Retaking A2s as an external student

Original post by S4LM4N

I see. I couldn't do that, I need to be in a class environment :tongue:

Thanks for explaining :smile:

I'm kinda confused too :/ hope it goes well for you! It'll all work out, don't worry too much.

Really hard not to worry when no one replies to your emails and you have no clue what to do with your life :'( but thanks. Hope everything works out for you too!!

Reply 22

OP

Original post by CakeIsthebest

Ah dude! You're so so lucky that your school will still do that for you! I'm kind of really scared of my chem teacher and I kinda got a D at AS. Would have been easier to resit the year and then i had chem resits on top of A2 and so the grade just stayed the same overall. Such a nightmare! I'm glad you have if sorted though. I've emailed my head of sixth form and psych teacher as well explaining the situation. Just waiting for responses. I hope things go well for you!!

Yeah, I guess because my sixth form does that it makes things a little easier, but hopefully as you've emailed your head of year and psychology teacher they'll sort something out for you. Hope everything goes well for you too! Don't worry, things always have a way of sorting themselves out. And about your chemistry, you will do really well with your resits, don't be scared of your chem teacher, ask him/her if there's anything they can do in terms of work sheets/ questions/ tests etc that they can send you via email for example, they will probably be more happy with you if you ask them for help than if you don't do anything at all.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 23

footballfan07

Original post by S4LM4N

I got BCC as well and I'm planning to retake the Cs at another college. How does externally work?

How did the college let you retake only 2 subjects , or are all like this ?

Reply 24

username1177050

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Original post by S4LM4N

I got BCC as well and I'm planning to retake the Cs at another college. How does externally work?

Basically instead of attending classes which I'm not legible for unless I pay £1000 per subject, I instead pay the unit fees for each exam (20-25) plus a one of admin fee and just attend the exams

However I am gna remain friendly with my ex teachers and see if I can attend workshops and maybe get some work marked also

Reply 25

footballfan07

Original post by neal95

Basically instead of attending classes which I'm not legible for unless I pay £1000 per subject, I instead pay the unit fees for each exam (20-25) plus a one of admin fee and just attend the exams

However I am gna remain friendly with my ex teachers and see if I can attend workshops and maybe get some work marked also

Thats good, exactly what i wanted to do and unfortunately my college doesn't allow people to do that. I was wondering do most colleges allow you to take exams, without coming to class?

Reply 26

S4LM4N

19

Original post by footballfan07

How did the college let you retake only 2 subjects , or are all like this ?

Nope I have to take a third course, I think just a BTEC would be fine :smile:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 27

S4LM4N

19

Original post by neal95

Basically instead of attending classes which I'm not legible for unless I pay £1000 per subject, I instead pay the unit fees for each exam (20-25) plus a one of admin fee and just attend the exams

However I am gna remain friendly with my ex teachers and see if I can attend workshops and maybe get some work marked also

Ahh ok, hope they let you!

Reply 28

username1177050

20

Original post by S4LM4N

Ahh ok, hope they let you!

Thanks! Last year I didn't make use of the specifications for each unit on the aqa website or the mark schemes/examiners report/ past papers so I am gonna do that right from September through to June! I need these grades haha

Reply 29

OP

Does anyone have any useful revision tips specific to revising for biology, other than learn the textbook and do past papers?

Reply 30

So are most people going to do their exams at their old college? And does anyone know if Edexcel bio core practicals need to be marked? and would your old bio teacher be willing to do it or would you have to go to a private centre? Sorry for all the q's I can't seem to find loads about it online :frown:

This is slightly off topic but I feel that there should be an official group for people resitting A2 externally, I've seen a few different threads about it but it would be helpful to have all the info in one area and it might attract the attention of people who have already done it so we could get tips from them. We could also talk about revision tips and UCAS applications and stuff? It would be nice to find people doing the same subjects. :smile:

I have no idea how to go about this though I've literally only been on the site since results day :/

Reply 31

OP

Original post by rachrl03

So are most people going to do their exams at their old college? And does anyone know if Edexcel bio core practicals need to be marked? and would your old bio teacher be willing to do it or would you have to go to a private centre? Sorry for all the q's I can't seem to find loads about it online :frown:

This is slightly off topic but I feel that there should be an official group for people resitting A2 externally, I've seen a few different threads about it but it would be helpful to have all the info in one area and it might attract the attention of people who have already done it so we could get tips from them. We could also talk about revision tips and UCAS applications and stuff? It would be nice to find people doing the same subjects. :smile:

I have no idea how to go about this though I've literally only been on the site since results day :/

I'm resitting at a school close to my sixth form, which happens to be my secondary school :redface:

, and sorry I did AQA biology, not sure what the rules are on Edexcel, but when I spoke to my head of sixth form about my biology A2 resits, he only told me I could resit my written exams and no practicals, I think this is the same situation for a lot of other colleges/sixth forms in my area.
And I know, I definitely agree with you and think that all these types of threads should be put together, I do keep finding more though since I first posted this, even though it shouldn't happen to anyone, it's nice to know that I'm not alone in this situation. It would have been really good if we did do the same exam board for biology as well! :frown:

But honestly don't worry, everything will sort itself out :biggrin:

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 32

tahtahspo

Original post by paige09

Does anyone have any useful revision tips specific to revising for biology, other than learn the textbook and do past papers?

I think it'd best to hire a tutor who knows the spec well. I know that as my biology teacher was rubbish and my A2 year was the first time they were teaching the OCR spec.

Reply 33

OP

Original post by tahtahspo

I think it'd best to hire a tutor who knows the spec well. I know that as my biology teacher was rubbish and my A2 year was the first time they were teaching the OCR spec.

Thankyou and yeah I'm going to be getting a tutor, I felt like one of my biology teachers last year wasn't very good either :frown:

Reply 34

Compost

19

Original post by footballfan07

I was wondering do most colleges allow you to take exams, without coming to class?

Some. The question to ask is whether they accept private candidates.

Reply 35

Original post by paige09

I'm resitting at a school close to my sixth form, which happens to be my secondary school :redface:

, and sorry I did AQA biology, not sure what the rules are on Edexcel, but when I spoke to my head of sixth form about my biology A2 resits, he only told me I could resit my written exams and no practicals, I think this is the same situation for a lot of other colleges/sixth forms in my area.
And I know, I definitely agree with you and think that all these types of threads should be put together, I do keep finding more though since I first posted this, even though it shouldn't happen to anyone, it's nice to know that I'm not alone in this situation. It would have been really good if we did do the same exam board for biology as well! :frown:

But honestly don't worry, everything will sort itself out :biggrin:

Ah I might see if I can do it at my old secondary school as well, it might be easier as its closer than my college :smile:

Did you email or ring them to ask? I still haven't spoken to my college or old secondary school about re-sitting as I don't really know how to go about it :/ How's your UCAS application going? I feel so lost without tutors helping me!

Yeah it's definitely nice to talk to other people that are doing the same thing, I didn't even know it was possible until I came on here :smile:

Reply 36

username1177050

20

Original post by rachrl03

Ah I might see if I can do it at my old secondary school as well, it might be easier as its closer than my college :smile:

Did you email or ring them to ask? I still haven't spoken to my college or old secondary school about re-sitting as I don't really know how to go about it :/ How's your UCAS application going? I feel so lost without tutors helping me!

Yeah it's definitely nice to talk to other people that are doing the same thing, I didn't even know it was possible until I came on here :smile:

When I went along on results day and asked them about when I need to enter for private resits, they said come back December/January time as tht is when they prepare entry for February. I also haven't been to see my teachers as of yet but I don't see what they can do apart from give a reference and maybe mark some work- I am s writing up notes at this stage lol

Reply 37

OP

Original post by rachrl03

Ah I might see if I can do it at my old secondary school as well, it might be easier as its closer than my college :smile:

Did you email or ring them to ask? I still haven't spoken to my college or old secondary school about re-sitting as I don't really know how to go about it :/ How's your UCAS application going? I feel so lost without tutors helping me!

Yeah it's definitely nice to talk to other people that are doing the same thing, I didn't even know it was possible until I came on here :smile:

Hey

I emailed my secondary school to ask them and then they said it's fine for me to resit there as they do the same exam board for biology as my sixth form college. And I've pretty much done all my UCAS application except my personal statement, but I'm hoping to send it off around late October/early November time. How's your UCAS application going?
I'm going off what I've been told...for grades you put in all of them even the grades for the subject(s) you're resitting and then you can say that you're resitting in your personal statement. Ask a teacher at your old college if they'll be your referee or you could ask your tutor (if you are going to have one). As for paying for my resits, I think I'm going to pay for them in December or near about the time I send off my UCAS application. This was all just in case you were wanting to know :smile:

and I know! Talking to other people about this on here has definitely helped! Before results day I assumed it was either uni or clearing

Reply 38

Original post by paige09

Hey

I emailed my secondary school to ask them and then they said it's fine for me to resit there as they do the same exam board for biology as my sixth form college. And I've pretty much done all my UCAS application except my personal statement, but I'm hoping to send it off around late October/early November time. How's your UCAS application going?
I'm going off what I've been told...for grades you put in all of them even the grades for the subject(s) you're resitting and then you can say that you're resitting in your personal statement. Ask a teacher at your old college if they'll be your referee or you could ask your tutor (if you are going to have one). As for paying for my resits, I think I'm going to pay for them in December or near about the time I send off my UCAS application. This was all just in case you were wanting to know :smile:

and I know! Talking to other people about this on here has definitely helped! Before results day I assumed it was either uni or clearing

Ok, I'll probably email my college and ask because I'm not sure what exam boards my old school do their a-levels with. I haven't even started my UCAS app yet, I'll probably start it sometime this week, I'm still not sure what unis I want to apply to yet :/ I'm slightly worried about re-writing my personal statement because I liked my last one and I can't see how I'm going to re-write it to be honest. and I think it'd be best to get a tutor to write my reference, I didn't get along too well with some of my old teachers and the one I did get along with has retired :frown:

I'll probably send off my UCAS app in November as well, thats around the time I did it last year :smile:

Yeah I'm kinda glad I decided not to go through clearing, now I just need to get organised with everything :smile:

This might sound like a stupid question, but when resitting A2 do you know if you can you resit individual modules or do you have to do all of them at the same time? Only asking as my results were quite mixed, on some exams I got high C's and on others I got U's :/ Though I'll probably resit all of them anyway so I can get a high B or A's :smile:

ANOTHER thing, what are you planning to do in the year off, like are you travelling or working or anything? I'm trying to think of things that would make this year worthwhile and not a complete waste of time :smile:

Reply 39