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Please HELP, regarding U.K Universities!

I Basically applied to Manchester, Edinburgh, Bath and Oxford to study Chemical Engineering for Undergraduate level. Here's my case:

I took A-Levels, but completely messed up. My grades were:

"A" Chemistry. "B" Biology, "D" Mathematics

for their corresponding AS Levels, it was:

"A" Chemistry, "A" Biology, "C" Mathematics

I also took 6 IGCSE subjects, and have an A* in all of them.

BUT I also took American exams-qualifications, with MUCH better scores.

SAT II Chemistry: 800/800
SAT II Maths Level 1: 720/800

AP Calculus BC [Maths]: 5 - Equivalent to A in A-Level
AP Psychology - 4 - Equivalent to B in A-Level

ACT: 32/36 - Equivalent to 2120/2400 on the SAT

My question is, do I stand a chance because my American test scores are good but I messed up BIG TIME in my AL Maths? Do you think they would still consider my application?

P.S: Oxford explicitly states that they accept candidates with a minimum ACT score of 32, for Manchester and Bath it's 27 minimum, and for Edinburgh 28.

Would they at least offer a conditional offer? The D killed my A-Levels b

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Original post by Karimbayoumi
X


Am I right in understanding that you applied to these universities before you got your A Level results, you were rejected from them due to your A2s and you're now asking about a re-application?
Original post by Plagioclase
Am I right in understanding that you applied to these universities before you got your A Level results, you were rejected from them due to your A2s and you're now asking about a re-application?


Not quite, I took my A-Levels in 2015, then the American tests in 2016, and applied this year. I submitted my application on the 29th of June [as an International applicant, the deadline is June 30], and I entered all of my grades. I did not apply for universities in 2015.
Original post by Karimbayoumi
Not quite, I took my A-Levels in 2015, then the American tests in 2016, and applied this year. I submitted my application on the 29th of June [as an International applicant, the deadline is June 30], and I entered all of my grades. I did not apply for universities in 2015.


I'm confused, you've not applied for 2016 entry have you? Because I'm pretty sure that UCAS only accepts entries for 2017 entry starting September 6th.
Erm the thing is you've only effectively got 2 a level standard qualifications, then

Unless you have a highschool diploma

Not sure if they'll forget about your AL maths because of a US qualification in maths
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Plagioclase
I'm confused, you've not applied for 2016 entry have you? Because I'm pretty sure that UCAS only accepts entries for 2017 entry starting September 6th.


I have. UCAS accepts entries for 2017 now, but until 30th June, they accept places for 2016 entry in September for non-EU students - EXCEPT for Oxford. I applied for 2017 entry in Oxford but for 2016 in all the rest.
This really is a peculiar case - is there anything in particular that made you flop A-Level maths and decide to do US exams? If worse comes to worst, you can always take a gap year and retake the papers to achieve the A-grades.
Original post by Karimbayoumi
I have. UCAS accepts entries for 2017 now, but until 30th June, they accept places for 2016 entry in September for non-EU students - EXCEPT for Oxford. I applied for 2017 entry in Oxford but for 2016 in all the rest.


Okay, here's the problem. Whilst you technically were able to apply for 2016 entry, what unfortunately doesn't seem to have been communicated successfully to you is that the deadline for equal consideration was back in January, which means the chance of you getting an offer from these prestigious universities regardless of your grades is now extremely low. Perhaps a miracle will happen but I think the most likely outcome is that your applications are going to be unsuccessful, in which case you should email these universities directly and ask what their policies would be in this situation, and then re-apply for 2017 entry. It's possible that they would ask you to resit the A Level exams because I think your current A Level grades would scare them off, particularly Maths (I don't think there's much that Oxford would seriously consider your application without good reason to believe that you could get an A* in A Level Maths).
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Rather_Cynical
This really is a peculiar case - is there anything in particular that made you flop A-Level maths and decide to do US exams? If worse comes to worst, you can always take a gap year and retake the papers to achieve the A-grades.


You can take US exams many times a year while you need to wait whole year for A levels.
SAT II are more like aptitude test, while you need to bother about course work and stuff if you do A levels in sciences. I believe that was the reason.
Original post by Plagioclase
Okay, here's the problem. Whilst you technically were able to apply for 2016 entry, what unfortunately doesn't seem to have been communicated successfully to you is that the deadline for equal consideration was back in January, which means the chance of you getting an offer from these prestigious universities regardless of your grades is now extremely low. Perhaps a miracle will happen but I think the most likely outcome is that your applications are going to be unsuccessful, in which case you should email these universities directly and ask what their policies would be in this situation, and then re-apply for 2017 entry. It's possible that they would ask you to resit the A Level exams because I think your current A Level grades would scare them off, particularly Maths (I don't think there's much that Oxford would seriously consider your application without good reason to believe that you could get an A* in A Level Maths).


I see. I didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying it to me.
Original post by Rather_Cynical
This really is a peculiar case - is there anything in particular that made you flop A-Level maths and decide to do US exams? If worse comes to worst, you can always take a gap year and retake the papers to achieve the A-grades.


Horrible time management and lack of motivation that year were probably the main reasons. This is why I took AP Calculus BC, in order to try and compensate for that and show my mathematical ability. I thought if they knew a good score on SAT II Maths and a good score in AP Calculus BC it would convey I had a bad year on AL Maths and I was dedicated to show that I can get high grades in Maths.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Student403
Erm the thing is you've only effectively got 2 a level standard qualifications, then

Unless you have a highschool diploma

Not sure if they'll forget about your AL maths because of a US qualification in maths


I was planning to enter only my A and B when applying through UCAS, but from what I learnt you must enter all grades- I really had no way of avoiding that D, but yeah thanks for the insight!
Original post by Karimbayoumi
I was planning to enter only my A and B when applying through UCAS, but from what I learnt you must enter all grades- I really had no way of avoiding that D, but yeah thanks for the insight!


Yeah I think Calc BC is the easier qualification tbh. They'd see the D for sure. It would be ideal to retake it instead of relying on BC
Original post by tangotangopapa2
You can take US exams many times a year while you need to wait whole year for A levels.
SAT II are more like aptitude test, while you need to bother about course work and stuff if you do A levels in sciences. I believe that was the reason.


Yeah, that's spot on.
Original post by Student403
Yeah I think Calc BC is the easier qualification tbh. They'd see the D for sure. It would be ideal to retake it instead of relying on BC


BC usually gives me credit for Calc I and Calc II in college, if that gives an idea about the difficulty of it. Do you have any opinions/thoughts about NYU Tandon? I got in it but not sure if I should stick to it- I heard bad things about it.
If you don't get an offer anywhere just use clearing. They may accept you with lower grades if there are places available for the degree you want to study.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Are you OK with 2017 entries or do you want to start this year?

UCAS clearing courses begin after few days. You might have good chance if you apply to York, Lancaster, Sussex, Leicester, Nottingham, QMUL, Loughborough etc.
I'm confused, are you an American student? How comes you decided to take A levels and US exams?

Regardless, you are likely to get rejected by all your universities with ABD at A level, considering the universities you've applied to all have grade requirements of ABB+. This is quite a strange situation because you have US grades as well, but the problem is that if you are applying to British universities with British exams (GCSEs, AS and A2), this is probably going to take precedence over your US grades. I'd contact the universities and ask if I were you though...
Original post by Karimbayoumi
BC usually gives me credit for Calc I and Calc II in college, if that gives an idea about the difficulty of it. Do you have any opinions/thoughts about NYU Tandon? I got in it but not sure if I should stick to it- I heard bad things about it.

Credit depends completely on the college

I know how difficult it is - I've read the textbook :tongue: I don't think NYU is known for engineering particularly. I'd give it a miss.
Original post by samzy21
If you don't get an offer anywhere just use clearing. They may accept you with lower grades if there are places available for the degree you want to study.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Yeah, that's probably what I'll do. Thanks!

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