Refused option to redo Year 12

[Kismet2010]

I have a 17 year old daughter who has been told today at 11am that she will not be allowed to redo AS level in Biology and Chemistry (starting Monday) as she got Grade U in her exams. She was devistated and we now have to find alternatives by Monday. She has always wanted to work with animals and needs biology and chemistry to do her university course. We had visits planned to universities and the next two years mapped out. We now have to visit the only college that is still enrolling tomorrow, who may let her do biology and chemistry, but she was hoping to continue to A2 in English and Economics. Do we stay on and do English and Economics and do chemistry and biology next year at college, or do we move to college now and start all A level courses again? No time to think. Any advice would be most welcome.

This can hardly have come as a surprise to your daughter. Most pupils drop a grade from As to A2. Move to college and start again!

I got a U for A level chemistry (before they introduced As levels), I knew nothing as I just couldn't get my head around it, it just doesn't click with some people. I might suggest some alternative options, there's nothing to say that it may not click later for her though.

fortyplus....is that true???? ds tutor and the uni lecturer told me they go up a grade?????

Its very understandable i think but true.

To get a U she must have found it very difficult or put no effort in.

My own ds hasnt found it 'easy' but hes really stuck his head down and worked -As arent easy and to go into it thinking they are then its a mistake.

Pixie is 4 A2s very unusual we were keen for ds to continue his but even the uni said he should drop 1.

They normally drop a grade from the GSCE grades don't they??

It's just anecdotal comment made by several friends who work in secondary schools - obviously there are also lots of pupils who maintain their grades from AS to A2.

Most take 4 AS then drop one. I have a friend whose son took six A2 (but including general studies which doesn't really count!) and achieved A in all of them last year.

Thank you Pixie.

(Yeah, just trying to sort out my mother/school uniform etc. Hope you are all well, we need another colour thread, how about cerise? )

Thanks i just wanted him to do all 4 bcos he has done well (i think) on his As and I thought 4 would be better than 3.....

Unis tend to want to see as/a2 done within 2 years unless there are extenuating circumstances (particularly if it is competitive entry, so it depends what sort of working with animals).

{magenta sounds good, your turn}

no pixie in fact ive just started a thread about my ^wrath* ......he got 3bs (I was 5 marks off an a) and now its come that he got 1 A ....hes doing history,law english language and psychology.

He wants to study law and is going to drop psychology.

I honestly can't see much point in enrolling in college to re-do Chemistry & Biology, unless there are massive extenuating circumstances leading to the U grades.

As Pixie says, you'd have to really be off-course to be getting Us. Has no-one previously expressed concern at her progress?

I think I'd be doing some serious thinking about the University courses she has in mind, tbh, if they definitely require these subjects. The college move might be a good idea, but might she be better with different options?

How are the other subjects going?

She needs to look at the entry requirements for the university course she wants to do. Even if she does manage to improve her grades dramatically - and I'd question if this would be realistic - many universities won't accept resits. How did she do in English and economics?

Been to college and they will not take her with U's and were quite blunt about it, she would have to be on a strict contract and would have to start her English all over again. They would not even consider Biology and Chemistry next year due to funding issues.

In January she was told that she had to pull her grades up, but by March had decided she was not going to get the grades to go to Vet school and lowered her goals to animal science, but had decided she would just resit the year, and obviously she now admits she 'relaxed', and knows now what a mistake this was. She admits she has blown it, but found the transition from GCSE type study to A Level study quite hard. Every one is shocked at her results as she got A* in triple science GCSE and was predicted a C throughout her AS levels in both chemistry and biology.

Long discussions throughout the last two days; and apart from staying in bed for the rest of her life, it looks like she will return to do English (she got a C in AS) and Economics (she got an E in AS). She is going to beg them to reconsider the biology/chemistry side of things, but if not will undertake A Level Biology via a distance learning course and delay university until 2012 and see if she can pull something out of the bag. If this also fails, she will do law. Shame she has wanted to work with animals since the age of 7!

Anyone know the best long distance learning institute for A Levels?

They don't drop a grade from AS to A2 they actually ususlly go up a grade. DD1 got a D in her As English but got a C in A2. If it's a Vet course she wants to do she will need 3 A's inPhysics.Chemistry and Biology ora combination of sciences and Maths. So she should really be looking for an alternative course.

I think your daughter is being unrealistic. She should look at a more vocational course, get a lot of work experience and then maybe look at University later.

Or maybe look at doing some OU courses. But is this all coming from her, or are you presurising her?

There are lots of jobs with animals which don't need a degree. Has she had any work experience in this area?

Stop with the dropping a grade thing ..... Im expecting at least 2 A grades next year from ds.