Dear University of Aberdeen,

This FOI relates to A100 medicine, standard entry. I am requesting some selection process clarification, admissions statistics, and detail of how you handle special cases.

1. Selection process clarification
a. I understand national 5s, biology and physics (or sci plus add sci) are not compulsory, yet grades B are specified for these [1]. How does this latter requirement work with these being non-compulsory?

b. You state that a mixture of GCSEs at grades 6-9 are “expected“ [1]. My understanding was that these are not used in your selection process. In what way are these considered, apart from as entry requirements? Are applicants that fail to achieve these grades disadvantaged, and if so, how?

c. Do you consider A Levels maths and further maths as two separate A Levels? If not, do you consider further up to AS?

2. Admissions statistics (for 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry):
a. Please could you provide an Excel spreadsheet that includes the following data for all applicants given offers in these years: academic score (I think this is out of 95); UCAT score (out of 60); academic plus UCAT score, determining who to invite to interview (out of 155); interview score (out of 155)? Please could you include minimum scores required? Additionally, could you include for those given offers, the mean average of all scores I’ve requested?

This FOI [2] gives this data for EU applicants. Are Scottish, RUK and wider EU (which would include the two aforementioned groups) treated with any relative advantage or disadvantage e.g. are Scottish applicants advantaged in your selection process? If there is no relative advantage or disadvantage to each of these geographic categories, the data for 2017 has already been provided and I will not ask for this to be duplicated in this FOI. If there is indeed relative advantage or disadvantage, please could you stratify the data I have requested by each geographic category.

b. I understand from this FOI [3] you put applicants into deciles, then halve these; you then use these relative groups to derive a score between 3 and 60. For each 5% group formed (0-5%, >5-10%, >10-15% etc…), what specific score do you allocate?

c. I understand from these FOIs how you score A Levels [3] and Pre-U [4]. How do you score highers and Scottish highers in terms of grades achieved, and whether they are achieved or predicted?

3. Special cases
a. Is there a certain period of time in which A Levels (or Scottish highers and advanced highers) must be completed e.g. 2 years? If so, are there any circumstances in which students can take more time?

b. Do you allow applications from people with lower predicted grades? If so, what is the minimum you allow? Is there any relative disadvantage to this demographic, and if so, in what way?

c. Do you allow under 18 to commence medical studies? If so, are there any restrictions on their studies, and what are the nature of these?

d. Do you expect evidence of academic endeavour before commencing medical studies, with limitations on time out of work/study ie maximum of X years without study/work?

Yours faithfully,

Brandon Tillson

[1]https://www.abdn.ac.uk/smmsn/undergradua...
[2]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/u...
[3]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a...
[4]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m...

Dear Mary,

Thank you for your quick and comprehensive response. I would like to proceed to fill in some gaps. These will be numbered as in my initial FOI dated 30/3/2020.

POINT 2A
I turn to the Word document you have provided. I see the overall 'cut off for offer' score for Scot/Eu applicants is lower than that for RUK. This in itself advantages Scottish applicants over their RUK counterparts. Therefore, please could you provide the cut off for offer (like in your first table) for 2017 entry? I originally quoted this FOI [2], but would like to obtain data consistent with my own FOI: therefore, please can you give me the mean averages (like in your second table) for 2017 entry? In addition, please could you provide the pre-interview (ie. academic + UCAT) cut-offs for interview for 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry? Thank you for the data in the spreadsheets, for which the '2018' and '2019' tabs are beyond what I requested.

Summary of further request: (1) cut off for offer, for 2017 entry (like your first table); (2) the mean average academic, UCAT, pre-interview (academic + UCAT) cut-off, interview and post-interview cut off scores for 2017 entry (like your second table); (3) the pre-interview (academic + UCAT) cut offs from 2017, 2018 and 2019 entry.

POINT 2C
I understand now that for highers, you use actual achieved grades and advanced highers, predicted. What I was in particular after were the points you would assign for a given grade. I know from these FOIs how you score A Levels [3] and Pre-U [4]. For example for A Levels, an A* confers 27 points while an A 25 points; for achieved grades applicants are given 5 additional points. How many points would be given for a grade A, B, C and D, in highers. Identically, how many points would be given in these grades for advanced highers? Lastly, would a students who has already achieved their advanced highers be given an additional 5 points (or a different number of points), like those with achieved A Levels?

Summary of further request: (1) the number of points given for each grade A-D for both highers and advanced highers; (2) the number of additional points given to students who have already achieved their advanced highers.

POINT 3A
I would like to clarify. Would you consider applications in which a student has taken A Levels or Scottish equivalent exams over a period of up to 6 years? It is a rarity of medical schools consider applicants sitting A Level exams over more than two years; the occasions they do allow this, are due to extenuating circumstances. In such a case, the maximum allowed is typically three years.

Summary of further request: (1) would you consider applicants who sit their A Level or Scottish equivalent exams over a period of more than two years? (2) If yes, under what circumstances?

I know this a relatively large FOI and have tried to be clear in what clarification I would like. I'm happy to clarify further if needed.

Yours sincerely,

Brandon

Links:
[1]https://www.abdn.ac.uk/smmsn/undergradua...
[2]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/u...
[3]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a...
[4]https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m...

Dear Foi,

Apologies but I would like to request further clarification.

POINT 1C
As for AS levels in general, do these score any points in your selection process, as full A Levels do? If yes, in the case of a student taking three A Levels (A2) plus an AS in further maths, would the AS procure any points? Lastly, if AS Levels are scored, please could you advise how many points each AS grade would be worth e.g. AS level at grade A = x points, B = x... C, D, E)?

Yours sincerely,

Brandon Tillson