BMAT/UKCAT results by a-level subject taken

The request was successful.

Dear University of Cambridge,

I am trying to ascertain whether A-level subjects studied is linked to the results applicants get in the BMAT. This is for the purpose of advising candidates from state-schools who may not have access to good advice on medical applications. I would like to request your assistance in this.

In spreadsheet or simple table format, I would like to request:

For the latest entry cycle you have available (likely 2017 entry):

Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take A-level Maths
Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take A-level Biology
Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take A-level Chemistry
Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take A-level Physics
Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take A-level Further Maths
Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take an A-level that is not listed above.

*Average BMAT score to be considered: separate values for: numerical mean for section 1, numerical mean for section 2, numerical mean for quality of content score for section 3, and, if able, a numerical mean for quality of written English such that A=5, B=4 etc.

If you record only partial data for the above I am grateful for what you can provide.

Yours faithfully,
Dr Maynard

FOI, University of Cambridge

This is to acknowledge receipt of your request for information. Your reference number is given in the subject line of this email. We will respond on or before 13 April 2018.

Regards,

Freedom of Information Office
University of Cambridge
Registrary's Office, The Old Schools
Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TN
T: (01223 7)64142
F: (01223 3)32332
E: [email address]

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Dear FOI,

Apologies, but please could i clarify some things regarding this request.

1) This request specifically refers to the A100 medicine course.
2) When i refer to 'students', i mean all relevant applicants to said A100 course.
3) If at all possible, please could you include applicant numbers for each group in your response. This would help significantly with further analysis.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Maynard

FOI, University of Cambridge

Your clarifications are noted.

Regards,

Freedom of Information Office
University of Cambridge
Registrary’s Office, The Old Schools
Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TN
T: (01223 7)64142
F: (01223 3)32332
E: [email address]

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FOI, University of Cambridge

1 Attachment

Further to your request for information, please find attached the University’s response.

Regards,

Freedom of Information Office
University of Cambridge
Registrary's Office, The Old Schools
Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TN
T: (01223 7)64142
F: (01223 3)32332
E: [email address]

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Dear Freedom of Information Office,

Thank you for your kind and informative data as requested, it has been very helpful.

I had two very quick points for clarity:
1) I additionally asked for data pertaining to students who did not take a science subject, which has not been provided. Can you please confirm this is because you do not hold this data/cannot provide it within the allocated time frame.
2) I notice that your data claims that 845/956 applicants to your medical course took Further Maths A-level. This would be very surprising, and very different to comparable courses e.g. at Oxford. Can I confirm that this is not a mistake (e.g. that the numbers have not been switched, and in fact 111/956 students took Further Maths)?

Thank you for your assistance

Yours sincerely,

Dr Maynard

FOI, University of Cambridge

Dear Dr Maynard,

Thank you for your email. We will make enquiries and get back to you as soon as possible.

Regards,

Freedom of Information Office
University of Cambridge
Registrary’s Office, The Old Schools
Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TN
T: (01223 7)64142
F: (01223 3)32332
E: [email address]

show quoted sections

FOI, University of Cambridge

1 Attachment

Dear Dr Maynard,

Further to the below, please find attached corrected and updated data which we trust is satisfactory.

Regards,

Freedom of Information Office
University of Cambridge
Registrary’s Office, The Old Schools
Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TN
T: (01223 7)64142
F: (01223 3)32332
E: [email address]

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Dear Freedom of Information Office,

Thank you for that correction, makes a lot more sense.

Now, this i slightly my fault as in my previous correspondence I stated it incorrectly. However, the additional information i was asking for was as is stated in the original request: "Average BMAT score* for students who do and don't take an A-level that is not listed above". By this i mean: A student who applies with Biology, Chemistry, and History applies with "a subject not listed above", as does a candidate with Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Dance. Whereas someone with only sciences ("subjects listed above") does not.

You have been very helpful so far and i do apologise for my previous mistake. However, given that it was in the original request, i would like to press you either for the data, or for a confirmation that the data is not held in a practicable way.

Kind regards and thanks again

Dr Maynard

FOI, University of Cambridge

Dear Dr Maynard,

 

We trust that the below supplementary table suffices:

 

A Level Average Average Average
Subject Apply Subject No of of of of BMAT
Year Profile Applicants BMAT BMAT Score 3
Score 1 Score 2
Medicine All 720 4.8 5.2 3.2
(A100) 2018 Science
Mixed 236 4.7 4.9 3.3

 

Regards,

 

Freedom of Information Office

University of Cambridge

Registrary’s Office, The Old Schools

Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TN

T: (01223 7)64142

F: (01223 3)32332

E: [email address]

 

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