I missed an A Level exam, really need some advice. :(

I was ill the night before with a stomach bug, didn't sleep a wink. I had one exam in the morning and a 2 and a half hour history exam in the afternoon. I decided I wouldn't be able to do the morning exam, I wasn't physically sick in the morning but felt really exhausted. So I slept through it to try and get mentally awake for history. So I'm going to resit as an external candidate next January. However I've heard a lot of negatively on that! Do universities really react badly to resiting an A level exam? And also, as I'd only be an external applicant for that exam, how would I go about applying through ucas? Who is going to say what my predicted grade for it is? It's so confusing! Would a teacher at school be my referee or something?

Any advice on doing an exam as an external candidate and resitting in a gap year is very much appreciated! Feeling very low about it at the moment-why did I have to **** things up for myself?!

Reply 1

Pheebs1201

2

You were ill, you didnt ***k things up for yourself! Dont be so hard on yourself, its not your fault. Your college/sixth form should be able to sort all this out for you, ask your UCAS Referee for advice.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2

HGMedic

2

Well you never took the exam, so technically you wouldn't be resitting.

I'd advise getting a medical note from your doctor, just explaining the symptoms that you had the night before and in the morning, so that you can prove you have extenuating circumstances, in case any university did make a fuss.

I don't know but I would assume your predicted grade would stay the same as it is now. You've already covered the work, so your teachers should already know what your likely to get, even if you are taking it a term later.

Btw - what percentage of the total a level was the exam worth?

Finally, I wouldn't worry about it for now. If you have any exams left, just focus on them and don't worry about it. I'm sure it'll all sort itself out in the end. This must have happened to people before.

Reply 3

Minerva

17

Original post by SophiaKeuning

I was ill the night before with a stomach bug, didn't sleep a wink. I had one exam in the morning and a 2 and a half hour history exam in the afternoon. I decided I wouldn't be able to do the morning exam, I wasn't physically sick in the morning but felt really exhausted. So I slept through it to try and get mentally awake for history. So I'm going to resit as an external candidate next January. However I've heard a lot of negatively on that! Do universities really react badly to resiting an A level exam? And also, as I'd only be an external applicant for that exam, how would I go about applying through ucas? Who is going to say what my predicted grade for it is? It's so confusing! Would a teacher at school be my referee or something?

Any advice on doing an exam as an external candidate and resitting in a gap year is very much appreciated! Feeling very low about it at the moment-why did I have to **** things up for myself?!

Are these A2 or AS level exams we are talking about? Do you have an offer to meet?

Reply 4

Inferno360

1

Original post by Minerva

Are these A2 or AS level exams we are talking about? Do you have an offer to meet?

Hi I have an exam on monday and im really ill and cant see myself being well for it.

I have been to the doctors and got a note for last week as I needed special consideration but hadnt missed an exam until now were I have got progressively worse.

I do have an offer to meet and it is an A2 module, is there any advice you could give me concerning wether to take it or not. I talked to my exams officer and she said that if I missed it and I had a doctors note that I would be given a really low mark.

Now is this true where I would recieve a low mark for being ill and not sitting the exam even though I have a doctors note?

Thank You

Reply 5

Cast.Iron

14

As long as you've pursued all available channels and know that you're taking the most sensible course of action then do not stress yourself out. There is no point worrying about things out of your control.

Reply 6

Minerva

17

Original post by Inferno360

Hi I have an exam on monday and im really ill and cant see myself being well for it.

I have been to the doctors and got a note for last week as I needed special consideration but hadnt missed an exam until now were I have got progressively worse.

I do have an offer to meet and it is an A2 module, is there any advice you could give me concerning wether to take it or not. I talked to my exams officer and she said that if I missed it and I had a doctors note that I would be given a really low mark.

Now is this true where I would recieve a low mark for being ill and not sitting the exam even though I have a doctors note?

Thank You

Unless you absolutely cannot get there, I would do the exam. Any marks are better than none. If you don't attend at all, you will get zero for the module, but you could still pass the qualification with a lower grade depending on how you did in the other modules. The Exam Board's special consideration allowance in your case would be a maximum of 2%, which would not get you very far. [The details are here if you want to check it out - long document though. The bottom line is that you must have completed at least half of the modules required for the qualification, including at least one A2 module in the case of an A level. So if - in a four unit A level - you got 120/200 for the AS modules and 50/100 for the A2 module you were able to take - making 170/400 in total, this would be enough for a pass at E grade.]

However, the uni can take your circumstances into account and let you in with lower grades than your offer if they want to, so they too will need to know that this has happened. On the whole I think you will be in a much stronger position if you at least have attempted the module, but that depends on how you are in the morning and what other exams you've got in the next few days.

Reply 7

chrissie19913

hi there,
so i go to college and was due to have my scly3 a2 exam today. anyways i have chicken pox and thought the exam was tommorow and rang up today to see if i could sit it seperate from everyone or what would happen. i was told i had missed the exam it was today and it would go down as i missed the exam as i got the day mixed up regardless of chicken pox. even though i was ringing to see if i could sit the exam or even though im on meds and am contagious. i was told i would be getting zero regardless of doc letter and need to resit in jan :frown:

. so basically a year behind cos of one exam. so dosed up on medicine doc give me for adult chicken pox which think made me sleep late.

they will not look bad at u u were sick! its a valid reason!

Reply 8

TheSownRose

16

Original post by MrKellner

Think of all the children dying for an education and we have people like you who don't turn up to school on the most important day of their school life, pity

People get sick. Chicken pox in adults in serious - it can kill, it can infect other people and kill them. I don't think chrissie19913 couldn't be bothered... :erm:

I missed an A Level exam, really need some advice. :(

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