Been a while I posted on this forum. I find it quite strange that most Medicine schools are seeing the new numeric grade 9 and 8's as equivalent to old A* on their pre-interview offers calculator. As far as I can see from grade boundaries there is huge difference between 9 and 8 - as much as 20% in raw marks for some subjects. For e.g. Birmingham med school looks at 7 GCSE's (5 core and 2 additional) and provides a score out of 24, which is then scaled to a maximum 6.

Student A scoring 6 9's and 7 in English language will achieve 22/24
Student B scoring 6 8's and 8 in English language will achieve 24/24

Quite unfair for student A, who has 6 9's, and student B, who has none. In the above scenario, Student B is more likely to be invited for interview, which really defies all logic.

Would love to know your thoughts?

Both 8 and 9 are equivalent to the 'old' A* so I see it as very sensible, especially as the system beds down.

Guest55, Are we saying then there was no real need to distinguish between a 9 and 8? I thought the whole point was filter out the higher A*'s from lower?

Grade boundary for Edexcel Maths 9 was 202
For 8 it was something like 160

Do we not see a difference in the ability above?

I do not at all see it as sensible from med schools! I see it as not ready for changes in time.

What are 'strange med schools' exactly?

What is your personal grievance here. OP? it sounds like you have one.

Yes but an 8 could have got 201 and a 9 202 - not very different there are they?

The reforms were a complete waste of time and money - there was no need to separate out 'top' A*s. Oxbridge are treating the 8 and 9s the same too - you are out of step with most people's thinking.

I doubt they will get enough applicants if just looking for all 9 s so makes sense that they will look at 8s and 9s. Anyone doing medicine need a wider range of skills and attributes than just a set of grade 9s at GCSE. Excellent interpersonal skills,confidence, self awareness, maturity, empathy, manual dexterity and capacity to multi task all come into mind.

Piggys - I have no grievance against anyone - just gathering opinion on something I thought was unfair. If anything you are being quite pedantic and nitpicking. I guess the title only allow a certain amount of characters so I had to take 'that' out of "Strange that Med schools are equating.."

Does that read better for you Piggys?

Some aren't Guest55! Cardiff is treating 9 as A* and 8 as A, and righly so. And I see many more following

People who get straight 9s obviously make better doctors - would you really want your GP only having got an 8 in French?