Anybody who has doubts in applying due to grades, read my story

Yeah try that. At my school they have this really annoying strict system that all are predicted the same grades as their AS unless the UMS's are within like 10% off the total UMS off the next grade :/ Fingers crossed for you x

The inspiration keeps pouring out of you! Thanks so much for posting this. The only way is up

What a lovely and inspirational story! Makes a great change from all the idiots on here who say retaking Year 12 means your life is over.

thats so inspiring! did oxford kind of question your grades though/ were they a bit skeptical at first? also do you think oxford is more lenient than cambridge on AS grades?

Wow so inspiring I wish I had read this story before I started year 13. My grades were ABCE, and all my teachers said that I wouldn't get into uni if I continued with the subject I got an E in. I knew I hadn't put that much effort in the subject in my AS year and that I could do way better if I just out my head down. But I listened to them but I regret dropping the subject

What a lovely and inspirational story! Makes a great change from all the idiots on here who say retaking Year 12 means your life is over.

Right.. At GCSE I got 11 A*s and was one of the top students at my school, then at AS I ended up with ABC (A in Bio, B in Geo and C in Eng Lang & Lit). I was devastated not only because of the huge drop from my performance back at GCSE but cos I was so set up for English at Oxford. It had been my dream and I spent my entire secondary school career preparing for it, and yet right there I got an E in the Lit paper because I only managed to finish half of it. It was like a slap in my face.

My head of 6th form told me to 'repeat Year 12' and said to me 'alright then now English at Oxford is dead in the water' and 'normally you should even drop English but shame that you're already only doing 3 subjects', right on the day when I was at my weakest. Then I decided to change and apply for Psychology instead and thus ignored him and carried on with Year 13. After some struggle I decided to still go for Oxford. Between Results Day last year and the day my school began, I was spending all the hours except sleeping and eating just studying and preparing for Psychology at uni. I was fueled with the sheer desire and will to rise back up from my rock bottom again and prove anyone who doubted my ability wrong. I had never thought I'd go for Psychology and so I had to catch up with what I think a typical Oxbridge applicant would have done in like 2 to 3 years within 3 to 4 weeks. And that was the only way I could prove to people that I'm capable and deserving of a high enough prediction out of my ABC when I went back in September in order to apply to Oxford.

After I got back to school everyone was telling me not to waste a place, and teachers were advising me not to apply for unis that have offers higher than AAB. The head of 6th form was telling my English teacher not to predict me anything higher than a B. My English teacher though was the one I must thank as he said to me in the end 'I won't predict you anything less than an A. I want to show you that I believe in you.' So there I went and went for it.

And then I got an interview invite. And then an offer. And then an offer for their scholarship.

I've put in a huge amount of work and time both for the preparation for the course and for my EPQ which is subject-related (and it has expanded my mind and knowledge so much; also helped massively at my interview), and an even huger determination and effort for 'upping' my grades. A2 was hard work, resitting was too, but when I found the will, I found the power.

In the end I got 4 A*s for my A2. A* in all 3 of my subjects and an A* for my EPQ. What kicked that head of 6th form and all others who have ever doubted me in the arse the most wasn't even that I got into Oxford, having defied all odds. It was that I got full UMS in my English, while just 10 months ago my head of 6th form was saying 'don't even predict a B'. And now I'm off to read Experimental Psychology at Oxford in October. This past year was my come-back, my rebound. I just want to tell you that if you have the will, you'll keep turning 'impossible' into 'possible'.

When there's a WILL, there's a WAY. Don't ever let anybody tell you that you 'can't', most of all, don't let yourself tell you that you can't. Find your will, prepare to be flexible and be open to changes, and always believe, and always always try, then you'll find a way. I hope my experience empowers you, and I wish you all the best. x

Let's be honest with ourselves here. Only a small portion of people reading this thread will have the diligence and work ethic required to pull off a brilliant performance like OP. Realistically, they're an anomaly.

I got an A* at GCSE maths, from being in bottom set of the year. It got me super motivated, I realised that I had so much capability within me. If I can do super well at GCSE, surely I can overcome A-Levels? Ah yes, foolish younger me.

So when I got a B at AS, and was predicted a lousy C by my teacher, I got brave. I too thought I would rise from the ashes like a phoenix. By April I was brisking through the hardest past papers with ease. I felt like I had an A* up my sleeves, I was SO ready to show my maths teacher my results slip in August and see the look on her face. I smashed my mechanics, but flopped core maths. I was traumatised on the days of the exams. I only ended up with a B overall.

I'm sincerely not trying to be bitter here. I'm giving some sound life advice, if you're willing to take it. A-Levels aren't like any other challenge you might face in life, because the fact is the exam boards are unpredictable. You could be a clever and hard working student but end up with a poor grade that doesn't reflect your true capabilities. Having your heart on Oxbridge or getting strings of A* grades is a sure way of possibly setting yourself up for disappointment.

Nobody is going to judge you for your A Level grades. They're not even relevant once you're in University, everybody forgets them just like GCSEs. I'm going to a prestigious 14th Century University in arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Simply work as hard as you possibly can on your studies, and then look over your prospects when you know what you've got to work with, not the other way.

Good luck to everybody going into Year 13.

x

Thanks!
Which subject is it may I ask? Is it one that you really liked or is it related to the course you'd like to do at uni? But yeah if you wanted to keep it, if you knew in your heart that you could turn it around then you probably actually could... I really feel you man because teachers aren't you, and only you know what's best for you even though they may have the experience, so unfortunately yeah :'( I really really hope that it has turned out alright for you now. xxx

Wow you definitely deserve it!! I hope you inspire many, because you've just inspired me!! 🙏🏽

God, what a motivational story! And you must have heard this many times!

It is a lovely change from these negative threads.

I am aspiring veterinary student, however, I don't have any required subjects for the course (Biology and Chemistry) and I am predicted D student (which is a big leap from A* student - god, the education never prepared us for A-level), which is kinda ironic as I got passing grade of D*/BC in AS. And pretty much all teachers believe I wouldn't achieve my dream of becoming Equine and Livestock Specialist Vet. (My route is to take either Animal Science or Foundation Biosciences then move onto the graduate entry into Vet course). But you know what, despite the doubts, I am going to keep moving on like you did and achieve it!

I wish you a luck on your journey in Oxford!

Let's be honest with ourselves here. Only a small portion of people reading this thread will have the diligence and work ethic required to pull off a brilliant performance like OP. Realistically, they're an anomaly.

I got an A* at GCSE maths, from being in bottom set of the year. It got me super motivated, I realised that I had so much capability within me. If I can do super well at GCSE, surely I can overcome A-Levels? Ah yes, foolish younger me.

So when I got a B at AS, and was predicted a lousy C by my teacher, I got brave. I too thought I would rise from the ashes like a phoenix. By April I was brisking through the hardest past papers with ease. I felt like I had an A* up my sleeves, I was SO ready to show my maths teacher my results slip in August and see the look on her face. I smashed my mechanics, but flopped core maths. I was traumatised on the days of the exams. I only ended up with a B overall.

I'm sincerely not trying to be bitter here. I'm giving some sound life advice, if you're willing to take it. A-Levels aren't like any other challenge you might face in life, because the fact is the exam boards are unpredictable. You could be a clever and hard working student but end up with a poor grade that doesn't reflect your true capabilities. Having your heart on Oxbridge or getting strings of A* grades is a sure way of possibly setting yourself up for disappointment.

Nobody is going to judge you for your A Level grades. They're not even relevant once you're in University, everybody forgets them just like GCSEs. I'm going to a prestigious 14th Century University in arguably one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Simply work as hard as you possibly can on your studies, and then look over your prospects when you know what you've got to work with, not the other way.

Good luck to everybody going into Year 13.

Wow, well done!

I am truly happy for you and your success, and this post should be regularly bumped so more and more people can read it.

Never let anybody tell you that you cannot succeed. That cannot be stated enough.

I didn't get it quite as bad as you or quite the same, but one of my physics teachers told me to my face in the first few weeks of my AS physics course that because I got a B in GCSE physics I would not get an A in AS because 'it does not work that way'. I got the highest grade in my year (97% ums) for AS, and just got an A* and I am going to study engineering at Cambridge. (In fairness, my teacher did stop thinking that after the first term and she isn't a bad teacher... she just stopped being one of my favourite teachers *for some reason*).

Never let anybody tell you that you cannot succeed.

It's good that your English teacher believed in you. It is sort of unfortunate that your head of year will still claim credit for you getting into Oxford while having discouraged you that much, and having almost actively prevented you from getting the place, but at least you got what you wanted!

I'm afraid that I agree with this sir on the note that not many people can do this. It takes a lot to study that much.. And it takes a lot of personality to be tenacious, because A-Levels aren't easy.
I myself got BCCE at AS and ended up with AAA last Thursday but that was after working hard in chemistry like no one had ever seen. No one had faith in me, I was voted 'most likely to resit' by the arses in my year. However it wasn't easy and people can't expect things to fall into their lap