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What do I expect?

What do I need to expect for A levels, other than they are hard and a lot of work?

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You need to sacrifice your social life. This is what i've heard.:colonhash:
Its ok for me cause i don't have one :redface:
Reply 2
Original post by Amelia76
What do I need to expect for A levels, other than they are hard and a lot of work?


You have to be resilient and be able to pick yourself up. If you live in London you should be fine because colleges there are far better than if you go somewhere in the country or middle of no where. If the latter, be prepared to fail to succeed in the long run. The work load is completely different. Imagine what you cover in school in a week being shoved into an hour and half lesson every lesson. So you have to read ahead and teach yourself stuff outside lessons. It can be depressing at times given the complexity of the subjects and the depth of detail you'll be expected to go into. Also the exams are a *****. That's my experience anyway..
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by Themini
You have to be resilient and be able to pick yourself up. If you live in London you should be fine because colleges there are far better than if you go somewhere in the country or middle of no where. If the latter, be prepared to fail to succeed in the long run. The work load is completely different. Imagine what you cover in school in a week being shoved into an hour and half lesson every lesson. So you have to read ahead and teach yourself stuff to some extent. That's my experience anyway..


What subjects do you do?
Reply 4
Original post by Rajive
What subjects do you do?


I did Maths, Computing, Chemistry, Biology and Economics in my first year..I think :/ lol. But currently I've just finished A2 Maths, Business, Accounting and Environmental studies.
Reply 5
Original post by Rajive
What subjects do you do?


Hopefully want to do BIo, chem, psychology and maths
Reply 6
Original post by Themini
I did Maths, Computing, Chemistry, Biology and Economics in my first year..I think :/ lol. But currently I've just finished A2 Maths, Business, Accounting and Environmental studies.


How did you find bio, chem and maths?
Reply 7
Original post by PrincessBO$$
You need to sacrifice your social life. This is what i've heard.:colonhash:
Its ok for me cause i don't have one :redface:


lol same don't worry
Reply 8
Original post by Themini
You have to be resilient and be able to pick yourself up. If you live in London you should be fine because colleges there are far better than if you go somewhere in the country or middle of no where. If the latter, be prepared to fail to succeed in the long run. The work load is completely different. Imagine what you cover in school in a week being shoved into an hour and half lesson every lesson. So you have to read ahead and teach yourself stuff outside lessons. It can be depressing at times given the complexity of the subjects and the depth of detail you'll be expected to go into. Also the exams are a *****. That's my experience anyway..


I'm a bit stressed now ngl lol
Reply 9
Original post by Amelia76
How did you find bio, chem and maths?


Hard. Chemistry being one of the most challenging A levels you can take. Don't do what I did, do some research and make sure you can handle it. Given that I got A* in maths, chemistry, bio and has done triple science at school I failed pretty hard. But who knows, its individual. But in my A level class, especially my maths it went from 33 students to 25 in the first term and then 10 in my A2. So don't underestimate. The best thing you can do is get some advice from current students and understand that third years are quite common at college. Btw, I'm awaiting the TSR warriors, since everyone on here gets 10 A*s at GCSE and 4 A*s at A level and go onto Oxbridge. Lol.
Original post by Amelia76
I'm a bit stressed now ngl lol


I'm awaiting my A level results.. Think how I feel mate. This years papers were a *****.
Reply 11
Original post by Themini
I'm awaiting my A level results.. Think how I feel mate. This years papers were a *****.


oh my, good luck. im pretty scared to for my results for Gcse lol
Original post by Amelia76
oh my, good luck. im pretty scared to for my results for Gcse lol


My advice would be for you to start your modules now if you can. Purchase the books, or look through youtube. Stay on top of the work, if you fall behind. Then its game over. You'll fail. Get in the habit of reading ahead.
Reply 13
Original post by Themini
My advice would be for you to start your modules now if you can. Purchase the books, or look through youtube. Stay on top of the work, if you fall behind. Then its game over. You'll fail. Get in the habit of reading ahead.


I did actually do that, and i got the books and everything and i found it very difficult on my own to do and i just didn't understand anything.
Biology will be a big step up in content, chemistry will be a big step up in concepts and maths will have a small step up but not a lot. My advise would be too spend like an hour at the end of the week on a Sunday reading through your notes from the previous week so you stay familiar with the content, cause there is quite a lot and you'll easily forget. Apart from that work hard, begin revision at Feb and past papers by March and you should do well.
Original post by Amelia76
I did actually do that, and i got the books and everything and i found it very difficult on my own to do and i just didn't understand anything.


Welcome to A levels. That's why so many people, including me fail their first year. when content is hard and you don't get it..you then have your next lesson in 2 days time..that's when the **** hits the fan because you fall behind. That fact that you're trying, that's good. It means it wont be as alien or hard when you start in September because you'll know what you struggle with and you can focus in those areas. I wish I had discovered TSR earlier. You're definitely at an advantage.
Reply 16
Original post by Themini
Welcome to A levels. That's why so many people, including me fail their first year. when content is hard and you don't get it..you then have your next lesson in 2 days time..that's when the **** hits the fan because you fall behind. That fact that you're trying, that's good. It means it wont be as alien or hard when you start in September because you'll know what you struggle with and you can focus in those areas. I wish I had discovered TSR earlier. You're definitely at an advantage.


A levels seem so difficult lol, what do you suggest i do now?
I had a few mental breakdowns during alevels and will have another one come results day ; prepare to sacrifice your social life to do revision :smile: have fun
Original post by Amelia76
A levels seem so difficult lol, what do you suggest i do now?


Man up I guess? Or better yet be smart and take easy subjects.
Reply 19
You think its hard and you're struggling for 90% of the time but then at the final 10% when you actually put in the effort, everything isn't actually that bad.
When it first starts out, teachers begin with the easy stuff and you think to yourself "why were the year above complaining," as you get 100% in your first mock assessment for the unit.
Then up until December things gradually get harder but you remember that 100% that you achieved at the beginning of the term and think there is no point revising.
January time comes and you have pre-public exams (mocks idk what you wanna call em) and then everything crashes and burns from there after but your habits from Sept-Dec are still there so it isn't till study leave that you ACTUALLY start revising by then it's too late but things are so much clearer.

Just keep revising from the outset and I don't mean read over your notes every night, make all your revision notes ASAP
As soon as the unit is learnt, make the revision notes - my mistake was making the revision notes day before exams and not having enough time to go through them thoroughly

I take Maths Bio Spanish and Chem

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