University entry requirements

[catwalker]

DS is going into the sixth form with slightly disappointing GCSE results (see other threads) and this has set me off wondering about what A level results he would need to get into university should he want to go (his decision - no pressure from me). I've just googled the course I did at the university I went to (ahem) 30 years ago and the entry requirement is now three As at A level. When I did it I was asked for BBC, or it might even have been BCC. Anyway, I got ADD and they still let me in. All the courses at my old uni seem to ask for AAA or AAB. Is that what it takes these days?

And also make sure that any cherubs have GCSE B in Eng Lang and GCSE B in Maths. We had a couple of GCSE retakes this year because in spite of great A levels the students needed GCSE grades as well!

Quirrel there has been no mention of having to cash in AS level results from our school.

AFAIK DD is resitting 2 modules one in Jan and one in July and her uni application is based on predicted grades. Can you provide a link that says we have to cash in her AS results to apply for 2012?

It's not obligatory but the school will do it, just to be safe, because there's some sort of time limit being put on them now. You don't have to do it yourself. But the school made a big thing of it, probably to spur us on to work harder, and said we have to get good grades the first time round.

TSR thread
Probably can find quite a few on this subject if you dig around.

Two teachers I asked also said they would predict a B or C at A2 for a B grade at AS.

adamschic

there is no suggestion that you have to cash anything in in order to apply for 2012

if, however, your daughter's school is state funded they will need to cash in AS results in order for funding to continue ... the changes to the funding rules mean that the number of full time students finishing Y12 this year creates the funding ratio for September 2012 ... if the results are not cashed in then she would not be counted

BTW

Cashing in does not mean that you cannot re-sit elements and re-aggregate

Also ... cashing in makes no difference to the application process as universities would look to module scores anyway

Can someone please tell me what exactly "cashing in" is?

Ok have read the link, so DD didn't do well in a couple of modules and is retaking, does that mean that she still has to put these grades on the UCAS application? She was hoping to bump up the overall grades in these subjects and her teachers are happy to predict based on the better module grades.

This could scupper her chances of getting an offer and she might have to re-apply after A2 grades are known if she does well enough in them.

I think that's the general idea, yes. Sorry for your DD.

But lots and lots of people will be in the same boat, because cashing in hasn't been made that big a deal out of. Unis know that loads of people take time adjusting and do much better in Y13, which is meant to be the harder year. And we're the first year to have this, so there's bound to be some adjusting. With good references and predictions she'll probably do fine. In any case she'll get lots of advice at 6th form/college.

What on earth is 'cashing in'?

"cashing in" is when you actually claim the certificate from the issuing authority. If you were doing retakes you'd leave it until after reatkes. As some places, especially medical schools, like A levels done within a certain time period schools would sometimes leave claiming all certificates so it appeared that exams were sat at a different time. Now they can't do this.

Did you mean " so that it appeared exams were sat at same time " ?

For medicine etc they only want A level taken over 2 years. Doesn't matter if you resit modules they just don't want people applying as undergraduates if they have taken A levels over 3 years i.e 16-19 so resitting a year.

All isn't lost as there are other ways in e.g as a graduate with a good degree.

I'm not sure how the effect will be on DD's application if her AS modules are looked at. Half her modules are good enough in the subjects she is taking a A2 and would warrant AAB predictions but 2 need to be retaken and she usually pulls her grades up by at least 2 when she retakes. So it might not be too bad.

@gingerroots - no, they do it so it appears that the exams were sat in June, say, when they were sat in January. Gives you another 6 months.

My friend tells me that UMS aren't put on the form, just grades (which I doubt a bit- cashing in for Cambridge is especially so they can see the 90%s I think).

But if it's true, it's good if you just scraped a grade, bad if you got a really impressive module grade and the other average ones pulled it down.

ds1 was one ums off an A in one module. Are you saying that admissions tutors would know the grade boundaries for each subject and know he was a top B rather than a bottom B?

Netiher of my DCs has put thier ums scores on their forms - just grades for ASs.

But I think if you apply to Cambridge you have to? Not Oxford, tho, as I say...

But I do know one of DS's freinds had an offer from Imperial that needed over 90% in every module so I'm guessing they ask for ums, too

No, according to this person I talked to you only see the grades, which is really unlucky for your DD.

Imperial, LSE, and Cambridge seem to be the nasty 3 when it comes to specifying weird offer combinations. Durham History without 7+ A*s at GCSE is also meant to be impossible.

We will find out when school starts, won't worry about it until we know the facts.

according to mine if you put ums they can't see the grade and apparently they don't like it - not surprising as it's difficult to work out a grade. Also Cambridge do a separate form, but they may not be right about that, they haven't/aren't applying there.

ellisbell - ok thanks ,I think I understand .
But blimey ,all a bit dependent on the skill of the school/exam officer in knowing how to work the system.

Uniform Mark Scale

The marks that are given for modules rather than actual %