The Student Room Group

Retake Ecnomics U2 or not

My AS results (UMS point):
A-Level Mathematics 591/600 A* (achieved)
AS Geography 190/200 A (predicted grade A*)
AS Economics 156/200 B (predicted grade A)
Predicted grade of Further Mathematics is A*

Due to my relatively lower grades in economics, I am considering retaking U2 at the end of yr2.
(U1 module 80/800 A; U2 module 76/100 B)
At the same time, I am still planning to apply to Cambridge and LSE to major in economics degree. I got the information that Cambridge is quite generous about retaking only a few modules and one of my friends who resit U2 module and at last succeed to get into Cam to study Economics. However, I am not sure about attitudes from LSE about resitting.
Then should I retake U2 or not?
Would my university choices be quite risky if I apply to Cambridge, LSE, UCL, Warwick, Nottingham in economics?
I got into LSE to do economics this year and resat unit 2, they e-mailed to ask for UMS grades in all your AS levels then asked if you were planning to resit any, so yes you can. can't say for Cambridge as I didn't apply there.

I'd say your choices are risky as all are oversubscribed and A*AA entry (NOT including further maths), whilst your maths is already guaranteed which is a big plus and you'd have to mess up not to get an A in Geography, the economics could still easily not come out as an A if the exam doesn't go great. I'd suggest looking at and putting in 1 AAB or AAA course who are more lenient, Bath, Surrey Queen Mary etc.
Reply 2
Original post by leinad2012
I got into LSE to do economics this year and resat unit 2, they e-mailed to ask for UMS grades in all your AS levels then asked if you were planning to resit any, so yes you can. can't say for Cambridge as I didn't apply there.

I'd say your choices are risky as all are oversubscribed and A*AA entry (NOT including further maths), whilst your maths is already guaranteed which is a big plus and you'd have to mess up not to get an A in Geography, the economics could still easily not come out as an A if the exam doesn't go great. I'd suggest looking at and putting in 1 AAB or AAA course who are more lenient, Bath, Surrey Queen Mary etc.

Thank you for reply.
Is there any difference between A*AA and AAA courses because an A* is achieved in my A-Level maths? Should I put 2 universities with AAB standards in economics according to my AS results or one would be alright?
Original post by lyxcindy
Thank you for reply.
Is there any difference between A*AA and AAA courses because an A* is achieved in my A-Level maths? Should I put 2 universities with AAB standards in economics according to my AS results or one would be alright?


I didn't apply to any AAA but I'm not sure on leniency (like, I'm not sure if they count A*AB=AAA or not)

The A* in maths and a very one at that will be a huge plus on your application, so even though I put 2 AAB down I'd suggest only 1, as they're more than likely to give you an offer (some might argue if 3 of the top 10 unis reject you chances are the 4th ill too, but UCL, LSE and Oxford are very picky so I'm not as sure).

Also, try to get your teachers to predict an A in economics and retake 1 as well, I retook econ 2 and went from 75 to 97 ums without even revising much :smile:
Reply 4
Original post by leinad2012
I didn't apply to any AAA but I'm not sure on leniency (like, I'm not sure if they count A*AB=AAA or not)

The A* in maths and a very one at that will be a huge plus on your application, so even though I put 2 AAB down I'd suggest only 1, as they're more than likely to give you an offer (some might argue if 3 of the top 10 unis reject you chances are the 4th ill too, but UCL, LSE and Oxford are very picky so I'm not as sure).

Also, try to get your teachers to predict an A in economics and retake 1 as well, I retook econ 2 and went from 75 to 97 ums without even revising much :smile:

Wow, how did you achieve grades like that? Is there any specific learning skills you have? Also, would that be alright I resit both two modules in economics and tell universities that I do so?
Original post by lyxcindy
Wow, how did you achieve grades like that? Is there any specific learning skills you have? Also, would that be alright I resit both two modules in economics and tell universities that I do so?


I just understood the sylabus in much more depth A2 macro follows on from AS so it was just carrying on the knowledge I already had. I did all of the 1 markers leading up to the exam then went over any areas I did badly in, and read through all the mark schemes, examiners reports etc. to find out about where the marks are given on each question. It took me 20mins to do the 25 1 mark questions first time, took about 8 mins this year because I understood the stuff much better.

Only tell them you're resitting if they ask, UCL didn't but LSE did :smile:
Reply 6
Original post by leinad2012
I just understood the sylabus in much more depth A2 macro follows on from AS so it was just carrying on the knowledge I already had. I did all of the 1 markers leading up to the exam then went over any areas I did badly in, and read through all the mark schemes, examiners reports etc. to find out about where the marks are given on each question. It took me 20mins to do the 25 1 mark questions first time, took about 8 mins this year because I understood the stuff much better.

Only tell them you're resitting if they ask, UCL didn't but LSE did :smile:

If I resit all the two module in AS economics, would it seem to be too much?
Original post by lyxcindy
If I resit all the two module in AS economics, would it seem to be too much?

I don't know, I got 75 in both unit 1 and 2 but retook 2 because econ 4 is synoptic so I was going to be learning similar stuff the whole year anyway
Reply 8
Original post by leinad2012
I don't know, I got 75 in both unit 1 and 2 but retook 2 because econ 4 is synoptic so I was going to be learning similar stuff the whole year anyway

Could you tell me your information about AS and A-Level results, especially in Economics and your university choices?
Thank you.
Original post by lyxcindy
Could you tell me your information about AS and A-Level results, especially in Economics and your university choices?
Thank you.


I got AABC in AS maths product design economics and physics in that order with the A's at like 91%ish.

Got offers for straight econ at LSE, Surrey, Queen Mary and Econ and Stats at UCL. rejected by UCL for straight econ but told I could swap onto it anyway if I didn't like econ and stats.

Got A*A*A*a overall dropping physics and taking up AS further maths :smile:
Reply 10
Original post by leinad2012
I got AABC in AS maths product design economics and physics in that order with the A's at like 91%ish.

Got offers for straight econ at LSE, Surrey, Queen Mary and Econ and Stats at UCL. rejected by UCL for straight econ but told I could swap onto it anyway if I didn't like econ and stats.

Got A*A*A*a overall dropping physics and taking up AS further maths :smile:

Awesome grades! Why don't you retake both modules and just choose u2 to retake in economics?
Original post by lyxcindy
Awesome grades! Why don't you retake both modules and just choose u2 to retake in economics?


I preferred macro and only wanted to retake one. Plus my teacher said that there was lots of unit 2 content in unit 4 but not unit 1 stuff in unit 3 so I'd kind of be relearning the syllabus as I went anyway
Reply 12
Original post by leinad2012
I preferred macro and only wanted to retake one. Plus my teacher said that there was lots of unit 2 content in unit 4 but not unit 1 stuff in unit 3 so I'd kind of be relearning the syllabus as I went anyway

So now I should retake u2 and replace Nottingham with one university with AAB standards in economics. That is what you recommend according to my situation, right?
Original post by lyxcindy
So now I should retake u2 and replace Nottingham with one university with AAB standards in economics. That is what you recommend according to my situation, right?


That's probably what I would do yes, but do what you thinks best, my teachers told me it was highly unlikely I'd get an offer from UCL or LSE and I did so it's quite unpredictable! Choose on what uni's you like, there's little point putting an AAB down which you wouldn't realistically want to go to, I did with Queen Mary and was dreading it being my only offer but luckily that wasn't the case

Quick Reply

Latest