Open College, Author at Open College

How UCAS Clearing Works

15/08/202215/08/2022Open College

Put simply, UCAS clearing is a way for students who don’t have an offer of a place or who didn’t get the grades they needed for a place to still go to Uni. Once all results are released, students will know whether or not their place at University is secured, if they don’t have sufficient UCAS points from their A-Level grades, then they will enter clearing. Universities use clearing as a way to fill places on Degree courses, so there is usually a wide range of both subjects and available universities for students to apply to. The UCAS clearing system is available from July until October, so there is plenty… Read More

How to deal with bad A-Level Results

10/08/202210/08/2022Open College

Now that exams are over, it’s only natural for thoughts to start turning to A Level results. When Results Day arrives, it can be a very stressful time for the students. Regardless of how much work and effort you put into your studies and sitting the examinations, there will always be that bit of worry that you haven’t achieved the results you want and need for getting your place at University. The first thing to remember if you do get bad A-Level results is that it’s definitely not the end of the world! There are still many options open to you and not all of them will mean going back… Read More

Which A-Levels Should I Study?

27/07/202227/07/2022Open College

You have made the decision you’re going to university, so the next step is deciding which A-Levels to study. Now you would have thought this would be a really straightforward thing to decide. But many students find this much harder than you think. The range of courses available is vast and then the options on how you study them is huge too. In this blog, we’re going to look at how to pick your subjects, the ways you can study A-Levels and the different combinations of subjects that work well for certain degrees. How to Pick Your A-Levels When picking which A-Levels to study, you have to be careful to… Read More

Cambridge International A-Levels

22/07/202222/07/2022Open College

Cambridge International A Levels are an increasingly popular choice with students. Although reference to ‘International’ is made within the name of the Awarding Body, you can actually study and sit A-Levels with them in the United Kingdom as well as around the world. With over 50 subjects available, it’s safe to say that Cambridge International A-Levels are growing in popularity with both schools and students. The courses follow the same familiar structure as A-Levels from AQA and Pearson Edexcel, with the main differences occurring with subjects such as the sciences. The science courses, Biology, Chemistry or Physics do not have a practical element. Instead, additional written papers are taken by… Read More

Should I Retake my GCSEs?

20/07/202220/07/2022Open College

The question of retaking GCSEs is a question that always comes up around this time of year. As worries about grades grow with Results Day fast approaching, it’s natural for students to start wondering what they will do if their results aren’t what they need or want. Whether you should retake your GCSEs depends on a few contributing factors, the first and probably most important one being what you need your GCSEs for. For example, if you need to have a certain grade in a set subject in order to go on and study that subject at A-Level, but missed the mark, then you really will have to have a… Read More

Do I need to wait until September to Start A-Levels?

18/07/202218/07/2022Open College

Many students who are looking to start A-Levels often get confused with when they can start studying them. Contrary to popular belief, if you would like to start studying an A-Level ,in any subject, you can actually start studying the course right away. With the introduction of online A Levels, there are no longer the previous restrictions of term times to hold students back. So if you want to start A-Levels in July or August you can! Why do A-Levels Usually Start in September? In previous years, when attending a traditional school or college, the academic year would always start in September, which is where the belief that starting A-Levels… Read More

Will Universities know if I have Studied A-Levels Online?

08/07/202208/07/2022Open College

A question we are often asked by potential students is ‘will universities know if I have studied A-Levels online?’. Even with the acceptance of online learning and the acknowledgement that the quality of learning and education achieved by students learning online, is just as good if not (in some cases) better than traditional school or college, people still worry that universities will not regard the qualifications in the same light. Does it Matter if I do A Levels Online? The simple answer to the question is no, universities will not know if you have studied A-Levels online, unless you decide to tell them as much. When you actually go to… Read More

5 Top A-Level Subject Combinations to Consider

06/07/202206/07/2022Open College

A-Levels are arguably the best and most straight forward way of getting yourself onto a Degree course at University. Subjects are available in humanities, business, languages, mathematics, science and social sciences. So it’s not surprising that it can be difficult to know which A-Level subject combinations to consider. Typically, to gain entry onto a Degree, students are expected to hold 3 or 4 A-Levels. These A Levels need to be in subject combinations aligned with the Degree topic and set UCAS points. This combination of subjects usually amounts to 112 UCAS points or more, which is the average for Degree places. How to Pick Which A Level Subjects to Take… Read More

Are Bad GCSE Grades the End of the World?

04/07/202204/07/2022Open College

Bad GCSE grades can make you feel awful, but they are definitely not the end of the world or your educational journey. Even if you received bad results for all of your subjects, there are still plenty of options available to you and we’re going to take a closer look at these here. The key to getting through bad GCSE results is making a plan. You need to decide which of the grades you want to improve, is it just one or two of your results that are bad? Or is it all them? If it’s just one or two, do they really matter or effect you moving on to… Read More

Is Learning Online Right for me?

29/06/202229/06/2022Open College

When considering your options for the next step of your educational journey, you may find yourself wondering if learning online is right for you. Unlike years ago, when studying online was complicated and more suited to those who were IT savvy, modern day studying is far simpler for students. In fact, you can even study from your mobile on the way to work if you want! The key is finding the right course and course structure to suit your learning style and needs. The process of distance learning has been tried and tested for many years now and this has enabled online colleges and learning providers to find the best… Read More