Results disappointing

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Stroud Mum
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:57 am
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Results disappointing

Post by Stroud Mum »

Hi

Looking for a bit of support as DS is currently sitting AS and predicted all A grades (he wants to read History at a Russell group) however he had a blip with the English exam paper and worried he might only get a B. If this is the case would it be better to drop English and do another subject at A2 rather than re-sit the English in Jan next year? Thanks.
Stroud Mum
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:57 am
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Results disappointing

Post by Stroud Mum »

Just realised my post was not clear - he was planning to drop Biology and continue with History, French and English to A2, plan B would be to drop English instead of Biology.
Belinda
Posts: 1167
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:57 pm

Re: Results disappointing

Post by Belinda »

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Last edited by Belinda on Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Results disappointing

Post by KB »

Does he have to make a decision before the results come out? If not it might be worth waiting to see.
Understanding is that the top places for English are very very competitive so I think you are right that he might struggle getting an offer with a B grade at AS even if the school are willing to predict an A.
But if he is really keen on studying English then it might be worth fighting on - could telephone addmissions officers at the chosen University departments ? (which might be worth doing now rather than after results, when they will be busy with A2 entrants).
Or delay applying for a year until he has the A grades at A2 under his belt

Hope it goes well in the end
Stroud Mum
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:57 am
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Results disappointing

Post by Stroud Mum »

Thanks for the posts. I will keep my fingers crossed it turns out ok in August and do some research on offers just in case.

This is my first experience of AS levels - can't believe the pressure, not to mention as soon as exams are over they starting drafting personal statements. What is A2 like?!
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Results disappointing

Post by hermanmunster »

Dunno SM - we'll find out ! DS has last AS today and then one A2 module in a few weeks...
I keep muttering "personal statement" and all I get is a glazed look....
Stroud Mum
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:57 am
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Results disappointing

Post by Stroud Mum »

It seems that as soon as you jump one hurdle there are more put in your way. We had a talk about UCAS and it has all changed so much from the good old days (1980's, ahem) when you mentioned that you did a bit of sport and maybe some volunteering. DS knows year 13 pupils who have it all - great GCSE grades, work (paid and not), school sports team, loads of extra curricula stuff and they have still struggled to get Uni offers. Makes you wonder what you have to do to stand out if you come from a normal family and don't have loads of money to go on work experience abroad etc.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Results disappointing

Post by hermanmunster »

what I have been hearing from some of the Unis is that they are only interested in getting the brightest who have a passion for their subject and really aren't bothered about anything extra curricular....
tokyonambu
Posts: 109
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:38 pm

Re: Results disappointing

Post by tokyonambu »

"DS knows year 13 pupils who have it all - great GCSE grades, work (paid and not), school sports team, loads of extra curricula stuff and they have still struggled to get Uni offers."

Yes, but what's happening in my daughters' school (and I have these joys coming up over the next couple of years) is that people are applying to five university at the same level. Bluntly, that means that either they'll get five roughly similar offers, which means that whether they end up holding two or one is somewhat irrelevant as they'll all be for the same grades, or they'll get no offers, because university X is probably looking for the same things as university Y, what with them being very similar and all (see initial premise). Cambridge-Durham-UCL-Bristol-Warwick was one I heard of: well, the chances of getting no offers is pretty high, because they're all pretty hard to get into, and anyway would all make you the same offer.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Results disappointing

Post by hermanmunster »

tokyonambu wrote:"DS knows year 13 pupils who have it all - great GCSE grades, work (paid and not), school sports team, loads of extra curricula stuff and they have still struggled to get Uni offers."

Yes, but what's happening in my daughters' school (and I have these joys coming up over the next couple of years) is that people are applying to five university at the same level. Bluntly, that means that either they'll get five roughly similar offers, which means that whether they end up holding two or one is somewhat irrelevant as they'll all be for the same grades, or they'll get no offers, because university X is probably looking for the same things as university Y, what with them being very similar and all (see initial premise). Cambridge-Durham-UCL-Bristol-Warwick was one I heard of: well, the chances of getting no offers is pretty high, because they're all pretty hard to get into, and anyway would all make you the same offer.
Agreed, in the past it would have seemed essential to have the "insurance offer" but TBH with fees of £9k and a stream of other costs - DS has decided to put only the top universities - he simply isn't interested in going anywhere else so if he doesn't get one, it will be time to think again.
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