Go to uni with rubbish grades or take a gap year and resit?

I only need 280 points to get into my firm, and 320 including AS Levels/Key skills to get into my insurance. When I got my AS results I got ABCC and I thought with resits I could get it up to AAB, but then I ended up not trying to get Chemistry up to an A, but got History up to a B. Thing is my june exams have been really rubbish, I think I'll end up with ACD! I might still get into uni with this, but I don't think I'll be happy with results.

So I don't know if I should take a year out to get it up to ABB and take up Biology A2 which I know I could get a high B in, just that I got a C because my practical exam went so badly wrong!

It'd be a long year but it might be worth it in the end, I could try for a better university and be satisfied with my A Levels, but I'm scared I'd get lonely..

Reply 1

smiling_buddha

depends what you want to do

Reply 2

username392640

14

Why is your insurance higher then your firm though?

Reply 3

Sam.Law

the uni fee's are likely to rise a lot next year, so it may cost you a lot more money

Reply 4

BabyGirl92

OP

16

TheProdigy2k9

Why is your insurance higher then your firm though?

My insurance is the uni closest to home, I didn't really want to go there but put it down incase my circumstances changed and I have to stay at home. And it includes AS Levels and Key Skills, so even if I get BCC I should still get in there, but I need ACC or BBC for my firm. I wouldn't mind going there if I had to.. But if I came out with say ACD I wouldn't be happy with the grades because employers still look at your A Levels when you've got a degree.

Reply 5

BabyGirl92

OP

16

Sam.Law

the uni fee's are likely to rise a lot next year, so it may cost you a lot more money

I know that's why I want to go this year, but I also want to go to a better uni if I possibly can get an offer and better grades.

Reply 6

Your Ideas Express

BabyGirl92

I know that's why I want to go this year, but I also want to go to a better uni if I possibly can get an offer and better grades.

Trust me on this!
Resit your a-levels and sort out your mind so you can get the best grades possible! :smile:

Reply 7

BabyGirl92

OP

16

Your Ideas Express

Trust me on this!
Resit your a-levels and sort out your mind so you can get the best grades possible! :smile:

Thanks

I know I don't know what my results are yet but I feel as though I could have done so much better. It means staying at home for another year though, and I'm so bored of the place!

Reply 8

dannicottell

BabyGirl92

Thanks

I know I don't know what my results are yet but I feel as though I could have done so much better. It means staying at home for another year though, and I'm so bored of the place!

I took an unwanted gap year to raise my grades and I'm so happy that I did now. I upped my grades and grew up alot :smile:

Saved up a load of money as well. I'm so much happier now and even though I thought it would be awful having to stay at home another year, it's worked out the best in the long run :smile:

Reply 9

make-cookies-not-war

4

Yeah I'd say wait til you've got your grades to make your final decision, but a gap year can be a great chance to clear your head, improve your grades, really give you time to work on your UCAS application, and save money, especially if you manage to find a job! So don't be frightened of it, if you do work you won't be stuck at home alone all day, and then you'll have a little work experience too for your UCAS application/CV :smile:

Reply 10

Phantom_X

15

I did the IB and did ****. though I did get into some unis through clearing i chose to take a year out to resit, and ended up at a top 10. so i would go with the latter. a gap year not only allows you to earn money for uni but it also shows you are determined to succeed. also, many grad schemes require an ABB minimum so in the long run its better to resit.

Reply 11

BabyGirl92

OP

16

make-cookies-not-war

Yeah I'd say wait til you've got your grades to make your final decision, but a gap year can be a great chance to clear your head, improve your grades, really give you time to work on your UCAS application, and save money, especially if you manage to find a job! So don't be frightened of it, if you do work you won't be stuck at home alone all day, and then you'll have a little work experience too for your UCAS application/CV :smile:

I've got a saturday job atm but I don't know if I'd wanna keep it.
Over Christmas I worked so much, in November/December literally every Saturday and Sunday and everyday up to Christmas, whilst I was trying to revise for AS resits and Jan exams. Then when I had my coursework deadline before Easter I was working so much too.

I've got another job which I can have next year if I resit. It's only from Feb-October but I can do Feb half term, Easter holidays and the odd weekend, which won't be as bad as doing every saturday. I know 6-8 hours a week isn't much but my work really got on top of me.

Reply 12

BabyGirl92

OP

16

Phantom_X

I did the IB and did ****. though I did get into some unis through clearing i chose to take a year out to resit, and ended up at a top 10. so i would go with the latter. a gap year not only allows you to earn money for uni but it also shows you are determined to succeed. also, many grad schemes require an ABB minimum so in the long run its better to resit.

Yeah, my mum said if I turn out with ACD and still get into uni it doesn't matter cause I'll have a degree. But I really want to be a professional psychologist, do a masters and find a training placement when I graduate and it'd look so much better if I had good grades.

I'd have to find another job though that doesn't require so much hours over Christmas cause that really got to me last year and I think it's why I didn't do that well in my jan exams. Should have been getting high Bs but ended up scraping a C in some exams :frown:

Reply 13

xDave-

19

I did bad so I did an extra year of sixth form this year. I was much more motivated for some reason and did much better, and I'm not usually a motivated person! So yeah, I'd advise you aim for the best! Some of the better unis expect more from you if you resit though.

Reply 14

dreamer_ka

BabyGirl92

I only need 280 points to get into my firm, and 320 including AS Levels/Key skills to get into my insurance. When I got my AS results I got ABCC and I thought with resits I could get it up to AAB, but then I ended up not trying to get Chemistry up to an A, but got History up to a B. Thing is my june exams have been really rubbish, I think I'll end up with ACD! I might still get into uni with this, but I don't think I'll be happy with results.

So I don't know if I should take a year out to get it up to ABB and take up Biology A2 which I know I could get a high B in, just that I got a C because my practical exam went so badly wrong!

It'd be a long year but it might be worth it in the end, I could try for a better university and be satisfied with my A Levels, but I'm scared I'd get lonely..

Hey there!

I actually ended up in that situation last year; I got really bad grades and couldn't get into my firm choice. I was heartbroken. Honestly though, I wasted so much time moping around about how I didn't get in. So that was worst case scenario for me. I'd advise you to do some research on what other Unis do your course then e-mail those that appeal to you asking if they'd take you with the grades you think you're gonna get. That's what I did and I ended up at a completely different uni but happy =)

Point is, do your research so you know what your options are. Then you'll be able to make a good decision.

Initially there's a chance you'll feel lonely but it's highly unlikely. You meet new people at uni everyday! It doesn't matter if you don't have your friends with you, you'll make a ton of new ones. :yep:

Hope that helps x :biggrin:

Reply 15

dreamer_ka

Phantom_X

I did the IB and did ****. though I did get into some unis through clearing i chose to take a year out to resit, and ended up at a top 10. so i would go with the latter. a gap year not only allows you to earn money for uni but it also shows you are determined to succeed. also, many grad schemes require an ABB minimum so in the long run its better to resit.

I did the IB too! IT SUCKED. I so regret doing it... totally screwed me over, but it's all gravy now lol I didn't get into my firm and didn't want to go to my insurance so I went through clearing and ended up happy =) :woo:

Reply 16

Dante786

11

Phantom_X

I did the IB and did ****. though I did get into some unis through clearing i chose to take a year out to resit, and ended up at a top 10. so i would go with the latter. .

What? I thought you cant retake IB, you had to retake the whole two years

Reply 17

Phantom_X

15

Naffy

What? I thought you cant retake IB, you had to retake the whole two years

dont be stupid

you can retake in November or in May and it goes under the 'retake' category. the reason people are drawn away from it is because its expensive £200 for me, and some schools make their students repeat the year etc. other schools will lie and say youll have to repeat the WHOLE IB scaring kids to go to uni in order to boost the schools rating of students accepted to university.

it took me a while but eventually the school i went to let me do november resits.

Reply 18

sam.day

12

Just to say - agree with taking a year out, BUT, don't get "left behind" - I took a gap year last year and luckily it wasn't that bad for me cos I went travelling and had my own stuff to do, but seeing everyone having fun at uni while you're sat at home doing 1 or 2 A Levels and having nothing else to do is pretty depressing for a whole year - maybe get a job and make a commitment like a sports club :smile:

aslong as you don't go mental!