The Student Room Group

Doing A level and Gcses as a Private candidate.

Hi, I wanna know if it is possible to do Gcses and A levels (AS to be precise) in one year. I know it sounds crazy but let me explain. I didn't get the expected gcses results and I want to retake ALL of them (5), that too as private candidate in Jan. I was wondering if it was possible to do AS too in the same year (2017). Is it going to effect my uni application? Its obviously gonna be hard but has anyone ever done something like this ? Please share your experience. Thanks

Ps: Please remember I'm gonna do it as a private candidate.
Reply 1
Original post by david7866
Hi, I wanna know if it is possible to do Gcses and A levels (AS to be precise) in one year. I know it sounds crazy but let me explain. I didn't get the expected gcses results and I want to retake ALL of them (5), that too as private candidate in Jan. I was wondering if it was possible to do AS too in the same year (2017). Is it going to effect my uni application? Its obviously gonna be hard but has anyone ever done something like this ? Please share your experience. Thanks

Ps: Please remember I'm gonna do it as a private candidate.

It is a silly idea. You've already done badly at GCSE when you were just concentrating on those, so now you're setting yourself up for failure.
Reply 2
Original post by Juno
It is a silly idea. You've already done badly at GCSE when you were just concentrating on those, so now you're setting yourself up for failure.


But it is still possible right ?
Original post by david7866
But it is still possible right ?


Technically it's possible but if it was me I wouldn't expect to do well in either if it was some sort of science. They basically overhaul the entirety of what you are taught at GCSE in the AS year.
Original post by david7866
Hi, I wanna know if it is possible to do Gcses and A levels (AS to be precise) in one year. I know it sounds crazy but let me explain. I didn't get the expected gcses results and I want to retake ALL of them (5), that too as private candidate in Jan. I was wondering if it was possible to do AS too in the same year (2017). Is it going to effect my uni application? Its obviously gonna be hard but has anyone ever done something like this ? Please share your experience. Thanks

Ps: Please remember I'm gonna do it as a private candidate.


Are you in England? If so then here aren't retakes in January ....

Focus on your AS levels..
Reply 5
Original post by Muttley79
Are you in England? If so then here aren't retakes in January ....

Focus on your AS levels..


Are u serious? I asked my college and they said there are retakes in Jan
Reply 6
Original post by Shipreck
Technically it's possible but if it was me I wouldn't expect to do well in either if it was some sort of science. They basically overhaul the entirety of what you are taught at GCSE in the AS year.

yeah I know. This year is gonna be stressful for me.
Original post by david7866
Are u serious? I asked my college and they said there are retakes in Jan


Which board?

Here is AQA:

http://www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/dates-and-timetables
Depending what A levels (or AS) you are doing that may be a large ask. A lot of knowledge you need, particularly for science A levels, stems from GCSE knowledge. That is not to say if you truly commit and study like mad you can't do it, just it will not be remotely easy.
Reply 9


I'm doing edexcel Igcse
Reply 10
Original post by VMD100
Depending what A levels (or AS) you are doing that may be a large ask. A lot of knowledge you need, particularly for science A levels, stems from GCSE knowledge. That is not to say if you truly commit and study like mad you can't do it, just it will not be remotely easy.


I'm not planning to do Science A levels. (Law, Economics , Maths)
Original post by david7866
I'm doing edexcel Igcse


Why are you doing iGCSEs?

I would not advise retaking ...good AS levels are far more important.
Reply 12
Original post by Muttley79
Why are you doing iGCSEs?

I would not advise retaking ...good AS levels are far more important.


Because there isn't any coursework and as I have said I'm a private candidate. I don't go to college and its far more easier for me like that. I do get that AS is important but unis do care about good grades in gcses, dont they?
Original post by david7866
Because there isn't any coursework and as I have said I'm a private candidate. I don't go to college and its far more easier for me like that. I do get that AS is important but unis do care about good grades in gcses, dont they?


Not as much as AS and predictions. You will have to declare all the grades anyway ... that includes the ones you got in June.

Unis don't like GCSE retakes ..

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