Do my A-levels again for the third time or go through clearing?

The past 3 years of my life have not turned out the way I expected them to. I did my A-levels for the first time in 2022. I didn't get to apply to the universities or the course I wanted to as my predicted grades were really bad. My final grades were CCD and I couldn't apply to any good universities through clearing either. Despite getting into my insurance choice, I decided to re-take my A-levels as I knew I could do better and I really wanted to go to my dream uni. I repeated year 13 in another school and everything was going well. I was predicted AAA and got offers from my dream unis, Imperial College London and King's College London. Unfortunately, I did not meet the entry requirements in my final exams and was really really shocked by the results I got as I was sure I had at least gotten a minimum of one A (I ended up getting BCC). I managed to get into Royal Holloway, University of London, a semi-good uni (in my opinion) through clearing where I get to study Biomedical Sciences which is the course I want to study but I really don't know if I should go. I almost feel as if I don't deserve to go to uni until I get my As. I know I am capable of getting As and A*s but for some reason I keep letting silly things get in the way and affect my performance. I've learnt a lot from the past 3 years and I know that if i re-take again there is a high chance of me getting the grades I want as I will not be making the same mistakes again. But what if I don't get those offers from my dream unis again? What if the grade boundaries are worse than this year? Should I just take the offer I've been given and go to uni or should I give A-levels one last shot?

(edited 8 months ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Muttley79

Original post by lana.xo

The past 3 years of my life have not turned out the way I expected them to. I did my A-levels for the first time in 2022. I didn't get to apply to the universities I wanted to as my predicted grades were really bad. My final grades were CCD and I couldn't apply to any good universities through clearing either. Despite getting into my insurance choice, I decided to re-take my A-levels as I knew I could do better and I really wanted to go to my dream uni. I repeated year 13 in another school and everything was going well. I was predicted AAA and got offers from my dream unis. Unfortunately, I did not meet the entry requirements in my final exams and was really really shocked by the results I got as I was sure I had at least gotten a minimum of one A (I ended up getting BCC). I managed to get into a semi-good uni through clearing where I get to study the course I want to study but I really don't know if I should go. I almost feel as if I don't deserve to go to uni until I get my As. I know I am capable of getting As and A*s but for some reason I keep letting silly things get in the way and effect my performance. I've learnt a lot from the past 3 years and I know that if i re-take again there is a high chance of me getting the grades I want as I will not be making the same mistakes again. But what if I don't get those offers from my dream unis again? What if the grade boundaries are worse than this year? Should I just take the offer I've been given and go to uni or should I give A-levels one last shot?

Don't retake again - it's time to move on and go to uni.

Reply 2

lana.xo

Original post by Muttley79

Don't retake again - it's time to move on and go to uni.

I know:/ A lot of people are telling me to not re-take and take the offer I've been given but at the same time I don't think I'll ever be able to accept the fact that I have to live my life knowing I got those grades when I know I am capable of getting As and even A*s.

Reply 3

Muttley79

Original post by lana.xo

Your degree classification is more important - aim for that first and your A level grades become far less important.

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 4

totallyfine

At a future time in your life you may very well be capable of getting A and A* grades but the main point of A levels are really just to get you onto the degree course. So instead of staying stuck at this stage, why not channel your energies and abilities into doing really well at the degree stage? Don't waste any more time on this, it really isn't worth it.

Reply 5

saxons

You can get into a good uni through clearing with those grades. Stop wasting time and focus on getting a good degree.

Reply 6

lana.xo

Original post by Muttley79

Your degree classification is more important - aim for that first and your A level grades become far less important.

but wouldn't a first in kings or imperial be way more valuable than a first in royal holloway? that's all that's going through my mind right now

Reply 7

totallyfine

Original post by lana.xo

but wouldn't a first in kings or imperial be way more valuable than a first in royal holloway? that's all that's going through my mind right now

No, not really. Its the classification and work experience on your cv that matters most.

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 8

jammmyjam

as far as im concerned, any degree classification from anywhere is valuable - as long as you have one? I don't think employers discriminate against universities like that

Original post by lana.xo

but wouldn't a first in kings or imperial be way more valuable than a first in royal holloway? that's all that's going through my mind right now

Reply 9

random_matt

Employers really do not give a **** where you study outside a couple or so degrees.

Reply 10

Philippax3

Original post by lana.xo

but wouldn't a first in kings or imperial be way more valuable than a first in royal holloway? that's all that's going through my mind right now

Literally, nobody cares what university you go to, the only thing that matters is the degree classification at the end of it (3rd, 2:2, 2:1 or 1st), a 1st 70% at royal holloway is the same as a 1st from Kings it makes no difference the scoring across the UK is the same.

Reply 11

Muttley79

Original post by lana.xo

but wouldn't a first in kings or imperial be way more valuable than a first in royal holloway? that's all that's going through my mind right now

Not for 99% of degrees - which subject?

Reply 12

lana.xo

biomedical sciences

Original post by Muttley79

Not for 99% of degrees - which subject?

Reply 13

Muttley79

Original post by lana.xo

biomedical sciences

Go anywhere - it won't matter.

Reply 14

Albatross23

Original post by lana.xo

but wouldn't a first in kings or imperial be way more valuable than a first in royal holloway? that's all that's going through my mind right now

You are highly unlikely to be offered a place at Kings or Imperial if it takes you three attempts at getting the grades. They are highly competitive institutions.

Reply 15

lana.xo

Original post by Muttley79

Go anywhere - it won't matter.

but what if i want to apply to internships at unis like imperial or oxford or if i want to apply to some like prestige job that takes unis into consideration? a lot of competitive internships looks at alevel grades dont they?

Reply 16

Isinglass

You have a place at a decent university which has taken you with one set of resits. Bear in mind that you have to enter every set of exams taken, and the results, on your UCAS form. Tbh, I would suggest that you quit while you are winning, concentrate on getting the best degree that you can from RHUL and if you still have a burning desire to go to what you perceive to be a 'better' university, and it would be advantageous for your chosen career path to have a higher degree, consider applying for a masters at one of those universities.

Reply 17

School Life

Tbh you're better off doing a master degree on top of your degree if u really want to go to those institutions. You don't lose out on anything by going to both Unis this way (especially when lots of biomed students tend to get a masters if they want to pursue within the field)

Reply 18

random_matt

If you are that bothered then achieve an upper 2:1 and transfer to second year somewhere. But as many have already said, employers do not give a ****.

Reply 19

fedora34

I agree with some of the posts above - go to Royal Holloway and move onto the next stage of your life. RH is a good university, particularly for certain courses. I understand your concern about a first from Imperial looking better than a first from RH (I had the same concerns), but once you get out into the workplace you'll realise that just doesn't matter.

After graduating from UCL, I went and got a job in a very prestigious company; a more senior co-worker who was only a few years older than me had been to RH so it clearly didn't disadvantage her. University "prestige" really isn't taken into account, except perhaps in a handful of the snobbiest institutions, which you probably wouldn't want to work for anyway. And in those cases, they just hire from Oxbridge, so even if you went to Imperial or KCL you still wouldn't be hired.

(edited 8 months ago)

Do my A-levels again for the third time or go through clearing?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending