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In a sticky situation. :(

I've recently completed my AS Levels and will be moving on to A2 next year. The subjects I'm studying are;
*Religious Studies
*Spanish
*Geography
*Law

I'm desperate to get into this Spanish & Japanese BA course at Cardiff. I'm predicted AADD at the moment and you need ABB to get in - even though I'm also fluent in Welsh and have taught myself a good level of Japanese, after having emailed one of the course's 'runners' a couple of times, they've advised that I select another AS Level or two instead of the two Ds as they'd hamper my chances.

Thing is, I'm already a year older than most as last year, I started 6th form but dropped out due to personal reasons. If I take on another course, I'll be two years older than almost everybody else there and I'm afraid I won't fit in or anything. I'll be 20 when I go there whilst most will be 18. What can I do? Should I apply anyway? Should I save my breath and pick another up and just apply next year? I don't know. :frown:

Languages are my absolute passion and I've the drive to get whatever grade in whatever subject is needed to get onto this course. Another course wouldn't be an issue but it's the whole age thing that's worrying me.

Thanks in advance! :smile:
Reply 1
Drop one D subject and bring that other D subject up to a B. Good luck.
Just don't drop Spanish (obviously :P), drop one AS that you're worst at and bring up the other to a B.
Also, consider doing a JLPT to prove your level of Japanese? That may help with you application. ^^
It won't matter at uni, as everyone is a mixture of ages and all come from different places.

Like the others have posted, drop your worst AS and work ultra hard on the other to bring it up to a B.

Failing that just drop them both and pick up two AS levels if they are accepted in place of the third A2, perhaps you could do Japanese if you are that good?

Or consider the JLPT :-)
Original post by FlickerWick
I've recently completed my AS Levels and will be moving on to A2 next year. The subjects I'm studying are;
*Religious Studies
*Spanish
*Geography
*Law

I'm desperate to get into this Spanish & Japanese BA course at Cardiff. I'm predicted AADD at the moment and you need ABB to get in - even though I'm also fluent in Welsh and have taught myself a good level of Japanese, after having emailed one of the course's 'runners' a couple of times, they've advised that I select another AS Level or two instead of the two Ds as they'd hamper my chances.

Thing is, I'm already a year older than most as last year, I started 6th form but dropped out due to personal reasons. If I take on another course, I'll be two years older than almost everybody else there and I'm afraid I won't fit in or anything. I'll be 20 when I go there whilst most will be 18. What can I do? Should I apply anyway? Should I save my breath and pick another up and just apply next year? I don't know. :frown:

Languages are my absolute passion and I've the drive to get whatever grade in whatever subject is needed to get onto this course. Another course wouldn't be an issue but it's the whole age thing that's worrying me.

Thanks in advance! :smile:


...if you feel like you cannot get those "D's" into "B's", I suggest to drop both and do another A-Level in AS and A2. Personally, I did that and dropped Chemistry for Classics Civ... And it's paying off big time (prediction of D for Chem, predicted an A for Classics). That's only because I know I wouldn't get an A/B grade for it...like I would for English Lang/Lit and History.

...I've applied to SOAS and Oxford Brookes, for Japanese/Linguistics or Japanese/Computer Science.

With one more AS exam and 3 A2 exams left for me.
Reply 5
Thanks guys.

I should've put them in the OP, but here are my predicted grades;
RS - A
Spanish - A
Law - D
Geography - D

I might be able to get my Geography grade up to a B but I'm considering dropping both in favor of a fresh start. Here's another quick question - which courses should I replace them with? I've the drive and determination needed to get an A/B in both new ones so difficulty isn't an important factor. Here are a list of possible courses;

Computing, Accounting, Business Studies, Biology, Drama and Theatre Studies, Economics, English Language and Literature, English Literature, Film Studies, Geology, Government and Politics, Graphic Design, History, ICT, Media Studies, Music, Music Technology, Philosophy, Photography, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Art and Design.

I was thinking English Lit and something 'easier' like Business Studies. What would be the best choices to take in favor of the two I'm going to drop?

Thanks again, this means a lot to me. :u:
Reply 6
If you can Geography up to a B then do that. There no point dropping it for another subject if you can get it up, you'll just have to learn an entirely new subject and may struggle more.
I understand where you're are coming from. I dropped out of sixth form last year just after I finished my AS exams due to personal reasons and I've re-started so I'm a year behind... I'd say if the uni really like you, they'll make concessions for the D anyway so don't worry! :smile: I do law, and it is incredibly difficult :frown: it's the A Level holding me back too. If you're going to drop one, then drop Law. It's a lot of reading and work which could be spent on getting your Geog grade up to a B :smile: if you feel like you want to drop Geog and Law, then take up English Literature. It's an amazing course (I'm totally not bias or anything..) but it's an incredibly strong one to have. Good luck :biggrin:
Reply 8
Original post by FlickerWick
I've recently completed my AS Levels and will be moving on to A2 next year. The subjects I'm studying are;
*Religious Studies
*Spanish
*Geography
*Law

I'm desperate to get into this Spanish & Japanese BA course at Cardiff. I'm predicted AADD at the moment and you need ABB to get in - even though I'm also fluent in Welsh and have taught myself a good level of Japanese, after having emailed one of the course's 'runners' a couple of times, they've advised that I select another AS Level or two instead of the two Ds as they'd hamper my chances.

Thing is, I'm already a year older than most as last year, I started 6th form but dropped out due to personal reasons. If I take on another course, I'll be two years older than almost everybody else there and I'm afraid I won't fit in or anything. I'll be 20 when I go there whilst most will be 18. What can I do? Should I apply anyway? Should I save my breath and pick another up and just apply next year? I don't know. :frown:

Languages are my absolute passion and I've the drive to get whatever grade in whatever subject is needed to get onto this course. Another course wouldn't be an issue but it's the whole age thing that's worrying me.

Thanks in advance! :smile:


I can see what you mean. I'm going to sixth form next year and I can't decide which one; I'm scared of going to one, failing and having to move back to my own school's sixth form and being a year older.
But at the end of the day, it will only be a year or two of your life. If being out of your year group is the best things for your grades then you won't regret it once you've made it to Cardiff :smile:
Original post by FlickerWick
Thanks guys.

I should've put them in the OP, but here are my predicted grades;
RS - A
Spanish - A
Law - D
Geography - D

I might be able to get my Geography grade up to a B but I'm considering dropping both in favor of a fresh start. Here's another quick question - which courses should I replace them with? I've the drive and determination needed to get an A/B in both new ones so difficulty isn't an important factor. Here are a list of possible courses;

Computing, Accounting, Business Studies, Biology, Drama and Theatre Studies, Economics, English Language and Literature, English Literature, Film Studies, Geology, Government and Politics, Graphic Design, History, ICT, Media Studies, Music, Music Technology, Philosophy, Photography, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Art and Design.

I was thinking English Lit and something 'easier' like Business Studies. What would be the best choices to take in favor of the two I'm going to drop?

Thanks again, this means a lot to me. :u:


Drop Law, and bring Geography up to a B. Or, if there's a chance you wont get a B, take English Language as an additional AS as it's quite easy imo and I think a linguist like you would find it especially easy to get an A. The other AS you could do is Philosophy, it's very similar to RS which I see is your strength.
If you're fluent in Welsh, why don't you try and find a way to do Welsh AS/A-level?
I'm pretty sure WJEC do Welsh qualifications, since they're the Welsh board. I mean, it can only help your case, you're applying for languages and having an actual qualification in another language must help. If you're fluent you could probably do the AS and A2 in one year.

But I wouldn't worry about being older, loads of people had to take multiple years out etc.

I also suppose it depends on if Welsh is your first/second language though. I mean, since you're applying to Cardiff and fluent I assume you're Welsh, so that might change things, or something.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 11
Thanks for all of the help guys. I'm definitely going to drop Law in place of English Literature (A*+A* at GCSE English). I'm not sure why I didn't take it in the first place but if it's that good to have then I'd be up for it for sure. Funnily enough, one of the pele running the course got back to me and suggested that as my primary choice for a new one so that's more or less cemented. :cool:

As for Geography, I'm going to wait and see how next week's exam goes before making any decisions. There's still plenty of time. If I do end up dropping it I'll replace it with Philosophy as that was my original first choice A Level. Couldn't get onto the course though as you had to do some silly taster session.

Thanks again, it'll all much appreciated.

A decision made
Evades future confusion
Clarity of mind.

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