If you reside in UK, I bet you already know what is this complicated state of mind thinking about which uni to choose. Well, I am from Malaysia that want to study in UK or any uni abroad. I know studying oversea is overrated but who cares?
Bcs not many Malaysian familiar wth is UCAS. I will explain a bit. It is a platform for you to apply universities in only UK for under or postgraduate. You cannot simply apply to each uni that you want by your own using letters or whatever. Yeah yeah ofc some uni accept the method but if I am not mistaken, it is only applicable for uni that has low ranking. If you want the details, pls contact your placement officer.
Ok. So I applied. There are only 5 options which means only 5 uni that I can choose to pursue my studies. I decided to choose:
1. University College London (Geology) (accepted) 2. Cardiff University (Psychology) (accepted) 3. Queen Mary University of London (Medicine) (rejected) 4. Queen University of Belfast (Medicine) (rejected) 5. University of Dundee (Medicine) (rejected)
Let me tell you the journey. Dundee is excellent when handling the placement thingy like this. It is the first to offer me interview. BUT, I need to pay 200£. I dont know whether is this a bunch of money for British or not but in Malaysia, after converted it will be more than RM1000. I am not that rich lol. I rather use the money to buy airpods pro that aid my study. So I declined the offer.
Then, here come Cardiff declined my application. If I remember it clearly, the reason why is because my UCAT score is not that good. I mean it is good and above average but Cardiff want more than that. Ok. But the best thing is, the officer ask me if I interested in other courses which I really appreciate it. I ask them to change my application details from Medicine to Pyschology. Cardiff is famous for their world class education in Psychology which is why I have a lot of seniors there. So the next morning, I got the offer letter yeay.
Next is Queen's Belfast. I heard good things about this uni and yes it is my first choice hehe. They offer me an interview that was held at Shang-ri La Hotel at 5pm.
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Unfortunately, I dont really excited about this and I am also too busy with my assignments. This silly me took things for granted and study for the IV at a very very last minute. Yup I failed the interview. I already expect this bcs when I talking in the room giving out my opinion on medical issues, the interviewer is sleeping hahahhaa. That is the worst IV ever.
Next is Queen Mary. The medical school in Queen Mary is called Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. People rather to call it Barts. So Barts offer me an interview. I prepare for it carefully and thoroughly but still lack of some things that I dont really have any initiatives to improve it. I dont know why hmm. The IV is good I think but there are 2 questions that I fucked up. As you expect, yes I failed it.
And lastly, University College London (UCL). Ok this uni is funny. When applying UCAS, we need to sent a personal statement (an essay to promote ourselves why uni should choose us). Yes ONLY ONE. Ofc I wrote the personal statement saying about my interest in medicine. So I really thought that UCL will decline my offer, bcs I applied for Geology, but they are so nice. They give me a chance to write a new essay. Ofc I took things for granted again. I dont know it is such a habit. I didnt do it and waiting for UCL to reject me. I supposed to send the essay in December 2019. In February 2020, they emailed me and ask me to send it immediately within 10 days. Still I didnt do it haha. So in April they emailed me again to sent it and this is my last chance. Since my country got MCO (movement control order) at that time bcs of covid, and I have a lot of leisure time, I did it out of bored hahaha. The day after, I got the offer letter yeay.
So now, what has been stuck in my mind is which uni I should make as my firm decision. For your information, I also got the offer for medicine at Royal College of Surgeon Ireland (RCSI). The thing is I feel so weird to reject UCL offer just bcs the course offered is not medicine. Yeah UCL is top 10 in the world based on World QS Ranking. Meanwhile RCSI placed a few hundreds below UCL. But I have a feeling that I eventually will go to RCSI. For the sake of medicine.
