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Original poster

dd seems to think she needs A's to get into a good university...is she right

43 replies

brimfull · 06/03/2008 15:46

please give me some reassuring facts to tell her.SHe's had her maths As results for some exam ,not the final or anything ,and she is disappointed she got a B.She says she may as well drop it after As.

She doesn't know what she wants to take at university,probably something businessy.But surely a B grade is ok..isn't it?

OP posts:
marialuisa · 07/03/2008 08:53

Former admissions tutor for Med/Vet Med. Our uni is usually looking for AAB in its most popular courses so that includes Psychology, Business and English as well as the clinical subjects. "Straight" Sciences, Engineering and Languages have slightly lower entry requirements (usually BBB).

The admissions process I was involved with was a little unusual so probably not applicable here, it involved online assessments to sift for interview candidates, personal statements were not particularly bothered with and referees' statements just checked to make sure no negative comments e.g. "over-confident", "forceful". This uni does have a degree of central decision making so anyone who doesn't meet the basic GCSE/A level criteria set by the School is binned before they are even viewed by academic admissions teams in Schools. There's no advantage to doing more than 3 full A-levels.

Dropping maths because she's getting a B seems a little OTT unless she's worried about workload?

NorthernLurker · 06/03/2008 16:43

It's a long time since I did my form but I think the idea is to show commitment and interest in whatever it is you do - not necessarily who does the most to the higest level - although yes the skydiving ones do stand out a bit I expect What you could do with is the view of an admissions tutor - there must be one around here somewhere!

Original poster
brimfull · 06/03/2008 16:31

She plays flute and is doing DofE (like everyone else though).
SHall enroll her in skydiving course immediatley..god the pressure on these kids.

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NorthernLurker · 06/03/2008 16:28

It's not just grades either - your personal statement will say a lot about you - does she have outside interests she can put forward there? I'm guessing she plays an instrument as she's doing A-level Music. My offer from a good university was ABC. That is 13 years ago now though (gulp)

Original poster
brimfull · 06/03/2008 16:22

Thanks for replies-I'll try and persuade her to keep up with the maths.

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Indith · 06/03/2008 16:10

Just saw she is doing it early and will be doing physics too. That is fab! I would def keep the maths even if she does get a B at the end as it will help so much with physics. I didn't do maths and struggled with some aspects of physics because of it.

Indith · 06/03/2008 16:08

I'm at Durham I got ABBB but I wouldn't get on my course now with those grades.

If she is worried then she can always ask her teachers what she can do/what weaknesses she needs to focus on to pull it up but as others have said a B looks pretty good and remember many teachers set tests that are harder than the exam to make sure students are well prepared.

Since she has an idea of what she wants to do her best bet is to get online and take a look at some websites, start to think about where she might like to go and look at the typical offers.

ska · 06/03/2008 16:06

i think it is very competitive now. my talented niece got 4 A s plus AS levels and also 11 A* at GCSE and she didn't get into any of her choices. she is doing english at London Kings next year now. i was v surprised (and also anxious, I did english on CC back in 1977...wouldnt have even got in now) seems astonishing

Original poster
brimfull · 06/03/2008 16:00

I think so too effie

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EffiePerine · 06/03/2008 15:54

She's doing this early and she's worried at getting a B? She's done brilliantly

Original poster
brimfull · 06/03/2008 15:53

No not aiming at oxbridge or medicine/dentistry.

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Original poster
brimfull · 06/03/2008 15:52

She's in yr 11 so is doing this early ,other subjects are physics,french and music which she'll start next yr ,so don't know how she'll find them in comparison.

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EffiePerine · 06/03/2008 15:51

Sounds like overachieving girl syndrome to me ;). Try and help her to chill out a bit!

caykon · 06/03/2008 15:50

it all depends on the uni. If she wants to do something like medicine, dentistry then thats a differant matter or if she is aiming for oxbridge

Original poster
brimfull · 06/03/2008 15:50

Yes I do as well effie.Why she feels a failure getting a B is a mystery.She has got some seriously clever friends though.

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hermionegrangerat34 · 06/03/2008 15:50

I work at Durham and most offers are up to AAB. It varies a lot on the subject though. If she wants to do something businessy, she should do maths. B is pretty good, people know maths is a 'proper' A level and so a B here means more than an A in some subjects (general studies, etc!).

EffiePerine · 06/03/2008 15:48

Alos, the advatnage with modular exams is that I presume she can pull it up to an A grade later on . But I think a B in A-level Maths is pretty impressive

EffiePerine · 06/03/2008 15:47

Depends on the university and the subject. I think I needed ABB for my chosen uni (to do English), other offers were BBB and BBC.