Medidal School

[sprintdominator]

Is Math HL an unwritten rule for applying to medical schools in NUS? Or perhaps, other universities in the world?

Please enlighten me.

[Sandwich]

I can't say anything about NUS (Singapore, right?) but it's not a prerequisite in the United Kingdom. Actually, there is no Maths prerequisite in the UK, you don't even have to take it at all (...then regrettably the IB has it as a prerequisite xP). Most people do SL or HL, but you can even get into Medical School with Maths Studies

[Abu]

I don't know why NUS would have a Maths HL requirement for Medicine. That said, be prepared to apply with a prediction of 40+ to have a remote chance of getting accepted into NUS.

Sandwich, yeah National University of Singapore.

[Dr. Polaris]

I can't say anything about NUS (Singapore, right?) but it's not a prerequisite in the United Kingdom. Actually, there is no Maths prerequisite in the UK, you don't even have to take it at all (...then regrettably the IB has it as a prerequisite xP). Most people do SL or HL, but you can even get into Medical School with Maths Studies

then should I take math studies and get a higher overall grade? I'm planning on doing vet science, but aiming high, for Cambridge

[Dzeb]

Take Maths SL, especially if you are aiming for Cambridge. There are universities that will not accept you with math studies. Maths SL is really manageable, so there's no point to go below.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Dzeb

[Bishup]

then should I take math studies and get a higher overall grade? I'm planning on doing vet science, but aiming high, for Cambridge

Aim high but never assume you'll get in, it is definetely possible but I've heard of people who got rejected with 42+. Medicine is very hard to get into, it depends on your BMAT, IB score, PS and most importantly you as a person. Why do you want to go to England anyway, do you want to practice in England?

You need to think along the lines, it is not so much the university but the course. Most people only ever get accepted to one of their choices. Sorry for scaring but you need to know.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Bishup

[Dr. Polaris]

Not sure why I'd like to go to England. Like the environment I guess. I'm perfectly fine with Cornell, Uni of Sydney, Melbourne, Pennsylvania, etc. AS long as the Vet course is good

I'll work hard this year and the summers, so I won't be too behind in september 2010 when I start IB..

arg, so nervous

[Scade]

It is good to have goals and aim high, but since you are only starting the IB now have your mind open for all kinds of stuff. Be aware that if Cambridge is your goal you do have to be on top of things and preferably get top grades from the start. The thing is that you really need to be good at your subjects mostly if not all 7s in your HLs, and overall mark 40+. That's what almost everyone applying to Cambridge will have, and will be asked to achieve in their offers (Cambridge offers are normally from 39 to 42, mostly 40+, while Oxford seems to have as their policy of making offers ranging from 38 to 40).

[sprintdominator]

then should I take math studies and get a higher overall grade? I'm planning on doing vet science, but aiming high, for Cambridge

Aim high but never assume you'll get in, it is definetely possible but I've heard of people who got rejected with 42+. Medicine is very hard to get into, it depends on your BMAT, IB score, PS and most importantly you as a person. Why do you want to go to England anyway, do you want to practice in England?

You need to think along the lines, it is not so much the university but the course. Most people only ever get accepted to one of their choices. Sorry for scaring but you need to know.

Are you coping well with your combination. Accoridng to my seniors, biology and chemistry internal assesments are sufficinet to kill you. Is history sl manageble? Thanks

[Sandwich]

I can't say anything about NUS (Singapore, right?) but it's not a prerequisite in the United Kingdom. Actually, there is no Maths prerequisite in the UK, you don't even have to take it at all (...then regrettably the IB has it as a prerequisite xP). Most people do SL or HL, but you can even get into Medical School with Maths Studies

then should I take math studies and get a higher overall grade? I'm planning on doing vet science, but aiming high, for Cambridge

Veterinary Science is different to Medicine so I can't really answer that. Only that if you're applying to Cambridge remember you're not just applying to a name but to a type of teaching and course. Cambridge may get the best results on paper, but it's not always the place that suits you. They tend to teach a lot of core basic science and so Maths Studies isn't going to stand you in good stead, and they might wonder why you'd apply to do a science course at a University with a strong emphasis on science when you've chosen to do a very basic Maths qualification. You're going to need Maths, after all A lot of people do pick Unis just on name and reputation without thinking about courses, but very often it's extremely important both for you AND the University that they match applicants well to their teaching styles and way of going about things. Definitely in Medicine there's a big divide between core-science based courses and other problem-based courses, and you should certainly use it to filter your Uni choices. Again, I don't know enough about Veterinary Science to comment.

My friends who're vets seem to have a much greater emphasis on the sciences and less on the humanities, largely because there's less of a 'need' to be well-rounded and a 'people person' etc. if you're going to be a vet. The IB is supposedly a broad education which leaves you well-rounded, important for Medicine but not necessarily for everything. To my knowledge, and I'm by no means guaranteeing that this is accurate, they prefer you to have done all science subjects plus Maths. I don't know anybody who wanted to become a vet in the UK system who did the IB, so this is solely telling you what they (apparently) want from A Levels, according to my friends who researched it.

[Jason08]

In Canada, math studies in not acceptable if you want to do medicine, which sucks for some people. However it is important but not in NUS, just aim for a high IB score