Post-UCAT Discussion 2025

[The1&Only]

Hi A1,
I am WA resident that took a gap year. I have a 99.35 ATAR and 2310 UCAT, just sat the casper, not gotten my mark yet and I suspect I won't get in before the sept 30 tisc closing date. Pretty much borderline in both, although I have applied everywhere I can, not sure if I have a chance anywhere.

If I knew my casper was in the 4th quartile things would be different.

Anyways, how do I preference UWA NotreDame and Curtin? Does the preferencing affect interviews or only offers? I am so sad, as my nerves got the best of me during the UCAT.

Fortunately UWA has not reached the ucat cut off levels like the Eastern states. I believe last yr the cut off for an interview was around 85th so you should be fine. Curtin would really depend on your casper (below 4th quartile really slims your chances) since that holds more weighting than the ucat.
For preferencing, the order does not impact interviews only your offers. Curtin is 5yrs long, UWA 6yrs and UNDF is 7yrs. So that's something to consider when arranging your preferences.

 

[A1]

A1 have you ever read about anyone who has gotten interview offer with a ucat lower than 92nd percentile? preferably last year, who knows how much unsw is changing things around...

I remember seeing a UNSW interview invite to a 88%ile last year, but very likely that applicant had EAS or Gateway.

So what I predicted was I have an extremely slim chance at Flinders (my atar goes to 99.95 with EAS), I have an alright chance at Monash with an amazing interview (which I should get in the second round if I'm correct), and I could have a chance at JCU maybe?

That's right^ about Flinders & JCU.
You should get a Monash interview in the ATAR+UCAT round with about 50/50 chance for a place offer.

UNSW is a faint possibility with EAS. UCAT 2270 (87%ile?) is unlikely enough for the other schools.

Thank you for the insight! My VR was 770 - what does that mean in terms of 'weighting'? + I read on the med school selection criteria you posted that interview invites are 100% ucat - is that total score or VR... or does high VR lower the total score cut-off?

With the same UCAT Total score, a higher VR score makes the WSU-weighted average higher.
For your 2300 I estimated if VR was 760 to give 764 weighted you should get GWS interview.
Having 770 VR = 768 weighted is even better.

 

[A1]

Hi A1, I am a non rural student from SA have a UCAT of 2410 (790 VR), with predicted atar of 99.25- 99.75 with no adjustment factors. My ideal schools would be UNSW or WSU. Monash would also be great, but now I am quite unsure of the requirements for interstate. I have applied for all applicable unis (although I dont think USYD is realisticly possible). I think I might be borderline for a JMP interview, being at the bottom end of 96 percentile.

Yes you're kinda borderline for JMP.
If you get ATAR 99.50+ UNSW is a strong possibility.

I can't rule out WSU but unfortunately your 2410/790VR is unlikely for interstate applicants (last year needed 820 weighted).

Hi, I was just wondering if its possible for me to get interviews at any unis. I am Rural MM2, predicted ATAR 97 and my VR:640 DM:820 QR:780 total: 2240 (85th percentile). I have applied everywhere for dent and med. Thanks

Rural with 97.0 / 85%ile will get you several med interviews. Sorry I don't know about dent.

 

[legendofzelda]

Yes you're kinda borderline for JMP.
If you get ATAR 99.50+ UNSW is a strong possibility.

I can't rule out WSU but unfortunately your 2410/790VR is unlikely for interstate applicants (last year needed 820 weighted).



Rural with 97.0 / 85%ile will get you several med interviews. Sorry I don't know about dent.

sorry to butt in but many have said last year's cutoff for jmp was 97th percentile, and with competition increasing, it's unlikely to drop.

someone also said they emailed and 97th was confirmed to be the cutoff for this year.
yeah like A1 says idk how the cutoff would already be confirmed ages before invites come out so its just word of mouth

__________
A1 adds: I'm not sure that anyone at JMP would know already to confirm 97th to be the cutoff *this year*.
At best they can say same amount of interview spots vs same amount of applicants expected thus similar cutoff.

 

[medder123]

Yes you're kinda borderline for JMP.
If you get ATAR 99.50+ UNSW is a strong possibility.

I can't rule out WSU but unfortunately your 2410/790VR is unlikely for interstate applicants (last year needed 820 weighted).

Hey A1, what are your thoughts on 750 vr and 2320 total for wsu gws interview.

Last year i got 747 with wsu formula and missedout.

This is my third time applying and the nerves are killing me. Please be brutally honest.

___________
A1 replies: 2320 / 750VR = 764 weighted average, can be yes GWS interview can be borderline. I pray for you, stay optimistic.

 

[Atreides11]

Hey A1, just want your thoughts about applying as a non-gws NSW applicant with 2460 UCAT: 720 VR, 840 DM, 900 QR. Applying for UNSW, WSU, Newcastle. Another question is that is there any confirmation on how WSU is going to be ranking/ what formula they will be using. Would it be better to look at cutoffs by taking the average last year multiplying by 6 then -900 for AR and dividing by 5?

 

[burningbelcher]

I remember seeing a UNSW interview invite to a 88%ile last year, but very likely that applicant had EAS or Gateway.

Does Eas help ucat score? pretty sure its just atar right...

 

[legendofzelda]

Does Eas help ucat score? pretty sure its just atar right...

yes just atar not ucat

 

[Apue]

Hey, question about non-standard entry - am doing a harder degree at UNSW meaning I have a lower WAM (around 72) which gives me around a 5.1 GPA (or 5.9 if I use the GEMSAS calculator? Not sure how that works). Was wondering the logistics of whether I should bother resitting the UCAT next year or applying for postgrad given that GPA. Entry requirements for different unis are unclear.

While your GPA is not strong, I think you can apply 2 med schools in NSW. Usyd and UoW.
Try to see if you can improve the S1 and S2 as some of applicants have improved the S2 dramatically so they got offers from USYD.
Usyd has a strange rule that minimum 2 years of credits must have been granted at the awarding institution.
Also UoW has various list of bonus points such as extra point if you choose UoW as 1st preference. If you had experience of community service, then another bonus point. The gamsat and GPA are just hurdle for offering an interview.
Uni of Macquarie is also considered as an easy one to get in, but the tuition fee is 75k.
Good luck.

 

[Med ANZ]

More university places​

https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/more-university-places-for-future-australian-doctors

 

[A1]

Hey A1, just want your thoughts about applying as a non-gws NSW applicant with 2460 UCAT: 720 VR, 840 DM, 900 QR. Applying for UNSW, WSU, Newcastle. Another question is that is there any confirmation on how WSU is going to be ranking/ what formula they will be using. Would it be better to look at cutoffs by taking the average last year multiplying by 6 then -900 for AR and dividing by 5?

We did hear from WSU the weighting formula WAS (3xVR + DM+QR+AR)/6.
Two ways to interpret this formula
1. VR counts 3 times the other individual sections, so => New formula (3xVR + DM+QR)/5, or
2. VR counts equal the other sections combined => New formula (2xVR + DM+QR)/4.
Your weighted is 780 or 794 respectively, good chance for WSU interview if it is the latter.

I don't think your suggestion would work well coz we can't assume all last year's interview getters got 900AR to deduct from the cutoff.

Does Eas help ucat score? pretty sure its just atar right...

EAS doesn't help UCAT score but can help being selected if UNSW has a sub-quota of interview spots for EAS.
i.e. by the time the regular spots are filled there are still spots for EAS, thus to lower UCAT scores.

More university places

http://www.facebook.com/share/p/179hi3ph7L/

On the webpage
"To secure (these new) places, universities will need to demonstrate that they will train more GPs with more rotations in primary care."

I'm curious - Med schools DON'T train GPs, how will they demonstrate they will train more??

 

[RainRainGoAway]

We did hear from WSU the weighting formula WAS (3xVR + DM+QR+AR)/6.
Two ways to interpret this formula
1. VR counts 3 times the other individual sections, so => New formula (3xVR + DM+QR)/5, or
2. VR counts equal the other sections combined => New formula (2xVR + DM+QR)/4.
Your weighted is 780 or 794 respectively, good chance for WSU interview if it is the latter.

I don't think your suggestion would work well coz we can't assume all last year's interview getters got 900AR to deduct from the cutoff.



EAS doesn't help UCAT score but can help being selected if UNSW has a sub-quota of interview spots for EAS.
i.e. by the time the regular spots are filled there are still spots for EAS, thus to lower UCAT scores.




On the webpage
"To secure (these new) places, universities will need to demonstrate that they will train more GPs with more rotations in primary care."

I'm curious - Med schools DON'T train GPs, how will they demonstrate they will train more??

I’ve heard UNSW is adding gp placements to fourth year

 

[A1]

I’ve heard UNSW is adding gp placements to fourth year

UWA meds have been doing two GP placement rotations. I don't think that has made them more inclined to becoming GP. If anything it could do the opposite

 

[city-inn]

My daughter’s UCAT at 97% seems borderline for UQ interstate. With so many university on QTAC , do you think it’s risky to not put UQ? Her predicted ATAR is 99.85-99.9 and non rural VIC.

Similarly for WSU, using A1 predicted weighting formula, her weighted score is 820 based on 1st formula (2xVR+DM+QR/4) or 806 for 2nd formula using 3xVR. Should we still put WSU on UAC?

 

[legendofzelda]

My daughter’s UCAT at 97% seems borderline for UQ interstate. With so many university on QTAC , do you think it’s risky to not put UQ? Her predicted ATAR is 99.85-99.9 and non rural VIC.

Similarly for WSU, using A1 predicted weighting formula, her weighted score is 820 based on 1st formula (2xVR+DM+QR/4) or 806 for 2nd formula using 3xVR. Should we still put WSU on UAC?

im pretty sure yesterday was the last day to put wsu on uac if you havent already

 

[city-inn]

im pretty sure yesterday was the last day to put wsu on uac if you havent already

Oh man! How careless to assume all UAC is due on same day. We self eliminate

 

[A1]

My daughter’s UCAT at 97% seems borderline for UQ interstate. With so many university on QTAC , do you think it’s risky to not put UQ? Her predicted ATAR is 99.85-99.9 and non rural VIC.

Similarly for WSU, using A1 predicted weighting formula, her weighted score is 820 based on 1st formula (2xVR+DM+QR/4) or 806 for 2nd formula using 3xVR. Should we still put WSU on UAC?

I believe Griffith/USC can be entered into QTAC prefs up till mid-late December (please double check their websites). If so leave them out for now and use the 6 pref slots for a combination of JCU, UQ, CQU, USQ.

In mid-Dec remove the ones with no interview to insert Griffith Nathan/GC & USC.

If she gets so many interviews you don't know which ones to remove to make room for GU/USC, then you need a dartboard

I don't see why not to include WSU, unless you've missed the deadline.

 

[GABAdyfunction]

hi, i got a 2390 as a non-rural Vic student, with an 850 VR. Do I have a reasonable chance for first round interviews for monash or anywhere. thankyou

 

[Med ANZ]

hi, i got a 2390 as a non-rural Vic student, with an 850 VR. Do I have a reasonable chance for first round interviews for monash or anywhere. thankyou

I feel the cutoff might be 2380

 

[KPR]

Hi guys js wondering how UNSW weighs ur UCAT - do they care abt the score or the percentile? Like I got a 92%ile which was 2350 but 94%ile was a 2370 so is that a big difference in their books?

Also, js wondering what ATAR I need to be considered for UNSW. Do i need a 99.9 or like a 99.8+? It's doable but js wondering on my chances since every like 92%ile I've heard of is like 99.95.