<p>Hello, what's the normal number of subjects that is offered by accepted students (doesn't matter whether its a conditional or unconditional offer, btw what is the difference between these?), is it 3 or 4 or 5 or what?</p>
<p>Most students take 3 A levels (plus an AS); therefore, most medical schools require 3, with some also specifying an AS grade. </p>
<p>There is not much point taking more than 3 A levels. Indeed, Leeds University School of Medicine has this on their FAQ page:</p>
<p>**Q. Will it help my application if I have 4 A-levels rather than 3?
A. No. We only look at 3 A level results. **</p>
<p>[School</a> of Medicine - Admissions FAQ](<a href=“http://www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/admissions/faq.html]School”>http://www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/admissions/faq.html)</p>
<p>A conditional offer is an offer of acceptance that is contingent on you getting specified grades in upcoming exams. An unconditional offer means that you have already met all the requirements for entry.</p>
<p>Hang on, I’ve just seen your other thread. You are doing CAPE I think? In that case why would you do A levels too? CAPE is sufficient.</p>
<p>Yes, Laylah, we are all wondering why go4cornell is doing CAPE AND A levels AND advanced SAT’s!!!</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>Well yes, I’m doing CAPE. I was thinking about doing A levels because some universities don’t accept CAPE, and the ones that do are the ones that are already insanely hard to get into, and there medical schools, even harder… such as Oxbridge, Imperial, etc. So I was thinking of doing A levels since every university accepts them (goes without saying) and I was thinking maybe it would help my application as these qualifications are “easier to understand” or in other words, the schools are more used to it. I was hoping that it wouldn’t be that stressful since CAPE and A levels pretty much share the same syllabus but I don’t know. As for the SAT II’s, I was just also hoping to take these to help my application as well I guess, so that there wouldn’t be any doubt. I was thinking if the universities see my CAPE results, and don’t understand it or something of the sort, they can look at the SAT II results and be sure that this person does understand the work, and is adequately qualified. I don’t know if this makes sense to you 
What do you think I should do?</p>
<p>Oh and since CAPE and A levels are similar, it doesn’t make sense taking more than 3 CAPE subjects then? For example this is what a school said: “We require 6 Grade I double unit CAPE courses to include Biology and Chemistry” So 4 units would already be taken by Bio and chem, that means it wouldn’t make sense to do more than 1 more additional subject to cover the other 2 units? In other words, it would be unnecessary to do 4 or 5 subjects?</p>
<p>I would say most students do 4, but usually one of these is an equivalent of an elective and won’t actually hepl towards university. Most universities require chemistry, and many also want maths and biology. It is then normal for med applicants to do History, Physics, English etc</p>
<p>Yes it would be unnecessary to do more than three</p>
<p>So which combination do you think would be better? Bio, Chem, Physics or Bio, Chem, Math; seeing as though doing Bio, Chem, Phys and Math would be unnecessary?</p>
<p>Bio, Chem and maths definitely</p>
<p>I see, but why would math be preferred to physics?</p>
<p>Bio, Chem and maths. Don’t know why, it just is. The vast majority of UK medical students did these A-levels. However, if you want to do Physics instead of or as well as maths, feel free to do so. There is no magic combination which will get you in (though lack of Chemistry would probably exclude you). </p>
<p>ITA with other posters who have suggested go4cornell concentrates on ONE complete set of acceptable qualifications. If you are intending to study for UK A-levels they are NOT one exam like APs or SATs. They are a course of study over 2 whole years. UK students study nothing else at school, day in, day out, for two whole years. Courses work and multiple exams over the 2 years are included in the final grades. There are qualifications called A-levels in other countries, especially in Asia, which may be different to this.</p>
<p>What you need are 3 As at A-level or acceptable equivalent, and lots of relevant work experience. Plus luck, and shed loads of cash as an overseas students. Eve with all of the above, the odds are stacked against you as an overseas medicine applicant in the UK, because there is a UK quota to fill vacancies in the UK national health service. So your odds of acceptance for medicine are very low no matter what you do, and you cannot change that.</p>
<p>Edited to add if the unis you are looking at consider more than 3 CAPE subjects needed to be equivalent to 3 UK A-levels, then that is what you have to do if you do CAPE. Do not start deciding the admission requirements yourself. That is asking for trouble.</p>
<p>I know the odds are very low which is why I’m trying to maximize them as much as possible, especially since things such as work experience are hard to get down here since doctors don’t do shadowing, hence the only relevant experience one can get is volunteering, which I plan to get a few hundred hours in. I am also aware of the fact that most UK med schools only accept between 5-20 international students into medical school each year, so I really am just trying to improve my chances where possible.</p>
<p>The schools you are applying to have very competent and intelligent admissions folks. They are even more intelligent than you. They WILL be able to understand what CAPE scores are. You don’t have to worry that they are somehow “stupid”–you do NOT have to take A levels and advanced SATs to show these “stupid” admissions people that you are afraid of.</p>
<p>If there really are schools that state “We do not accept CAPE” then you will have to take the appropriate exams.</p>
<p>But I agree with the folks who say CONTACT THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE APPLYING TO, and don’t just accept the advice of strangers on the internet, and don’t just “make up” admissions requirements yourself.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>Seems to me you do not want any advice, just praise for decisions you have already made and will not be swayed from.</p>
<p>Another vote to contact the relevant medical schools. They will be able to advise you.</p>
<p>@TheRealKEVP I never said that they were stupid, and would never think that. It’s just that I’ve been told that the reason why qualifications are not accepted at some schools is because the universities haven’t dealt with them before and don’t understand it in the sense that they don’t know about the rigor of the course and how demanding it is.</p>
<p>@cupcake I do want advice, what would make you think what you said? I haven’t made any decisions yet, which is why I’m no longer going to take the SAT II’s or any of that stuff, as I have been listening to what you have been saying. I’m sorry if you feel as if I want praise for decisions I have already made, but that is not true, and I am not the kind of person who would make a thread trying to get “praise” for or justify my actions. Also, how many 2 Unit CAPE subjects (unit 1 is done in lower 6th form[I think this is like AS level] and unit 2 in upper 6th form) are required to be equivalent to 3 A level subjects?</p>
<p>@Laylah I have tried to contact quite a few medical schools already however most don’t give much help and thus that is why I am here asking these questions.</p>
<p>@TheRealKEVP What do you mean by making up admissions requirements? When or how did I do this?</p>
<hr>
<p>To be honest, I really don’t see what I said that warrants such condescending responses. I just simply asked a few questions because I had nowhere else to turn and tried to do so in a decent, respectful manner. I fail to see the reason as to why I’m getting this kind of attitude in some of the responses. If it is an issue of misunderstanding (i.e. my posts are being read in the wrong tone, or something of the sort) I apologize, but I really and truly am just seeking some honest advice and not trying to make any snide comments about admissions folk, belittle anyone or try and persuade anyone to agree with my thoughts, just looking for advice as I believe that you would have more information about this whole process than me as you reside in the United Kingdom and are familiar with its educational system.</p>
<p>You have been given ENDLESS advice! Pages and pages of it. But every single thing you question and decide that isn’t correct. Fine, but why are you asking if you already know?</p>
<p>The main point, repreated again and again on several threads, is that you appear to be in an unusual situation so you need to ask the specific schools you are interested in. However, it appears that you may have already done that, but for some reason you don’t believe them (or they don’t give you the answers you want)? So you have decided on the admissions requirements yourself? I don’t really understand the point.</p>
<p>Okay, I’m very very late in answering</p>
<p>But I am a domestic medicine applicant with an offer (after my last exam, it looks a bit unlikely I’ll achieve this offer, but that’s another story)</p>
<p>On the qualifications, ask the individual schools. I would focus on one set of qualifications, as it can be really hard to get good grades if you’re trying to do lot of different things at one. If you haven’t decided which set to persue and all the med schools accept both sets, then try and analyse which you think you’ll get better marks in, or which one you are more comfortable or familiar with</p>
<p>4 A levels is rarely better than three. I believe that one med school give preference to people with 4 - the other 29 or so do not. I think it is better to take 3, as you can spend more time on them</p>
<p>Maths is NOT inherently preferable to any other subject. There is a massive myth around ‘maths and medicine’ which has built up and not been challenged, even though it’s just that - a myth! Chemistry and Biology are usually taken and the only two important subjects for most med schools. Chemistry is the most important, as lack of chem would restrict you from far more schools than a lack of anything else. If you have to drop Biology after AS Level, that is usually fine, and not an impediment to most schools. If you do A levels, check the admissions for every school before picking subjects. If you are better at physics and/or enjoy it far more, take physics! Ditto for maths.</p>
<p>Personally, I took History in addition to Biology and Chemistry. I did take maths as my 4th AS, but that was a mistake frankly. Dropped it without thinking twice at the end of the year :)</p>
<p>Oh, I was under the impression that Cambridge wanted 3 sciences at A level (maths is a science) - so obviously if you really wanted to apply there, you couldn’t take History/Geography or anything like that, but since you’re deciding between Physics and Maths anyway, that doesn’t matter</p>