I resat my first year and got ABB. Do I have a shot at an AAA university?

I was thinking of applying to bristol for electrical engineering. I feel they may be nicer towards me as they will understand I needed to resit my first year as my previous college was very bad. Bristol accepted contextual offers for my previous college. I was wondering if I have a shot at Bristol because I'm going to be predicted A*AA. This is because my maths UMS is really high 279/300 and I was only 2 UMS from an A in chemistry and overall only 5 UMS from an A in biology, so I really wasn't far off the boundary.

Thoughts? My GCSEs aren't that great, I only got 1A*, so I'm not sure.

Reply 1

maestrocam

2

I got BBB at AS and applied to Birmingham (AAB requirements), I got an offer. Then on results day I had missed my offer by 2 grades (BBB, again...), but I still got in! :smile:

But that's my personal experience.

Also, I think there's a list where you can see if you're in a bottom 40% school/college, which determines whether or not you get the contextual offer).

They should understand how close you were (as you can put your UMS on your UCAS application, so they'll probably expect you to gain those marks next year.

Also your predicted grades are above the standard offer and should carry some weight.

Good luck!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 2

Random_PC_Errors

8

I got BBB at AS, applied for AAA course and got an offer.

Reply 3

stratagems

9

Original post by Random_PC_Errors

I got BBB at AS, applied for AAA course and got an offer.

Basically in the same boat as RPCE here (I got ABB), but I understand I was an exception.

However, you have a few things going for you.

In terms of a contextual offer of AAB, technically, it's possible to get AS grades of ABB up to AAB at A2.

Also, Bristol doesn't specify AS grades so it doesn't matter that you got two Bs at AS. They won't base your offer on it, but your overall grades.

However, Bristol doesn't pay much/any attention to UMS scores.

I sat one of my subjects alone with no other subjects and got a bad grade, so this year I reset it along with taking on two subjects. They accepted me despite that. That's even though I wasn't expecting to get any offers for 2016 & used it as a dummy run to see how far I got in the application process with each of my chosen unis.

So, I say go for it - you've got a good chance, so apply!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 4

APersonYo

OP

18

Original post by stratagems

Basically in the same boat as RPCE here (I got ABB), but I understand I was an exception.

However, you have a few things going for you.

In terms of a contextual offer of AAB, technically, it's possible to get AS grades of ABB up to AAB at A2.

Also, Bristol doesn't specify AS grades so it doesn't matter that you got two Bs at AS. They won't base your offer on it, but your overall grades.

However, Bristol doesn't pay much/any attention to UMS scores.

I sat one of my subjects alone with no other subjects and got a bad grade, so this year I reset it along with taking on two subjects. They accepted me despite that. That's even though I wasn't expecting to get any offers for 2016 & used it as a dummy run to see how far I got in the application process with each of my chosen unis.

So, I say go for it - you've got a good chance, so apply!

I resat my first year at a new college which doesn't apply for an contextual offer.I was just thinking of applying there because they would be able to understand and probably be nicer to me as I had to resat my first year because my old college was so bad because going to a bad college doesn't count as extenuating circumstances

Reply 5

stratagems

9

Original post by APersonYo

I resat my first year at a new college which doesn't apply for an contextual offer.I was just thinking of applying there because they would be able to understand and probably be nicer to me as I had to resat my first year because my old college was so bad because going to a bad college doesn't count as extenuating circumstances

A 'bad' college won't count as extenuating circumstances, but may determine a contextual offer. From what I recall, you get to state where you sat your AS exams anyway. I think your application stands as good a chance as any.

Reply 6

APersonYo

OP

18

Original post by stratagems

A 'bad' college won't count as extenuating circumstances, but may determine a contextual offer. From what I recall, you get to state where you sat your AS exams anyway. I think your application stands as good a chance as any.

Turns out, I got AAB now. So it seems pretty good.

Reply 7

username2246259

16

Yeah sure, why not.I got 2 A*s at GCSE, AABC at AS and A*AB at A2, and got into an A*AA offer. You have similar results to mine, so sure. Just go for it. If you don't get it, then move on and do something else. Investing yourself emotionally into a particular uni can be dangerous, so just go with what happens. I got an offer from Durham too (that I declined) with A*A*A as my offer from those AS and GCSE grades, so there's nothing you can't really do here.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

APersonYo

OP

18

Original post by AlexLawrence1453

Yeah sure, why not.I got 2 A*s at GCSE, AABC at AS and A*AB at A2, and got into an A*AA offer. You have similar results to mine, so sure. Just go for it. If you don't get it, then move on and do something else. Investing yourself emotionally into a particular uni can be dangerous, so just go with what happens. I got an offer from Durham too (that I declined) with A*A*A as my offer from those AS and GCSE grades, so there's nothing you can't really do here.

Woo. I hope I get in. Will really make me happy :smile:

Yeah you're right, getting emotionally invested is very dangerous, but I don't think I will be able to stop. How did you get an A*A*A offer?? Was your personal statement amazing or something?

Reply 9

stratagems

9

Original post by APersonYo

Woo. I hope I get in. Will really make me happy :smile:

Yeah you're right, getting emotionally invested is very dangerous, but I don't think I will be able to stop. How did you get an A*A*A offer?? Was your personal statement amazing or something?

Original post by AlexLawrence1453

Yeah sure, why not.I got 2 A*s at GCSE, AABC at AS and A*AB at A2, and got into an A*AA offer. You have similar results to mine, so sure. Just go for it. If you don't get it, then move on and do something else. Investing yourself emotionally into a particular uni can be dangerous, so just go with what happens. I got an offer from Durham too (that I declined) with A*A*A as my offer from those AS and GCSE grades, so there's nothing you can't really do here.

That is a REALLY tough offer! If you theoretically blow them away and they want you, they might lower your offer but they wouldn't give you a higher and more difficult one!

Christ, I thought the highest offer made since A* was introduced is A*AA... Two A*s is tough as hell.

Reply 10

username2246259

16

Original post by APersonYo

Woo. I hope I get in. Will really make me happy :smile:

Yeah you're right, getting emotionally invested is very dangerous, but I don't think I will be able to stop. How did you get an A*A*A offer?? Was your personal statement amazing or something?

No clue. Maybe it was my personal statement. I've been told I'm somewhat gifted with words. My GCSE English teacher was really upset I didn't take English at A Level because I had the best coursework she's seen (something like 73 or 74/75 total marks, but there was something about my prose that threw her off). I got offers from all of my unis, but I didn't like the atmosphere of Durham at all. Seemed somewhat snobbish, so I went with Lancaster. NB: my A Level grades were not as good as they should have been due to personal reasons.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 11

username2246259

16

Original post by stratagems

That is a REALLY tough offer! If you theoretically blow them away and they want you, they might lower your offer but they wouldn't give you a higher and more difficult one!

Christ, I thought the highest offer made since A* was introduced is A*AA... Two A*s is tough as hell.

It might have been related to teacher comments. My professional predicted grades were A*A*A, and it was only an A in physics because I was spotty with my performance. Sometimes I did stuff amazingly well, other times I didn't (this was mostly because I tended to rush my homework). All of my teachers believed I would get 2 A*s at least because of my maths. Reduced offers are usually due to extra curricular activity or affirmative action, but if a uni believes you can achieve a set of grades, they won't often reduce the offer since it can make you complacent.

Reply 12

username2130115

16

I applied to Edinburgh for Software Engineering with A*BB grades. The entry requirements were AAA.
I got accepted.

Go for it. I'd imagine Bristol will accept you!