Importance of A-Levels

Sudden

Sudden

Sudden

Soldato
Joined
15 Nov 2005
Posts
2,955
Location
London
Was just browsing as usual and thought i'd look up summer placement stuff for law and turns out one of the firms needs, apart from a 2:1 at uni, ABB at A-levels as well.

Now I didn't do that great at A-levels but managed to get into a good uni anyway so figured it didn't really matter what I got long as I did well at uni. Now I see this :p

just wondering if anyone had any experience with regards to this? A-levels very important for most companies or can you get by without having done great in them? (assuming you've done well at uni. :p)
 
Assuming you did well at uni I imagine that they'll be fine with it.

To be honest a lot of companies put those sorts of statements up to stop people who aren't 100% sure they want to do the job applying. Show them you're good for the job despite it.

:Edit: Be ready to explain why you didn't do so well at A-Level though.
 
You have a degree, therefore your A-Levels shouldn't matter. Just make sure your CV has adequate experience, and skills, etc.
 
Last edited:
A lot of companies arn't too concerned with the degreee you have so much as the level of learning it demonstrates you are capable of achieving and just group them into Science, Arts etc.

You should be ok I would think, but as said above it may crop up why you did better at uni than school, so think about why that was.
 
what about people who didn't take A-Levels, but took BTEC National Diplomas or similar?


A-Levels aren't the be all and end all - a lot of people who did them told me that, they're simply another stepping stone to more education
 
A level results are extremely important when applying for graduate placements. A lot of companies will use A level results to distinguish between candidates or have minimum A level requirements. They are often more important that the university you go to.
 
Im currently doing my final year for my BTEC National Diploma IT Systems Support. If i get a distinction then that is equal to 3 A's at A level :D
 
I cant even start the official application process to IBM, even with a 1st class degree, their online system outright refuses based on my poor A-Levels :)

So yeah for some companies it "officially" still matters.
 
manic_man said:
I cant even start the official application process to IBM, even with a 1st class degree, their online system outright refuses based on my poor A-Levels :)

So yeah for some companies it "officially" still matters.
Click to expand...

Either lie or retake them :)

That is, if it matters that much to you.
 
Neh it doesnt, I just remember it from when I was applying for my internship roles.

I ended up at HP anyway and being honest IBM holds little interest for me in the long term.

Thought it was interesting though.

Google for example specifically requires a "red brick university degree" for some of its posted jobs! Now thats a weird stipulation if ever i heard one... so anyone from Oxbridge, Brum, Manchester etc is welcome but no one else? hehehehe
 
manic_man said:
Google for example specifically requires a "red brick university degree" for some of its posted jobs! Now thats a weird stipulation if ever i heard one... so anyone from Oxbridge, Brum, Manchester etc is welcome but no one else? hehehehe
Click to expand...

That's nice of them.
 
Well, no real reason as to why I didn't do well really. Bad luck I suppose? :p got a BBB, but missed out on an A in one of them just by a few marks.
Anyone think that the fact I came into the country only a couple of years ago (as in, started at A-levels as soon as I came) made a difference? I never thought it did, but my teachers alays thought it would take me time to get used to *** system etc. Or is that not good enough for companies to look past the grades?

Never bothered retaking the 2 or 3 modules I would have to push it up to a AAA cause I figured that as long as I got into my uni, it wouldn't matter.
 
guess it sucks for people like me who have no a levels then :p

to be honest the btec nat diploma i did would be much more suited to the sort of company i intend to work for then a levels :/
 
Rossmac said:
Is there no way to retake A-Levels during your time at uni if it matters so much?
Click to expand...

What's the point? Your A-levels are to your degree as to what your GCSEs are to your A-levels. It costs money and you need to find a willing centre to sit the exams. Failing A-levels the first time round may be consequence of bad education and therefore the candidate would need to retake the course entirely, unless they were feeling lucky. Either way, commitment will be needed on the part of the individual and that will be detrimental to the education in progress.
 
Large companies offering placements are obsessed with UCAS points, which are made up from your A level results.

Its got to the stage that if two people apply, one with a 1st so far, and the other with a 3rd, from the same course on the same Uni, but the person with the 3rd has 300 UCAS points and the person with the 1st has 200, the person with the 3rd would get further in the application process.
 
Nix said:
What's the point? Your A-levels are to your degree as to what your GCSEs are to your A-levels. It costs money and you need to find a willing centre to sit the exams. Failing A-levels the first time round may be consequence of bad education and therefore the candidate would need to retake the course entirely, unless they were feeling lucky. Either way, commitment will be needed on the part of the individual and that will be detrimental to the education in progress.
Click to expand...

I would have imagined the point was this thread.

You got a 2:1 at uni, but your A Level results are holding you back from getting that job which you wanted, so therefore retake them and broaden your prospects.
 
Rossmac said:
I would have imagined the point was this thread.

You got a 2:1 at uni, but your A Level results are holding you back from getting that job which you wanted, so therefore retake them and broaden your prospects.
Click to expand...

But you asked if it was worth taking them whilst still at university when they still have other commitments.
 
[TW]Fox;9984500 said:
Large companies offering placements are obsessed with UCAS points, which are made up from your A level results.

Its got to the stage that if two people apply, one with a 1st so far, and the other with a 3rd, from the same course on the same Uni, but the person with the 3rd has 300 UCAS points and the person with the 1st has 200, the person with the 3rd would get further in the application process.
Click to expand...

That's pathetic.

What about post-grad qualifications?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom