I just want to go over my University of Liverpool experience as a whole. I am sure I will delve into specific experiences at a later date. Here is a summary of my application to medical school.

Sixth Form:

This is a time of real confusion. Things felt like they were really not in my control. Where I was going to end up for my foreseeable future seemed to be out of my hands. A scary time but yet so crucial.

Before starting Sixth form I was at Aireville School. I got 6As and 3Bs at GCSE. At that school it was pretty good, maybe one of the best. But at my new sixth form it was poor. People would ask how many A*s you have, not what you got overall. I went from being seen as one of the most intelligent people in school, to one of the least. A slap in the face which probably did me a world of good.

At this school, when I stated I wished to apply for medicine, many staff and students approached this with apprehension. They told me to reconsider and look into more realistic options. My GCSE results simply weren’t good enough to apply to many universities already. However, hearing doubt from teachers and even friends fuelled something within me. It felt like they believed I was not capable. However, in myself I knew I was. I just had to prove it.

The first year of A-level I remember I worked so hard for my exams that on results day, I no longer cared what happened. I knew whatever happened I personally could not of done more. Unlike when I did my GCSE’s, whereby even the thought of that results day still brings a pit to my stomach. Regret, for not doing what I could have and selling myself short. I remember vowing to never have that feeling again. Sure enough, that feeling would come to haunt me again and again, but that was probably the first time in my life I had true regret with real life consequences.

I had a plan. If I got an offer for Medicine, I would drop Economics. If I did not, I would drop Biology and apply for Economics through clearing. After endless volunteering, work experience and personal statement building activities, I ended up with a few interviews. My older sister helped me greatly through this process and without her I would be hopeless. She went to Medical School in Leeds. That was our local university and she stayed at home. My parents wanted me to go to Leeds and stay at home, just like my sister.

Rejection from Leeds. It was what felt like heartbreak for the family. Everyone thought that I would do as my sister did. After that it was rejection from Manchester then later on Sheffield. I began to give up hope and began preparing for UCAS Clearing or a gap year. LATE on in year 13, I got an email as I’m walking home from school, offer from Liverpool. FUCK! I actually did it, Absolute scenes. I was so happy I think I genuinely sprinted home. I could not wait to tell my Dad.

When I didn’t get into Leeds it felt as if I had somehow messed up on what was meant to be the big plan, to follow my sisters steps. At that point it genuinely felt like the end of the world. That I had let everyone around me down (sounds so dramatic now). But in hindsight I can happily say that it was probably the best thing to ever happen to me. I love my parents but I know if I stayed at home I would have been spoilt, had everything done for me and never developed into a man. I would have never got myself into half of the things I’ve done if I lived at home. It forced me to move away from my comforts and onto a new city, Liverpool.

The small town boy made his way to the big city.