How important are my GCSEs / A-levels / aptitude tests / Personal Statement / interview?
All of the above factors play some role in deciding whether or not you get an offer but they vary widely by subject. For Medicine the BMAT and your GCSE scores are used to remove the majority of candidates. See here for details. For other subjects the cut is less severe – the History HAT removes the bottom 20% of candidates only. It seems generally accepted that while bad grades may raise a question mark (although far less so in irrelevant subjects – your aptitude in German is unlikely to impact upon your application for Physics), good grades do not guarantee you a place. An applicant with “lesser” grades may be accepted over one with straight As since the age of 5 if he is seen to have natural flair and passion for his subject. In the same way some subjects (such as English) will use your Personal Statement to supplement the interview (asking you about texts you have read etc) while others seem to ignore it entirely. Naturally less-than-perfect grades may not put you at the top of the
Related Questions
- I have applied for a Trainee position at Balhaf and have attended the aptitude tests, but have not been selected for interview. Can I see my test scores, or appeal?
- I will have GCSEs and A-levels over the next two years. How flexible will the interview and training dates be?
- Do students need to take tests or have an interview before being admitted?
