is it even worth the shot?

i’m gonna be honest about this.
i dropped out of college and became homeschooled because the school environment was really hostile. my grandma passed away earlier this year, and for a while i was coping okay,i think.
but during my A levels (oct/nov 2025), my uncle,who i’m really close to,went into critical liver failure. it was a mess. my predicted grades are good, but honestly, i don’t think i’ll reach them. i wasn’t able to give my all this session. i almost abandoned the exams to go see him, but my parents told me to stay and finish. so i did, but it was rough.
for context, my O levels were mostly Bs and Cs. nothing amazing, but i’ve worked really hard since then to improve, and my predicted grades reflect that.
i didn’t apply to uni this year. i had to cancel my entrance tests and decided i’ll apply next year instead, with achieved grades. i’m planning to resit my exams in feb/march, and take further maths in may/june, and then apply for 2027 intake.
though results arent out yet, i have a feeling i didn’t do great this session, things were just beyond my control and i kinda spiraled as i was so much more alone since leaving formal school. but i still want to give myself one last proper shot. my dream is to study maths at oxford, it seems so insane to me to even want that. i feel hopeless. ive worked hard,won Olympiads and essay competitons and did math research just for the fun of it.
i don’t know how my situation will look to admissions officers. by then i’ll be a mature applicant. but i hope they’ll see that i kept going, even when everything was falling apart. i really want this.

Hi there,
I'm really sorry to hear you've faced some challenging situations whilst trying to study as well. I'd advise you, if you haven't already, to get in touch with the admissions office for each university you want to apply to and explain your circumstances to understand your next steps forward. The institute you're currently taking your A-Levels with can write a letter explaining your extenuating circumstances when you do eventually apply for university. The University of Oxford does allow resit applicants to apply, as long as you get a school reference explaining how your personal issues adversely affected you. It is competitive, so to stand out, have a strong personal statement showing your passion for the subject, any supercurriculars you've done (like the Olympiads, as you've stated, or extra reading around the subject area), and extracurricular activities, and perform well during the interview. Please go for your dreams, and it's never too late to reach your full academic potential. 😊
Kind regards,
SOAS Student Rep
BA Global Liberal Arts

It’s always worth a shot. Keep going and you can do it 😊

Thank you for your reply! It’s very reassuring! My teacher who had taught me is writing my reference! He knows my background and educational journey quite well. Thing is he taught me when I was still in formal schooling. I hope that’s ok? I had asked my homeschooling institute but writing a reference came with a pricey tag.