Best options for low achieved grades

Alexgriffin2004

As titled I achieved BCC when predicted AAA last year after getting As and Bs through my whole time in 6th form. I had firmed AAB and insured ABB so I went to Exeter through clearing, hated it and dropped out.
Next I planned to resit independently from January but that didn’t go as planned. After a diagnosis with a learning difficulty and little progress I was advised by my tutor to stop.
Having already submitted my ucas and having not applied to any unis that would accept my achieved grades (mistake 1) I entered ucas extra. Mistake 2 because ucas later told me my change of circumstances may have been enough to get my initial offers back had I not entered extra. Mistake 3 was applying for Surrey for business with a foundation year as it was the so called best uni (rankings are daft I know I panicked) which I thought I could get into. I received an offer so I visited Surreys offer holder day, decided I hated it and definitely don’t want to go there.
Having already been a drop out once the funding isn’t there if it happens again for me to do another degree. You get length of current course + 1 year- previous years of study as far as I’m aware. This also means I can’t transfer out after the foundation year. What options would people suggest??
I know it’s very late to apply to most unis and I honestly can’t find any I like which I meet the entry reqs for. I don’t care about rankings but apparently have a preference for unis which want above my grades. If anyone has any course suggestions for politics / business / history (not picky have studied 2 at uni and one at a level and love them all) that would accept an application this late that would be helpful. Every place I ring says the only way to find out whether they will accept a late application is to apply which isn’t ideal as I have to decline Surrey. I know courses with spaces are listed on ucas but they all have warned me they may be gone before my application is even looked at. I hated Surrey but there’s cheap accommodation ( from 3k ish compared to 7k at Exeter) and it’s near London, plus it’s a decent name which you sort of have to take into account. Alternatively would anyone recommend going back at 21 so I’m a mature student and have lower entry reqs ??
I want to avoid clearing on results day as I wasn’t overly successful last year (4 verbal offers but only sent 2) and I imagine it’ll be worse this year.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

Reply 1

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Decline your Surrey offer if you hated it.

It’s difficult to advise you on what might be good options for you to apply to because you’ve only explained what you didn’t like.

Coursewise:
What is it (subject wise) you want to study? Are there any particular topics/specialties that you’re interested in? Any specific jobs you want to use your degree for?

Location wise:
What exactly didn’t fit for you at Exeter? What sort of place do you live now? Are you looking to study somewhere similar or different?

Reply 2

Alexgriffin2004

Original post by PQ

Decline your Surrey offer if you hated it.
It’s difficult to advise you on what might be good options for you to apply to because you’ve only explained what you didn’t like.
Coursewise:
What is it (subject wise) you want to study? Are there any particular topics/specialties that you’re interested in? Any specific jobs you want to use your degree for?
Location wise:
What exactly didn’t fit for you at Exeter? What sort of place do you live now? Are you looking to study somewhere similar or different?

Thanks for the response, in reverse order.
It was very far from home in the midlands, it was very small and isolated bc it was their second campus, also all the degrees felt like mickey mous clearing courses and no lecturers seemed to require anyone to take the course seriously. Now I’m looking for somewhere bigger and closer to home.

I have no careers preference I want somewhere that will help me get a foot in the door for internships and help me discover what I’m passionate in. And course wise I’d like something that overall is challenging (I averaged a first with no effort at Exeter but I’m aware I wouldn’t do that at main campus.
Again thank you very much