Desperately bad UKCAT scores...what should I do now?? HELP!!!

[latestarter]

Soton published a cut-off of 2200 last year but had to change their website after the AR result was withdrawn (I guess). This year's selection policy has been published and only states that you must take the test and it will be used along side other criteria...

You have a score just above average, if you go by the website and it would have been enough for Barts last year (2400) but then they published that after the Oct 15th deadline, so there was a few upset peeps out there!

You don't have long to register for GAMSAT if you choose that route for GEP or PMS.

[ShrubMD]

Elephant, your being silly here and worrying unnecessarily.

My results for the UKCAT were considerably lower than yours, however, I've been accepted to study medicine at Aberdeen Uni in 2009.

Your results, therefore, are by no means the end of your hopes. Take Aberdeen Uni for example, they only have a 4% weighting on the UKCAT as part of your overall application and I'm pretty sure that most of the other Unis don't have a weighting much more than that either.

I don't take the UKCAT seriously and personally I think it's a money making scam. This may be my biased judgement after my terrible results (most <600).

So my advice is, do your best, but don't worry about it.

Concentrate on a good, strong PS and a good interview(s) (if you get one, which there's a high chance you will). Also don't apply to Glasgow Uni as they love the UKCAT and will reject you straight away (as they did me)...they do PBL...but who would want to do that?! Eewwww.

Good Luck.

[malevolent_elephant]

Thanks, sorry if I've offended anyone but I probably took the score more personally than I should have.

I was warned off the UK graduate entry programs because friends who interviewed for them told me that a huge proportion of the applicants were ex-physiotherapists and people with PhDs under their belts- I have just received an undergrad in Genetics, so I feel I just have the bare minimum to offer as an applicant. But maybe I got it wrong...do UK courses requiring the GAMSAT even look at your previous experience or academic history? Do they interview you?

I am applying to the Irish GEPs though, as they don't even look into your academic record or interview you, as long as you have a 2.1 in an honours degree under your belt (which is a pretty flawed system on many levels...).

So I might put down Bristol, Birmingham and Liverpool, and then a school that only glances at the UKCAT scores? Oh this decision-making process is going to be long and difficult. <<sigh>>. Might put Aberdeen down too, Shrub. Might even see you there! Ha.

[AimsRJ]

Originally Posted by malevolent_elephant

and people with PhDs under their belts.

Just as an indicator in the oxford GEP prospectus they claim that ~50% of their students have research qualifications. since oxford is prob about as high as it gets in terms of PhDphilia I dont think thats too bad. I also am applying with your bog standard BSc! Not sure what the stats are at other place but I would worry about 'high proportions' anywhere else- I dont think (and someone please feel free to correct me) anywhere would be much higher than this. Incidently if you have a 2:1 they also said that about one third had 2:1 and no research quals.

[malevolent_elephant]

Seeing as the GAMSAT scores for an automatic offer into an Irish GEP are lower than the average scores for interviews in UK GEPs...I think I'll keep the UK GEPs off my UCAS form!

A couple of friends did interviews in Newcastle for the GEP and said they had the lowest qualifications of anyone they met there...so there ya go.

Is Aberdeen a good school?! It reached 137th or something in the last world ranking...is that decent?

[Kinkerz]

Originally Posted by malevolent_elephant

Verbal: 640
Maths: 610
Abstract: 550
Decision-making: 660

To put it simply, I'm retarded. Absolutely crushing result. I don't know what to do now!

For God's sake! You have just really pissed me off. That is not an awful score, it's a respectable score. Any average over 600 is good.

People with over 600 devastated about their result is so frustrating. If 600 is the avergage, why be so gutted if you get over 600? You are above average!

[malevolent_elephant]

Originally Posted by Kinkerz

For God's sake! You have just really pissed me off. That is not an awful score, it's a respectable score. Any average over 600 is good.

People with over 600 devastated about their result is so frustrating. If 600 is the avergage, why be so gutted if you get over 600? You are above average!

Dooood! I apologise. I think everyone with a score like mine is pretty annoyed though, we don't know where we stand.

I know they say 600 is the "average", but you're not really "above average" unless you're out of the average range (500-700). I mean a lot of schools won't interview anyone with less than 700 because of the demand, from what I've read. Seems my chances of getting any of the schools I'd originally wanted are slim to none now!

Anyway. Does anyone know anything about Warwick? No one has really mentioned it...

[hoonosewot88]

A lot of medical schools only actually consider your first degree. Masters and PhDs are good to talk about but do not directly contribute to their admissions policy.
On the Warwick front, they do value the UKCAT quite highly, though they don't have a set cut-off point for it.

[Kinkerz]

Originally Posted by malevolent_elephant

Dooood! I apologise. I think everyone with a score like mine is pretty annoyed though, we don't know where we stand.

I know they say 600 is the "average", but you're not really "above average" unless you're out of the average range (500-700). I mean a lot of schools won't interview anyone with less than 700 because of the demand, from what I've read. Seems my chances of getting any of the schools I'd originally wanted are slim to none now!

Anyway. Does anyone know anything about Warwick? No one has really mentioned it...

Absolutely incorrect. You have read from some dodgy sources. The UKCAT does not play a large part of the admissions process at most medical schools. Only around four/five, out of around twenty five medical schools use the UKCAT heavily.

Also, 500-700 is not the average. It is the bracket in which most applicants score. 600 is the average. There is a difference.

You have a decent score... Anything above 600 is a decent score, anything above 700 is an excellent score.

[persianmedic]

I got a lower score and i got 4 interviews