I have bad predicted grades and I desperately want to go to uni
I have terrible grades, DDD, and this is very influenced by events in my life such as my grandfather having cancer and my health getting worse and worse to the point where I miss school at least once a week. I know I could have done better if I wasn't passing out or throwing up every week or so. I just wish they could consider that, I have no diagnoses yet and I don't know if I'm sick enough for contextual grades to matter. I am in Year 12 so I guess I might have time but what's the likelihood. I just don't know what to do. I know my school has underpredicted a lot of students as some A star students have been getting BBC. Please help?
Talk to your teachers and find out what you have done wrong and how you can fix this.
You have a year to do this - so if you want it badly enough you can put in some real work and get higher grades.
It may be that you need to forget UCAS at the moment and only apply once you have your final grades - this leaves you time and focus to pull this out of the fire without all of the distraction of Uni applications this year.
Btw, contextual offers are for those from low achieving schools etc. : https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ Extenuating circumstances is something entirely different and doesnt get you a lower offer, just extra consideration : https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/after-you-apply/your-application/extenuating-circumstances/
You have a year to do this - so if you want it badly enough you can put in some real work and get higher grades.
It may be that you need to forget UCAS at the moment and only apply once you have your final grades - this leaves you time and focus to pull this out of the fire without all of the distraction of Uni applications this year.
Btw, contextual offers are for those from low achieving schools etc. : https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ Extenuating circumstances is something entirely different and doesnt get you a lower offer, just extra consideration : https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/after-you-apply/your-application/extenuating-circumstances/
Many universities ghat ask for around BBB-CCC won’t actually pay any attention to your predictions. Universities know predictions are unreliable and there’s zero risk to them in making a BBB offer to someone predicted DDD - if the student gets BBB then they are accepted and if they get less it’s at the university discretion whether to accept lower grades.
It’s worth doing a bit of extra work over the summer and working with your teachers in the autumn to demonstrate that you’re heading towards a better grade. They might adjust your predictions upwards before January
It’s worth doing a bit of extra work over the summer and working with your teachers in the autumn to demonstrate that you’re heading towards a better grade. They might adjust your predictions upwards before January
I think you need to get to the bottom of your sickness first. Have you got a diagnosis? why are you ill so often? unless this is sorted out you will continue on the same trajectory. You've already identified this being partly (if not majorly) responsible for your missing out on so much learning and hence the low grades. I don't think you'll get anywhere with the grandfather's illness, although I'm very sorry to hear that and hope he is not in too much pain. If you have a long-term illness ask the doctor how can this be managed as it's affecting your education and then it'll be work. Only after this can you start to see a way forward.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by CentralDogma
I have terrible grades, DDD, and this is very influenced by events in my life such as my grandfather having cancer and my health getting worse and worse to the point where I miss school at least once a week. I know I could have done better if I wasn't passing out or throwing up every week or so. I just wish they could consider that, I have no diagnoses yet and I don't know if I'm sick enough for contextual grades to matter. I am in Year 12 so I guess I might have time but what's the likelihood. I just don't know what to do. I know my school has underpredicted a lot of students as some A star students have been getting BBC. Please help?
Hey there!
First of all, I'm really sorry you've been going through some tough times and that you've been struggling with your health, I hope you feel better soon!
Regardless of what grades you're predicted and even end up achieving, you can always still apply for University. If your grades are lower than entry requirements you can still apply and if you're personal statement shows you're a natural fit for that course, they may ask for an interview just to confirm some things with you, and then it's possible for you to still get in. Especially where you've been going through a tough time, that obviously has an affect on your academic results and so Universities will be understanding of that.
It's also possible for a university to set an applicant with lower grades something called a "non standard entry task". This may take various forms according to subject area of the course, but in an essay format it can be a short 500 word essay or report on a question set by the lecturer of the degree. These NSE tasks are to show that the applicant has the ability to get on well with the degree, just that for a variety reasons they didn't perform well at A-level/college or have been out of education for a few years.
So in short, you can still apply for University regardless of what grades you achieve, there's different ways Universities can ask for applicants to meet the requirements. And with your personal situation, that's more than understandable that it would affect your grades so Universities will understand that in your application and personal statement.
I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions - I'll be happy to help!
Tom
University of Chichester Alumni and Student Rep
Do you know that everyone is entitled to 3 years of sixth form education? You could redo Y12 in same school/college or a different one, with same subjects or different ones. If applying to any universities which care about resits your school ref could explain the extenuating circumstances.
I have no diagnosis yet and the doctors are confused on what's going on with my health, I've been referred to pediatrics. I don't know what to say if I applied for contextual grades.
Original post by CentralDogma
I have no diagnosis yet and the doctors are confused on what's going on with my health, I've been referred to pediatrics. I don't know what to say if I applied for contextual grades.
Okay. I think we need to take a few steps back here. You are not yet at the point of applying to university nor do you have contextual grades. You are as you said, just coming to the end of Year 12 with predicted grades. That means you still have time to 'work' on your grades and improve them. Remove your focus from 'extenuating circumstances' and 'contextuals' and focus on how you are going to get your grades up. Sit down with your teachers to look each subject and where your weaknesses lie. Explain to them about your illness and how it affects you and then together come up with a plan of action on how bridge those gaps e.g if you miss a day due to illness. Work on this and be determined and you can turn it all around. You have enough time to get your grades up to at least CCC or even more. I'm also sure your school does retakes? most schools allow those with low predicted to retake tests, so if you can do this, please do. If your teachers see that you are working hard and determined to improve they will be more likely to up your predicteds a bit higher for you.
There's also the option of a foundation yr degree which could help smoothen your path into uni whilst you sort out your health issues.
But more importantly, is to sort out your health issues, I'm glad you are being referred to a specialist. In the meantime, can the GP not recommend what you can do to manage it, drugs or other therapy? it is this that will ultimately determine how you fare educationally. Even if you get a contextual offer, you still have to do well on the degree. How will you do this when you are at uni away from home? so you see, this is what you need to prioritise.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by CentralDogma
I have terrible grades, DDD, and this is very influenced by events in my life such as my grandfather having cancer and my health getting worse and worse to the point where I miss school at least once a week. I know I could have done better if I wasn't passing out or throwing up every week or so. I just wish they could consider that, I have no diagnoses yet and I don't know if I'm sick enough for contextual grades to matter. I am in Year 12 so I guess I might have time but what's the likelihood. I just don't know what to do. I know my school has underpredicted a lot of students as some A star students have been getting BBC. Please help?
Heya! I am very sorry to hear all this stuff happening to you and my condolences
There is still plenty of time for you to improve so i believe you'll be able to achieve the grades you need for your uni! You just need to plan it out and work hard! Have you talked to your teachers about your situation? inform them so that they would know what is happening and perhaps they could offer you extra help!To begin with, I would recommend looking at your revision technique - is it effective? As everyone is unique and learns differently, try searching the internet for various revision approaches to determine which ones might work best for you. Since I learn best practically, I did a ton of past papers and made myself take timed mock exams in addition to reading some books (sit for 1hr doing past papers without looking at the answers and marking myself critically or have my tutor mark my work). My friends learned better visually, so they always had a ton of colored notes and flashcards. I would also advise keeping a special notebook for a certain subject. It greatly aided me in taking or finding notes, and it might do the same for you.
Also be organised and plan out your summer with revision! Don't leave it until the last second
Perhaps do 1-2 hrs of revision every other day! You could catch up on your ntoes or do some past papers to pracitce answering. Here is a link to free resources and articles to help you with your revision! If you learn more through videos, here is a link to the youtube channel!Hope this helps and good luck!
Milena G
UCL PFE
Study Mind
Original post by CentralDogma
I have terrible grades, DDD, and this is very influenced by events in my life such as my grandfather having cancer and my health getting worse and worse to the point where I miss school at least once a week. I know I could have done better if I wasn't passing out or throwing up every week or so. I just wish they could consider that, I have no diagnoses yet and I don't know if I'm sick enough for contextual grades to matter. I am in Year 12 so I guess I might have time but what's the likelihood. I just don't know what to do. I know my school has underpredicted a lot of students as some A star students have been getting BBC. Please help?
just in case anyone else is seeing this and worrying, I got an offer for a foundation year physics course in Loughborough! waiting for results now...
update: i got in!
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