The Student Room Group

Urgent: If i restart a levels can i do medicine?

I went to a college to do a levels. Despite it being a well-known college is was awful, and did not like any of it. I sat my first year exams which do not matter towards my A level grade due to the new linear A levels. I didn't do very well, which I take responsibility for.
I know have the choice to carry on to second year, however I think learning new second year content which is even harder than first year while trying to revise the first year content will be extremely hard. By revise, I mean learn. I'm afraid I will fail and then there's no turning back.
I have another choice to start my two years of a levels again at a different sixthform college. However I'm afraid it will affect my Medicine applicant. All the research i have done, University were talking in regards to A level resits but I haven't actually resat my A levels.
Please give me advice!
WILL STARTING MY A LEVELS AGAIN AFFECT MY APPLICATION FOR MEDICINE????????????
Original post by mrscole
I went to a college to do a levels. Despite it being a well-known college is was awful, and did not like any of it. I sat my first year exams which do not matter towards my A level grade due to the new linear A levels. I didn't do very well, which I take responsibility for.
I know have the choice to carry on to second year, however I think learning new second year content which is even harder than first year while trying to revise the first year content will be extremely hard. By revise, I mean learn. I'm afraid I will fail and then there's no turning back.
I have another choice to start my two years of a levels again at a different sixthform college. However I'm afraid it will affect my Medicine applicant. All the research i have done, University were talking in regards to A level resits but I haven't actually resat my A levels.
Please give me advice!
WILL STARTING MY A LEVELS AGAIN AFFECT MY APPLICATION FOR MEDICINE????????????


Russel Group unis tend to not be all that impressed with students who have taken 3 years to complete their A-levels (i.e. resitting a year). However if you are predicated at least AAA+ then you should stand a decent chance in applying and getting offers from unis.
Original post by mrscole
I went to a college to do a levels. Despite it being a well-known college is was awful, and did not like any of it. I sat my first year exams which do not matter towards my A level grade due to the new linear A levels. I didn't do very well, which I take responsibility for.
I know have the choice to carry on to second year, however I think learning new second year content which is even harder than first year while trying to revise the first year content will be extremely hard. By revise, I mean learn. I'm afraid I will fail and then there's no turning back.
I have another choice to start my two years of a levels again at a different sixthform college. However I'm afraid it will affect my Medicine applicant. All the research i have done, University were talking in regards to A level resits but I haven't actually resat my A levels.
Please give me advice!
WILL STARTING MY A LEVELS AGAIN AFFECT MY APPLICATION FOR MEDICINE????????????


To date most medical schools have tended not to consider applicants who've taken more than two years to complete their A Levels, and while I don't know for sure if this will change with the new A Levels, I doubt it will.

There are a few universities however that did accept applications from people sitting A Levels over three years. See here for a list, and make sure to check with the relevant admissions departments to confirm that these policies still apply.

Original post by The Empire Odyssey
Russel Group unis tend to not be all that impressed with students who have taken 3 years to complete their A-levels (i.e. resitting a year). However if you are predicated at least AAA+ then you should stand a decent chance in applying and getting offers from unis.


This isn't the case for most subjects, and whether a university is in the Russell Group doesn't mean much in terms of whether resits are permitted (e.g. both Exeter and UCL are in the RG, yet the former does not disadvantage applicants who resit years for any reason and for any subject (including medicine) while the latter does not accept such applicants even if they have compelling extenuating circumstances).
Original post by Hydeman

This isn't the case for most subjects, and whether a university is in the Russell Group doesn't mean much in terms of whether resits are permitted (e.g. both Exeter and UCL are in the RG, yet the former does not disadvantage applicants who resit years for any reason and for any subject (including medicine) while the latter does not accept such applicants even if they have compelling extenuating circumstances).


I was referring to Medicine only... As you know... This thread is about Medicine...
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
I was referring to Medicine only... As you know... This thread is about Medicine...


The statement about RG status influencing resit policies doesn't apply in the case of medicine either. :tongue:
Original post by mrscole
I went to a college to do a levels. Despite it being a well-known college is was awful, and did not like any of it. I sat my first year exams which do not matter towards my A level grade due to the new linear A levels. I didn't do very well, which I take responsibility for.
I know have the choice to carry on to second year, however I think learning new second year content which is even harder than first year while trying to revise the first year content will be extremely hard. By revise, I mean learn. I'm afraid I will fail and then there's no turning back.
I have another choice to start my two years of a levels again at a different sixthform college. However I'm afraid it will affect my Medicine applicant. All the research i have done, University were talking in regards to A level resits but I haven't actually resat my A levels.
Please give me advice!
WILL STARTING MY A LEVELS AGAIN AFFECT MY APPLICATION FOR MEDICINE????????????


You'd be doing it over 3 years. That already counts out 80-90% of med schools. I'm assuming your GCSE performance isn't outstanding either, given if it was, you probably would've mentioned it.

Graduate entry is likely your best shot.
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
No sweetheart, you implied it - I didn't.

Have a great day though!


I think you'll find that you implied that if they resat but got AAA+ predications then it would all be ok. Which it won't.

I think Hydeman's problem, and mine, is that you brought Russell group in to a discussion of which it has no relevance. Russell group means diddly squat in Medicine. Resitting whole years, however, has a large implication for where the OP can apply.

Original post by mrscole
I went to a college to do a levels. Despite it being a well-known college is was awful, and did not like any of it. I sat my first year exams which do not matter towards my A level grade due to the new linear A levels. I didn't do very well, which I take responsibility for.
I know have the choice to carry on to second year, however I think learning new second year content which is even harder than first year while trying to revise the first year content will be extremely hard. By revise, I mean learn. I'm afraid I will fail and then there's no turning back.
I have another choice to start my two years of a levels again at a different sixthform college. However I'm afraid it will affect my Medicine applicant. All the research i have done, University were talking in regards to A level resits but I haven't actually resat my A levels.
Please give me advice!
WILL STARTING MY A LEVELS AGAIN AFFECT MY APPLICATION FOR MEDICINE????????????


In short, yes it will. Apart from your college, what went wrong? How bad were your grades this year? If you can identify what went wrong then you can work towards improving this year.
The good thing is the grades from AS don't count, so you don't have to work to overcome them with your A2 exams. Start making a revision schedule now for how you're going to keep on top of last year's content whilst learning this years. Look at what resources are available online. Get together a study group with some people from college and work towards those A grades together.
I would avoid resitting year 12 as much as you can.
Reply 7
Original post by GradeA*UnderA
You'd be doing it over 3 years. That already counts out 80-90% of med schools. I'm assuming your GCSE performance isn't outstanding either, given if it was, you probably would've mentioned it.

Graduate entry is likely your best shot.


My GSCE results are okay.
Maths- B
Physics- B
Biology- A*
Chemistry- A
English Lit- A*
English Lang- A*
History- A*
French- A
RS- A
Original post by mrscole
My GSCE results are okay.
Maths- B
Physics- B
Biology- A*
Chemistry- A
English Lit- A*
English Lang- A*
History- A*
French- A
RS- A


Yes, they're good, but not amazing enough to account for restarting A Levels.
Reply 9
Doubtful. Call up all medical schools and find out which ones will accept it. Otherwise you're best off applying as a grad
Do not restart your A levels. Work your ass of next year to rectify the poor grades you got this year.
Original post by The Empire Odyssey
Russel Group unis tend to not be all that impressed with students who have taken 3 years to complete their A-levels (i.e. resitting a year). However if you are predicated at least AAA+ then you should stand a decent chance in applying and getting offers from unis.


Does it count as 3 years even if you do different subjects?

I have heard from people that unis dont care aslong as you have the grades, I asked about Cambridge apparently its fine?

EDIT:re read your post and you are saying that they arent impressed, so resitting is fine then aslong as you have a strong profile? :/
(edited 7 years ago)

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