If i repeat a year of A-levels would it reduce my chances to get into university

I am an AS student and im finding a-levels as quite a struggle, i'm quite laid-back, not taking anything seriously tbh im treating it like my gcse's and i know it's not good but i have no motivation what so ever and because of my laziness and laid-back mood i have a feeling i am not going to achieve acceptable grades and that i might have to repeat the year , but by repeating the year would this affect my chances of getting into university? .. im interested in doing pharmacy
really would like to know thank you

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Reply 1

StefanieLouise

Don't retake the whole year. Start to seriously study now and try to do your best, and then retake any exams you need to retake next year. Study now, work hard, do your exams. Retake any exams you might need to do in January. They don't always frown upon people retaking the year, but those who do so often have a legitimate reason, such as illness or serious disruption to their lives. I took three years at sixth form but I didn't do any retakes, I just changed subjects, and I'm only studying English/Philosophy - but for pharmacy it certainly won't help your chances. Are you currently taking the right A levels to study pharmacy anyway? Pharmacy is very competitive but there's no reason you can't get a place at a decent university if you start putting in the effort now.

Although, if like you said, you're laid back and aren't taking things seriously, are you sure university is the right choice for you?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

Selym95

For competitive degrees it will always put you at a disadvantage. Some universities don't even allowed one re-take of one exam, let alone retaking the whole year. The best advice myself, and most others will offer is to focus on revision this year. If all goes badly, you can always retake a few of the AS exams during your A2's, as this will be looked upon more favourably than your other option.

Reply 3

hibz

Original post by StefanieLouise

im doing biology, chemistry, psychology and philosophy .. i obviously would love to go university and take on pharmacy and if not pharmacy then probably psychology but i just cant get myself to study.. im already retaking chem , psycho and bio in few weeks and im really worried :frown:

Reply 4

StefanieLouise

Again, if you can't get yourself to study, then are you sure university is the right choice for you? The workload will be a vast increase, and if you don't step up then the same thing will happen again. You'll be back in here asking if you can retake a year a university because you just couldn't get yourself to study for your exams. Are you sure it's not just the 'lure' of pharmacy that you're interested in? If you don't like studying then it seriously sounds like university might not be right for you.

If you're already supposed to be retaking exams and you do actually want to TRY and get to university, you need to start studying. As in, tonight. Put in the effort and then at least you can say you tried, otherwise you'll just be left feeling disappointed in yourself.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 5

Zizou5

Hey,

I am a resit student, did an extra year and am going to study pharmacy at uni in sept and I had offers from 3 universities for pharmacy. I have now achieved ABB, and i was rejected by Bradford, because since i was a resit student they wanted me to achieve the grade A in bio or chem but i only scraped an A in law. I have lots of experience though, working for boots pharmacy and gained more experience working for and independent pharmacy.

If i was yourself, i would put the effort in now, graft as hard as you can, and have faith in your abilities. Pharmacy is a great degree, and a great future career. if you are really passionate about studying pharmacy. knuckle down and work.

I would complete the as year, and do resits in january. If you can achieve the grades ABB and have pharmacy experience, you have done well. But ultimately grades are most important. believe me. Pharmacy is becoming an increasinly demading course, which require fully committed students.

Reply 6

kMt

pharmacy not a problem

but if you wanna do medicine or dentistry then forget about it

Reply 7

LifeIsGood

I'm a resit student and honestly it worked out fine. I've applied for Biomed though so it is a bit different, however IF you do retake the year - let me know. I can give lots of tips.

Reply 8

Xenite

Normally retaking the year won't cause too many problems. The only issues arise if its a highly competitive course (i.e. medicine) or one of the top Universities (Oxbridge, Imperial, Durham etc).

If you don't do too well this year, have a look at your results before deciding to retake the complete year though. If you only failed two or three exams, it would probably be worth just doing resits in January. If you fail almost every exam (like my mate did) then its clearly worth retaking the year. Just don't do what he's doing now and fail the resit-year, either...

Reply 9

natalieann1993

Like others said, unless your going Oxbridge you shouldn't have too Much an issue retaking the year. But try not too, wait for your overall grades before making that decision. If your sitting maybe one grade below you can probably just resist in 2nd year and push the grade up. Remember you get 3 years after school of free education. If you do poor this year. Use it! It's better to come out with good a levels grades than low ones. :smile:

I know plenty of people who came to my college to re do a levels (usually people who had quit sixth form just during as or failed as) and one of them get into Cardiff and the other Nottingham. Both had to resist there a levels and went from e's and u's to straight a's! Its not the end of the world if you h r to resit. The Jump from gcse to a levels can be hard and the new found freedom of college/sixth form can be distracting. Not to mention the shock at how much harder a levels are in comparsion to gcse. Many unis will not mind retakes. As long as you have correct points at end result.

Reply 10

AliceStrawbs

I did my A-levels, went to Bristol for a year, left and I am doing extra A-levels this year at home. I also have an offer for Cambridge. Things don't always work out the way you expect them to and Unis do understand this. So if it came to it, yes, you could do an extra year of A-levels but if you have a choice just work really hard this year and next and then go from there :smile:

Reply 11

WriterC

Hey, I'm currently doing three a levels but I believe that I've done good on two of my a levels but bad on the others, I want to apply for university but I don't know what I should do? Any suggestions of what route to take? Should I re do the whole as year or should I carry on with my a levels?

Reply 12

hamza1394

Original post by Zizou5

Which universities did you apply to and which made offers to you...could you also specify the grades asked for

Reply 13

lou_100

Original post by hibz

You'd have to have a pretty good reason to give the University in order for them to treat you identical to all the other applicants. Examples might include medical issues, family issues, etc etc - those sorts of extenuating circumstances.

Obviously, you wouldn't tell the University you just "had no motivation" and were "laid back" and "lazy", but equally you cannot make things up, and having no reason will probably make them automatically assume it was because of those reasons, or similar.

So, I believe in your situation it would affect chances, but not necessarily chuck them out the window. One other poster said they re-did the year and got offers, so as you can see it can be done, and the chances are still there. I'd consider it a risk and would concentrate on trying to do well from now on, but perhaps if AS results come back too low to apply to Pharmacy, you will have to consider retaking modules (preferably) or the year if you feel you must.

Reply 14

kunoichi

I retook my As year and had no problem getting all my five offers. One was from a top ten university and they didnt care. As long as you produce a good personal statement and good AS grades (which you should, if you retake the second AS year or you shouldnt be there) you will be fine. I actually felt retaking the year benefited me as I was able to change the subjects I didnt like to subjects I did and therefore ended up with better grades.

Reply 15

IIIREPJESUS

Original post by Zizou5

hey what you said has just given me hope,i was actually giving up.i did my AS maths,chemistry and biology and i failed for ADU and i wanna retake the whole year buh the colleges are asking me to change and take different subjects.Which uni's accepted you?

Reply 16

IHaveAQuestion?

Original post by LifeIsGood

I'm a resit student and honestly it worked out fine. I've applied for Biomed though so it is a bit different, however IF you do retake the year - let me know. I can give lots of tips.

I'm a resit student, taking biology, chemistry and maths. Now applying for biomedical. Any tips? Im still doing my personal statement. (I know it's getting late) But would i need to include that i'm resitting a year in it?

Reply 17

Zizou5

Original post by IIIREPJESUS

Uclan in preston, i also had offers from wolverhampton and DMontfort. If u can achieve somewhere around bbb with experience u should b fine, the better the safer obviously. Contact unis b4 and explain your situation and ask whether they will accept you. I knw at bfd uni, they extended there clearing deadlines, 9000 is a lot of money. It is not as competitive to get onto as previously. Just work hard n reap the rewards

Reply 18

Zizou5

Original post by hamza1394

Which universities did you apply to and which made offers to you...could you also specify the grades asked for

bradford uclan demontfirt wolverhampton, even if u achieve bbb you should get in through clearing. Most unis will accept students with those grades 9000 is a lot if money so comoetition for places has fallen significantly

Reply 19

CanaryWolf

Resits don't hinder your chances of getting into university. If anything it shows your commitment to academia and that you're motivated to improve your skills.

I would suggest reading a few books and articles about your preferred subject and see if it's actually for you. I messed about in sixth form and regret it to this day as I ended up in a university that I didn't want to be and saw my friends achieve in greater institutes. Any science degree I would recommend taking maths at A-level. Universities love to see this as it means you won't struggle half as much.

Work hard & realise that this is an incredibly important stage in your life. You can either slack off for a year and pay the prices in the years to come. OR work your arse off, get the grades and nail your first choice. And then enjoy being surrounded by intelligent people, brilliant lecturers and a nicer university.

Think about it.