<p>I have read several similar threads, and appreciate the advice i was able to get from those, but i go to a charter school where there is no IB program, OR AP classes. As far as i know all i will have when i graduate are my SAT scores and a GPA. From reading the other threads, that doesn't sound good. I am going to be a Junior and my College Counciler knows absolutely nothing about applying to overseas colleges and Universities. </p>
<p>I am interested in studying medicine. I have done alot of research and i am pretty sure i understand UCAS etc. but i really am worried about whether or not i MUST have IB or AP classes to even be considered.</p>
<p>Also, is there a way to take A-Levels from the US. Just wondering.
Thanks so much.</p>
<p>When I read the first paragraph my instinct was to recommend you to St Andrews or such UK schools with a sizable American intake and hence laxer admissions policies. However, with medicine, you MUST have IBs/APs. The requirements are strict, and competition is stiff.
If you’re serious on UK med, please self-study or take an online class, to prepare for the IB exams. </p>
<p>Admissions to UK medicine is incredibly competitive, and you will be competing against a flood of UK applicants armed with A level A’s as well as other international applicants.
<p>Alright, I am also interested in studying acting for theatre and film, which i have done most of my life. My first choice would be Medicine, but i’m assuming the entry requirements will be much easier for a theatre student…</p>
<p>What about a school like Central? or RSAMD? Are they really as prestigious in the acting world there as they are here?</p>
<p>And do you think that if it was a more particular branch of medicine, Forensic psychology, that that would (assuming i met all the requirements) increase my chances of acceptance?</p>
<p>Are you serious about medicine? I ask because most people here who cant get onto a med degree study things like biomedical sciences and then reapply for graduate entry medicine. You dont sound that dedicated if you’re already talking about studying theatre.</p>
<p>Yes. I am serious about medicine. but no matter what i will continue doing theatre outside of school, because i am also serious about that. Theatre, as i said, is ONLY a back up plan. So if i can’t get into medicine or a medical field, i will apply separately for theatre. I was only asking about theatre because from the looks of the admission requirements i would have a REALLY low chance of getting in, even if my GPA and SAT scores were high. So yes. I am serious about medicine. But this is my chance to ask all my questions, so I am going to do that. :)</p>
<p>In the UK, it’s generally very diffcult to change course. You would have to drop out to switch in most cases. If you can really change your mind that easily from medicine to the utterly un-related theatre, consider whether studying in the UK is really for you. You cannot change your mind like that (most people who don’t get in for medicine apply for Biology, Biochemcistry, Pharmacy etc. Related subjects) if you are accepted. the UK is a very bad coice for the indecisive.</p>
<p>As for getting in to medicine, unfortunately your chance is close to zero as there is a government imposed limit on the number of foreign students (see more detailed post by Fiona above). Most applicants also have a couple of years of work experience in something medically related as well. You do understand that this is NOT a pre-med course, right? It is 6 years undergraduate medicine. It also won’t allow you to practice medicine in the US, as you will have to take some tests again (not sure what they are. I’m not an expert in any way) and pay for it.</p>
<p>I have no intention of switching back and forth between med. and theatre. I have understood from the beginning that the UK system requires you to know what you want to do. Also, I know how different they are, and i would not even be applying to the same schools. My question simply was, would the entry requirements be lesser for a theatre student? </p>
<p>I already understand the difficulty in getting into medicine, but i do not plan in living in the US past high school. I am planning to permanently relocate to the UK, so getting a medical degree here doesn’t make much sense.</p>
<p>Given the purpose of relocation, I can better understand your rationale for wanting to study in the UK. Unfortunately, with your current situation, UK medicine undergrad is a remote possibility. </p>
<p>I do not know much about theater, as few students in my home country go to the UK to study that. I searched the website ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.co.uk “studying acting” and this is a post I found:
<p>Thanks SO much Fiona. You are my hero! I’ll keep this updated as things progress.</p>
<p>By the way, I found out that my school DOES offer the AP tests for a fee. so i will be able to at least have the AP test scores (i’ll have to work twice as hard studying but it’ll be worth it) YAY!!!</p>
<p>I’m an international student who applied to UK university (Oxbridge, LSE, UCl), and I only had SAT and AP scores. - I was applied as an economics major though but I had a couple of friends who got into UK University’s medicine and law programs, which are highly competitive.</p>
<p>I just want to tell you that UK Universities seem not to take SAT scores that seriously. It’s all about how many APs you take. You might want to take 5-6, maybe 7 AP exams.(Since you said you want to maor in medicine, you may want to take Bio, Chemisitry, Physics B,CM,EM, and Calculus BC - they don’t give credits for AP statistics and Calculus AB)
I also heard that IB can be really helpful.
And you have to get a good recommendation and write a personal statement related to your major. </p>
<p>Of course, if you want to go for the theatre major, then it’s totally different.
(I don’t know much about it)</p>
<p>Well, some really prestigious private boarding schools don’t offer APs, but their own courses, plenty of them go of to Oxbridge. </p>
<p>Something you could do, if it’s really a problem, is self-study AP-exams. I took six this year, and its quite manageable And if you’re a rising senior, you could suggest a conditional offer, and then self-study APs. </p>
<p>UK schools don’t care about your school grades–they’re all about standardized testing.</p>
<p>Conditional offer = An offer of admission with conditions attached, e.g. “You must get 5 in AP US History and at least 4 in Calculus BC.” Or something like that</p>
<p>Congratulations on the PSAT score, you could qualify for National Merit finalist status = helpful for US admissions too! :)</p>
<p>Fiona, wouldn’t UK schools care about the grades in the subjects related to your major though? I think I have read somewhere that they don’t really care if, for example, a prospective English major has a D in Calculus, but a B in English would hurt the applicant’s chances.</p>
<p>Ok. Another question. What is the timetable like for applying? When should i start applying, when should i decide? Does that happen in the Junior or Senior year? Because i plan on making college visits during the summer of 2010, just before my Senior year.</p>
<p>October 15 senior year = applications to medicine due
November to whenever = med school interviews (NB: Edinburgh and I think Southampton don’t interview anybody and for most others interviews are a must. Worth checking their phone interview policies as flying over up to 4 times could get expensive) and decisions released on UCAS
5 June (this year) senior year = you must accept a Firm offer, and have the option to choose an Insurance (usually with a lower offer so if you miss the grades for Firm you can still go to university)
Usually UK universities make ‘conditional’ offers, like if you apply to study Medicine they may say “offer conditional of grades of 5, 5, 4 in AP Bio, Chem and Calculus BC”, and you will only be properly accepted after you actually get those grades in July after senior year to start studying in September/October. If you miss your grades they may decide to take you anyway, or (more likely) tell you “sorry, but we aren’t taking you”. For this reason many UK-headed people with conditional offers deposit at a US school anyway as an insurance. </p>
<p>Visiting before your senior year is enough time. You may want to schedule your visits during ‘Open Days’ where admissions tutors tell you what they look for and unis have open houses.</p>
<p>The trick with studying theatre is that most schools that are theatre schools are all about preparing you for the profession. Whether you go to RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, Bristol, Central or the like, these are schools which are focused on training professional actors, stage managers and theatrical personnel. As a result, they are at least as difficult to get into as Medical schools, though difficult in a different way. You will have to audition to get into any of these, although with some of them auditions are conducted in New York as well as in the UK. </p>
<p>Given that a UK degree is focused entirely on a single subject, there is not the plethora of drama departments at most universities unless they are quite serious about it. </p>
<p>At many US universities, drama departments exist for avocational purposes, with students in other disciplines possibly taking one or two courses in them for breadth. Whereas a UK education focuses on depth not breadth, and so, while most universities have drama clubs, very few have academic drama departments that are easy to get into.</p>