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I flopped the IELTS again!!

Hello, I am a prospective student on a gap year who holds a conditional offer to study Biotechnology BSc (J700) at Imperial and my only requirement is to pass a relevant English Language qualification. I sat the IELTS and have attained these results;

Listening: 8.0
Reading: 6.5
Writing: 6.0
Speaking: 8.5
Overall: 7.5

I am not sure whether Imperial want the standard college requirements or the higher college requirements for 2015 entry so I wanted to ask which out of the 2 requirements does Imperial want for my course?
http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/requirements/english/
Will the department of Life Sciences accept me with these results? If the requirements are the same for 2016 entry then I missed the requirements by 0.5 for Writing!!!! Do you think they can let me off that 0.5? Imperial are closed for Easter so I couldn't contact them. I emailed them but I don't think they will reply until 8th April so I thought I'd get some opinions here.
(edited 9 years ago)

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Reply 1
Avatar for _Fergo
_Fergo
19
Unfortunately, it's the higher (it's stated on their entry requirements). Universities are usually very strict with regards to English requirements, but nothing is impossible.

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Original post by *Stefan*
Unfortunately, it's the higher (it's stated on their entry requirements).

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I don't get that. It's standard for their other courses (which are probably more intense) but higher for Life Sciences. Why is that? It's higher for postgraduate as well but I can understand that.
Reply 3
Avatar for _Fergo
_Fergo
19
Original post by Raymat
I don't get that. It's standard for their other courses (which are probably more intense) but higher for Life Sciences. Why is that? It's higher for postgraduate as well but I can understand that.


My guess would be that it's more theoretic that their other courses, so English is more important here than in, say, mathematics.
Original post by *Stefan*
My guess would be that it's more theoretic that their other courses, so English is more important here than in, say, mathematics.

They seem to be very demanding for English. I studied GCE A level Biology with C for GCSE English with no problem. Do you think Imperial just gave me a 'joke offer' because they know surely I won't get into their university?
Original post by Raymat
They seem to be very demanding for English. I studied GCE A level Biology with C for GCSE English with no problem. Do you think Imperial just gave me a 'joke offer' because they know surely I won't get into their university?


Are you an international student?
Reply 6
Avatar for _Fergo
_Fergo
19
Original post by Raymat
They seem to be very demanding for English. I studied GCE A level Biology with C for GCSE English with no problem. Do you think Imperial just gave me a 'joke offer' because they know surely I won't get into their university?


To be honest, English requirements for IELTS are usually lower than they should be, even for the sciences. I'm not sure about the content of the course, but it seems like it involves lots of theory and probably essays, which means higher English requirements.

Absolutely not. If they didn't want you, they'd just reject you -it's not like they can't afford to do so.
Original post by ThatGuyRik
Are you an international student?

No I'm British.
Original post by Raymat
No I'm British.



So wait why don't you just retake your GCSE English so you dont have a C. Its probably too late now anyway. Sorry, im probably asking the wrong questions.
Original post by ThatGuyRik
So wait why don't you just retake your GCSE English so you dont have a C. Its probably too late now anyway. Sorry, im probably asking the wrong questions.

Deadline for showing a relevant English Language qualification is 22 July and results for GCSE English is in August. I got my offer from Imperial on 16 January so It was too late to sit GCSE English in January.
Original post by Raymat
Deadline for showing a relevant English Language qualification is 22 July and results for GCSE English is in August. I got my offer from Imperial on 16 January so It was too late to sit GCSE English in January.


I see thats a pain then. Sorry to hear that. Just get your A-Level grades then see what happens from there.
Original post by ThatGuyRik
I see thats a pain then. Sorry to hear that. Just get your A-Level grades then see what happens from there.

I already got my grades. I'm on a gap year.
Reply 12
Avatar for kka25
kka25
18
Perhaps you could just resit the test OP? Or ask for a remark?
Original post by Raymat
I already got my grades. I'm on a gap year.




Ahh i see hence the conditional offer. All makes sense. May i ask what you got and for what subjects?

Tbh nothing you can do now just hope they accept you.
Original post by kka25
Perhaps you could just resit the test OP? Or ask for a remark?

Not sure if it is possible to do a remark. How much will it cost me?
Original post by ThatGuyRik
Ahh i see hence the conditional offer. All makes sense. May i ask what you got and for what subjects?

Tbh nothing you can do now just hope they accept you.

I got A*A*Ab for Maths, Chemistry, Biology and AS Psychology. I highly doubt they'll accept me as they would've given me unconditional if they didn't care about something as trivial as a freaking GCSE English Language grade (seems like 5A*-C with C in Maths and English is a fail to them)!!
Original post by Raymat
I got A*A*Ab for Maths, Chemistry, Biology and AS Psychology. I highly doubt they'll accept me as they would've given me unconditional if they didn't care about something as trivial as a freaking GCSE English Language grade (seems like 5A*-C with C in Maths and English is a fail to them)!!



Those are great results. Yh thats true they would have given unconditional. Like i said hope for the best or retake/remark.
Original post by Raymat
I got A*A*Ab for Maths, Chemistry, Biology and AS Psychology. I highly doubt they'll accept me as they would've given me unconditional if they didn't care about something as trivial as a freaking GCSE English Language grade (seems like 5A*-C with C in Maths and English is a fail to them)!!


How many times have you taken IELTS?


It's a shame that they don't offer student loans for entrance exams, but is a few hundred pounds worth as much as a university place for you?
Original post by morgan8002
How many times have you taken IELTS?

This is my second time doing it.
Original post by morgan8002
It's a shame that they don't offer student loans for entrance exams, but is a few hundred pounds worth as much as a university place for you?

It is £145 per IELTS in the nearest centre to me. I have got an unconditional offer from UCL but I'm desperate to go Imperial. Also to mention, the Imperial bursary is so much bigger than the UCL bursary. Failing to go Imperial will be a big loss for me financially.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 19
Avatar for pppizza
pppizza
Why don't you consider retaking the test ? I'm sure you'll manage to raise your writing score. You should use specific templates to score higher.
Best of luck.

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