Dire AS results affect my uni chances?

Hi all, after receiving my AS results I can safely say I was gutted.

C- Art
E - Maths
E - History

Complete flop compared to GCSE results, but wasn't really all that surprised since I'd been cruising/dossing pretty much the whole year (nothing to be proud of, I know).

Art consisted of a B in one unit and a D in the other. I'm strongly confident I can pull my overall grade up to a B minimum at A2.

History. I've realised that my time management - among other things *cough* revision - during the exam was my most serious downfall. After retakes, I'm defo confident that I can also pull this up.

And Maths. My UMS consisted of:
Core 1 - 63 (C)
Core 2 - 14 (U)
Stats - 66 (C)

As you can see, Core 2 seriously messed me up. Again, this wasn't really shocking; I knew that Core 2 was going to be terrible. However, after initially berating myself, a flicker of optimism hit me. Due to frantically trying to meet Art deadlines, I literally started revising for Core 1 three days before the exam; cramming like nearly half of the syllabus into my brain. After the C1 exam, I honestly just more or less disregarded the upcoming C2 exam. I made this decision because I'd learned next to nothing during C2 lessons (again, pissing about). So instead I focused on the final stats exam.

To cut the story short, I started revising for Maths at "the last minute." Considering this, after getting a C in Core 1 and Statistics, I reckon that - by actually being serious this time 'round - retaking Core 1 and 2 I could achieve a B minimum in both exams.

After having a nice holiday, getting my head together, I'm very confident in myself that I can pull this sh** back. But my only question is: Will more competitive unis (Bath comes to mind) think along the lines of "dosser" after seeing my CEE grades on the UCAS application form; thereby automatically disregarding me? :frown:

Sorry to dump all of this on you guys, but I needed to get all of this off my chest. Any feedback/thoughts would be massively appreciated.

Reply 1

xmarilynx

Well, if your AS's aren't cashed in (like mine! :biggrin:

) then they will only see you predictions.
If they can see your AS results, I'm not going to lie, they won't be impressed. Higher predictions and a good ps/reference may give you a fighting chance (and I'd get thinking of a good excuse if I were you). However, if you really think you're capable of significantly better at A2, then the best option may be to apply once you've got your (hopefully better) grades.

Reply 2

Dionysus

Entirely up to you, but if you really feel you are capable of much more, I would start again and get decent grades this time. I know several people who did it and ended up in good universities. As a general rule, Unis don't like it when you take 3 years, but they'd all definitely prefer you did that, and got good results, than apply with low grades.

Reply 3

Ell Jee Smooth

You are lucky to get given a second chance. I got an ADE in ICT Physics and Maths respectively. Not only will my school not let me continue with A2, they won't even let me repeat the year with the AS subjects of my choice. Just Business + 2 AS levels.

Reply 4

Adam92

The problem I can think of here is low A2 predictions, not low AS results :/

Reply 5

YellowDucksOnBlueSocks

I was told by my careers teacher I wouldn't get many offers because my science subjects were "D"s. Regardless I got all my offers (highest was BBB) from decent unis (Queens is in the Russel group). Low and be hold I got my Three Bs and I'M OFF TO UNIVERSITY!

You'll be okay, just explain in your PS that you were deeply disapointed and make some excuse and that it wasn't like you (bring up your good GCSE results) and that you are working non stop for your repeats and you love the challenge that this year will bring! :yep:

Reply 6

samiz20891

if i was you i would retake the year as even with retake it is likely that universities will see the actually grades you got for as and even if you predictions are higher the may wonder about the anomalies and is unlikely to get offers from Bath...etc.... I know of a few people who got similar grades at as CDE and retook their AS and got ABB second time round and got into a good university (Cardiff) with BBB at a level.

Reply 7

thatone

AS results are normally a good indication of A2 results (I'm not saying always before someone jumps in with an example of otherwise). Sure you could retake some modules but you've got a lot to learn if you want to push Es up to Bs. Add then that to the added work load of A2.

If you're sure that at the end of A2 you'd have better grades, I'd take a gap year and apply post-A2 results. Even if you get high predictions are unis going to believe you capable of them?

Reply 8

jabed786

You dont have to display AS grades in your ucas application. Concentrate on getting good grades via resits and hard work. Persuade your teachers to predict you higher grades. I can see them predicting you BDD or ACC at a push.
Working hard does pull off, I managed to go from a U in AS to a B in Geography.

Reply 9

EddyTee

Thanks for all the replies guys. After talking to alot of mates who are off to uni this year, they tell me that retakes are much, much easier than when you sit them first time 'round; especially Maths. Rather than redoing the whole year, I think I'd prefer to bite the bullet and work my ass off for these retakes. I'll have a chat with my teachers to hear their thoughts aswell. As soon as I start back next week, I'm going to roll on some good habits with a little revision session each day. Not to sound arrogant, but I don't doubt my ability to pull this off, it's just that procrastination keeps stabbing me in the back.

Now my only dilemma is whether or not to stick my actual grades on the UCAS form or keep the predictions only? What do you reckon? Will they prefer an honest fashion by showing the achieved grades? As somebody said in here, I hope that I could try and swing the uni my way by offering a good PS to back this up. Or just go with predictions?

Cheers.

Reply 10

EddyTee

Dionysus

Again, thanks for this. I have to ask you something mate. Speaking hypothetically, I redo the year and come out with say ABB, then follow onto A2 to get BBB overall. Or, I retake some of History and Maths to go from CEE to CBB, then come out with BBB overall at the end of A2.

Which path would unis prefer? I mean, there's adding on that extra year, or grinding on with retakes to get decent overall grades?

Thanks.

Reply 11

Christian100

Listen everything is possible if you only believe, which means its up to you and not TSR, get help from teachers, ask the college, do whatever it takes to get these distinctly disasterful results sorted, its up to you!

Tough love, but that's the way it is these days and remember life doesn't care about you ahhh :p: