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Resitting AS

Hi, I've recently received my AS results (CDDD) in Biology, English Literature, I.t and Chemistry. I know that these are really bad results, it's my fault for cramming all the revision in the day before the exam, but I know that I can do much better as I am usually a straight-A student. I have decided to resit CH1, CH2, BY1, BY2 and IT2 (I am dropping English Literature). I understand that resitting 5 exams + year 13 will be a HUGE workload. Can anyone give any advice on how to resit and to A2s but get good grades in both? I have started planning my revision but I feel like If I start early on i'll forget what I've revised later on in the year. Also, if I don't resit what will be the highest A-level grades that I can attain overall?
I don't know about IT but reforms mate, reforms there is no need. Teachers should have gone over this seeing them over tsr...that isn't me being rude just analysing and watching hehehe.
A-Levels are now linear so have to AS topics again next academic year, will be a lil different but similar if you know what I mean. There is an Article by TSR explaining the reforms in more detail but don't stress, AS doesn't count to your A-Level grades no more so A2 is the MOST IMPORTANT SO PLEASE DONT CRAM!!!!

remember A-Lvls are like a easy version of degrees, the jump between GCSE and a-levels is MASSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVEEEEE while the jump between a-level and degree isn't that big.
just learn from you mistakes and work better Kay Kay!!!!!
Reply 2
Original post by BunnyMidnight
I don't know about IT but reforms mate, reforms there is no need. Teachers should have gone over this seeing them over tsr...that isn't me being rude just analysing and watching hehehe.
A-Levels are now linear so have to AS topics again next academic year, will be a lil different but similar if you know what I mean. There is an Article by TSR explaining the reforms in more detail but don't stress, AS doesn't count to your A-Level grades no more so A2 is the MOST IMPORTANT SO PLEASE DONT CRAM!!!!

remember A-Lvls are like a easy version of degrees, the jump between GCSE and a-levels is MASSSSSSSSSSSSSSIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVEEEEE while the jump between a-level and degree isn't that big.
just learn from you mistakes and work better Kay Kay!!!!!


Thanks for taking the time to reply, but i'm sorry, I didn't understand any of that.
I'm sorry you're not pleased with your results, procrastination is a really difficult thing to combat, so I understand your pain :smile: I won't lie, it doesn't look particularly optimistic. However, I've had friends retake most if not all of their subjects, and while some of them failed quite badly, others pushed their grades all the way up. If you're usually a grade A student, hopefully if you manage your procrastination levels you can still be a high achiever in your retakes, though you're right, it will be a lot of work. Advice may be to create a revision timetable with advice from your teachers, spend more time in productive environments like a library and try to do engaging work that actually interests you. If procrastination is a problem for you, there's a lot of advice on the internet for that kind of issue - I've seen it being tackled by youtubers, for example. Setting yourself daily goals and keeping yourself really organised, for example by using academic planners, may also help to ensure you're managing your time between your A2s and retakes appropriately. Without retakes, I can't be at all specific so don't unconditionally trust me, but probably the highest you can get is BCC or maybe a grade higher, if you got A*s in your A2s. Try to be realistic in the goals you set yourself.

(Also, this is a guess, but I think the previous response may have been a warning that even if you were a straight A student in GCSEs, this may not translate in your A-Levels. There is a big gap between them, so you may find it difficult to achieve As even if you work hard in your A-Levels)

Hope this helps! :smile:
Reply 4
Original post by Lady Emrys
I'm sorry you're not pleased with your results, procrastination is a really difficult thing to combat, so I understand your pain :smile: I won't lie, it doesn't look particularly optimistic. However, I've had friends retake most if not all of their subjects, and while some of them failed quite badly, others pushed their grades all the way up. If you're usually a grade A student, hopefully if you manage your procrastination levels you can still be a high achiever in your retakes, though you're right, it will be a lot of work. Advice may be to create a revision timetable with advice from your teachers, spend more time in productive environments like a library and try to do engaging work that actually interests you. If procrastination is a problem for you, there's a lot of advice on the internet for that kind of issue - I've seen it being tackled by youtubers, for example. Setting yourself daily goals and keeping yourself really organised, for example by using academic planners, may also help to ensure you're managing your time between your A2s and retakes appropriately. Without retakes, I can't be at all specific so don't unconditionally trust me, but probably the highest you can get is BCC or maybe a grade higher, if you got A*s in your A2s. Try to be realistic in the goals you set yourself.

(Also, this is a guess, but I think the previous response may have been a warning that even if you were a straight A student in GCSEs, this may not translate in your A-Levels. There is a big gap between them, so you may find it difficult to achieve As even if you work hard in your A-Levels)

Hope this helps! :smile:


Thanks for your reply, its really helpful.:smile: I have created a revision timetable but since there are so many topics to cover I think it will be better to only resit 3 exams. I'll start setting myself daily goals, I think that's a really good idea. Also, regarding your friend that did achieve good results, what university did she end up going to? I can't get A*s in A2 because I'm doing WJEC but I doubt I could have anyways. Thanks again, this really helped me out.
Original post by 2579
Thanks for taking the time to reply, but i'm sorry, I didn't understand any of that.


Oh sorry.

there are reforms aka changes to the a-level system. It means that the AS year doesn't count to your final grade, anymore and it also means that you will have to do exams again on AS topics, but on a harder level

I don't know if IT has changed but the other subjects, your taking, have changed, thus the grades you have are now going to be used as predicted grades, they might slightly change but not that much.
Reply 6
Original post by BunnyMidnight
Oh sorry.

there are reforms aka changes to the a-level system. It means that the AS year doesn't count to your final grade, anymore and it also means that you will have to do exams again on AS topics, but on a harder level

I don't know if IT has changed but the other subjects, your taking, have changed, thus the grades you have are now going to be used as predicted grades, they might slightly change but not that much.


But I was told that most of my exams this year were 25%. Are you sure this is for everyone, I'm doing WJEC, the new spec. Thanks for replying.

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