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

[malevolent_elephant]

Seriously, persianmedic? What kind of qualifications did you have though? I also read somewhere that they're predicting the need for higher UKCAT scores to get interviews this year, as "people are scoring higher"...this might also be dodgy reading as it seems to suggest the test isn't well standardized. But it could be true!

As I said earlier, my original choices were Queen's (Belfast), Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh...now I've revised my list to say Aberdeen, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol...should I completely avoid having to use my UKCAT score or should I maybe try half and half? Which schools are notorious for REALLY weighing the UKCAT heavily?

And what's the deal with Bart's? Is it a hard one to get into? No one really talks about it over here. I read that last year they set a cut-off of 2400...think it would be worth my while applying there?

[persianmedic]

i had three As at a lvl and 5 A's at GCSEs

tbh i think it's all speculation. all universities have different policies regarding the UKCAT and to suggest that they're going to raise their standards altogether just doesnt seem right to me.

here's what i would do.

I would pick the unis i want to study at, based on course structure, location, recommendation or any other reason. Then see if you are over their cut off point. and if there isnt a limit, just apply.

seriously, I dont think youd have a problem. Your PS and reference are WAY more important than the test. and that's fact.

But if it really makes you worried then apply to Bris and Liv. they're both good unis.

which unis are notorious? ummm I honestly dont remember but I THINK nottingham put a bit more emphasis on it than others, i may be wrong.

for ins at HYMS it only accounts for 10% of your application score while PS and Ref are 20% each. and the interview's the biggest factor at 30% or 40%


I only got a score of 601 (average) and i didnt even think about it.

[lauraread90]

Hey! I really wouldn't worry about you Ukcat results, i got an average of 500 in each section so that means a few were lower than that! I still had 3 interviews for medicine and once you get an interview it no longer counts so don't worry just choose ur uni's wisely!

[Hughman]

Newcastle do their final pre-interview ranking with UKCAT scores, I know that.

i got exactly 600 in my ukcat and am going to be studying medicine at keele! if u have a good set of GCSE's and have the right predicted grades then you shouldn't worry.

[magicsam3]

agree. I have some friends who got lower than 600 but still got in to their first choice universities
Don't stress!!!!!!!

[malevolent_elephant]

i have irish leaving certificate and a 2.1 in an undergraduate degree...it's hard to tell.

[Anitaisdabest]

Originally Posted by malevolent_elephant

i have irish leaving certificate and a 2.1 in an undergraduate degree...it's hard to tell.

Hi! ur score is above 600 so you shud be fine with most of them
Becareful of Newcastle though, as they use a really high cut-off (see their website).

[Emily'91]

Originally Posted by lauraread90

Hey! I really wouldn't worry about you Ukcat results, i got an average of 500 in each section so that means a few were lower than that! I still had 3 interviews for medicine and once you get an interview it no longer counts so don't worry just choose ur uni's wisely!

Is that right- they only use UKCAT before an interview? That's nice to know!

[hoonosewot88]

Depends on the med school, some use it as part of the intervewee selection procedure then go purely on the interview (glasgow), some use it to determine interviewees and then use it in the overall decision as well.