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Reply 20
muffingg
Are you sure about that? I have never read it anywhere that the university was saying that resit students will not get a place. At least for my course I can't remember reading that.


At the St Andrews open day they said that they would not take resit students and at the Imperial open day they said that they would not take resit students. At the Oxford and Cambridge open days they said that they don't accept resit students. Think about it; these are top unis, they can get students in that acheive the top grades first time round; why would they take a resit student when they can take a student who got the grades first time round?

Now, as you accepted UCL this time round, they may make you an offer to get that third A as they know that you want to go to that uni. It may be possible that you can get into UCL if you fail your offer; however, to say that you may aim for better universities seems a bit of a fantasy when the admissions tutors of these top unis are saying that they don't accept resit students.

I'm actually in a similar position to you; i'm pretty confident that i'll get the AB part of my UCL offer, but i'm not sure about the A in biology. I'm not sure whether if you gap year and pick up new A levels while leaving some at the grades after 2 years you are still counted as a resit student. For example; if i get AABB this year from maths, geog, chem, GS then resit biology next year along with say AS FM am i a resit student. I'm resitting so my thought is yes, but then i have AABB achieved in 2 years which is quite good so would that rule me out of the top unis, i'm not sure. All i can say is that when at open days at these top unis, admissions tutors say they don't accept resit students; i guess if there's a good reason why you're resitting (eg: hospitalised for 6 months etc) it may be different.
Reply 21
orca92
At the St Andrews open day they said that they would not take resit students and at the Imperial open day they said that they would not take resit students. At the Oxford and Cambridge open days they said that they don't accept resit students. Think about it; these are top unis, they can get students in that acheive the top grades first time round; why would they take a resit student when they can take a student who got the grades first time round?

Now, as you accepted UCL this time round, they may make you an offer to get that third A as they know that you want to go to that uni. It may be possible that you can get into UCL if you fail your offer; however, to say that you may aim for better universities seems a bit of a fantasy when the admissions tutors of these top unis are saying that they don't accept resit students.

I'm actually in a similar position to you; i'm pretty confident that i'll get the AB part of my UCL offer, but i'm not sure about the A in biology. I'm not sure whether if you gap year and pick up new A levels while leaving some at the grades after 2 years you are still counted as a resit student. For example; if i get AABB this year from maths, geog, chem, GS then resit biology next year along with say AS FM am i a resit student. I'm resitting so my thought is yes, but then i have AABB achieved in 2 years which is quite good so would that rule me out of the top unis, i'm not sure. All i can say is that when at open days at these top unis, admissions tutors say they don't accept resit students; i guess if there's a good reason why you're resitting (eg: hospitalised for 6 months etc) it may be different.


I get your point, but what if in the gap year I manage to improve so much that I actually end up with A*A*A*A*? I have 4 A Levels btw. I will 110% get A* in German and Maths. Just unsure about Physics and ICT. What if I improve so much and come out with that?

In my opinion this is realistic on my abilities. Wouldn't that be more attractive despite being a resit student than getting AAA without resit?

What do you think?
Reply 22
Hey.

I can totally relate to you. I've applied to do law at Birmingham University (firm) and they want AAA, however I feel incredibly opposed about going to my insurance choice which is Nottingham Trent. My reasons for this is that I didn't get a chance to see the university (my fault I know, but I had to choose between seeing Bournemouth or Nottingham trent, and I thought as bournemouth is further away it'd be better. I actually didn't like bournemouth very much so I am gutted!)

I have friends who do law at nottingham trent and they love it, but I personally just need to see it for myself. Also I have totally fallen in love with my firm choice, I love the city of Birmingham, the university and the course they offer. I haven't felt that way with any other uni, and a law degree from birmingham is regarded highly than one from nottingham trent.

I've re-sat my whole AS law course in January and loads of biology exams to try and get those three A's.

Basically, if you don't get into UCL, just consider your options and at the end of the day, you can resit your exams and do any additional work experience or other things to put on your personal statement to apply for next year.

Don't worry.
Reply 23
muffingg
I get your point, but what if in the gap year I manage to improve so much that I actually end up with A*A*A*A*? I have 4 A Levels btw. I will 110% get A* in German and Maths. Just unsure about Physics and ICT. What if I improve so much and come out with that?

In my opinion this is realistic on my abilities. Wouldn't that be more attractive despite being a resit student than getting AAA without resit?

What do you think?


I would just be making a guess if anything as i'm not an admissions tutor at a top uni. However, i did talk to an admissions tutor at Oxford; i was asking about my chances if i get AAA of getting into the uni against students applying with A*A*A*A*A*. The tutor said that i would not be at any disadvantage having AAA applying against A*A*A*A*A* students. This kind of implies that the tutors are not looking for the best students in terms of A level grades but more at the potential of the student and that if you mess up a year it counts against you quite heavily. Obviously Imperial will work differently to Oxbridge but i still think it's a massive uphill struggle.

I mean, i reckon if i resat i could get A*A*AAA; at the moment i could be looking at ABBBB. I'm not sure whether if i get the latter i should just go to my insurance which is Plymouth Uni (entry requirements BBB) despite it having entry requirements significantly lower than my abilities. Really we need to get the opinion of an admissions tutor as to whether they would accept a student who has gap yeared and resat several units to bump their grades from As anb Bs to A*s and As. Might be an idea to call up some admissions tutors at the top unis; if i achieve lower than my UCL offer i think i've talked myself into doing this; might even do it soon. Anyway, i really hope that i see you at UCL in october :yep:
Reply 24
orca92
If you reapply you won't be able to get into better universities as you'll be classed as a resit student as you'll be resiting that third A level. Imperial, Oxford and Cambridge will most likely not accept resit students and i doubt that there are any other unis that are better than UCL for civil engineering, except maybe Bristol i guess. Still, you have to get the grades in 2 years really to get into really good universities. Personally i would go to Loughborough; it's a really good university for engineering and does have a good reputation in the UK.


Does that mean if someone takes a gap year, he/she would not be able to get into obridge or top universities? Or is it only if you retake during your gap year. Sorry I'm confused :confused:
Reply 25
orca92
At the St Andrews open day they said that they would not take resit students and at the Imperial open day they said that they would not take resit students. At the Oxford and Cambridge open days they said that they don't accept resit students. Think about it; these are top unis, they can get students in that acheive the top grades first time round; why would they take a resit student when they can take a student who got the grades first time round?

Now, as you accepted UCL this time round, they may make you an offer to get that third A as they know that you want to go to that uni. It may be possible that you can get into UCL if you fail your offer; however, to say that you may aim for better universities seems a bit of a fantasy when the admissions tutors of these top unis are saying that they don't accept resit students.

I'm actually in a similar position to you; i'm pretty confident that i'll get the AB part of my UCL offer, but i'm not sure about the A in biology. I'm not sure whether if you gap year and pick up new A levels while leaving some at the grades after 2 years you are still counted as a resit student. For example; if i get AABB this year from maths, geog, chem, GS then resit biology next year along with say AS FM am i a resit student. I'm resitting so my thought is yes, but then i have AABB achieved in 2 years which is quite good so would that rule me out of the top unis, i'm not sure. All i can say is that when at open days at these top unis, admissions tutors say they don't accept resit students; i guess if there's a good reason why you're resitting (eg: hospitalised for 6 months etc) it may be different.


Except for the fact a couple of Oxbridge students have already stated on this thread that they have achieved entry with grades they wouldn't of gained without re-sits.
Reply 26
orca92
I would just be making a guess if anything as i'm not an admissions tutor at a top uni. However, i did talk to an admissions tutor at Oxford; i was asking about my chances if i get AAA of getting into the uni against students applying with A*A*A*A*A*. The tutor said that i would not be at any disadvantage having AAA applying against A*A*A*A*A* students. This kind of implies that the tutors are not looking for the best students in terms of A level grades but more at the potential of the student and that if you mess up a year it counts against you quite heavily. Obviously Imperial will work differently to Oxbridge but i still think it's a massive uphill struggle.

I mean, i reckon if i resat i could get A*A*AAA; at the moment i could be looking at ABBBB. I'm not sure whether if i get the latter i should just go to my insurance which is Plymouth Uni (entry requirements BBB) despite it having entry requirements significantly lower than my abilities. Really we need to get the opinion of an admissions tutor as to whether they would accept a student who has gap yeared and resat several units to bump their grades from As anb Bs to A*s and As. Might be an idea to call up some admissions tutors at the top unis; if i achieve lower than my UCL offer i think i've talked myself into doing this; might even do it soon. Anyway, i really hope that i see you at UCL in october :yep:


Lol Ok Thanks. I'm gonna contact them tomorrow.
ScillyRose
If you don't get into your firm, ring Loughborough and ask them to release you. Then enter Clearing and find another uni you want to go to? Or if it's just UCL, plan the best year you can imagine as a gap year and reapply =) Just make sure you won't regret it first!


He says he wants UCL or better (i.e. Cambridge/Imperial/Bristol). None of those unis will be in Clearing, even for Engineering, so re-applying would be his only option.
Reply 28
MuneebS
Does that mean if someone takes a gap year, he/she would not be able to get into obridge or top universities? Or is it only if you retake during your gap year. Sorry I'm confused :confused:


Only if you retake are you classed as a resit student; the admissions tutors say that you need to achieve the grades in two years of exams. So if you do (year 12: AS), (year 13: A2) then take a gap year then you're fine.

However, Oxbridge can be a bit bias against students who plan to take gap years; they think that if you take a gap year then you're adverse to exams and learning. Obviously they want people who like to learn and take exams so they question the fact that you want to have a year away from these things. The other problem is that some students get used to not learning or doing academic things during their gap year; this can cause a problem when the students are thrown in the deep end after freshers and expected to suddenly work 12 hour days etc.
chelseafreak
can i ask if u don't want to go to loughborough why the hell did u put it down as insurance?


Lots of people choose insurance universities they they don't really want to go to.
Reply 30
JoshW7
Except for the fact a couple of Oxbridge students have already stated on this thread that they have achieved entry with grades they wouldn't of gained without re-sits.


Yeah, i noticed too. I'm not sure whether if the admissions tutors are really impressed by students who have maybe had a dip in form at A2 they're willing to make an exception. All i'm echoing is what i heard from the mouth of the Biological Sciences admissions tutor at Oxford University (Downing College) and the Natural Sciences admissions tutor at Cambridge University (Magdelene College). I'm not just making rubbish up on the spot lol :p: . It's all making me think that if i was to achieve AABBB without an A in biology (hence missing my UCL offer) i should risk reapplying and resitting with the hope of getting into Cambridge :holmes:
Reply 31
orca92
Only if you retake are you classed as a resit student; the admissions tutors say that you need to achieve the grades in two years of exams. So if you do (year 12: AS), (year 13: A2) then take a gap year then you're fine.

However, Oxbridge can be a bit bias against students who plan to take gap years; they think that if you take a gap year then you're adverse to exams and learning. Obviously they want people who like to learn and take exams so they question the fact that you want to have a year away from these things. The other problem is that some students get used to not learning or doing academic things during their gap year; this can cause a problem when the students are thrown in the deep end after freshers and expected to suddenly work 12 hour days etc.


Would it hinder my application if I retook a module in year 13 and still finish my A-Levels in two years?
muffingg
Lol Ok Thanks. I'm gonna contact them tomorrow.


Did you get an offer from UCL because I'm sure I read a thread that you got an "Unsuccessful" from UCL?

EDIT: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=23911272#post23911272
Reply 33
innerhollow
Lots of people choose insurance universities they they don't really want to go to.


Well, it's not really that. It's more the fact that if you choose a firm and the insurance is so far away (in terms of likeliness) you would 80% want to go to the firm. You just would be so amazed and would already be imagining going to there. Then suddenly changing your mind completely and having to go to your insurance is very difficult.

If it's two very similar universities in all terms, then there wouldn't be a problem, but this is not like that.
Reply 34
muffingg
Lol Ok Thanks. I'm gonna contact them tomorrow.


Would you mind telling me what any of the unis you call say? i'm interested now in whether i would be able to possibly reapply if i fail the UCL offer :teeth:
Reply 35
TheProdigy2k9
Did you get an offer from UCL because I'm sure I read a thread that you got an "Unsuccessful" from UCL?

EDIT: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=23911272#post23911272


Yh it did come out to be unsuccessful, but they changed the offer 1 week later. I contacted them and they changed it. It was a very weird case.

I was invited to the opening day and they said there that everyone who is present has the offer already, but surprisingly they gave me an unsuccessful first. However a few days later somehow they changed the offer to conditional.
Reply 36
orca92
Would you mind telling me what any of the unis you call say? i'm interested now in whether i would be able to possibly reapply if i fail the UCL offer :teeth:


No problem. Just wait until tomorrow evening. Should I be able to contact them in any way and should I get a clear response, I will quote you and let you know here. :smile:
Reply 37
MuneebS
Would it hinder my application if I retook a module in year 13 and still finish my A-Levels in two years?


No, it would be absolutely fine. I retook AS Core Maths 1 in January of year 13; then both my AS Chemistry exams this summer. As long as you complete your A levels in the 2 years then you're fine.
Reply 38
orca92
No, it would be absolutely fine. I retook AS Core Maths 1 in January of year 13; then both my AS Chemistry exams this summer. As long as you complete your A levels in the 2 years then you're fine.


Thanks:smile:
Reply 39
MuneebS
Would it hinder my application if I retook a module in year 13 and still finish my A-Levels in two years?


Check the university and your course. I remember my friend wanted to do Maths with Physics at Cambridge and they clearly say that you have to get A in all modules for Maths in your first go.

Check the website. They would normally put these kind of things under requirements for your course.

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