My 4 choices - honest opinions please!?

**southernsofty** · 16-09-2005, 06:51 PM

Hello everyone (and especially to those that remember me from last time round!)

I'm about to apply again, following 4 rejections last year

I am intending on applying to:

- Bristol / 5yr
- Southampton / 4yr (sucker for punishment, I know!)
- St George's 5 yr
- Brighton & Sussex / 5yr

So, what do you think? Any really bad choices? Any other suggestions (I'll go anywhere!) I'm not so worried about what the place is like etc. - more concerned with my chances of getting in, whether they like grads (BSc 2:1 in Psychology, MSc Health Psychology (pending), age bias (27yrs) etc.

Thank you!
Jodi

**anup** · 16-09-2005, 07:27 PM

Hey, good luck this time around!

This is going to be difficult, as everybody has their own opinions to which places to apply to. So it's going to be chopping and changing all the time! Best to stick to what you feel is right but here is my opinion:

Bristol - Don't like it. Don't know why, the place gives me a cringe. (So obviously, not a good reason to not consider it) But I just thought Bristiol was like on the 'posh' end of the scale.
Southampton - Isn't it mean to be one of the most difficult GEPs out there?
St George's - Fine, although I heard they like their first class, but a Msc should push that up.
Brighton & Sussex - When I applied first time round, it was not that bad, but I heard since then applications have rocketed.

I would try for perhaps, UEA, Sheffield or Manchester.

**rachelm** · 16-09-2005, 07:36 PM

Similarly, I really need help.

I have a 2:1 in Physics and am sitting A-level Chemistry (I have AS Biology at grade A and Maths A-level (grade A)). I also have MSAT and scored 91st percentile. So I have the following possible choices to narrow down to four...

St George's 5-year (no 1st though, will I be disadvantaged?)
King's GEP (hear that they don't offer the 5-year to those without a bio or chem background though?)
King's 5-year (is it worth just ignoring the GEP?)
Bart's GEP
Bart's 5-year
Soton GEP (I know it's a lottery but I think my PS is quite good so was seriously considering it).

Please help, I am utterly stuck here and going round in circles!

**southernsofty** · 16-09-2005, 07:37 PM

Thanks for that Anup.......interesting

I did consider Manchester..........definately a possibility

Perhaps I should try the Soton 5yr instead (was rejected from Soton 4 and 5yr last time, so know all-too-well how competitive it is there!)

Didn't know about the 1st issue with St George's.

always a problem!

**anup** · 16-09-2005, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by rachelm

Similarly, I really need help.

I have a 2:1 in Physics and am sitting A-level Chemistry (I have AS Biology at grade A and Maths A-level (grade A)). I also have MSAT and scored 91st percentile. So I have the following possible choices to narrow down to four...

St George's 5-year (no 1st though, will I be disadvantaged?)
King's GEP (hear that they don't offer the 5-year to those without a bio or chem background though?)
King's 5-year (is it worth just ignoring the GEP?)
Bart's GEP
Bart's 5-year
Soton GEP (I know it's a lottery but I think my PS is quite good so was seriously considering it).

With 91st percentile; I would definitely go for the Bart's GEP. I think your MSAT score is useful for 2 years. And, with the cut off mark last year at 86th pecentile you should defintely be in with a chance.
Kings GEP - not sure, but your MSAT score should again be good enough for an interview. I think the cut of score was greater than Bart's so you should be hopefully called in for interview.
With that, I would personally apply for 1 more GEP or 2 5 years. If you think that your personal statment is really really really good, and you got the confidence then go for it. Bit of a risk, but go for it! Not too sure, whether a 2.1 will give you a disadvantage at George's though.

**anup** · 16-09-2005, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by southernsofty

Thanks for that Anup.......interesting

I did consider Manchester..........definately a possibility

Perhaps I should try the Soton 5yr instead (was rejected from Soton 4 and 5yr last time, so know all-too-well how competitive it is there!)

Didn't know about the 1st issue with St George's.

always a problem!

There was a thread earlier about ''Should we apply to the same medschool if we have been rejected from there before''. You might want to consider reading that, before you apply to soton again.

**Crimson Phoenix** · 16-09-2005, 08:52 PM

Could someone comment on my possible choices aswell? I'm estimated a 2:1 in BSc Genetics from Sheffiled Uni. All my choices are 5 year courses:

Sheffield
Leeds
Keele
Dundee

?

**lucyhunt** · 16-09-2005, 11:51 PM

Hi not been on the forum long so don't know where you applied last year. I am a psychology grad, no masters etc and just a years work experience. I got places on the GEP in Leicester (takes on lots of psych grads) and 5 yr hull york course (mature friendly). I start in 2 weeks at Leicester so they are deffo worth thinking about.
lucy x

**bugsysmum** · 17-09-2005, 12:06 AM

hi Rachel,
Surely you would be considered for Kings for 5yr if you have Chem AS pending??? You already have the Bio or am i wrong????
Bex

**exms** · 17-09-2005, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by southernsofty

- Southampton / 4yr (sucker for punishment, I know!)

I agree with anup that you might want to consider switching this for a different GEP. The other choices look reasonable to me, though you might want to switch one of them for the more generally-acknowledged wrinkly-friendly unis like HYMS, Sheffield, UEA, Barts. George's has a good reputation for being mature friendly too.

HTH,

-- A.