What's better AAAAB or AAAA?

I took 5 AS levels and I think I'm going to get AAAAB in them. Would I be at an advantage or a disadvantage if I was applying to top universities (e.g. LSE/UCL/Oxbridge) with AAAAB instead of AAAA if I only took four subjects?

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Reply 1

Sagacious

They probably wouldn't care.

They ask for 3 A-Levels and 4 is 'preferred', any more is just a bonus.

Reply 2

GreenLantern1

There is no point answering with a straight answer! If I were to choose one, I would just get a load of negs.

Though in my opinion they are both fantastic and would do well in the eyes of any university! Just do your best, that is enough and it is great!

Reply 3

laurenbowes

Is this for real? A B is not a bad grade, obviously it's more impressive to have done well in five a-levels than four...

Please stop negging me. A B is NOT a bad grade, if it were a D or something else I would agree that perhaps it would be better to drop the subject before cashing in your result.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

hackashaq

Original post by laurenbowes

Is this for real? A B is not a bad grade, obviously it's more impressive to have done well in five a-levels than four...

So you believe AAAAB > AAAA?

Reply 5

MrBlueMo0n

What about A*ABa (an A at AS) vs AAA (or AAAa)?

Reply 6

username937760

The better set would be the one with the higher UMS in the A grades.

Reply 7

WaNaBe

How could 4 As and a B be worse than 4 As? You still got 4 As with an extra B as well. Think of it like this. On your birthday you can get 4 £10 notes from family, or 4 £10 notes and a £5 from family, I know which one I'd rather have.

Reply 8

Alexandra's Box

Original post by WaNaBe

That's what I thought 0.o

Reply 9

Perseverance

If you're capable of those grades and those universities you really shouldn't be asking such a question...

How can AAAAB be worse than AAAA? It's the same but with an extra A level?

Reply 10

hackashaq

Original post by Perseverance

If you're capable of those grades and those universities you really shouldn't be asking such a question...

How can AAAAB be worse than AAAA? It's the same but with an extra A level?

Yeah but it's just the fact that it is a "B" and when top universities look at applicants with a B at AS...

Reply 11

Princessofhistory

i have similar worry two you as well. im wondering if my health and socail care dilpoma which is equivalence to 7 gcses and 4 a levels at grade b is as good as the real thing. im worreed for uni :frown:

Reply 12

TurboCretin

Original post by hackashaq

You would rather conceal the fact you took another AS on the basis you got a B in it? How could AAAA possibly look better than AAAAB?

Reply 13

fudgesundae

Original post by WaNaBe

Original post by laurenbowes

Is this for real? A B is not a bad grade, obviously it's more impressive to have done well in five a-levels than four...

Original post by hackashaq

Think about it this way. From a top university's standpoint, you can have someone who got 100% A grades or someone who got 80% A grades. They don't know that you could have done 5 A levels, as it is still pretty rare for someone to have done 5. With the B, they will wonder why you did an extra A level just to get a B in it. A B is a pretty good grade, but for the universities you are talking about, AAAA would be preferable to AAAAB. With AAAA they would see someone who got an A in every A level they have taken. With AAAAB they see someone who took an extra A level and wasn't good enough to get an A grade in it, and ultimately they want A grade students.

With A levels, quality > quantity by a very long way. Not the same as money where quantity?quality.

Reply 14

TurboCretin

Original post by fudgesundae

Sorry, this is just completely illogical. How is AAAAB ever going to look worse than AAAA? If you've achieved the former, you've automatically achieved the latter. Your argument might apply if we were talking about AAAA vs AAABB.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 15

Taio Cruz

AAAAB is better than AAAA because it shows you managed to get the same results as the person with 4A's while also achieving a fair grade in another subject.

It shows the uni that you can cope with the extra workload.

Reply 16

fudgesundae

Original post by TurboCretin

Well no you haven't. The achievement isn't getting 4 A grades. The achievement is getting A grades in every single A level you took.

A levels are not about how many you can 'collect'. With regards to the top universities, they would rather straight A grades. Otherwise you start wondering, why didn't they get an A in that extra A level. By your logic AAAACC or AAAAEE is better than AAAA.

Reply 17

Rough Silk

I know for medicine at Birmingham, they will not consider you if you have less than all A's in your AS levels.

So in this case it would be better to have 4 A's.

I'm not sure on the views of these universities but either way, you have very good grades :smile:

Reply 18

GreenLantern1

Original post by hackashaq

So you believe AAAAB > AAAA?

I do. Person A and Person B have the same grades but Person A has a whole another A-Level in which they have a B!

AAABB and AAAA is a different question however!