Retakes - the REAL guide

Advice on A level retakes
Uh-oh - A level results day wasn't quite the joyous occasion you'd anticipated. But the situation isn't necessarily a disaster. Once you've got over the shock, consider your options and see how you can make the best of A level resits.

Are A level retakes worth it?
This depends on how you feel about the subjects, and how vital retaking A levels is to your career. For example, if you want to do something in medicine, you're going to need good results in science. Resitting A levels will be worth the effort if that's the career you're set on. However, if your low grade was in German and you want to study philosophy at university, you could not bother with A level resits and look for somewhere that will accept you with lower grades (See Clearing - the REAL guide)

Resits - a case of flogging a dead horse?
Maybe, just maybe, you not getting the A level grades you wanted is a sign that a vocation isn't for you.

If you spent every minute revising for your maths A levels and believe you did the best you possibly could, resitting A levels might not be worth it. Maybe it's time to look at other paths that don't require you to be good at equations. Ask a parent or teacher to help you identify your strengths and focus on those. Of course, if you didn't get the grades because you were too lazy to revise, A level retakes are a chance to remedy that!

When is retaking A levels possible?
This will depend on the subjects you want to retake. Sometimes, it's possible to do resits in January, which leaves you with the rest of the academic year to do something constructive.

Will universities look down on me for ‘failing' A levels and having to do resits?
No. Not if you handle the situation the right way. If you retake, the chances are you'll have to reapply through UCAS for a university place, which means writing another personal statement. Don't talk about 'failing A levels' but say you are determined to do better in your retakes. You can also write about how constructively you plan to use the time before and after resitting A levels.

Retakes and gap years
Taking a gap year can fit in well with resits. In fact, you could turn retaking A levels into an opportunity to do something really worthwhile. Depending on how much time you feel you need to spend studying for your retakes, you might be able to combine it with some kind of work and save up for a gap year trip. If you can do your A level resits in January - great, you can revise, save, take the exam and then reward yourself with some travelling in Australia or a volunteer placement in Thailand until you go to university later that year. If you have to wait until the following summer, you could take a complete break from studying and go abroad for a while. Hopefully, you'll come back feeling more positive about your resits.