Anyone got ABB at A-Level?!

[livim]

I got ABB in Bio, chem and maths last year, (and a D in English but I'm not gonna declare that one!) and I was wondering if I have ANY hope of getting in? My GCSEs are pretty average too! (AAAAAABBC) I'm about to start a BMS degree, but people keep telling me I should go for medicine next year. So I do NOT no what to do! I've booked a UKCAT just in case, last year I got 680 so I'm hoping to get around that again. Also I hav been working in path labs for a year already, and worked as an HCA before that, so I hav tons of experience, also did some voluntary stuff here and there, and shadowed doctors for a week. So what do we think? would YOU let me in? lol xxx

[whitepearl]

I will say that rom last year so u do stand a chance but is ur A in Chem? cuz if it is, u stand a better chance compared to Bio but then Bio is accepted by many unis. ~Ur UKCAT score is gud...it depends on the entry requirements for the unis that u r going for....if u go for the unis that accept ABB...then u wud be fine/./...Soz Im not gr8 at giving advices but I still think that u can make it if u try. If ur GCSEs are As in ur Maths, sciences and english....then u do qualify to apply...overall, I wud just say that keep trying and u wud get in if u rely want it...u just have to be determined to get in..hav u thought abt post graduating?

Gud Luck!

[gravitysrainbow]

Okay, I guess I was being naive in thinking that gcses grades don't matter a great deal when applying to medicine. Though, when looking at some prospectuses, a lot of them want at least grade B in english and Maths.
I fine with English (A), but got a C in Maths.
Would this cause any trouble when applying?

I'm now taking AS levels in Chemistry, human biology, english lit and lang and psychology, and expect all As.

Should I consider re-sitting maths?

[giella]

It's not necessary to resit maths really. Plenty of universities just want a C. If you want to for you then go ahead, but you'll get both kinds of advice here. I never go back with education. Only forwards and the occasional tangent. Just move on to the next thing.

[igorina]

Originally Posted by giella

I never go back with education. Only forwards and the occasional tangent. Just move on to the next thing.

This is some darn good advice... gravitysrainsbow,I say don't resit it unless it helps you feel better about your maths skillz!

[Hannah-Yakira]

hey!!!
im in a similar situation...
i did AS levels last year and came out with ABBCC but cant not declare them !!!
but i am now resitting the year because i eally want o do well and get into medicine...do you think my results last year willset me back?!?!? would love some advice
thanks
Hannah xx

[f_debelder]

Multiple issues here...

OP: You are probably not going to get an offer as an undergraduate with those A levels, AIUI you have already completed A2. Rarely, universities will let people in who have been given offers of AAB and miss a grade, but that is usually due to a mistake that has occurred after results day. No university will give you an offer of ABB if you have already completed A2. Best bet is to try for graduate entry. As you correctly said, your GCSEs are average.

Second poster: GCSEs do count. Yes, as giella said, some universities ask for a minimum of a C in maths, English, science etc...but you have to look at the bigger picture and the fact that that is a minimum requirement. Besides, you can strike off the unis who want a minimum of a B in maths...that is their minimum and you would be throwing away an application if you applied with a C! The rest of the applicants, i.e. your competition, will have got higher grades than a C. It is worth considering resitting IMO, but bear in mind when you put it down on UCAS, it will be clear that you have resat it. Check with your prospective unis to see if they allow resitting of GCSEs, I'm not too sure on the matter.

Last poster:

but i am now resitting the year because i eally want o do well and get into medicine...do you think my results last year willset me back?!?!? would love some advice
thanks

Yes, almost definitely. All the unis I can think of need you to complete your A level course, i.e. AS and A2 within two years. If you resit your AS year (as I understand that is what you are doing from your post) then you are in a serious situation.

[giella]

I would reiterate my advice to just keep moving forward. You might be a good candidate for GEP, and providing you get a good upper second class or a first class degree, the universities will respect you for having moved on with your education and proving that mistakes you made when you were fifteen/sixteen have no bearing on your ability. Remember, if you're 17, all the medical schools have to judge you on are your GCSEs and A levels as an indicator of how you might cope as an undergraduate. Once you're a graduate, you've shown that you are capable of coping with the science, that you've developed good study skills and that you have had some experience of life outside of school.
If you don't think you can wait another 3 years, then you need to understand that it might take you that long doing A level resits and applying again twice or maybe more. You might as well do something constructive and educational in that time.
The alternative is, get your grades and see how you do without applying. If you do better than expected, just do a gap year and apply then. I realise it may sound like I'm contradicting myself, and you may well end up with rejections even with this way. But this would be an opportunity to distinguish yourself with a gap year, or spending time in employment as a healthcare assistant or something, which you might be able to continue through university if you decided to do a science based degree. So look on all of these as opportunities for growth and development, not as setbacks.

[MattDinnery]

Do this:
Write a list of any medical schools you really want to apply to, would consider applying to, and would definately not want to go to.
Ring the admissions tutors of all of the ones you really want to apply to and see what they say (backup with email if needed). If you don't get four that will, use your list of those that you would consider.
If you still haven't got 4, go alphabetically through the rest until you get to 4, but don't even contact those on the definately don't want list.

It's what I did this September. It took me a while, and I faced lots of rejections along the way, but I got my 4!

[Hannah-Yakira]

i just wrote a huge long reply and it got deleted
anyway...i got 6A*s and 6As at GCSE so my AS results and GCSE results dont really match up!!! But by not doing so well least year it made me realise that everyone can fail and it made me deal with it...whcih was hard and moving down a year and resitting the whole year hasnt been easy but I do really want to do medicine and want to get As at AS and maybe even A*s at A2. Il ring admissions tutors next week so i know where i stand as to whether any unis would accept my apllication. Any other ideas??
Thank you