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Been entered for a resit - should I keep it?

From my January Exams, I want to resit 2 exams as I didn't do well and I'll need the extra marks. I was about 3 marks off in another exam, and I can make those up in the coursework and second exam, but the Exams Office at my school have entered me for a resit in this exam. As Unis don't like resits, specially when there isn't a huge improvement, should I cancel this exam or just do it?
Reply 1
Original post by pratstercs
From my January Exams, I want to resit 2 exams as I didn't do well and I'll need the extra marks. I was about 3 marks off in another exam, and I can make those up in the coursework and second exam, but the Exams Office at my school have entered me for a resit in this exam. As Unis don't like resits, specially when there isn't a huge improvement, should I cancel this exam or just do it?


What course are you planning to take?
With regards to resits, I'm sure they don't look highly upon full year resits. You should be fine with most universities with modular resits depending on the course you want to take, as long as you get your grades within the two years of A level study.

If you think you can boost your grade by taking the resit, then I recommend taking it. :smile:

Good luck.
Two times in a row I've been entered for a bunch of resits (ones I didn't ask to do).

In Jan I was entered for both AS Chemistry Units when I only wanted to do (A in one, wanted to resit the B). When I realised the mistake, it was too late to "withdraw" or whatever, so they just said don't turn up if you don't want to do it. I thought I'd turn up and see how I did, actually ended up going up a few UMS (except in ione exam I went down, but hey-ho - I had the previous results to sit on which weren't terrible). Similar story for pretty much all my subjects.
I'm having a gap year come September 2012, and I'll be applying then, so I don't think resits should have a massive impact. After all, it's all done within the 2 year period.

If I sit all the exams I've been entered in for Summer 2012 it looks like I've virtually done an AS and an A2 in one exam sitting (for Maths and Chem). :P

If you didn't have to pay for it, don't cancel it, just don't turn up if you don't feel like it'll benefit you.

The only time I'd watch out for resits is if you don't hold a Cambridge offer and are a potential applicant. You'd want to come out with 90%+ in all exams (without resits) on your first try. (for the supplementary form (SAQ?)) (once you have an offer you can retake all you like to make sure you get your offer - or at least that's what I've seen people do :P) Other than that, I don't think too many universities are going to ask too many questions providing it's all done within the 2 year period of A-Levels.
Reply 3
It sounds like a no brainer to take it. At best your marks go up at worst you can explain you were made to to take it last minute.
Reply 4
Original post by lsaul95
What course are you planning to take?

Original post by 15weekwonder
The only time I'd watch out for resits is if you don't hold a Cambridge offer and are a potential applicant.


I intend to apply for Computer Science at Cambridge. I am not an offer holder, so I don't know what to do
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by pratstercs
I intend to apply for Computer Science at Cambridge. I am not an offer holder, so I don't know what to do


From what I've seen, your best chances of getting a Cambridge offer are by getting 90%+ UMS in your exams the first time round.

Seeing as it's likely you haven't achieved this (judging from the fact you want to resit them), your only option is to resit them really. They might show a bit of leniency seeing as you took them in Jan when most people do their AS exams in the summer cycle.

Just be warned that when you fill out a supplementary form you need to tell Cambridge every exam you've taken (including the resits). You can't just put forward your best score. But if your current score isn't good enough for Cambridge, resit it, ace it and you haven't blown it!

Don't take this as the definitive advice, just talking from past experience of seeing my friends go through the application process at Cambridge.
Reply 6
Original post by 15weekwonder
From what I've seen, your best chances of getting a Cambridge offer are by getting 90%+ UMS in your exams the first time round.

Seeing as it's likely you haven't achieved this (judging from the fact you want to resit them), your only option is to resit them really. They might show a bit of leniency seeing as you took them in Jan when most people do their AS exams in the summer cycle.

Just be warned that when you fill out a supplementary form you need to tell Cambridge every exam you've taken (including the resits). You can't just put forward your best score. But if your current score isn't good enough for Cambridge, resit it, ace it and you haven't blown it!

Don't take this as the definitive advice, just talking from past experience of seeing my friends go through the application process at Cambridge.


I'm gonna try my best, revise like I never have before (although that won't be too hard :P ). I know about the SAQ which is why I'm asking. I hope they are lenient!

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