at home a levels - ucas advice

Hi, first post, not really sure where to start. Basically I had issues with school which led to me dropping out in year 10, I didnt really return to education until the academic year I turned 19, where I did 5 grade 9 GCSEs at a specialist autism school. My options for A Levels were pretty slim as all local sixth forms are part of the high schools where I live which is not where I wanted to be. I ended up opting to pay for online A levels (maths, further maths and chemistry) for a two year course with openstudycollege. I’m now I guess in year 13, really struggling with motivation and productivity, I haven’t had much interaction with my online tutors and I worry I’m severely lagging behind and won’t be able to study everything for May/June 2024. I keep trying to be more productive but with family stresses, getting tired easily (from being Autistic) and erratic sleep it just never seems to happen and another week gets wasted. I’ve also just seen a UCAS timeline which has made me realise how much I’ve missed and how little I know about the university application process. I live with my grandmother and no one in my family has been to university, I only vaguely knew of UCAS fairs and open days but I had no idea that people start going to these events in year 12, or that the application deadlines are so far in advance. I have no predicted grades currently and literally no idea about how to apply to university. It seems now that I’ll have to apply to university after a gap year as I feel like I’ve left everything too late. I’m going to email my tutors my predicament and see what they suggest but does anyone have any advice for me?

Hello, and welcome to TSR!

Whilst you certainly could apply after a gap year, the UCAS "equal consideration" deadline isn't until 31st January, so you have plenty of time. (Although you have missed the deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry).

Have you contacted OpenStudyCollege about how they support the UCAS application process? It would be reasonable to assume that they'll be able to give you predicted grades and would be able to provide your reference. So ask them.

You say you "worry I’m severely lagging behind". Does this worry come with any evidence? Do you take end-of-topic tests, and know how well you're doing that way? We're there end-of-year exams in June? How did you do?