Are A-Levels important after University?
- Thread starter SideWinder
- Start date
I don't think i'd want to work for a company that cared what my work ethic was like at age 16-18 TBH
Thats fine. The one's I applied to did. I think Accenture was/is 320 UCAS points before they take any notice of the rest of your application.
Its harsh, but a good metric. I'm not saying people don't change for worse/better but probability is with performers from A levels continuing at degree and commercial levels.
heres what i think.
If you apply to a massive/large company your C.V will no doubt go to the HR department. HR are more concerned with picking qualifications than someone who would suite the job. You will often find if you can somehow get past HR your manager will not care about the qualifications you have as long as you can do the job.
If you apply to smaller companies they will more than likely check interests and any project work to see if you match their requirements, before looking at your qualifications.
In my opinion A-Levels are superseded by Degrees and therefore become meaningless. I don't even write my grades down, after all I am pretty sure I could just resit them all and do better now than I did then.
If you apply to a massive/large company your C.V will no doubt go to the HR department. HR are more concerned with picking qualifications than someone who would suite the job. You will often find if you can somehow get past HR your manager will not care about the qualifications you have as long as you can do the job.
If you apply to smaller companies they will more than likely check interests and any project work to see if you match their requirements, before looking at your qualifications.
In my opinion A-Levels are superseded by Degrees and therefore become meaningless. I don't even write my grades down, after all I am pretty sure I could just resit them all and do better now than I did then.
Your A-Level results determine which University you'll go to, and that determines the standard of the degree you sit. Saying "have X A-Levels points and a 2:1", simply translates to "get a 2:1 from a University which requires at least X A-Level points on entry".
So it matters insomuch as it determines where you'll do your degree.
So it matters insomuch as it determines where you'll do your degree.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 27 Sep 2004
- Posts
- 25,821
- Location
- Glasgow
At that point though you're not looking at whether they matter after university or rather you're beyond the point of being able to do anything about it because you've already sat the degree and therefore it doesn't matter if you "top-up" your A-Level results.
Many graduate schemes will ask for your A-Level/Higher results as part of the initial filtering process so if your results are poor then you are far less likely to progress beyond the first stage - it might be possible to get the potential employer to look beyond this disadvantage if you can prove or at least suggest that they were an aberration and you've got now relevant experience that supercedes this but realistically that is only something that can be determined on an individual basis with each employer.
He's already at University so this is all moot.
Associate
- Joined
- 10 Dec 2007
- Posts
- 194
I hope they are not important, i'm not doing so well in them at the moment. 
Certainly, in the case of the OP there's little point in doing extra A-Levels now. The point I was attempting to make was that when employers want to rate your degree, they simply look at your A-Level score and infer from those what type of University you went to. So whilst it's already set in stone what University you're at or where you went, employers will always use your A-Level results to determine that standards at the University.
Associate
- Joined
- 24 Nov 2008
- Posts
- 321
- Location
- North West UK
I'd say they mattered to some degree but not totally.
i wouldn't take another year out to re-take them because it wastes a possible earning year, but if you could re-take on the side of your current course if your uni would offer it? (i'm not sure if things like that are offered)
Personally, I'd want to resit for peace of mind, and general pride i suppose.
But as it has been said, depends entirely on your industry and potential area of work.
i wouldn't take another year out to re-take them because it wastes a possible earning year, but if you could re-take on the side of your current course if your uni would offer it? (i'm not sure if things like that are offered)
Personally, I'd want to resit for peace of mind, and general pride i suppose.
But as it has been said, depends entirely on your industry and potential area of work.
Shell, BP, Total?
Some industies appear to want good A-Levels, but the majority of graduate employers I have looked at in my industy (Petroleum/engineering) don't give a damn.
The banking industry however (from previous threads on here) do seem to.
So will any job, even a shelf stacker, it's whether they actually hinge their entire assessment of you on those over your degree, that is what appears to be industry specific. The "highly rated" graduate schemes (although I don't know why people want to work in a non discript company that most people haven't heard of, well I do, money...) seem to want it, however a lot of others (read most), will just ask you for your qualifications below degree level, and that would niclude A-Levels.