If you have a look at this list, it breaks down each medical school’s current GCSE requirements. Generally, if you feel your GCSE grades are not as strong, it’d be good for you to look at medical schools that don’t rank you based on your GCSE grades or allocate points for achieving certain grades. You’ll want to apply to the medical schools that have fixed GCSE requirements and check that you meet those requirements.
Also, each medical school has a number of GCSES that they look at (more information on that here), so you can also use that tactfully. Imagine if you have 5 grade As (or 7s) and the rest of your grades are below that level, if you apply to a medical school that only looks at your top 5, those other grades won’t impact you in any way. So think about it like that. Also, bear in mind sometimes the medical school will look at your top 5 grades, but then ask for certain important subjects to be included within that such as English and Maths.
You may also want to consider medical schools that look at your GCSE grades in combination with another factor which you’ve scored highly in e.g. UCAT score, personal statement, predicted A-level grades.
Medical schools to consider:
- Aston – uses a threshold
- Anglia Ruskin – uses a threshold
- Barts – uses a threshold
- Cambridge – no formal GCSE requirements, GCSEs are looked at in context to everything else
- Cardiff – requires 9 at a grade B or above
- Edge Hill – 5 at a grade B or above
- Keele – uses a threshold
- Plymouth – uses a threshold
The list above is no means exhaustive and based on your individual grades you may be able to explore many more medical schools – I’ve just suggested a few for you.
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