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Do I have to apply to university in year 12?

I messed up in managing my revision schedule and didn't realise how much time Biology would take me, so now I will have probably 2-3 days to revise for two other a levels.

I'll probably get a BCC (in class I'm getting ABC but due to my revision issues it'll probably be lower), which I am extremely unsatisfied with. I don't know what I want to apply for and don't want to apply for university with my predicted (my teacher told me we aren't doing AS these are just teacher made exams for predicted) Can I just apply for university when I get my actual year 13 a level results? I feel like I will do better due to understanding the wide range of mistakes I did this time round and it'll help me settle for a better university.
(edited 1 year ago)

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Original post by sanwwio
I messed up in managing my revision schedule and didn't realise how much time Biology would take me, so now I will have probably 2-3 days to revise for two other a levels. I'll probably get a BCC, which I am extremely unsatisfied with. I don't know what I want to apply for and don't want to apply for university with my predicted (my teacher told me we aren't doing AS these are just teacher made exams for predicted) Can I just apply for university when I get my actual year 13 a level results? I feel like I will do better due to understanding the wide range of mistakes I did this time round and it'll help me settle for a better university.

Just ask your head of sixth form to increase ur predicted grades mine went from an E in chemistry to an A lol
Absolutely not. I applied to university three times and I eventually went when I was 23.
Reply 3
Original post by Thisismyunitsr
Absolutely not. I applied to university three times and I eventually went when I was 23.


So I'm forced to settle for a university based on my AS levels/Predicteds? What if I get higher at the end of year 13?
Reply 4
Original post by Moonlight352
Just ask your head of sixth form to increase ur predicted grades mine went from an E in chemistry to an A lol


WHAT? Is that even possible/common?
Original post by sanwwio
WHAT? Is that even possible/common?

Well its worth a try rather than wasting a year
No teacher with any integrity will give you an entirely unrealistic prediction.
And think about it - you get an AAA offer you have no chance of meeting, and get Rejected on Resuts Day in August, so what's the point.

How to Avoid 5 Rejections - https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/apply/how-to-avoid-getting-five-university-rejections
Original post by McGinger
No teacher with any integrity will give you an entirely unrealistic prediction.
And think about it - you get an AAA offer you have no chance of meeting, and get Rejected on Resuts Day in August, so what's the point.

How to Avoid 5 Rejections - https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/apply/how-to-avoid-getting-five-university-rejections


Nah thats such a lie I did get an E in my year 12 mocks and got an A* in my year 13 mocks, they definitely do have a chance of meeting those grades just like I am. What you get in year 12 shouldn’t be reflective of your capability of exams in a level since the gap between gcse and a levels are so big the content only starts making sense later on.
Original post by sanwwio
So I'm forced to settle for a university based on my AS levels/Predicteds? What if I get higher at the end of year 13?

A couple of options come to mind.

You could not apply at all this time around, take you A levels this time next year and then apply using your actual grades. You'd then be taking a gap year between your A levels ending and your degree starting.

You could apply this time anyway, using your predicted grades. If you aren't able to gain offers for the courses you want using your predicted grades, you could attempt to gain access to one of those courses via Clearing on or after results day. (Assuming they have space left, which they might not.)
Original post by sanwwio
I messed up in managing my revision schedule and didn't realise how much time Biology would take me, so now I will have probably 2-3 days to revise for two other a levels.

I'll probably get a BCC, which I am extremely unsatisfied with. I don't know what I want to apply for and don't want to apply for university with my predicted (my teacher told me we aren't doing AS these are just teacher made exams for predicted) Can I just apply for university when I get my actual year 13 a level results? I feel like I will do better due to understanding the wide range of mistakes I did this time round and it'll help me settle for a better university.


You 100% can apply after year 13 or later if you want to, and a lot of people do. There's no harm in applying in year 12 though really, and you might just get lucky and get on a course you want to do with lower grades, or you might be able to apply via clearing on results day. If you don't get the offers or the grades in your first cycle, you can apply again, and bear in mind you can resit A levels and apply after year 13 with a pending resit grade if you don't get the grades you need
Original post by sanwwio
So I'm forced to settle for a university based on my AS levels/Predicteds? What if I get higher at the end of year 13?

At the end of year 13 you apply for university and the university gives you an unconditional offer based on your A - Level grades.

If a course requires ABB and you received AAB in your A - Levels at the end of year 13 then you’ll be given an unconditional when you apply.
Original post by Moonlight352
Just ask your head of sixth form to increase ur predicted grades mine went from an E in chemistry to an A lol


How is that responsible? What happens when you miss your grades and end up in clearing?
Reply 12
Original post by Thisismyunitsr
At the end of year 13 you apply for university and the university gives you an unconditional offer based on your A - Level grades.

If a course requires ABB and you received AAB in your A - Levels at the end of year 13 then you’ll be given an unconditional when you apply.


So basically, I have to get the grades required, or higher, by the end of year 13, then I can get into automatically without any issues? Will i have to wait an extra year, go through clearing etc. ? i don't really understand how it works.
Reply 13
Original post by DataVenia
A couple of options come to mind.

You could not apply at all this time around, take you A levels this time next year and then apply using your actual grades. You'd then be taking a gap year between your A levels ending and your degree starting.

You could apply this time anyway, using your predicted grades. If you aren't able to gain offers for the courses you want using your predicted grades, you could attempt to gain access to one of those courses via Clearing on or after results day. (Assuming they have space left, which they might not.)


Thank you for the advice! However, I'm a little confused as I lack knowledge about these processes. Why would it be a gap year if I'm applying with my year 13 actual A level grades? Why would I have to wait a year after getting my A2/final results? However, that might be fine and perhaps I can do another A level after finishing since I'm not turning 19 until two more years.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by sanwwio
Thank you for the advice! However, I'm a little confused as I lack knowledge about these processes. Why would it be a gap year if I'm applying with my year 13 actual A level grades? Why would I have to wait a year? Is it something like you only get into the course a year after applying because you're supposed to do it in year 12? If so, hopefully that'll be fine and perhaps I can do another A level after finishing since I'm not turning 19 until 2024 Aug.

There are lots of different ways to handle this. I outlined two options. In the first option (which requires a gap year) you don't apply using your predicted grades. Instead, you apply once your actual grades are available (August 2023, although I don't think you can actually apply until the September.) You'd have the usual five choices and receive offers. Any offers you received would be unconditional, as you'd have your A levels already. You'd pick the best option and start in September 2024. Hence the gap year, between receiving your A levels and starting uni. You could do what you like with that gap year: work, travel, study, etc. Check with your school/college about taking an additional A level though, as there can be funding issues.

The other option I outlined has your apply this year (before 25 January 2023) using your predicted grades. You may have to lower your expectations as to what courses those grades would be competitive for, but you may we'll get offers you were happy with, achieve those grades, and start in September 2023. If, come results day, you realise that your actual grades would get to into a course you prefer, then you decline you firm/insurance offers and enter Clearing. This is a little risky, though, as you'd need to be very sure you could get onto the course you wanted via Clearing before you declined the firm/insurance offers.

As others have outlined there are other routes too. These are the main two though, I'd say.
Reply 15
Original post by DataVenia
There are lots of different ways to handle this. I outlined two options. In the first option (which requires a gap year) you don't apply using your predicted grades. Instead, you apply once your actual grades are available (August 2023, although I don't think you can actually apply until the September.) You'd have the usual five choices and receive offers. Any offers you received would be unconditional, as you'd have your A levels already. You'd pick the best option and start in September 2024. Hence the gap year, between receiving your A levels and starting uni. You could do what you like with that gap year: work, travel, study, etc. Check with your school/college about taking an additional A level though, as there can be funding issues.

The other option I outlined has your apply this year (before 25 January 2023) using your predicted grades. You may have to lower your expectations as to what courses those grades would be competitive for, but you may we'll get offers you were happy with, achieve those grades, and start in September 2023. If, come results day, you realise that your actual grades would get to into a course you prefer, then you decline you firm/insurance offers and enter Clearing. This is a little risky, though, as you'd need to be very sure you could get onto the course you wanted via Clearing before you declined the firm/insurance offers.

As others have outlined there are other routes too. These are the main two though, I'd say.

Thank you SO much. I greatly appreciate this, you explained it so well and you genuinely saved me so much worry and gave me much hope!
Original post by Muttley79
How is that responsible? What happens when you miss your grades and end up in clearing?


Did you not read my next message? Ive already reached my grade in my recent mocks and above, bold of you to assume im stuck on the same grade for a year?
Original post by Moonlight352
Did you not read my next message? Ive already reached my grade in my recent mocks and above, bold of you to assume im stuck on the same grade for a year?


Several people who contributed to this thread work in Admissions at sensible Universities.
Please do not assume that we do not know what we are talking about.
Original post by sanwwio
So basically, I have to get the grades required, or higher, by the end of year 13, then I can get into automatically without any issues? Will i have to wait an extra year, go through clearing etc. ? i don't really understand how it works.

Yes no issues. You will have to wait another year until after year 13.

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