Where to apply to uni? Thoughts on A-Level subjects and grades achieved.

Ok, so I finished my A-Level's last summer - but didn't go to university. I am about to send my application but want some advice as to where I should go!

I want to study Law. I have loads of law work experience and have some quite good extra-curricula stuff.

I achieved grades A*, A*, A* and B, in Law, Computing, Citizenship Studies and Use of Mathematics (Pilot) respectively.

Where do you think are the best uni's I could apply for? And have a chance of receiving an offer.

Thanks in advanced.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

x__justmyluck

12

Your subject combination is quite weak but your grades are great. It's hard to say where you should apply, where would you like to go?

Reply 2

lawstudent1403

OP

Original post by x__justmyluck

Your subject combination is quite weak but your grades are great. It's hard to say where you should apply, where would you like to go?

Thanks. Just keen to go to the best uni possible - what are your thoughts?

Reply 3

Jkizer

16

3 A*s are good (even though 1 I didn't even know was an a level)

Use of maths is a bit dodgy but I'm sure you can get some good uni offers! One of my mates got an offer from law with psychology sociology and politics :smile:

Southampton I think

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 4

Lottie_

7

Is citizenship studies the same as general studies? If not you could apply to places like Durham and Nottingham?

Reply 5

x__justmyluck

12

You could take a risk and apply to LSE and UCL, then maybe a couple of AAA unis.

Reply 6

lawstudent1403

OP

Original post by Lottie_

Is citizenship studies the same as general studies? If not you could apply to places like Durham and Nottingham?

Not as far as I'm aware.

Reply 7

returnmigrant

21

For 'equal consideration' by Universities for 2014 entry, you need to apply to UCAS before 15 January.

Unless you have an application ready to go - LNAT done, Personal Statement and academic reference all completed - you are leaving it far too late to apply this year. Most top Unis will not consider applications for Law beyond this date.

www.whatuni.com will give you a long list of Uis that offer Law and has a grade filter so you can target your application. You should still check each Uni website for specific subjects/grades and GCSE grades, but for many Unis they are not fussed about subjects, they just want the highest possible grades (Bristol as one example).

Reply 8

lawstudent1403

OP

Original post by returnmigrant

For 'equal consideration' by Universities for 2014 entry, you need to apply to UCAS before 15 January.

Unless you have an application ready to go - LNAT done, Personal Statement and academic reference all completed - you are leaving it far too late to apply this year. Most top Unis will not consider applications for Law beyond this date.

Understood - PS, LNAT and references are all done - planning on sending next week.

www.whatuni.com will give you a long list of Uis that offer Law and has a grade filter so you can target your application. You should still check each Uni website for specific subjects/grades and GCSE grades, but for many Unis they are not fussed about subjects, they just want the highest possible grades (Bristol as one example).

Ok, thanks for the heads up.

Reply 9

username638250

7

Original post by x__justmyluck

You could take a risk and apply to LSE and UCL, then maybe a couple of AAA unis.

Uh...no. None of those subjects are considered 'Core' so that's pretty much a straight 'No' from LSE and UCL.

Reply 10

Holmstock

14

I see that Whatuni includes the New College of the Humanities in their list. Since you apply direct to NCH, and not through UCAS, it would effectively be a sixth choice. Although the fees are double those of other universities, they do offer scholarships and exhibitions to reduce/eliminate the fees.

Reply 11

Crumpet1

19

OP, your previous posts suggest you are already at the stage of applying for training contracts, you are not a UCAS applicant. Please stop wasting the time and advice of those kind people who generously give their time trying to help students on this site.

Reply 12

lawstudent1403

OP

Original post by Crumpet1

OP, your previous posts suggest you are already at the stage of applying for training contracts, you are not a UCAS applicant. Please stop wasting the time and advice of those kind people who generously give their time trying to help students on this site.

Perhaps you should have considered that I may be posting this on behalf of my brother. Stop being so judgemental, cynical and jumping to incorrect conclusions!

Can I suggest that somebody who has gone to the effort to review my past posts, and then has the time to post about it should perhaps stop wasting his or her own time!

Reply 13

Катя

18

Make sure you check universities' "preferred subject" lists, if they have one. Here are a few that I know of:

Sheffield: http://www.shef.ac.uk/undergraduate/policies/alevel
Cambridge (Trinity College): http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/index.php?pageid=604
UCL: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate-study/application-and-entry/alevel-qualifications
Another one by UCL: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/basc/prospective/application/alevels

Reply 14

Катя

18

Another option would be to apply for a few AAB / ABB / BBB courses, to increase the chances of being accepted even if the subject combination is initially considered a bit iffy by some admissions tutors (seriously, A*A*A*B is fantastic).

Manchester, for example, has a ton of courses with surprisingly low entry requirements:

Middle Eastern Studies (listed as BBC in the printed prospectus but ABB-BBC here)
Comparative Religion and Social Anthropology (AAB-BBB)
Russian Studies (BBB)

...okay, I'm a bit tired so can't list them all, but honestly, I was pretty surprised when I was looking through various prospectuses the other day. Look far & wide, and keep an open mind :smile:

Reply 15

Crumpet1

19

Original post by lawstudent1403

Perhaps you should have considered that I may be posting this on behalf of my brother. Stop being so judgemental, cynical and jumping to incorrect conclusions!

Can I suggest that somebody who has gone to the effort to review my past posts, and then has the time to post about it should perhaps stop wasting his or her own time!

Fair dues, and I'm happy to be put right. But you must admit you left yourself wide open to looking like a troll when you omitted to mention that you were asking on behalf of somebody else. And if you had been a troll, it would not have been remotely funny for everyone to be spending their time trying to help you.

Reply 16

Unsworth

14

Original post by lawstudent1403

Ok, so I finished my A-Level's last summer - but didn't go to university. I am about to send my application but want some advice as to where I should go!

I want to study Law. I have loads of law work experience and have some quite good extra-curricula stuff.

I achieved grades A*, A*, A* and B, in Law, Computing, Citizenship Studies and Use of Mathematics (Pilot) respectively.

Where do you think are the best uni's I could apply for? And have a chance of receiving an offer.

Thanks in advanced.

Bit confused as to what Citizenship Studies and Use of Mathematics are, but nevertheless I would suggest any university is open to you and you would probably be a very strong applicant given your grades.

Personally, in your situation I would go for:

LSE - A*AA
UCL/KCL - A*AA
Durham - A*AA
Bristol - AAA/A*AB
Warwick - AAA

PS I would of also applied to Cambridge or Oxford, but as it is far too late for you to do this I didn't include it in the above.

Reply 17

returnmigrant

21

The jury is still out on 'Citizenship Studies' and its credibility. Many Unis see it as a mickey-mouse subject and dont regard it as academically rigorous since its a essentially 'voluntary work' with a few essays thrown in.

'Use of Maths' is a waste of time. Most top Unis don't accept it. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8143060.stm

Reply 18

username638250

7

Original post by Unsworth

Bit confused as to what Citizenship Studies and Use of Mathematics are, but nevertheless I would suggest any university is open to you and you would probably be a very strong applicant given your grades.

Personally, in your situation I would go for:

LSE - A*AA
UCL/KCL - A*AA
Durham - A*AA
Bristol - AAA/A*AB
Warwick - AAA

PS I would of also applied to Cambridge or Oxford, but as it is far too late for you to do this I didn't include it in the above.

With the A Level subject combination, I highly doubt he/she would have a good shot at any of the above universities, especially LSE.

Oxbridge? Let's not mislead the OP. The grades are great but the subject combination isn't. I think the person with those grades would be automatically rejected by Oxbridge.