Gap year re-sitting A-level modules - Too many?
So, I didn't get into the university I wanted to go to. My predicted grades were ABB but I disappointingly achieved BBC. I sort of saw this coming as Y13 was a very hard, busy year for me as I was Head Boy and also my late father was very ill at the time. So in my mind, I always had a back up plan which was to take a gap year and resit my A-levels while at the same time gain some valuable work experience abroad as I'm applying to study French and Spanish.
Anyway, I plan to re-sit two French modules to pull it up from a B to an A. I'm hoping that working in France for 3/4 months will improve my French as well as some private tuition, just to reinforce the grammatical side of things, translation, etc.
The other subject I want to resit modules in is in Psychology which I got a C in. I'd like to bring it up to an A. I only just got a B at AS though so I would have to get 2 A*s in my A2 modules to make this happen. So to be on the safe side, I'd probably have to consider re-sitting an AS module in Psychology. I love Psychology though and really enjoy it! I just messed up big time on the exam. Got an A in my mock but an E in the real thing!
In total, I'd have 5 exams to study for. 2 French, 3 Psychology. Does this seem like too much to study for? I don't actually know of anyone else in my position. Until I go to France in January, I'm working part-time but it's only 12 hours per week so I have quite a bit of free time on my hands. The other subject I studied was Economics and you could not pay me enough to sit down at my desk and start revising that again, which is why I want to bump up my Psychology grades up by 2.
Some advice would be greatly appreciated!
Anyway, I plan to re-sit two French modules to pull it up from a B to an A. I'm hoping that working in France for 3/4 months will improve my French as well as some private tuition, just to reinforce the grammatical side of things, translation, etc.
The other subject I want to resit modules in is in Psychology which I got a C in. I'd like to bring it up to an A. I only just got a B at AS though so I would have to get 2 A*s in my A2 modules to make this happen. So to be on the safe side, I'd probably have to consider re-sitting an AS module in Psychology. I love Psychology though and really enjoy it! I just messed up big time on the exam. Got an A in my mock but an E in the real thing!
In total, I'd have 5 exams to study for. 2 French, 3 Psychology. Does this seem like too much to study for? I don't actually know of anyone else in my position. Until I go to France in January, I'm working part-time but it's only 12 hours per week so I have quite a bit of free time on my hands. The other subject I studied was Economics and you could not pay me enough to sit down at my desk and start revising that again, which is why I want to bump up my Psychology grades up by 2.
Some advice would be greatly appreciated!
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I am in the exact postition as you, i received BCC which is even more dissapointing because i was predicted ABB. I am doing Politics, Sociology and Media. I was planning on resitting as soon as November so i could get my results quick, so the application process to uni later on would be a lot easier.
I am planning on resitting one module from each of my subjects, like i have 4 modules for sociology and i have 3 A's but 1 D for the exam, so i'm planning on retaking it to get an A so the average would be A* overall. Also retaking the lower grade modules for media and politics to get Low A's or High B, so the average for both would be a B.
Everyone i know think i'm crazy for retaking 4 exams (including Gcse maths to get a B), but honestly if you feel like you can achieve the grades that you want and you have the time because i also have a part time job and lit tle brothers i have to take care of while my mother is working full time, so it gets very stressful at times. I would recommend that you create an exam timetable (which sounds lame i know) but its really helped me keep myself organised and study for each subject equally, and not cram one subject then only take 15 minutes for the other one. I would also suggest you sit the exams as early as you possible can that way you can apply for university in April with your desired grades as well as fill out studeny finance in May.
Sorry if this was long but i really felt i had to share.
I am planning on resitting one module from each of my subjects, like i have 4 modules for sociology and i have 3 A's but 1 D for the exam, so i'm planning on retaking it to get an A so the average would be A* overall. Also retaking the lower grade modules for media and politics to get Low A's or High B, so the average for both would be a B.
Everyone i know think i'm crazy for retaking 4 exams (including Gcse maths to get a B), but honestly if you feel like you can achieve the grades that you want and you have the time because i also have a part time job and lit tle brothers i have to take care of while my mother is working full time, so it gets very stressful at times. I would recommend that you create an exam timetable (which sounds lame i know) but its really helped me keep myself organised and study for each subject equally, and not cram one subject then only take 15 minutes for the other one. I would also suggest you sit the exams as early as you possible can that way you can apply for university in April with your desired grades as well as fill out studeny finance in May.
Sorry if this was long but i really felt i had to share.
Original post by Rahmadiamandis
I am in the exact postition as you, i received BCC which is even more dissapointing because i was predicted ABB. I am doing Politics, Sociology and Media. I was planning on resitting as soon as November so i could get my results quick, so the application process to uni later on would be a lot easier.
I am planning on resitting one module from each of my subjects, like i have 4 modules for sociology and i have 3 A's but 1 D for the exam, so i'm planning on retaking it to get an A so the average would be A* overall. Also retaking the lower grade modules for media and politics to get Low A's or High B, so the average for both would be a B.
Everyone i know think i'm crazy for retaking 4 exams (including Gcse maths to get a B), but honestly if you feel like you can achieve the grades that you want and you have the time because i also have a part time job and lit tle brothers i have to take care of while my mother is working full time, so it gets very stressful at times. I would recommend that you create an exam timetable (which sounds lame i know) but its really helped me keep myself organised and study for each subject equally, and not cram one subject then only take 15 minutes for the other one. I would also suggest you sit the exams as early as you possible can that way you can apply for university in April with your desired grades as well as fill out studeny finance in May.
Sorry if this was long but i really felt i had to share.
I am planning on resitting one module from each of my subjects, like i have 4 modules for sociology and i have 3 A's but 1 D for the exam, so i'm planning on retaking it to get an A so the average would be A* overall. Also retaking the lower grade modules for media and politics to get Low A's or High B, so the average for both would be a B.
Everyone i know think i'm crazy for retaking 4 exams (including Gcse maths to get a B), but honestly if you feel like you can achieve the grades that you want and you have the time because i also have a part time job and lit tle brothers i have to take care of while my mother is working full time, so it gets very stressful at times. I would recommend that you create an exam timetable (which sounds lame i know) but its really helped me keep myself organised and study for each subject equally, and not cram one subject then only take 15 minutes for the other one. I would also suggest you sit the exams as early as you possible can that way you can apply for university in April with your desired grades as well as fill out studeny finance in May.
Sorry if this was long but i really felt i had to share.
Is it even possible to resit exams earlier?
Original post by neal95
Is it even possible to resit exams earlier?
Only possible with CIE. No other board offers this option.
Original post by neal95
Is it even possible to resit exams earlier?
Well i'm planning on resitting in november, i just have to fill out a form and pay the fee for each module. Its very much possible, i mean you can resit with a local college all you have to do is contact them and have them enter you as a private candidate and they'll let you sit it, thats for maths and possibly other a level modules.
Original post by Buntar
Hi,
How does the A level resitting work? Can you just resit individual modules? I am going to resit maths in June 2015 I'm trying to get it up to an A/A* from the B that I achieved. Is it possible just to resit the modules that I did badly in?
Thanks in advance
How does the A level resitting work? Can you just resit individual modules? I am going to resit maths in June 2015 I'm trying to get it up to an A/A* from the B that I achieved. Is it possible just to resit the modules that I did badly in?
Thanks in advance
contact a local college and ask if they can enter you as a private candidate for the module that you want, they'll obviously have a minor fee of probably £25 and more if you wait longer. If not then research colleges that are willing to let you sit as a private candidate, there are loads in London that i'm applying to
Actually I have 6 exams 
more than op & maybe some coursework from as level
more than op & maybe some coursework from as level
same with me, I needed BBB/BBC but got CDD instead lol. Want to retake 2 A2 psychology exams and 1 AS to bring the D up to a B, also plan to retake 2 A2 sociology papers to bring the D to a B and One Health and social care exam to bring the C to a B aswell.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by A sheesh
I took a gap year after getting bcc
(got dee in AS so i had 18 exams that year)
this year i had 8 exams and 2 empas and got it upto
AAB in chem law bio so very possible
(got dee in AS so i had 18 exams that year)
this year i had 8 exams and 2 empas and got it upto
AAB in chem law bio so very possible
Nice one mate! Did you get into the uni you wanted? Also for law,
Especially unit 3 and the concept of law questions ( if you did aqa) did you memorise your answers and if so did you find it helped you?
Original post by Rahmadiamandis
contact a local college and ask if they can enter you as a private candidate for the module that you want, they'll obviously have a minor fee of probably £25 and more if you wait longer. If not then research colleges that are willing to let you sit as a private candidate, there are loads in London that i'm applying to
25 seems really cheap. I've been looking around between 80-120 per module. What colleges are you looking at (in London) that is
Original post by neal95
Nice one mate! Did you get into the uni you wanted? Also for law,
Especially unit 3 and the concept of law questions ( if you did aqa) did you memorise your answers and if so did you find it helped you?
Especially unit 3 and the concept of law questions ( if you did aqa) did you memorise your answers and if so did you find it helped you?
Thanks mate! And no i did ocr but for ocr i feel that memkrising answers would score low. What you need to do is memories the content and then just apply it to the question
Original post by A sheesh
I took a gap year after getting bcc
(got dee in AS so i had 18 exams that year)
this year i had 8 exams and 2 empas and got it upto
AAB in chem law bio so very possible
(got dee in AS so i had 18 exams that year)
this year i had 8 exams and 2 empas and got it upto
AAB in chem law bio so very possible
Really?? 18 exams is mental. How did you cope. I'm sitting as an external candidate and already demotivated
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by lozasaurus99
Really?? 18 exams is mental. How did you cope. I'm sitting as an external candidate and already demotivated
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Hey
.well the year that i had 18 exams we had jan exams (not so fortunate the year after)
so i did 5 jan 13 june
Original post by A sheesh
Hey .
well the year that i had 18 exams we had jan exams (not so fortunate the year after)
so i did 5 jan 13 june
.well the year that i had 18 exams we had jan exams (not so fortunate the year after)
so i did 5 jan 13 june
Bloody hell 13 exams! !!!!!
that's still soo much!!! How did you cope?! Have you got any tips ? ..and I hate how the education system is getting harder I loved January exams!!Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by lozasaurus99
Bloody hell 13 exams! !!!!! that's still soo much!!! How did you cope?! Have you got any tips ? ..and I hate how the education system is getting harder I loved January exams!!
Posted from TSR Mobile
that's still soo much!!! How did you cope?! Have you got any tips ? ..and I hate how the education system is getting harder I loved January exams!!Posted from TSR Mobile
To tell you the truth, by the end if that year, i was going mad and freaking out!
basically set up a timetable and stick with it.
what i would advise strongly, if possible, is to finish content quickly and spend the majority of time on past papers and exam technique ( much more for sciences)
chemistry content i finished in november so for months id just do past papers and exam qs. Therefore it stops seeming like revision as you are ready for almost anything theyre going to ask.
when you get to that position with a subject, its like youre doing one less subject. Exam papers keep your mind afresh while helping with technique aswell so i strongly advise more time on past papers than content!
I got BCC and I need ABB - I binned all my revision material, ffs!
I did the same as you. I didn't go back to school and instead revised at home after a year of no education. The year as a whole is incredibly useful if you do it properly, work hard, get some money etc. But don't under-estimate how hard it is to get back into learning the modules again, you forget how to put what you've learned into the exams and the pressure your under is like a ticking time-bomb.
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