Re-sitting the whole AS year for medicine

Original post by ibbyb94

No extenuating circumstances, my parents sent me to boarding school in year 12 I didn't a just quick enough did poorly, so came back redid sixth form at my local school, applied in year 13 with AAAB grades, didn't get in anywhere, decided to take a gap year and applied again, got an offer thank god lol

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Ah ok, that's why, Keele was the one who didn't care if you took longer to do your A levels so long as you had results on hand. In which case your starting med school at age 20 is a rare occurance compared to what others would be looking for.

Reply 22

TheNoobishKnight

14

Original post by joker12345

Yes, you can. What grades did you get? Mine of my friends had BBBB at AS, resat within A2 year and ended up with A*A*A, all within the two years (she wanted to do dentistry so needed it too)

I got B(well 2 UMS of A :P)BBD. I need to turn that into AAA atleast. My cousin got worst last year and really worked hard and got AAA.
I am going to work hard and try my best and hope it pays off.

Reply 23

TheNoobishKnight

14

Original post by MissBellyrina

I don't understand. I am so confused! So how did you do it? Everyone else on here seems to be saying not to resit AS. Did you have any extenuating circumstances?

And I don't understand how if you resit your AS levels, and then do your a2 the year after it isn't doing your alevels within three years. Am I missing something here? It might just be tired and completely missing the point. Sorry.

Very few unis allow it. Like only 3-5 or something. It's not really worth banking on them, too risky.

Reply 24

Original post by MissBellyrina

I don't understand. I am so confused! So how did you do it? Everyone else on here seems to be saying not to resit AS. Did you have any extenuating circumstances?

And I don't understand how if you resit your AS levels, and then do your a2 the year after it isn't doing your alevels within three years. Am I missing something here? It might just be tired and completely missing the point. Sorry.

You just have to apply wisely, there's unis out there that don't require extenuating circumstances f you've resat, you just need to research a lot, Exeter, Plymouth, BSMS, keele and UEA all do this I'm pretty sure.

They're saying it for good reason too, resitting AS is a massive risk especially if you want to do medicine and it's not absolutely necessary, your best bet right now would be to try and resit your AS modules and do a2 all at the same time next year. It's tough but it's doable, and if you get the grades you won't be severely handicapped in the number of unis you can apply to. And if you don't get the grades then you can do a gap year and resit and apply then. Either way you'll be taking a year extra so why not doing it the way that gives you the best chance?

It doesn't count as withing three years because you've spent two years on your AS. Unless you decided to sit 4 completley different subject, which I'm pretty sure is not the case, you're effectively doing resits for your subjects but taking and extra year for them, you've effectively studied the same thing for two years, ad then done a2. That's why it's not less than three years :smile:

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Reply 25

Original post by Helloworld_95

Ah ok, that's why, Keele was the one who didn't care if you took longer to do your A levels so long as you had results on hand. In which case your starting med school at age 20 is a rare occurance compared to what others would be looking for.

Agreed, and it's not the best or very ideal route into medicine but once you're there nobody cares right. And if the op is really serious about doing medicine, they should exhaust all avenues!

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Reply 26

joker12345

Original post by MissBellyrina

I don't understand. I am so confused! So how did you do it? Everyone else on here seems to be saying not to resit AS. Did you have any extenuating circumstances?

And I don't understand how if you resit your AS levels, and then do your a2 the year after it isn't doing your alevels within three years. Am I missing something here? It might just be tired and completely missing the point. Sorry.

No. YOU DO BOTH TOGETHER. Do A2 and do AS in the coming academic year, ie summer of 2015.

Reply 27

joker12345

Original post by ibbyb94

Agreed, and it's not the best or very ideal route into medicine but once you're there nobody cares right. And if the op is really serious about doing medicine, they should exhaust all avenues!

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Agreed, but that should be as a last resort. Ie they should first resit alongisde A2 and apply normally, if they get in then great, if they get the grades but not offer they're in a better position to apply whilst taking a gap year, if they don't they resit which leaves them in the same position and disadvantages as right now.

Reply 28

Original post by joker12345

Agreed, but that should be as a last resort. Ie they should first resit alongisde A2 and apply normally, if they get in then great, if they get the grades but not offer they're in a better position to apply whilst taking a gap year, if they don't they resit which leaves them in the same position and disadvantages as right now.

Definitely, that's what I just said in the post above, no point in putting yourself at a disadvantage by redoing the year when it's not necessary.

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Reply 29

joker12345

Original post by ibbyb94

Definitely, that's what I just said in the post above, no point in putting yourself at a disadvantage by redoing the year when it's not necessary.

Ah yes, just read your other post and completely agree, great advice. Though are you sure those unis don't care about AS resits? The policies that I've read seem to mainly apply to A2, like UEA's of requiring and A* if you resit, and BSMS require AAB I think whilst resitting A2.

Reply 30

Ms. Epic

OP

5

Original post by ibbyb94

I did this and will be studying medicine at keele starting next month so feel free to ask anything and I'll do y best to help!

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Congratulations for getting into Keele, that's great :smile:

. Did you have any extenuating circumstances? and did you put it in your personal statement that you did your a level in 3 years.

Reply 31

chemlover12

3

If you want to get into a Russell group university then, I suggest you do all AS and A2 in one year. You can enter as a private candidate and self-teach yourself everything, if your school doesn't allow it. But yeah, that's just russell groups.

Reply 32

MissBellyrina

2

Private candidate? Please explain. What as in home school myself?

Reply 33

chemlover12

3

Original post by MissBellyrina

Private candidate? Please explain. What as in home school myself?

Yes, home-schooling. You can find an exam centre which would provide with the papers on the Edexcel website: http://www.edexcel.com/i-am-a/student/find-a-centre/pages/where-can-i-take-edexcel-exams.aspx

You will have to pay for the papers though. Some you can sign up online, and others you will have to go to them and ask for the details. All you need to do is enter on the day of the exam, sit it and that's it. I have no idea how you are going to get your results after that though; that's something you should ask them.

Doing AS and A2 in one year could be hard if you attend school. However, if you are only retaking a few modules from AS then I suggest you go ahead and attend a sixth form.

Reply 34

MissBellyrina

2

Original post by chemlover12

Yes, home-schooling. You can find an exam centre which would provide with the papers on the Edexcel website: http://www.edexcel.com/i-am-a/student/find-a-centre/pages/where-can-i-take-edexcel-exams.aspx

You will have to pay for the papers though. Some you can sign up online, and others you will have to go to them and ask for the details. All you need to do is enter on the day of the exam, sit it and that's it. I have no idea how you are going to get your results after that though; that's something you should ask them.

Doing AS and A2 in one year could be hard if you attend school. However, if you are only retaking a few modules from AS then I suggest you go ahead and attend a sixth form.

Wow. Okays. Thank you!

Reply 35

MissBellyrina

2

Okay. So what about uni? If I'm gonna resit next year what do I tell the universities? Do I not apply till next year? Because my grades are so bad no uni would even look at me.

Reply 36

Ms. Epic

OP

5

Original post by MissBellyrina

Okay. So what about uni? If I'm gonna resit next year what do I tell the universities? Do I not apply till next year? Because my grades are so bad no uni would even look at me.

Im not so sure about homeschooling because I considered it too. But a levels are hard, and how are you going to do your course work. Somethings we cannot understand without a tutor, but if you can arrange one than thats great :smile:

Reply 37

Ms. Epic

OP

5

Original post by ibbyb94

Agreed, and it's not the best or very ideal route into medicine but once you're there nobody cares right. And if the op is really serious about doing medicine, they should exhaust all avenues!

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did it affect your social life?

Reply 38

[QUOTE="joker12345;49437755"]

Original post by ibbyb94

Definitely, that's what I just said in the post above, no point in putting yourself at a disadvantage by redoing the year when it's not necessary.

Ah yes, just read your other post and completely agree, great advice. Though are you sure those unis don't care about AS resits? The policies that I've read seem to mainly apply to A2, like UEA's of requiring and A* if you resit, and BSMS require AAB I think whilst resitting A2.

Yes I'm 100% sure, I called up and emailed all the unis when I was applying just to make sure. With BSMS they emailed me and said I didn't even have to bother about anything and I could just apply like normal, and UEA said the same but I'd have to get A* in the resat subject. I assume they'd put this in the offer.

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Reply 39