Missed Out on Uni Place – Advice on Resits, Gap Year & Moving Forward

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Hi everyone, I’m hoping for some advice or perspective as we’re a bit lost at the moment.

My DS received his A-Level results, A, A, and B in History (A in their EPQ). Unfortunately, he missed his offer to study Law at a great university by one grade. Understandably, he’s devastated as this was a course and university he’d worked hard for.

He decided not to go through clearing for Law, and with his current grades, he wouldn't get into other universities like Warwick, Nottingham etc as they all need AAA. His original backup plan was to take a gap year and reapply for History, but with a B in History, that doesn’t seem viable for competitive courses either.

So now he’s taking a year out, but his confidence and motivation have taken a big knock, and we’re struggling to figure out the best next steps. Options we’ve considered:

Resitting History to try for an A and reapply for Law
Retake the LNAT - again no guarantee of sucess and don't find out your scores until after you've applied...
Taking a new A Level (though this would be as a private candidate, with little teaching support and we have no idea about the issue of predicted grades).
Looking into alternative courses he could access with his current grades.

One concern is the uncertainty and pressure of resits and whether universities would consider a new A-Level taken in one year. Another concern is whether it’s better to move forward with the grades he has and explore different subjects/courses that interest him, even if it's not Law.

We’re also trying to make the most of the gap year. He has been offered part-time work 2 days a week, remote by a relative but this won't get him out of the house. I'd like to encourage him to volunteer too but he’s feeling so low right now that it’s hard to help him see this year positively. Also if he wants Law he should probably be trying to get some Law related work experience.

If anyone has experience with resits, reapplying, or making the most of a gap year after disappointment, I’d really appreciate your insights. Has anyone's DC, or themselves, been in a similar situation and come out the other side?

Thank you in advance — any advice or ideas would be very welcome.

OP law is not my subject at all unlike some on this thread, so apologies if this is the wrong information because of that.

IMHO the time for a clearing place for September has come and gone, even if there are still places available. I see why he didn't look at it at the time; I have been through clearing with one of my DC and it was very stressful. I hear you. Or rather him.

The bolding has confused people – I infer he gained A-star, A, B – is that right – and needed A-star, A, A? Can you share which uni this was? Did he have a lower-graded insurance?

I think honestly the best thing for him to do is to look (now maybe) at courses that would take his grades as they stand – if it needs to be law, there must be possible unis. Take some advice (maybe from law firms he would be interested in?) as to which unis would be acceptable (he might be surprised).

Let’s say his A-star AA offer was for law at Bristol, and it will not consider him now or next year with his actual grades. OK. So where will? These are the grades he has, in the hand. Sometimes (or even often) we need to take what we have and see what we can do with it. Somewhere like Leeds or Nottingham might flex from their AAA offer to accept his grades of one lower, one higher. Uni of Sheffield law will take AAB and an A in the EPQ.

In the meantime he can try to find some relevant work experience or a relevant paid role/internship (a PP had some good ideas) so he does something good with his year. Resilience and making the best of things is a great skill. There won't be only one uni where he will be happy and fulfil his potential.

My DD was super stuck on Warwick and it was lovely; but she didn't get the grades. She got a clearing place and really blossomed at somewhere actually much more suitable in so many ways. So while not the success story of a gap year or retakes, I think it shows that there is another way and sometimes you need to take it.

Can you type his grades in words - I think you are saying AStar A B and A in EPQ.
Those are fantastic grades. Shame he didn’t want clearing as there were some well regarded unis for law this time in clearing he could have jumped for.
If he applies for 2026 he should get some decent RG law offers with those grades.
I’d worry about him just being at home dwelling. Any customer facing work is good. Plus look at volunteering eg CAB.

@MMUmum Well except she’s not a solicitor or being trained to be one. It’s delaying decent pay as well. Getting training will be competitive. So dont count chickens just yet.

If it’s LNAT it’s one of 9. However even QMUL is A star AA but it’s top 10 for law. Warwick wants the same.

Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham are AAA. As are Liverpool, Newcastle and Exeter, Southampton, Leeds and York. Apart from the LNAT ones, that’s more or less the top 20. So some serious looking will be necessary.

Surrey is an achievable ABB. Ranked similar to LNAT requiring SOAS. Reading in clearing is showing CCD! AAB on the web site for 2026. Big difference. So it’s probably a case of thinking hard about the best courses at decent universities with a track record but the B is surely an issue. Bristol is ok with retakes so maybe do History again?

I went through something similar with my son three years ago. He was one mark off an A in history. Remarked all his papers but no luck! He didn't get his first choice university and was heart broken. He decided to take a gap year and take an A level in Italian, he got an A star. Fast forward a year he reapplied to the same uni again and got accepted on the same course. He however changed his mind and decided to go to UCL instead as they had a course he preferred.

Sometimes OP things work out for the best. He is enjoying his degree and so happy he didn't get his original uni as he thinks he wouldn't have enjoyed the course at all.

I haven't given advice sorry but just wanted to share my story . You ask whether universitys still consider candidates that take A levels in a year and they must do as they accepted my sons A level!

Wising your son luck.

Also bear in mind there are a surprising number of no shows at the beginning of term, worth a ring round, imo.

My DS got disappointing results and missed out on his Russell Group uni place. It felt like such a blow. He did not want to resit- we respected this. However, he saved up (working in his supermarket job) to go on Operation Raleigh for 10 weeks which gave him lots of new mates, grew his confidence and was a turning point. He accepted a place at Plymouth for this Autumn and is raring to go.

Completely agree! UEA is a decent uni - it is a research intensive university and if you look, for Law it is ranked equally to Nottingham Uni in the 2026 Complete University Guide! Compared with many other university cities, private student rented accommodation for 2nd and 3rd years is affordable and plentiful, and despite having to close one hall due to RAAC it still has enough campus accommodation for first years. OP I am so sorry your son is disappointed but those are still excellent grades and if you can persuade him to be a bit more open minded he will find a place on a decent course at a decent university. By the way - have a look on the UCAS website entry requirements for each institution - it will show you the lowest historical grades they have accepted - this might reassure him. Always worth him speaking to admissions tutors and trying to sell himself. Good luck.

UEA is on the skids. I nearly went there myself in the 90s so I know how amazing it was. It is not any longer. It's on a huge, downward trajectory.

Why didnt he just apply for Law through clearing this year, instead of wasting a year.

I was just about to say this
It is always a good idea to have a plan B and even a plan C. My Goddaughter missed out on her firm and her insurance but managed to get a place at York through clearing .
Despite the fact that she was disappointed , she didn’t waste any time and immediately started looking at alternatives . She is now busily preparing for university and is excited
Resilience is vital .
I did the Law conversion course many moons ago and it cost 5k, so I wouldn’t advise that he goes down this route tbh .
I honestly don’t see the point of resitting an A Level with those grades . I think that he should take a gap year and use this as an opportunity to gain some work experience in CAB, Human Rights organisation etc.
He can also get a paid part time job, travel etc .My dd took a gap year and it was honestly one of the best things that she could have done . She matured in that year and also managed to save a bit of money .

No where decent had places. He needs to go to a good solid university for Law, not some random ex-poly.

@Lampzade DD paid £9000 for GDL in 2014. Now it’s around £16,000 if you take it as a Masters in London. £12,000 without the masters but that doesn’t get loan funding.

@rhabarbarmarmelade You clearly don’t understand the first thing about Law. He’s done the LNAT. Only the elite law schools ask for that. None are former polys. All are RG (except SOAS) . It’s best to go to one of these if you can for law but it depends on your career aims as well. Anyone taking LNAT will be looking for a training position or pupillage. A former poly is less likely to be the uni of choice for such students. It’s just how it is.

Nothing wrong with looking at clearing? Just in case. He doesn't have to accept anything! He is taking choices away from himself, imo.

@Beesandhoney123 That ship has sailed. Places all gone at best universities. What choices are missed? The day of the results, possibly but probably not an LNAT place. He needs to up the B grade though. Bristol for example is 40% A levels, 40% LNAT and 20% GCSEs. Young people do need to back themselves.

I'm sorry that your son missed out. Schools focus so much on results and excellence, and it's really upsetting to have missed out by so little.
We've been in a very similar situation. DS worked for a year in the service industry, and did an extra A level privately. He volunteered with CAB and did a bit of work experience with a local solicitor. In the end, the extra A level was disappointing- it's really really hard to know what the marking scheme is looking for when you don't have a teacher. He didn't get the grade he was after, but because of his experience, he got in to the course he wanted.
Your DS needs to view this extra year as a chance to beef up his CV for the unis. That way, it won't feel like a wasted year and he'll have something to focus on. And will make some money too!
Good luck OP!

@KimHwn Many universities don’t read the PS though so how do you beat the A levels required? They might cull applicants with lower grades immediately if they are a competitive course.

My good friend who is a very successful lawyer took a year out after university before doing her conversion courses and then got a job at a magic circle firm in london (despite attending a northern university!). I think her work experience helped set her apart from other candidates. She got a job as a PA/admin assistant and worked really hard at it for a year. She also worked in her summer holidays at university. What your son must NOT do, for his mental health and his career prospects, is so nothing for a year. And that probably means not doing the wfh route either because he will get depressed.

sinxe he decided against clearing and presumably his insurance choice, he must reapply and should resit history for the best chance of an A grade. He can get a tutor to help him and use lots of resources. I would absolutely tell him he isn’t going to sit around at home since he decided not to go through clearing and advise that he needs a proper full time job. There is enough time in the evenings to resit one a level (if the remark doesn’t come through).

@TizerorFizz perhaps, but as ops son hasn't called just to get the facts and know for sure he doesn't have any other choices he would be happy with.

Checking facts and gathering facts to support decision making is important. Even if you think you are right, nothing wrong with double checking. I would advise against assuming for any life decisions.

@Beesandhoney123 I said originally I would have looked at non LNAT. very quickly. However he’s not me! Of course 18 year olds don’t know it all and he’s now left with nothing. Very few LNAT law schools (if any?) will be in clearing ever and he should have spoken to the non LNAT ones that are top 20. But he didn’t and preferred another course of action.

Unfortunately a B in History won’t be good enough for most (I listed the AAA ones earlier) so he will have to retake if he wants one of those and that has dangers too. Not least predictions! So applying after the result in 2026 will also be problematic. Happy to be wrong if others know better!!

@TizerorFizz you do sound much more knowledgeable than me:)

Are you sure? I have heard about someone who got into a good Uni to do law, through clearing.

The OP's son didnt even try clearing. He doesnt have to take what he is offered in clearing. But he should have tried.

I think the point is that it is too late for those places now. Usually the top universities may have one or two places free but those will now have closed quickly after the 14th August. It's nearly 3 weeks since then. He would have a chance at some of them for other subjects.

Why does he need to get into a "top" university?

That is snobbery and is setting him back a year.

I know a woman who did a law degree in a fairly normal University. She has had a great career.

Employers don't care a lot of the time about which University you go to.