Bad A Level mock results. Help!

Not going to lie, I've screwed up. My mock results are REALLY bad, and obviously my parents will be really dissapointed. I currently feel like I want to give up, and just flunk my A levels. My results are:

Law: High D
Business Studies: High E
Media Studies: Low D, but with the coursework it's an E

I really want to use this as motivation, a fresh start and ace my A Levels and get into uni. Thing is, I'm not even sure how to start. The last time I properly revised was for my predicted grade exams so I've forgotten how. Could someone please give me some tips or motivation, thanks!

Reply 1

University of Kent

Official Rep

Original post by RandomLawGuy

Hi there

I understand that receiving bad results can be really stressful and upsetting. However, it is never too late to pull your grades up. Are you in Year 12 or Year 13? In Year 12 I was looking at similar grades to you: D,D,C but I managed to get A,A,A during my Year 13 finals. I know you can be quite distressed now, it is important to keep going! It is normal to be disappointed at some times, but the important thing is to keep going. :smile:

For motivation, I find it useful to think about future plans, what university do you want to go to, what subjects are you interested in, how can you get into these courses? I think it is always good to try to set a goal in your mind and work towards it. :smile:

If you tried your best, that is what matters! One thing you want to avoid is having regrets in the future.

For improving your grades, it is important to recognise what you are doing wrong: are you spending enough time on your studies, or is it that you are not understanding the content? Here are some tips that I found quite useful myself:

Speak to your teachers regarding previous assignments, getting feedback and targeting errors is the best way to go forward.

Ask your teacher or peers for any tips on improving grades.

Do past papers, and mark them according to the mark scheme. The mark scheme has been the most important for me when it came to improving my grades. In exams and coursework, markers grade you base on how well you comply with the requirements on the mark scheme- you should also have access to this online (look at the exam board past papers and marking schemes)- use this to your advantage. (This also applies to University coursework, and it is really helpful, I could not recommend this more). Target your structure, the points in your answer in accordance with the mark scheme.

Consistency is key. You are most likely to see improvements if you put a consistent effort overtime. It is difficult to keep resilient, but give it a chance and you may see changes in your grades. Don't give up!