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AS grades - how important?

I've wanted to do medicine for around 2 years now and last year I got 9A*s in my GCSEs so i thought i was pretty set if i continued doing what i was doing BUT i'm pretty sure i've done badly in my AS levels specifically chemistry and when i say bad i mean like 99.9% sure i failed chemistry. so i suppose i was just wondering what my options are if i do end up not getting required AS grades? in terms of applying?

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Reply 1
Original post by etc200996
I've wanted to do medicine for around 2 years now and last year I got 9A*s in my GCSEs so i thought i was pretty set if i continued doing what i was doing BUT i'm pretty sure i've done badly in my AS levels specifically chemistry and when i say bad i mean like 99.9% sure i failed chemistry. so i suppose i was just wondering what my options are if i do end up not getting required AS grades? in terms of applying?


Even if your AS grades were not what you were expecting, as long as your predicted AAA at A2 you can still apply. You would obviously have to resit the AS modules in year 13.
Original post by etc200996
I've wanted to do medicine for around 2 years now and last year I got 9A*s in my GCSEs so i thought i was pretty set if i continued doing what i was doing BUT i'm pretty sure i've done badly in my AS levels specifically chemistry and when i say bad i mean like 99.9% sure i failed chemistry. so i suppose i was just wondering what my options are if i do end up not getting required AS grades? in terms of applying?


yiur gcses are good and when u apply they pick the best out if your AS or gcses so dw :smile:


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A2 is harder than AS.Better to keep your grade up at AS so that you can cover up for A2.Resit?
Reply 4
Original post by 06shawm
Even if your AS grades were not what you were expecting, as long as your predicted AAA at A2 you can still apply. You would obviously have to resit the AS modules in year 13.


yes i do think i can get the grades at A2 as long as I really put my mind to it and obviously repeat necessary modules! thanks :smile:
Reply 5
Original post by economist2
A2 is harder than AS.Better to keep your grade up at AS so that you can cover up for A2.Resit?


appreciated!! do you think resit the full year again or just resit modules?
Original post by XXSimmyXX
yiur gcses are good and when u apply they pick the best out if your AS or gcses so dw :smile:


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Sorry have I misunderstood? Do you really mean they look to see if you have better GCSE or better A levels and only judge you on the one that is the best? or do you mean something else?
Original post by etc200996
I've wanted to do medicine for around 2 years now and last year I got 9A*s in my GCSEs so i thought i was pretty set if i continued doing what i was doing BUT i'm pretty sure i've done badly in my AS levels specifically chemistry and when i say bad i mean like 99.9% sure i failed chemistry. so i suppose i was just wondering what my options are if i do end up not getting required AS grades? in terms of applying?


Depends what you mean by failed. If you really mean a U in chemistry (arguably the most important A level for medicine) then it will be very very unlikely. While AAA predictions are good they need to be realistic. Universities will not believe it if you get DDD and are predicted AAA, the chances of that happening are low.

What grades do you genuinely think you have got cause if by fail you mean like a C and you are actually going to get like BBC or above then you should definitely apply, though retake the AS exams to boost your marks. Remember your application has other things as well. Your Personal statement, admissions tests, interview, work experience and extra curricular stuff are all important too so if you have all these (or are going to do these) and they are to a high standard that will boost your chances too.
Reply 8
Original post by etc200996
yes i do think i can get the grades at A2 as long as I really put my mind to it and obviously repeat necessary modules! thanks :smile:


It is clear looking at your GCSE grades that you have a strong academic ability. The second you get your AS results make sure you discuss with your teachers how important your predicted grades are for this particular degree course. Be careful and don't take too much work on during A2 since A2 modules are obviously harder and the content is more dense. A lot of medical schools won't accept applicants who have taken A levels over three years and not two. Just work like crazy during A2!!!!
Reply 9
Original post by Munrot07
Depends what you mean by failed. If you really mean a U in chemistry (arguably the most important A level for medicine) then it will be very very unlikely. While AAA predictions are good they need to be realistic. Universities will not believe it if you get DDD and are predicted AAA, the chances of that happening are low.

What grades do you genuinely think you have got cause if by fail you mean like a C and you are actually going to get like BBC or above then you should definitely apply, though retake the AS exams to boost your marks. Remember your application has other things as well. Your Personal statement, admissions tests, interview, work experience and extra curricular stuff are all important too so if you have all these (or are going to do these) and they are to a high standard that will boost your chances too.


haha yea don't think a U would get me too far!! before i sat the exam i was hoping for a B - i essentially didn't work hard enough for the A but it went a lot worse than expected. i know you over think etc so i think its just time for me to wait and see how it turns out. in terms of my 3 other subjects i think possibly As or Bs but again its so difficult in this limbo to see how you did clearly!

Yea, i think my personal statement would be decent and have my UKCAT booked and plenty of time to work hard for it so at this stage i think thats all i can really do! thanks for the honesty :smile:
Original post by etc200996
haha yea don't think a U would get me too far!! before i sat the exam i was hoping for a B - i essentially didn't work hard enough for the A but it went a lot worse than expected. i know you over think etc so i think its just time for me to wait and see how it turns out. in terms of my 3 other subjects i think possibly As or Bs but again its so difficult in this limbo to see how you did clearly!

Yea, i think my personal statement would be decent and have my UKCAT booked and plenty of time to work hard for it so at this stage i think thats all i can really do! thanks for the honesty :smile:


Ah ok, yeh As and Bs will be fine then for your application :P Good luck :smile:
Reply 11
Original post by 06shawm
It is clear looking at your GCSE grades that you have a strong academic ability. The second you get your AS results make sure you discuss with your teachers how important your predicted grades are for this particular degree course. Be careful and don't take too much work on during A2 since A2 modules are obviously harder and the content is more dense. A lot of medical schools won't accept applicants who have taken A levels over three years and not two. Just work like crazy during A2!!!!


Yea i'll be able to make better plans once i have my AS grades but i feel ready to really really focus on school this year and hopefully get the grades i want
Original post by etc200996
appreciated!! do you think resit the full year again or just resit modules?


um,well,in my country,if you have to resit,you 'must' resit the whole AS level(all modules).:tongue: So,I suggest you make this decision on your own.

Also,do more research on resits(if they'll affect your after Alevels prospects,as in,if the institution you're applying to discourages resits.If thats the case you'll just have to work very hard for your A2's).

I'd encourage working hard for your A2 levels.But,if its a case of,absolutely no way of averaging the required grade,you could consider resitting.Also,check UCAS(do they ask for the AS grades or just the overall Alevel result...)
They are important. People will tell you that as long as you're predicted AAA, you'll be fine but unfortunately that's not usually the case. Even if you achieved AAA in your AS exams, you'd still have a very hard time getting into medicine. There are a lot of high achieving candidates and you'll struggle to get in if you fall short of AAA. Anyway, I wish you the best of luck, I hope you prove me wrong!
Original post by etc200996
Yea i'll be able to make better plans once i have my AS grades but i feel ready to really really focus on school this year and hopefully get the grades i want


Good idea, best of luck with your exam results.
Original post by Munrot07
Sorry have I misunderstood? Do you really mean they look to see if you have better GCSE or better A levels and only judge you on the one that is the best? or do you mean something else?


better out if AS or gcse when u apply so u still need the predicted AAA overall but if they di look at your currenr grades they pick thr best of the two
maybe its just fir certain unis but some defo do that

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Original post by Munrot07
Depends what you mean by failed. If you really mean a U in chemistry (arguably the most important A level for medicine) then it will be very very unlikely. While AAA predictions are good they need to be realistic. Universities will not believe it if you get DDD and are predicted AAA, the chances of that happening are low.

What grades do you genuinely think you have got cause if by fail you mean like a C and you are actually going to get like BBC or above then you should definitely apply, though retake the AS exams to boost your marks. Remember your application has other things as well. Your Personal statement, admissions tests, interview, work experience and extra curricular stuff are all important too so if you have all these (or are going to do these) and they are to a high standard that will boost your chances too.


would you say that an excellent PS and UKCAT score would make up for low AS grades?

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Reply 17
Original post by 06shawm
Even if your AS grades were not what you were expecting, as long as your predicted AAA at A2 you can still apply. You would obviously have to resit the AS modules in year 13.


I think for courses as prestigious as Medicine, you have to get the required result within the first sitting, as unis will not accept re-sitted exam results.
Reply 18
Original post by zalzalla
I think for courses as prestigious as Medicine, you have to get the required result within the first sitting, as unis will not accept re-sitted exam results.


its all dependant on university and although some wouldn't accept repeated A2s they allow a certain amount of AS modules to be resat
Original post by XXSimmyXX
better out if AS or gcse when u apply so u still need the predicted AAA overall but if they di look at your currenr grades they pick thr best of the two
maybe its just fir certain unis but some defo do that

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I have never ever heard that and highly doubt that is the case. Why on earth would universities go "ah well his AS levels aren't good but he has good GCSEs, which are easier and some of the subjects are not important at all, but we don't mind that, we will accept him anyway". Can you send some links to universities who do do this and send some proof this does happen? As I said, I highly doubt this is the case.

Original post by XXSimmyXX
would you say that an excellent PS and UKCAT score would make up for low AS grades?

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Depends on what you count as low. If you had As and Bs all the other stuff would make up for it. If you had all Cs and below and were applying to a top medical school then it wouldn't really help that much.

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