UNSW UNSW Medicine: General Entry Questions and Discussion

[A1]

Can NSW students (i.e local students) still be called in for an interview in 2nd round interview or is this strictly limited to 1st round?

Not if your ATAR is released as scheduled on 18-December.
The 2nd interview round is for interstate + any local who didn't have their ATAR/GPA available by 18-Dec.

Additionally, if a student does receive a 1st round interview offer but does not receive a course offer in the 1st round, are they still considered for the 2nd round offers

Yes they are. All missing-out local interviewees go into the pool for 2nd round offers.
If the interstate interviewees don't perform well enough the missing-out locals can outrank them for a 2nd round offer.

 

[RainRainGoAway]

Hi Everyone! I was wondering whether anyone could give me insight into what a top percentile interview looks like? I know that this is SUPER subjective but I have literally no idea where to start or how to judge my own answers.

Also, does anyone know if UNSW asks you questions about taking a gap year in your interview? I noticed on the MAP, they ask for this info.

Thanks! (This is all assuming I get an interview hahahahah)

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Hi Everyone! I was wondering whether anyone could give me insight into what a top percentile interview looks like? I know that this is SUPER subjective but I have literally no idea where to start or how to judge my own answers.

Also, does anyone know if UNSW asks you questions about taking a gap year in your interview? I noticed on the MAP, they ask for this info.

Thanks! (This is all assuming I get an interview hahahahah)

No one will be able to do that unless they have a UNSW-specific marking sheet in front of them. But just the notion of that scenario gives us an important clue.

There will be a marking sheet. My key advice before everything else is always to make sure you’re actually answering the question they asked. If you don’t (and you’d be surprised how often people go off on tangents because they’re anxious or try to mould some pre-prepared response into the answer) you literally can’t score points, no matter how eloquent you might be.

There will also likely be a global score of some kind for general presentation, so keep that in mind. Be clear, give eye contact in an appropriate manner, smile appropriately etc.

 

[yeyeyeyeu]

Hey

I was wondering what my chances are for a UNSW Med offer (CSP or BMP) with a 3110 UCAT (92% percentile) and a projected atar of around 99 - 99.4. I should have two EAS considerations (family hardships + low socioeconomic), with the latter enabling me to go to the Gateway Entry Scheme.

I am a bit scared with applying for the Gateway Entry Scheme since there are only 10 spots avaliable and UNSW messaged me that EAS adjustment factors do not apply under that scheme. And I honestly can't tell if this is survivorship bias but a lot of my friends with insane UCATs and projected ATARs are eligible for that scheme - so I was honestly thinking I would have more of a chance if I applied for the normal stream (with an atar that is boosted up to a 99.95 academic rank).

Thanks guys

 

[A1]

Hey

I was wondering what my chances are for a UNSW Med offer (CSP or BMP) with a 3110 UCAT (92% percentile) and a projected atar of around 99 - 99.4. I should have two EAS considerations (family hardships + low socioeconomic), with the latter enabling me to go to the Gateway Entry Scheme.

I am a bit scared with applying for the Gateway Entry Scheme since there are only 10 spots avaliable and UNSW messaged me that EAS adjustment factors do not apply under that scheme. And I honestly can't tell if this is survivorship bias but a lot of my friends with insane UCATs and projected ATARs are eligible for that scheme - so I was honestly thinking I would have more of a chance if I applied for the normal stream (with an atar that is boosted up to a 99.95 academic rank).

Thanks guys

Sorry it is very difficult to rate your chances when EAS is involved, since we don't know how EAS and Gateway work in terms of your final ranking for place offers.

 

[ghostfighter566]

Does UNSW look at scores or %iles?

E.g) I know last year they offered interviews for students who got a 3080 (93%ile last yr), however this year it would be a 91%ile. If both cases were coupled with a 99.95 Selection Rank, would you still receive an interview offer even though the score is the same though the %ile is lower?
Scores this year are crazy, pray for me kiddos ;-;

 

[DrDrLMG!]

Does UNSW look at scores or %iles?

E.g) I know last year they offered interviews for students who got a 3080 (93%ile last yr), however this year it would be a 91%ile. If both cases were coupled with a 99.95 Selection Rank, would you still receive an interview offer even though the score is the same though the %ile is lower?
Scores this year are crazy, pray for me kiddos ;-;

All unis use scores, not percentiles. Results from the previous year are indicative only, changes are very common (typically in an upwards direction). The scores required are not predetermined, they’re the result of the scores of those people who apply and the amount of interview invite spots the uni has available.

We use last year’s data here at MSO as a guide as it’s the best info we have, but it certainly isn’t a guarantee. In fact, we often advise people they’ll need a score slightly higher than the lowest score from the year before to be competitive for specific unis.

 

[yeyeyeyeu]

Sorry it is very difficult to rate your chances when EAS is involved, since we don't know how EAS and Gateway work in terms of your final ranking for place offers.

Hi! That's alright, thank you for your reply!

Also for the UNSW Gateway program - I was wondering whether I should "risk" and apply for Gateway. I contacted UNSW and they stated that EAS adjustment factors do not apply through that pathway - only in the normal stream.

My concern is that I'm pretty sure they updated the criteria for Gateway so that it is now either low socio-economic index area or in a disadvantaged school while in previous years it was both. This means there's likely a higher pool of applicants with highly competitive ATAR and UCAT scores and the 10 student cut-off seems a bit harsher now, especially because you cannot re-apply as a local applicant if you don't make it through Gateway.

Hence, I don't know whether I should go into the normal stream with a selection rank of 99.95 and a quite low 92 percentile UCAT or go into Gateway with a low 99 selection rank and a 92 percentile ucat (but thereotically, 'higher' chance of receiving an offer).

 

[A1]

Hi! That's alright, thank you for your reply!

Also for the UNSW Gateway program - I was wondering whether I should "risk" and apply for Gateway. I contacted UNSW and they stated that EAS adjustment factors do not apply through that pathway - only in the normal stream.

My concern is that I'm pretty sure they updated the criteria for Gateway so that it is now either low socio-economic index area or in a disadvantaged school while in previous years it was both. This means there's likely a higher pool of applicants with highly competitive ATAR and UCAT scores and the 10 student cut-off seems a bit harsher now, especially because you cannot re-apply as a local applicant if you don't make it through Gateway.

Hence, I don't know whether I should go into the normal stream with a selection rank of 99.95 and a quite low 92 percentile UCAT or go into Gateway with a low 99 selection rank and a 92 percentile ucat (but thereotically, 'higher' chance of receiving an offer).

If you apply with EAS for the main stream you'd have top ATAR + 92%ile.
Otoh since Gateway does not add in EAS adjustments your low 99 would still be a near top in the stream.

Please note the following is my speculation only (I'm an unaccredited expert at that haha), you make your decision at your own risk.
My theory is despite its only 10 places, Gateway's final-ranking cutoff should be quite lower than the main stream's (otherwise what benefits does Gateway give?). So you should be more competitive in the Gateway stream.

 

[greengrass]

Just to confirm, the rural scheme applicants who are accepted to UNSW Medicine have to do their studies at either Wagga or Port Macquarie and the very few who go to Kensington are only there for a year or two? Also, would a 98th or 99th %ile UCAT (high 3200-mid 3300) compensate for an ATAR on the lower end (97-98) for those in the standard (non-rural) scheme?

 

[A1]

Just to confirm, the rural scheme applicants who are accepted to UNSW Medicine have to do their studies at either Wagga or Port Macquarie and the very few who go to Kensington are only there for a year or two?

Iirc that sounds about right, but other members please comment if you know more.

Also, would a 98th or 99th %ile UCAT (high 3200-mid 3300) compensate for an ATAR on the lower end (97-98) for those in the standard (non-rural) scheme?

Any non-rural non-EAS with less than ATAR 99.5 didn't get an interview the last two years, regardless of their UCAT.

I saw a 99.5 / 95%ile got an invite but a 99.4 / 99%ile didn't. Just because UNSW's selection method includes an ATAR hard cutoff (this cutoff mark is not preset but determined by the ATARs of the applicant pool each year).

 

[movpin]

Just to confirm, the rural scheme applicants who are accepted to UNSW Medicine have to do their studies at either Wagga or Port Macquarie and the very few who go to Kensington are only there for a year or two? Also, would a 98th or 99th %ile UCAT (high 3200-mid 3300) compensate for an ATAR on the lower end (97-98) for those in the standard (non-rural) scheme?

Starting from this year's entry, all rural students do their entire degree rurally, and there's only metro students offered at Kensington.

 

[greengrass]

Iirc that sounds about right, but other members please comment if you know more.


Any non-rural non-EAS with less than ATAR 99.5 didn't get an interview the last two years, regardless of their UCAT.

I saw a 99.5 / 95%ile got an invite but a 99.4 / 99%ile didn't. Just because UNSW's selection method includes an ATAR hard cutoff (this cutoff mark is not preset but determined by the ATARs of the applicant pool each year).

Starting from this year's entry, all rural students do their entire degree rurally, and there's only metro students offered at Kensington.

Oh, I see. So the metro applicant pool is very competitive in both ATAR and UCAT and now rural students don't have an option to go to Kensington. Strange how I was still able to indicate Kensington as a campus preference on my rural UNSW MAP application. Thank you both.

 

[Kitsune1067]

Just building on from that hard ATAR cutoff, would that also be the case for UCAT score. Is there a hard UCAT score cutoff, for non-rural students at least? Or would above a 90%ile be the roundabout cutoff, if coupled w a .95 selection rank that is

 

[A1]

Just building on from that hard ATAR cutoff, would that also be the case for UCAT score. Is there a hard UCAT score cutoff, for non-rural students at least? Or would above a 90%ile be the roundabout cutoff, if coupled w a .95 selection rank that is

We can only derive from the data posted on MSO, as follows.

2024 intake interviews
99.65 99%ile
99.60 96%ile
99.50 96%ile
99.55 95%ile
99.50+EAS 92%ile
versus
two 99.40s 99%ile not invited.

It looks like the 99.50 got EAS boosted to 99.95 and got an interview with 92%ile
whereas the others needed 95+%ile.

It's not conclusive since there could be 99.50 92%ile who didn't post on MSO, but on surface although the UCAT cutoff was 92%ile you'd need near-top ATAR to balance up.

 

[mayflower]

Hi A1 I was wondering how well I would have to do in an interview with a ~99.90 ATAR and a 3500 UCAT to receive an offer? Also does anyone have any advice about talking in interviews?? Interviews literally terrify me...

 

[ghostfighter566]

We can only derive from the data posted on MSO, as follows.

2024 intake interviews
99.65 99%ile
99.60 96%ile
99.50 96%ile
99.55 95%ile
99.50+EAS 92%ile
versus
two 99.40s 99%ile not invited.

It looks like the 99.50 got EAS boosted to 99.95 and got an interview with 92%ile
whereas the others needed 95+%ile.

It's not conclusive since there could be 99.50 92%ile who didn't post on MSO, but on surface although the UCAT cutoff was 92%ile you'd need near-top ATAR to balance up.

Thanks A1
Sheeeeesh. Lets hope my 91%ile and .95 is enough
Pray for me kiddos

 

[ucatboy]

Hi A1 I was wondering how well I would have to do in an interview with a ~99.90 ATAR and a 3500 UCAT to receive an offer? Also does anyone have any advice about talking in interviews?? Interviews literally terrify me...

If you're referring to UNSW I reckon a bottom third interview will get you in. Put it this way, you can afford to have the poorest interview in the commencing 2025 cohort.

With that UCAT score if you can bump your ATAR up to a 99.95 you're almost guaranteed to receive 10k a year through the Scientia Scholarship

 

[A1]

Hi A1 I was wondering how well I would have to do in an interview with a ~99.90 ATAR and a 3500 UCAT to receive an offer? Also does anyone have any advice about talking in interviews?? Interviews literally terrify me...

Adding to ucatboy 's reply.
Using Monash for example - Monash is straightforward 1/3 1/3 1/3 weightings, you have practically two tops of the three components ATAR UCAT MMI, mathematically *they alone* are sufficient to put you at the top third borderline for a place offer (provided you don't terribly tank the MMI).

UNSW is more tricky. They say they'll look at all three components (ie. not just the interview) to determine offers, but also say scores are not averaged ie. your two tops won't compensate for a poor interview. I'd say your interview needs to be better than the bottom quartile = around 75% chances.

See the Interviews sub-forum for advice & tips, in particular this one. Good luck
> MSO Interview Portal!

 

[Deboza]

Adding to ucatboy 's reply.
Using Monash for example - Monash is straightforward 1/3 1/3 1/3 weightings, you have practically two tops of the three components ATAR UCAT MMI, mathematically *they alone* are sufficient to put you at the top third borderline for a place offer (provided you don't terribly tank the MMI).

UNSW is more tricky. They say they'll look at all three components (ie. not just the interview) to determine offers, but also say scores are not averaged ie. your two tops won't compensate for a poor interview. I'd say your interview needs to be better than the bottom quartile = around 75% chances.

See the Interviews sub-forum for advice & tips, in particular this one. Good luck
> MSO Interview Portal!

I read a few years back an article published by some of the medicine academics about their entry criteria and how they have moved to a non-compensatory method of selecting applicants. Let me see if I can find said article.

edit: here it is - Selecting top candidates for medical school selection interviews- a non-compensatory approach