CIE has ruined my life

So basically, I'm getting a re-mark for my CIE A Level Physics cause I need it upgraded from a 'B' to an 'A' to meet my Imperial offer. I geniunely think I got 'A' and I have good reasons to believe so.

Problem is, I submitted it for re-marking on the 14th but CIE won't allow me a priority re-mark cause I'm an international student and priority re-marks are only allowed for UK students. Therefore, my re-mark might not even arrive before 31st August - deadline for meeting my Imperial offer.

If my re-mark doesn't arrive before the 31st, I'll lose my place at Imperial and I'll have to go to University of Manchester - my insurance choice. The problem with this is: Manchester starts on around the 15th and there's no way I'll get my visa in time.

I can't apply for a visa without having a CAS number, and to get a CAS number from my university, they need to have my final qualifications (i.e: they need the results of my physics re-mark).

1 month ago, there is no way I could have envisioned such a calamitous situation. CIE - within a couple of days - has ruined my life!

Firstly, have you contacted CIE directly and explained your situation? You have to let them know that a priority remark is absolutely necessary. If you have and they've told you you can't have a priority remark, contact Imperial and explain that your final grade may not come through by the deadline. Most universities are very understanding with problems such as these, and they will probably extend the deadline for you.

Also explain your problem to Manchester, who I'm sure will try to get your CAS to you ASAP given your circumstances, and make arrangements to get you up to speed for when you would actually arrive, should you end up going with Manchester. As long as you've explained your situation, I'm sure they will be lenient.

Lastly, don't worry too much! Other than contacting the unis and CIE, it's out of your hands. You are very, very unlikely to lose your place at both unis now, so relax and enjoy the rest of your summer break.

Problem is, I submitted it for re-marking on the 14th but CIE won't allow me a priority re-mark cause I'm an international student and priority re-marks are only allowed for UK students. Therefore, my re-mark might not even arrive before 31st August - deadline for meeting my Imperial offer.

If my re-mark doesn't arrive before the 31st, I'll lose my place at Imperial and I'll have to go to University of Manchester - my insurance choice. The problem with this is: Manchester starts on around the 15th and there's no way I'll get my visa in time.

yes international students are at a disadvantage most of the time.
we pay for our exams, we pay for our school fees from young and we pay up for our uni fees in full.
i am really sorry to hear about your situation.

which country are you from?
if you're from one of the better ranked countries, your visa will be approved quite quickly.

you have to be patient with anything British.
their administration is really very very slow.
you will have to exercise a great deal of patience.

i wish you luck.

Wow, you seem fond of Britain don't ya

i've had really really bad experiences with them.
and these are premier institutions.
if i forwarded the email correspondences i had with them, to you,
you'll be shocked.

if i could describe these individuals then the following will be apt.
lazy, slow to react, uncoordinated, no sense of urgency, incompetent.

i am sorry if I've hurt your feelings.
you can, like so many before you, complain to the moderators.
they'll be quick to warn and then subsequently ban me.

but the imbeciles who talk ill about race, religion, sex and so on, continues to spew their vile verbal diarrhea without any action on the part of the moderators.
talk about paradoxes

but like what a few forum members told me via private message.
'oh don't you worry about the mods. they only have power in the virtual world. outside of it, they're nothing'

Also I'm not some stuffy nerd. I'm not exactly going to go to the e-police and tell on you. Again, immature.

that's a nice departure from the norm

yes international students are at a disadvantage most of the time.
we pay for our exams, we pay for our school fees from young and we pay up for our uni fees in full.
i am really sorry to hear about your situation.

which country are you from?
if you're from one of the better ranked countries, your visa will be approved quite quickly.

you have to be patient with anything British.
their administration is really very very slow.
you will have to exercise a great deal of patience.

i wish you luck.

I'm from Kenya. I'm expecting my Physics re-mark to arrive some time in the first week of September. My dad is good friends with one of the tenured professors at Imperial, so hopefully when my re-mark arrives my dad will contact him and be able to work something out.

I don't know whether all British are slow but the examiners sure are. I mean how long does it take 1 Physics paper??? It's been 16 days since I sent it!!!

but isn't the cut-off date for uni places, August 31st?
you mean you can get in because of connections?

CIE have said they 'process enquiries about results in the order they receive them' - so basically there's no way to speed up the process. Imperial have not bothered replying to my email. So things are looking bleak.

Basically, what I'm getting at is that I would find it utterly unfair to be punished for the incompetence of the exam board, when there was nothing I could've done to prevent it.

i'm with CIE too and I can tell you their staff is useless.
They're so cosy in Southeast Asia, earning significantly more than what others would, had they stayed back in the UK, they live in apartments whose rent is paid for, they're given petrol money for their car, their children school fees in international schools in Asia is paid for (this can run into more than what you pay at a UK uni per year) and given all these perks (expat package), you would think they would do the basic, decent thing which is to work properly?

no way! they're simply useless.

And they call themselves a 'not for profit' organization. SMH

i think they thought they were efficient whilst in the UK.
but they thought wrong. I wonder if they know how people outside of UK viewed them.
I seriously wonder.

I hope things turn out well for you.
but lets say if things don't go as planned, what would you do?
take a gap year? I know the British universities are supportive of gap years
what would you do during your gap year?

If I don't get my 'A' grade by the end of next week I'll probably go to University of Manchester for entry this September.

the Asians who rape young girls