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Applying for uni whilst retaking A-Lvls independently

Hi,
wondering how uni applications work when im retaking A-levels independently and just sitting the exams at my old college next year? My college has been really unhelpful and not been able to answer, should I be asking my old teachers for references again?
Would I have to do it completely separate on my own? Also, how would my predicted grades work if im re-taking, since previously my predicted grades were AAA but i got much lower (hence retaking), but I'm expecting much higher second time over.

Any help would be really appreciated, my college has not been able to help me at all :frown:
Reply 1
hi
Reply 2
Original post by stdny
Hi,
wondering how uni applications work when im retaking A-levels independently and just sitting the exams at my old college next year? My college has been really unhelpful and not been able to answer, should I be asking my old teachers for references again?
Would I have to do it completely separate on my own? Also, how would my predicted grades work if im re-taking, since previously my predicted grades were AAA but i got much lower (hence retaking), but I'm expecting much higher second time over.

Any help would be really appreciated, my college has not been able to help me at all :frown:


i can be of great help for you to get an A
Reply 3
would love any genuine responses, not sure what to do at the moment
For my application as a private candidate retaking A Levels and applying to university, I gave my old school my own predictions and I was also lucky having a tutor who could verify them but I am sure as a private candidate it is also okay not having them as they cannot expect everyone to have predictions. I asked my old school for a reference as it was the most recent educational institution I had attended. In my personal statement I also explained retakes if that's something you wish to do of course.

Original post by stdny
Hi,
wondering how uni applications work when im retaking A-levels independently and just sitting the exams at my old college next year? My college has been really unhelpful and not been able to answer, should I be asking my old teachers for references again?
Would I have to do it completely separate on my own? Also, how would my predicted grades work if im re-taking, since previously my predicted grades were AAA but i got much lower (hence retaking), but I'm expecting much higher second time over.

Any help would be really appreciated, my college has not been able to help me at all :frown:
Reply 5
Original post by dontgivea
For my application as a private candidate retaking A Levels and applying to university, I gave my old school my own predictions and I was also lucky having a tutor who could verify them but I am sure as a private candidate it is also okay not having them as they cannot expect everyone to have predictions. I asked my old school for a reference as it was the most recent educational institution I had attended. In my personal statement I also explained retakes if that's something you wish to do of course.


thank you for the response! Did you send your application off yourself? I remember last year I had to send mine to my college first then they did everything and sent it to the universities, I'm a bit confused about what to do to apply. Thanks, definitely good to know about the predictions! :smile:
Original post by stdny
thank you for the response! Did you send your application off yourself? I remember last year I had to send mine to my college first then they did everything and sent it to the universities, I'm a bit confused about what to do to apply. Thanks, definitely good to know about the predictions! :smile:


I was going to, but I actually opted to do it via my school as they could check my results were accurate and everything was correct as I got my application sent back a few times. I would recommend doing it via the school just cos it gives you peace of mind but I remember being given the wrong buzzword from my school so I was in a rush to send my application as it wasn't via the school. Where abouts are you applying to and what course?
Reply 7
Original post by stdny
would love any genuine responses, not sure what to do at the moment


you dont have to worry ,how about taking your assignment an am sure you will get good grades and continue with your high levels. am used to doing this
Reply 8
Original post by dontgivea
I was going to, but I actually opted to do it via my school as they could check my results were accurate and everything was correct as I got my application sent back a few times. I would recommend doing it via the school just cos it gives you peace of mind but I remember being given the wrong buzzword from my school so I was in a rush to send my application as it wasn't via the school. Where abouts are you applying to and what course?


Ah i see, thanks, ill have to keep asking my college then because right now every teacher keep saying 'You'd have to ask *another teacher*'.. I would prefer to have it go through them. I havent decided all the uni choices for this time around but it'll be to study law.
Btw, how did you find retaking independently? Did you have to redo any coursework? Im a little apprehensive
Original post by stdny
Ah i see, thanks, ill have to keep asking my college then because right now every teacher keep saying 'You'd have to ask *another teacher*'.. I would prefer to have it go through them. I havent decided all the uni choices for this time around but it'll be to study law.
Btw, how did you find retaking independently? Did you have to redo any coursework? Im a little apprehensive


You'll find a teacher who shall provide a reference I'm sure, don't give up and you have months for them to write one. I found retaking isolating to say the least, I redid two coursework pieces but for that whole subject, I put my heart and soul into the coursework and revision and didn't do so well overall against retaking another subject where I didn't redo the coursework and came out with a decent grade. I did it with a private tutor but I didn't have the best of experiences but oh well I got into a top university so I really should be happy I suppose. If you got a B in your previous coursework, I would say don't redo it, not because it's not worth it but because in school it's so much easier to do coursework and people are doing it with you, plus grade boundaries change and NEA rules and its easier to access resources with an actual teacher.
(edited 5 years ago)
Original post by dontgivea
You'll find a teacher who shall provide a reference I'm sure, don't give up and you have months for them to write one. I found retaking isolating to say the least, I redid two coursework pieces but for that whole subject, I put my heart and soul into the coursework and revision and didn't do so well overall against retaking another subject where I didn't redo the coursework and came out with a decent grade. I did it with a private tutor but I didn't have the best of experiences but oh well I got into a top university so I really should be happy I suppose. If you got a B in your previous coursework, I would say don't redo it, not because it's not worth it but because in school it's so much easier to do coursework and people are doing it with you, plus grade boundaries change and NEA rules and its easier to access resources with an actual teacher.


Which uni?
Original post by iseesparksfly
Which uni?


University of Nottingham :smile:
Original post by dontgivea
University of Nottingham :smile:


Yessss, that's so good! Nottingham was my insurance, I chose to go to Cardiff instead though
Original post by iseesparksfly
Yessss, that's so good! Nottingham was my insurance, I chose to go to Cardiff instead though


Oooh nice what course?
Original post by dontgivea
Oooh nice what course?


Psychology, you?
Original post by iseesparksfly
Psychology, you?


German and Politics haha hope you enjoy university!
Reply 16
Original post by dontgivea
You'll find a teacher who shall provide a reference I'm sure, don't give up and you have months for them to write one. I found retaking isolating to say the least, I redid two coursework pieces but for that whole subject, I put my heart and soul into the coursework and revision and didn't do so well overall against retaking another subject where I didn't redo the coursework and came out with a decent grade. I did it with a private tutor but I didn't have the best of experiences but oh well I got into a top university so I really should be happy I suppose. If you got a B in your previous coursework, I would say don't redo it, not because it's not worth it but because in school it's so much easier to do coursework and people are doing it with you, plus grade boundaries change and NEA rules and its easier to access resources with an actual teacher.


Thanks a lot for all the help! Does that mean I can have the teachers write my reference but do it completely away from the college and they just do it as an individual (rather than representing my college)? I got a high A in one coursework and the other subject I got a C in courseowrk but a B overall, so I would probably do that coursework but i imagine it'll be tough one my own
Original post by stdny
Thanks a lot for all the help! Does that mean I can have the teachers write my reference but do it completely away from the college and they just do it as an individual (rather than representing my college)? I got a high A in one coursework and the other subject I got a C in courseowrk but a B overall, so I would probably do that coursework but i imagine it'll be tough one my own


Yeah they can, all you do is provide the reference's details yourself as an individual on UCAS Apply and then UCAS emails the ref so they can attach your reference. I would suggest getting either a private tutor or getting in touch with an exam centre as your coursework needs to be verified and authenticated.
Reply 18
Original post by dontgivea
Yeah they can, all you do is provide the reference's details yourself as an individual on UCAS Apply and then UCAS emails the ref so they can attach your reference. I would suggest getting either a private tutor or getting in touch with an exam centre as your coursework needs to be verified and authenticated.


ah okay, I'd be doing my exams at my old college as an external candidate, would that count as an exam centre for coursework do you know?
Original post by stdny
ah okay, I'd be doing my exams at my old college as an external candidate, would that count as an exam centre for coursework do you know?


If you ask and they allow you then yes, you probably could do it through your old teacher.

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