A Levles etc question

Hxc · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:03

A Levels etc question

Hi.

Currently at high school but taking 2 AS Levels due to the way my school works.

I chose to take AS Computing as it's a subject I enjoy, and I am doing well in it, got an 3-marks-off-perfect A in the first unit, and an almost B in the second, which I am retaking as it is free, and the best grade goes through.

Due to my school's system I have also been forced into taking AS French after getting an A in the GCSE (no idea how I managed that, honestly). This however, is not going so well. Did mocks and got a B overall, got a D in oral mocks, not good. Did unit 1 and got a low E, rest of the class got similer, a lot getting Us. I've got a 1 and a half hour writing exam coming up and dreading it, I've not got a chance of doing well in it, we read someones who got a D and my work is waaay below that standard.

Basically, I've been seriously considering trying to get out of doing the AS French, as I feel that the bad grade I'll get overall, probably a D at best, will not reflect well upon myself when I come to apply to universities, particuarlly as I plan to apply for some of the big ones, Cambridge, Oxford etc.

Other than AS French, and a couple of other subjects, I am a straight A/A* student, and I plan for that to continue into sixth form.

I'm not sure what to do in all honesty, I think, and my mother somewhat agrees, that a D in AS french lining up alongside 4 As (hopefully, providing I put the work in), will not look good on a uni application, esspecially for unis that look for the "all round" package, even if it does give me a couple of UMS points.

Anyone care to give their opinions?

Cheers
hxc.

Sinque · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:10

You can't be good at everything, they will understand that.

RandomTom · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:11

Talk to the school, I know for the Oxbridge universities you can't not declare anything, so best is to explain this to them.

Good luck in the test anyway, you might as well try your hardest. Make sure your A levels are good, even with one unit dragging it down you could pull it up again, I regret all the time getting a D in A2 physics, when a C would have looked so much nicer.

Hxc · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:15

I tried my best, thought I did well and came out with an E. That was very demoralizing to me, esspecially as I'm not at all used to grades like that! The amount of work that needs to be put in for a french AS level I feel may come off as detrimental to my other subjects. I mean, I've got the oral for it at the end of this month and it's already eating into my revision time for other things. A 1 and a half hour written exam which I feel I'm going to fail, as well as resits for the first unit are hardly helping me, but I'm willing to work at them if it's really worth it.

Nitefly · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:33

Hxc said:
.. that a D in AS french lining up alongside 4 As (hopefully, providing I put the work in), will not look good on a uni application, esspecially for unis that look for the "all round" package, even if it does give me a couple of UMS points.

Anyone care to give their opinions?

Cheers
hxc.

Do not declare the result.

In my AS examinations I got CCCE due to not revising for them. I declined the E and applied to University with the 3 C's. However, I was predicted 3 A/B grades - thus I got all the places I applied for.

I would take the exam and not declare it if the result is not a good one.

You aren't going to get in anywhere simply taking 2 AS levels, although I may have misread your post.

Hxc said:
Currently at high school but taking 2 AS Levels due to the way my school works ..... alongside 4 As (hopefully, providing I put the work in)

Hxc · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:36

The universities can and will look up what results you got by talking to the exam boards, as otherwise you could just lie all over the place!

sniffy · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:37

Do what nitefly said. You can actually decline grades so there is no record of it.

Nitefly · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:38

Hxc said:
The universities can and will look up what results you got by talking to the exam boards, as otherwise you could just lie all over the place!

They can not look it up, or alternatively do not take it into consideration, if you do not declare the result.

It may actually be called 'declining'. I asked for the grade to be removed from the records, and as far as I'm aware it was.

Hxc · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:41

Sorry I forgot to mention; I'll be going to sixth form of course, and that's where the 4 As will come from, I didn't make that clear. This is a long way in the future of course.

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:44

Hxc · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:46

Sorry, again, confusing. Am 16 currently and in my last year of high school, moving to sixth form and doing 4 A levels there after this (Computing A2, Geography, Govt. + Politics, Maths).

The AS french is a forced thing I did not want to do in the first place.

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:48

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:49

Nitefly · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:50

The politics is a bit out of place there. I'm asuming the idea of a computer science degree appeals to you. If it does, I hear further maths does help a lot and I would consider that as an option.

sniffy · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:50

Hxc said:
Sorry, again, confusing. Am 16 currently and in my last year of high school, moving to sixth form and doing 4 A levels there after this (Computing A2, Geography, Govt. + Politics, Maths).

The AS french is a forced thing I did not want to do in the first place.

Forced? What, you can't go unless you take French? I'm sure you could just have a strong word. Make it clear you won't be doing well and recommend a subject you'll enjoy and a subject you'll get better grades in. It's all about league tables and funding to them.

Nitefly · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:51

markyp23 said:
The application process is a bit of a joke as you were clearly not expected to get 3 A/B grades but your school have clearly made it up to make themselves look good.

Not coming down on you by the way as you are just playing a system that shouldn't be there to be played!

Not at all. I retook every unit in one year and I came out with straight A's.

I personally think its a farce that we pay for your university fee's entirely.... but thats another discussion altogether

Hxc · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:52

markyp23 said:
Sorry are you doing GCSEs at the moment? And when you go to sixth form you refer to A levels as in the AS+A2?

Yes I am. That's exactly it.

Doing 2 AS levels early.

I was forced into taking the French AS level as my school is a language college, we had no option of not taking it if we had done the French GCSE early (again, not an option if you are in a top set)

In reply to the politics out of place; I'm planning on doing a maths degree somewhere although not dead set, but my sixth form does not offer Further Maths in the first year, only doing an AS in the second. I plan to take that after doing Computing A2 in the first year.

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:52

[TR]SweetSpotOz · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:53

p4radox · 7 Apr 2008 at 20:55

If possible, drop the French. It's a great subject, but if you're mathematically inclined you'll find it completely eats up your time. Languages are very very hard, and demand a lot of revision. I did German AS which was more my style than French, but found it much harder than maths, physics etc...

Besides, if you're not even in 6th form yet it's only a "bonus" AS level really. Granted it'll look good on your CV, but a bag full of A*s would probably look better than a few A*s and a D in French AS.

If you can't drop it, then at least make sure you concentrate on your "main" courses, or the ones that most apply to what you hope to do at uni/in the future.