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A-Level Resit Applicant - Personal Statement

I missed my offers last year to study Biochemistry, so decided to take a gap year and resit the exams I need to as an external candidate at home whilst I work part-time etc. I have nearly finished my UCAS form including my PS, I am just waiting on my referee to write a reference. Do I need to talk about my reasons for taking a gap year to resit exams?

I have done some research and some have said to focus on the subject and positives as they will see from your pending subjects that you're resitting and others have said you should recognise the resits on your PS. I also looked on some uni websites and I've seen mixed opinions so far. Thoughts?
It will be obvious from the education and pending grades that you are retaking. Focus on the course and why you want to do it instead :smile: Your referee can mention resits
Reply 2
Original post by *Interrobang*
It will be obvious from the education and pending grades that you are retaking. Focus on the course and why you want to do it instead :smile: Your referee can mention resits

Hey may I ask a few things please?

if your retaking exams as a 'private candidate' how do you put this on ucas? Your not at that institution....just taking exams there?

Also when entering your grades....do you have to put all the unit marks etc....or just put the grade..... like a level sociology, 'A' etc....
Reply 3
Original post by xxvine
Hey may I ask a few things please?

if your retaking exams as a 'private candidate' how do you put this on ucas? Your not at that institution....just taking exams there?

Also when entering your grades....do you have to put all the unit marks etc....or just put the grade..... like a level sociology, 'A' etc....


Hello :smile: If you are a private candidate, and you are retaking exams in the 2014-2015 year period for example, you just need to enter the institution you are taking the exams at again separately (like your old sixth form etc) as a new entry and just enter the exams you are doing and put pending for them.

It doesn't matter too much as you're resitting modules anyway so putting just the grade will be enough, which is what I did. Hope that helps!
Reply 4
Original post by Dungey95
Hello :smile: If you are a private candidate, and you are retaking exams in the 2014-2015 year period for example, you just need to enter the institution you are taking the exams at again separately (like your old sixth form etc) as a new entry and just enter the exams you are doing and put pending for them.

It doesn't matter too much as you're resitting modules anyway so putting just the grade will be enough, which is what I did. Hope that helps!



Hey......:smile:

do you didn't put down all the units you did and the individual marks?
Reply 5
I put down the grade for each unit but not the marks :smile:

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Reply 6
Original post by Dungey95
I put down the grade for each unit but not the marks :smile:

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dang so i have to write down each individual unit that i did and all the grades...

it doesn't look good if i just put the final grade right? Like English A, Sociology B? Does it look like I have something to hide lol?

Do i have to put the units?
Original post by xxvine
dang so i have to write down each individual unit that i did and all the grades...

it doesn't look good if i just put the final grade right? Like English A, Sociology B? Does it look like I have something to hide lol?

Do i have to put the units?


You don't have to put the unit grades in. You can but that your's choice
Reply 8
Original post by EvasiveRose
You don't have to put the unit grades in. You can but that your's choice


okay

thought it looks dodgy when you just put the final grade and not the actual units?
It doesn't. It's really up to you: universities won't discriminate against you if you decide not to mention it
Hiya

I just wanted to mention that if part of your qualification is more relevant than the whole it might be worth mentioning the units and the marks to show how applicable it is to the application you are making.

Most courses will ask for relevant or specific subjects for entry requirements so if you can tailor your answer to that it might work in your favour :smile:

Good Luck though

Mish
If you're resitting a few modules to get your grades up then putting in your unit grades for your A levels from 2014 along with a pending A level result in 2015 (with unit grades for the units you aren't resitting and pending for the ones you are) will make if VERY clear to universities what you're resitting and how likely it is that you'll improve your grades.

I would always recommend including unit grades.
Reply 12
Original post by PQ
If you're resitting a few modules to get your grades up then putting in your unit grades for your A levels from 2014 along with a pending A level result in 2015 (with unit grades for the units you aren't resitting and pending for the ones you are) will make if VERY clear to universities what you're resitting and how likely it is that you'll improve your grades.

I would always recommend including unit grades.

Ill change mine then and enter the unit grades

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