7 replies to this topic

[skaterava]

Alright, if any of you have read the A level results thread that was on here a few weeks ago, you may have seen that i missed out on university this year by one mark. The A i was meant to get in this particular subject ended up as a B.

I've been advised to retake an exam in January to gain that extra mark, but this is where the problem lies.

The subject is history, and there are two exams i can choose from to redo. I got 83% on the first one, and is a much more enjoyable subject. On the other, i got around 68%, on a much more boring, unenjoyable topic. So here's my dilemma: Should i retake the more enjoyable, easier to learn one, despite having to get higher than 83%? Or take the more difficult topic which has more room for improvement? To make matters worse, my school no longer does these topics, so it's entirely up to me to study, and at the moment i feel completely lost.

What would you do in this situation? If i fail to gain that extra mark, my goal of gaining a law degree from a decent law school will be almost impossible to reach.

[james962]

Do you think that you would actually be able to improve on the 83% mark? If you do, and you have to re-learn the topic again without/with little help from lecturers, i would be inclined to study the topic i most enjoy.

Will you now have to retake the year now? If you do, and for instance if you actually get a lesser grade, does the highest one still count? If this is the case, how about learning both modules. You only did the modules this last year, so would it be more a case of "topping up" on details and what not? I don't know as i didn't do history for A level. Therefore if you don't improve on your 83%, this mark will stick and you could still improve on the 68% mark.

Just a few things, food for thought and what not

James

[minimininut]

Are you not tempted to go through clearing and go to a different uni?

If not, fair enough, but I'd retake the harder topic as it will surely be easier to get over 68% if you are only focused on that topic?

Good luck with it whatever you decide to do

[skaterava]

Are you not tempted to go through clearing and go to a different uni?

If not, fair enough, but I'd retake the harder topic as it will surely be easier to get over 68% if you are only focused on that topic?

Good luck with it whatever you decide to do

No, There isn't much choice at all through clearing for Law...Just calculated it, the lower mark was actually 70%, not 68%...how on earth can i still get a B when i got 70% and 83?! . Anyway, I see what you mean, 70% can be improved more easily, and it'll be the only one i do so i can focus on it well, but it was difficult enough sitting in the classroom with a teacher directing me, with no teacher directing me this time around i don't really know what to do. Where do i start?

[minimininut]

Are you not tempted to go through clearing and go to a different uni?

If not, fair enough, but I'd retake the harder topic as it will surely be easier to get over 68% if you are only focused on that topic?

Good luck with it whatever you decide to do

No, There isn't much choice at all through clearing for Law...Just calculated it, the lower mark was actually 70%, not 68%...how on earth can i still get a B when i got 70% and 83?! . Anyway, I see what you mean, 70% can be improved more easily, and it'll be the only one i do so i can focus on it well, but it was difficult enough sitting in the classroom with a teacher directing me, with no teacher directing me this time around i don't really know what to do. Where do i start?

Good question on how you got such high marks but still got a B?! That seems harsh as to be honest - can you get that checked out with your school/college.

Is law hideously competitive then? Can you ask the university if they'll take you despite your one grade slightly out, especially if you explain the marks you got? This might be worth a try - my friend did it for Psychology, but that's a different subject obviously.

Staying motivated and studying yourself is really hard, but you can do it. Consider paying a tutor to see a few times if nothing else so that you have some supportive feedback and some deadlines that are 'real' ones?

Good luck though, stuff like this is tough territory but I'd do all I could to avoid having to resit before anything else I think

Edited by minimininut, 06 September 2009 - 07:12 PM.

[minijo]

Have you tried having your paper re-marked? Students usually go up 1 or 2 marks just by doing that!.

[shorty]

history can be a boring and enjoyable subject at times.

personally i would go with the one you could improve on more purely because if you study that one topic on is own you will take in more because it is the only one being revised
currently taking history at UNI myself so trying to study 4 modules at once is somewhat time consuming.
even studying just the one is time comsuming and it may be boring but if it gets you a better mark in the end then go for it.

your best option i would say is talk to your history tutor to see what he thinks you would be best to do

[skaterava]

Good question on how you got such high marks but still got a B?! That seems harsh as to be honest - can you get that checked out with your school/college.

Is law hideously competitive then? Can you ask the university if they'll take you despite your one grade slightly out, especially if you explain the marks you got? This might be worth a try - my friend did it for Psychology, but that's a different subject obviously.

No, i definetly got a B. I had a look through all my marks in 6th form, it seems one C grade 2 years ago messed it all up. And yeah, Law is unbelievably competitive. My insurance uni wouldn't take me on account of being one mark off


Minijo, i already tried to get it remarked, incredibly the mark stayed the same.

And Shorty, despite not having a tutor, i am looking into joining a college to study a module again, and retake not in January, but in June, so that i have more time to prepare. If i take it in June, gaining marks seems much more likely.

At the moment it's all very bleak. Another screw-up with my Politics coursework (i was told my coursework was good and i should leave it as it was- i ended up getting an E) means my parents are now disputing with the school. If the coursework in Politics had been good, then i would have got an A grade in that, and history wouldn't have mattered. Shifts at my part-time job are drying up, which means i may not even get to keep my pride and joy on the road. And even though i know i'll end up going to a uni in the end, i just feel a bit hard done by. I've got a set of decent results my most people's standard's- ABB, and yet i have to go through this little nightmare.

Tomorrow i'm going to ring the school and see if they have any tutors available, or ring a local college and see if i can take a course, ring my insurance uni and see if they would consider me for starting next year, as it is ONLY 1 mark. If i get in early it's possible. My folks are going to school later in the week to dispute the Politics coursework. The school is denying any wrongdoing. I went to school privately so they're furious i've ended up like this, they've spent well over £60 grand on my education. And that's making me feel bad.


So as you can all see, things are not looking great.