled children type of voluntary work).

Originally Posted by sdnet

One more thing amirah, even if you manage to get to the interview stage in a few years time, make DAMN WELL SURE you do not ask them questions that are aready answered in the prospectus. It's suicide. If you do not believe me, you have only one shot to test it out.

Completely agree. You'll end up looking like a complete moron.

[Miss Monkey]

Sorry to invade the Imperial forum, but I thought I'd add that I think having more unusual work experience helps a lot. I don't actually have any hospital/GP work experience, or anything shadowing a doctor, and I have said that at several of my interviews. However I think showing you have been involved in caring for patients (even if that is just talking to them, as obviously we can't medically do anything yet) is very important. It also proves to you that medicine is what you really want to do and that you won't change my mind; as my interviewer at Leicester said: "why would you want to work with people? they're horrible things!"

And I definitely agree with the thing about not asking questions that are in the prospectus. At Barts, King's and Leicester they have asked me if I have had any questions- and each time I have said I think they've all been answered by the prospectus and the students that showed me round. If you ask something that is very obviously stated in the prospectus, it could make it look like you haven't bothered reading it.