Resitting A levels AGAIN - Need advice, don’t know what to do and feeling lost..

Hi, so little context, I sat my a levels originally at my sixth form but I goofed around for my 2 years there and wasn’t serious whatsoever and came out with a D E E in Biology, Maths and Chemistry. i took a gap year after that to figure out what I wanted to do and realised I do want to go university and decided to resit my a levels after my first gap year (im on my second now).

I managed to get A* A* A predicted grades for Maths, Biology and Chemistry from a tutor and applied to universities like Birmingham, University of Nottingham and Southampton and got contextual offers for them all requiring A* A A for computer science and it was going well, but around the beginning of 2025 my mum got serious health complications and I had to help take care of her and had to take care of our home situation so I really neglected my studies, which was stupid of me and is completely my own fault, but now if i’m being realistic, i’m sure i’m not gonna be able to get the A* A* A grades I need to go to uni and I don’t know what to do. Is it possible to email my unis after results come out and explain my situation and ask if theres anyway I can keep my offer with them until Oct/Nov series where I will resit again and join uni the same academic year that I applied (even if it’s halfway through first year of uni, I’ll just lock in really hard for my first year exams) or is it not possible. I also don’t want the to risk of being told no and resitting and reapplying to the same unis for the next year and then not be given an offer at those unis as they might think I already have things going on at home that wouldn’t make me an ideal student for them to consider. Please give me the realistic truth and advice no matter how brutal, i’m feeling really lost about this as i’ve already wasted 2 years not at uni.. :/

A better option would be to:
1. Ask you school to claim "special consideration" from the exam boards on your behalf. See A Guide to the Special Consideration Process. The exam boards can add a few percent to your mark if certain circumstances apply. For example:
• "Life-threatening illness of candidate or member of immediate family;" (4%)
2. Write to the universities now (not after results day - that will be too late) and make them aware of your extenuating circumstances. They will often have a specific form to gather these details. They won't change your required grades, but may be more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt if you just miss them.
Your "keep my offer with them until Oct/Nov series where I will resit again" plan is a non-starter, I'm afraid. No university is going to (a) hold a place open for you in the hope that you'll do better in the October/November exams, and (b) allow you to join in January (when the results are available).

Hi thank you so much for the reply!! If i’m being completely honest though, I might be able to just about scrape Bs for my subjects (if i’m being generous) considering how those exams went… Is there still any worth in me emailing for consideration/emailing the unis? Or am I just reaching now and the more realistic approach would be to accept that I messed up this year and to give it my 100% next year. Also would a 2nd resit of a levels considerably hinder my application process for uni next year? I know that one resit isn’t too bad for unis that aren’t oxbridge but how would two resits affect my chances at Russell’s like Southampton? Sorry for asking a lot, just want to somehow turn my situation around or be as prepared as possible for the worst.

I see zero downside in trying the special consideration / extenuating circumstances route. What's the harm in trying?
If your firm and insurance universities can't accept you (based on your achieved grades), you may well find courses of interest available via Clearing - even at very good unis.
Some universities have a stated policy on retakes, but most do not. Those that don't, don't. It's not like they say, "We're fine with retakes, but only once." So another retake year is always an option.

I will definitely try for extenuating circumstances, just was tweaking out and asking a lot of question lol, thank you for the quick replies though 🙏

When is resists for AQA exams

Hi, so little context, I sat my a levels originally at my sixth form but I goofed around for my 2 years there and wasn’t serious whatsoever and came out with a D E E in Biology, Maths and Chemistry. i took a gap year after that to figure out what I wanted to do and realised I do want to go university and decided to resit my a levels after my first gap year (im on my second now).
I managed to get A* A* A predicted grades for Maths, Biology and Chemistry from a tutor and applied to universities like Birmingham, University of Nottingham and Southampton and got contextual offers for them all requiring A* A A for computer science and it was going well, but around the beginning of 2025 my mum got serious health complications and I had to help take care of her and had to take care of our home situation so I really neglected my studies, which was stupid of me and is completely my own fault, but now if i’m being realistic, i’m sure i’m not gonna be able to get the A* A* A grades I need to go to uni and I don’t know what to do. Is it possible to email my unis after results come out and explain my situation and ask if theres anyway I can keep my offer with them until Oct/Nov series where I will resit again and join uni the same academic year that I applied (even if it’s halfway through first year of uni, I’ll just lock in really hard for my first year exams) or is it not possible. I also don’t want the to risk of being told no and resitting and reapplying to the same unis for the next year and then not be given an offer at those unis as they might think I already have things going on at home that wouldn’t make me an ideal student for them to consider. Please give me the realistic truth and advice no matter how brutal, i’m feeling really lost about this as i’ve already wasted 2 years not at uni.. :/

There are no longer any autumn resits of A levels I’m afraid