ah. I though to get in to some uni's you have to complete the course in two years. By re-doing a year I would have done it in three thus by default hindering my chances and I also work better from home.

Reply 47

Tsrsarahhhh

I think it's doable but depends on the subject. Essay subjects would be much easier to self teach but you wouldn't have the luxury of a teacher checking your essays and telling you what to improve on. Also you may experience difficulty regarding coursework. Same with sciences although much harder to self teach. If you're determined enough and you have to resources do it, good luck if you do, I would never be able to do 1 let alone 3.

Reply 48

Rather_Cynical

It'll be the most intense education you'll ever do that isn't PhD, but certainly possible. I've been doing 3 STEM subjects (Physics/Chem/Maths) as intensives and it's definitely not for students who struggle with their courses. It depends whether you're sufficiently hungry for the degree/career and whether you're naturally quite skilled at picking up the concepts quickly.

It's not for the faint hearted. If you've basically done A-levels before and messed up, then you might have a better time.

Reply 49

171819

Original post by Rather_Cynical

yes that is the logic my reasoning, as I have done the said subjects and plan to try once more!

Reply 50

Zacken

Original post by 171819

No, the logic is very flawed here. If you can do very well in one year, then go for it. If not, then it's better to take three years and get excellent results than two years (1 year self-taught) and get mediocre results.

Original post by Tsrsarahhhh

??? This is the opposite, essay subjects are much harder to self-teach! Obviously! The sciences and maths are much easier to self-teach.

Reply 51

Zacken

Original post by Rather_Cynical

It'll be the most intense education you'll ever do that isn't PhD, but certainly possible.

Disagree, I had a rather tame time self-teaching M, FM, Physics and I rather hope that first year of Warwick or Cambridge maths will be more intense than that, to say the least...

Reply 52

Rather_Cynical

Original post by Zacken

Disagree, I had a rather tame time self-teaching M, FM, Physics and I rather hope that first year of Warwick or Cambridge maths will be more intense than that, to say the least...

I suppose it depends on natural ability too, you've got to be quite gifted to achieve 198/200 with relative ease on C3/4. Some of my graduate friends comment that the content is definitely *harder* at University, especially Oxbridge, but not necessarily more intense for whatever reason.

Oxbridge does pride itself with being fast paced, so maybe that might be an exception. A-levels are quite simplistic, it doesn't consider derivations/proofs/mechanisms *that* important.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 53

Zacken

Original post by Rather_Cynical

Some of my graduate friends comment that the content is definitely *harder* at University, especially Oxbridge, but not necessarily more intense for whatever reason.

A-levels are quite simplistic though, it doesn't consider derivations/proofs/mechanisms *that* important.

Yes, precisely. But at university, you have lectures and supervisions as well as spend ages on examples sheets (because I'm not smart enough to do them quickly!), so it'll be a lot more intense than the 3 hours a day I needed for A-Levels.

Reply 54

Student403

Original post by Rather_Cynical

I suppose it depends on natural ability too, you've got to be quite gifted to achieve 198/200 with relative ease on C3/4.

not really i know some right idiots who got close to full

Reply 55

DauntlessOne

Original post by Inexorably

yes but why would you want to.

Because you don't want to spend 2 years of your precious and limited time on earth doing, a quite frankly, too long of a qualification. I myself identify with this thread starter, as I believe you want to get a good qualification and get out there and use it.

I have been wondering the possibility of doing A levels in less than 2 years.

Reply 56

Ayman!

Original post by Student403

not really i know some right idiots who got close to full

im right here

Reply 57

171819

Original post by Zacken

well that's based on the fact if I do bad by teaching myself. Thanks for the advice it may have saved my a collision course with failure, It seems to me that doing it myself may not be wise but I will research and experiment during the summer to see how it pans out.

Thanks everyone for the advice, it has helped a huge deal!

Reply 58

Student403

Original post by Ayman!

im right here

i was referring to @Zacken and @physicsmaths but you work too

Reply 59

171819

Original post by DauntlessOne

yes. Initially I wanted to save time and the possibility of self teaching interest me as I work better myself but a huge deal of research must be done prior to it as it would be a real balls up if I failed by teaching myself.