[AnimaInvictus]

Hello all,

I'm 17 and have just finished my first year at College studying A-Levels. Looking back, it went pretty badly, and my January exams were nothing short of a disaster. I *really* want to go to university, but I now find myself facing a number of problems.

If I apply to UCAS with everyone else next year, my application is going to look awful, as even if I get straight As at A2 my grades will still be dragged down by AS, scuppering my chances of getting into a really good university. So I'm now considering doing a third year after completing my A2s, in order to go back and re-take my AS grades, as well as picking up a new A2 in Business Studies that I'm starting next year.

My question is, how will universities look at this? I finished school with six A*/A grades in GCSE, including English Lit, English and History, and I have been building a really solid portfolio of extra-curricular activities, volunteering, student union stuff and getting involved in local campaigns (i.e. Connexions, government spending on young people's services).

I am the first one to admit I screwed up my first year. I did that thing getting good GCSE results and assuming I was therefore invincible. Didn't turn out so well. How do I rectify this and show UCAS that I have the will to turn my life around, work hard and get the grades? My class work before getting my January results was averaging C to U grades. Since getting my results I have been consistently getting A and B grades. It's been tough, but I feel like I can do this.

I really want to study PPE or some kind of politics/economics degree, and I would really like to try for a top 20 university. According to my recent work, I think I could pull off at least an AAB set. Is this possible with me doing a third year, or am I clutching at straws? Any help, advice or anecdotes would be really, really appreciated.

[TitchTheAntiHero]

would you not have to retake AS then do A2? I mean obviously it'll effect your application but I wouldn't have thought it'd effect it that much, maybe speak to an adviser in your college?

[ByronicHero]

As with all of these things, different universities view different circumstances differently. The best thing you can do is email the universities you are interested in and ask them how they would respond to you doing another year. I know of plenty of people who have and who have gone on to a "top" university but this is anecdotal and I wouldn't use it as the basis for any decisions if I were you.