A-level Autumn Resits 2020 MEGATHREAD!

hey just a question, other than receiving ur actual results earlier, why do the autumn exams and not the summer 2021 exams? the 2021 exams are still considered a first sitting so why choose to do the autumn ones?

If you had an offer that you missed, you can call up the university and they’ll most likely defer you to 2021 so you won’t have to do the UCAT or personal statement. Only the bio exam.

They should eventually update track, but it probably won't be a priority. Do get something in writing though- and email is fine.

Email them and say something like "Further to our conversation, you have agreed to defer my place to 2021 conditional on me achieving [grades] in my resits. Please can you confirm if this is correct, and will you update track to reflect this."

Sorry to hear this. Resitting is definitely an option. Do you have mock grades you might be able to use to appeal?

Can you speak to LSE and Southampton and see if they will offer you a deferred place?


If you already have AAC and you're resitting, it wouldn't be impossible. But unis are being pushed away from unconditional offers, so it may not happen.

Try not to be too depressed. AAC are still good grades and you will be able to improve!


https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/ This site is great for science past paper questions organised by topic (not just physics and maths). They've got lots for AQA IIRC.

Learn the content first (however works for you) including practicals, and then do past paper questions. I think you need an even split BUT prioritise topics that you would "RAG" as Amber- this is where you can make the most improvements in a short space of time. Do past paper practice for green topics, too!

Get the deferral confirmed in writing now- well done for getting that sorted. Eventually, UCAS should be updated, but it may not happen straight away.

Good luck with maths- it doesn't sound like you are too far off getting an A, so I am sure you'll be able to smash it!



This sounds good. Hopefully you get some positive responses from your appeals as well! AAC is totally achievable, as long as you're prepared to work hard!


That's such a shame about your mocks. Depending on what is said next week, your school may change their mind, but unfortunately I can see their PoV that a mock done at home may not be a "valid mock". I can imagine a D in physics is a real shock. Have you talked to your school to make sure that wasn't a mistake?

However, it sounds like you should be able to improve your grades and ABB would be a good outcome. If Nottingham Trent are holding a place for you, that's great too!

Good luck!

Going through a revision guide is a good start, but active revision (where you're actively making notes or testing yourself is better)- and lots of past paper practice too!


That does sound really tough, but we have faith in you.

Hopefully there are bits of last year's PS you can use so it doesn't have to all be from scratch?

If you want any help with bio, please shout!

Summer 2021 is still considered a resit if you dont take autumn ones because you had the opportunity to sit the autumn ones

You can do ittttt


I've got chem resit alongside and a job if that makes you feel better! xx

They should eventually update track, but it probably won't be a priority. Do get something in writing though- and email is fine.

Email them and say something like "Further to our conversation, you have agreed to defer my place to 2021 conditional on me achieving [grades] in my resits. Please can you confirm if this is correct, and will you update track to reflect this."

Sorry to hear this. Resitting is definitely an option. Do you have mock grades you might be able to use to appeal?

Can you speak to LSE and Southampton and see if they will offer you a deferred place?


If you already have AAC and you're resitting, it wouldn't be impossible. But unis are being pushed away from unconditional offers, so it may not happen.

Try not to be too depressed. AAC are still good grades and you will be able to improve!


https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/ This site is great for science past paper questions organised by topic (not just physics and maths). They've got lots for AQA IIRC.

Learn the content first (however works for you) including practicals, and then do past paper questions. I think you need an even split BUT prioritise topics that you would "RAG" as Amber- this is where you can make the most improvements in a short space of time. Do past paper practice for green topics, too!

Get the deferral confirmed in writing now- well done for getting that sorted. Eventually, UCAS should be updated, but it may not happen straight away.

Good luck with maths- it doesn't sound like you are too far off getting an A, so I am sure you'll be able to smash it!



This sounds good. Hopefully you get some positive responses from your appeals as well! AAC is totally achievable, as long as you're prepared to work hard!


That's such a shame about your mocks. Depending on what is said next week, your school may change their mind, but unfortunately I can see their PoV that a mock done at home may not be a "valid mock". I can imagine a D in physics is a real shock. Have you talked to your school to make sure that wasn't a mistake?

However, it sounds like you should be able to improve your grades and ABB would be a good outcome. If Nottingham Trent are holding a place for you, that's great too!

Good luck!

Going through a revision guide is a good start, but active revision (where you're actively making notes or testing yourself is better)- and lots of past paper practice too!


That does sound really tough, but we have faith in you.

Hopefully there are bits of last year's PS you can use so it doesn't have to all be from scratch?

If you want any help with bio, please shout!

Hi what exam board did you do for bio

I didn’t apply this year because I wanted to a gap year so I have to do the ps from scratch arghh

I appreciate the help thank you so much

I emailed some unis (for medicine which is really strict on stuff like this) and all said they'd accept 2021 as first sitting.

My results were A (Maths) C (Econ) D (Geography).
Gonna sit econ and geography hoping to get AB minimum.
Had an offer from Durham and asked if they could defer they said no!

Results: Biology B Chemistry D English Lit. B
Predicted: ABB
Offer: BBC (with a B in Chem)
Resiting chemistry to get a B (also appealing).

I emailed some unis (for medicine which is really strict on stuff like this) and all said they'd accept 2021 as first sitting.

Does this include Queen Mary and kcl or imperial???

Does anyone know how the process for summer resits work? Like where do we go to register, will we be at school?

Does anyone know how the process for summer resits work? Like where do we go to register, will we be at school?

Current Grades: BBC (2019)
Subjects Resitting: Biology (OCR), Chem (OCR), Maths (OCR)
Grades you're hoping for: min. AAA (aiming for 3A*s because why not?)
Any uni offers: Southampton Medicine A100 (deferred for a year)


A little bit of background:
I changed schools after GCSEs because I got a place at higher-achieving school even though I already went to a grammar school. The new school didn't support me at all and my mental health deteriorated because they weren't providing me with the support I needed - only focused on the Oxbridge applicants and the super-high achievers. They predicted me BBB which wasn't enough to get me into med school which is what my goal has been since I was 8. I was determined not to give up on my childhood dreams and I sat the exams, but unfortunately, I didn't make it and was devastated.

However, after watching some Manish P videos, I got myself up again and decided I was gonna resit and reapply for 2020 entry. My school refused to predict me anything higher, therefore, I went to my tutors who knew me better than my actual subject teachers did and I got them to predict me 3As. After the whole intensive medical application process, I finally got my hard-earned place at Southampton (which if I'm honest, I didn't think I would get).

Then Covid-19 hit, and I was unable to get predicted grades because I had no center-approved assessments [I know I could have bribed tutors as other people have done, but it just didn't sit right in my conscious]. My center did offer to try and find a solution but that would have cost more money and I had already spent my years earning as a part-time waitress paying for my resits, I didn't want to gamble it. I kinda lost the will to revise so I didn't touch any sort of revision until the start of this month.

To make things worse, I have a medical condition which requires surgery to prevent complications. However, Covid-19 has caused a longer waiting list for surgeries and my op would be scheduled right in the middle of the exams. I convinced my doctor to let me postpone it, so I had enough time to prepare for my exams - she knows how much these grades mean to. Yes, I did actually just put these stupid exams before my health, but this is my last shot and I can't just give up now.

I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't gutted when UCAS track updated and I was rejected from Southampton because it feels like I'm progressing backward when everyone else is moving forward. I'm an early september baby, so after 2 gap years, that means I'm going to be at least 21 when I start university. I have strict Asian parents, so I have missed out on a lot of social things my peers have experienced like going out/clubbing. I really do desperately need and crave the independence.

I'm sorry for the ramble, but this year has been especially hard on me, and I am sure it has for everyone else as well. Everyone has their own story to tell. But I mean if I haven't given up hope after everything, then there is no reason for you to as well. There's been a lot of obstacles, especially the unfairness of the grading system set out by the government, but these exams are am opportunity to prove them wrong and shine. I'm sure all of you deserve grades better than what you were given and I'm sorry if you were robbed of an offer but now isn't the time to believe that you can't get those grades in 7/8 weeks. Just focus, and remember to spare sometime for your self. If you go into the exam with a healthy mind and a positive attitude, I'm sure there is nothing that you can not do. [sorry for the cringe yikes but..] GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

hey I really hope you get in this time!! Also did track/uni automatically defer your entry to 2021 or did you speak to admissions yesterday and they allowed it???

hey I really hope you get in this time!! Also did track/uni automatically defer your entry to 2021 or did you speak to admissions yesterday and they allowed it???

First day done and I managed to do quite a bit however 52 days, 2 subjects, maths and chemistry, I don't know if it will be enough time to go through everything again and achieve AA. I am willing to work as hard as possible but today I realised I have a mountain to climb. Does anyone feel the same? I cannot accept anything lower than a AB but that's the minimum. Why couldn't it be in November with the GCSE students and that way we could have actually got what we were aiming for