Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

HELP!!! Exeter VS Leeds VS Cardiff

So, I need too choose my firm and insurance choice asap but I am finding it impossible to choose. The universities I am choosing between are:
Exeter = A*AA, Leeds = AAA, Cardiff AAB
I was always going to put Exeter (as I've been to the open day and fell in love with it) and then Leeds but in my January exams I got AAC, and the C was in the subject I was supposed to get an A* in :/. I am predicted an A* and I usually get that or an A in my class tests. I am retaking that subject to hopefully get an A and I may get an A*.
Another thing which is making my choice so hard is that I am not so keen on Cardiff, so if I didn't get into Exeter or Leeds I may just take a gap year instead and apply next year, which I would prefer not to do. So my choices are:
Put Exeter and then Leeds and take the risk of getting an A* or
Put Exeter and Cardiff, but if I take this risk I may not go to university this year which is when I want to go or
Put Leeds and Cardiff, I am more likely to get the grades for Leeds but I prefer Exeter.
WHAT DO I DO?????????????? Any advice would be appreciated :smile:

Reply 1

oxymoronic

Original post by Naomi<3

Well given you don't like Cardiff take them out of the equation. Its much better to have a year out and then go to a university you actually want to go to than go to somewhere purely because they've given you a lower offer. Universities use offers as a marketing thing so just ignore the actual offer grades at this stage - if you're not keen on it now then its highly unlikely that you'll be jumping for joy at the idea of going there in 4 months time if you miss your firm offer. In the grand scheme of life it will make absolutely no difference to you if you go to university in 2012 or 2013. However, it will make a massive difference to your life if you go and spend the best part of £50,000 on a university you didn't even want to go to before you even put it down as your firm/insurance choice.

From what it seems, you were set on Exeter then Leeds but your Jan modules have made you worry. As you've said your results in Jan were off character and its likely that you'll do okay in the summer. Even if you don't do okay in the summer then there's a chance one of the two universities might take you if you missed your offer - if you come out with A*AB or AAB (so you would meet the Cardiff offer) then you will have missed both offers but one university may still have a space for you. You won't know this if you don't actually put them down as one of your choices now, and if they don't have a place then you can just take a gap year in the knowledge that you went with your gut rather than followed what the marketing team at the universities wanted you to do.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Articles for you

Can you get into university if you’re studying Btecs?

Which university admissions tests do you need to take?

University phone numbers and contact details for Ucas Clearing 2023

What is an LLM and how could it benefit your career?