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rr1243

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 1

TSR Jessica

Sorry you've not had any responses about this. :frown:

Are you sure you've posted in the right place? :smile:

Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. :redface:

Reply 2

JaCey04

Original post by rr1243

Hi everyone,

I’ve just finished my a levels and got into my firm. Throughout school and especially in year 12 and early year 13 I had very poor mental health for a few reasons and have struggled with motivation for my studies, however late last year I began to significantly help myself for the first time. I began therapy and took action to help certain personal issues of mine. As a result I feel like I’m in the best place of my life - I know how to control my mental health and for the first time I have actual motivation and ambition.

I began to work a lot harder than I had ever done in the run up to a levels and ended up with better grades than I had previously been getting. I got into my firm at a uni that is fairly good but honestly not my ideal anymore - I want to aim higher for myself.

Despite getting grades that I am proud of and getting into my firm choice, I feel that I can do better now. I am considering retaking my a levels and reapplying for next year. I’ve been considering taking a gap year for the whole summer regardless of my results - but am now wondering if I should retake and am unsure about what impact that would have on my application. I want to apply to places like UCL or Kings, as well as top unis around the country like Bristol, Exeter or Durham.

I want to study politics, which I have an A in. My other subjects were media and psychology in which I got B’s. If I retake I am considering switching media for a whole other subject and retaking psychology, keeping the A in politics. How would unis feel about this and how would it be taking a whole new a level in one year? I don’t want to feel like me struggling in the past has held me back from going to a university that I would love.

Sounds like a plan, you could even do a bit of travelling / whatever considering you will only be doing one new a level. I have never done an a level in a year so I can't give you any advice on it. There is always the possibility that you do get rejected. Although, if you get the grades its unlikely. The only unis that have a problem with retakes are oxbridge and imperial.

You could do the Ba at your firm and then transfer to a better university to do a Masters. Just make sure you get a good degree classfication bc your a levels really don't matter that much.