Do re-sits affect my chance of getting into medicine?

Don't listen to the fear-mongering here lol. I've seen 2 people who failed their first years (complete flop), retook it and have offers from LSE and UCL respectively. And they didn't have extenuating circumstances. Get good grades and you'll be fine.

Can I point out that the majority of this argument is nothing to do with the OP's original question. They asked if they did maths as modules early in yr11 would it be ok to resit modules in yr12/13 to increase grades. I explained that this would discount maths as it wouldn't be taken in the same two year period as the rest of their a-levels.

All of the people with anecdotes of people resitting whole years and getting in, that's great for your friend but generally the resit policy (I.e. repeating a year, or doing a levels over three years) is a much more complex issue in medicine and applicants need to research this before making decisions on whether to resit. Modular resits were generally accepted within the two year period but a level reforms will soon make this impossible.

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TBF a lot of this discussion got detached from the OP and orphaned in the A level forum - it's only been re-merged together this morning (which is why a lot of the responses are to the original thread title and not to the specifics of the OPs case)

And in the specific OPs case - any modules taken in Yr 11 must not be declared on UCAS unless they have an AS or A level associated with them. It is therefore perfectly within the rules of UCAS and universities to sit orphan modules in Yr 11, not declare them and resit in Yr 12. As long as the Yr 12 results exceed the Yr 11 grades then the Yr 11 grades would never be declared and it wouldn't be possible for universities to identify that the modules were resat or that study took place over 3 years. Of course that's no different to starting to study A level topics in Yr 11 but not taking any official exams (because the intention is to only certify with the Yr12 onwards results).

LSE for medicine?

It's a waste of time doing as modules early as medical schools want you to complete your a levels in the same two year period. It would mean that the maths wouldn't count towards any offers you get.

Focus on your gcses.

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Except that would class the a-level in maths as being sat in yr11 and yr12 and thus not in yr12 and 13 like the others?
And what if the yr12 grades did not exceed the year 11 grades?
Sorry, I suppose I am used to erring on the side of caution when it comes to things like this as Medicine applications can be so tricky. But thanks for clearing it up.

If ALL the YR 11 modules were resat and the grades increased in Yr12 then the declared grades on the UCAS forum (and exam results) would show the certified grade in Yr12 with the modules associated all sat in Yr 12. Presumably those would only make up a certified AS with the remainder to be taken in Yr13 - and so the appearance would be study over 2 years.

Un-certified module grades must not be declared on UCAS - modules are not qualifications and only qualifications can be declared.

The only time modules are declared is when they're associated with an AS or an A level that has been certified.

So any modules that are taken, resat and exceeded prior to application are in effect invisible to universities. The risk is that the resits in Yr 12 would not exceed the results from the Yr11 attempts....and so the Yr11 module results would make up part of the certified AS result and would have to be declared.

Of course this all assumes that applicants are declaring module results - many applicants (particularly from private schools) don't declare module results, and a lot of private schools don't certify ASs in Yr12 and so AS results aren't declared either. In those schools they could be teaching A level module material for 3/4 years but only entering students for official exams in Yr 12 and 13 in order to play the system to appear that the grades were achieved over 2 years when in effect they've been preparing and sitting mocks for 3 years before the first exam.

Whether applicants have been studying material in Yr 11 that is A level content is *supposed* to be explained in the reference but isn't compulsory. Unfortunately a lot of honest state schools declare this and get caught out while private schools know that they can just ignore it and only mention it if asked that information directly by a university in a follow up. And even then it's not commonly asked - even the Cambridge SAQ doesn't specifically ask about modules that have already been resat at the point of application.

Except for at least Plymouth and Exeter who are okay with them being over a 3 year period.

Imperial have previously told me they give AAAC offers to those with who started an A level early.

Thanks for clearing all this up for me. I think the applicants I've known who've run in to trouble have sat the full a-level early or certificated the as level in year 11. I'll bear this in mind when advising medicine applicants in the future.

Yes, there are a few exceptions to the rule. More if you have extenuating circumstances. Like said resitting years for medicine tends to be a bit more complicated (i.e. lots of schools have different policies) so you really have to research things thoroughly.

I'm in year 11 and am doing maths AS units C1, C2 and S1 this year. If I want to resit any units in Year 12, will I ruin my chances of getting into a good uni for medicine?
THANKS in advance

TBF a lot of this discussion got detached from the OP and orphaned in the A level forum - it's only been re-merged together this morning (which is why a lot of the responses are to the original thread title and not to the specifics of the OPs case)

And in the specific OPs case - any modules taken in Yr 11 must not be declared on UCAS unless they have an AS or A level associated with them. It is therefore perfectly within the rules of UCAS and universities to sit orphan modules in Yr 11, not declare them and resit in Yr 12. As long as the Yr 12 results exceed the Yr 11 grades then the Yr 11 grades would never be declared and it wouldn't be possible for universities to identify that the modules were resat or that study took place over 3 years. Of course that's no different to starting to study A level topics in Yr 11 but not taking any official exams (because the intention is to only certify with the Yr12 onwards results).

Sorry I don't know why that happened but I couldn't see any of these replies

I have already studied the three AS modules this year and sat my GCSE last year. Is it okay if I choose to do the AS exam next year, despite studying it this year, or does this mean it will take place over three years?

Don't listen to the fear-mongering here lol. I've seen 2 people who failed their first years (complete flop), retook it and have offers from LSE and UCL respectively. And they didn't have extenuating circumstances. Get good grades and you'll be fine.

If you've studied the material then just wait to sit the official exams until Yr12.

If you sit them in Yr11 you will have to resit AND EXCEED the marks in Yr12 for all 3 modules...which is more hassle than just sitting the modules in Yr12.