For revision guides and content for 2018 and onwards go to the new site: www.SmashingScience.org
This site is no longer being updated.
Smashing!!!-brand university guidance and advice
The main government websites for UK careers guidance, university comparison and university course information are below. Also extremely useful is the individual universities Wikipedia page, which will also include ranking information.
This site is no longer being updated.
Smashing!!!-brand university guidance and advice
The main government websites for UK careers guidance, university comparison and university course information are below. Also extremely useful is the individual universities Wikipedia page, which will also include ranking information.
Smashing !!! Career advice
For really general advice, you could go to a countries government run careers service: Click here for a list of the best companies to work for operating in the US. What kinds of qualifications do they look for in their recruits? At the bottom of this page is a selection of other multinational companies that employ people from a wide range of backgrounds.
University rankings
Times Higher Education - Maybe the most famous of the lists, and, to my knowldge the most reputable.
Centre for World University Rankings - Started in Saudi Arabia (what does that mean?).
Rankings based on presence on the world wide web - Fascinating way to rank universities
Stuff you could look into for general graduate careers:
https://www.theguardian.com/careers/stand-out-careers-group-london-graduate-recruitment-fair
(Generally, what some people do is get a degree then find a job that fits their qualification. With just a little planning before though, you can make sure your degree fits the options you are interested
Here's a list of employers that hire graduates or a variety of disciplines:
For really general advice, you could go to a countries government run careers service: Click here for a list of the best companies to work for operating in the US. What kinds of qualifications do they look for in their recruits? At the bottom of this page is a selection of other multinational companies that employ people from a wide range of backgrounds.
University rankings
Times Higher Education - Maybe the most famous of the lists, and, to my knowldge the most reputable.
Centre for World University Rankings - Started in Saudi Arabia (what does that mean?).
Rankings based on presence on the world wide web - Fascinating way to rank universities
Stuff you could look into for general graduate careers:
https://www.theguardian.com/careers/stand-out-careers-group-london-graduate-recruitment-fair
(Generally, what some people do is get a degree then find a job that fits their qualification. With just a little planning before though, you can make sure your degree fits the options you are interested
Here's a list of employers that hire graduates or a variety of disciplines:
OneNote University Notes from Universities who have visited TBS click here (you will need a Microsoft account, as easy to create as a Google account and as useful) |

Mr Paddy's Uni Notes (static, so doesn't update like my OneNote notes).pdf | |
File Size: | 462 kb |
File Type: |
For a range of university resources including Oxbridge interview questions click here
Useful articles and websites about the application process
- For a student-based ranking of US universities click here (Parchment Student Choice)
- For a recent overview article from the Economist useful for a newcomer to the adventure click here
- Information about the Russel Group (a group of about 20 of the UK's best universities)
- Informed Choices, information about which subjects at A Level (or IB level) are considered best for certain careers, like medicine and certain universities
Choosing the right degree, university and career

1. Planning for your Future.docx | |
File Size: | 20 kb |
File Type: | docx |

2 Choosing the right University Course.docx | |
File Size: | 384 kb |
File Type: | docx |

3 Career Profile for Choosing the Right Uni.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |
General help on university interview technique

Applying for medical school in the UK
Acceptance rates in the UK (including proportion of EU and non-EU acceptances and applications) click here
There are 2 main tests for UK medicine courses, the UKCAT which most use and the BMAT which some of the older universities use. For the US system I'm not sure, but I have heard that it is hyper competative for foreign students to access (possibly impossible, in fact).
UKCAT
UK Clinical Aptitude Test brief overview: "The UKCAT does not contain any curriculum or science content. It focuses on exploring the cognitive powers of candidates and other attributes considered to be valuable for health care professionals. It is delivered on computer[s] worldwide." From their website, click here to access it.
For advice on multiple choice questions in general, though they are a for-profit enterprise, so their end goals might not be aligned with yours
BMAT
BoMedical Aptitude Test brief overview: This is a test for Oxbridge, Imperial and UCL and a few others (less than about 10 in total). The test is divided into 3 parts: 1. Aptitude and skills, 2. Scientific knowledge, 3. Writing task. It looks a bit like psychometric testing, also a bit like the US SAT in parts. Like all tests though there are patterns in the thinking behind it, so an ocean of revision can overcome it.
When? Registration for a test for admission the following year (i.e. in your final year of A-levels/IB) starts in September, the test is around the 4th of November
All of the following were taken from the BMAT website in April 2015, for the most recent versions of all click here for their homepage
For universities requiring it click here
For a zipped version of all the BMAT tests click here (though a more up to date version is on their surprisingly easy to navigate site, given above)
Acceptance rates in the UK (including proportion of EU and non-EU acceptances and applications) click here
There are 2 main tests for UK medicine courses, the UKCAT which most use and the BMAT which some of the older universities use. For the US system I'm not sure, but I have heard that it is hyper competative for foreign students to access (possibly impossible, in fact).
UKCAT
UK Clinical Aptitude Test brief overview: "The UKCAT does not contain any curriculum or science content. It focuses on exploring the cognitive powers of candidates and other attributes considered to be valuable for health care professionals. It is delivered on computer[s] worldwide." From their website, click here to access it.
For advice on multiple choice questions in general, though they are a for-profit enterprise, so their end goals might not be aligned with yours
BMAT
BoMedical Aptitude Test brief overview: This is a test for Oxbridge, Imperial and UCL and a few others (less than about 10 in total). The test is divided into 3 parts: 1. Aptitude and skills, 2. Scientific knowledge, 3. Writing task. It looks a bit like psychometric testing, also a bit like the US SAT in parts. Like all tests though there are patterns in the thinking behind it, so an ocean of revision can overcome it.
When? Registration for a test for admission the following year (i.e. in your final year of A-levels/IB) starts in September, the test is around the 4th of November
All of the following were taken from the BMAT website in April 2015, for the most recent versions of all click here for their homepage
For universities requiring it click here
For a zipped version of all the BMAT tests click here (though a more up to date version is on their surprisingly easy to navigate site, given above)
For more information on jobs that exist (update in 2017)
http://www.londongradfair.co.uk/what-happened/exhibitor-list-october-2016/
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/jobsearch
https://home.kpmg.com/xx/en/home/careers/graduates.html
http://vagas.michelin.com.br/eng
http://www.shell.com/careers.html
https://www.careers.brookfieldmultiplex.com/jobtools/JnCustomLogin.Login?in_organid=16948 (need to sign up, but interesting breadth)
Finally this list, of the 100 best graduate employers might also be helpful:
http://www.milkround.com/staticpages/12680/the-times-top-100-graduate-employers/
http://www.londongradfair.co.uk/what-happened/exhibitor-list-october-2016/
https://www.accenture.com/us-en/careers/jobsearch
https://home.kpmg.com/xx/en/home/careers/graduates.html
http://vagas.michelin.com.br/eng
http://www.shell.com/careers.html
https://www.careers.brookfieldmultiplex.com/jobtools/JnCustomLogin.Login?in_organid=16948 (need to sign up, but interesting breadth)
Finally this list, of the 100 best graduate employers might also be helpful:
http://www.milkround.com/staticpages/12680/the-times-top-100-graduate-employers/