Is 4 a-levels an advantage in this way?

Hello I need some advice on this as it will help me determine which Unis to apply for.

I should get 3 C's in my A-levels in history, politics and economics. However I will do AS and A2 Russian in 1 year and probably get an A* so I will have A*CCC.

I emailed Manchester and Sheffield and they said they would accept my Russian as 1 of the 3 offered grades. However I will need at least A*BB, if I have 4 full a-levels would say having 3 C's be as good as having 2 B's? Would it be an advantage applying with 4 than someone who only has 3 even though they only want 3?

Thanks

Reply 1

username1500433

3

You'd have to ask them individually but I doubt it, you'd be better dropping one and then maybe resitting an exam or two to secure A*BB.

Reply 2

uniqsummer

9

No sorry.
You have to meet the requirements of your course.
Universities will look at 3 A-levels only, some students will have more but its always three that are considered against the requirements. Even for clearing the requirements are heavily assessed on the 3 grades.

As Manchester/Sheffield have said to you, An A*CCC is not meeting the listed requirements.
Do you feel you would be able get those two B's if you dropped a subject?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 3

SlimShady96

OP

7

Original post by uniqsummer

No sorry.
You have to meet the requirements of your course.
Universities will look at 3 A-levels only, some students will have more but its always three that are considered against the requirements. Even for clearing the requirements are heavily accessed on the 3 grades.

As Manchester/Sheffield have said to you, An A*CCC is not meeting the listed requirements.
Do you feel you would be able get those two B's if you dropped a subject?

Thanks but it would help me get more points right? And it would be better than a guy with A*CC but my weakest subject is economics but I want to do business/economics at uni so that's my dilemma..

Reply 4

Will98765

8

Original post by SlimShady96

Thanks but it would help me get more points right? And it would be better than a guy with A*CC but my weakest subject is economics but I want to do business/economics at uni so that's my dilemma..

It doesn't impress universities, you're just giving yourself more work because doing four a-levels will be considered the same as someone doing 3. i ca undertand if AS levels but it will be difficult to get A*A*AA at a-level in comparison to the seemingly achievable A*A*A(if you're an A* student that is)

Reply 5

雷尼克

2

No, don't do 4 unless you actually are very hard working.

Reply 6

uniqsummer

9

Original post by SlimShady96

Thanks but it would help me get more points right? And it would be better than a guy with A*CC but my weakest subject is economics but I want to do business/economics at uni so that's my dilemma..

Its not about points though, I know it seems like that, but its really about meeting the requirements for the course from a grade perspective.
yes you would be better than a person with A*CC but your comparing yourself to someone that also would not get a place!

You really need to think about dropping that fourth subject - Its going to be a massive hindrance to your success going into A2s

Reply 7

SlimShady96

OP

7

Original post by uniqsummer

Its not about points though, I know it seems like that, but its really about meeting the requirements for the course from a grade perspective.
yes you would be better than a person with A*CC but your comparing yourself to someone that also would not get a place!

You really need to think about dropping that fourth subject - Its going to be a massive hindrance to your success going into A2s

The thing is I don't do Russian as a subject, there is no one in my school to teach it therefore I will just revise on my own and sit the exams, so technically i am still doing the 3 Alevels I did last year. If I drop one that means technically I am doing 2, that would be an advantage but I doubt I would pull of B's in them, so would having another one in my situation be a benifit and if so in what way exactly?

Reply 8

uniqsummer

9

It would only be a benefit if the standard entry requirements of a university course matched your top 3 grades, and then the additional one you would have would be a bonus. (but not much of one)
I think this may be a case of setting your sights a little lower, if you were interested in Manchester/Sheffield but don't meet the requirements, then you will need to find other universities you could see yourself studying at that have a lower course entry.

Reply 9

OrionMusicNet

13

Original post by SlimShady96

Hello I need some advice on this as it will help me determine which Unis to apply for.

I should get 3 C's in my A-levels in history, politics and economics. However I will do AS and A2 Russian in 1 year and probably get an A* so I will have A*CCC.

I emailed Manchester and Sheffield and they said they would accept my Russian as 1 of the 3 offered grades. However I will need at least A*BB, if I have 4 full a-levels would say having 3 C's be as good as having 2 B's? Would it be an advantage applying with 4 than someone who only has 3 even though they only want 3?

Thanks

This is what I told another guy so I will tell you the same:
"Absolutely no point unless you are going for oxbridge and even then you still don't need it. Unless you can honestly say you would definitely get 4A*'s if you took 4 subjects then there is not point as it means the fourth subject will likely either be dragging you other grades down (e.g. A*ABB could have been A*AA or higher) or simply wasting you time and effort on the fourth subject(e.g. A*A*A*B or A*A*AB) in which case you should have taken 3, maximised those grades and just generally made your life a lot easier. Taking four subjects because you don't know what to drop or because you like all of them is likely to only create more risk and more severe worst case scenarios with the potential benefit of having the fourth A level being equivalent to pretty much nothing."
+ they only look at your top 3 grades usually anyway.

Reply 10

IAmYourdog

19

I'd contact all the universities your considering applying for. And ask them what the offers will likely be for those doing 4 A-levels like yourself. Some do actually give you 4 A-level offers. e.g A*AA or AAAA.
But at your level with C/Bs you may as well just drop 1 as it is actually less work in the long run.

Is 4 a-levels an advantage in this way?

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