Retake A2 and applying to Oxford help!

OP

Original post by James222

Seems like too much of putting all your eggs in one basket.
Do you think you will get into oxford?
If you can afford to put your life on hold for a year go for it

Im more than happy to take a gap year and I know I have the ability, it is literally one module that has let me down/gone crazy, so I would re-sit the module. I want it, the question is whether the university really cares about the retake if I am predicted again to get an A* I suppose

Reply 3

username944192

21

I thought Oxford was one of those unis that says your results have to come from the same 2 year period, i.e. no retakes in a third year. But could be wrong. If your retake comes back positively then it would be worth applying though as obviously it means you haven't achieved the grade you deserved, currently. Such a shame, with your other grades being so good that must surely be a massive mistake!?

Reply 4

OP

Original post by infairverona

I thought Oxford was one of those unis that says your results have to come from the same 2 year period, i.e. no retakes in a third year. But could be wrong. If your retake comes back positively then it would be worth applying though as obviously it means you haven't achieved the grade you deserved, currently. Such a shame, with your other grades being so good that must surely be a massive mistake!?

Thanks for the reply, I am not aware of this 2 year business, having read admission policies on both cambridge and oxford webpages, they both say that they recognise people have bad days etc...

Reply 5

username944192

21

Original post by ebcookie

Thanks for the reply, I am not aware of this 2 year business, having read admission policies on both cambridge and oxford webpages, they both say that they recognise people have bad days etc...

Yeah I'm not sure it's just a lot of the good unis say they won't take 'retakes' if they're done in a third, extra year, as most people do A levels in 2 years. They accept retakes done during the course of those two years (as in, if you retake something from AS year during your A2 year) but I'm not so sure they do accept third year retakes. Maybe email the admissions for the course you're interested in and find out?

Reply 6

OP

Original post by infairverona

Yeah I'm not sure it's just a lot of the good unis say they won't take 'retakes' if they're done in a third, extra year, as most people do A levels in 2 years. They accept retakes done during the course of those two years (as in, if you retake something from AS year during your A2 year) but I'm not so sure they do accept third year retakes. Maybe email the admissions for the course you're interested in and find out?

Thanks, I will contact the admissions office when I know the outcome of the remark, I thought that it was only like that for super competitive courses such as medicine/dentistry etc... (granted every course at oxbridge is competitive)

Reply 7

it's horrible when things like this go wrong and I sympathise strongly. I was in a similar position last year, but it was corrected before the deadline of October the 15th.
I would suggest to first see what your remark is. Because Oxford is Oxford - you'll be up against a majority of people who did get an A in history and that's all the tutors can see. That, despite everything, you didn't get an A in a subject that you'd be studying at one of the best universities in the world...whilst they have these people that did. The first thing we got told last year at school was that have a minimum of 3As at as level and do not apply for the subject in which you didn't get an A.
I'm not the best to advise on matters as this - but I have been through the application process. If you meet the entry requirements (3As), you have a chance since Oxford relies heavily on admissions tests and interviews additionally. However you're in the strange position of technically meeting the offer, but not.
I really hope it turns out well for you.

Reply 8

OP

Thanks for that, I agree with you, what's your opinion if the remark wasnt favourable, I chose to apply + resit the module with an explanation in the reference and an A* prediction, would that be worth a shot?

Reply 9

squeakysquirrel

20

Original post by ebcookie

I have been messed about by OCR (again). My UCAS application was messed up by OCR because they originally gave me a B in History AS-level which was then changed 5 months ago (after I had applied) to an A. This meant that I chose not to apply to Oxford to study History and was planning on applying after my A2 results, taking a gap year as I was predicted an A*.

A2 results come and I get A*A B. The B was in History because whilst I had scored very highly in the coursework, I received a U on the exam paper. My school are as shocked as I am and I have applied for a remark (fingers crossed).

Should I take a year out anyway and apply to Oxford for History regardless of my result and possibly resit the module, and would I stand much of a chance if I have retaken at A2 due to this really atypical module result?

I think they do priority re marks so the turnaround time is really quick - might be worth doing

Reply 10

Original post by ebcookie

Thanks for that, I agree with you, what's your opinion if the remark wasnt favourable, I chose to apply + resit the module with an explanation in the reference and an A* prediction, would that be worth a shot?

You don't buy a ticket you don't win the lottery - as they say. But think about it as though you've only got one ticket and everyone else has two. I can't really determine if it's worth a shot or not, since universities (understandably) treat predictions with some trepidation. So if the remark wasn't favourable, you have to ask yourself: are you willing to put yourself through a very stressful process with a smaller chance of success than most?
I personally would not do it.

Reply 11

OP

Original post by can'tbeleftblank

You don't buy a ticket you don't win the lottery - as they say. But think about it as though you've only got one ticket and everyone else has two. I can't really determine if it's worth a shot or not, since universities (understandably) treat predictions with some trepidation. So if the remark wasn't favourable, you have to ask yourself: are you willing to put yourself through a very stressful process with a smaller chance of success than most?
I personally would not do it.

Thanks for the advice

Reply 12

Original post by ebcookie

Thanks for the advice

That doesn't mean to say don't. You may be able to get an excellent HAT score and make the tutor fall in love, haha. It's just a question of what you have to do to make them overlook the U. I have a lot of faith in the Oxford admissions process and believe they are good at choosing the individual who will thrive there - despite or being confirmed by grades. If you're really determined, go for it! It's just a warning.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 13

OP

Original post by can'tbeleftblank

That doesn't mean to say don't. You may be able to get an excellent HAT score and make the tutor fall in love, haha. It's just a question of what you have to do to make them overlook the U. I have a lot of faith in the Oxford admissions process and believe they are good at choosing the individual who will thrive there - despite or being confirmed by grades. If you're really determined, go for it! It's just a warning.

Ye if the remark is no good, then I retake, but either way I have decided not to accept my uni offers so I would be reapplying anyway so I 'may as well' apply to Oxford, and all the nuanced complicated explanations can be written in my reference, without meaning to sound "up myself" I have the ability as a Historian so it seems to me worth a go.

Reply 14