English lit alevel exam help- experience on resitting? Post exam thoughts.

Hi guys, I'm just writing to ask a question for those who have resat English literature alevel, what was your experience with resitting? Did you find after a gap year you improved? Did unis penalise you for resitting?

Long story short, I've been an A* English literature student throughout my experience in sixth form. However, due to some extreme mitigating circumstances surrounding a family member right before my exam, I feel I completely messed up my paper 1. I achieved an A* in coursework and I am currently holding an offer at a top
university to study English lit requiring A*AA.

Really, after misreading a poem in the exam because I was having a panic attack and running out of time to finish my last essay, as well as even numbering a question wrong lol, I don't think an A* is looking likely for me overall.

I wasn't very fit to sit the exam, i really have been struggling with anxiety after the impact of what happened being so distressing, and so my school informed the AQA exam board so hopefully I can get up to 5% extra to help compensate for this but this really probably won't help me much. I do have a second paper to sit where I guess I could try to redeem myself but with how poorly I think this exam went I'm starting to reevaluate possibilities for the coming year for if I do not get the grades I need. I've been considering resitting if my grade truly is low but I wanted to ask if anyone has resat their English literature before and if so did it go ok? How was your experience with preparing while not in sixth form? Please let me know :smile:

thanks so much guys <3
Also, if anyone has had an experience where they misread a poem or struggled to finish a question, did you manage to do ok overall in the end? Can I try to redeem myself a bit?

Thanks again guys sorry for the long post :smile:

this just means a lot to me as well of course it would to anyone so good luck everyone else! My exams are a chance for me to not only just get into a uni but to escape my difficult situation at home and the idea of having messed it up for myself is really scary and I'm desperate to hear other people's experiences.

Thanks!! :smile:

Reply 1

MillieeM2

You can try to apply for extenuating circumstances at university if you don’t get the grades you would like. Also don’t lose hope because you still have your second paper and you can redeem your grade plus your other subjects could make up for the grade too. But you probably haven’t done as bad as you think

Reply 2

H_s555444

Original post by millieem2

Hi thanks sm for the reply :smile:

Yeah I'm gonna try to apply for extenuating circumstances, I think I'll ring them up during results day if I miss my offer, to explain. And yeah I'll see how the second paper goes+ other subjects. Thank u!

(edited 11 months ago)

Reply 3

mar3i.k

Original post by H_s555444

Hi thanks sm for the reply :smile:

Hii I missed my offer by a few marks I want to try apply to mitigating but I’m not sure how it all works can I give u a pm?

Reply 4

H_s555444

Original post by mar3i.k

Hii I missed my offer by a few marks I want to try apply to mitigating but I’m not sure how it all works can I give u a pm?

Hey, I'm sorry to hear that :frown:

with mitigating u need to have alerted your school/ college who would've then applied at the time your event occurred to the exam board. At least that's what I did and I ended up getting into my firm uni. I don't know really know what the process is, however I would immediately call your uni and explain your case so hopefully they'll be able to reconsider. There may also be a form u could fill to alert them of mitigating circumstances? Not sure but I'd defo give them a call asap!!!