Grades

[Hannahemily]

Do universities pay much attention to school grades (GCSE's and A-levels) when considering applications from mature candidates?? I have been reading other threads ... people panicking because they got a few b's in the their GCSE's. I have an MA in English lit and a 2.1 in my BA, and a year's work experience in support work for disabled people, but my GCSE's and A-level grades were terrible!! I am too ashamed to post them here. I was really not interested in study when i was 16!! I'm currently studying science courses with the Open University ... if i do really well ... will universities still preclude me because of the bad grades i got at school? Please be honest.

[Dan1979]

Check prospectuses. The answers are there.

[Hannahemily]

I wrote to each university before applying to make sure i have the necessary qualifications ... and they all said yes ... but i was wondering if my school grades will be a huge disadvantage ... and if they will look at those with the traditional GCSE/A level qualifications more favourably??

[NorthernLight]

It does depend on the individual medical school.... I know when I applied to Edinburgh as a mature student in a very similar position to you (2:1 in English Lit) they told me that they graded applicants on three scores out of ten - one for academic grades, one for personal statement and one for your references. My GCSE's and A-levels were pretty good (tho lacking much science!) and they rejected me pretty quickly so in that sense, my school grades can't have mattered that much!
Different places are more interested in your experience and personality as it comes through on yr personal statement, since obviously as mature students we bring a lot more than academic ability to a career as a doctor!!!! See if you can get hold of admissions tutors/secretaris at places yr interested in and they'll give you a good idea. Dundee and Sheffield both gave me offers, they're very graduate-friendly...
Good luck. More English grads should come into medicine!!!

[Dan1979]

I wrote to each university before applying to make sure i have the necessary qualifications ... and they all said yes .

Your answer is there - you have met the minimum standard, and as such will be considered with everyone else. As the poster above said, there are many other non-academic factors involved.

[jane2]

Yup, that's basically what it is - even graduate applicants will have to meet certain minimum A level /GCSE requirements, but they're not the AAAA required of school leavers, probably more like ABB or BBC, depending on the university. If you've written to each University and detailed which grades you got for which subjects and they've said you're eligible to apply, that's great!

Especially since you are now doing Open University courses as well, they won't think that poor previous grades are indicative of your true ability. The only thing is that if you've done really badly on GCSE maths and English, say, then that might be a problem - some universities have a very basic matriculation requirement of these exams. However, if the universities told you it was ok then you'll be fine!

Some GEP courses don't even look at your A level grades (officially - they do get sent them, but apparnetly they aren't a selection criterion.)

All this being said you may have a point that those with straight As may be seen slightly more favourably - if all other things are equal (including work experience, interview performance etc) I guess they would choose someone with higher A level grades. However, you don't need to be the best applicant of all to get a place. You just have to meet the minimum requirements and impress them at interview.

I too think that more Arts grads should go into medicine. When I went for my interviews the interviewers I spoke to all said that Arts graduates make great doctors because they have good people skills.

[Bambi]

Of the unis that actually care what grades you got at A level the most they seem to ask for is BBC, others only ask for passes in certain subjects. Not many places care too much about grads GCSEs, some say they don't care, some say they look at them but don't say what tehy want and a few ask for a certain number of A-C grades.