The BIG UKCAT choices thread.

**dotvicky** · 02-09-2009 04:49 PM

I rang Oxford and they said the lady there said they expect you to get more than 700. Is that likely to be correct?!?!

Cheers
Vicky

**Kinkerz** · 02-09-2009 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by dotvicky

I rang Oxford and they said the lady there said they expect you to get more than 700. Is that likely to be correct?!?!

Cheers
Vicky

I would think so. Many GEPs seem to require rather high UKCAT scores.

**YeahTom** · 02-09-2009 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by DLS

Last year sheffield had a cut off of 2680 (670 average). The cut-off this year isn't decided till they can see the scores of the applicants. Although it will be around the same mark (maybe slightly higher due to inflation?)

Just with regard to this.
This is the reply I received from Sheffield.

We do not have a specific cut off score for the UKCAT, the reason for this is because we do not receive the scores from Pearson Vue until the middle of November, by which time the UCAS deadline has passed. We take the scores into account after the applications have been graded academically and on the personal statement and reference. Those that have achieved high scores in all areas are likely to be called for interview. For entry this year those with around 2680 were invited for interview.

**magpie7** · 02-09-2009 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by dotvicky

I rang Oxford and they said the lady there said they expect you to get more than 700. Is that likely to be correct?!?!

Cheers
Vicky

Don't mean to be sarcastic... But yes, if the admission lady said so; it's so.

**raihyou** · 06-09-2009 03:57 AM

Can a mod sticky this thread? A lot of people seem to be asking questions about whether they should apply to a uni or not depending on their UKCAT score and this is a good outline of their criteria.

Brilliant idea magpie7!

**Medic2** · 06-09-2009 09:07 AM

Hey, i only got 610 in my UK-cat and i really want to go manchester (since i live here) but with that score is it a bad idea, i am also applying to Lancaster and Leicester. (not sure about my 4th option tho.
Also i didn't do too well in my AS levels ABBB a level predictions are AAA
and my GCSE's were kinda poor as well 2A* 4A 3B 1C
So i really want to know if my chosen universities are out of my league someone let me know
Magpie7 you seem to know a lot about med message me please.

**House Jr.** · 06-09-2009 12:58 PM

shouldnt kings be in <600 too? i mean, applicants who got a ukcat score in the 500s region still got an interview since they had a good academic record, but i agree that they may need around 650 if the academic record isnt that good. so maybe put it in both places.

**yellowjellybabyal** · 06-09-2009 01:36 PM

Hi, I got 600 in my UKCAT and I'm trying for Manchester, UEA, Leicester and perhaps Aberdeen (not sure yet). There's so much written on here about UKCAT but I reckon it's all scare-mongering. If you have a good academic record and work experience, why shouldn't you get an interview?!? The UKCAT isn't the be all and end all. Everyone on here seems to have really good solid UKCAT scores and alot of them are complaining and I just don't get it! If you have a score of 500-700 (the AVERAGE SCORE people get on the silly UKCAT) and you match the criteria the med schools are asking for, I say follow your dreams. If you have a score of under 600, why should that disadvantage you, you still have as much chance as everyone else with good grades and wide variety of decent work experience!!!!

**raihyou** · 06-09-2009 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by yellowjellybabyal

I say follow your dreams. If you have a score of under 600, why should that disadvantage you, you still have as much chance as everyone else with good grades and wide variety of decent work experience!!!!

I really don't agree with you saying that a low UKCAT score won't disadvantage you because I know people who got rejected because of their UKCAT score. The intent of this post is to help people see how heavily the universities weigh the UKCAT. So of you want to go to Sheffield (who have a cut-off score of 670/675) but you have a score of 600, there is no sense applying because you know from the outset that you are not going to get an interview and ends up being a waste of a valuable option.

On the other hand you are right that it shouldn't discourage you from applying but you want to carefully pick the universities that put a lower weighting on the UKCAT to give you the best chance of getting in because everyone else also has the good grades and the work experience

**magpie7** · 06-09-2009 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by raihyou

Can a mod sticky this thread? A lot of people seem to be asking questions about whether they should apply to a uni or not depending on their UKCAT score and this is a good outline of their criteria.

Brilliant idea magpie7!

Thanks Raihyou. =) I would love for this thread to be stickied; but it's not the end of the World if it isn't. =D

Originally Posted by Medic2

Hey, i only got 610 in my UK-cat and i really want to go manchester (since i live here) but with that score is it a bad idea, i am also applying to Lancaster and Leicester. (not sure about my 4th option tho.
Also i didn't do too well in my AS levels ABBB a level predictions are AAA
and my GCSE's were kinda poor as well 2A* 4A 3B 1C
So i really want to know if my chosen universities are out of my league someone let me know
Magpie7 you seem to know a lot about med message me please.

Hey,

Your adademia is fine! Shouldn't really need to worry about that. As for the Universities you hope to apply for:

Manchester: As mentioned, they rank their applicants in order of UKCAT and interview the top X; so the cut off could vary a lot from year to year. Try phoning admissions and asking what the cut off for Manchester has been in previous years.

Lancaster: Do not use the UKCAT.

Leicester: Take your lowest sub-test score. If it is >500, you score 3/5. >600 and you score 4/5. You need 16/20 for an interview. Three other areas are scored out of 5 too, to make up the rest of the 15 points: Reference, Personal Statement and Academia.

Originally Posted by House Jr.

shouldnt kings be in <600 too? i mean, applicants who got a ukcat score in the 500s region still got an interview since they had a good academic record, but i agree that they may need around 650 if the academic record isnt that good. so maybe put it in both places.

Still, you must remember that these applicants are few and far between. On the other end of the stick, we could say that people with straight 'E' Grades at GCSE got an interview with an average score of 900 on the UKCAT. Again, situations like this are few and far between and that is why Kings isn't in a 800+ score part of the thread.

Still, a good point. Although, I have mentioned the fact that good GCSE grades can make up for a lower UKCAT score.

Originally Posted by yellowjellybabyal

Hi, I got 600 in my UKCAT and I'm trying for Manchester, UEA, Leicester and perhaps Aberdeen (not sure yet). There's so much written on here about UKCAT but I reckon it's all scare-mongering. If you have a good academic record and work experience, why shouldn't you get an interview?!? The UKCAT isn't the be all and end all. Everyone on here seems to have really good solid UKCAT scores and alot of them are complaining and I just don't get it! If you have a score of 500-700 (the AVERAGE SCORE people get on the silly UKCAT) and you match the criteria the med schools are asking for, I say follow your dreams. If you have a score of under 600, why should that disadvantage you, you still have as much chance as everyone else with good grades and wide variety of decent work experience!!!!

Let me highlight a sentance in your statement there:
"and you match the criteria the med schools are asking for..."
Many Medical Schools do set critera to be met concerning the UKCAT, ie. Sheffield at 675+.

"If you have a score of under 600, why should that disadvantage you, you still have as much chance as everyone else."
If applying somewhere that requires a score of over 600... You really don't.