The Student Room Group

Resit or go uni???

Predicted A*A*A for a levels, firmed LSE, but got ABC and lost my offer. Unsure on whether I go to queen’s university in Belfast for economics or I should resit and reapply to better unis. I had extenuating circumstances during exam season that explain the drop in grades, but i’m unsure if the universities I want to apply to (LSE, UCL, St Andrews, Exeter, Manchester [and potentially Oxford or Cambridge]) really take this into consideration. I don’t want to regret going to a worse university, but I also don’t know if a gap year to retake will be 100% worth it (although I know that my grades will definitely increase) - any advice?
Original post by 2004123a
Predicted A*A*A for a levels, firmed LSE, but got ABC and lost my offer. Unsure on whether I go to queen’s university in Belfast for economics or I should resit and reapply to better unis. I had extenuating circumstances during exam season that explain the drop in grades, but i’m unsure if the universities I want to apply to (LSE, UCL, St Andrews, Exeter, Manchester [and potentially Oxford or Cambridge]) really take this into consideration. I don’t want to regret going to a worse university, but I also don’t know if a gap year to retake will be 100% worth it (although I know that my grades will definitely increase) - any advice?


think going to QUB with the mindset that you’re going to give it just as much commitment as you would have if you’d gone to LSE could be a good option
ie., if you work hard and respect the teaching there…and aim for a First
(edited 1 year ago)
Its still worth a try but try apply via clearing for all these universities.
The place you do your degree doesn't matter, so if you like QUB and think you can thrive there there's no reason to not go there. If you think that QUB isn't for you, then it's worth taking a gap year and resitting exams if you wish!
Queens is an RG university and is a lovely campus university. There is no shame in saying you studied Economics at Queens. I agree with your assumption that the top tier unis like LSE or Oxbridge will not look kindly on someone resitting. Thus, you could end up resitting and getting improved grades but end up at a second-tier uni no better than Queens. Bird in hand . . .
Original post by mike23mike
Queens is an RG university and is a lovely campus university. There is no shame in saying you studied Economics at Queens. I agree with your assumption that the top tier unis like LSE or Oxbridge will not look kindly on someone resitting. Thus, you could end up resitting and getting improved grades but end up at a second-tier uni no better than Queens. Bird in hand . . .


‘campus’ in city and beside Botanic Gardens / attractions of Botanic Avenue
worth knowing there are locals with top A level grades who wouldn’t go anywhere else,
so you will not be the most academic in your year group!
(links to the US with opportunities to study in some subjects)
Reply 6
sadly none of them have clearing places available
Reply 7
Original post by Scotland Yard
The place you do your degree doesn't matter, so if you like QUB and think you can thrive there there's no reason to not go there. If you think that QUB isn't for you, then it's worth taking a gap year and resitting exams if you wish!


Oh I didn’t know that the uni didn’t matter! Even though it’s ranked low for economics do you think it’ll still be worth it?
Reply 8
Original post by mike23mike
Queens is an RG university and is a lovely campus university. There is no shame in saying you studied Economics at Queens. I agree with your assumption that the top tier unis like LSE or Oxbridge will not look kindly on someone resitting. Thus, you could end up resitting and getting improved grades but end up at a second-tier uni no better than Queens. Bird in hand . . .


Do you think it’d be best to wait until the universities I listed get back with me on my query of how they treat resits? I rang LSE earlier and they said that they will treat a retaking student pretty similar to a first-time applicant (if the resit student had proven extenuating circumstances), but could they easily backtrack on this?
Original post by 2004123a
Oh I didn’t know that the uni didn’t matter! Even though it’s ranked low for economics do you think it’ll still be worth it?


Yes! What your future employers will care about is your degree classification, not where you did your degree. So if you like QUB, by all means go there :smile:

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