Advice on next year

Hey, so I took A-levels in 2022 after not taking exams for GCSEs and getting pretty good GCSE results, 8 in maths and 7 in English. So I started A-level maths, phy, and cs and did poorly in the first year due to lockdowns. However, I managed to resit my end-of-year exams in my first year and got AAB from BCC. I then got predicted BBB and got my prediction moved up to AAB. Unfortunately I underestimated how much work I should have been doing in the second year, and on my cs coursework. In the end, I panicked in my exams and ended up with only CCC. I was offered a foundation year course from my uni but ended up rejecting it as I wasn't what I wanted to do. Safe to say I was burnt out from college and decided to take a gap year and work. This year has been good however, I have got into a uni that wanted BBB and was happy with that. I am now having doubts. I really wanted to get at least ABB and go to a Russel group or at least top 25 uni. I live in a rural area and there isn't really anywhere to do resits even as a private candidate. I also don't know if I want to go to uni at 20 years old. I've also been off school for a whole year and don't know if I can get better grades on my own after a year off. Im very confused to put it simply. Any advice on what you would do in my situation would be appreciated. Some people have said I should do a year at the uni I'm going to then if I don't like it look to transfer or apply to unis again with a year of cs alongside my A-level grades, though I don't know how much that would help me in the application progress.

Reply 1

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Hi @everythingoes

Firstly, congratulations on your A level grades! It's important to remember that CCC is a great result, especially if you were having a tough time around your exams- there are plenty of options out there with these A levels. However, if you don't feel that the courses available to you are quite right, resitting is definitely an option.

What I would say is, please don't let several gap years put you off going to university! I went to uni straight from college and found that many if not most people had done at least one gap year, you definitely wouldn't be the only one. It can be daunting going back into education after a few year's break, but the university will have support systems in place to help you with the transition.

Hope this helps!

Nellie (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Reply 2

04MR17

Volunteer Section Leader

Original post by everythingoes

Hey, so I took A-levels in 2022 after not taking exams for GCSEs and getting pretty good GCSE results, 8 in maths and 7 in English.

I got predicted BBB and got my prediction moved up to AAB.
I panicked in my exams and ended up with only CCC.

I was offered a foundation year course from my uni but ended up rejecting it as I wasn't what I wanted to do.

Took a gap year and work.

I have got into a uni that wanted BBB and was happy with that.
I am now having doubts. I really wanted to get at least ABB and go to a Russell group or at least top 25 uni.

I don't know if I want to go to uni at 20 years old.

I'm very confused to put it simply.

Some people have said I should do a year at the uni I'm going to then if I don't like it look to transfer or apply to unis again with a year of cs alongside my A-level grades, though I don't know how much that would help me in the application progress.

Right. Much of this is coming from my opinion here, because there's an awful lot of feelings that you've posted in with your facts.

I don't think, at 20, you want to spend any more time on your A Levels. I think enough has been spent and you need to begin a new chapter.

If university interests you, excites you and is an option you like the look of then do it.

If you feel you won't enjoy university due to the nature of studying on your own (forget your age, 20 is pretty much the average student age for a first or second year), then look for a job, an apprenticeship or another opportunity to start making your way into the real world of being an adult (ahhhhhh).

If you want to bounce more thoughts off, feel free to press the quote button and talk to me :smile: