The Student Room Group

Struggling with 5th uni choice and low gcses applying to law pls help🙏🙏🙏

Hi, I’m struggling to pick my final choice for uni studying law and I’m also unsure of the other unis I’ve picked because of more low GCSE grades
In gcses I got 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 with 4 being in German and 6 in English language
I’m predicted AAA for alevels but I’m worried my gcses will hinder me since law is quite competitive
My current choices are
Sheffield, Kent, Portsmouth and Lancaster
I was thinking of uni of Surrey since they have low entry requirements but I feel like I may being aiming too low?
(edited 1 month ago)
Hi there! 🙂

I know of a few people that have studied law here at Plymouth that have really enjoyed it, so I think you've picked a great course!

I think it's a good idea to have a range of entry requirements reflected in your choices to allow some flexibility with your final A-Level grades. I know our entry requirements here at Plymouth are 112-128 UCAS points from a minimum of 2 A levels with a 4 in Maths/English GCSE.

I'd recommend chatting to one of our current law students, Ed, on our Unibuddy platform as he might be able to give you more advice and guidance, as well as answer any law-related questions should you have any! ☺️

Best of luck!

-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Reply 2
Original post by University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Hi there! 🙂
I know of a few people that have studied law here at Plymouth that have really enjoyed it, so I think you've picked a great course!
I think it's a good idea to have a range of entry requirements reflected in your choices to allow some flexibility with your final A-Level grades. I know our entry requirements here at Plymouth are 112-128 UCAS points from a minimum of 2 A levels with a 4 in Maths/English GCSE.
I'd recommend chatting to one of our current law students, Ed, on our Unibuddy platform as he might be able to give you more advice and guidance, as well as answer any law-related questions should you have any! ☺️
Best of luck!
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Thank you so so so much :smile:
Original post by Blossom02
Hi, I’m struggling to pick my final choice for uni studying law and I’m also unsure of the other unis I’ve picked because of more low GCSE grades
In gcses I got 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 with 4 being in German and 6 in English language
I’m predicted AAA for alevels but I’m worried my gcses will hinder me since law is quite competitive
My current choices are
Sheffield, Kent, Portsmouth and Lancaster
I was thinking of uni of Surrey since they have low entry requirements but I feel like I may being aiming too low?

Hey @Blossom02,

I hope you're keeping well! 🙂

Firstly, I hope you'll let me congratulate you on your strong set of A-level predictions, which is a fantastic achievement— so well done!

Regarding GCSEs, I think something which is not too often mentioned at secondary schools is that universities often take a holistic view of applications. Your predicted grades of AAA are really impressive and will certainly make a big impact. So, while law is competitive, many universities, including Kent, consider a combination of factors beyond just GCSEs, like your personal statement and enthusiasm for the subject. Plus, more than anything, the fact you've been able to improve your situation from GCSE to Alevel is no easy feat, and good universities will see that as a sign of devotion and diligence.

Now, I hope you'll let me shamelessly recommend to definitely keep Kent on your list 😉! To make my case though, our law school does have a great reputation, and there’s an incredibly strong focus on providing students with practical experience and support. Plus, you’ll find a welcoming community here with lots of opportunities to get involved. If you’re ever in the area, I'd love to invite you to our campus—we have Open Days and tours, and you might find it helpful to see what Kent has to offer in person.

And as for aiming too low, as much as I'd love to tell you the perfect choice to pick, I think ultimately only you're in the best position to choose. I will say though, Law is typically more competitive in the hiring and work process for graduate students than it is for aspiring students choosing a university (hence why we offer a lot of internal experience and work opportunity support here), and so I wouldn't worry too much about aiming too low when choosing your university. It’s more important to find a place where you’ll feel supported and have opportunities to grow.

If you happen to have any specific concerns or would like more clarity on how your application might be considered though, please please please feel free to reach out to our dedicated admissions team for law [[email protected]]—they're literally always happy to help and can give you more detailed advice on your application. In fact, they'd love it if you could message them haha!
Anyways, I hope this helps, even if just a little. 🙂

Wishing you the best of luck with your choices, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions!

Warm regards,

David 🙂
University of Kent Student Rep
Original post by Blossom02
Hi, I’m struggling to pick my final choice for uni studying law and I’m also unsure of the other unis I’ve picked because of more low GCSE grades
In gcses I got 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 with 4 being in German and 6 in English language
I’m predicted AAA for alevels but I’m worried my gcses will hinder me since law is quite competitive
My current choices are
Sheffield, Kent, Portsmouth and Lancaster
I was thinking of uni of Surrey since they have low entry requirements but I feel like I may being aiming too low?

Perhaps submit the 4 you have for now and think about the 5th. You have until the January equal consideration deadline and by then you will probably have had some decisions.
Reply 5
Original post by University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep
Hi there! 🙂
I know of a few people that have studied law here at Plymouth that have really enjoyed it, so I think you've picked a great course!
I think it's a good idea to have a range of entry requirements reflected in your choices to allow some flexibility with your final A-Level grades. I know our entry requirements here at Plymouth are 112-128 UCAS points from a minimum of 2 A levels with a 4 in Maths/English GCSE.
I'd recommend chatting to one of our current law students, Ed, on our Unibuddy platform as he might be able to give you more advice and guidance, as well as answer any law-related questions should you have any! ☺️
Best of luck!
-Alfie, University of Plymouth Undergraduate Student Rep

Thank you so so so much. This was incredibly helpful and reassuring 🙏☺️
Reply 6
Original post by ageshallnot
Perhaps submit the 4 you have for now and think about the 5th. You have until the January equal consideration deadline and by then you will probably have had some decisions.

Thank youuu
Original post by Blossom02
Hi, I’m struggling to pick my final choice for uni studying law and I’m also unsure of the other unis I’ve picked because of more low GCSE grades
In gcses I got 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 with 4 being in German and 6 in English language
I’m predicted AAA for alevels but I’m worried my gcses will hinder me since law is quite competitive
My current choices are
Sheffield, Kent, Portsmouth and Lancaster
I was thinking of uni of Surrey since they have low entry requirements but I feel like I may being aiming too low?

Hi @Blossom02
Congrats on your predicted A Level grades, these are amazing!
Nice to hear your considering studying Law at Lancaster. The entry requirements for Law at Lancaster are AAB.
I would recommend selecting a group of universities that have a range of entry requirements, with 2 aspirational universities and 2 with slightly lower entry requirements just to allow some flexibility. Therefore, when deciding on a final choice university, maybe keep this in mind. Also, it is worth looking at what modules you can expect to study on the Law course at each university and select a university with modules that interests you the most. A list of Lancaster's typical modules can be found here Law LLB Hons (M100) - Lancaster University.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!
-Jasmine (Lancaster Student Ambassador)
Original post by Blossom02
Hi, I’m struggling to pick my final choice for uni studying law and I’m also unsure of the other unis I’ve picked because of more low GCSE grades
In gcses I got 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 with 4 being in German and 6 in English language
I’m predicted AAA for alevels but I’m worried my gcses will hinder me since law is quite competitive
My current choices are
Sheffield, Kent, Portsmouth and Lancaster
I was thinking of uni of Surrey since they have low entry requirements but I feel like I may being aiming too low?
You have some good options here for your predicted grades! I'd potentially suggest something a little more ambitious as a 5th (e.g. a Russel Group, though you do already have Sheffield which is one) with AAA requirements - perhaps law at Exeter (law with business at Exeter could also be of interest) or Nottingham? These both have good career progression as far as I can tell if you are interested in the solicitor route.

Birmingham, Liverpool and Southampton also might be worth taking a look at. Good luck with your applications!

Edited to add one more note: while it isn't guaranteed, Exeter (and possibly Nottingham too) also seem to be giving out offers reasonably quickly this application cycle, so you might get some reassurance nice and quickly if you do get in.
(edited 1 month ago)
Reply 9
Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador
Hi @Blossom02
Congrats on your predicted A Level grades, these are amazing!
Nice to hear your considering studying Law at Lancaster. The entry requirements for Law at Lancaster are AAB.
I would recommend selecting a group of universities that have a range of entry requirements, with 2 aspirational universities and 2 with slightly lower entry requirements just to allow some flexibility. Therefore, when deciding on a final choice university, maybe keep this in mind. Also, it is worth looking at what modules you can expect to study on the Law course at each university and select a university with modules that interests you the most. A list of Lancaster's typical modules can be found here Law LLB Hons (M100) - Lancaster University.
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask!
-Jasmine (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

thank youuuu
Reply 10
Original post by lawofducks123
You have some good options here for your predicted grades! I'd potentially suggest something a little more ambitious as a 5th (e.g. a Russel Group, though you do already have Sheffield which is one) with AAA requirements - perhaps law at Exeter (law with business at Exeter could also be of interest) or Nottingham? These both have good career progression as far as I can tell if you are interested in the solicitor route.
Birmingham, Liverpool and Southampton also might be worth taking a look at. Good luck with your applications!
Edited to add one more note: while it isn't guaranteed, Exeter (and possibly Nottingham too) also seem to be giving out offers reasonably quickly this application cycle, so you might get some reassurance nice and quickly if you do get in.

thank you for your advice !!

Quick Reply