What do these A level results actually mean?

[Kayet]

My eldest got her A level results this year and while to me it sounds like she's done very well she's unimpressed and I'm questioning my judgement as you always do seem to see articles about how the value of A levels has decreased and they've become easier etc. Her college counted anything as good as or better than a D as great. She got AAB with an A at EPQ but seems to think the B makes it all useless. For her A* at A level she was highly commended on two papers by the external moderator but none of us actually know what that means - does anyone here?
I have zero background in academia and DD knows it, so I was hoping to have the advice of someone who actually know what they're talking about.

She needs to have applied before Christmas - yes to Russell Group. She'll have missed open days which is a shame but once she's got offers she can go to offer holder days next year before she chooses.

Will College provide her with a reference? She needs to get herself sorted ASAP, particularly if she has to rely on what sounds like a crap college for the reference. Maybe an employer would be referee instead?

Crisps why would she need safe and aspirational choices when she already has the grades? Doesn’t she just apply for courses that require the grades she has?

The grades quoted are just the normal offers and not set in stone. It will vary slightly depending on the number of applicants they get a particular year and they may take into account her particularly good score in English. Also with her grades already set in stone she's less of a risk in offering a place to. If there's a place she loves that asks for AAA or A*AA I'd give it a shot personally.

Ah, I see. Thanks!

I know someone who got into Cambridge with those grades - he's doing History.

I know several young people who got into Russell Group unis for English with less than AAA. ABB and ABC all were fine in the end. One of my DC got in with ABB, and two of her subjects at A-level weren't even in particularly academic subjects - think photography, etc.

Yes OP the league tables are a good place to start but then she should look at the different course outlines and see what she likes. Look at the Russel group as a starting point but bear in mind there are other good outside of this group.

It sounds like her college was so low achieving that she might perhaps get a “contextual offer” which acknowledges that her AAB is more of an achievement than her friends’ 3A from very supportive private schools. In that case, Oxford or Cambridge is not out of reach if that’s what she wants.

MN will always tell you that snob factor isn’t everything when it comes to choice of university, and they’re often right, but when it comes to doing an English Literature degree and then getting a good job offer I think that league tables and snob value really are the way to go.

However that still gives her a lot of choice between Oxbridge/London/North/South/Scotland/Big City/Small Town/Campus.

(And by snob value I don’t mean going to a place exclusively populated by posh people, just a place which is widely recognised as being high quality, and which can afford to be fussy about its entrance requirements)

My dd is studying English at Cambridge and she reckons that it could be worth applying there if there is a chance your dd could get a contextual offer.

If her college is that bad she might be eligible for a contextual offer. To find out if that is likely I find Bristol University's list helpful http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/
This in a lot of places means she will get offers a grade lower or in her case could get in with lower grades. She should also mention her lack of permanent teacher in her personal statement.

You as a parent can get a lot of information by registering on the UCAS site, which will help you help her.

Is she submitting her UCAS form now, I.e before the January deadline? Has she been to any of the University Open Days?

She has really excellent results, but her college seem to have let her down in preparing her for University application.

All the Universities publish a list of the subjects they offer and the grade requirements for that subject.

I can see, for example, that with those grades she would be eligible to to English Literature at Nottingham, Leeds or Sheffield , all top Unis with a good reputation.

I have heard the Which University guide is easy to use and gives grades required etc, student satisfaction and earnings. Might be worth a try?

Call a Cambridge Admissions tutor. Whyever not? The A* from her college background is amazing. Good luck.

Oxbridge admissions deadline was today.