How hard is it to do 5 A-Levels?
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Original post by mollyd
I really want to do Psychology, French, English and History for AS level. But then I also want to do Photography as well... How hard would this be to do? Thankyou 
I'm doing 4 and 3/4 A levels (4 hards and an extended project) and it is definitely manageable although you need to be very organised and prepared to put in the effort when required, even with good organisation there are some weeks where you just want to hide away when mock exams, extra sessions, deadlines etc start to clash.
However it is manageable.
On I side note I have great respect for people who are managing with 6/7 A levels.
E: On a side note, if you are going to do 5 then be prepared to have 4/5 days in the week at college from 8-5 instead of 9-3 or what ever lesson hours your college operates. Basically you're gonna be in college a lot longer due to having more lessons and being in the library.
(edited 12 years ago)
If I were you I would not take that many subjects. 4 is hard enough and as pepople said already, photography will do you no good in terms of your uni application.
Why don't you join a club or something so that you can enjoy photography outside school curriculum? From experience I know that school often puts you off what you enjoy
Why don't you join a club or something so that you can enjoy photography outside school curriculum? From experience I know that school often puts you off what you enjoy
Original post by kimmey
thats just what i said haha
Oh, I didn't see lol
I can honestly say its not hard if you are willing to put the effort in. What goes in must come out.
you feed you brain the stuff effectively. You will result in success
you feed you brain the stuff effectively. You will result in success
depends on:
a. how easy you find it, or how hard you are willing to work
b. what subjects
if you are doing say all sciences and maths then yes 5 is perfectly manageable as they all link together but as your subjects don't it may be harder. besdies you can always drop photography.
a. how easy you find it, or how hard you are willing to work
b. what subjects
if you are doing say all sciences and maths then yes 5 is perfectly manageable as they all link together but as your subjects don't it may be harder. besdies you can always drop photography.
Original post by Onewingedangel
I could do 5 A levels while asleep. And not even with subjects like photography or media studies.
Your mind is inactive while asleep, your point is illogical.
Logic/
'Officially' I take 5 AS-levels with a mixture of Maths and arts subjects, but I take Further Maths as an AS over two years, with two modules completed this summer and another next year. I'd echo what the others have said about Photography A-level, but if your school or college would allow you to be flexible about the pace of the course, it would probably help you to spread it out.
Depends on you, I'm currently in my AS year and Im doing Maths, FM, Chem, Phys and Economics. I got 4 A's in my January exams so I was doing fine until then. The workload is getting a bit too much but I think I'll be able to handle it. If you really love photography, you would work the extra hours that are needed to do 5 subjects. Your call.
I'm doing Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics. I have 7 free's per week, which I just use to practice STEP questions. I would love to do another AS level, but my school can't timetable it. If you have the opportunity to take 5, then you probably should, given that your prepared to put the effort in, as its going to be no easy task.
I'm doing 5, it's completely manageable. I think 6 is also doable, even with plenty of EC activities.
I don't really understand how people can't cope with <6 AS levels. Most people have around 50 hours (4pm>10pm weekdays + 2x10 hr weekends) of non-school awake time per week. My ECs shave that down to 34, but that's still 34 hours when I can work on 5 subjects. Ultimately, I think I spend ~20 hours a week doing nothing constructive at all (e.g. TV, TSR, Facebook, Computer games) and still I'm on top of my work. It's nothing about how smart you are, or how well you learn. It's all about how well you can manage your time and avoid procrastination. e.g. if you can't keep on top of GCSE homework and you're that person who hands in coursework on the very last day then maybe you should be doing 3 or 4 AS levels.
If you're struggling at AS then it's because you're reading this sentence instead of working. I won't believe that with 32 hours in school and 50 hours free time per week that anyone can't keep on top of 4 AS levels. If that's the case then you probably need to sit down and rethink your daily schedule.
I don't really understand how people can't cope with <6 AS levels. Most people have around 50 hours (4pm>10pm weekdays + 2x10 hr weekends) of non-school awake time per week. My ECs shave that down to 34, but that's still 34 hours when I can work on 5 subjects. Ultimately, I think I spend ~20 hours a week doing nothing constructive at all (e.g. TV, TSR, Facebook, Computer games) and still I'm on top of my work. It's nothing about how smart you are, or how well you learn. It's all about how well you can manage your time and avoid procrastination. e.g. if you can't keep on top of GCSE homework and you're that person who hands in coursework on the very last day then maybe you should be doing 3 or 4 AS levels.
If you're struggling at AS then it's because you're reading this sentence instead of working. I won't believe that with 32 hours in school and 50 hours free time per week that anyone can't keep on top of 4 AS levels. If that's the case then you probably need to sit down and rethink your daily schedule.
Original post by Llewellyn
I'm doing 5, it's completely manageable. I think 6 is also doable, even with plenty of EC activities.
I don't really understand how people can't cope with <6 AS levels. Most people have around 50 hours (4pm>10pm weekdays + 2x10 hr weekends) of non-school awake time per week. My ECs shave that down to 34, but that's still 34 hours when I can work on 5 subjects. Ultimately, I think I spend ~20 hours a week doing nothing constructive at all (e.g. TV, TSR, Facebook, Computer games) and still I'm on top of my work. It's nothing about how smart you are, or how well you learn. It's all about how well you can manage your time and avoid procrastination. e.g. if you can't keep on top of GCSE homework and you're that person who hands in coursework on the very last day then maybe you should be doing 3 or 4 AS levels.
If you're struggling at AS then it's because you're reading this sentence instead of working. I won't believe that with 32 hours in school and 50 hours free time per week that anyone can't keep on top of 4 AS levels. If that's the case then you probably need to sit down and rethink your daily schedule.
I don't really understand how people can't cope with <6 AS levels. Most people have around 50 hours (4pm>10pm weekdays + 2x10 hr weekends) of non-school awake time per week. My ECs shave that down to 34, but that's still 34 hours when I can work on 5 subjects. Ultimately, I think I spend ~20 hours a week doing nothing constructive at all (e.g. TV, TSR, Facebook, Computer games) and still I'm on top of my work. It's nothing about how smart you are, or how well you learn. It's all about how well you can manage your time and avoid procrastination. e.g. if you can't keep on top of GCSE homework and you're that person who hands in coursework on the very last day then maybe you should be doing 3 or 4 AS levels.
If you're struggling at AS then it's because you're reading this sentence instead of working. I won't believe that with 32 hours in school and 50 hours free time per week that anyone can't keep on top of 4 AS levels. If that's the case then you probably need to sit down and rethink your daily schedule.
Plenty of reasons - having to compensate for bad teaching by working at home, bad environment to work in at home, lengthy commutes to and from school which eat into time in the evening, a *social life*, tiring part-time work, family commitments, chores etc. Not to mention the very human need for rest and relaxation. I'll have done 8AS and 6A2 at the end of this year, but this post is startlingly naive; there are plenty of reasons why many people do 3/4 A levels and find it difficult and that is why universities don't ask for more.
Original post by medbh4805
Plenty of reasons - having to compensate for bad teaching by working at home, bad environment to work in at home, lengthy commutes to and from school which eat into time in the evening, a *social life*, tiring part-time work, family commitments, chores etc. Not to mention the very human need for rest and relaxation. I'll have done 8AS and 6A2 at the end of this year, but this post is startlingly naive; there are plenty of reasons why many people do 3/4 A levels and find it difficult and that is why universities don't ask for more.
You miss the crux of my argument, which is that if a person finds 3/4 A levels difficult then that is more often than not their own fault.
Of course there are reasons why people struggle, that is axiomatic considering that people say they struggle. But they struggle because they; do not prioritise correctly; do not get a healthy amount of sleep; do not work when they have the opportunity.
If someone truly cannot find an hour to two to set aside for work everyday then that is certainly extremely unusual. I have no idea how anyone could manage to fill up 52 hours a week with commitments that do not pertain to studying. The truth is that almost all A level students have plenty of free time they spend doing nothing, they all do not get enough sleep, and then they all complain about the workload and that they "don't get" the work.
Ugh, I wouldn't reccomend it. I do 4 AS', (Philosophy, Sociology, English lang and Photography) and photography is by far the most stressful and time consuming and often drains me from doing my other subjects. Since it's a "soft" a-level, they expect A LOT from you, and the grade boundaries are ridiculous. In AS, you need 71 out of 80 to get an A on all units. Also, universities don't like it, so I'm dropping it next year. Do photography as an EC hobby or something to put on your statement to show what a well rounded individual you are.
Original post by iSoftie
I'm thinking of doing 5 A Levels.
Chemistry Biology Maths and Further Maths
Physics in AS and French in AS (over the course of 2 years).
Chemistry Biology Maths and Further Maths
Physics in AS and French in AS (over the course of 2 years).
woah...
Original post by omgg
woah...
Changed my mind:
Maths
Further Maths
Biology
Chemistry
AS French + AS Latin :L
Original post by iSoftie
Changed my mind:
Maths
Further Maths
Biology
Chemistry
AS French + AS Latin :L
Maths
Further Maths
Biology
Chemistry
AS French + AS Latin :L
still doesnt make it any beter...
your still doing the four hardest A Levels, and 2 languages
Original post by omgg
still doesnt make it any beter...
your still doing the four hardest A Levels, and 2 languages
your still doing the four hardest A Levels, and 2 languages
Open your mind!
If you like it: it's easy. Besides knowing French does help?
Original post by iSoftie
Open your mind!
If you like it: it's easy. Besides knowing French does help?
If you like it: it's easy. Besides knowing French does help?
haha... it may be easy, but you still get a lot of work. but you sound like you can manage, so its alright for you. i would neverrr choose 5!
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