The Student Room Group

University Emergency Help!

Hello everyone, i'm very curious, worried and very stressed about the entry of UCAS of Universities!

I've always wanted to be an 'engineer' through childhood, but due to having family troubles, it hit my gsce's big time, which followed me in getting these results:
A* in Engineering, C in english, D in eveything else.
I've also got a level 2 in Maths, English and ICT.
I'm a student which engages more with coursework which deffo shows in the engineering gsce grade.

I've completed a PEO level 2 in engineering and now on my second year of a BTEC NATIONAL DIPLOMA LEVEL 3 and predicted D,D,D (distinctions) (360 ucas points). In this course, i've been doing A level maths/mechanics etc. So would they just look at my BTEC grades instead of gsce's?

I'm on route to trying to re-take my maths gsce as well. But i was still wondering if i would be still accepted!
My work experience has always been through engineering such as mechanics, CNC machining workshops.

I also have done many charity work and been into many sporting activities as well.

Thanks for reading my thread, hope to hear from you all.
Reply 1
Original post by superjoe65
Hello everyone, i'm very curious, worried and very stressed about the entry of UCAS of Universities!

I've always wanted to be an 'engineer' through childhood, but due to having family troubles, it hit my gsce's big time, which followed me in getting these results:
A* in Engineering, C in english, D in eveything else.
I've also got a level 2 in Maths, English and ICT.
I'm a student which engages more with coursework which deffo shows in the engineering gsce grade.

I've completed a PEO level 2 in engineering and now on my second year of a BTEC NATIONAL DIPLOMA LEVEL 3 and predicted D,D,D (distinctions) (360 ucas points). In this course, i've been doing A level maths/mechanics etc. So would they just look at my BTEC grades instead of gsce's?

I'm on route to trying to re-take my maths gsce as well. But i was still wondering if i would be still accepted!
My work experience has always been through engineering such as mechanics, CNC machining workshops.

I also have done many charity work and been into many sporting activities as well.

Thanks for reading my thread, hope to hear from you all.


Depends what uni you're applying to. If they specify that they want certain GCSE's then you will need to meet that requirement. Also, will they accept your BTEC? Some unis want physics as well as maths.
Look at some courses, find some that appeal to you, then call the university's admissions department (or go to an open day) and tell them what your grades are / are predicted to be. They will help you.

And... emergency?! Plenty of time. Calm down.
Reply 3
Sorry about the title being so demanding, but i just wanted an answer quick. Most universities do accept BTEC but depending on what grade, all the top universities want Distinction, Distinction, Distinction which im heading for.
As well, i just spoke to the admissions at my college and apparently now you have to do a whole year at college to re-take maths? Which i thought was a bit odd. I just thought u pay the sitting cost and go do the maths on that date.
Even if this is true, it will be very hard for me to achieve as i also have a part time work and college 3 days a week. I also play football on sundays, which only leaves me with saturday free!

Ive looked at some Universities and some dont look at gsce's. But im still scared, that they might look back on life and see my gsces. Then they will choose other applicants. Thanks for all the help u 2! :smile:
Reply 4
Original post by superjoe65
Sorry about the title being so demanding, but i just wanted an answer quick. Most universities do accept BTEC but depending on what grade, all the top universities want Distinction, Distinction, Distinction which im heading for.
As well, i just spoke to the admissions at my college and apparently now you have to do a whole year at college to re-take maths? Which i thought was a bit odd. I just thought u pay the sitting cost and go do the maths on that date.
Even if this is true, it will be very hard for me to achieve as i also have a part time work and college 3 days a week. I also play football on sundays, which only leaves me with saturday free!

Ive looked at some Universities and some dont look at gsce's. But im still scared, that they might look back on life and see my gsces. Then they will choose other applicants. Thanks for all the help u 2! :smile:


Hey mate I'm first year studying the btec extended diploma in engineering. Yeh some good unis may look at previous qualification like gcse's but if you could get a D in further maths that would be brilliant and would make unis consider you more wisely and may not ask for maths gcse. Contact the unis you tend to go and discuss.
Reply 5
Original post by iceman95
Hey mate I'm first year studying the btec extended diploma in engineering. Yeh some good unis may look at previous qualification like gcse's but if you could get a D in further maths that would be brilliant and would make unis consider you more wisely and may not ask for maths gcse. Contact the unis you tend to go and discuss.

Thanks for the advice mate, in the first year i got a distinction in maths which is a plus aswell! But yeah i will try and get as many distinctions as possible this year.
But if i get D*DD that would be amazing!
My advice to you, is to get as many distinctions in the first year as possible as for example, i got 7 distinctions and 2 merits overall in the first year and was predicted DDM already, so all i would of have to get in the second year was
4 merits and a distinction to get D,D,D! :smile:
But even DDM gets you in most universities!
Advice:
Btw, on the second year you will have to do a project of some kind either to improve/adapt on somthing or create somthing new which is really cool. Also, in the second year. They make you chose further mechanical principles or further electronics. So if u want to do electronics in uni go for electronics but other then that, go for mechanical principles (better unis prefer this).
Hope you do well and get the grades you want! :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by superjoe65
Thanks for the advice mate, in the first year i got a distinction in maths which is a plus aswell! But yeah i will try and get as many distinctions as possible this year.
But if i get D*DD that would be amazing!
My advice to you, is to get as many distinctions in the first year as possible as for example, i got 7 distinctions and 2 merits overall in the first year and was predicted DDM already, so all i would of have to get in the second year was
4 merits and a distinction to get D,D,D! :smile:
But even DDM gets you in most universities!
Advice:
Btw, on the second year you will have to do a project of some kind either to improve/adapt on somthing or create somthing new which is really cool. Also, in the second year. They make you chose further mechanical principles or further electronics. So if u want to do electronics in uni go for electronics but other then that, go for mechanical principles (better unis prefer this).
Hope you do well and get the grades you want! :smile:


Yes best of luck to you. In second year we do both mechanical and electrical principles together plus further maths. What grade are you predicted in further maths?
Reply 7
Original post by iceman95
Yes best of luck to you. In second year we do both mechanical and electrical principles together plus further maths. What grade are you predicted in further maths?
Im predicted a distinction in further maths.
Here are the subjects i studied in the first year:
mathematics
mechanical principles
health and safety
communications
materials
EEP
PEDAC
Computer aided design
tutorial
workshop
Reply 8
Original post by superjoe65
Im predicted a distinction in further maths.
Here are the subjects i studied in the first year:
mathematics
mechanical principles
health and safety
communications
materials
EEP
PEDAC
Computer aided design
tutorial
workshop


thats good then considering you are getting a D in further maths good unis should accept you.
Reply 9
Original post by iceman95
thats good then considering you are getting a D in further maths good unis should accept you.
Ive just visited hertfordshire university and they said gsces are compulsery and they dont care about ucas points so basically im ****ed as they wont let me re-take my maths in till june! And i swear the universities accept people before that! So looks like im not going university this year, so now im depressed! lol
Original post by superjoe65
Ive just visited hertfordshire university and they said gsces are compulsery and they dont care about ucas points so basically im ****ed as they wont let me re-take my maths in till june! And i swear the universities accept people before that! So looks like im not going university this year, so now im depressed! lol


If you can only resit your Maths in June, you can put it on your UCAS application and say it is pending. Then your teacher will give you a predicted grade and the universities will give you a conditional offer on you getting that grade as well as your grade in your BTEC.
Reply 11
Original post by superjoe65
Ive just visited hertfordshire university and they said gsces are compulsery and they dont care about ucas points so basically im ****ed as they wont let me re-take my maths in till june! And i swear the universities accept people before that! So looks like im not going university this year, so now im depressed! lol


Enrol to retake your maths and put it on the UCAS form as pending? Your offer will then be conditional on you passing the GCSE.
Reply 12
Thanks for the info, but when does everyone normally get their acceptions? im looking to do engineering, but ive relised that some univerisities only ask for maths and english so does that mean i dont need science as well as ive got a d in that as well.

its weird as better univerisities ask for less gsce's but more a levels or points which i prefer.


Im just annoyed that i did so bad and its been getting in the way of everything in my life. Ive wasted 1 year already doing a level 2 course at college which was so easy. Now, i might be missing another year which means ill be at uni when im 20 which seems really stupid. Also all my mates would be on there second year and im still not in univerisity so basically i look like a retard.
Reply 13
Original post by superjoe65
Thanks for the info, but when does everyone normally get their acceptions? im looking to do engineering, but ive relised that some univerisities only ask for maths and english so does that mean i dont need science as well as ive got a d in that as well.

its weird as better univerisities ask for less gsce's but more a levels or points which i prefer.


Im just annoyed that i did so bad and its been getting in the way of everything in my life. Ive wasted 1 year already doing a level 2 course at college which was so easy. Now, i might be missing another year which means ill be at uni when im 20 which seems really stupid. Also all my mates would be on there second year and im still not in univerisity so basically i look like a retard.


You can sit the maths exam as a private candidate, contact a local centre and just sit the exam. You can revise by using the internet and past papers should do.

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