Achieved very good A-Level results. Should I take a gap year and reapply?

What course are you studying? I got 8 a's 5 b's didn't get any a*s

I would start my degree, while at the same time applying to other universities next year (and then drop out to transfer next year). This is what one person had done at my college (I went to Oxford), and it had worked.

I achieved grades A*AA in economics, maths and history respectively on results day and I'm going study economics at the university of Birmingham. To be totally honest I wasn't expecting to achieve these results and looking back with hindsight, I probably would have applied to a top target or semi-target university. Now considering I'm thinking about banking as a career, I'm beginning to think that it I'd stand a better chance of getting a good job at a more 'prestigious' university.

So if you were in my position, would you take a gap year and reapply to study economics at better university i.e. nottingham, bristol or even warwick or just stick with birmingham?

Going Birmingham vs Notts won't make much difference, to be honest.

Could somebody explain this? I wasn't aware you could change uni to a better one whilst you're doing your UG? Say somebody did change, from Birmingham > LSE, for example. How would you do it/what would be necessary, and would banks discriminate/recognise this, or would your qualification simply say 'BSc from LSE' (as in your year at Birmingham is 'forgotten')?

Bloody hell man, OP, you give me hope lol. IF I can just focus and get the grades this year, like A*AA, I have a chance. Hell though, I've got this inkling that I am NOT safe with A*AA. I've got to get A*A*A, to stand a chance of top 6, cos of only 1 A* at GCSE + retakes. I'm doing this.

Wow, this whole thread/the general story in it is exactly what I want my position to be next year. I'm doing exactly the same A2s as you too. Literally, going from ABDE to A*AA... I've got to make this happen lol. I've very much wondered the same thing (whether if I do eventually get A*AA will still mean I have a chance to get into Warwick or better). I'd be glad/relaxed once if I did get into Warwick.

At OP: I was wondering to myself whether I should apply for Economic History at LSE, or one of the joint/less competitive courses at UCL, once I do my turn-around next year.

I'm watching this thread; it's very relevant to me. Nice one OP btw. Hope there's no discrimination on me, over the fact that I did do retakes, and my IGCSEs were only 1A* 4A 5B 1C. If there is a discrimination against me because of my GCSEs, I'll have to go for A*A*A to really secure/bolster my chances of getting into a top 6, rather than just 1 A-level A*.

I agree! If you want to apply for a better uni, for economics, you should really be looking at oxbridge and lse etc,, now is probably too late for any kind of adjustment or clearing (since i'm also in the clearing atm But you could definitely try to take a gap year and then reapply next year for better uni.

I probably wouldn't even get an offer from the likes of Oxbridge and lse as I haven't for a* in maths. Think I might just stick with birmingham

I applied to LSE for Philosophy and Economics and got rejected due to a B in English GCSE. Didn't apply for the Philosophy and Econ course at UCL because it seemed to be more Philosophy than econ, meaning even less mathematical content in the course. The Econ and stats course at UCL is literally perfect for me and what I want to achieve, couldn't have asked for a better stepping stone.

Also, just do your best to get your grades-A*AA. Once you have that in your back pocket, the you're sorted.
you should have no problem at all.

I achieved grades A*AA in economics, maths and history respectively on results day and I'm going study economics at the university of Birmingham. To be totally honest I wasn't expecting to achieve these results and looking back with hindsight, I probably would have applied to a top target or semi-target university. Now considering I'm thinking about banking as a career, I'm beginning to think that it I'd stand a better chance of getting a good job at a more 'prestigious' university.

So if you were in my position, would you take a gap year and reapply to study economics at better university i.e. nottingham, bristol or even warwick or just stick with birmingham?

with those grades- you could probably apply to LSE tbh!

A*AA doesn't even seem that great lol, idk, I may genuinely push for 2 A*s, or at least self-teach the FM course up to AS (FP1, S2 and D1). I think I'll need more than A*AA cos of the circumstances I would've attained them. I REALLY want to get into the course you're on dude; if not, then the Statistics, Economics & Finance one is also great too, and it doesn't require FM (but A* in maths). Hell, any top 6 uni, and I'm set to join the upper echelons basically It'll be much easier to become a high-flyer/just a relative success. Mate, I've got a friend starting that exact course you're doing next month btw. His surname starts with 'T'... Say hi lol. Good luck yourself.

Btw, was it a B in literature or language? I got an A in literature, B (76%) in language.

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Hahaha you're pretty much me, but 2 years ago. I took a gap year this year, self taught the entire A level further maths, including S1-S4. Surprisingly pulled off an A* in it, so now have A*A*AA which doesnt look too bad . Next step, applying for spring weeks so the main aim this year is to get a First while balancing career work.

B was in English Language. Without blowing my own horn, i spent a lot of time on my personal statement after hearing loads of students had been told theirs wasn't up to scratch. So i made sure that wouldnt be the case with me and asked myself "Even if they do reject me, do they have a reason now?". Turns out it was the B in english lmao. But, i'm happier with this course i'm about to start now, so things went well.

Is your friend Oriental asian? It was only when i got there that i realised about 70% of my course is lol. So having a surname that starts with "T" doesn't help me at all haha

Nope, he's Indian. And wow, your story's great. So could I ask, for clarity, what were your GCSEs, and what subjects those ultimate grades were in? Just to get a clearer picture. Your course is harder to get into than others too, so if your overall qualifications are higher than what mine may hopefully become (at best A*A*A in maths, economics and history, second A* idk what in, maths definitely one though), there's leeway in the sense that even Stats, Econ & F is slightly easier to get into, or even S, E & a Language. Mmh, a language would be exciting too. If not that, any other econ/stats/random joint course, as long as it's at a target uni, would do (though maybe not a joint course at Warwick, as I'd say it's the 'weakest' target). It's looking like I'm also going to have to self-teach FM. But up to A2 is very hard... FP1, S2 and D1 sound like 'easiest' first three AS FM modules.

If all else still fails, just keep going till I get more A-levels/A*s I suppose. I really refuse to go to university if it's not a top 12, and I'd definitely delay myself going to one if I'm in genuine contention for top 6. I just don't see myself becoming a successful salary-slave (lol at the phrase but there's a truth to it) having done something like Economics at Edinburgh or KCL. It's not good enough, at all.

Outside of banking for a second, what would you say are the realistic job prospects with something like Economics & Management at KCL (AAA), for example? A friend of mine wants to do that, and his opinion of it is that "of course you can still get a top job if you go to KCL!", to quote. I doubt it. Definition of "top" is subjective, fine, but even then he himself is fairly concerned with his future career. He is very middle-class himself however, so idk if he's disillusioned, or advantaged even if he did go to King's cos of contacts (though he doesn't want to go into banking or anything like that, I think). By "very middle-class", I mean his dad has a used Aston Martin, for example. Anyhow, I'm too pessimistic. But yeah, nice to you man. Just a matter of getting the A*s...
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Hahahaha honestly, i think you're looking way too into it. I reckon if you have an AAAB at AS and apply for my course with crappy GCSE's you'll get an offer. They say A*AA if you're not doing FM, but AAA if you're doing Maths and FM.

My GCSE's were poor, some A's, the rest B's. But it's only Medicine, Law, Oxbridge and LSE that give a crap about them. GCSE's don't show a level of intellect, they're simply a measure of maturity at a young age, which are qualities you'd expect from a aspiring doctor etc. My story is, ABBC at AS, applied to LSE, UCL (rejections), Bristol (economics and finance offer), then ended up getting AAA, which i was disappointed at missing the A* in Maths by a few UMS, but i still got into Bristol. I'm a Londoner, so the city of Bristol didn't seem like an attractive choice for me personally, plus the fact that it was a semi-target and the fact that i had to move out all hit me at one time. So my annoying elitist way of thinking opted against Bristol or anywhere outside the top 6 even though my parents and friends disagreed with me. So i took a gap year, retook Maths A level while self teaching FM AS&A2 and pulled off A*A* after UCL had given me an increased offer of A*A in maths and further maths, simply because i had retaken my A in maths for an A*. I had been expecting an offer of just "A in further maths" but the A* in maths had given me that extra bit of motivation to do all work no sleep lol. Tiring year, but incredibly productive and i can now happily say it's a success and i won't regret turning down the place at Bristol.

Also, course doesn't really matter tbh,as long as it's at a target. Even though i have no Physics/Engineering experience in my entire life, i saw Warwick-Engineering in clearing this year with AAB and instantly saw that as my back up choice if i weren't to get into UCL. But i have no leverage when it comes to getting a internship over someone who's studying Maths/Physics/Statistics/Computer science etc at a Target. So you might as well go for something you enjoy studying and comes easy to you as well as something which puts you on a good platform for banks and elite firms to spend more than 10 seconds looking at your CV.

(sorry for the essay lol, hope it helps you out though)

Man everybody says you could actually go for LSE (my dream) with just that... Wtf is A*AA THAT good/rare? Gosh, I've got to go for it.

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Could somebody explain this? I wasn't aware you could change uni to a better one whilst you're doing your UG? Say somebody did change, from Birmingham > LSE, for example. How would you do it/what would be necessary, and would banks discriminate/recognise this, or would your qualification simply say 'BSc from LSE' (as in your year at Birmingham is 'forgotten')?

Bloody hell man, OP, you give me hope lol. IF I can just focus and get the grades this year, like A*AA, I have a chance. Hell though, I've got this inkling that I am NOT safe with A*AA. I've got to get A*A*A, to stand a chance of top 6, cos of only 1 A* at GCSE + retakes. I'm doing this.