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

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Not so much aiming high as falling short


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If I got one A grade, I'd miss my offer and most certainly resit :redface:
Original post by tanyapotter
If I got one A grade, I'd miss my offer and most certainly resit :redface:


Universities can still accept you if you miss your offer if they like you enough.
Original post by tanyapotter
I highly doubt that there are no benefits of getting a 1st.. surely?! I agree that experience is also very key, though. Are you sure you're not being biased at this point?


There are no benefits to a 1st in industry. You're still at College so not to be condescending but most of these misconceptions will he cleared up once you're at university.
Original post by drandy76
Not so much aiming high as falling short


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I don't think any person in the world would consider an A grade as 'falling short' tbh. If you want an A* then go for it but putting yourself under so much unnecessary pressure is bad for you. When you get into the real world you will realise nobody really cares about your a-level results outside of universities as long as you achieved above the UCAS points. Not even graduate entry medicine cares about a-level results
Original post by Aristotle's' Disciple
There are no benefits to a 1st in industry. You're still at College so not to be condescending but most of these misconceptions will he cleared up once you're at university.


what about if you are applying to do a phd?????
Original post by duncanjgraham
what about if you are applying to do a phd?????


May affect the funding which is already rarer than the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
Original post by super_kawaii
No, I'm talking from experience here. Apart from a very few niche courses at Oxbridge, there is no benefit to getting a first. I know people who work in recruitment and the thing that matters most is experience. A minimum of a 2:1 is nothing but a tick in the box. Plus after a few years of working in a career, it's ALL about your experience and what you've learnt in your previous job and how you can apply it to your new job.

By all means aim for a 1st, but as long as you have a minimum of a 2:1 and experience you're good to go for the vast majority of graduate positions.

How can there be no benefits of getting a 1st? Why would a 1st class degree classification exist if there were no benefits to achieving it? Again, I'm not denying that experience is vital, though.
Original post by super_kawaii
May affect the funding which is already rarer than the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow


hmph
If you get into the Uni you want with your A levels obviously there's no point resitting, but at least 2 ( not including me) people in this thread have already stated in some subjects they felt getting an A is below what they were capable of, the disappointment will pass in time but it's still a sore point for the time being


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Original post by tanyapotter
How can there be no benefits of getting a 1st? Why would a 1st class degree classification exist if there were no benefits to achieving it? Again, I'm not denying that experience is vital, though.


To help define academic achievement. However, the benchmark is set at a 2:1 and so focused on experience there really isn't any benefit. Academic achievement will only take you so far
Original post by drandy76
If you get into the Uni you want with your A levels obviously there's no point resitting, but at least 2 ( not including me) people in this thread have already stated in some subjects they felt getting an A is below what they were capable of, the disappointment will pass in time but it's still a sore point for the time being


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A sore point that will quickly be forgotten about once they arrive at uni :smile:
Original post by super_kawaii
A sore point that will quickly be forgotten about once they arrive at uni :smile:


I literally said that right before


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According to a study by LSE a 1st is worth slightly (only 3%) more than a 2:1 in annual earnings. But a 2:1 is worth 7% more than a 2:2.

So the key thing is getting a 2:1 or better. Not necessarily aiming for a 1st.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/10088784/Good-degree-grade-worth-extra-2000-a-year-in-wages.html

Oh, and there's a whole correlation <> causation thing with this too.

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(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by drandy76
If you get into the Uni you want with your A levels obviously there's no point resitting, but at least 2 ( not including me) people in this thread have already stated in some subjects they felt getting an A is below what they were capable of, the disappointment will pass in time but it's still a sore point for the time being


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Alright, well, if that is your take on it then obviously you are entitled to that opinion on yourself but please know that employers don't really care much for the difference between an A and an A*. Most employers nowadays care more about the experience you've had in the sector of your choice. As long as you get at least a 2:1 it doesn't really matter. Take my advice and go for a course that offers you a year in industry, I promise you will not regret it.
Original post by drandy76
I literally said that right before


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The way you said it made it seem we couldn't talk about how invaluable A Levels are once you get into uni
The whole point of this thread was that I knew I'm capable of A*s, which is what stings.

The one subject I was predicted an A in (further maths - and rightly so, as I only just got 90% at AS), I am confident I've achieved an A. And I am INFINITELY happy with this achievement, because I know I did the best that I could, even though it's not an A*. But for stuff like maths and physics, it makes me sick to think I ****ed up my exams badly enough to miss the A*s, despite getting full UMS for both subjects in my mocks. I can't help feeling like that.
PRSOM on all your posts
Original post by tanyapotter
The whole point of this thread was that I knew I'm capable of A*s, which is what stings.

The one subject I was predicted an A in (further maths - and rightly so, as I only just got 90% at AS), I am confident I've achieved an A. And I am INFINITELY happy with this achievement, because I know I did the best that I could, even though it's not an A*. But for stuff like maths and physics, it makes me sick to think I ****ed up my exams badly enough to miss the A*s, despite getting full UMS for both subjects in my mocks. I can't help feeling like that.


You'll forget about it once you actually get to uni, unless you actively want to screw up your life because you're bitter you "only" got an A and forget to focus on what matters in life-getting experience at uni
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Original post by tanyapotter
How can there be no benefits of getting a 1st? Why would a 1st class degree classification exist if there were no benefits to achieving it? Again, I'm not denying that experience is vital, though.


It's like the difference between A* and A. The individual with the A* cares about it, but most other people don't so much. :wink:

And if an employer is choosing between 2 candidates; a postgrad with a 2:1 good ECs and relevant work experience will trump someone with a 1st and no ECs/work experience.

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(edited 7 years ago)

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