STEP

What are you planning to apply for?

It depends on what grade you get if it'll make your future application competitive. A good grade will of course look good on your application, but a bad grade won't.

If you're applying to a uni that requires step ii and step iii they will probably ask you to sit step ii next year. If not then you don't need to worry about it.

What are you planning to apply for?

It depends on what grade you get if it'll make your future application competitive. A good grade will of course look good on your application, but a bad grade won't.

If you're applying to a uni that requires step ii and step iii they will probably ask you to sit step ii next year. If not then you don't need to worry about it.

A typical offer for cambridge would be 1,1 in step 2 and 3 so you'd almost certainly need to take step 2 next year.

Ok, but If I apply with two A* in relevant subjects and a 1 or S in step, Will I have some chance of getting an offer?

If you do get an 1/S in STEP 3, that would definitely look good on your application. However, you would almost certainly be asked to take STEP 2 in the following year, if you get an offer, due to the usual requirement being 1,1 in both STEP 2&3. For most colleges, it is unlikely you'd be asked to retake STEP 3 if you get 1/S originally, but it's best to check with the college you plan to apply to.

I have been notified by my center, that I could request a timetable variation, but it is a big process and probably not worth it, What should I do? It will probably look bad in my application to request a timetable variation if I haven't any offer that requests STEP.

It depends how confident you're feeling with STEP. If you feel quite confident that you could get 1/S in STEP 3, and - if I understand correctly - you don't need to request a timetable variation to sit STEP 3, then you should probably sit STEP 3. If, however, you get a grade 2 or below, then it may well harm your future application. If you're less confident or unsure, I would recommend leaving both STEP 2&3 to next year if you get an offer.

As to whether you should request a timetable variation, I'm not sure since I don't know the details of that. But again, if you're quite confident that you can get a 1/S on STEP 2 as well, then it may be worth trying to request one?

If you haven't already, you should send emails to some colleges (preferably ones that encourage/are neutral to gap years, eg. Queens, Homerton, Selywn are the ones I remember off the top of my head) and explain your situation. They can probably give you the best advice.