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Should I Drop My AS?

Good evening all,

I am facing a predicament and would like advice from anyone who has any.

I am at the end of Year 12 and currently taking History, Religion + Philosophy, and English Literature for my A-Levels, with AS Maths. I hope to read law at university and am applying for competitive institutions such as Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham etc. I received my predicted grades last week and they were A*, A, A, B with the B being in AS Maths.

I am worried that the B will affect my profile as a student and will put off these top-tier universities. I would like to drop it as Maths is not necessary for a Law degree and I feel like I can invest more time in improving my A Level grades. Also, looking at these universities' admissions statements, they only look at my top 3 A Levels and so my AS would be disregarded anyway; the UCAS points I will get from it are unimportant. However, my teachers (minus my tutor and my actual maths teachers) are not keen on me dropping it as they say it only strengthens my academic record, showing I am an all-around student. Fair point. I am honestly confused on what to do and need to tell the school about my decision by the end of term - next week.

Any advice is appreciated. :smile:
I’d drop it and maybe try and get two A*s, at our school they only allow us to do 3 A Levels and and an AS or Enrichment activity (such as EPQ or work experience) and it’s the best school in the West Midlands. Universities would rather less A Levels with higher grades. The AS Level will still be good but I would try and focus on getting 2 A*s.
This is quite a difficult one, and I think your best bet would really be to call the universities you're interested in and ask/check.
I'd have originally agreed with your teachers, having extra qualifications can only make you look better and give you the advantage over other students applying. On the other hand, if you've looked into it already and they say they only look at your top 3 grades and that the AS won't go toward your UCAS points, I'd say having an AS that's essentially useless for getting you into university may just put unnecessary stress on you and possibly impact your other exams.
With all this in mind, I think your best bet would be to just ask the univesities you're interested in going to what they would suggest. Check with them whether they'd even consider the AS in maths or if applying with a B in an AS exam would hinder your chances.
(edited 5 years ago)
Reply 3
Avatar for romememe
romememe
OP
11
Original post by Lau2en _
I’d drop it and maybe try and get two A*s, at our school they only allow us to do 3 A Levels and and an AS or Enrichment activity (such as EPQ or work experience) and it’s the best school in the West Midlands. Universities would rather less A Levels with higher grades. The AS Level will still be good but I would try and focus on getting 2 A*s.


thanks for the reply :smile:

I'm doing a resit of my mock in September to try and raise my R+P predicted grade to an A* - I have an EPQ and three different work experiences under my belt also. Yes, that was what I was thinking, an AS would separate me from other students but surely they would prefer higher A Level grades. Are you in Year 12 as well?
Reply 4
Avatar for romememe
romememe
OP
11
Original post by GentleGalaxy
This is quite a difficult one, and I think your best bet would really be to call the universities you're interested in and ask/check.
I'd have originally agreed with your teachers, having extra qualifications can only make you look better and give you the advantage over other students applying. On the other hand, if you've looked into it already and they say they only look at your top 3 grades and that the AS won't go toward your UCAS points, I'd say having an AS that's essentially useless for getting you into university may just put unnecessary stress on you and possibly impact your other exams.
With all this in mind, I think your best bet would be to just ask the univietiries you're interested in going to what they would suggest. Check with them whether they'd even consider the AS in maths or if applying with a B in an AS exam would hinder your chances.


I didn't even consider that - thank you! I will do that tomorrow. :smile:
NOOO keep your AS-level math . Belive me math is super useful in Uni no matter which course you take your math will be tested and considered.
Reply 6
Avatar for jiajane
jiajane
13
To be honest it’s all down to whether or not you are fully capable of handling both A levels and AS, suppose if you did continue with the latter. Sure the AS would definitely look good in your academic statement, but if the A levels are the essentials then I think it’s best if you fully commit to achieving those desired grades as it would ensure your spot at your chosen universities. You could also contact the universities and ask them about it in order to come to a final decision. Best of luck!
Reply 7
Avatar for MJ4545
MJ4545
14
From reading your current situation and from what I infer. I think you should drop it.

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