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Reply 3100
:smile:

Do you know what you want to do in university?

The other subjects I'm doing are History, Economics and Music.
Reply 3101
Original post by Safiya122
Seriously, your answer has definitly calmed me down since I was really stressing out about it. I hope it only concludes up to around that :L Anyhow, thank you for your help. I notice you're also doing English Literature and I plan on doing so for that. I know you need to be interested in reading since it provides a lot of that, I'm not somebody who spends all my time reading, I used to do a lot more reading in the previous years than I do now since I have so much exams I need to prepare myself for. So could you give me a brief idea on English Literature as an A-level? I'm planning on getting a B in English Literature and Language and I'm only doing foundation, do I still have a chance of doing well? Thanks :smile:


I'm glad it helped- you really have no reason to stress about it:smile: I used to read a lot too, but generally I've been reading less and less too due to the increasing amount of work!
I'd recommend reading a few classics so that it's easier when you start and look at the college you're applying to and see if they say what book you'll be studying-if they tell you it'll be a lot of help; we're doing Wurthering Heights at the moment and I think having read the book before has really, really helped. Don't worry about only doing foundation- it means you may have to put in extra effort but teachers are always there to help and there is a lot of resources online and in books.
The thing with English Lit though is that I really enjoyed it at GCSE but found it more dull at A level, which to be honest surprised me because it used to be my favourite subject- it's not because its hard or anything but I think I just didn't enjoy the poems (Philip Larkin) and play I was studying (murmuring judges) so again I'd suggest looking at the course and seeing if you enjoy it. I didn't enjoy that first unit but i'm enjoying the coursework- we have to write a short story and a commentary and then a essay on Wuthering Heights; it might seem a lot but considering we don't have any exams in May for English it's not that bad.
I don't think you should worry though, if you enjoy writing and reading as a whole then go for it, there are people in my class with all different grades; getting and A* at GCSE doesn't guarantee and A at A-level and people who came with Bs and Cs are getting top grades.
So in short try some classics, see how you feel with them, at the end of the day to me writing essays in Eng Lit is just about forming your own interpretations, there's no right or wrong answer as long as you can back up your opinion.
Hope this helps :biggrin:
Original post by USB
If I were to take FM in year 13, and wanted to apply to universities and courses which needed FM, would they consider that fact or look solely at my Maths AS?


Undoubtedly they would acknowledge it but it really wouldn't do a whole lot of good. Courses that require FM are invariably competitive - Economics, Engineering etc. And so most of the applicants will have FM at AS and A2, especially now that it's being advertised as a "strongly preferred" or necessary subject.

If I were you, I'd just go for FM from AS. I'm doing it at AS Level at the moment, and it's pretty easy. To be honest, the main challenge is looking out for silly mistakes. And if you plan on doing a course at uni that specifies FM, you can safely assume that the course will be VERY maths-based so it's best to get a good footing with FM from the start.
Reply 3103
if i dont take igcse economics will it be significally harder to just do the a level?
Original post by Irokat
if i dont take igcse economics will it be significally harder to just do the a level?


No but it would be better to take business or economics-all you will really need is a good set of maths skills and be able to apply them to real world problems in businesses.I'm not expert though.Colleges do only require grade B+ in Maths so you should be able to do a-level without any business or economical experience.
I'm confused about alevel physics and alevel chemistry. I definitely will be doing A-level Maths and Business, for the second year, maybe further maths I'm am predicted an A in gcse maths and I reckon I will get an A and I like Maths. However In GCSE additional science the math involved for physics is boring as it's too easy (we only stick in numbers in a boring formula triangle without any real fun maths like trigonometry, cosine rule, sine rule, rearranging equations etc) and because learning about englishy topics like radioactivity, nuclear physics and static electricity is boring for me. The chemistry unit I fished in additional science was very fun :smile::smile:, but only because it had a good balance between maths and english whilst having cool topics like the haber process, types of atome bonding, equilibrium yield etc

For core science (fully achived a B) I had to do foundation and for both chem and physics (for bio I got 67/69). I got 69/69. Now I am doing higher for gcse additional science (predicted A/A*) and for the chem unit I got 100/100 full marks-a*. But I haven't finished the physics unit and I don't even know what grade I am at.

Should I do Physics alevel with alevel Maths? would it be much easier with maths? or should I do a-level chemistry instead of physics? How much maths is in alevel chemistry? How hard would alevel physics and chemistry be for me with the above grades?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by krisshP
I'm confused about alevel physics and alevel chemistry. I definitely will be doing A-level Maths and Business, for the second year, maybe further maths I'm am predicted an A in gcse maths and I reckon I will get an A and I like Maths. However In GCSE additional science the math involved for physics is boring as it's too easy (we only stick in numbers in a boring formula triangle without any real fun maths like trigonometry, cosine rule, sine rule, rearranging equations etc) and because learning about englishy topics like radioactivity, nuclear physics and static electricity is boring for me. The chemistry unit I fished in additional science was very fun :smile::smile:, but only because it had a good balance between maths and english whilst having cool topics like the haber process, types of atome bonding, equilibrium yield etc

For core science (fully achived a B) I had to do foundation and for both chem and physics (for bio I got 67/69). I got 69/69. Now I am doing higher for gcse additional science (predicted A/A*) and for the chem unit I got 100/100 full marks-a*. But I haven't finished the physics unit and I don't even know what grade I am at.

Should I do Physics alevel with alevel Maths? would it be much easier with maths? or should I do a-level chemistry instead of physics? How much maths is in alevel chemistry? How hard would alevel physics and chemistry be for me with the above grades?


I think you should do Chemistry because you find it so easy and i think you shouldn't do Physics because although you good at it-further maths would be better because you seem to want more maths than science but if you were looking for science,Physics would be the option.Maths+Business+Chemistry+Further Maths and i feel i have to give you a warning here,if you want to do maths at uni i would strongly advise Physics or Further Maths,no maybe for second year because most universities won't let you in without either of them.

Be careful though because maths and further maths are very tough at A-Level and most people who look at maths for university and do further maths get an A* easily at GCSE,like me 79/80 UMS for 1st unit,top in my year and my sister got a D at AS Maths never mind Further Maths and she got an A at GCSE.
(edited 11 years ago)
But then again I am only predicted an A in gcse maths, not an A* so I might not be capable of doing f-maths and I may struggle. So it a big risk if I take f-maths. Also wouldn't physics alevel be easier with alevel maths than chemistry? physics is one of the sciences, so it is still respected.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 3108
Original post by krisshP
But then again I am only predicted an A in gcse maths, not an A* so I might not be capable of doing f-maths and I may struggle. So it a big risk if I take f-maths. Also wouldn't physics alevel be easier with alevel maths than chemistry? physics is one of the sciences, so it is still respected.


I read half his post, it's a load of poop.

He got 79/80 in a Maths module if I read correctly- bull ****, it's out of 100 for a start.

I got an A at GCSE, and I'm comfortably doing well at Core and Further Maths.

A level physics would potentially be easier with taking A level maths (due to the mathematical aptitude involved). You'd be able to do Mechanics1 without learning it as a Maths module as you will have learnt most if not all of it in Physics AS.

So there are clearly various advantages in taking Physics.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by f1mad
I read half his post, it's a load of poop.

He got 79/80 in a Maths module if I read correctly- bull ****, it's out of 100 for a start.

I got an A at GCSE, and I'm comfortably doing well at Core and Further Maths.

A level physics would potentially be easier with taking A level maths (due to the mathematical aptitude involved). You'd be able to do Mechanics1 without learning it as a Maths module as you will have learnt most if not all of it in Physics AS.

So there are clearly various advantages in taking Physics.



My Maths GCSE is split up into 3 modules 1 out of 80,1 out of 100 and 1 out of 120 and you really shouldn't be so stupid not everyone is doing the same course as you,some people's modules could be out of 150 or 300,unlikely but possible,there are tonnes of maths courses ranging from modular to linear with a range of exam boards.
Reply 3110
Original post by Dalek1099
...


:lolwut:

Firstly, why are you giving out advice on A level maths when you haven't done it.

Unless you have trouble reading, I said A level maths modules are out of 100, I never once referred to GCSE's.

Don't include GCSE Maths scores and A level Maths in the same sentence: "most people who look at maths for university and do further maths get an A*". That's bull shine, unless you include a statistic for this.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by f1mad
:lolwut:

Firstly, why are you giving out advice on A level maths when you haven't done it.

Unless you have trouble reading, I said A level maths modules are out of 100, I never once referred to GCSE's.

Don't include GCSE Maths scores and A level Maths in the same sentence: "most people who look at maths for university and do further maths get an A*". That's bull shine, unless you include a statistic for this.


because my sister got an A at GCSE and a D at AS.If you do further maths you need an A and if you just meet the requirements you will be disadvantaged-i wouldn't really go for a subject that i just met the requirements for at A-Level because it would be too hard to compete with the people who got the higher grades.An A* at GCSE is so easy to get that you would probably need it to do A-Level in Maths and Further Maths successfully because the jump is gigantic from GCSE to FM A-Level,not in all occasions but most.
Reply 3112
Original post by Dalek1099
because my sister got an A at GCSE and a D at AS.If you do further maths you need an A and if you just meet the requirements you will be disadvantaged-i wouldn't really go for a subject that i just met the requirements for at A-Level because it would be too hard to compete with the people who got the higher grades.An A* at GCSE is so easy to get that you would probably need it to do A-Level in Maths and Further Maths successfully because the jump is gigantic from GCSE to FM A-Level,not in all occasions but most.


Mate, don't comment unless you've actually done it: you will end up giving false info.

Your sister doesn't represent the entire population. I know people with B grades at GCSE's who are finding A level maths a piece of cake. And your point is?

It varies from person to person.
That is all.
So would the following be best for my a-levels:
Maths
Physics
Business

Buy then what happens if I change my mind and I want to go into a science field at uni? Then wouldn't I need chemistry? So should I take Chemistry for my 4th A-level? Maybe just chem for the first year?
Original post by krisshP
So would the following be best for my a-levels:
Maths
Physics
Business

Buy then what happens if I change my mind and I want to go into a science field at uni? Then wouldn't I need chemistry? So should I take Chemistry for my 4th A-level? Maybe just chem for the first year?


You got Full UMS for C2,so you should take it even if its just too boost your average a-level grade.
(edited 11 years ago)
So do I replace physics with Chemistry? If yes, if wouldn't make sense to have chem+maths - it would make more sense if its maths+physics. Also maths+physics would be easier due to the mechanics module.

If I add chemistry, either by replacing business or just as my 4th subject, wouldn't I have too much workload?

What happens if I take just AS Chemistry as my 4th subject (ONLY as AS)? Would I be able to see go into the science fields?
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by krisshP
So do I replace physics with Chemistry? If yes, if wouldn't make sense to have chem+maths - it would make more sense if its maths+physics. Also maths+physics would be easier due to the mechanics module.

If I add chemistry, either by replacing business or just as my 4th subject, wouldn't I have too much workload?

What happens if I take just AS Chemistry as my 4th subject (ONLY as AS)? Would I be able to see go into the science fields?


It does make sense to combine chemistry with maths. At school everyone gets the impression that maths is only needed for physics. Maths is needed a great deal for chemistry at university level, as I discovered to my cost after only doing AS. Be warned!! :tongue:

You can't get onto a chemistry course with only AS; you can easily get onto physics, biology or maths courses. You can do any science degree with the same subject at A level (though maths is needed for physics and advisable in general). It helps you at university and in the application process to do two or three of these four subjects, but don't feel that you have to do all four to get on any science course. If one of the subjects really isn't your cup of tea then take English or something instead - after all, you're not going to want to do that subject at uni.

I should also add that business studies is awful, I dropped it after AS because it was so easy and therefore soul-destroyingly boring. If that sort of thing interests you, take economics. Don't waste two years of your life doing a micky mouse subject, it's better (though I wouldn't advise it) to do three subjects than to do a fourth which is as pointless as business studies :tongue:
(edited 11 years ago)
I think I now should just do:
Maths (AS+A2)
Physics (AS, maybe A2)
Business (AS+A2)
Chemistry (AS, maybe A2)

Will economics be hard for me?
Also I will be able to decide which to do - chem or physics as my science.
Thanks :smile::smile::smile:
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by krisshP
I think I now should just do:
Maths (AS+A2)
Physics (AS, maybe A2)
Business (AS+A2)
Chemistry (AS, maybe A2)

Will economics be hard for me?
Also I will be able to decide which to do - chem or physics as my science.
Thanks :smile::smile::smile:

Economics, Physics and Chemistry are all difficult A levels, no doubt about that. Economics is more approachable, but requires a lot more fact learning, the sciences can get quite complicated (especially at A2).

Economics is mostly essays (it's quite a lot like English language GCSE with source + comprehension questions). Physics is a lot of maths, and a lot of looking at equations, explaining them, et cetera. Chemistry is based much more on knowledge application (it's similar to Physics, but with less maths and more "explain this" questions).

Which one to do is definitely down to you, and your strengths. If you're not confident with maths I would avoid Physics. If you like Sciences then Chemistry is a great choice (it's not easy though). Economics, as I said before, is much more of an essay subject (which may, or may not, be a good thing for you).

Do you know if you're doing Mechanics modules in Maths? If you are, then they overlap quite a bit with Physics, which could be something to consider.


Also, if you're looking at courses, Chemistry is the best option to keep your University course options open (almost every science degree wants students who take Chemistry).
Thanks Llewellyn :smile::smile:
Because of the high amount of English is Economics, I going to take:

Maths (AS+A2)
Physics (AS, maybe A2)
Business (AS+A2)
Chemistry (AS, maybe A2)

Also I'll be doing the mechanics module in Maths to make things slightly easier and better for me :smile::smile::biggrin:
Chemistry will be fun, just like in additional science, and I guessing it shouldn't be too hard and not impossible for me because I got a* full marks 100/100 for C2 unit in additional science.
(edited 11 years ago)