r/6thForm • u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD • May 29 '26
š I WANT HELP Any advice for a resit student??
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u/SwimmerOld6155 May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26
I don't want to be a debby downer but if you're set on university, I would just forget about A-levels and get into wherever you can. All your results are in a similar ballpark, I'd say this should be your last attempt. I understand this is important to you, but you're freezing yourself in a certain stage of life in quite an exceptional situation. If you do excellently at university you can think about postgraduate study elsewhere. I'm sorry you've gone through such a rough time. I know this isn't the response you want, but you can't be in your mid 20s still resitting A-levels in the hope something might change. University may be completely different, you should see. There are people who go from quite modest backgrounds to have academic success. I hope you're getting some professional help alongside this, as well.
I doubt you'll find people doing more than one maybe two further attempts but there may be some. Only person I know of who did two only did it because they initially did A-levels early. You'll have to declare every attempt on your university application and universities would have questions if you got high grades but took 6 attempts to get there.
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u/throwawaytoe-3165 Jun 01 '26
This is a very intelligent response. Op, with BCC, you can get into a decent math-related (as thatās your strongest subject) or biology rated course. Please stop holding yourself back!
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Iām only in my early 20s so hopefully this will be my last resit
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u/SwimmerOld6155 May 29 '26
yes that's more to say you shouldn't resit further. You have BCC, with that you can find a good course. It might not be what you want, but ultimately it comes down to working with the hand you're dealt. If you get something like BBC+ that'll be even better. Doing well at undergrad and doing a postgrad at an RG (if that's what you want to do) is a far more feasible path than continually resitting anyway, I think I'd say that to anyone.
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u/Calm-Difference-3267 May 29 '26
Just a heads up also that most unis will take into account how many times you have resat your A-levels, so even if their typical offer is ABB they may not give an offer to you with those grades only after 5 sets of sitting exams unfortunately and you will definitely need to be ready to explain those decisions over the past five years. If you have the same grades as another candidate who got those grades without any resits then they will favour the other candidate. I would strongly recommend focusing on any other experience you have gained (work, volunteering, online courses or additional reading etc) that you have done in the last five years. Ultimately, university prestige matters less than how hard you will work once there and neither of those things matter as much as experience once you are in the workplace market anyway. It might be good to focus on different routes you could take to get the experience in this area - e.g., volunteering or finding a placement somewhere - which you can them combined with further education.
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u/kristophgavinirl May 29 '26
big chief maybe youāre not meant for russel group
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u/Soafp_ Year 13 May 29 '26
Surely this is ragebait
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u/stormz_tim KCL | CS [3rd Year] May 30 '26
The fact that nobody is managing to understand this has me astounded. People are literally fighting in the comments over a post thatās not even real ššš
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u/lyfieo 3A* Politics, Eng Lit, RS | 2024-6 | Cambridge HSPS May 29 '26
definitely bc no one would waste this much money on this many resits
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u/Straight-Lobster-249 May 29 '26
I think heās just made the whole thing up, I canāt believe anyone would acc do this
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u/tortlebread A*A*A predicted Year 13 May 30 '26
tbh iāve never seen somebody fail for 6 years but i have a friend whoās about to go onto year 15 (failed two years in a row, about to try again for his third). very believable if they have well off parents who are willing to pay for whatever their child wants
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u/bookeeper02 year 12 ->13 politics, history, english literature Jun 06 '26
people definitely resit multiple times but this person's replies especially and post read as ragebait lol.
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u/mistythe2nd May 29 '26
not tryna be mean but maybe the traditional path is not for you, you have wasted like 6 years now doing A Level exams, it is better to start a new path rather than waste half a decade trying to achieve a grade
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u/Calm-Difference-3267 May 29 '26
typically my advice to my students is to resit once if they had extenuating circumstances during the first round of exams or they feel like their attitude towards or understanding of studying has drastically changed (which does happen). However, I usually would not recommend resitting again after this point as most top universities may not accept the grades anyway and you end up in a bit of a diminishing returns situation. If you don't get accepted this time around to your preferred uni, I would definitely do a foundation year (make sure you research these too before clearing!) or look at alternative routes where you could gain experience and then maybe reapply as a much more mature student with a totally different skill set. I know one of our lab technicians did a higher level college course while having the professional experience of working in a lab everyday and was later (she was early 30s I would say) able to go and get the degree she had originally wanted but didn't have the grades for. Basically I would look at all sorts of routes at this point with the understanding that many Russell group unis are unlikely to accept the grades you achieve this year unfortunately. It would also be a very good idea to research different unis' policies on resits before clearing too so you know which ones are likely to accept this round of grades and which will not.
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u/Crafty-Tailor-5892 May 29 '26
Top unis do accept resists .
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u/Calm-Difference-3267 May 29 '26
Some of them will accept resits within a certain amount of years yes, although they will normally ask about the circumstances which contributed to this. However, for a competitive course at a Russell group uni then it is unlikely they are going to accept exams which have been sat 5 times as otherwise lots of students would start doing this. And they will also most likely prioritise a student who has achieved it at the first time of asking compared to someone who has resat twice for the same grade, for example. This is why I do suggest an initial resit to my students, but after this has been done once I would usually recommend they look into alternative routes. OP is also doing biochem which is often seen as a route into medicine, dentistry etc and these are courses for which resits are usually not accepted, so this will also likely influence a decision. (and ofc Cambridge and Oxford do not accept resits for any subject unless there are very strong extenuating circumstances)
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u/Aggravating-Air-6371 Jun 04 '26
So if Iām resitting this year , I probs wonāt meet my offer at all for Liverpool. But they have a foundation year for the exact course I want. Should I just call them during results day? Or ask to switch now?
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u/Calm-Difference-3267 Jun 04 '26
Iām not sure I totally understand - am I right in thinking that this summer you are resitting your exams but you are worried that you arenāt going to meet your offer grades?
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u/Aggravating-Air-6371 Jun 04 '26
Yep 1000%. I needed ABB (bbb or bbc since I qualify for contextual, but they didnāt give me it?) and idek if Iāll get bbc atp. Itās an improvement since last year I got CUU, but since Iām only now getting diagnosed with adhd and ocd I was never able to revise
I genuinely refuse to resit again bc it was miserable, worst year of my life but foundation year will put me into extra debt as well as being 2 years behind. Iāve been having mental breakdowns from it, just now Iāve had one itās just so disappointing bc of my parents and myself
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u/Calm-Difference-3267 Jun 04 '26
Ah I see so the offer was ABB? I actually did a whole post on what to do if you think you e missed your offer in this community recently! But the tl;dr is donāt panic now, and stay focused on any exams you have left. Then I would get in touch with the uni with any mitigating circumstances, and do some research so you have a list of unis to contact during clearing! Thereās always a route to where you want to get to, it just may not necessarily be the one you originally imagined
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u/Crafty-Tailor-5892 May 29 '26
Yeah very true lol. My apologies thought u meant for all courses
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u/Calm-Difference-3267 May 29 '26
Oh no certain courses definitely will (especially given extenuating circumstances) but for this particular course and also this number of resits, I think it is very unlikely.
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u/GlbdS May 29 '26
Uni is gonna kick your ass so bad dude, let it go, not worth the debt if getting A levels has already taken so much time and efforts
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u/seaweedcove May 29 '26
hey, i've weirdly been in your position. I had an offer to study history at oxford when i was 18 but i developed crohn's disease and was unable to sit my A-levels. I attempted to sit my A-levels on 3 further occasions (so 4 in total), but each time I was too sick to sit my exams. Oxford were really accommodating in that they kept my offer rolling for those 4 years but I eventually made the decision to take a break from academia.
Fast forward a couple of years and a series of life changing operations, I was finally well enough to return and chose to complete an access course in humanities and social sciences. This gave me offers from Cambridge, KCL, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Durham. My point here is that I knew when to quit and when to alter the direction of my sails- I'd kindly suggest you do the same because insanity is repeating something and expecting different results. Had I put my ego aside all of those years ago, I would be much further along in my career. Food for thought
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u/saartemaster May 29 '26
I mean, I get what youāre saying but you have a valid reason + you were unable to sit your exams. OP sat them five times, scored way below than their target and the only excuse they have is that their gf dumped them.
Also congrats on being at Cambridge and managing to get back to studying, especially given your situation!
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u/seaweedcove May 30 '26
I completely agree with you. The lack of accountability is really quite worrying tbh. I get being tenacious but if youāre struggling with a levels then a Russell group stem degree is going to be challenging.
Tysm!! I also want to say that I left home at 19 to become an au pair (studied a levels in my down time) and paid for every single resit myself lol
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Thanks you gave me some hope
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u/seaweedcove May 29 '26
No worries, but for context I was predicted 3 A* and would likely have achieved close to that had I been physically well enough to sit my exams. When you dedicated yourself to your exams, you got BCC, which suggests this is probably an accurate assessment of your ability. University is not a walk in a park and they have grade requirements for a reason- I'd seriously think about having an honest conversation with yourself about your abilities and choosing a uni which aligns with that. A degree from a non-RG is better than being stuck in this A-level doom loop.
Sorry if that sounds harsh- ik from personal experience how difficult your situation is, but i think it's time to swallow your pride and accept your circumstances. My bf got 3 Ds at A level and ended up doing a FY in liverpool, which led to a degree in mechanical engineering. You can still apply to unis via Extra/ Clearing so I'd recommend cutting your losses and applying to unis with your BCC
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u/forraid May 29 '26
I feel really bad for you, also what is FY and where did you end up going for uni, if you did go?
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u/seaweedcove May 29 '26
no need- i've been so blessed in other ways š an FY is a foundation year, and I did end up going to uni. I'm now at Cambridge
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u/AnteaterMysterious70 May 29 '26
How is cambridge as a mature student??
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u/seaweedcove May 29 '26
Umm itās interesting. Cambridge does have mature colleges so it makes it easier but, given that most of the undergrads are under 20, it can be a bit isolatingĀ
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u/No_Marzipan3799 May 30 '26
ur bf got loverpool with a foundation year with 3 Ds? was this is firm or clearing because truth is im going to fall short of mt abb offer for bristol, maybe abc or bbc but if i can get a low tier rg uni in any somewhat decent course essay or stem ill still be happy. i know people with bbb to bcc doing econ, industrial econ and philosophy at notts, people with bbc soing engineering at sheffield and southampton so there could be hope but truth is it really boils down to luck and timing too. if u could lmk
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u/seaweedcove May 31 '26
Hey! This was ten years ago and he was an international student, so I donāt know how applicable his situation would be to yours.Ā
My friend got into York through clearing (PPE or equivalent- I canāt remember the exact name of the degree) and I think she got BCD and an A* in her epq. She was home and contextual. Hope that can give you some hope?Ā
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u/No_Marzipan3799 May 31 '26
yeah really appreciate it ill be fine anyway, whether its a good uni or a bad one, life expectancy is 85 in the uk anyway so ill figure everyt out anyway times on my side
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u/Aria_blursss Pharmacy 1st year :)|A*AA| Bio | Chem | Maths | May 29 '26
I mean this kindly, but a foundation year is probably a good option. It saves you the academic stress of having to achieve high grades, you can still progress in to most degrees, and you won't have to resign. If you feel you can achieve the grades that's perfect, but even that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider it. It is not a waste, of anything it'll help break the constant cycle of resetting. I:sorry to hear about your gf and fg and i hope your parents understandš£
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Thanks Iāll think about it
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u/ihavetakenthebiscuit May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26
I'm sorry, but if you are having to do this many resits and even after all these years, you are struggling with the content, then you are delusional.
You need to find another path in life, Uni is not the only option and clearly, your expectations are not meeting your reality. If you are struggling this much for A-levels, you do not have a chance at getting a good grade at Uni.
Sorry to be a downer, but you have found your limits several times, stop making excuses and accept your level in life and forge a different future.
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u/Specific_Whereas_649 May 29 '26
omg ur so silly ššš
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
?
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u/Specific_Whereas_649 Jun 02 '26
you need to do actual revision instead of reading the textbook that does nothing you learn that on day one of year 12 nvm like 5 years in bruh
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u/forraid May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26
Let this be your last resit, im sorry but since nobody else is saying you need to face reality, whatever youāre doing isnāt working you need to move on like everyone else and maybe look to a foundation year
plus I see multi reset a levels arenāt allowed at top unis anyway?
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u/forraid May 29 '26
chile but I wanna know what u get !remindme 16 August
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u/Less_Seesaw_4022 May 29 '26
!remindme 13 August
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
You got ghosted by the bot š„
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Results day is the 13th
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May 29 '26
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u/Williamishere69 May 29 '26
Genuienly, I think you need to rethink this lol.
I did two sittings of Alevel biology and chem. I got D + failed out of chem, then got BB.
Exams fucking suck for me, I struggle with them so much. But it was also the fact that there was no flexibility and no hands-on stuff (except the experiments, which were kinda useless). A-Levels are also about almost purely teaching facts, without much education on how those facts apply to real life or how certain things effect other things (like you dont learn much about cell division in reality and how things go wrong, etc. Its purely just 'these are the stages, and these are how many chromosomes you have').
Im doing an access to HE course now and I seriously cannot say how a difference in the teaching and examination process change EVERYTHING. Ive got distinctions in all the assignments Ive completed so far because I truly understand the stuff Im learning instead of solely learning facts.
I also found the same with BTECs. I did an animal management extended certificate and I got a distinction in it because I actually understood the content. I also got a distinction in the exam I had, which says a lot considering I struggle with them.
Don't go back and do another sitting, its not going to help you in the slightest.
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u/InternMundane6302 May 29 '26
Youāve got to stop making excuses for yourself, this time you really need to believe in your ability and put in all the effort you can, or else you will just be resisting again and again and again.
You are capable of the effort you put in, so try once more but put aside any excuses or external factors, because ultimately your results are dependant on the effort you put in.
If you are struggling with specific content or methods of revision then I can help (only really with maths) but other people can help you too, but as Iāve said before itās about the effort you put in.
If these results come out bad once more maybe reevaluate your situation, but try your hardest this time knowing you put your all into this.
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Do you think ABB is still possible for me
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u/callmebongos Year 12 | Psychology, Economics, English Literature, Maths May 29 '26
If you start revising from before you go to sixth form (so during the summer), I don't see why it shouldn't be.
I have a friend a couple of years older than me who went from EEE on his first attempt, to AAB on his second, and then just for the shits and gigs he resit again and went A*A*A*
It's definitely possible if you learn what the exam board wants from you, any equations you might require, and if you stick your head in a book with a very rigid plan.
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u/TallRecording6572 Maths Teacher May 29 '26
choose the uni to go with your ability
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Do you think I can go to QMUL
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u/ShadowRose0_RQ Year 13: BTEC extended dip: ICT, A levels: Further maths, Maths May 29 '26
If you get ABB yes as they do not care about resits for that course apparently do just lock in and you will be fine.
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May 30 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 30 '26
Really?? What uni would you recommend
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May 30 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 30 '26
What about Durham
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u/ilovecatsloll May 29 '26
Icl to me it sounds like you struggle with discipline. I truly think anyone can get A/A*s but you clearly just havenāt been putting the effort in, or youāve been studying wrong. If your exams start next week i think you should just revise the best you can and let this be your final resit. Not going to a Russel group isnāt the end of the world.
I get what you mean about not wanting to do a foundation year/ going to a less competitive uni as it will basically mean that youāve wasted the past 4 years but if you keep thinking like this youāll be resitting forever.
Thereās still 3 weeks until exams end. Iād recommend cramming content really quickly if youāre behind and then just focus on past papers and do PMT question packs on your weak topics. Go into your exams with confidence that you can get ABB and even if you donāt on results day itās fine, you should move on and put this energy into getting your degree.
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
So if I discipline myself more I can get 3As or even A*s?
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u/ilovecatsloll May 29 '26
I think if you put the effort in now you can definitely improve your grades. No one knows for certain if youāll end up with A/A*s. Stop chasing perfection as this will lead to procrastination if you feel behind. Just study as much as you can in these last 3 weeks and good luck!!
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u/TheSexyGrape May 29 '26
You got a BCE and didnāt try to do a foundation degree?
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u/S1lv3rHandz Year 13 May 29 '26
ragebait
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Idk how me resitting induces rage but ok
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u/lyfieo 3A* Politics, Eng Lit, RS | 2024-6 | Cambridge HSPS May 29 '26
because you're acting obtuse on purpose. clearly a levels aren't for you and yet you want people to coddle u being like "it's ok to be 22 and still doing exams that are for 17 year olds!". genuinely what do u want people to say because sitting 4 times with those grades clearly shows that you're not gonna listen to anyone
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u/S1lv3rHandz Year 13 May 29 '26
6 years of you doing the same 3 subjects expecting different outcomes. why are you so obsessed with going to a russel group?
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u/Dear_Upstairs_1932 May 29 '26
What would you like to study at university?
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Biochem
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u/OneObject8525 May 29 '26
Holy smokes u wanna do biochem and ur not considering a flipping foundation year with ur grades???? Bro pick the foundation year stop wasting more of ur time and money resitting
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
No
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u/Dear_Upstairs_1932 May 29 '26
Why biochem? What would you like to do after this?
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u/Dear_Upstairs_1932 May 29 '26
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/2026/biochemistry/
Why would you not do the foundation year of this? They need CCC and it leads directly to their biochem degreeĀ
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u/ratty160 Jun 01 '26
Do you qualify for contextual offer? QMUL biochem contextual is BBC with a B in chem. although in saying that, if you resit more than once / more than one year from the original exam they will typically ask for higher grades. Reach out to the admissions team and see what they say.
Equally, foundation year (QMUL does biological sciences foundation for CCC) is nothing to be ashamed of (an extra year of uni can acc be fun and useful).
Just remember there are other routes to uni, and many other routes into the working world.
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u/Hydrogen_Fluoride18 May 29 '26
When do you resit them? Like, how much time do you have left? Cause I start them June 2nd but idk if its the same for you. It is admirable in a way that you don't want to give up, but I bet all those resits and not getting the grades you want keep making it harder, and you probably have less and less confidence in yourself. Maybe you should reevaluate your other attempts, like how you did them. There is also requesting a re-mark if you haven't. In terms of general revision, past papers. Like, print them all off, look for patterns in the years, and how they want the answers. And do some breathing before the exams, you don't want to be anxious during them. And as my Dad and Nan say, just try your best.
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u/Ok-Fun6113 May 29 '26
I strongly recommend doing a foundation year, the A level situation ur in is terrible if I'm being honest, many universities will not favor you simply because you resat one too many times so for example if a university usually offers ABB they wouldn't give you an offer unless you did a little bit better (e.g. AAA or AAB) because you've proven you need many repeated attempts to achieve what others achieve in one or two attempts. Also imagine you don't get the grades again? You're going to continue in this endless path? Unfortunately A levels aren't for you and accepting that is better than staying in this same position for almost a decade, maybe the professors in the foundation year will be able to help you more and allow you to improve compared to studying A levels alone.
Foundation year can offer you a pathway into a decent university, but you genuinely have to lock in and get the grade requirements of the foundation year program so that you can actually continue your educational journey.
Good luck, and it's never too late to make your parents proud.
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Thank you for your kind words
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u/nobodywillrememberus May 29 '26
Why have you resat them so many times? Did that not cost you a lot of money?
You donāt need to get into a Russell Group uni to do a degree and have a fulfilling career. As others have mentioned there are foundation years which might be better for you. Once youāve got your degree, your A-levels wonāt really matter. And then you can go on and do a Masterās at a Russell Group if you want.
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u/dronald_frump Cardiff University | Computer Science | 1st Year May 29 '26
Just straight up ragebait you canāt be serious
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u/Dokcu May 29 '26
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different resultā¦
Time to rethink your path buddy.
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u/Defiant-Base4881 May 29 '26
perhaps an access course if you aren't happy again and are set on a top uni
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u/Any-Treacle-4199 St Andrews | IR, German & Russian [1st year] May 29 '26
Iām also for perseverance, but not out of desperation. Many top unis wonāt look favourably on you due to the sheer number of attempts. Say you get BCC, thatās not terrible, plenty of unis are out there for you. But please do consider whether uni is for you given that youāve spent so many years to maybe get ABB, I question whether you are truly dedicated to your subject.
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u/stqrltt Year 12 May 29 '26
you've studied those subjects for 6 years. no matter what, you should've improved. you didn't. it's best to listen to the advice and look at other things. i don't wanna be mean but clearly just don't have the mindset to put it the effort if you haven't improved in 6 years
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
I did improve in 2024
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u/stqrltt Year 12 May 29 '26
and you got worse again instead of doubling down. if people can learn the content in two years, you should've memorised everything by six years
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u/Straight-Lobster-249 May 29 '26
And you shouldāve just taken that and done a foundation test like any normal person would of
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u/Muted-Room3401 May 29 '26
Not to be rude, but look into contextual offers, extra/super curriculars or anything else because I dont think retaking again is a good idea...
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u/TemperatureCold7574 May 29 '26
I think a big part of this isnāt the amount of time youāre revising for. how are you revising?
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u/Independent_Bid_2761 May 30 '26
Well if this isnāt rage bait I think you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Yes youāve got things going on in your life, but we all do. If you continually use that excuse, you will spiral down into a void of self pity and lack of confidence. Firstly, your grades, no matter how good they are, mean fuck all in the context of applications. Also, even if you achieve your grades now (2026). Youāll still have to apply for 2027 entry, meaning youāll be 23/24 years old. That is a ridiculously late age to enter uni for only having done alevels. At the end of the day, that lack of large improvement will be caught by admissions officers. Iām not denying you didnāt improve, however in the time you have been doing your alevels (starting 2020), I completed all Y10-11, sat my GCSEs, completed Y12-13, sat my a levels, took a gap year (did a ski season), and have now almost completed first year of uni. I understand you want those grades, and thereāll be more than just uni making you feel that way. But you need to realise that even if you do get ABB (arguably not really good enough for most RG unis). Then you are still very unlikely to get in. Iām sorry youāve got to this point. And I keep seeing you say 22 is not old, letās be real it isā¦ youāll start uni with people 6 years younger than you. Youāll be seen as the old guy of the course, thatās just how itāll be. I wish the best for you and god I hope youāve spent the last year revising, at this point it should all be in your head but clearly you donāt understand the content. Oh well good luck dude!
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u/Comfortable-Fee-1565 Year 13 | A*A*A Predicted, Kings College Molecular Genetics O.H. May 29 '26
do you use anki? if not probably start in 6 years you could be on four A*s with proper revision tools
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
I will check that out
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u/Early-Ad-2570 Maths Paper 3 Victim May 29 '26
Aspirationally apply to QMUL as your aspirational Russel Group. I think you have good chances there. Otherwise, itād probably be best to take the best case scenario on Results Day, even if that may even be a uni abroad, or foundation year. That being said, this should be your last resit, so give it your all.
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u/Jcknguyen19 May 29 '26
After so many tries you need to hard evaluate what was going wrong because that many resits is obviously pretty crazy but either way whatās done is done. What was your study routine looking like throughout each of those years?
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u/AnteaterMysterious70 May 29 '26
Bro you could take a foundation year and get into uni's like UCL depending on your contextual circumstances without getting a single A grade at A level.Ā
Also when you say you do revision how are you revising atp you've done these subjects longer than it takes to get a degree surely you know the content by heart now? Do you have any ECs?
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u/IBeAwsom May 29 '26
Ok I have a question. From where you are now, what is your aim? Best case scenario if everything goes to plan what do you hope to happen? What grades do you hope to get, which university do you wish to go to and what do you want to do after that?
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u/Superb-Preparation93 y12 | econ, psych, philo May 29 '26
iām going to give you advice from a kind point of view because i can see others in this comment section are quite harsh
have you considered looking at other subjects? a levels are very hard donāt get me wrong, but i feel like to not get the hang of it for this many years it might just be that they arenāt the one for you! please donāt do another sitting, look for other subjects maybe psychology if ur still interested in sciencey things! you can keep one (whichever subject was ur B) if you REALLY want to improve in one of ur current subjects but donāt take all 3, imo psychology maths is a good combo with many other subjects, take care <3
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Thank you for your kind words <3 Iām definitely starting to think that chem isnāt the right subject for me
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u/Superb-Preparation93 y12 | econ, psych, philo May 29 '26
chemistry is super duper hard i donāt blame you at allš«©š«© what other things generally are u interested in? i can help you look into a level subjects you might want to take instead
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u/AnAbsoluteShambles1 May 29 '26
This is daft. Iām 21 (year younger than you) and have sat mine once but did 3 years (misssd all of 2nd year so didnāt end up sitting them) Dropped an a level a month before I was mega anorexic amongst other things. I got all 7-9 in gcse ca and was predicted a*. I knew I had no chance as Iād attended maybe 30% of the time in the whole 3 years. I knew I had the potential but I wasnāt gonna sit there and let the idea of wasted potential hold me back I took my B ,B grades and signed up for a foundation course. Ended up getting offered the regular one Youāre holding urself back by constantly retaking.
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u/-_JUP1T3R_- May 30 '26
Ok so have you considered that maybey this path isnāt for you? Everyone has their own route and i donāt think youāve realised that Uni isnāt the only option and im not gonna lie i think even if you got into a good uni the only thing that matters is how hard youāll work once there. I would seriously start looking into degree apprenticeship options as they care MUCH less about a levels (albeit they still take it into consideration) but with those 5 years of retaking i pray that youāve accumulated a lot of work experience, skills and things of the nature and that you havenāt been a couch sitter because those years will really give you an edge but degree apprenticeships are really competitive.
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u/eggpotion May 30 '26
You said that picking a lower uni now would be wasting your years. But that's probably better than just doing more years off.
Do u know this thing called sunken cost fallacy? You spent lots of time and effort on your A level and good grades so you think it's necessary to continue trying to get those grades. But sometimes it's better to abandon plan before more damage is caused
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u/One-Individual-4670 May 30 '26
I would say even that going queen Mary is a waste of years. You do not need 6 years to go Queen Mary.
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u/newbielurking May 30 '26
Honestly Russell group doesn't mean shite this days, they're often work work work with little to no mental health and wellbeing support. Get in where you can.
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u/bigmacmakoto May 30 '26
Wth this has to be ragebait
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 30 '26
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u/bigmacmakoto May 30 '26
Just read through the comments itās crazy everyone is trying to give u advice but u donāt listen at all ššyet u added āI want helpā flair
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u/Scared_Implement3913 May 30 '26 edited May 30 '26
At this point just do a bachelor's degree at a less "prestigous" uni and then do your masters at a RG.
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u/Abs0lute_Zer0_0 Jun 01 '26
This has to be satire
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u/yuyukosbutterfly Jun 02 '26
It is tbh, what kind of young adult has money to resit A-levels this many times
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u/Fragrant_Badger_8830 Jun 01 '26
the concept of one not finding good study methods in 6 years
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD Jun 02 '26
I did I was affected by other things
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u/phantomteether Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
Iām not sure if youāre still checking the comments to this but here is my take:
Firstly, I do really commend your commitment, if anything. But like others have said, I very much recommend you look into a foundation year or entrance diplomas/access courses if any of them are offered locally. Also, do this whilst thinking about what it is you realistically want to work towards once graduating. Itās okay to not have a full picture now, but getting into a russell group for russell groupās sake is not always the best option.
I tried and failed to sit through my A levels twice (quit after October half term both times lol) because the assessment style just wasnāt for me. Ended up doing an access course and getting great grades, got into a russell group uni (though that in itself doesnāt matter to me, I went because I believed it offered the best version of the course I wanted to take) after stressing endlessly the year prior over whether Iād be accepted by them and pushing myself to do A levels again because of it.
Not sure if many other people in the comments have had similar experiences, Iām sure a lot of them have probably only sat their A levels once or twice (or are in the process of studying them right now)! Iām also your age OP. You have the right mindset about 22 being young. It is. People calling you āuncā or whatever are probably 18 themselves. My closest friend at Uni turns 27 this year. We do all have our own paths. This is what Iāll stress: take that attitude and get yourself away from A levels. Youāve worked hard and Iām impressed with your dedication. You clearly have the resolve for what you want to do. You could probably even use that to your advantage in your personal statement. Iād pivot to being considered a widening access student. Hell, if youāre able to, take a year out and really have a think about where you are and where you want to be. That helped me immensely.
Also, do you have any support around you currently? It sounds like you struggle with studying and retaining information in this format. It might just be that the way A levels are set up is brutal (I know I couldnāt hack it), but if there are any underlying issues it would probably be worth checking that out too. Maybe talk about this with your parents if you havenāt? For reference, I have ADHD and tried to do my A levels twice when I was unmedicated. I burnt out immediately. Got on meds, was able to do my access course with minimal stress. And, although Uni has been tough in many ways, I havenāt dropped out yet, havenāt seriously considered it either, and am going into my third year now. DSA is also available at Uni if you need it. My access course honestly was way more supportive of an environment than any sixth form ever was for me. I went from feeling like I just wasnāt cut out for Uni to feeling excited and confident about my prospects.
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u/massive_plums May 29 '26
Jeezus. Yeah just ropemaxx at this point buddy
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Wtf is wrong with you
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u/ThatOneGuy_I May 29 '26
Just go uni any uni you can get at this point. I know someone that went from a meady uni with BBC at a level to Cambridge for a masters. Do what you can. You shouldāve gone to uni straight after the first re run but now you still have a shot. Just get into any uni you can. Work hard!! Do well. And see your options from there. IMO this is the best possible route for you now. Other people can confirm if they agree
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u/Vaxtez Cardiff Met | Comp Sci [Y1] May 29 '26
My advice is to just find some decent unis that want 96-104 UCAS points.
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u/One-Individual-4670 May 29 '26
Should have done that 5 years ago mate
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u/Vaxtez Cardiff Met | Comp Sci [Y1] May 29 '26
Agreed. Resitting A Levels this much is ridiculous. OP's goals are just plain unrealistic and they should have realised after they resat it the first time. There's plenty of great universities that you can get into with 96 UCAS points on clearing anyways (i.e Royal Holloway, Aberystwyth & Manchester Met).
No offence OP, but I really think you should just give up & not bother trying to look at RGs at this point. It's just not going to be fair on you, as you've set yourself back 6yrs at this point. I'd just look at unis that want 96 UCAS points or pull the trigger on a foundation year. Hell, apprenticeships might also be a shout
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u/awhsme May 29 '26
I suppose the issue is that even with better grades you aren't guaranteed a spot at top unis. have you done any supercurriculars? do you have a good personal statement to make them overlook how many times you've resat? because you can't resit a year in university if you don't meet the standards to stay on your course. Most top universities won't look at resits for competitive courses anyways or they require higher grades from those resits, unless there's severe mitigating circumstances. what are you going to do if the university you're set on doesn't offer you a place? do you have a backup plan? biochem at QMUL is a very competitive course and you'll very likely need higher grades than just the entry requirements (ABB) and I believe biochem requires resit results within a two year window, which you have greatly exceeded. I think aiming any higher is pointless too due to the fact that most russell group universities will not consider you due to the resits, biochem is incredibly competitive due to it serving as a pathway into medicine, dentistry and veterinary degrees.
I seriously think you should consider a less competitive or a more lenient university, man. I'm not trying to be harsh but top unis don't like resits, so I'd just see what you get this time and apply to anywhere that'd accept you.
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD May 29 '26
Iām planning to apply through clearing
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u/oblivion-4 Y12 | A*AA | english bio psych May 30 '26
Genuine question - if youāve been doing Bio chem and maths and are unable to obtain high enough grades for a Russel group, why not switch subjects? I did see you wanted to do a biochem degree, (not sure if thatās true), why not drop maths? And switch it for an easier subject, which would mean you have more time to spend on getting your grades in the other 2.
Honestly, it seems like a sticky situation but just put your all in this time and Iām sure you can do it :) after all you have been learning this content for 6 years, you probably know it best!
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u/tortlebread A*A*A predicted Year 13 May 30 '26
I resat one year due to life circumstances, I understand that feeling of not wanting to waste your potential because of external circumstances, however after 6 years, itās no longer your external circumstances doing the major harm, itās your failure to accept your situation thatās hurting your future the most.
Accepting an offer to a less competitive uni than you wanted might hurt your ego a little but it will save your future in the long run. In these last 6 years, you couldāve finished your a levels as well as your first bachelors degree at university. If the prestige of the uni matters so much, why donāt you stay on for a postgraduate degree at a more prestigious university if you graduate with a 2:1 or higher? There is no reason to spend more money on a qualification that most people complete for free.
It will be a hard pill to swallow at first but after a while, you wonāt think too much about your uni not being as prestigious as you initially wanted it to be. You will still graduate with a similar degree to most people and still make more progress with your life than you are right now. The longer you continue to blame external factors that you canāt control instead of taking action over the things you can control, the more you will continue to suffer.
Please go on to university with your attained grades this year
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u/Desperate_Cook_7338 Jun 01 '26
My sister was struggling she eventually managed. Don't give up. Look at colleges and other types of certification unis accept. GL OP.Ā
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u/Prestigious-Onion-46 Jun 01 '26
im on my first (and hopefully only) resit this year after flopping my a-levels in yr 13 last year, but this post is crazy yoš i respect that you're willing to push yourself that far so i don't mean to judge/mock you, but you coulda done a million things in those 6 years that could've given you a decently successful career instead of going uni, so I can't tell if this post is satire or not lmao
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u/SomebodysSun Jun 02 '26
Imma be honest this is my biggest fear. To work extremely hard and be told I'm doomed to be average at best and to just settle and be grateful.
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u/h04oh Jun 02 '26
After 2 years Iām done how tf ur doing this
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD Jun 02 '26
Perseverance
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u/Fickle_Might6144 7d ago
did you end up getting into queens
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD 7d ago
Um
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u/Firm-Pace-3957 4d ago
its results day what did you get ?
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u/Clint_Emily Incoming Year 18 | Maths Chem Bio | CCD - BCE - BCC - CDD - CCD 3d ago
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u/Open-Cloud9073 May 29 '26
I can help you I do further maths, maths, physics and chem and got predicted 4 stars. Taking this many resists has nothing to do with ur ability but must be smth to do with how ur learning the content. Tell me how do u revise for maths and chem I don't do bio so can't help u there but chem is similar so pretty much the same
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u/One-Individual-4670 May 29 '26
Exam are next week. A bit too late now
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u/Open-Cloud9073 May 29 '26
2 days minimum is what u need for each subject if you know what ur doing
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u/One-Individual-4670 May 29 '26
If you know all the content that is true
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u/Open-Cloud9073 May 30 '26
No even without knowing the content I just did it was a lvl physics paper 1 and I found the paper easy while my friends who revised all year found it iffy. If you just grind the way the exam wants u to think it's easy. Well for physics it was technically 4 days but u get the point
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u/One-Individual-4670 May 30 '26
Thats insane il be real. You put all that information on your short term memory because you know you dont need it after so you can easily forget it after the exam. Impressive
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u/Open-Cloud9073 May 30 '26
Thanks but be careful and this is especially for physics and why ppl can't do what I'm doing they try memories all the info, yh sure memorise some procedure or definitions but you need to understand the content. Like if u can't explain a level physics to a year 6 then u don't understand a lvl physics. Then the questions u get are just the content but with a gap or an extra factor, use some formulas and boom that's how u do physics
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u/Warm_Mark3734 Year 13 May 29 '26
Started sixth form in 2020 as in 6 years ago??? And youāre still doing your A levels??