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Bad GCSEs, good Btec grades- will I get offers from uni??

Hi,

When I was at school I was really lazy and did not know the consiqunces of failing my Gcses. Therefore I left with the following GCSEs

GCSE English C
Btec science Pass
Btec IT Pass
Btec Sport Pass

After realising I messed up, I went on to retaking my GCSE maths and ended up getting a grade C for maths.

Because I now had English and maths at grade C I was accepted onto a level 3 extended diploma in Engineering and I am predicted D* D* D* ( distinctions in both maths units). I am also doing many extra curricular activities such as Summer school, EPQ and also volunteering at a mechanical engineering place.

My question is, wil unis such as University of Nottingham , Birmingham and aston still consider me even with really poor GCSEs. However I do exceed their A level/ level 3 requirements ? Please help I'm really worried😟😞I want to do the Beng in Mechcanical engineering.
(edited 7 years ago)

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Original post by Azizul98
Hi,

When I was at school I was really lazy and did not know the consiqunces of failing my Gcses. Therefore I left with the following GCSEs

GCSE English C
Btec science Pass
Btec IT Pass
Btec Sport Pass

After realising I messed up, I went on to retaking my GCSE maths and ended up getting a grade C for maths.

Because I now had English and maths at grade C I was accepted onto a level 3 extended diploma in Engineering and I am predicted D* D* D* ( distinctions in both maths units). I am also doing many extra curricular activities such as Summer school, EPQ and also volunteering at a mechanical engineering place.

My question is, wil unis such as University of Nottingham , Birmingham and aston still consider me even with really poor GCSEs. However I do exceed their A level/ level 3 requirements ? Please help I'm really worried😟😞I want to do the Beng in Mechcanical engineering.



If you do good in your BTEC then yes, some universities may overlook the lack of GCSE's and consider your whole application as well as the BTEC.

Edit:to be sure, contact your chosen universities.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 2
You should be fine as long as you have the correct GCSE grades now. Most unis don't even care about resitting a levels never mind GCSEs. When applying you could also talk about how much you've improved yourself compared to when you were at school which will show the unis you are determined.
Original post by Azizul98
Hi,

When I was at school I was really lazy and did not know the consiqunces of failing my Gcses. Therefore I left with the following GCSEs

GCSE English C
Btec science Pass
Btec IT Pass
Btec Sport Pass

After realising I messed up, I went on to retaking my GCSE maths and ended up getting a grade C for maths.

Because I now had English and maths at grade C I was accepted onto a level 3 extended diploma in Engineering and I am predicted D* D* D* ( distinctions in both maths units). I am also doing many extra curricular activities such as Summer school, EPQ and also volunteering at a mechanical engineering place.

My question is, wil unis such as University of Nottingham , Birmingham and aston still consider me even with really poor GCSEs. However I do exceed their A level/ level 3 requirements ? Please help I'm really worried😟😞I want to do the Beng in Mechcanical engineering.


My route into university was exactly the same as yours. I retook my GCSE maths alongside my BTEC and applied for Uni of Nottingham, Birmingham and Manchester for compsci thinking I didn't have a chance but I may as well go for it because my local uni had pretty much guaranteed me a place and I had nothing to lose.

I got offers for all three based on my BTEC grades and because I had the bare minimum GCSE requirements of maths and English and things were all good from there.

Contact the unis that you are looking at - most will still want to accept you and the earlier you get in touch, the more time you have to hit any of the additional requirements that they may ask for.
Reply 4
Original post by ParadoxSocks
My route into university was exactly the same as yours. I retook my GCSE maths alongside my BTEC and applied for Uni of Nottingham, Birmingham and Manchester for compsci thinking I didn't have a chance but I may as well go for it because my local uni had pretty much guaranteed me a place and I had nothing to lose.

I got offers for all three based on my BTEC grades and because I had the bare minimum GCSE requirements of maths and English and things were all good from there.

Contact the unis that you are looking at - most will still want to accept you and the earlier you get in touch, the more time you have to hit any of the additional requirements that they may ask for.


Hi thanks for the reply, I was extreamly worried that I won't get Into uni... However I got some faith after reading ur message . Btw what were your overall GCSE grades? Because I only have 2 English and maths and 3 btec a which I heard were worthless
Original post by Azizul98
Hi thanks for the reply, I was extreamly worried that I won't get Into uni... However I got some faith after reading ur message . Btw what were your overall GCSE grades? Because I only have 2 English and maths and 3 btec a which I heard were worthless


It's a big snobby lie. I have English, English lit and maths at C or above but everything else was at a D grade. The unis ignored everything except for English and maths and based everything off my BTEC.

Talk to the unis and you should be fine.
Original post by ParadoxSocks
It's a big snobby lie. I have English, English lit and maths at C or above but everything else was at a D grade. The unis ignored everything except for English and maths and based everything off my BTEC.

Talk to the unis and you should be fine.


What BTEC did you do? & You got an offer from University of Birmingham?


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by AwaiisAlii
What BTEC did you do? & You got an offer from University of Birmingham?


Posted from TSR Mobile


I did the BTEC Nat Diploma for IT Practitioners with triple distinction being the highest possible grade. And yup. Offers from all three for computer science or computer science with AI. I attended ten extra sessions during my first semester at Nottingham to get me up to speed with the A level maths I was missing but after that all was fine.
Original post by ParadoxSocks
I did the BTEC Nat Diploma for IT Practitioners with triple distinction being the highest possible grade. And yup. Offers from all three for computer science or computer science with AI. I attended ten extra sessions during my first semester at Nottingham to get me up to speed with the A level maths I was missing but after that all was fine.


Are the ten sessions compulsory? Or was it your choice?


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by AwaiisAlii
Are the ten sessions compulsory? Or was it your choice?


Posted from TSR Mobile


Optional but each uni will have their own systems.
Reply 10
Reply 11
How much emphasis do unis really put on GCSEs, or do they just make sure that English and maths are above C? Because I want to apply to Russell group unis, such as Notingham and I've read many threads saying that Russell group unis can reject somone based on their GCSEs?
Reply 12
Original post by Theroble
Nottingham will want you to have B maths and C English language minimum, and yes Russell group can reject you if you don't meet the GCSE requirement.


On the Notingham website it states that all they want is a C for GCSE English which I have. Do they have any hidden requirements ?? 😂
Reply 13
Original post by Theroble
I contacted them and they want B in maths, so if possible try and redo your maths to a grade B and above then you should be fine. Are you applying for uni this September ?


Hmm that's really strange. I emailed them too and even then they said they only required a C in English and the rest were a level/ level 3 grades...... I'm confused what course are u looking at? I want to do Mechanical engineering
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 14
Original post by Azizul98
Hi,

When I was at school I was really lazy and did not know the consiqunces of failing my Gcses. Therefore I left with the following GCSEs

GCSE English C
Btec science Pass
Btec IT Pass
Btec Sport Pass

After realising I messed up, I went on to retaking my GCSE maths and ended up getting a grade C for maths.

Because I now had English and maths at grade C I was accepted onto a level 3 extended diploma in Engineering and I am predicted D* D* D* ( distinctions in both maths units). I am also doing many extra curricular activities such as Summer school, EPQ and also volunteering at a mechanical engineering place.

My question is, wil unis such as University of Nottingham , Birmingham and aston still consider me even with really poor GCSEs. However I do exceed their A level/ level 3 requirements ? Please help I'm really worried😟😞I want to do the Beng in Mechcanical engineering.


I applied this year and didn't get in. I got a C in my gcses and 3 A's at a level and got rejected because of my gcses. Nottingham are f****ing bel***nds. I having to pay for my gcses to retake them. and have to waste another year.

gcses are important kid.
Reply 15
[QUOTE=kunyusef;67137414]I applied this year and didn't get in. I got a C in my gcses and 3 A's at a level and got rejected because of my gcses. Nottingham are f****ing bel***nds. I having to pay for my gcses to retake them. and have to waste another year.

gcses are important kid.


What course was that for ? Mechanical engineering ?
Reply 16
Original post by Azizul98
What course was that for ? Mechanical engineering ?


Law mate,
Original post by kunyusef
Law mate,


Flipping hell... U gave me a heart attack! Saying u got 3 As and still got rejected ! Azizul98 wants to do Mechanical engineering mate not Law😂 I'm sure law is a lot more competitive than mechanical engineering Hence u never got accepted l.
Reply 18
Original post by AwaiisAlii
Flipping hell... U gave me a heart attack! Saying u got 3 As and still got rejected ! Azizul98 wants to do Mechanical engineering mate not Law😂 I'm sure law is a lot more competitive than mechanical engineering Hence u never got accepted l.




LOL trust me😂 I got really worried then
Reply 19
Original post by Azizul98
On the Notingham website it states that all they want is a C for GCSE English which I have. Do they have any hidden requirements ?? 😂


Whatever is on the UCAS website, that is all they need. I got a unconditional with my btec. My gcses are alright too i had 9 C's. Got the confirmation from ucas before i went to get my certificate. You want to go to nottingham?

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