A2 level results: did anyone else NOT do brilliantly?

I only got CCC in my A-Levels in 2012, and I have recently graduated with a 1st class degree and will be studying my postgraduate at Cambridge. Nothing is impossible.

I remember feeling like my life was over at the time, as even clearing universities were rejecting me. Just keep your head up and keep going!

What happened after you got your results?

I worked really hard, revised from the beginning of the year, and frequently got A grades on homework assignments, yet could not get higher than a C for overall A level results. Makes me really wish that I had taken a different course.

My A2 results are CCD in Biology, Geography and Mathematics respectively.

It's a little depressing seeing threads full of people who got all As and A*s or are disappointed with B grades. I'm not really complaining about them -- I understand it's disappointing not to quite reach your goals even if those goals are extremely high. But some of us found A levels particularly tough and had to work very hard just to scrape our passes.

Anyone else out there? I imagine generally people with grades like AAA are more inclined to post than those with lower passes like mine (CCD) but statistically not everyone can have gotten the very top grades.

Maybe seeing some threads like this in the mix will help some of the less high-achieving students feel less pressured, ashamed or alone

It's not just important to work hard but to work efficiently and effectively. I know you're disappointed OP, but you should have realised that whatever work/revision plan you were executing was not causing you to improve enough to reach your goals, and so you should have tried something different. It is not enough to simply work like crazy but not step back periodically to examine how you can improve your preparation and understanding.

Well, I had extenuating circumstances and my grades were bumped up to CCC from DDC if I remember correctly. I then contacted my firm and insurance to see whether there was any chance I could still attend with these new grades, but it was not possible. I remember speaking to a rude lecturer at my insurance who pretty much said that I wasn't clever enough to withstand the content of the course (If only i could speak to him now).

I then made a list of universities with the course that I wanted to do. It was quite niche at the time and only a handful of universities offered it and I wanted to do a placement year which limited options even more. I then called them one by one, each time being told that my grades were not good enough. There was one university left on the list, I had very little hope at this time, but to my surprise they accepted me onto the course.

I made it my mission to make up for my average A-Level grades by working hard at University and participating in as many events as possible. Even with my grades, I managed to obtain a year long placement at a large consumer goods company and get into the postgraduate course of my dreams, with a scholarship.

I completely understand how hard it can be at this time but just think carefully whether retaking is an option or whether you want to continue to university. If you go down the university route, clearing can be quite a disheartening process but keep positive and be motivated. Make a list of the universities which offer your course and call them up ASAP. Its also worth calling the same universities regularly as sometimes if they aren't getting enough students, they will lower the grades.

I now have no regrets about missing my firm and insurance as I have had a life-changing time at my previous university.

Good luck all!

I only got CCC in my A-Levels in 2012, and I have recently graduated with a 1st class degree and will be studying my postgraduate at Cambridge. Nothing is impossible.

I remember feeling like my life was over at the time, as even clearing universities were rejecting me. Just keep your head up and keep going!

I worked really hard, revised from the beginning of the year, and frequently got A grades on homework assignments, yet could not get higher than a C for overall A level results. Makes me really wish that I had taken a different course.

My A2 results are CCD in Biology, Geography and Mathematics respectively.

It's a little depressing seeing threads full of people who got all As and A*s or are disappointed with B grades. I'm not really complaining about them -- I understand it's disappointing not to quite reach your goals even if those goals are extremely high. But some of us found A levels particularly tough and had to work very hard just to scrape our passes.

Anyone else out there? I imagine generally people with grades like AAA are more inclined to post than those with lower passes like mine (CCD) but statistically not everyone can have gotten the very top grades.

Maybe seeing some threads like this in the mix will help some of the less high-achieving students feel less pressured, ashamed or alone

Postgrad at the University of Cambridge or a university in Cambridge?

Congratulations! You should be proud of your Bs . What are you off to study at uni?

BCC, and one of those Cs was RIGHT on the D borderline.

I don't understand how I did so bad. I started revising before Christmas. I dropped my job and my hobbies to make time. I worked damn hard. I hate saying it because my motto is that if you're wasting enough to time to say that, you ARENT working hard enough, but still…I threw everything into those exams, and I'm exhausted.

I was getting As and A*s in papers all year. Predicted AAA, aiming for A*AA. Got all As/A*s for GCSEs so I know I CAN do it. Wanted to study veterinary medicine, too. Gutted doesn't cover it. But I kind of knew it would happen just my luck.

Sorry to everyone who didn't get a place or is disappointed in their grades <3 I hope you all find answers and get into other unis.

ahh I wish I could but I felt like I worked so hard this year and was expecting A's I'm studying chemistry


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I worked really hard, revised from the beginning of the year, and frequently got A grades on homework assignments, yet could not get higher than a C for overall A level results. Makes me really wish that I had taken a different course.

My A2 results are CCD in Biology, Geography and Mathematics respectively.

It's a little depressing seeing threads full of people who got all As and A*s or are disappointed with B grades. I'm not really complaining about them -- I understand it's disappointing not to quite reach your goals even if those goals are extremely high. But some of us found A levels particularly tough and had to work very hard just to scrape our passes.

Anyone else out there? I imagine generally people with grades like AAA are more inclined to post than those with lower passes like mine (CCD) but statistically not everyone can have gotten the very top grades.

Maybe seeing some threads like this in the mix will help some of the less high-achieving students feel less pressured, ashamed or alone