[jayrule]

I recently sat my summer exams at AS level. I think by the time the results come around i will have the following.

Economics: A
Maths: A
Physics: A
Chemistry: D

That may seem very unusual but this year at my school a lot of people will be looking at this kind of spectrum of results as my whole year seems to have taken a disliking to chemistry.

I was just wondering whether it would be best to apply for uni with just the three good grades or to just beg my chemistry teacher to predict me a B and go from there.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks Jamie.

[greenpeas]

Is there any reason why you're continuing with chem.? Because if not just don't declare it this summer and then the unis won't know how badly your 4th went.

[jayrule]

i was thinking that aswell. But what if they want 4 as levels?

[Soda__Dreamer]

if your results have been cashed in, they MUST be declared, you might wanna look on the UCAS application thread that tells you what results you need to put down. But if you really dislike chemistry (and it does get harder because i did it at A2 and HATED it beyond belief!) Then you might just want to focus on the other 3. It wont be a hindrance to your application. It's probably better to get something like 3 good A levels like AAA than to get 4 a levels like ABCC or something.

[oxymoronic]

Remember a lot of people feel they've done badly in exams and for the majority of people when results day comes around, they get a pleasant surprise. You don't know what will happen yet

On your UCAS form you will need to include that you have studied 4 AS levels. One would assume you will drop one of these for A2 level and just carry on with the 3, meaning it doesn't really matter what grade you got in the 4th AS but you must include that you've done one as some universities (UCL springs to mind) require a 4th subject at AS level so as long as you get an E or above you'll have filled that criteria. If you neglect to include it you'll a) be breaking the rules anyway as you must include everything you've gained a grade in and b) you might get rejected from somewhere as you don't have a 4th AS level.

If your school does not cash in AS grades you can technically leave your AS level grade as pending but you have to put that you've taken the subject, but if they do cash them in and give you a certificate then you have to include whatever grade you got as well.

If you carry all 4 on to A level, it doesn't really matter what you got at AS level, its the predicted A2 grade which counts but most places will only be looking for 3 A level grades and anything on top of that is a bonus.

[greenpeas]

On your UCAS form you fill in all four subjects but just put pending next to your grades

[jayrule]

are pending grades the same as putting down predicted grades? If so i will be putting down predicted grades apparently, thats what my teachers have told me anyway. Im also concerned about a system i seen called flagging in which aplicants who come from a deprived background are given more of an opportunity to others applying for places. I myself go to a private school but i am there on a school assisted place as my mum couldnt afford the full fees. would these 2 cancel one another out or would one account for more than the other??

[Good bloke]

(Original post by greenpeas)
On your UCAS form you fill in all four subjects but just put pending next to your grades

You've already been told (at post 4) that this is incorrect information. Certificated AS results MUST be declared.

[TwirlGirl]

We don't know if the OP's school does certificate their results yet, though.

[Good bloke]

(Original post by TwirlGirl)
We don't know if the OP's school does certificate their results yet, though.

No but he can find out, and it is potentially damaging to tell people they have the option not to declare when in fact they have no option at all: if it is certificated the overall result must be declared, if not it can't be.

[bacforever3]

(Original post by jayrule)
are pending grades the same as putting down predicted grades? If so i will be putting down predicted grades apparently, thats what my teachers have told me anyway. Im also concerned about a system i seen called flagging in which aplicants who come from a deprived background are given more of an opportunity to others applying for places. I myself go to a private school but i am there on a school assisted place as my mum couldnt afford the full fees. would these 2 cancel one another out or would one account for more than the other??

pending doesnt have a grade on it.... my school does this with everything and.... as I promised to re-sit my practical... my predicted grade for Biology As (which I only did till As) was an A instead of the B it was...
I did fail to get it any higher but maybe if you talk to your teachers and discuss the possibility of re-sitting modules, they might be willing to predict you higher for As without you having to take it for A2 level

Then you can always pull out of the exam!!!

[coolh5000]

It depends on what you want to apply for and where. My firm offer included getting a C in a fourth AS (which I already had, but they still included it) and I know that was fairly standard for the course and uni. Have a look a the prospectus of places you want to apply and see what they say about the fourth subject. You won't be hindered for not doing four A2s as three is the standard, but if you need the fourth AS to be a certain grade, it might be worth resitting some of it. And of course, don't write it off until you get your actual grades.