How hopeless is the situation?

Good one. Blame the private education of other people for your own failings.

Hi everyone!

Sorry for another negative article but I had to talk to someone. I was quite despondent after my AS results having received a b in chemistry, maths and biology and a c in French. My mum and many other people tried to raise my spirits by telling me that it's still possible to get the grades I want, however now I've been told that if I'm going to bed before midnight, I'm probably not working hard enough, and worse still - perhaps worst of all is that the system will be marked even more harshly. So harshly that universities such as Oxford and Cambridge will have to be happy with a maximum grade of an A and not an A*. Therefore it might be somewhat futile to download past papers and mark schemes. How true is this and if so, how hopeless is this? I really don't want to have to accept that only those who can afford private education or have 160 plus IQ will succeed. (I may have exaggerated there but it still seems rather unfair)

Okay, you've not done as well as you expected at AS. I'm very sorry about that, but please don't try to deflect it on people who have nothing to do with it. If you got BBBC at AS, it's still possible to get all As at A2 - but it will be extremely difficult. On top of that, Oxford and Cambridge definitely won't accept you with those AS grades. If you apply post-A2, they'll expect you to have achieved higher grades so to have any chance of getting in after A2, you'll need A*AA at the absolute minimum, preferably A*A*A or above - which you're not going to get with those AS grades. Sorry :/

Okay, you've not done as well as you expected at AS. I'm very sorry about that, but please don't try to deflect it on people who have nothing to do with it. If you got BBBC at AS, it's still possible to get all As at A2 - but it will be extremely difficult. On top of that, Oxford and Cambridge definitely won't accept you with those AS grades. If you apply post-A2, they'll expect you to have achieved higher grades so to have any chance of getting in after A2, you'll need A*AA at the absolute minimum, preferably A*A*A or above - which you're not going to get with those AS grades. Sorry :/

Hey wait a minute. I'm not blaming anyone for my grades. I'm just telling you guys what I was told. I was told that while it is possible to jump from a b to an a, it'll be more difficult this year than it would have been last year


Posted from TSR Mobile

Unless it's changed in the last 2 years you can still retake AS modules in year 13, right? I got a a U in one of my biology modules and got it up to an A in year 13

I'm not blaming anyone and I'm not applying for Oxbridge but I was told that it's not as simple as doing past papers anymore
Posted from TSR Mobile

Yes you are. You wrote "I really don't want to have to accept that only those who can afford private education or have 160 plus IQ will succeed. (I may have exaggerated there but it still seems rather unfair)"

That's what my family was talking about with me


Posted from TSR Mobile

Yes, but if you're applying to top universities, they're not going to be particularly happy about retakes. They'd much rather have someone getting the grades the first time round. He could in theory get As without retakes, he'd just need to do exceedingly well at A2.



There are plenty of people who get by just by doing papers, but everyone has different learning styles. There's no "one style fits all" revision technique - you need to have the discipline to establish your own personal effective revision technique.

Yes you are. You wrote "I really don't want to have to accept that only those who can afford private education or have 160 plus IQ will succeed. (I may have exaggerated there but it still seems rather unfair)"

Your AS grades are very good compared to a lot of students. Don't be another one of these students who sees Oxbridge as the 'gold standard' and has their confidence crushed after their second rejection, there are plenty of other universities in the country at which you can be very successful. Good luck!

Your AS grades are very good compared to a lot of students. Don't be another one of these students who sees Oxbridge as the 'gold standard' and has their confidence crushed after their second rejection, there are plenty of other universities in the country at which you can be very successful. Good luck!