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Is it worth taking a gap year even if you make your offer?

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Original post by tanyapotter
Why would I miss out on funding for studying abroad? Is this because of the EU referendum result?! That was also a concern of mine tbh - if Article 50 is triggered by the start of 2017, and it takes 2 years for us to leave the EU, then I'll only just be able to go on my year abroad to Europe at the end of 2018, but if I take a gap year then my year abroad would start at the end of 2019, by which time we may very well have left the EU entirely and I'd need.. a work visa? Or something?


Erasmus funding is not judged on the country you come from, but rather the country you study in, so if you study in the EU you will still be eligible for Erasmus funding, regardless of whether Article 50 is invoked or not.

Work and student visas are the easiest thing in the world to get-I studied abroad in China.
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mrahim
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A Levels are like 1% or less of your life. Venture forth into your new adventure and good luck.
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Doones
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Original post by tanyapotter
What about taking a gap year to undertake constructive work experience AND retake a couple of A2 modules?


See what happens on results day...

1 or 2 modules maybe.

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Original post by super_kawaii
Erasmus funding is not judged on the country you come from, but rather the country you study in, so if you study in the EU you will still be eligible for Erasmus funding, regardless of whether Article 50 is invoked or not.

Work and student visas are the easiest thing in the world to get-I studied abroad in China.

I see. Thanks for the insight! I might not take a gap year if I get AAAA. But if I get AAAB or even A*AAB, I think I'm gonna wanna push that B up to an A because I've never had a B in my life and I don't want to get it in one of my core subjects, physics :frown:

Or maybe I'll just let my results be like a sensible person and go to university this year. If my common sense ever trumps my pride, that is :redface:
Original post by super_kawaii
Waste of time-you can do all the work experience you need to do during university holidays and A Levels are irrelevant if you meet the offer anyway.

Surely A-Levels are not that irrelevant, though? I want to do engineering as a career, btw, and then somewhere down the line go into management/consulting. Would it not affect my chances at being enrolled into a good masters or MBA course, at somewhere like London Business School?
Original post by tanyapotter
I see. Thanks for the insight! I might not take a gap year if I get AAAA. But if I get AAAB or even A*AAB, I think I'm gonna wanna push that B up to an A because I've never had a B in my life and I don't want to get it in one of my core subjects, physics :frown:

Or maybe I'll just let my results be like a sensible person and go to university this year. If my common sense ever trumps my pride, that is :redface:


Common sense should trump pride in this case. I got AAC at A level and got into uni, even though I missed my offer. I've just graduated with a 2:1 and plenty of extra curricular activities and work experience. As a result I have a permanent job lined up in my desired sector. They didn't care one iota about my A Levels, so you really would be wasting your time trying to avoid getting a B.

You should learn some humility-it's a very desirable trait and saying anything less than an A is a dissapointment is disrespectful to an awful lot of people, and won't win you many favours
Original post by tanyapotter
Surely A-Levels are not that irrelevant, though? I want to do engineering as a career, btw, and then somewhere down the line go into management/consulting. Would it not affect my chances at being enrolled into a good masters or MBA course, at somewhere like London Business School?


Even if they were relevant, AAAB would be far more than enough for them.

Your degree and experience during your time as an undergrad is infinitely more important
Original post by gtswattsy16
'To end up with an A is disappointing' Jesus Christ you make an A sound like it's worthless! An A is amazing. Just get on with university, A levels become just as irrelevant as GCSEs.


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I'm not saying it is worthless. You completely miss my point.

If you work at a grade for 2 years and right at the end mess it up and get lower, then it is disappointing for yourself.

Original post by tanyapotter
Exactly. I would only be resitting for pride too, because what other reason is there? A*AAA or AAAA isn't a bad set of results, and it will get me into universiry - not worth wasting a year, but that pesky feeling that I could have done better - idk if it will pass or if it will bug me for life. But one whole year just because I missed out on an A* by like 2 UMS in a couple of subjects sounds awful to me... idk if I should do it


This is exactly what most people don't understand. They just think "Oh you think an A is bad". But if you're capable of much better, you have every right to be disappointed.

Anyway I know you'll forget about it when you start uni. I was really disappointed with my GCSEs because I missed half of my predicted grades. But 2-3 months in to AS and I had already forgotten about it
Original post by super_kawaii
Common sense should trump pride in this case. I got AAC at A level and got into uni, even though I missed my offer. I've just graduated with a 2:1 and plenty of extra curricular activities and work experience. As a result I have a permanent job lined up in my desired sector. They didn't care one iota about my A Levels, so you really would be wasting your time trying to avoid getting a B.

You should learn some humility-it's a very desirable trait and saying anything less than an A is a dissapointment is disrespectful to an awful lot of people, and won't win you many favours

I don't mean to disrespect anyone, and anything less than an A is only a disappointment to me - I'm not saying it's a disappointing result in general. I don't see how I am not humble just because I'm sad I didn't reach my full potential, but you're right that I should think sensibly about my options here. I'll see what my results are and then decide :smile: Thanks.
Original post by tanyapotter
I don't mean to disrespect anyone, and anything less than an A is only a disappointment to me - I'm not saying it's a disappointing result in general. I don't see how I am not humble just because I'm sad I didn't reach my full potential, but you're right that I should think sensibly about my options here. I'll see what my results are and then decide :smile: Thanks.


It would be a waste for the sectors you mentioned too, as the most they ask for is ABB usually.

It's just there's no point wasting so much time and energy on something that's going to benefit in absolutely zero way.
Original post by Student403
I'm not saying it is worthless. You completely miss my point.

If you work at a grade for 2 years and right at the end mess it up and get lower, then it is disappointing for yourself.



This is exactly what most people don't understand. They just think "Oh you think an A is bad". But if you're capable of much better, you have every right to be disappointed.

Anyway I know you'll forget about it when you start uni. I was really disappointed with my GCSEs because I missed half of my predicted grades. But 2-3 months in to AS and I had already forgotten about it


True, I hope I just forget about it. The only thing that could help me forget about it completely is if I get a 1st at uni and that is now my short-term-ultimate-self-worth-defining goal xD (watch that fail miserably too)
Original post by super_kawaii
It would be a waste for the sectors you mentioned too, as the most they ask for is ABB usually.

It's just there's no point wasting so much time and energy on something that's going to benefit in absolutely zero way.

It would benefit my self-esteem, much of which is defined by my personal academic achievements. But you're probably right that a year out of my life isn't worth it.
Original post by tanyapotter
True, I hope I just forget about it. The only thing that could help me forget about it completely is if I get a 1st at uni and that is now my short-term-ultimate-self-worth-defining goal xD (watch that fail miserably too)


I always seem to fall short too -.-

Ah well - let's just enjoy ourselves :smile:
Original post by tanyapotter
It would benefit my self-esteem, much of which is defined by my personal academic achievements. But you're probably right that a year out of my life isn't worth it.


Going to uni, doing well at a higher academic level, getting involved with all the activites available, living independently and making your own way in a new city will benefit your self esteem more than retaking a couple of A Levels ever could, trust me.
Original post by tanyapotter
True, I hope I just forget about it. The only thing that could help me forget about it completely is if I get a 1st at uni and that is now my short-term-ultimate-self-worth-defining goal xD (watch that fail miserably too)


Getting a 1st doesn't set you up for success. My friends and I all have jobs or 100% confirmed masters programmes places, unlike my friends who have 1sts, who don't have anything confirmed yet. Your degree is just a tick in the box, so while it's important to do well, it's also important to maximise your extra curricular activities and experience which you can do year round, both in term time in the holidays.
Original post by super_kawaii
Going to uni, doing well at a higher academic level, getting involved with all the activites available, living independently and making your own way in a new city will benefit your self esteem more than retaking a couple of A Levels ever could, trust me.


You're so right.
Original post by Student403
I always seem to fall short too -.-

Ah well - let's just enjoy ourselves :smile:


You got full marks in your SATs :colonhash: And you'll probably get straight A*s in your A-levels too - please spare a thought for those of us who aren't as intelligent :redface:
Original post by tanyapotter
You got full marks in your SATs :colonhash: And you'll probably get straight A*s in your A-levels too - please spare a thought for those of us who aren't as intelligent :redface:


I didn't!

German was a flop :lol: And physics is on the boundary
Original post by super_kawaii
Getting a 1st doesn't set you up for success. My friends and I all have jobs or 100% confirmed masters programmes places, unlike my friends who have 1sts, who don't have anything confirmed yet. Your degree is just a tick in the box, so while it's important to do well, it's also important to maximise your extra curricular activities and experience which you can do year round, both in term time in the holidays.


What degree have you done? I hope what you say applies for an engineering degree. I know that I'd want someone with a 1st working on an Airbus for me compared with someone with a 2:1 (just safety reasons xD) because the latter would indicate a slightly diminished grasp of the fundamental mathematical and physical knowledge needed to apply them successfully
Original post by Student403
I didn't!

German was a flop :lol: And physics is on the boundary


Physics is SO on the boundary for me, but unlike for you, it's the boundary between a B and an A (and not between an A and an A* xD)

I had to cram the whole of unit 5 the night before my exam and didn't do a single past paper for it because I took a nap for one hour too long that night :frown: (and was majorly stressed out from the exam before) ugh

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