Page 7 | How to get into a top uni after failing 1st year of ALevel Maths? Is it possible?

MamguVanEs · Yesterday 22:56

Ragatha · 14/06/2026 15:07

DS is planning on History or Philosophy at University and looks set to get A or A* in History and Computing A Levels. He's academic, loves writing and wants to go to a top uni, and his Tutor agrees he should be aiming high.

But... he just failed his first year of A Level maths and has been chucked off the course. It was the wrong choice of A Level, he should have chosen something essay based.

What now? Does anyone have any advice?

The college are examining what's possible although they've said doing a third year with them is extremely unlikely. They seem keen on EPQs but an EPQ alone isn't going to open doors to Edinburgh, Durham, Bristol or UCL etc - is it?

I wondered if anyone else has any advice on what we should be looking at, or has been in the same position?

DS is really keen to go to a good uni, and seems happy enough about doing a third year to make it possible if needs be.

Get him to check what he really wants to do and how will the degree get him there.
There’s a terrible trend of teachers, tutors, schools and institutions pressing young people to go to university as it enhances their reputation. It leaves the young person with crippling debt if they don’t have a good plan or luck. It’s a lottery.
There are new industries starting up with technologies and tools that they need to master. They can do university courses while they train and earn while they learn.
The interest rates on loans and the compound interest are worse than bank loans.

99bottlesofkombucha · Yesterday 23:50

I’m so confused about how you say he might have to go full time. What is a dedicated academic student who wants to get into a hour university doing not studying full time? I know I don’t really understand the system, it’s always seemed very complicated to me.

Snoopymayhem · Yesterday 23:56

Ragatha · 14/06/2026 15:16

If he is looking at universities with competitive entry requirements then he needs to take all three A levels at the same time. Really? I read elsewhere it doesn't matter and its' the grade they look at. (Can't remember where I read that now though!)

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My son retook Biology to get the grade he needed for Exeter to do neuroscience
so 2 Alevel results one year and one Alevel the next

He got in

Snoopymayhem · Today 00:00

Ragatha · Yesterday 14:29

Excuse me? Neither do you. And your point is?

My question to Bristol was not about my son, but about their policy - whether they would accept an A Level done in a third year, or whether that would not be accepted.

And they said they do accept A levels "taken in multiple settings".

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Bristol accept the results from resits

Family experience of this too

mcrlover · Today 00:08

I did an EPQ and can tell you that universities don't regard it as an equivalent to an A-level, so I wouldn't bother with that - the long coursework of the EPQ would take away from time studying for other subjects without making up for the problem.

Definitely, to get into a good uni he needs 3 A-levels. Could he take a "gap year" to finish? Eg in year 13 finish the other 2 A-levels and do a new AS-level in a new subject, then over the "gap year" do the A2-level of the new subject?

Definitely the top universities don't look down on a gap year at all, so I think that approach would still get him 3 great A-level grades.

The only issue with that approach is he'd be applying to uni in the start of his gap year with 2 A-levels and 1 AS-level, so he'd need to give a compelling explanation for that in his personal statement that doesn't say that he failed the maths AS-level!

Snoopymayhem · Today 00:21

mcrlover · Today 00:08

I did an EPQ and can tell you that universities don't regard it as an equivalent to an A-level, so I wouldn't bother with that - the long coursework of the EPQ would take away from time studying for other subjects without making up for the problem.

Definitely, to get into a good uni he needs 3 A-levels. Could he take a "gap year" to finish? Eg in year 13 finish the other 2 A-levels and do a new AS-level in a new subject, then over the "gap year" do the A2-level of the new subject?

Definitely the top universities don't look down on a gap year at all, so I think that approach would still get him 3 great A-level grades.

The only issue with that approach is he'd be applying to uni in the start of his gap year with 2 A-levels and 1 AS-level, so he'd need to give a compelling explanation for that in his personal statement that doesn't say that he failed the maths AS-level!

Although my son just told the truth ie that he was retaking one Alevel