A warning for Graduate applicants to Liverpool

[Elvis03]

This is just a heads up to those thinking of applying for the GEP course at Liverpool, about their selection criteria. Their selection criteria said that they require a 2:1 in a bio/health science, which I have.

Following interview and then rejection, Liverpool gave me the following feedback,

'We would advise you that we require applicants for A101 to have achieved a 2i degree with an aggregate of at least 65%.'

This was neither mentioned in the literature outlining their selection criteria or at their Open Day. When I phoned the admissions department this afternoon, I was initially told that Liverpool had always required candidates to have a 'good first degree', which unofficially meant a mid to upper 2:1. When I asked why it wasn't given as part of their selection criteria, I was informed that it was on some selection criteria but not all since they were in the process of updating things. I checked and there was no mention of candidates requiring a ‘good first degree, ‘ mid-upper 2:1’ or ‘a 2i degree with an aggregate of at least 65’ anywhere.

I phoned back again and spoke to the same person. This time she told me that the cut-off for consideration depended upon the standard of the grad applicants in a single year, and that this year it was 65%. I suspect that this might simply have been the admission’s response to being ‘caught out.’

Other posts on this site have said that current undergrads are given conditional offers of 65% for both the 4yr and 5yr course at Liverpool. It seems likely, therefore, that if you have a low 2:1, you are not going to get an offer from Liverpool on either course.

You can imagine my frustration having carefully made my GEP selections to maximise my chances, only to find that I had wasted a place on my application.

The news of Liverpool’s 65% cut-off has concluded a rather stressful application experience with the university. At my interview, in early February, I was told that I would hear within 3 weeks. I didn’t hear anything, so rang up and was told Liverpool had not intended to tell us till the end of March (6 weeks after my interview). At the end of March I found out (through this forum) that news for all applications was delayed because the admissions tutor was away on holiday. The next week, the decision was delayed because of a fault with their systems. In mid April, 14 weeks after my interview, we got our decisions.

I spent a lot of money on trains, accommodation and days off work for a place I could not get and on a personal note, the delay for the final decision was very stressful for me. I sincerely hope they can get their act together so next year’s applicants don’t repeat my own experience with the university. They tell me they are changing the system so undergrads can’t apply, but I would bear in mind the cut off mark if you have a mid to low 2:1.

[thevillageidiot999]

so sorry to hear about your dissatisfaction...may be you will be able to find another uni to study medicine, next year!

[kiya]

I think a lot of GEPs have 'hidden' requirements. Their advertised criteria is often only the minimum you need in order to apply. I applied to King's, got a good enough score on MSAT to be interviewed, but they wouldn't provide any feedback on the interview or interview process. I haven't come across one person to whom they made an offer who didn't graduate with a first or from a top uni (mostly Oxbridge) or had postgrad qualifications.

To be honest, GEPs in general have so few places and so many applicants, that they can probably always fill their places with first class grads and predicted first class grads.

It's one of the reasons I'm not applying again. I can't change my degree class or where I got it from. I'm certainly not doing an MA or PhD - that won't make me a better doctor.

I'm sorry you didn't get in. I totally agree with the stress and cost involved, especially when combined with zero end result for all that hard work.

[K41]

Sorry to hear about your experience

It seems to me that they had far too many grad applicants for both the 4 and 5 year, have come up with silly requirements to cut people out, which really isn't fair. I don't think its right for them to change requirements half way through the admissions cycle. As like you said, if you'd have known they wanted 65%, you'd never have applied. I heard that for the 5 year, they rejected grads without a B in A level Chemistry, even though their requirements state a C.

That's interesting that they're not going to let undergrads apply. I suppose it's easier for them if candidates have degree results in hand-get rid of the ones with low 2.1's straight away!

[K41]

Another heads up for potential applicants for the GEP, I got my feedback today:

We would advise you that for entry onto the graduate course we require an A grade in either Chemistry or Biology as well as an aggregate of at least 65% in the final year of a degree

Who's betting they'll want a 1st and AAB next year???

[thevillageidiot999]

i think the 4 year medicine course is over subscribed in any uni in UK....?