In answer to the subject heading... don't panic. It won't help.

Hard to give specific advice without knowing more exactly your situation. If there are courses where you can get a decent grade this year then you should sit the exams I would think.

More than that (without trying to sound preachy), you should have a serious think about whether you want to resit... if you are going to have the same problem with coursework next year then it could be a waste of time. If you've learnt something this time round and are willing to put in the effort in future then you'll need to convince your college of that.

All of that said, there are very few mistakes that can't be recovered from (cutting the blue wire not the green wire being a notable exception) and if you are willing to put the graft in then you'll be fine.

Well, to give a more thorough explanation of my situation: I've done the coursework for one of my four subjects (as implied in the initial post) but the courses I've (most likely) failed are the ones most important for the Uni course I have/had lined up, which needs three A-Level passes at B, C and C minimum. I can still pass at least one course, but only at somehing like a grade E, which doesn't really help.

I've spoken to one of my teachers who says I might be able to resit the second year (as in just the A-Level bit) along with the other students starting A-Level this September, but I need to confirm this with all my subjects. The main reason for resitting, as suggested, is to get in to the Uni course I'm after doing.

Couple of thoughts, most of which are *don't worry*...

Exams are random, people muck up and admissions tutors know that. I got a D (physics) and an E (maths) in my two best subjects at A level, but an A in my worst (chemistry), this inspite of having breezed through the previous year and being predicted A A/B A/C. I still got my first choice course at my first choice uni - a lot of weight is put on predicted grades and your teachers statements.

Coursework will probably only be a small part of the final result, so you can still pick things up in the exams even if you get a poor coursework result.

Check with your school about resits, you probably wouldn't need to redo your AS exams, just the A levels. If your exam results are okay you may be able to just redo the coursework components. Check what the resit timetable is, you may be able to get everything done in one semester.

If your planning on going to uni then speak to them early about your concerns; when the results come out get them as early as possible, and if they aren't the grades you need then start phoning your universities ASAP. Don't hassle them, but make sure the departmental admissions tutor and secretary should know you by name and regard you as polite and *interested*, be keen to get in! If you won't be able to get your results til late (some schools are useless in this regard) then cheat, on the morning the results come out phone up and ask if your place on their course is okay (possibly do this with your second choice uni first, as this way you'll know their reaction before you call your first choice uni).

Ask about foundation courses, and any preferences the uni has for you retaking or doing other work during your resit year.

Penultimately, make sure you put effort in to the rest of the year, don't give up just because you're sure you'll have failed because of the coursework component.

Lastly, in many ways coursework better reflects real life (including uni) than exams do - it's not about commiting knowledge to memory and parroting back standard answers, it's about working out practical solutions, personal initiative, organisation and flexibility; if you're failing coursework now then at some time you're going to need to correct the behaviours that have caused this.

Dont sweat it too much. I bunked of school for about a third of my time there, so much so that I was offered to resit my fourth year. I could have done the fifth year, but i'd missed so much I would have done terribly. So I resat. Was a great move. I made some great mates in the year I went in, and really shaped my life from then on. Yes, I may have made good friends if i'd gone in the fifth year, but my life would have been completely different now.

I did a BTEC National Diploma in college which I did OK in, then I did a HND. I scraped through my first year, and in my second my mum died and my interest in the course went through the floor. I failed the HND, and yet have never been asked about it a job interview. I started of in a low paid position and worked my way up to a decent wage (over three times what I started on) in about three years.

In summary, if you resit, it might be the best thing you could do, but also, if you dont get the degree of your dreams, then I wouldnt worry to much. Jobs I find are all about getting your foot in the door, once you've done that its practical experience that counts. Once you've proven yourself in a business environement, I dont think employers could give a toss about your degree anymore.

I don't really have any useful advice other than dont panic, but to let you know you aren't alone in this...

I had coursework for my History A-Level. I collected the odd note, but put it off for months. I entirely understand what you mean by wirters block or stage fright, it did feel like that. I was helped in this that my supervisor was off pregnant, so i just had to bluff my way through one meeting with her. It was supposed to be in by half term in february, and i bluffed (still hadn't done anything) 3 days before the easter break, my friends (for my own good) told the teacher i hadn't done anything. I was given an ultimatum to hand something in by the friday or not get entered for the exam. So i spent 3 days unofficialy off (my teacher said she didnt want to see me til i had written something) desperately putting something about the Covenanters and the Civil War together.

And i did it and handed it in. And then i never bothered to find out what mark i got for it as i didn't want to know. I still came out with a C. I got a D in politics and that coursework was written in a weekend (it was 25% coursework for both), but i was crap at politics. I should have done better at history, but i still got accepted to my Uni course despite being a grade down in everything.

Have you had an interview for the uni course? I think the fact i had interviewed well helped get me in (or possibly the fact that they weren't lining up to do Ancient and Medieval History )

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by Callum
Lastly, in many ways coursework better reflects real life (including uni) than exams do - it's not about commiting knowledge to memory and parroting back standard answers, it's about working out practical solutions, personal initiative, organisation and flexibility; if you're failing coursework now then at some time you're going to need to correct the behaviours that have caused this.

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Its true. After that particular mess, i did work much better at Uni as i knew what could happen. I'm sure its something you can get over.

Good luck with it all.

yeah I wouldn't panic, when I did mine there was loads I hadn't done and they allowed us to do it over the Holidays and bring it in September to be marked. However I never bothered in the end.

Just dont worry hun, thats all I can really say. I'm in a similar position (media c.work kind of vital for passing, passing media vital for a media production course.... ) Just ask for any help you need and try and get your head down and get some work done for the exams! Get what coursework you can done and just put alot of effort into the exam part! (says the girl who hasn't even thought about revision yet) If it all goes wrong then re-sit, its really not the end of the world, just an inconvenience mostly and I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have to resit the AS. You'll be fine, Good luck hun!

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by Callum
Ask about foundation courses, and any preferences the uni has for you retaking or doing other work during your resit year.

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This is a good plan. I knew quite a few people at uni who did a foundation year and found it more helpful than the A-levels they didn't do so well in.

I didn't really feel the pressure of A-levels as I had a place on an art foundation course lined up whatever happened. Just as well because I failed maths spectacularly (ungraded!), due to it being far to difficult for me and not having the guts to stand up to the teachers and just drop it for something else.

Don't worry too much about it. Get plenty of advice and you'll see that there are loads more options than you previously thought.

Cheers for advice, people! Me feels loads better now!

I've talked to my personal tutor and he said not to worry (which sounded a little familiar ), and that he should be able to get me a week's extension and that I should only use resits as a last resort and only apply if my results indicate that Sunderland Uni will tell me to get stuffed... which hopefully won't happen!

I should be able to finish my Media piece (the easiest and most complete of the bunch) by this week at my present pace, which overall is good...

Glad to hear it