A Levels; to those who didn't do so well..

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Having a rubbish day, got my second (out of 4) exam tomorrow. These are my final A2's so no second chances. I've done absolutely everything to avoid revising today and now feel like crap because I didnt make the effort. All through sixth form my results havent been amazing and so myself and my mum are prepared that I may not get into either of my university/college choices (to study Equine Therapies) which need 260 and 200 UCAS points. So to those who didn't do so well in their A Levels, what did you do about it?
 
Hi there,

I jiust wanted to say chin up; you may have surprised yourself and done better than you think.

The one bit of advice i have for you is: There is no rush.
And i mean that by there is no rush to go to uni in sept- if things dont go your way first time, then take an extra year and re do the things that you need to, to do whatever you actually want to do.

I say this as this is what happened to me- I had too many distractions at college- and i was doing no where near enough the work that I needed too. Plus- having a talented horse at the time that I knew i wouldnt be able to afford to take to uni with me- I wanted to enjoy every last moment i had with her.
I bummed a few results, but said to my parents that I wanted to take an extra year and re-do a few things as my goal was still the same and i didnt want to settle. Yes- they gave me a bit of hassle and few 'that bloody horse' comments :eek:

And i have a very good/successful job now so in the end you know what? It doesnt matter that I took a little longer. I look back at that extra time with fond memories not regret.

Good luck in the rest of your exams- Im sure you'll surprise yourself. And if the worst happens and you dont- then take a bit of time figure what it is you really want to do and go and get it. Life is a learning experience!!!
 
Just want to say that I feel your pain, I'm doing my A2s as well and finding it very stressful. Having asked an awful lot of people about it, the general consensus seems to be that it isn't the be all and end all, there are things you can do to catch up, or you might realise that they didn't even matter at all. It's made me feel better about it all!
 
I passed my alevels (just!) but didn't go to uni. I finished them in 2011.

I'm not doing badly, and so far haven't really being affected by not having a degree. There are entry level routes into most professions and it is easy to get into education again at a later date- either as a mature student or studying through the open university. It's not something I want to do yet, but I enjoy industry specific courses.

You just have to be a little bit inventive, I'm working in the food industry and have just started as a temp at a new site. 5 shifts in they have pushed me into applying for the team leader job that is coming up.
Enthusiasm, passion and experience counts for a lot, show willing, be flexible and listen and learn as much as you can and you'll be streets ahead of our binge drinking counterparts ;)
 
Don't worry! I know the feeling of doing absolutely everything to put off revising. I'm sure one day isn't going tomake that much difference though and you never know, things might come back to you in the actual exam. Itgets to a point where you just cant revise anymore anyway.

I agree that there's no rush. I worked really hard for my a levels and got 3 As so I could go to uni. I got there and hated it so I've started over and It's really not the be all end all :) results aren't everything. There's a lot of mature students on my course too which just shows you can always come back to things :)

Good luck with your exam tomorrow :) just think how good it will be when they're all done :)
 
Don't worry yourself I'm sure you will have done better than you think

I'm also doing my A2's and I'm in my 3rd year of A - Levels
I feel like I can't be bothered but I have to think I only have 10 days to go but I keep feeling guilty as well when I haven't revised for a day!(Finish exams on 17th June)

We don't get exam leave either so can't revise the stuff I really don't know as much as I want to

Even though I'm already a year below I'm not going to uni in September as taking a gap year to really decide what I want to do - as said above there is absolutely no rush I have an offer for psychology but thinking of doing forensic biology - just can't make up my mind!


Just think not long to go and then it's summer :) good luck for your next two exams , I'm sure you will be just fine :)
 
I (many moons ago) just missed out on a grade/point but called the uni and they accepted me. I also have friends who did an extra year and are really successful.
I would say depending on how you work and how much you need to re-cap I always got up early (about 5am:eek:) as I was a terrible procrastinator and didn't revise well the day before:o it worked for me, I wasn't tired for the exam and remembered lots (though did still fall sort of that one point ;)) all the best tomorrow
 
I dropped a grade from what I was predicted (and what I needed) and was still accepted into one of the top unis for my subject... It's not just the grades that matter. My interview and personal statement saved me completely.

But then, my sister isn't at uni. She never planned to be really. She's working in a mix of jobs- a chip shop as a steady supplementary cash thing, then 2 days a week schooling a set of ponies and the weekends with that family as a competition nanny/ groom/ semi-instructor, then she manages a small yard as well. She also rides for a few people, which she loves. In the winter, she is a 'hunting nanny'. She's just turned 19, and is so happy in her work, and earns silly money for 'just a groom'- £8/ hour most stuff, then £12/ hour weekends...
 
I could have written your post word for word! I had my first A2 exam today, second tomorrow and last one next friday. I've really avoided revision and all through sixth form I've never got higher than a C :(
 
There's an ace cartoon floating about on facebook with an assortment of animals standing in front of a tree (a gold fish, a giraffe, a monkey, etc), with the caption, if you judge everyone by the same standards most people will go through life believing they are stupid.

The point is, everyone is different. There's no shame in hating studying. If you are passionate about other things then follow your heart. You might find, being devils advocate here, that working in the equestrian world for the next couple of years is way more useful to you then this equine therapy course.
 
I completely failed my AS levels- EEDD... There were way too many distractions! Then changed to a Btec and got equivalent of AAA at a-level. Im on a gap year now and have a place at uni for Sept but im just not sure I want to go back into education :-\
 
Always-Riding said:
I completely failed my AS levels- EEDD... There were way too many distractions! Then changed to a Btec and got equivalent of AAA at a-level. Im on a gap year now and have a place at uni for Sept but im just not sure I want to go back into education :-\
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I think too many people are pushed into the uni route. I taught at a uni for a while and was amazed at how many people were just drifting through expecting to get a fantastic job at the end of it. Find something you love to do, and then get the qualifications you need.
 
Oh wow didnt expect this many responses! Thank you so much! I do feel that uni was the only option open at the time of application back in November, also with me being an only child and mum not being from this country, so a completely different education system, we didnt really know much about any other options. I can now say though, hand on heart that I really regret going to this particular sixth form because my friends were going and it was what naturally followed your GCSE's. I have now lost all those friends and cut off contact with them, I dread going in for lessons and generally feel as though I've drifted through these past 2 years not even studying subjects that I like. I'm lucky enough to have a college nearby so I would look at attending there for another 2 years to get better grades and more experience alongside a job to save up for whatever I do next. I also have friends in Ireland who have offered me a place with them in the summer to play with their youngsters to be sold on which I can keep some of the profit as well as get more experience. I honestly thank you all for replying, it feels good to know that I'm not the only one out there freaking out!
 
All through my A Levels I had no idea what I wanted to do and didn't want to go to uni, so I wasn't very motivated. I got an A* in photography, C in English lit and D in Drama. I'm sure Drama teacher would say I put too much time into Photography-- I even got full marks for my final year. As you can tell, I hated Drama, and English I did try but I found it hard.

I got a D* in an ASH level equivalent BTEC Horse Care thing, not that I enjoyed that all that much, it was just easy as it required basic equine knowledge/riding.

I left college and went straight into the working world. No one has ever even MENTIONED my results, only talked about previous work experience. I am currently a receptionist. It's not hugely glamorous, but I enjoy it and it pays for my neddy, boyfriend and shoe addiction. :)

Just make sure you're gaining plenty of work experience to work your way up in whatever field you want to/fall into/discover and always try your best-- it will help you to get a glowing reference for the next job.

Too many people I know have degrees and have ended up working as shop assistants, not using their degree at all because every man and his dog has one.
 
I am exactly the same, my first A2 exam is tomorrow and I havent done much today and feeling very guilty.
I really want to take a gap year as i want a year to de-stress and ride! But, I dont think my university will let me defer, not sure im going to get the grades anyway to be honest!
Good luck! Mine finish in 11 days and counting!
 
I didn't do badly at my A levels, I had straight A grades in all my modules until last June when I got Ill and hit a downward spiral :( I ended up getting ABC in my last set of exams. So I skipped Uni for a year retook to get my As :) ! I studied from home as that suited me much better and I've had an amazing year visiting friends at uni, bought another horse :o and just relaxing a bit as I was very hard on myself through school and college to get top grades.

I have a place at Uni in September but I may defer for another year to get myself financially stable and see the world a bit- I'm fully aware I will probably never have this freedom again so I'm in no rush to throw it away. It also helps I was born at the very end of August so I was very young for my year anyway,

Don't worry- don't rush in to anything, I still have no idea what I want to do for a job and my teachers were pulling their hair out that I got high grades and didn't want to go Uni yet :D My only worry was that the other students will be younger than me, but having stayed with friends at uni, I realised nobody cared what age you were and I didn't even realised the ages varied from 18 to 29 in the room !
 
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