Should I go for 3 A-levels?

Hey guys,
I'm new here, and I can tell that this is a great site-wish I'd known about it earlier!
I just finished Y12 and (no) surprise, surprise-I did terribly. Although I know I'm a capable student with potential, I didn't do as well as I'd hoped.
I signed up for English Literature (A* in Lit and Lang at GCSE), History (A at GCSE), French (A* at GCSE) and Economics (A in GCSE Maths and B in Business Studies).
I got the following results-English (D), History (C), French (B) and Economics (U). Needless to say, I messed up.
Now my school is advising me to see History and French through to A-levels, and resit AS English, but not take it to A2.
Now-I need 3 A-levels to consider applying to a good university, and I don't know what to do! Should I insist on it? The majority of my peers simply left at the end of Y12 and are now in uni (in my country, unis accept people from GCSE onwards). I sucked badly and I don't know what to tell my school. I know I've got it in me to get 3 As in A-level (hard work obviously but bottom line is I think I can do it) but I don't know the approach I should adopt with my school.
Any advice?

Reply 1

LouLou92

if you feel you can do three then go for it. you're going to struggle getting into a good uni with only 2 a-levels

Reply 2

Isabella___

Well your GCSEs demonstrate that you have academic potential, so I think you have to look at what went wrong with your recent results. Did you work hard enough throughout the year, did you revise sufficiently, or did you just crash and burn in the exams?
My guess would be, with respect, that you didn't revise properly, because you are obviously intelligent.

Reply 3

samiz20891

But I would say do your A2 in english/history/french and do an AS in extended project as this shows skills that university like you to have such as independent skills, time management etc...
Also I would think about deferring your entry for a year as if your A2 grades improve because this year you work harder then you will get more offers and probably allow you to get into a better university.

GOod luck

Reply 4

Gamaz

Thank you for your prompt replies.
I suppose I did crash and burn in the exam. And yes, Isabella's right-I didn't prepare properly. Although I gave myself good advice, I didn't apply it to myself.
So samiz20891-you're saying that I should do 3 full A-levels AND an AS in Y13? I'll explore that option-and I'll do it should my school agree (already they think 3 full A-levels is too much for me).
So I should take a gap year as well, huh? You're right-I should deffer (sp?) a semester because it's not like I can apply to Oxford/Cambridge/Sorbonne/Toronto/McGill etc. next August. (haven't ruled out any universities anywhere at the moment).