Defer or resit A Levels to get into medicine

TLDR: wanted to be a chemist so chose A Level Maths, Further maths and Chemistry. Sat A Level maths in Year 12 and got A*. Currently in year 13 but I wanna get into MBBS. Unis said I need to write 3 A Levels in one sitting including Biology. Should I risk it and write all three this year even if I end up needing a resit? Or should I take an extra year and write all three when I’m 19?

If you spend 3 years getting the 3 relevant A levels, then most would consider an application under their resit policy anyway

TLDR: wanted to be a chemist so chose A Level Maths, Further maths and Chemistry. Sat A Level maths in Year 12 and got A*. Currently in year 13 but I wanna get into MBBS. Unis said I need to write 3 A Levels in one sitting including Biology. Should I risk it and write all three this year even if I end up needing a resit? Or should I take an extra year and write all three when I’m 19?

Yeah that makes sense. Will I have an advantage if I choose one option over the other? Cos I thought if I wait and do it at 19 then my application will look better than other applications under their resit policy cos technically I did 0 resits whereas other would have done 1, 2, etc.

Also, is it possible that I get full A*’s either by one resit or without resit (but when I’m 19) and still get not get a single offer? Does that sort of thing happen often?

This is a difficult one, as most med schools ask for 3 A levels, at the required grade, in one sitting and do not accept FM as one of them if you also offer maths. But having done the maths A level early, they may - it would mean contacting them to clarify their exact policies.

So for medicine, you need a 3rd A level to go with FM and chem even if they will accept those as your 3 A levels, given you also have maths. BUT, most med schools that accept resits have first sit grade requirements (usually AAB - ABB), so you have to achieve at least ABB, doing bio in a year with chem and FM to have a reasonable number you could reapply to, if needed. I do not know if that is possible for you? Doing an extra year, so sitting FM, chem and bio at 19 means some would want an A* in at least one, if not both, of the subjects you took for 3 years, so grade requirements would become A*A*A or A*AA, even if normally AAA.

It is perfectly possible to have A*A*A*A*A* at A level and still not get a single offer! People with perfect academics get 4 rejections every year (most applicants do, in terms of numbers)

So you need to decide if you think you can get at least ABB if you add bio now PLUS check that med schools would be happy with maths in Yr 12 and then FM, chem and bio in Yr 13 (I think most probably would be). ABB would not get an offer, but it would leave the resit med schools still open to you to re-do any needed in a Yr 14. Obviously, if you get AAA+ in Yr 13, then you should be able to get offers, with a good admissions test score

I did maths earlier because I wanted to apply to BSc chemistry and I thought it would show I’m an above-average candidate LoL but looks like I’ve shot myself on the foot.

Wow! Thanks for the amazingly detailed answer. Much appreciated.

After mailing a dozen medical colleges, it seems nobody is willing to accept my application as it stands now (Maths at Y12 and FM & Chem in Y13). Everyone requires that 3 A Levels must be completed in the same academic year. I did maths earlier because I wanted to apply to BSc chemistry and I thought it would show I’m an above-average candidate LoL but looks like I’ve shot myself on the foot.

So here’s my dilemma: ABB - Chem, Bio, FM - in Year 13 is doable for me (hopefully, YOLO) but also A*A*A in Year 14 is also equally doable. So out of these two which option would be better?