Any point in applying to Swansea with awful grades?

**Soleus** · 09-06-2009, 02:23 PM

Hey guys, I'm a second year science student desperately wanting to do Medicine afterwards. However, things aren't looking so good as I'm just crashing and burning in terms of grades.

-I got a 2:1 first year, and will be lucky to score a 2:1 in the second.
-I looked at a few GAMSAT questions and they also scared the pants off me (I don't know any Physics stuff anymore :'( )
-GCSE and A-Levels are like average (below most people in this forum of brainy people) - only 8A*2A, AAB respectively.

I am going to work my arse off to somehow turn things around and get a good 2:1. I think if I really put my head to it (preventing myself from the severe procrastination I've developed/stop getting so frightened on exam day I forget everything), I can get a first. But isn't it too late already as this is the year admissions looks at your grades? (Was also thinking of imperial but I'm not at all in the league of applicants that they'd want)

**Nurse_to_doctor** · 09-06-2009, 05:49 PM

Soleus,

A 2:1 is all you need. Well, along with a good GAMSAT score and interview.

N2D

**Winchester** · 09-06-2009, 06:47 PM

Hey,

Your A-level grades are good, but Swansea don't care about these anyway (they didn't when I applied). Don't worry about the GAMSAT, it scares everyone shitless. You can learn the physics you need - lots of people pass it without previous knowledge. Just make sure you get the 2:1. If you get a predicted 2:2 you can always apply a year later when you've (hopefully) got your 2:1/1st.

**Soleus** · 10-06-2009, 04:16 AM

Originally Posted by Winchester

Hey,

Your A-level grades are good, but Swansea don't care about these anyway (they didn't when I applied). Don't worry about the GAMSAT, it scares everyone shitless. You can learn the physics you need - lots of people pass it without previous knowledge. Just make sure you get the 2:1. If you get a predicted 2:2 you can always apply a year later when you've (hopefully) got your 2:1/1st.

I think I can realistically be predicted 2:1 (with the aim of getting a 1st) it's just that I am concerned that this year, when results come out, I will achieve a 2:2 or a low 2:1. Isn't this bad? Or (fingers crossed) will admissions only care for the predicted overall third year grade as opposed to how well you have done so far?

Thanks for the replies btw!

**Arch_Angel** · 11-06-2009, 07:05 PM

They don't (or didn't) ask for a print out of your grades so far, so just get your tutor to predict you a 1st and you'll be fine.

A levels don't matter. GAMSAT is pretty tough, but it isn't hard to get a good mark in it if you're willing to give up a good few hours a day over summer. Essentially know Organic chemistry very very well and you'll probably be ok. Physics is all easy stuff that just tests your spacial ability mostly. Some prep packages scare you into thinking that you're going to need to know quantum mechanics (Des O'Neil does this) but it really isn't the case. I wouldn't even bother learning the common equations. Biology segments are pretty self explanatory and reading up before hand will allow you to skip purposefully lengthy explanations (eg, you turn the page and see 3 questions on antibodies that you can answer with only rudimentory immuno knowledge, but that comes with a 500 word text book extract that you'll need to read if you haven't got that knowledge already). So it rewards those that have put the work in.

Don't over look section one and two, especially as a science student. Section two just looks for a structured essay and section one is a crock of bullshit and you're on your own with that one

Good luck

(Also you can apply to Imperial with A levels BBB and to be honest it'd be much less hassle than sitting the GAMSAT especially if this is the only place that you'd be looking to apply that needs it)

**Fizzwizz** · 27-11-2009, 04:30 AM

I never understand why people revise for GRIMSAT. It's an exercise in assimilating data from text and extracting the answer. No special knowledge above GCSE science and English is needed in my opinion. The answer is always in the question. Without the constraints of time it is not difficult to get 90% of the answers right, however it is under time constraints that it becomes a discriminating exam. It's merely another aptitude test, not a test of knowledge.

Good luck ... Fizz

**music-->medicine** · 08-01-2010, 06:32 PM

i dont think 8A* and 2As at GCSE, AAB at A2 and a predicted 2.i constitutes 'awful grades'. I got almost exactly that.

**Dr. Cool** · 08-01-2010, 07:08 PM

They say this on their admissions FAQ:

"Do you look at my ‘A’ Level results?

We do not look at the results, except to see if you have experience in biology or chemistry if you do not have a science based degree."

**pipedreamer** · 12-01-2010, 11:09 PM

As someone above has said, your A level grades don't really matter. It's the 2:1 that's important. For the record your A level and GCSE grades are better than mine were anyway!

Don't ask your tutor to predict you a first unless you are reasonably confident of getting one. Swansea have been known in the past to make offers conditional on getting a first if that is what you are predicted. If you don't get one then your score is recalculated accordingly and you may not get a place after all. Be realistic about what you can achieve. The majority of people on the course have a 2:1 rather than a 1st.