Poor A-level grades

Hey all, I’m looking for some honest and raw advice about what I should do in my circumstances as a second year ppe student.

So I am from the U.K., studying PPE at Bristol uni, recently achieved a high 2.1 in my first year of uni and sitting my summer exams in a month for second year.

I’m interested in equity research and have an internship in a couple of month in vc in london.

However I unfortunately achieved very poor a-levels during sixth form as I was dealing with leaving the foster care system, being homeless and dealing with trial and other issues due to bad things that happened to me and my siblings in the foster care system were I had been living since I was one. My GCSE’s were 10A*-A grades and 2 B grades but I’m aware that a-levels are the first things looked at and you need minimum of AAB to get into Equity Research which is what I’m interested in.

Do you advise that i resit my economics a-levels and get my grade back during uni and then start applying for off-cycle graduate roles or will that look really bad? Is there a way that I can explain my poor a-levels or is there not a lot that I can do about it.

Thanks in advance just not sure what to do but willing to work very hard.

2 Comments
 

Porro molestias voluptate animi et. Ut non ipsum qui.

Aut in quidem est dignissimos. Maiores recusandae dolores officiis enim praesentium qui dolor. Expedita alias quam animi illo veritatis rerum est.

Numquam est eaque nulla aperiam quam. Autem quam commodi laboriosam ab. Non repudiandae ut repellendus sunt fugit. Praesentium animi vel id quia debitis maiores omnis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”