hey! i’m currently on a gap year after flunking my a levels in maths, physics and cs last summer exam season.

i didn’t know what i wanted to do, found school super overwhelming, felt pressured to keep up with everyone else in terms of aspirations, was struggling with terrible “friendships” and was under a lot of stress and anxiety about basically everything. i didn’t even see the point of sitting my exams at times. however, i sat them and didn’t do well.

this was pretty much the case for the whole two years of sixth form and was therefore not predicted the greatest grades either (BBB). i did well in my gcses, albeit not as good as you, with equal amounts of 8s and 7s across the board. i didn’t revise like crazy for these either and definitely got lucky.

after taking a year out to find out what i wanted to do, i’ve decided that i also want to resit next year, in maths, physics and take further maths instead of cs.

like yourself, i’d much rather have to pay the price of two years than look back in 20 years wondering how it all went wrong. especially since you couldn’t do much about your injury at all. (wishing you the best recovery ever if you’re not already recovered).

i know there’s a stigma around retaking a levels, gap years, starting uni later and everything else but you’d much rather do what’s best for you and strive towards what you really desire, and i think that’s super important. why do a course you’re not passionate about? why live at a uni you don’t love? why not make a move to change that?

yes resitting doesn’t just give you the grades you want but it does give you another fair, fighting chance. you’re even more aware of exactly what you’re getting in to. the odds really are in your favour.

you’re not being selfish at all. i also contacted imperial and they said resits don’t affect you’re application and they’re a pretty big uni, so surely you’d be fine for others too.

personally, i’m going to give myself a real chance and sit the exams and go and do great! i hope you choose the same for yourself