Posts Tagged ‘UCAS’
The fourth and final nail in the coffin
Posted on April 12th, 2009 by Matt
I knew from the last post I wrote that it wasn’t likely to be my year. I’m now a majority statistic: the 2 in 3.
So, after holding out for almost 3 months since my last rejection, I got the dreaded email. “UCAS Application Status Notification” came from the usual “track@ucas.ac.uk” address to my mobile at 17:01 on 08/04/2009. I’m at my Gran’s house at the minute, and happened to be updating this very website from her computer at the time. I wasn’t sure what to do, and I certainly wasn’t sure if I really wanted to know what it meant.
Initially, I continued what I was doing – typing about 50 questions into the Question Bank. But then, I realised that no matter how long I put it off, that screen was still going to be the same. I launced the website, https://track.ucas.com/ucastrack/Login.jsp and entered my now familiar UCAS number. After passing that wretched screen about Route B courses, and clicking on the Choices button, I had my worst fears confirmed. The University of Bristol Medical School have considered my application to be unsuccessful.
I’m now in the unlucky position of having to follow Dr Rigley’s advice. I have still got my letters to write, I was holding off to see if I had four rejections before I sent anything – just so I can add that line into the letter. As the page says, it’s almost impossible for me to clear medicine, especially with my chemistry results. Of the 4 options listed, I’ve applied to do a BSc (hons) in Biomedical Sciences at Northumbria University starting in September 2009 – so I made that my ‘Firm’ choice.
Do you really want to do medicine? If you do and you have met the academic criteria you will get in eventually.
Yes, I really do. I’m still hoping to meet the academic criteria. And I’m now even more determined than ever to work hard for the next three years – so much so that I will be disappointed if I don’t get a first (although I know full well that a 2:i will do)!
Matt is natually disappointed that he was totally rejected, and that he has another 3 years to wait…
1 Comment »Exam time
Posted on January 25th, 2009 by Matt
Most of you reading this will be in the middle of yet another stressful A Level exam period, whether you’re in Year 12 doing the “new” AS Modules for the first time, or in Year 13 doing A2 modules and possibly the legacy AS resits. My college caused a bit of controversy last year, when it decided to scrap the idea of students doing January exams, except for where subjects had a proven record of better overall performance by doing them. This seemed to leave all but the physicists worried about how many exams they had to do in June. After representation from the Learner Forum, the college revoked its decision, and allowed January exams this year.
There were many compelling arguments for not letting students sit exams in January. One of the main ones is that you could have potentially 2 three-hour long exams on the first day back at Christmas; common student feeling in the college appeared that most students didn’t fully revise over the festive season. Another concern for the college was the attendance level of ordinary classes – a lot of students would skip 3 morning lessons to prepare for an afternoon exam, for example. Statistics were sometimes quoted, for example a subject’s performance in January/June compared to just June.
Equally, the students had their own very strong arguments for being allowed to take some modules in January. The reason often cited was that it placed students under a lot of stress. In a lot of cases, they we having to revise the entire one-year syllabus for 3 hour-long exams taking in the morning sitting, but then also needing to know another year-long syllabus for 3 hour-long exams in a different subject in the afternoon sitting. Increased time in the exam hall means less time between exams, so most people couldn’t spend an hour or so doing last-minute cramming. Also, a lot of students were worried about resits; if you don’t quite get the grade you want in January, you can apply to retake it in June (the same academic year), but if you need to retake following the June series, you have to wait until January (the next academic year). This could have adverse effects with a UCAS application, because if your predicted grade is an A, but your AS is only a B or a C it doesn’t look as good – and UCAS has no way of telling universities that you are planning to resit that module you got a C or a D in!
I’ve found that by going along to extra study clinics, or extra lessons offered by your subject lecturer is a great way to prepare for forthcoming exams. Every lecturer I know has a different style when it comes to running these – some prefer to work on basic practical skills, some will take any questions from students, some hand out past exam papers, and others facilitate small group discussions amongst the students. For me personally, I can sometimes find it hard to make time to revise, especially when there is so much going on around me all the time, so by going to these sessions, it’s like adding guaranteed revision to my timetable. Attending these should be supplemented by individual revision, for example doing a past paper one night a week, and asking your lecturer to mark it for you – most will if you have made the effort, and will listen to their feedback. And that feedback is often invaluable, because it highlights your weaker areas in the subject, so you know where you can then concentrate your revision.
Finally, best of luck from all of the MedicalAdmissions.co.uk team with all of your exams!
No Comments »All of your eggs…
Posted on January 18th, 2009 by Matt
Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket
Well, I didn’t. My application started out being spread evenly between four good medical schools. Then, on 16th December last year, I got the email from track@ucas.ac.uk informing me that my status had changed – as it turned out I was rejected; one down, and three to go. It was only 2 days later that I got the next email from UCAS Track, and once again the nerves kicked in as I found yet another AS4 (rejection letter) waiting for me.
Last week, the same thing happened to me. Ironically, I got the email less than 5 minutes after saying goodbye to my Connexions PA, when I was telling her how I was still waiting on decisions from 2 medical schools. 5 more minutes of typing web addresses, application numbers, usernames and passwords on the tiny keypad on my phone, and I’d discovered the change. It was from the Univeristy of Southampton medical school, telling me that unfortunately my application to study BM Medicine (A100) had been unsuccessful.
So, here I am, blogging on one screen, a pretty disheartening Track on another. Like a few medical applicants, I’m now waiting for that fourth and final medical school to consider my application and make their decision – whatever that may be. I’ve applied to do Medicine (A100) at the University of Bristol, and I know that they interview their applicants. I’m getting some pretty tough-going practice at questions from Rob, just in case I need it. At the moment, I’m checking my pigeonhole at halls as soon as I can every day, and silently hoping for that letter…
Matt plans to write to the medical schools that rejected him, and hopefully gain an insight into what he needs to do better if he is unsuccessful this year!
1 Comment »Status change II
Posted on December 19th, 2008 by Matt
This time I was sitting at home, on my bed. My Mum was next to me, working away on her desk (the room is shared between my and her office because I’m not often home). My phone buzzed with a new email, and again I flicked it open – “track@ucas.ac.uk”.
I told my Mum that again the status of my application had changed, and grabbed my laptop. Downstairs in the house are two ethernet ports where I can get internet access (for some reason my laptop and my Mum’s wireless don’t want to talk to each other). It didn’t take me long to enter “tra” into my browser before the bookmarked login screen appeared.
Another 30 seconds, and much frantic typing had me on the Choices screen. I held my breath, and waited as it appeared – would it be “Conditional”, “Unconditional” or “Unsuccessful”?
Well, I have another UCAS AS4 on the way to my address – Sheffield have chosen to reject my application. Oh well, it’s 2 down and 2 to go.
Matt is hoping one of his remaining medical choices accept him!
1 Comment »Status change
Posted on December 17th, 2008 by Matt
I was sitting in KFC in the Metro Centre last night, when my phone buzzed with a new email notification. I have all of my MedicalAdmissions.co.uk email and my important personal email sent to my phone, as well as the usual facebook notifications. Thinking most likely that it would be a facebook message, I finished my food before diving into my pocket.
And it was then that my heart skipped a beat. “1 New Meesage: track@ucas.ac.uk” was displayed on my phone, and I knew immediately what it must be. I clicked read, and was told that the status of my UCAS application had changed.
Sitting in the middle of the Metro Centre meant I had no wi-fi, and no internet points for my laptop. So, using only the tiny screen of my mobile, I entered the secure Track address – https://track.ucas.com/ucastrack/Login.jsp – and waited. After much fiddling about with the keys, I had my personal ID, username and password entered.
It seemed to take an eternity, but after 30 seconds, I had the main menu on screen, and was trying to find the “Choices” link. More waiting, and more nervousness meant that I could barely see my screen for shaking, but then I saw it, and my heart sank. “Brighton & Sussex Medical School, A100, Rejected”. 1 down, 3 to go.
But then, I scrolled down, and noticed something else, “Northumbria University, B940, Conditional offer”. Clicking through it, and trying to read the small text eventually told me that I can study Biomedical Science with a ‘Merit’ in HEFC Human Biology and 80 UCAS points in the 2008/9 exam season!
Matt still definately wants to study medicine, but it’s nice that? he a ‘Plan B’ if it’s needed…
1 Comment »MedicalAdmissions.co.uk Blog is powered by WordPress.