AS results

[innkeeper]

Son got AS results yesterday. He got ABBB and is disappointed. English was one mark of A so going for remark. He wants to apply to Durham. Are they likely to reject with these results?

If he retakes and ends up with AAB a levels in what he's continuing, that can become AAA with a little work, focusing on the A in what his degree subject will be. I dont think they'd reject on those grades, if he shows the dedication that'll make his teachers give him good predicted grades. But it's been a few years since I did my A levels so I'm not totally familiar with the new system.

Why is he doing AS levels? Most schools are now just doing A Levels over the two years and have dumped the AS.

Did your ds start his A levels in 2017? If so, AS levels are now separate quals and don't count towards the final A level grade. A level courses are now linear with all exams taken at the end of the second year.

This explains it better than I can!

Is he doing the new A levels as well??

My answer was based on the old system of A Levels, has everything changed to linear now? I was still thinking it was only some subjects!

Oh wait .. are you in Wales or NI? If you are then AS levels still contribute to the finally grade, I think. (I should know this, I work in a uni!).

I've seen grades improve massively between AS and A2, so it is possible. Where I work, we wouldn't necessarily reject someone where the AS grades are lower than the final typical offer but would need to see evidence in the reference and predicted grades that improvement was well within reach. A lot of schools don't declare AS results on UCAS applications anyway, so the grades are not essential in order to be considered.

Looks like hard work is in order, but it is possible to improve especially if retaking weaker modules.

We are in England but school is still doing AS this year. Started 2017 so uncoupled. I know won't count towards final results but will need declaring for UCAS. Just worried he is in worse position than someone without AS

Predicted grades and a good personal statement will go a long way. He could end up with AABB after a remark which is fine. I don't think he should worry.

I have never heard of a school not declaring an AS grade on a UCAS form - it is definitely a requirement.

With regard to AS grades, my understanding is that some schools choose not to 'cash them in' until the A2 is complete, so effectively the AS grade is uncertificated. If that is the case, they don't need to declare them. I've seen this happen, but granted it is pretty rare.

He doesn’t have to declare them on UCAS. They have no way of knowing what exams he has done, as the vast majority of students no longer do AS exams they wouldn’t find it unusual.
There is no requirement to declare anything. However, I would have a conversation with Durham admissions. (I’d try to do this without letting them know your son’s name so they don’t link it to future applications) and discuss what they want to see from candidates. A student that can achieve ABBB at AS and who is considered to be doing well by their teachers and to exceed these grades could be looked upon favourably. It depends on his GCSE results. Universities liked the AS system, it was a far better identifier of student ability at HE than GCSE results.
PM me if you want any further advice. I’m HOY to yr 13 in the Midlands and have spent a lot of time getting teenagers through this process!

GCSES were 9,8,8, 3 A star, 4 A

DD's school still did AS levels last year. She got AABB, ditched one of the A subjects, and ended up with AAA at A level. She "cashed in" the A in the subject she dropped because she hated the subject and knew that as a stand alone it might count for something at some point.

As long as his predicted grades are what Durham are looking for, and he has a strong personal statement there is no reason why he can't apply there.

YourDaughter the AS grades do have to be declared on the UCAS application and I am very surprised that your school does not do this as it could be considered a fraudulent application if discovered. UCAS would then cancel the application so it would be very risky not to include all exams taken.

Where I teach we have stopped offering AS levels unless they are a dead cert A (academically selective indie) as it is considered to be a risk. Not sure how I feel about this personally but there it is.

www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/entering-levels-and-levels-your-ucas-application

He has dropped one of the B subjects. Just feel he would be in a stronger position if he hadn't sat them

I thought that you absolutely have to put every exam you've taken on the UCAS form - that's certainly what dd's school told her.

She hasn't sat AS levels in any of the three subjects that she's doing at A level - if she did the AS grades would need to go on her UCAS form. She did an AS but only in a subject that she wasn't intending to carry on to A level - she chose not to risk her good AS grade by carrying it on as an extra A level.

Please see this advice from Oxford -
uni-of-oxford.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/545/~/does-oxford-require-candidates-to-disclose-information-on-their-as-level-unit

This is just one university - talk to the admission departments (I have and have never heard anything to the contrary).

What is the entrance requirement for the course he wants at Durham?

A star, A, A

Ok, did he get the AS A grade in the subject he needs to take/will be studying? How far off the A was he in the other subjects? How did he do in his mocks/does he perform generally in school tests/perform in comparison to classmates?
This is all information that can be included in his teacher reference at application.
What else has he done that can be included in his personal statement. They are looking for students who can perform academically whilst still doing other things. This way if they do find the step into HE hard there is something that can give to improve once there. Does he have work experience relating to his course/planned career - can he be doing this if not?
Grades are only one aspect of the application, they are looking for soft skills that will suggest they are going to do well in HE.
Does Durham value the EPQ - is this worth him doing?

YourDaughter unit grades are not really that relevant I agree and Oxord will be in line with other universities in not really being that interested in these.
The fact still stands though that the AS grade itself is required for the UCAS application.

Education
This is the section of the UCAS form where you list all your qualifications along with the grades you have already achieved and any standardised test scores. You also need to list any educational qualifications you are currently working towards.

Please list everything as the admissions tutors need to see the whole picture of your academic studies so far. It doesn't matter if you have taken a lot of qualifications, a few, or none, we ask you to tell us about them.

Just for clarity this is from Oxford's UCAS help section of their website. Please do not give your students bad info as it could well hamper them.

I don't advise students not to put their results on UCAS starcrossed, but I do give them all the information that I have received and then allow them to make their own choice. They are young adults, it's not fair to do otherwise. They can choose to leave information off their UCAS form if they wish, as can the OP's son. All of the feedback I have received from university admission tutors is that they don't mind if students do not disclose poor AS grades - they aren't really interested in them.

Whether you disagree with this or not is moot. My other advice to the OP still stands. I would contact Durham admissions and see what they say. A good way to do this is during an open day event. They are real people who don't just look coldly at student's applications. There are blurred lines and they will look at each student contextually. They may not be interested in his AS results. They may be if he is close to the A in all of them. They may be more interested if he has excelled in the EPQ, or if he has carried out various activities like work experience, volunteering, MOOCs etc. that show is devotion to academically studying his chosen course.

They are real people who don't just look coldly at student's applications. There are blurred lines and they will look at each student contextually. They may not be interested in his AS results. They may be if he is close to the A in all of them. They may be more interested if he has excelled in the EPQ, or if he has carried out various activities like work experience, volunteering, MOOCs etc. that show is devotion to academically studying his chosen course.

Spot on! I manage UG admissions in-department and completely agree with your advice.

(sorry - bold fail there!)