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I want to study 'psychology with a year abroad' at UoB but I have bad gcse's

I have had incredible mock results with all 9's (so i think i am more than capable to do psychology in uni) but in gcse's i had an incident which resulted in me getting the worst possible grades at 55555433,Believe me i was incredibly sad because i wanted to study medicine at uni but now cannot. Now i want to study psychology course 'psychology with a year abroad 'at UoB to become a clinical psychologist however I put my grades on the offer calculator and it says unlikely. I'm confused because I'm doing psychology (a level), applied law (b-tec), criminology (a level) and mathematical studies* (as level one year).And have predicted grades with A*s for psychology and criminology and A for core maths and d* for applied law.
So can anyone help me and give advice on what to do, because i am in year 12 and don't want to know something before its too late!
(edited 1 month ago)
I have had incredible mock results with all 9's (so i think i am more than capable to do psychology in uni) but in gcse's i had an incident which resulted in me getting the worst possible grades at 55555433,Believe me i was incredibly sad because i wanted to study medicine at uni but now cannot. Now i want to study psychology course 'psychology with a year abroad 'at UoB to become a clinical psychologist however I put my grades on the offer calculator and it says unlikely. I'm confused because I'm doing psychology (a level), applied law (b-tec), criminology (a level) and mathematical studies* (as level one year).And have predicted grades with A*s for psychology and criminology and A for core maths and d* for applied law.
So can anyone help me and give advice on what to do, because i am in year 12 and don't want to know something before its too late!

Your most important GCSE grades are Maths and English Language. What grades did you get for those two? (Birmingham's general entry requirements - regardless of course - are that you have at least a grade 4 in both. If not, you'll need some other way of demonstrating the required levels of literacy and numeracy.)
I'm doing psychology (a level), applied law (b-tec), criminology (a level) and mathematical studies* (as level one year)

This is far more of a concern that your GCSEs. Criminology is not an A level, its a 'WJEC Applied Diploma'. It has
limited academic worth and several top Unis will not accept it. Many will also only accept a BTEC with at least two A levels. This is what you need to be emailing Unis about - not your GCSEs.
Reply 3
Original post by McGinger
I'm doing psychology (a level), applied law (b-tec), criminology (a level) and mathematical studies* (as level one year)
This is far more of a concern that your GCSEs. Criminology is not an A level, its a 'WJEC Applied Diploma'. It has
limited academic worth and several top Unis will not accept it. Many will also only accept a BTEC with at least two A levels. This is what you need to be emailing Unis about - not your GCSEs.

The University I want to go to University Of Birmingham accepts Criminology
The University I want to go to University Of Birmingham accepts Criminology


Are you sure? i emailed them a few weeks ago wanting to do psychology, I’m currently doing Health + Social care (BTEC) and psychology and English language (A levels). They said that because my BTEC doesn't match their BTEC subject requirements which are applied science, applied psychology or applied human biology, i cant even apply even with 2 grades higher than what there asking for. So be careful, even from reading their subject requirements it seems as long
as you have a science subject you can apply, but when i emailed them this wasn't the case. Have you emailed them to double check?
Reply 5
Original post by Eviednmfs
Are you sure? i emailed them a few weeks ago wanting to do psychology, I’m currently doing Health + Social care (BTEC) and psychology and English language (A levels). They said that because my BTEC doesn't match their BTEC subject requirements which are applied science, applied psychology or applied human biology, i cant even apply even with 2 grades higher than what there asking for. So be careful, even from reading their subject requirements it seems as long
as you have a science subject you can apply, but when i emailed them this wasn't the case. Have you emailed them to double check?

I haven’t yet , but I will now thank you 🙏
I haven’t yet , but I will now thank you 🙏


No worries didn’t want you to risk wasting an application! could you let me know what they say please?
Reply 7
Original post by Eviednmfs
No worries didn’t want you to risk wasting an application! could you let me know what they say please?

This is what they said which is quite disappointing
‘For applicants interested in our BSc Psychology programme who are studying towards the BTEC National Extended Certificate, we would require them to attain a Distinction* in either Applied Psychology, Applied Human Biology or Applied Science, plus a grade BB at A Level.

Unfortunately, as the subject of your qualification is not listed above, we would not be able to guarantee that you would be extended an offer for entry onto this programme.

We understand that this may be disappointing, but we would like to take this time to thank you for your interest in the University of Birmingham and to wish you all the best in your future endeavours.’
This is what they said which is quite disappointing
‘For applicants interested in our BSc Psychology programme who are studying towards the BTEC National Extended Certificate, we would require them to attain a Distinction* in either Applied Psychology, Applied Human Biology or Applied Science, plus a grade BB at A Level.
Unfortunately, as the subject of your qualification is not listed above, we would not be able to guarantee that you would be extended an offer for entry onto this programme.
We understand that this may be disappointing, but we would like to take this time to thank you for your interest in the University of Birmingham and to wish you all the best in your future endeavours.’


This is basically what i got told. Tbh i think it’s a really silly entry requirement, if you are doing a science Btec alongside 2 random a levels you can be considered a place, but if your doing a science a level and another a level with a random BTEC you cannot be considered?! I don’t understand how it works.
Reply 9
Original post by Eviednmfs
This is basically what i got told. Tbh i think it’s a really silly entry requirement, if you are doing a science Btec alongside 2 random a levels you can be considered a place, but if your doing a science a level and another a level with a random BTEC you cannot be considered?! I don’t understand how it works.

There is an alternative course you can do though called ‘BSc (Hons) Psychology in Education‘ which is basically the same as psychology but you can have any btec and any a levels, so I might consider applying to that

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