Subject Option – A Real Dilemma

[Guest55]

Medical schools also look for relevant work experience - this is much more important than 4/5 A levels.

[Flamenco]

Her problem is that she got 11 A*s at GCSE

Hello KenR,

- you call that a “problemâ€

[Flamenco]

Flamenco,

Can he not to 6 A'levels? I know it is a larger workload but he will cope especially doing Physics alongside maths and further maths. As a talented boy he will not feel like he is doing 3 A'levels.

Indeed he can Tipsy, that shouldn’t be much of a problem to him, but his school really doesn’t encourage this type of ‘nonsense’. I would go along with the school too just like you said you would. As a matter of fact, his Head Master is on record recently to say taking 5 GCSE’s is enough for anybody, let alone taking 6 A-levels:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_a ... 850868.ece

I remember also he got himself into a bit of a bother with the Scout Association a few years ago by complaining pupils were amassing GCSE’s like ‘scout badges’.

[Sorry, all you scouts and cubs out there!]
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/aug/3 ... .gcses2003

Did a boy not do 10 one year at Eton? I wouldn't normally advocate.

Yes he did. See my earlier post:

Two years ago there was this (crazy, imho) chap who took 10 A-levels and got all 10 A’s! He’s since gone to Oxford.

[Flamenco]

Medical schools also look for relevant work experience - this is much more important than 4/5 A levels.

Absolutely!

DS hopes to start doing just that end of this month at a certain Central London NHS Hospital.

[Guest55]

It's not just about working in a hospital - care homes, nursery schools, holiday clubs etc

You have to show you can get on with all sorts of people -

[Flamenco]

It's not just about working in a hospital - care homes, nursery schools, holiday clubs etc

You have to show you can get on with all sorts of people -

Yes, but for starters, a NHS hospital would be tremendous.

[Guest55]

Actually I think the reverse is true ... volunteer work in an old peoples home or a holiday club would be better ... some GPs will let you shadow them and this is also well thought of.

[T.i.p.s.y]

Flamenco,

My sister is in her fourth year at medical school and her experience of what was expected work experience-wise was first and foremost working in a hospital and/or working as a medical assistant in third world countries. I asked her today about what some of her other colleagues did. Out of 180 students she knows that 55 all worked in hospitals, in third world countries' med facilities on a GAP year or working in multiple departments. She doesn't know the rest of her year well enough to know what they did. DS will probably be tutoring sixth formers in Slough or visiting nursing homes as part of his community service in the next two years. He's going to walk into Oxbridge!

[KES Parent]

I hope the girls at KEHS are not being enabled to put themselves at an advantage in terms of University applications over the boys next door at KES by taking up to 5 A2s. The boys are limited to 3 A2s except in certain circumstances such as multiple maths subjects. The fees are higher at KES too.

[KenR]

Hi KES Parent,

The limit is normally 4 A2s but I think they can take 5 if these include Maths and Further Maths.

Don't think it makes any difference in respect of University offers; for medicine the Universities are more interested in the extra curricula activities and work experience etc.

I didn't know until your posting that the KES and KEHS fees were different, although having checked the KES fees for 2009/10 are only £120 more. You learn something new every day!

Regards