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Achieved very good A-Level results. Should I take a gap year and reapply?

I achieved grades A*AA in economics, maths and history respectively on results day and I'm going study economics at the university of Birmingham. To be totally honest I wasn't expecting to achieve these results and looking back with hindsight, I probably would have applied to a top target or semi-target university. Now considering I'm thinking about banking as a career, I'm beginning to think that it I'd stand a better chance of getting a good job at a more 'prestigious' university.

So if you were in my position, would you take a gap year and reapply to study economics at better university i.e. nottingham, bristol or even warwick or just stick with birmingham?

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Reply 1
Isn't Birmingham around the same as Nottingham? At least that's what charts say.
Reply 2
I'd suggest you have a look at the courses at various universities. You might well find that you don't like the look of the economics courses at Nottingham or Bristol, in which case there would be no point applying for them. On the other hand, you might find that you really like the look of a course elsewhere, in which case it would be worth reapplying. Birmingham is a good Uni, so in my opinion there'd be little point applying elsewhere unless you were certain that the course content would suit you better.
Reply 3
Original post by ubisoft
Isn't Birmingham around the same as Nottingham? At least that's what charts say.


That's what I thought but there seems to be a consensus that for banking the 'target' unis are oxbridge, ucl etc and 'semi-targets' are unis like bristol, manchester, notts etc. Birmignham doesn't seem to be included...
Reply 4
If I were you, I would take a gap year and re apply because I'm sure with those grades you could get into the likes of Warwick

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I'd suggest Birmingham's a similar sort of standard to Nottingham and Bristol. Maybe get in contact with admissions from top universities and see what they say
Original post by JackersAFC
I achieved grades A*AA in economics, maths and history respectively on results day and I'm going study economics at the university of Birmingham. To be totally honest I wasn't expecting to achieve these results and looking back with hindsight, I probably would have applied to a top target or semi-target university. Now considering I'm thinking about banking as a career, I'm beginning to think that it I'd stand a better chance of getting a good job at a more 'prestigious' university.

So if you were in my position, would you take a gap year and reapply to study economics at better university i.e. nottingham, bristol or even warwick or just stick with birmingham?


Go for a better uni I reckon; you're certainly qualified for somewhere more 'prestigious', as you've put it.

Well done on the grades :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by RosieEPQ
I'd suggest you have a look at the courses at various universities. You might well find that you don't like the look of the economics courses at Nottingham or Bristol, in which case there would be no point applying for them. On the other hand, you might find that you really like the look of a course elsewhere, in which case it would be worth reapplying. Birmingham is a good Uni, so in my opinion there'd be little point applying elsewhere unless you were certain that the course content would suit you better.


Yeah well the courses at the other unis like notts and bristol seem to a lot more mathematical and theoretical. Not sure if that would put me off though to be totally honest
Reply 8
Original post by artisha
If I were you, I would take a gap year and re apply because I'm sure with those grades you could get into the likes of Warwick

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Yeah I think I could. Would put me in a much better position for a job. If I stick with Birmingham I was thinking if I just work hard and aim for a 1st, I could do a masters at a better university


Original post by alexmufc1995
Go for a better uni I reckon; you're certainly qualified for somewhere more 'prestigious', as you've put it.

Well done on the grades :smile:


Thank you. I'm definitely gonna consider reapplying
I would start my degree, while at the same time applying to other universities next year (and then drop out to transfer next year). This is what one person had done at my college (I went to Oxford), and it had worked.
I am surprised that you didn't consider contacting Warwick and Nottingham considering a lot of people got into both universities for economics through adjustment on results day. Alternatively should you decide to take a gap year, you would even have a good shot at LSE then through their History department as you more than meet their criteria and probably have the 3 subjects which they want the most. UCL and LSE economics however would be unlikely as both require an A* in Maths and both would also like Further Maths, but you could apply to joint courses like I said above with LSE, as getting into one of the big 6 (Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, Warwick and UCL) is probably more important for investment banking in my opinion. Anyway what ever happens those are fantastic results and you can easily get into a top 10 uni for straight economics with those grades. Well done!
Reply 11
Gap year for sure.
Original post by jimbo007
I'd suggest Birmingham's a similar sort of standard to Nottingham and Bristol. Maybe get in contact with admissions from top universities and see what they say


Nope, Bristol at least is always higher than Birmingham.
Original post by TerribleTej
I am surprised that you didn't consider contacting Warwick and Nottingham considering a lot of people got into both universities for economics through adjustment on results day. Alternatively should you decide to take a gap year, you would even have a good shot at LSE then through their History department as you more than meet their criteria and probably have the 3 subjects which they want the most. UCL and LSE economics however would be unlikely as both require an A* in Maths and both would also like Further Maths, but you could apply to joint courses like I said above with LSE, as getting into one of the big 6 (Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, Warwick and UCL) is probably more important for investment banking in my opinion. Anyway what ever happens those are fantastic results and you can easily get into a top 10 uni for straight economics with those grades. Well done!


The offer from Birmingham was unconditional so I was pressured to sort out my accomdiation etc way before results day. By the time results day came and I realised I'd done way better than expected, I thought it would be too late for adjustment and to apply somewhere else. Didn't even think the likes of notts would have had places available through clearing though.:pinch:
Original post by JackersAFC
The offer from Birmingham was unconditional so I was pressured to sort out my accomdiation etc way before results day. By the time results day came and I realised I'd done way better than expected, I thought it would be too late for adjustment and to apply somewhere else. Didn't even think the likes of notts would have had places available through clearing though.:pinch:


They only accepted people who met their initial requirements, you met them for both Notts and Warwick, it might still be worth a shot calling up both of them, you have nothing to lose but a year to save.
Original post by Donald Duck
I would start my degree, while at the same time applying to other universities next year (and then drop out to transfer next year). This is what one person had done at my college (I went to Oxford), and it had worked.


Hmm that's interesting. So if I transferred to another university would I start in the first or second year of the new course?
And to answer your initial question, I would definitely take a gap year and perhaps do some economics related work experience with a major firm or organisation or even teach economics/maths at school or something, I don't know much on gap year stuff but if you keep busy you could really stand out if you include that in your personal statement. You would then have a great chance of getting into Warwick or LSE.
Original post by JackersAFC
Hmm that's interesting. So if I transferred to another university would I start in the first or second year of the new course?


She changed course, so she started 1st year.
Going Birmingham vs Notts won't make much difference, to be honest.
Well done on your grades fantastic I am in a similar situation I have a place at York to study history and politics but like you did better then expected getting an A star in history and government and politics and an A in English language I am also wondering do I tKe up the York place as I do love the course or take a gap year and apply to LSE who I was turned down from this year due to poor GCSE results and Cambridge as there is a course that sound great and I did not apply previously as didn't think I would stand a chance it is a very difficult decision so know where you Re coming from

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