2 a-levels = no top industry placements?

lipowicha

Hello everybody,

I'm stuck in a really big dilemma. I've basically left college with 2 a-levels with a total of 290 ucas points. ICT (A), Business S. (B), Maths (c), Computing (d)

I go to a low uni, in my penultimate year and i'm on a placement course and currently applying for them. I see this as a opportunity to gain work experience which would put me at an advantage when it comes to graduate schemes.
I really want to get into the finance industry, but my poor a-levels are stopping me, I don't meet most firms requirements of 300 ucas points. I am aiming for the big firms btw, thats my main focus.

I am really concerned at the moment, should i just apply to any type of role (really want finance). And what are my chances of getting a finance role on a grad scheme? I've obtained a first last year, if that helps.

I'm stuck on what to do now to get into the big firms.

I appreciate all the help.

Easy, retake your A levels, do economics get A*AA go to
say Warwick for econ then reapply.

Reply 2

OP

retake my a-levels? Dont the companies want my a-levels from the first sitting?

I'm really stuck on this on what to do.

Reply 3

lipowicha

retake my a-levels? Dont the companies want my a-levels from the first sitting?

I'm really stuck on this on what to do.

There's no stipulation of that. And if you were to redo uni (which you'd probably need to) they wouldn't realise it wasn't your first sitting.

Why are your sights so high, why don't you just accept you wont get into your preferred job with poor Alevels having been to a poor uni?

Reply 4

OP

Quady

There's no stipulation of that. And if you were to redo uni (which you'd probably need to) they wouldn't realise it wasn't your first sitting.

Why are your sights so high, why don't you just accept you wont get into your preferred job with poor Alevels having been to a poor uni?

Why are my sights so high? theres nothing high about it. its achievable for me. I just want to know if there is a way round to get into these high firms?

basically, go back to college and get more a-levels right?

Reply 5

Jonah Ramone

19

Quady

There's no stipulation of that. And if you were to redo uni (which you'd probably need to) they wouldn't realise it wasn't your first sitting.

Why are your sights so high, why don't you just accept you wont get into your preferred job with poor Alevels having been to a poor uni?

Lol, what a douche.

OP, you're only 10 points down, just get those extra (up to 300 UCAS points) and ensure you get a good degree classification from the uni you're already at. You might want to do a masters to pull you up to a higher standard when it comes to applying for jobs, so you could look to a better university to do the MA.

Reply 6

Revolution is my Name

15

lipowicha

its achievable for me.

Considering you're starting a thread about how you're failing to achieve it, obviously not.

Reply 7

OP

JR

Lol, what a douche.

OP, you're only 10 points down, just get those extra (up to 300 UCAS points) and ensure you get a good degree classification from the uni you're already at. You might want to do a masters to pull you up to a higher standard when it comes to applying for jobs, so you could look to a better university to do the MA.

hey nice reply. So i bump up my ucas points by part-time evening course? And do an MA, is that necessary? Studying more after university? Is the graduate job market really that hard?

Would it help if i get 1 years worth of industry placement this year with any kind of company. Would that help for future job apps?

Thanks

Reply 8

Jonah Ramone

19

lipowicha

hey nice reply. So i bump up my ucas points by part-time evening course? And do an MA, is that necessary? Studying more after university? Is the graduate job market really that hard?

Would it help if i get 1 years worth of industry placement this year with any kind of company. Would that help for future job apps?

Thanks

Yeah, that would bump your UCAS, but it might have to be retakes if they're looking for 300 points from 3 subjects. I dunno what the graduate job market is like in this area, but I'm guessing it's pretty competitive, so having a MA to boost would probably be an advantage. All industry experience would be valuable too, of course.

Reply 9

lipowicha

Why are my sights so high? theres nothing high about it. its achievable for me. I just want to know if there is a way round to get into these high firms?

basically, go back to college and get more a-levels right?

Your sights are high as you are applying for the most competitive graduate jobs (even though the vast majority of people self select that they won't get though) with very average A levels at a 'low' (to quote you) university. Many people at Oxbridge/LSE/Imperial with good ECs can't get in, why would they pick you over them?

How is it achievable for you? What are your extra curriculars like?

Reply 10

cruciform

He's aiming for the finance industry so that could include Accountancy or Insurance. There are lots of people who went to polytechnics and have then gone onto securing accountancy/insurance contracts.

'I am aiming for the big firms btw'

Sure accountancy and insurance but given the above I think the OP is aiming for the big four at the outside. There are plenty of accountancy/insurance firms that would trim the OP, but they aren't the big firms, and they aren't 'grad schemes' (well they are, but not in the way the OP describes).

Reply 11

OP

Ok, big four is a long shot I know that. But I was also including big blue chip companies.

As for extra-curricluar activities... I've had four part-time jobs, I'm currently a tech advisor at tescos, part-time. I volunteer delivering grants to charities and I am a project leader for a book charity in my university, and also a course rep. So Yeah, I've really got stuck in.

I now have a plan, which I don't know will turn out right. Well here is my action plan:
1. be lucky to get any industry placement this year, preferably in finance for any company, even small.
and
2. complete a a2 in maths on a part-time evening course, while on placement year.

so by the start of final year i'll have over 300 ucas points in addition of relevant work experience, i.e. finance. sorted right?

Anyone know if thats a good plan?

Thanks for all your help.

Reply 12

lipowicha

Ok, big four is a long shot I know that. But I was also including big blue chip companies.

As for extra-curricluar activities... I've had four part-time jobs, I'm currently a tech advisor at tescos, part-time. I volunteer delivering grants to charities and I am a project leader for a book charity in my university, and also a course rep. So Yeah, I've really got stuck in.

I now have a plan, which I don't know will turn out right. Well here is my action plan:
1. be lucky to get any industry placement this year, preferably in finance for any company, even small.
and
2. complete a a2 in maths on a part-time evening course, while on placement year.

so by the start of final year i'll have over 300 ucas points in addition of relevant work experience, i.e. finance. sorted right?

Anyone know if thats a good plan?

Thanks for all your help.

Blue chips? Meaning? Vodafone and BP are typical blue chips, but you said financials.

Your ECs are reasonably good, but perfectly average compared to the competition. You need to do a relevant intern ship though. (unless you want the Tesco scheme, which is Blue Chip but not financial).

The plan sounds like the best shot you have. But work out your backup options.

Reply 13