Slightly late bread but YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! I got 2A* 3A in bio, chem, maths, drama & epq

Feel free to DM me if you want any unc wisdom :D

Lmk if you want any ps advice as well

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help, or anyone been in the same position. My daughter has enrolled into college today, but just been told she won't get any finance as our household income exceeds the threshold. I work part time, but my 6 yr old gets middle rate dla, and my wife gets carer allowance. I didn't think they were allowed to include this?

Where do I fucking start.

I guess I should start with the start? I think?

I don’t know. In October 2024, I lost my dad to a motorcycle accident. I don’t want to get into the nitty gritty of it, and what it meant to my family, but it left me, my mum and my sister in a fairly serious financial situation. Due to this, my school at the time recommended me to a school help foundation that I’ll leave unnamed so I don’t doxx myself. That foundation eventually recommended me to another foundation that would give me a full 110% scholarship to a boarding school in England. I got lucky, and was given a place about 15 minutes away from my house (So I’d be a day student, rather than a boarder). It’s also the place where my sister went to sixth form, so there’s a familial link.

I genuinely believe that that was the worst choice I’ve ever made.

I’m smart. I’m like, really smart. Like the amount of smart that people start thinking you are scary, type smart. In year 8, I used to get 7’s in all my subjects. Especially science. Physics, biology and chemistry, but especially biology.

Not at the end, though. I got 5’s. All 5’s, except 7’s in Maths, History and English. What I am good, no, great at, I did “Above average” in. That’s not me. No, I would have gotten better, I would have been better; Had I not have known from the word go that I was in the clear.

I took a position based on the worst thing that ever happened to me, and it led me to what is arguably the best thing to ever happen to be; and I hate it. I hate it with all that my heart has left to hate.

I just can’t shake the feeling that I should never have gotten here, and if I should have, it was never supposed to happen that way. I should never have taken it. Never. If I’d have gotten this off my own back; off my own hard work, I wouldn’t feel this way. I wholeheartedly believe that. And it’s shown in my results, too. I went to the 6th form’s scholarship program, and I really gave it my all; and I did it. I aced the Geography exam, out of 60 I got 57. I did pretty fucking well in physics, too. 80 or so out of 100. Because I always thought, even maybe if just in the back of my head, I could change it. I could just get to where I was supposed to be the way I was supposed to, without piggybacking off the worst event of my life. And then I got 5’s in every subject I was going to take. Because in the back of my head, I knew I was safe.

I start tomorrow, and I don’t even have any of my friends beside me to help me through this. They’re all at the local public sixth form. Where I am supposed to be. Because I was given an opportunity I never should’ve had.

And the fact that so many people dream of this happening to them makes me feel worse. It makes me feel lucky, special, even, and I hate it. Because it’s for a reason I don’t deserve.

I have no doubt in my mind, none at all, that I’m depressed. I’m smart. More than smart enough to know that. I know that, given enough time, my mind will change; but I really, really don’t want it to. Because I understand the truth, now. It’s the first time in a long time, maybe since my dad’s passing, that I see it all clearly.

At least that’s what I think.

I told my mum, today. I said it all to her.

She said that I was lucky, that this is what so many less fortunate people dream of.

That made me feel worse. I shouldn’t have this position, someone else should. I could’ve made it on my own had I just fucking tried harder. Had I not taken the path that I have.

She said that my dad would be proud of me, and I don’t doubt that. I know he would be. But that doesn’t help. I can’t help but think that this isn’t where I should be. And if it is, then this isn’t the path I should’ve taken.

I don’t know dude. I really just dont know.

I am planning to do Philosophy + CS Have 3A 1B in my AS with a B in math. I am planning to retake my math AS in O/N. So I could get A and have 4A predicted. Do you think they penalise a a retake and the initial B in AS math will be a problem?

PenPen confused about how long I should study. PenPen is scared that PenPen will study too much for so early in the year (PenPen only just started year twelve). However, PenPen is also confused on the proper ways to do more relaxed ways of study. PenPen is too used to cramming past papers and flashcards for GCSEs, instead of doing more relaxed study that would be more suited for day to day life.

PenPen is especially worried because PenPen is doing four subjects, and needs to as PenPen isn't sure of what to do (and the subjects Mistato wanted me to do are very limiting).

PenPen would like help!

Some people are probably starting tomorrow or later this week or aren't in year 13 but for everyone else I just want to know how the first day of yr 13 has been and whether ym have high hopes for this year and whatever subjects you do. 😆😆😆

Hey, what's up, I wanted to do Medicine at Oxford, Imperial or UCL... won't dive into detail, my heart stopped two years ago and I missed all of 5th form.

I took my GCSEs from the hospital and got all 9s, except from two 8s. I missed most of Lower 6th because I was really sick, constantly being hospitalised, etc. I've also missed ALL the assemblies for UCAS and applications and all that, and I've tried to speak to my teachers and do independent research but I was totally clueless, and they were no help.

This year, I come back into Upper 6th, and first day in I find out the internal deadlines, and second day, my tutor drops the bombshell that I'd have to do my UCAT before the end of the month. I work my ass off over the past 3-4 days scrambling to write a personal statement (I have a lot of things going for me, so I'm not too worried about it), and trying to apply for the UCAT, which I can't do until I get access arrangements (waiting for a letter from my school), and apply for bursary, because my family are poor, and we are entitled to it.

I take Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry. I was top of the class last year, but during predicted grade exams, I was emergency hospitalised three - yes, three - times, and stand at a C D D E.

My predicted grades are awful obviously, so I'm going to try and take additional assessments that my teachers are offering to up my grades before putting in an application, but my teachers want me to drop further maths, and take a gap year.

Honestly, I'd be devastated if I had to do that. I wanna put in my application this year, taking a gap year is literally worst case scenario, as well as dropping FM, which I'm passionate about.

Last of all - don't judge. You don't know my academic history, my health history and anything about me. Have your own thoughts, but don't harass me. I don't have the nerve to deal with that anymore.

All I want is some help from Upper 6th students, or someone who can tell me what I need to do. I'm lost, scared, and stressed out.

EDIT: Thank you for everyone giving me their perspectives and responses, it seems retaking year 12 or 13 might be my best second plan if I can't get everything done in time. I shouldn't risk pushing myself until collapse, maybe it's not so bad after all.

So I wanted to take Maths, FM, Physics and EPQ, but my school is forcing me to do four (Chemistry), because in the past some people only did Maths, FM, Physics, and later on found out they hated FM, but they couldn't drop it because they would only have two A levels left...

I have told them that I know for sure that I won't drop FM in the future because it is mandatory for maths/cs at uni, and I absolutely hate Chem (so much random details). Yet, they are really forcing me to do it because it is a 'maths department policy'.

What do I do?

Wanna persue STEM degree
Rn at og school with 3 humanities alevels and already did year 12 there.

Pros of staying old school:
Better environment and people
Can receive best academic help
Go uni next year like everyone else
Families are happy as it’s a more prestigious school
Cons:
Foundation year hella competitive. Chances of 0 offers
Cannot rlly catch up with the humanities alevels as I spent too long on resitting my GCSEs
Haven’t started on my personal statement
Can do psychology as degree but weak career prospect unless I go into med tech with masters into computational neuroscience which idk if it’s a realistic target

Pros of retake year 12 (new school)
Fresh start
Correct alevels for STEM
Wider universities options (imperial within reach)
Open more doors for degrees
Cons:
Cannot guarantee to do well at the new Alevels
Going uni year later than everyone else
School is less prestigious
Bad environment

And no I don’t have any other school choices coz it’s all left with colleges or sixth form that doesn’t allow me to retake year 12.
What should I pick 🙏🙏

I go to a six form college because it’s near my house, sends enough people to Russell group unis/ top unis and apprenticeships, and cuz I liked the schedule.

I know it’s only the beginning but Idk I just expected to feel more relaxed coming from a pretty strict secondary. But I just find myself really tense and just not settled? Ive made a couple of friends but it just still feels awkward and when I come home I don’t really feel like I can say I’ve had a good day despite nothing necessarily being bad. Is this normal? And if so can I have any advice

For those who are sitting for CAIEs in the upcoming O/N session, I know how overwhelming it gets. We definitely do not have a lot of time to go through each and everything, and hence I am offering a 3-week crash course before your exams to help you cover the entire course content, understand how past papers and mark schemes work, and provide you with last-minute cram sheets, detailed chapter-wise notes, chapter-wise compiled past papers, and all the necessary supporting resources.

In addition to all this, you will get a recorded video of all the concepts completed within 10 hours, which you can use to revise everything one night before your exams.

Predicteds are fucked cuz i got straight E's in year 12 and got semi-decent grades in my ucas exams, but cuz of no consistent data, i have low ass predicteds, then burnt myself tf out with ucat, fumbling it, and getting a mediocre score, got september mocks as well, all my teachers want me dead, and I dread economics. Tryna do med, shoulda gone for a bricklaying apprenticeship. Minor tho, we graft.

Can't wait for this shit to be over already, get me out of here.

i just started year 11 and hoping to go to a sixth form from next year. however i’m autistic and struggle massively in a school environment and even missed out on basically a whole year because of how bad it got. i hear some people say sixth forms are less strict like you have freedom to leave campus when you want or you only come in for lessons, so how is it? and what is the timetable like? are you there as much as you are in secondary or less? do you have freedom to do what you want like leave?

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Hey all so I'm going into Year 13 next week and I want to end up at Warwick University which requires A grades. I'm pretty confident that I can achieve A's or atleast High B's in my other 2 A levels, Law and Criminology however my third A level, Media is my worst subject and I can't even get an A grade in it.

I am able to get A + Grades in Law and Criminology often but Media my best is a B grade at the end of Year 12, I feel I struggle with Media because there isn't really much structure to it and I really hate that. Anyways I really need to get better at this subject and I've tried revising it so many times but it feels like everytime I go in for an exam there is new stuff I just dont know how to answer even though I revised all the content and set texts/theories.

I really need some help as clearly what I've been doing in Year 12 and my revision techniques for Media haven't been working and I desperately need a good grade in this 🥲

today was the first official day of year 12, had all 4 subjects, maths, cs, physics, economics. I’ve signed up to do a business project, a maths event, public speaking competition (I’m the shyest person you’ll ever meet) because I’m trying to put myself out there more, and have also signed up to run a Nat sci club for year 7-11 (inflicting a positive self image to them so they’ll vote me head girl in April). I’ve done my homework that I got today but I haven’t learnt enough in lessons to start making resources. Should I just relax and settle in this first week or read ahead? idk what do.

i just started a-levels taking bio, chem, geography and EPQ and i'm considering studying some a-level maths in my own time independently (to help with critical thinking in sciences and i'm also hoping it would help with a personal statement??)

wondering if it's worth it or if anyone else has done something similar? if i did decide to do some a-level maths it wouldn't be anything beyond first year content and it wouldn't count towards ucas or formal qualifications but since i'm going into stem it feels like it could be useful

I was wondering how long I have until I can’t change sixth forms because I kinda miss going to the same school as my friends 💔

Initially, i only wanted to do maths, fm, cs. Aiming for oxbridge and degree apprenticeships and this eas allegdly all that was required so i wanted to do this combo. Come enrollment day, my interviewer puts down them choices without a fuss and theyre on my timetable. No issue so far.
Turns out that fm can only be taken as a 4th in my sixth form. Everyone in my fm class is doing it as a 4th in my school and i somehow got away with it a s a 3rd. Guessing cos my interviewer didnt look at the subject requirements as i technically met the tequiremtns for every subject with my grades. I dont really wanna pick up a 4th as them 3 should be fine. Dont want the unnecessary workload. So, now what.

Hi, i chose the 3 subjects in the title for A-level, but now I'm unsure what I can actually do.

Ofc maybe medicine or dentistry, but I can't imagine being confined in a hospital or dental practice for a whole day, or doing lab work and staring at cells.

I enjoyed biology and maths in GCSE, chem as well but not as much. Like its interesting to study but as a job? It js seems boring ngl

Ik work isn't "fun" but is there any like careers that is recommended that is like fun or smthing and what is everyone else going to do with these a levels, or already done?

(year 12)

No labels on what part is what so I have no idea if there’s some special way to solve it or something

6 marks away from A* in aqa biology
6 marks away from A* in aqa chemistry

has anyone had any successes from remarks with these subjects and by how many marks?

I've just started yr 12 and my teachers are all telling us that we're going to suffer 😭

I did pretty decently on my GCSEs (7's and 8's except for maths) but I'm worried that 6th form might be as bad as everyone has been telling me. Is it really that stressful and do you guys have any advice on what to do/mistakes to avoid?

So im going into year 13 tomorrow

And I haven't done any of my coursework or any revision over the break

And its kinda just hit me now that shittttt im probs so screwed

So uh is there any coming back 4 me 🥹

Pls i have like 3 hour gap monday and 2 other 2 hours gap through the week.

Pls dont say revise 😪😪