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Should I contact Cambridge?

I put on my SAQ that I'm not resitting any modules but after looking at the exam dates and seeing that M2 is after the rest of my exams I realised that maybe I should resit it. I got 82 in M2 btw.
Should I contact Cambridge to tell them?
(edited 6 years ago)

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Original post by AspiringUnderdog
I put on my SAQ that I'm not resitting any modules but after looking at the exam dates and seeing that M2 is after the rest of my exams I realised that maybe I should resit it.
Should I contact Cambridge to tell them?


I would, because they could take this information into account when looking at the likelihood of offering you an interview/place. For example, if you got a grade B and were planning on resitting, they may take that as a sign of ambition, determination and a sign that you know you can do better, which are important qualities for a university with such high standing.

It's also worth letting them know, because if you don't tell them you are going to resit then you do, it could be seen as dishonest and they could withdraw your place. The same goes for UCAS; if you try and hide something from them, they reserve the right to withdraw your application to all Unis.
Hmm yeah sending an email would probably be a good idea. I very much doubt it's gonna be make or break but it might reassure them of the likely hood of you getting an A* in fm.
Original post by Parkleton
I would, because they could take this information into account when looking at the likelihood of offering you an interview/place. For example, if you got a grade B and were planning on resitting, they may take that as a sign of ambition, determination and a sign that you know you can do better, which are important qualities for a university with such high standing.

It's also worth letting them know, because if you don't tell them you are going to resit then you do, it could be seen as dishonest and they could withdraw your place. The same goes for UCAS; if you try and hide something from them, they reserve the right to withdraw your application to all Unis.


Are you sure about that? I know it's definitely the case with whole GCSEs and A levels. The head of maths at my school said that you only need to put down AS retakes if you need the retake to prove that you'll get a grade. He's been the head before I joined in year 7 so surely he would know about this stuff seeming as there are a lot of maths retakes every year.

Original post by black1blade
Hmm yeah sending an email would probably be a good idea. I very much doubt it's gonna be make or break but it might reassure them of the likely hood of you getting an A* in fm.


Just for context I got 82, a low A. The rest of my modules are high As but M2 is the only A2 module I took.
I'm just thinking it might seem dodgy that I change my mind days after sending off the SAQ.
I mean if you get 94 in 2 of the a2 modules you are doing next year you'll still get an A*.
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Are you sure about that? I know it's definitely the case with whole GCSEs and A levels. The head of maths at my school said that you only need to put down AS retakes if you need the retake to prove that you'll get a grade. He's been the head before I joined in year 7 so surely he would know about this stuff seeming as there are a lot of maths retakes every year.


Sorry, I misunderstood and forgot that Maths was still modular. You don't need to reassure me that your teacher is correct.

If you are only resitting one module of an Alevel, then you would not put this on your UCAS application. However, because you have explicitly told Cambridge that you are not resitting anything, then you need to tell them that you have changed your mind. Otherwise they will be basing their interview/place offering on incorrect information.
Reply 6
Original post by Parkleton
However, because you have explicitly told Cambridge that you are not resitting anything, then you need to tell them that you have changed your mind. Otherwise they will be basing their interview/place offering on incorrect information.


^this.

Although you might not decide to resit something until after the offer arrives... but even then you should notify your universities about any changes.
Although yeah m2 is probably one of the easier a2 modules.
Original post by black1blade
I mean if you get 94 in 2 of the a2 modules you are doing next year you'll still get an A*.


I know but I'm slightly worried about FP2 and FP3. S2 is mostly fine though. I'm just thinking that since M2 would be the last exam right after a weekend as well I could manage it just to increase my chances.

Original post by Parkleton
Sorry, I misunderstood and forgot that Maths was still modular. You don't need to reassure me that your teacher is correct.

If you are only resitting one module of an Alevel, then you would not put this on your UCAS application. However, because you have explicitly told Cambridge that you are not resitting anything, then you need to tell them that you have changed your mind. Otherwise they will be basing their interview/place offering on incorrect information.


Yeah I guess that's fair. It asks if I "plan to retake" so there doesn't seem to be a definitive yes or no in that. If it's possible to increase my chances then I guess it's a good idea. Do you think that resitting could make them require an A* in further maths if I got an offer?
Reply 9
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Do you think that resitting could make them require an A* in further maths if I got an offer?


It might, or it might not. Who knows :smile:
Yeah I am kinda worried about fp2 and 3 too. I'm going to aim to totally smash the mechanics and get 100 then get 90 on s2 so that I would be fine if I only got an A in fp2 and/or 3. I am kinda hoping that if I just work hard though, I'll be able to get the A* in further without too many problems. My biggest enemy is exam pressure tbh.
Which a-levels are you doing this year?
Original post by Doonesbury
^this.

Although you might not decide to resit something until after the offer arrives... but even then you should notify your universities about any changes.


So you're thinking that I should tell them. Do I contact the college or the university and should I wait until I return to school to speak to teachers?
Reply 13
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
So you're thinking that I should tell them. Do I contact the college or the university and should I wait until I return to school to speak to teachers?


If you have a change in circumstances then yes you should notify the college (not the university).
Original post by black1blade
Yeah I am kinda worried about fp2 and 3 too. I'm going to aim to totally smash the mechanics and get 100 then get 90 on s2 so that I would be fine if I only got an A in fp2 and/or 3. I am kinda hoping that if I just work hard though, I'll be able to get the A* in further without too many problems. My biggest enemy is exam pressure tbh.


Original post by black1blade
Which a-levels are you doing this year?


Yeah I think I can smash S2 and hopefully do better in M2. I'm pretty confident that if I had the 2016 paper I would've done better but thus I was unlucky. I haven't started FP3 yet but FP2 has some really easy stuff but the complex numbers aren't very nice. The grades boundaries are quite low for AQA though which helps.

I'm doing maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.
Modules are C3, C4, D1, S2, FP2 and FP3.
Original post by Doonesbury
If you have a change in circumstances then yes you should notify the college (not the university).


Okay thank you. When I get the school I'll discuss it with staff and if I choose to resit I'll find their email and tell them.
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Yeah I think I can smash S2 and hopefully do better in M2. I'm pretty confident that if I had the 2016 paper I would've done better but thus I was unlucky. I haven't started FP3 yet but FP2 has some really easy stuff but the complex numbers aren't very nice. The grades boundaries are quite low for AQA though which helps.

I'm doing maths, further maths, physics and chemistry.
Modules are C3, C4, D1, S2, FP2 and FP3.


Yeah it's quite likely they'll say A* in fm A*A in physics and chemistry if you get an offer because that's basically the offer they give people who've done their maths early (they just say A*A*A out of the 3 you are doing that year) so they like to keep it fair no matter how your school does things. Yeah I mean I have no idea how hard fp2 and 3 will be, only half way thru fp1 atm!
Original post by black1blade
Yeah it's quite likely they'll say A* in fm A*A in physics and chemistry if you get an offer because that's basically the offer they give people who've done their maths early (they just say A*A*A out of the 3 you are doing that year) so they like to keep it fair no matter how your school does things. Yeah I mean I have no idea how hard fp2 and 3 will be, only half way thru fp1 atm!


Is that for a maths degree?
What exam board are you doing? For AQA I found that FP1 wasn't really that hard but FP2 is very different and much harder.
Original post by AspiringUnderdog
Is that for a maths degree?
What exam board are you doing? For AQA I found that FP1 wasn't really that hard but FP2 is very different and much harder.


I'm ocr and I haven't started fp2 or 3 yet but I'm fairly sure p similar topic wise covered across both. And yeah I think it was specifically in response to someone asking about what they do about people who've done maths a year early. I mean they might give you an A*A*AA offer or something with one of the A*s in maths or fm, hopefully you'll find out in jan what they want XD. But yeah I'm p sure if I get an offer it'll be A*A*A out of fm, physics and chemistry seeing as I did maths last year.
Original post by black1blade
I'm ocr and I haven't started fp2 or 3 yet but I'm fairly sure p similar topic wise covered across both. And yeah I think it was specifically in response to someone asking about what they do about people who've done maths a year early. I mean they might give you an A*A*AA offer or something with one of the A*s in maths or fm, hopefully you'll find out in jan what they want XD. But yeah I'm p sure if I get an offer it'll be A*A*A out of fm, physics and chemistry seeing as I did maths last year.


Ah well good luck with it. I guess it's possible for me to get an offer like that but I really hope that I don't. I just want to get a standard offer with no subject requirements. I would presume that an A* in chemistry or physics make more sense than just physics though. Guess it depends on how much they believe in me.

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