Please explain
I thought I understood the transition of the AS levels to A levels, but the more I read about it the more confused I've become. If I am starting my A levels this september, and I've been told that I'm only examined on the second year (so no AS?) does this mean that the AS level content is examined in the second year, along with A2/A level exams, all together? Or do I not do the AS part? Or what? Please help this confused person...
Original post by LDS16
I thought I understood the transition of the AS levels to A levels, but the more I read about it the more confused I've become. If I am starting my A levels this september, and I've been told that I'm only examined on the second year (so no AS?) does this mean that the AS level content is examined in the second year, along with A2/A level exams, all together? Or do I not do the AS part? Or what? Please help this confused person...
Basically, as I'm sure you know, the government are in the process of changing A Levels from being linear to modular. In the modular system, you sit AS at the end of year 12 and A2 at the end of year 13. AS + A2 = A Level.
However, changes to the linear course are underway. Like at GCSE, you will do two years of study followed by one set of exams for everything on the two years. Some schools will be doing this straight away for the subjects that it affects, for example English and History.
Nevertheless, AS Levels in these subjects are still on offer, but schools are not obliged to make students sit them. If you sit the AS Level, you will then have to do the content from those exams again at the end of year thirteen (for example, if you do 'Othello' at AS, you will do another exam on it at the end of year thirteen, just with a harder question style).
AS subjects in these new subjects might be called "useless", but my school think that universities will be more willing to give you an offer if they can see how you performed in exams in year twelve, particularly as universities like Cambridge were not enthusiastic to see AS scrapped.
Some subjects, such as Maths (for International A Levels) and MFL (which will become linear for September 2016), however, are still modular. This means that, for those who started A Levels in September 2015, it will still be AS + A2 = A Level. For these you still have to sit the AS Level.
What A Levels are you doing, by the way? I hope that clears things up a bit.
(edited 7 years ago)
Here is a link that might be useful, showing which subjects are linear:
http://university.which.co.uk/advice/a-level-choices/a-level-changes-what-it-means-for-you
http://university.which.co.uk/advice/a-level-choices/a-level-changes-what-it-means-for-you
Glad I helped. It looks that way (as long as you don't do international A Levels). I find it a bit mixed - on one hand, I just seriously mucked up one or two of my AS exams and am glad I get a second chance next year. On the other, universities will actually have to see my half-way muddle. However, reasonable grades at AS should, according to my school, be very encouraging to universities.
It looks that way (as long as you don't do international A Levels). I find it a bit mixed - on one hand, I just seriously mucked up one or two of my AS exams and am glad I get a second chance next year. On the other, universities will actually have to see my half-way muddle. However, reasonable grades at AS should, according to my school, be very encouraging to universities.Quick Reply
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