======= Date Modified 28 02 2009 11:02:18 =======
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I'm not sure if A-levels will be the first thing they look at for a postgrad course but of course they will look to see what grades you got. I think the fact you didn't do so well in your IB will be more unfavourable for you. Also, I'm not sure how much of a factor is the university you are doing your BEng, you say South Bank is average, well in most tables it is below average but if you can get a first, that would really help.

Why is it so important that you attend only those 3 unis?

I was an excellent student eversince I was young, always dreamt of finishing a good Uni, Ox, Cam and Imperial were just examples but certainly i'd rather get e MEng or MSc in a better place than LSBU. In my last year of Ib i had a combination of computer problems-lot all my internall assignments 3 weeks before the deadlines and personal problems.

Thank You very much for your reply, lets see if anyone else shares your views.
As a matter of fact, retaking the exams is no problem to me, the costs are not high so luckily this is not an issue.

The thing i know is that the level of teaching does not differ from the best universities. I have, for instance, a lecturer who teaches me Thermofluids-he is also the lecturer of the same unit at Imperial College London so the way I see it is: If I get a first class I am as valuable to Universities as much as a person finishing his course at Imperial with a simmilar grade, true? Is that when the A Lvl results come in handy?

In advance, thank you.

Your University I think matters more than your IB results. And this is in part because teaching does differ dramatically between institutions. I went to two very good Universities, and just the teaching quality between the two was very noticeable. Just because you share a lecturer with Imperial, doesn't mean that the module requirements are the same, or that the rest of the teaching staff are at a comparable level (though I'm sure they're very good).

Also, smaller Universities often have very good specialisms, such as Cranfield. Though undoubtedly the institutions you mentioned are also very good. Cambridge has the biggest Engineering Dept in the UK? And Imperial is renowned for aeronautics, as well as engineering more generally.

So..i forgot to ask the most imporatant question:

You guys think I should or should not retake the Ib-maths and physics exams?

Or in another words: Do I stand a chance getting in the best Unis for postgrad with what I got(lets say i will score a 2.1 or even a 1st class hons)

======= Date Modified 01 Sep 2008 18:18:31 =======
i've been accepted into UCL for a MRes in the past few months with a conditional offer on my completing my current MA with good results. UCL never asked me for my a-level results. all they wanted was a list of the courses and grades i had gotten from my current uni and some references.

A level results aren't really important at all...most universities see them as a poor indicator of ability.

Your first and second year results at university will be more important, and possibly work experience. Since so many job applications still ask for A level results, it would be a good idea to achieve a higher grade for your IB.

I don't know about the entry requirements concerning engineering, but you shouldn't be too hopeful about gaining a place at Oxbridge or Imperial with a degree from South Bank. Not that I believe in rankings, but South Bank is ranked the worst in the country according to The Times.

'A' level results are practically irrelevant for postgraduate courses. Despite getting near perfect marks for my A level History coursework I fluffed the exams (scribbling out answers in despair and starting new essays repeatedly half way through the exams) and got a grade 'C'. Now I am on a PhD which is in essence a history PhD. So there is no correlation and nobody has asked.

I think the leap from South Bank to either Oxford or Cambridge is too high. You might need to do a year long or so engineering course at a university higher up the league table before you leapfrog up. My undergraduate degree was read at an instiution just outside the Russell Group and managed to do my MA and PhD (so far) in a top 10 institution. I don't think league tables tell the whole story but to an admissions tutor and other staff at Oxbridge Southbank would be a longshot.

I'm afraid I can't speak from an engineering background; however, I don't actually have any A-Levels at all. I do have qualifications gained part-time whilst working after leaving school at 16. This got me into a fairly poorly ranked Uni (not entirely dissimilar to London South Bank in terms of profile I would guess) as an undergrad; this in turn got me onto a self-funded Masters at a decent Russell Group Uni and I've recently been offered funding (albeit via another Masters) at another decent Russell Group Uni (in a top rated department).

I'd concentrate your efforts on getting a first (or as high a grade as you can) now, rather than worrying about qualifications that you've done previously. Also, as Thecoastman says, you may find that when you decide what you want to specialise in that the top departments, centers, etc. may be at places you didn't expect. I'd recommend waiting until you have a reasonably solid idea about what you want to do (unless you do now) and then testing the water by emailing some academics in your field to see what they think; I'd guess they'd either say go for it straight away, or advise you to do a Masters first. They probably won't ask you about your A-levels though.

Good luck.

======= Date Modified 22 Aug 2011 10:29:34 =======
So generally-of what i understood: When a Uni has to decide which person should be awarded a postgrad place-lets say both have 1st class-they may look at GCE A Level results/Ib.

@ Previous posts: I'v heard of people who actually managed to make a jump from south bank to oxford. maybe not all but others, awarded a 1st class, have been awarded a schoolarship to UCL, kings College London, Queens Mary-took their masters there and proceeded to oxford and imperial for their PHDs. This is the route I will try to follow.

Thank you for your help,