A-level results, late ADHD/autism diagnosis and reapplying to UCL – looking for advice

If this is her dream though, the most realistic way to make it happen is to resist the two A-levels she got B/D in and achieve the required AAA. She can always wait one more year and apply with grades in hand. The most important thing is to resist those A-levels and get her results up, but definitely apply for extra time in exams now that she is diagnosed ADHD.

I went to UCL (although I read Law). I don't see what the appeal is 🤷‍♀️ It wasn't anything special or particularly supportive. Why is your daughter so set on it?

@Milliondreamz98 I don’t see why it had to be UCL? She’s not got the grades for there and it’s probably out of reach. Newly discovered careers are not always great choices either. A customer or service user might not be the best practitioner and a very low % of psychology grads get anywhere near being a psychologist of any kind.

Being an educational psychologist requires a master’s and a doctorate and some experience of working with dc. The degrees are not all the same but some will have better employability than others. Carry on with supporting her dream but add a dose of realism. There’s few training places on the doctorate courses - you need to have everything they are looking for, not a dream supported by mum. None of what you say indicates a top drawer UCL student to me. I would steer her to be more realistic, especially if you don’t live in London.

I feel I am derailing the thread a little, apologies OP. @Coldcabbage- I'm a Chartered Coaching Psychologist and work in organisations on leadership development, change and culture etc.

I did a psych conversion course with the OU (as already had an undergrad degree in an arts subject) that gave me GBC but I don't think that exists anymore. It was also very cheap to do (approx. £2.5k in fees) - no way could I afford to do the equivalent now. I then did a part time MSc (which was also much cheaper back in 2014) and then did the professional recognition route to get chartered psych status with the BPS. It's been a long (but very fulfilling) road...

What type of psychologist are you? @applecharlotte

As far as I know, there is no entry requirement to study psychology at degree level at OU? Other than you can cough up the funds of course!

No it wasn't. I took the OU route for my undergrad, as someone early suggested to the OP. However, since then have worked as a psychologist teaching on programmes at top-tier universities such as Cambridge and Henley Business School. Where you get your BPS accreditation and do UG degree doesn't necessarily hold you back when it comes to working as a psychologist.

My reason for commenting wasn't to invalidate people's thoughts about studying at UCL, I fully appreciate that some programmes require higher levels of mathematical aptitude than others (and I would have struggled, for sure!). It was because if someone had said to me back in my early 20s...there's no point in trying to pursue psychology at degree level if you don't have a high maths A-level grade it would have really put me off, when actually it isn't a barrier for lots of psych roles/careers inc. Educational Psych.

It’s very competitive, fiercely academic and the pressure is intense. I didn’t enjoy the campus at all.

It is fierce isn’t it?

And they’re not going to bend to a parent giving them a call to say that they’d been difficulties during year 12 whilst an assessment was waited for and accept a student with a D.

I did a Masters degree at UCL and would not recommend it for an adhd student.

What uni did you go to @applecharlotte

I would bet a lot that it wasn’t UCL or up there alongside it

Just wanted to echo a PP and warn that UCL is a very high pressure environment. There is little in the way of pastoral care. Something to bear in mind given your DD's recent situation.

My dd took a level maths with a private exam centre.

the deal is you pay the money and then turn up and go the exam.

they don’t do predicted grades because they don’t even see you before the exam so have no information to base the predicted grades on.

btw, ex maths teacher and I have a maths degree. The maths in psych is largely statistics, no pure maths at all.

a level maths is largely pure with some stats and mechanics. It’s quite possible to do very well in the a level and not do any of the stats questions.

equally, ability at pure maths doesn’t tell you much about ability to learn stats in context.

Might it be worth adding the Open University into the mix of options? They do some psychology degrees which are recognised by the BPS and you can choose to study at a full-time or part-time level, do just one course or a whole degree. Some universities may take OU courses as transferred credit if she decides to enter the system later - that needs checking with the individual university. I've known, in the past, some treat first year OU courses as equivalent to A levels for mature students.

It might give your daughter breathing space to work on some life skills, evaluate what the ADHD/autism diagnosis means for her, and work out her next steps while still heading in the direction of her current goals for future work. Meantime, maybe she could get paid or voluntary work with children which could add to her general CV. She could start saving some money to help her if/when she goes to an in-person university too. If the OU suited her and she still wanted the university experience, she could look at doing a postgrad qualification later with a first degree behind her and stronger general foundations. Just a thought.

Has your DD looked at any other options via clearing, OP? There’s also the option of a foundation year with some courses.

It sounds like your DD would benefit from building coping strategies around executive function. Unis vary a lot in their offer to neurodivergent students, it’s well worth thinking about this when choosing a uni.

Would she be living at home for uni? Learning to live independently takes a lot of executive function and emotional regulation, something like a commuting or foundation year would let her tackle this without stressing about a heavy exam load.

My comment is obv about studying and having a career in psychology more broadly - not specific to UCL.

Chartered Psychologist here.... GCSE maths - C, no a-level maths, 2:1 psych degree and distinction at MSc.

Absolutely no need to worry about maths and totally agree it's over emphasised on mumsnet as necessary for psychology. Working with statistics or assessment methods (in context) is very different to what is covered in, and the skills needed for A-level maths.

I hope your DD finds her way forward 💐

I got an A in psychology at A level, thanks 😊

Although I would not assume the D in maths means she is not good in maths. I actually got an E in A-Level maths and was predicted an A. I asked my ADHD psychiatrist why my O-Levels went so well and A-Levels so badly and she said it was probably down to very poor executive functioning, which needs to be good for A-Levsls. I went through clearing and got a good degree. (sadly i have no idea about UCL’s opinion on this - some unis essentially only look at the A-Level grades and others look more broadly at each candidate).

Delete wrong thread!

All I am trying to do is explain UCL is one of the best universities in the world and the entry retirements are fierce and strict

You needed AAA* to do psychology at UCL one A in one of the sciences or mathsOR psychology

You didn’t do a science or psychology at a level and for a B in maths

Yes, because of my A level choices (which did include psychology, but no hard STEM), not because I got a B in maths GCSE (UCL asks for a B/6 or above) or because I didn't take maths.

Your tone is coming across very confrontational. I wonder what a psychologist would make of that.

If your daughter was planning on living at home and commuting to uni, then that means you’re London based. So surrounded by fantastic universities that she should explore as being much more realistic.