Do I stand a chance for Economic History?

Realistically you don’t actually meet their offer, unless they’re contextual factors for your achieved grades. Overall, AAB > A*BB, (they look at grades and not point scores) they rather a spread of grades, to show consistency, and yes they aren’t keen on retakes. But, most people applying to courses at lse with achieved a levels will be meeting their exact offer, if not higher, as lse normally say that meeting their conditional requirement doesn’t guarantee an offer. Retaking the units might increase your chances, you may get an offer with A*BB, you never know until you apply.

Good luck!!

Hey Anna,
so you've not applied to any uni courses this ucas cycle or have you already been rejected by LSE this cycle? AAB is not that high considering you got A*BB but they would not accept A*BB instead of AAB - it's not the same after all. So with your current grades, you do not meet the minimal requirement and thus would be rejected.
So yes, your only option is to retake the one B and hope that A*AB is enough to get you a spot. Retakes are not something LSE likes at all and on a course like Economics or A&F you would not be considered at all because of the sheer amount of candidates (in thousands) every year. I am not sure how many candidates apply to Economic History every year; depending on how popular it is and how strong your PS&references would be, you could stand a chance, although most probably disadvantaged. Your GCSEs are very good and do show that you are a more than capable student who just kinda messed up A2 for the first time.
good luck

Hey, in that case could you perhaps disclose and include extenuating circumstances when applying to uni? This could/should lower the requirements. Please do check (and call) LSE to see if extenuating circumstances were to be applied, what would the requirements be for your course? Your school/doctors/etc would have to confirm these, of course.

Good luck

I recently received my A level results in history, biology and chemistry. In these subjects I achieved A*BB respectively. For both biology and chemistry, one exam in each let me down causing me to fall to a B grade, however after talking with my teachers I have been advised to retake these exams during the gap year I had planned anyway and hopefully boost the B grades to A/A* grades (I am a Welsh student and I sat the old style of A level so I'm able to resit modular exams, hence I would only have to retake one exam for both subjects).

However, I'm aware that LSE are not particularly keen on A level retakes. Despite this, Economic History's standard offer from LSE is AAB, and the only preferred subject is at least one essay subject. Therefore, despite not meeting the academic requirement of AAB, I have achieved A*BB which is the same in UCAS points with an A* in my essay subject, history, which is far more relevant to the course than both biology and chemistry. Therefore what is the likelihood of me getting an offer from here/considered by the University?

Additionally, I achieved 8 A*s and 5 As at GCSE with A*s in biology, chemistry, physics, maths, english literature, english language, geography and religious studies.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Anna

Heya, the working part may not be deemed as extenuating circumstances, as you said, it was your own choice although the home environment made you do too much working, so one could argue that case as well. Uni of Reading says this: "Claims will be considered where your performance or ability to work has been impaired circumstances that are beyond your control; such as accidents, severe illness, death or severe illness of close relative or partner, mental health problems, a physical attack, or other events of comparable effect)." Your mom has an illness, thus couldnt work and thus you had to take your time to work instead of studying. That in itself is extenuating circumstances as it's out of your control that you mom got sick; bless her!

The personal issues you were mentioning could be where you could apply for extenuating circumstances. If those are mental health issues or any problems in general, you should be given those extenuating circumstances requirements, if it's approved by doctors and your school. Regardless what your personal issues were, you'd need to share them with a doctor and the school.

What were your predicted grades? Your GCSEs are purely amazing and shows that youre a very clever student.

LSE does not care about UCAS points. Top universities want you to consistently achieve their entry standards across three subjects, which you haven't done. You don't meet their offer and are therefore extremely unlikely to be considered for the course with your current grades.

'Given the competition for places and the nature of assessment at LSE, we prefer students who have achieved high grades in their first attempt (and in one sitting) at relevant examinations. . . . Although applicants re-sitting exams will be considered, your application will be in competition with applicants who are predicted, or obtained, the required grades in their first exam sitting.'

https://lfylive.lse.ac.uk/lfy/tc/enquiries/enquiry.html?a=4&q=1269&searchString=