5 year or 6 year

[kingpin30]

Hi all

This is my first post here - I'm 36 and have just started seriously considering this career change from Accountancy as I have decided that there's more to life than money and I want to do something in my life that makes a difference to people. It's great to find this place with others in the same boat - helps me convince myself that I'm not completely crazy thinking about doing this!

I'm a music graduate so have no science A-levels. I live in Cardiff and am geographically restricted for personal reasons (I have a 6-year-old daughter). My options as I see them are as follows, all for entry in 2011:

1) Swansea 4-year GEP
2) Cardiff 6-year
3) Bristol 6-year (at a push as it's quite a long commute each day)
4) Cardiff 5-year course if I do Biology and Chemistry A-levels between now and next June (Chem by night school, Bio self-taught)
5) Bristol 5-year, again with A-levels

I believe that I cannot apply to bother 5 and 6 year courses - i.e. if I offer Bio and Chem A-levels then this precludes me from the 6-year courses. So, I'm weighing up whether to go for the 5 or 6 year options. I don't mind the work for A-levels, although I would have to back myself to get A-grades otherwise not much point.

So, I need to consider how likely I am to get A-grades, and also consider the relative competitiveness of the 5 and 6 year courses before deciding which options to go for. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Richard
Degree: B.Mus (1st class hons)
A-levels: AAA (non-science)
Science qualifications: 3 As at GCSE but nothing since then)

[lucky13]

I think you may still be eligible for the 6-year course if you don't achieve the expected grades at A-Level, depending on the University. Also, if you don't mind me asking, you said you're planning to do self-taught Biology, is this part of a distance learning course? If so, I would like to give you a little bit of advice - if you decide to do it through ICS Learn then make sure you find somewhere to take the exam BEFORE you register/pay for the course, it's really hard finding a college that accepts independent students.
That being said, you may not need to take the Biology A-Level, you may be able to just do the Chemistry if you're already a graduate (as you probably know medical school favours Chemistry over Biology). Also, do you have any healthcare work experience/plans to shadow doctors etc? Best advice I've gotten from admissions tutors is to get some great work experience.
I am quite tempted to apply for the six-year course also because I wonder if it might be less competitive than the five-year course...

[minnako]

Do you mean 4 year and 5 year? I was under the impression that most universities don't allow students to do the 6 year intercalated BSc courses. Or are you referring to the ones with foundation years for people lacking science A levels?

[kingpin30]

I am quite tempted to apply for the six-year course also because I wonder if it might be less competitive than the five-year course...

Thanks for the advice.

I believe the 6 year courses (with the foundation year) are much more competitive - I rang Cardiff admissions office today to discuss my situation. There are 16 places on the 6 year course and I think 240 on the 5 year course. I also asked about A-levels - they require Chem or Bio at A-level and the other at AS - I asked what would happen if I took A-level but didn't get good enough grades - they said that once I had taken science A-levels I would be precluded from the 6-year course, so it's a bit of a gamble, so maybe better to go for the 6 year course first and if I can't get on that then go for the A-levels the following year. Anybody know with A-level these days if you can keep retaking units until you get the grade you want? In my day it was a couple of exams in one go.