Do I have a shot with these gcse grades?

If you meet the stated entry requirements then it's definitely worth you applying.

Do, however, be aware that your IT BTEC won't be regarded as equivalent to GCSEs by many of the unis you speak to.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I'll have completed my a levels in 3 years rather than 2 because I'm re-sitting year 12 in a different sixth form so could I potentially lie about the stuff I've done eg economics club or being house captain? like there's no way they could know I was lying as I've done it on my old sixth form?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Any ideas on what else I could add?? I can make so much up saying I did it in my old sixth form but I'm trying to stay close to the truth like I did a couple of things but adding some doesn't hurt, any ideas?


Posted from TSR Mobile

My advice:

Borrow some economic books/ or if you're lazy search a list of titles on amazon. Read some amazon user reviews.
In PS, say what the author's main argument is and what you learned from the text (two/three sentences max).

Try to include about 4/5 books.
University admin tutors love it when you go on about books. Hobbies and interests aren't important in a PS, so don't mention. They basically want an applicant that shows in their PS that they live and breathe the subject... So give the illusion that your an economics geek.

Another great thing to do is say you went to a lecture/s (you don't need to have gone). Research any lectures being held near you on the web. Say what you learned from going...

Mention that you read The Economist/similar economics magazine. You can glance at their website or buy a copy.
What info did you learn from the articles?

Also, you could name drop. Only do this if you have actually met the person or a friend/relative has. A relative of mine sang at a choir as a hobby and met a guy who had written this economic book. So, I basically borrowed their experience and said something like....
'I was fortunate enough to meet Mr X through my choir and we talked about his book etc...'
I went on amazon to find a summary of the his book and wrote what I learned from it.

Start PS with a snappy first sentence about why you got interested in wanting to study economics in the first place.

End PS with a good quote related to economics if you can.

What skills you have learned from your A level studies that you can transfer to uni study.

This is a rough template of what I included in my PS and I got offered a place at UCL for history (not for Economics but I applied for Economic History at LSE). My GCSEs were Bs so if you have a fantastic PS and the predicted grades you should get an offer












Posted from TSR Mobile

I've never done a btec its definitely a gcse but for some reason it's worth 4?? I got a distinction for it (A*)


Posted from TSR Mobile

I'm afraid it is a BTEC from what you've said Level 2 BTECs are often referred to as being equivalent to 4 GCSEs for league table purposes (though unis can tend to see things differently), and they're graded in terms of distinction / merit / pass instead of letter grades, but they're not the same as GCSEs.

The best way to be sure, however, is to go back and check your certificates

Posted from TSR Mobile

Just checked and it says ocr national level 2? I don't think it's gcse but maybe something else? I went to a grammar school so can't be btec, maybe I get ucas points for it?


Posted from TSR Mobile

Just checked and it says ocr national level 2? I don't think it's gcse but maybe something else? I went to a grammar school so can't be btec, maybe I get ucas points for it?


Posted from TSR Mobile

I did that qualification aswell, its similar to a BTEC, it's supposed to be equivalent to 4 GCSE's but universities will only count it as 1 GCSE, the university will normally count the distinction grade as a grade A I'll be honest with you, it is a pretty worthless qualification!

An OCR national is a different (and rarer) beast altogether - it's neither GCSE nor BTEC, though as it is vocational it appears to have more in common with a BTEC than anything else http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCR_Nationals#OCR_National_ICT_Level_2

Going to a grammar school doesn't mean anything in terms of the qualifications you take. Indeed, I went to am academically selective school I ended up with an OCR Level 2 certificate because I did Young Enterprise.

You still (need to) put it on your UCAS form and unis will take it into consideration, but it won't attract UCAS points - nothing at level 2 (GCSE equivalent) does.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Oh no I thought that would count as 4 A*s haha, oh well

Posted from TSR Mobile

depends what you're having, id prefer a pint though.