Help I am concerned about my grades!

I got a D 4 marks off a C in a level 3 qualification called core maths equivalent to an AS and I will probably retake in the future but not in year 13 due to my A levels. Not having extra time and a laptop even when I needed it did mess things up for me. I usually manage to push through exams and at lowest have gotten a B (6) which was at GCSE, but finding out I have learning difficulties at the end of year 12 after exams explains why I have to work 3x hard to hopefully get good grades. I just didn't manage to do it for core maths since it takes me more time to think, write and understand info, I could barely do it for GCSE my old school just didn't care. My new school just don't get it its the most frustrating thing ever! They did a formal assessment way too late and it was only through crying after one of my end of year 12 internal exams used for predicted grades where they decided to do something, but even that they just told me to sit all my exams even external and then they would do a diagnostic assessment.
I am applying to Cambridge because I know with majority 2 9s,3 8s and 4 7s at GCSE (also have extenuating circumstances for that other than not having access arrangements for this which disrupted my education) and A*A*A predicted I have a chance to go to at least a russell group uni since I do prefer more academic unis just because I am a really academic person, but will have to explain my circumstances as I believe these grades are not fully reflective of my potential.
How much will universities care about my core maths grade ? (I will explain about how I did not have access arrangements btw under extenuating circumstances).
*applying for Human,Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge law at other unis also relatively top universities
Thanks for reading this I know its long, I just wanted to provide you with some context.

Hello @Smcgfx
I am sorry that you have had that experience. I would suspect that your school/collage told you to continue with your exams and they would get a diagnostic assessment done afterwards as these assessments can take time for diagnoses to occur but also they might not have been able to do anything to help with the exams you were about to take. However, I would recommend you talk to your school about this as they may have a solution or be able to change your predicted grades.
I would defiantly go and speak to both your school and the GP as they will be able to give you different time lines on diagnostic assessments which then you will be able to put down on your UCAS application.
I hope this helps and good luck with the rest of your studies 🙂
Katie - Student Ambassador

Hi my core maths exam was a real external exam btw, so I don't think that grade can change unless somehow 4 marks go up from a review of marking. About having a diagnostic assessment I mentioned to my school since September, October, February and March about an assessment, but they did not listen. It was only crying after my economics (internal) exam that they did and that is the timeline they will provide that I got my assessment done in June which I did but this clearly only tells half the story as I had spoke about getting a diagnostic assssment to see if I needed access arrangements several times. Hopefully unis will understand as my school put me under a lot of pressure to somehow manage to do decent in my exams under normal timed conditions, but being someone with writing difficulties and difficulties with processing information I just didn't manage to do it this time.
Despite going through all this I know the D is not reflective of my potentional, hence why I am still applying to unis like Cambridge, LSE and Warwick. If anything how my school has just failed to support me has only made me more determined. It is just the question of whether unis will place much weight on this core maths grade? Because clearly from my other grades also sat without access arrangements I am definitely not a D grade student and I do have academic potential which is what these unis are looking for.
Hope you can provide some insight into this. Thank you for helping me.

Hello @Smcgfx
Sorry that that have been going on since September and not been sorted out until now. I guess a positive is that you have now had your assessment so at least that is a step in the right direction. When you apply on UCAS you will be able to put this on your application when applying for universities. As long as you do well in your A levels most universities will not worry or even look at your core maths and if need be you can always explain to the admissions department exactly what has happened and why you got that grade so I would not stress too much about your core maths grade.
Furthermore, when you get to university there is a lot of support that you will be able to get such as LSPs (Learning support plans) as well as help from your academic tutors and DSA. I would suggest when visiting open days going and talking to the support teams at each university as the support will defer from uni to uni. In addition they will have more information that they will be able to provide you.
I hope this helps 🙂
Katie - Student Ambassador