Doing a masters with a First but bad a levels

They won't care. I was in this position, too. My A Levels are diabolical and I did a PG course at Oxford.

Just to confirm that most, if not all, unis won't care about level 3 quals. You'll be at least 3-4 years away from them by the time you do your Masters anyway.

(I work postgrad admissions)

Hi, thanks for the reply. One question I’ve got is what university did you go to before Oxford? Cheers.

A middling RG institution, although with a phil dept that punched way above the university's weight

I didn’t get into an RG university with my A levels but I reckon I’d get into one if I could go back in time and do my a levels again. I don’t reckon I’m cut out for Oxford, but in a few years of studying mathematics and AI maybe there’s a chance, I don’t know, they may take a look at the uni that I attended and say no chance. Don’t know really, doing the best I can. Thanks for the reply.

I got in in my mid 20s on a widening participation ticket, my A Levels are diabolical (I outright failed one). There's a lot goes into it, it is worth you thinking about it and trying for it, honestly.

That’s given me a lot to think about, thank you. I’m most concerned about the fact that, I’d imagine at Oxford you’ve got to be attentive at every moment of a lecture. I struggled to get through them with my attention span, although I think I can improve that. Also, I come from a northern, working class background. I feel that at Oxford, or at any top university really, I’m going to be out of place. The last thing that I want is to work hard, saving enough to do a masters and invest tens of thousands, to be mocked for how I speak. Do you think that it could be a problem? Cheers.

I do understand those worries, really.

For what it's worth, I'm a Scouser who used to work on Garston docks. I only met one other Northerner in my College, but actually, the majority of people were great and everyone in the grad accom from the lads I lived with to the neighbours were all really cool people regardless of backgrounds.

The one snooty lad I had an actual issue with was a first year undergrad the better part of 20 years my junior, so for me it was a case of laughing at him and telling him to **** off.

It's worth considering is all I'm saying. Don't talk yourself out of it too hastily!