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Higher education

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Original poster

Unexpected A level results, not sure about way forward

96 replies

Itisadifficulttime · 19/08/2023 10:36

A bit of advice please. DD has always been exceptionally bright through primary and secondary school. She had As across the board in GCSEs.

DD was predicted A* in all her A level subjects. She got DDCC. She lost her firm and insurance choices for software engineering.

We went to clearing and got computer science with foundation year.

But my family think it's better she resit the exams, that she will have those grades on her CV for life and it will affect her obtaining a job in the future.

My questions...

Would the A level results affect her getting a job on graduation? I thought getting her Computer Science with foundation year (with the opportunity to do software in year 2/3) was a really good option.

If she is too resit, how do we go about it? Her school would not let her resit there. Does she go back to school and attend classes everyday or just register with a college and go there to sit the exams next year?

OP posts:
YoDood · 19/08/2023 12:20

cestlavielife · 19/08/2023 11:54

She s going into software engineering ....

Show quote history

That may be her current plan, but if I were her parent I would be loathe to cut off other options at this stage.

JanieEyre · 19/08/2023 12:22

It all depends whether she wants to do computer science, whether she likes that course, and whether computer science courses from that university are well-regarded.

MissBiljanaElectronika · 19/08/2023 12:33

Oh tricky!

I work in software and we (the world) is screaming out for junior developers

There is a worldwide shortage

If she is any good at coding and loves IT she will fly

We are currently recruiting and are only looking for experience and knowledge

Not even looked at anyone's A levels or even if they have a degree.

Software and IT in general is very much about what you are able to do and how quickly you can learn

It is very different from more traditional industries

MigGirl · 19/08/2023 12:41

Mrsttcno1 · 19/08/2023 11:43

If there is a way she can re-sit the last year somewhere and re take the exams next year I would advise she does that, because contrary to what others may say A Levels do still matter once you have a degree. I graduated in 2020 (law degree) and have still been asked for my A Levels when applying for jobs, and my best friend was at uni at the same time (doing primary education), she got CDD in A Levels, only got in through clearing to a uni she didn’t choose and still hasn’t managed to find a teaching position, the feedback she is given is that whenever it comes down to 2 candidates with the same degree, both the same level, performing the same in interview, the A Levels are then looked at and she always falls short.

but as an aside, it would be worth checking that her first choice uni would accept resits, some uni’s don’t.

Also maybe worth her having a think about whether university is even the right move for her, A Levels are difficult but University degrees (at least in my experience) are a LOT harder and it’s an expensive mistake to make to take out student loans only to never obtain a degree/obtain a third class etc

This is the case when working in education, I have had to supply all my grades even down to GCSE'S. But never when I worked in industry was this the case, I would supply my CV and that was it. They may have asked to see my degree certificate but again that was it. In schools I have had to supply copies of my GCSE'S, BETC and Degree certificates (note I didn't do A levels).

Why they are so particular in education I don't know. I'm not even a teacher, so it would totally depend on the area of work OP's DD wanted to do.
My husband is a high up engineer earns about 6x I do and only ever get asks about his degree.

Picking a University that will help with end jobs/your employability is probably far more important.
I wouldn't be as bothered about resits as some else has said not all University will accept them anyway.
I'd also be asking school why her grades where so different from predicted, and looking at her papers.

Dotcheck · 19/08/2023 12:43

Moredarkchocolateplease · 19/08/2023 10:52

FWIW I wouldn't want my DD who is obviously clever, to have to go through a foundation course then another three years of a degree in a subject she doesn't want.

My advice to my DD would be resit. Or look at a business apprenticeship.

OR… she can do an apprenticeship in software engineering? I’m not sure a business one would help her achieve her aims?

Many students are in a similar position this year.

She could resit ( ie at an exam centre). See if an FE college could fund her, which may not be possible, as she has already achieved and received funding for the qualification.
She could take a sideways step and do a L3 BTEC in a computing based subject, and then reapply for university.

There are options, but to be honest, a foundation year is not the worst one.

I’m not sure her A level grades would really matter after she has her degree.

MargaretThursday · 19/08/2023 12:55

DH recruits in computing and would tell you he doesn't care about A-levels and even degree; it's all about the coding.
I don't think any of their current employees don't have a degree, in fact I think 2+ (or one plus masters etc) is more common than otherwise but that isn't what they're looking for.

What I'd say is retaking depends on why she had such a drop. I'd look at :
Did others at the school have similar drops?
If so, was the drop because of bad teaching (so if she goes elsewhere, then she may fly) or bad predictions (in which case it may not be worth retaking because that may be her level).
If not, why did she drop so far? Panic on the day (will it be different next year?), exam that didn't suit her (that would be a heck of a drop but could account for some), bad exam technique (so could practice this), didn't work (will she work next year?)

I'd only go for the retake if it looks likely she could score much higher next year, otherwise take the foundation year.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 19/08/2023 12:57

Once she’s got a degree most people won’t be bothered about A levels. I don’t think most students tend to improve much in resits do they?

Original poster
Itisadifficulttime · 19/08/2023 12:58

Thank you for all the replies. I didn't expect so many replies but I really appreciate every one.

To answer some questions..

She's happy with her computer science because she gets to do software in year 2/3.

I have not influenced her career choichoices.

The universities we got in clearing were Hull, Leicester and Royal Holloway.

No, I haven't requested free copies of her papers but I will do now that I know I can.

I was not surprised by one of her Cs because it was a struggle getting her to do the required coursework. But I was surprised by the remaining C D D.

DD literally screamed and moaned when she saw her grades in her result. She was very surprised. She's still not eaten. But perked up a bit to have a chocolate milk shake after securing her clearing offers.

I don't know what to make of her reaction to her results. She was very much looking forward to getting her results..excited even.

She is genuinely brilliant. She's been very intelligent from day dot. Her marks have always been top of the class. It's not me or DD assuming she is intelligent.

I know she properly studied for her exams. A result of AAAC would not of surprised me per se.

Thanks for everyone's response. Really appreciated.

OP posts:
Foxy1616 · 19/08/2023 13:00

ultimately, it is about what she wants. If she’s off to university this year, I would strongly advise that she finds a course that has a placement year – that is what will solidify her future. I am very surprised that she couldn’t get straight into a year one doing something computer/software related though … is she set on a specific uni/area?

GingerIsBest · 19/08/2023 13:00

For me, the issue here is that she scored so badly compared to what she was expected and, from the sounds of things, based on how she'd done previously and in mock tests. and as a result, her entire life is going to look different to what she expected.

I think if she's happy with the alternative option, then fine. But if she had her heart set on software engineering at a selection of one or two universities, and she had no reason to believe she wouldn't get in, then I'd be fighting to get her back on that track.

I'd also be very worried about WHY this sudden drop? What on earth happened. DD is in primary school and I'm concerned that she has gone from exceeding expectations to meeting them and will be having a conversation with the school next term to ask why they think she's dropping and what we should do about it.

Original poster
Itisadifficulttime · 19/08/2023 13:04

Posted too soon.

I meant, a result of AAAC wouldn't have surprised me per se even though i expected higher. So i don't know what event wrong in the other subjects because she studied hard and her teachers were very happy with her.

Her teacher for the other course told me straightout that if DD failed her coursework, it would affect her grade for that subject in A levels. And she didn't do well in her coursework.
She knew that, so compensated by studying even harder than she was already. She really worked really hard.

I don't know what happened.

OP posts:
Bpickle1 · 19/08/2023 13:09

Do the degree , no point resorting, holding her back and no one looks a A levels once you have a degree. She can just say on her CV that she has the undergrad degree and grade

Original poster
Itisadifficulttime · 19/08/2023 13:11

seratoninmoonbeams · 19/08/2023 11:43

My sister did this with my niece and two of the grades were increased by one level 😮

Show quote history

I would be requesting free copies of her papers. If her grades were to be increased by one level, at this point would it make any difference?

As there is no course that suits her future career plans available in clearing anymore.

OP posts:
Original poster
Itisadifficulttime · 19/08/2023 13:12

Moredarkchocolateplease · 19/08/2023 10:51

I'm an exams officer.

Hopefully your DD has requested free copies of her papers and her teachers are looking at them to see how far she was from grade boundaries, pending a priority review of results?

@Moredarkchocolateplease I would be requesting free copies of her papers. If her grades were to be increased by one level, at this point would it make any difference?

As there is no course that suits her future career plans available in clearing anymore.

OP posts:
cestlavielife · 19/08/2023 13:38

The universities we got in clearing were Hull, Leicester and Royal Holloway.

All good options
Why not take one?

Moredarkchocolateplease · 19/08/2023 13:41

OP i suppose it wouldn't make an immediate difference but it might be useful to see why and where she went wrong and maybe inform whether she wants to do retakes.

The copies of the papers are free and the teachers will read through them.

I've probably ordered over a hundred copies in the last two days it's absolutely the thing that lots of pupils choose to do.

Good luck. X

Juja · 19/08/2023 13:51

My husband is in computing and ran a software development company for 17 years and is now in academia. He isn’t interested in A Level results when recruiting.

He rates Royal Holloway very highly for computing - if she has a Foundation Degree offer from there I’d take it.

Trumporange · 19/08/2023 13:53

@YoDood and @anonforthis87 that is my experience from recruiting too albeit it was years ago. What grades would top firms expect to see?
All A stars and As?

MWB29 · 19/08/2023 14:00

A level results may or may not matter in the future but there is no guarantee of better results if she re sits. My A level results were lower than expected, I went to my insurance offer uni. After my first year I applied to join second year at the city’s red brick, I got in (remember universities will lose students after the first year and will want to secure funding by filing these lost places). So if your daughter feels that her uni choice is not exactly what she wants she could change later on. My brother has no A levels and is in a good career, earning good money. My degree got me further than my A level results and have never been a barrier to career progression (I would consider myself a high earner now).

Floralnomad · 19/08/2023 14:08

As she has taken a clearance offer that she is happy with I would do no more , absolutely no point in her resitting the year . Aside from sticking them on your CV no one will care about the grades and if she gets a good degree then that will be the factor in future employment .

LodiDodi · 19/08/2023 14:23

A levels are only a stepping stone to a degree. A degree itself isn't really that big a deal now that so many people have postgraduates. Also, in the field of software, experience and any work she has done means far far more than any qualification.

DahliaMacNamara · 19/08/2023 14:45

Those clearing options are fine. I was expecting you to say somewhere much further down the league tables. Maybe she wouldn't need to take the foundation year if investigating her A level papers resulted in one or two of her grades going up? I don't know. But it looks as if it'll work out for her regardless. FWIW, a friend's DD started a foundation year four years ago in similar circumstances, albeit in a different field, and now that she's graduated is about to start a great job next month. Probably the exact same job she'd had gone for had her A level grades been as predicted.

ArcticSkewer · 19/08/2023 14:52

In a sense, your update is more concerning. I wouldn't re-sit if she was totally unaware she had done so badly. When she went through the paper afterwards, was it not clear to her then? Are at least some of these 'right wrong A levels' eg maths, science, rather than EngLit? Perhaps she didn't want to say, I suppose.

You don't want to waste a year and be back at square one. She may just do better at uni than these one off exams

BungleandGeorge · 19/08/2023 15:04

When you say she got A’s at gcse do you mean all 9’s or all 7’s? She was in the year that had higher grades due to covid and didn’t do proper exams so if it was the latter it’s possible she can’t get a/ a* ? Maybe she’s not good at written exams? How many mock exams did she do? Why did she take 4 a levels rather than concentrate on 3?
definitely worth getting remarked in the 3 subjects. If she’s happy with the university and course I’d personally move on. She might be miserable with all her mates moving on whilst she joins the year below. If she’s not happy with the course I would retake. And no nobody really cares what you got in a levels post degree.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 19/08/2023 15:22

DD’s ex boyfriend didn’t have great A levels, dropped out of a computing degree after one year but could code. He walked into a 40k a year coding job. He taught himself via YouTube and had to do “tech tests” for jobs he applied for. Guess what I’m saying is that the companies were bothered about what people could do rather than exam results.