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Worst possible A Level results

Hi all,

I'm not going to beat around the bush, but to say I failed my A Levels is an understatement. I took A2 Maths, Economics and Art and got E, E, C respectively. The plan was to study Economics and work in finance, but with these grades I don't know if that's realistically going to be a possibility. I'm absolutely gutted because not only have I let myself down, but also my family. I've called a few unis to see if i can get in via clearing but not having much luck. Would really appreciate some constructive advice on where to go next. Btw, I'm not adverse to doing a foundation course.

Thanks in advance.

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Retake the exams.
Original post by Ruby Dee
Hi all,

I'm not going to beat around the bush, but to say I failed my A Levels is an understatement. I took A2 Maths, Economics and Art and got E, E, C respectively. The plan was to study Economics and work in finance, but with these grades I don't know if that's realistically going to be a possibility. I'm absolutely gutted because not only have I let myself down, but also my family. I've called a few unis to see if i can get in via clearing but not having much luck. Would really appreciate some constructive advice on where to go next. Btw, I'm not adverse to doing a foundation course.

Thanks in advance.


What were you genuinely expecting?
Reply 3
Avatar for Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
OP
1
Original post by I feel myself
What were you genuinely expecting?


BCC.
Original post by Ruby Dee
BCC.


Even with BCC you were not going to get accepted by a university which would give you an easy path into a good finance career. Try retaking completely but if you can't improve dramatically perhaps you need a rethink.
Reply 5
Avatar for liquidant
liquidant
Original post by Ruby Dee
BCC.


Think about what you did wrong before retaking. Did you revise enough to aim for those grades? And BCC is not likely to be high enough for an easy path into finance career from a uni.

My personal opinion is to find a foundation year (although its costing you more), where you attend lectures and tutorials as normal however during that year you will also be finding another uni of your choice if you want to or you could stay at the uni with the foundation year.

If you do play to go to another uni, see what they offer you, the foundation course shows them you got the basis and they wont rely on your a-level grades anymore, they will only look at the mark for your foundation year from the exam.
Reply 6
Avatar for Pudge666
Pudge666
5
Original post by ageshallnot
Even with BCC you were not going to get accepted by a university which would give you an easy path into a good finance career. Try retaking completely but if you can't improve dramatically perhaps you need a rethink.

How would you know? If he got a place in a uni and worked hard to get 1st honour degree his life is sorted. I know some guy who went to portmousth university and scored 96% in his 1st year , ended up in a prestigious university after.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 7
Avatar for Pudge666
Pudge666
5
Lol its hard to type on this phone lmao
Original post by ageshallnot
Even with BCC you were not going to get accepted by a university which would give you an easy path into a good finance career. Try retaking completely but if you can't improve dramatically perhaps you need a rethink.


I got BBC, is that good enough ?
What do you think my likely predicted grades will be ?
Thanks
Original post by Ruby Dee
Hi all,

I'm not going to beat around the bush, but to say I failed my A Levels is an understatement. I took A2 Maths, Economics and Art and got E, E, C respectively. The plan was to study Economics and work in finance, but with these grades I don't know if that's realistically going to be a possibility. I'm absolutely gutted because not only have I let myself down, but also my family. I've called a few unis to see if i can get in via clearing but not having much luck. Would really appreciate some constructive advice on where to go next. Btw, I'm not adverse to doing a foundation course.

Thanks in advance.


Its done now. Imo the wrost decision you could make is go via clearing.
You need to go to a good uni, even at BCC then you would be limited in theUni economics courses.

Obviously retake, but you have to get to the bottom of why you performed soo poorly and appreciate how you will improve. Its only a year.

You could do a foundation course, but whats the quality of the uni offering it?
Original post by Pudge666
How would you know? If he got a place in a uni and worked hard to get 1st honour degree his life is sorted. I know some guy who went to portmousth university and scored 96% in his 1st year , ended up in a prestigious university after.


I'm not saying its impossible for him to go into finance from a BCC. im just saying its not easy, and what your friend did is similar to doing a foundation year (this is me assuming he changed uni after Portsmouth). Foundation year gives you basics and if you apply to other unis, they know you got the basics and prerequisites to take on their course. Now Ruby would do what your friend did, however with the grades she currently has, she cannot. If she retakes, thats a gap year, and if she takes a part time job and revise for alevel, it may be hard and may not achieve the grades. Foundation year is a safer route.
Original post by money-for-all
I got BBC, is that good enough ?
What do you think my likely predicted grades will be ?
Thanks


At AS? Good enough for what? I have no idea about your predictions, ask your teachers.
Original post by ageshallnot
At AS? Good enough for what? I have no idea about your predictions, ask your teachers.


yes, at AS, is it good enough for Finance degrees ?
Original post by ageshallnot
Even with BCC you were not going to get accepted by a university which would give you an easy path into a good finance career. Try retaking completely but if you can't improve dramatically perhaps you need a rethink.

If the B was in Maths, there's/there were many decent Maths clearing courses such as Kent that would've accepted him.
Original post by money-for-all
yes, at AS, is it good enough for Finance degrees ?


For some, yes. But top financial companies look mainly at top universities, which have entry requirements around AAA. Not impossible, but difficult.
Original post by I feel myself
If the B was in Maths, there's/there were many decent Maths clearing courses such as Kent that would've accepted him.


Kent is not the type of university which gives you an easier route into a top financial job. That route is not impossible by any means as Kent is a perfectly decent university, but seeing that on a CV is not going to make anyone's jaw drop.
H don't worry
Take a year out, get a tutor and retake the exams. It might be difficult having time off without as much fun as a normal gap year but you won't regret it. And you will probs get higher than BBC because you've done it all before. Make sure you talk to your teachers about. References
Take a year off. then take a access to higher education course
Getting into a well paid finance job isnt just about what university you went to. I know many people who are working in insurance jobs with degrees from university outside top 20 who are on £500 a day. You don't know what you're talking about

Original post by ageshallnot
Kent is not the type of university which gives you an easier route into a top financial job. That route is not impossible by any means as Kent is a perfectly decent university, but seeing that on a CV is not going to make anyone's jaw drop.
Wow that sucks, sorry about that. Yes I would definitely suggest retaking. If at first you don't succeed keep trying until you do

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