Universities and GCSE’s

I have really bad GCSE’s so have had to do three years at college to get them up. But am now getting A* A* A* and the requirements for philosophy at Durham are AAA is there a chance I can get in? I have no special circumstances but have a lot of supercurriculars.

Reply 1

Lysistrata

Hey, good for you in turning your academic life around! Sounds awesome.

Unfortunately I suspect Durham may not have the benefit of your work ethic though - you'll tend to find that you'll be competing against students with 9 or 10 9s at GCSE and 3 A*s and As at A Level. So even if the course only asks for 3 As, they'll mostly take the top layer in terms of GCSE and then A Level predictions.

It's worth a punt though - did you spend a year resitting GCSEs? Do you have certificates now that reflect your ability? If so that would be different.

Durham University

Durham

Original post by Max Collis

Hi there

I'd say it's definitely worth a shot although achieving the entry requirement won't mean that you will definitely get an offer. They also look at your personal statement so if you're able to demonstrate a passion for the course or mention any supercurriculars around philosophy, there is definitely a chance that you might get a place.

-Himieka (Official DU Rep)