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gap year doing chemistry alevel on your own

I'm thinking of taking a gap year doing alevel chemistry
is it a very hard subject to do on your own and tuition?
or is it manageable?
I think it's do-able, however, most A-Level syllabuses have a practical component to it that you cannot teach yourself and needs to be completed in a school/qualified centre.
I believe this depends upon how hard you are willing to work. But Chemistry is a difficult subject and has some odd concepts which can be quite abstract. Watch Youtube Videos to add to your understanding. MaChemGuy and AlleryTutors have videos on OCR Chemistry A but they can be used for all exam boards. It is really important to understand the concepts rather than learn/memorise tonnes of facts. Which exam board do you want to do and why do you want to do an A level in Chemistry during your gap year?
Reply 3
Avatar for HAnwar
HAnwar
17
It's harder to do on your own.
I did it with a tuition place and did the practicals there.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Technetium
I think it's do-able, however, most A-Level syllabuses have a practical component to it that you cannot teach yourself and needs to be completed in a school/qualified centre.


If you're talking about exams, then yes they need to be completed in a private examination centre.

If you're talking about coursework, coursework is not allowed at home, this means external candidates cannot do a-levels with coursework elements. There has been a private examination centre which did allow controlled assesments, but i'm not to sure on the availability tbh
Original post by HAnwar
It's harder to do on your own.
I did it with a tuition place and did the practicals there.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Oh maybe i'm wrong you can do the practicals there then. Is this the ISA you're talking about ( A-Levels Chemistry is no coursework and I believe homeschoolers can't do A-Levels with coursework).
Original post by elmosandy
If you're talking about exams, then yes they need to be completed in a private examination centre.

If you're talking about coursework, coursework is not allowed at home, this means external candidates cannot do a-levels with coursework elements. There has been a private examination centre which did allow controlled assesments, but i'm not to sure on the availability tbh



I'm talking about ISA/EMPA.
Reply 7
Avatar for goal101
goal101
OP
12
Original post by Technetium
I think it's do-able, however, most A-Level syllabuses have a practical component to it that you cannot teach yourself and needs to be completed in a school/qualified centre.


I don't think there is any coursework anymore but there are required practicals you do have to know about. Also I don't really know any places which will allow you to go to the school/intuition to do the practicals
Original post by Technetium
I'm talking about ISA/EMPA.


Original post by elmosandy
Oh maybe i'm wrong you can do the practicals there then. Is this the ISA you're talking about ( A-Levels Chemistry is no coursework and I believe homeschoolers can't do A-Levels with coursework).


Yeah, sorry someone posted that further up.
Reply 9
Avatar for goal101
goal101
OP
12
Original post by Kira Yagami
I believe this depends upon how hard you are willing to work. But Chemistry is a difficult subject and has some odd concepts which can be quite abstract. Watch Youtube Videos to add to your understanding. MaChemGuy and AlleryTutors have videos on OCR Chemistry A but they can be used for all exam boards. It is really important to understand the concepts rather than learn/memorise tonnes of facts. Which exam board do you want to do and why do you want to do an A level in Chemistry during your gap year?


I'm really willing to work my but off for chemistry i'd like to do AQA and reason being i achieved a grade C in maths and was unable to do chemistry in my college so i carried on with the subjects - Biology Psychology and sociology, english lit
( Just finished AS) '
I also realised that my grade C in maths has limited my career choices and im willing to redo maths GCSE
Also with many of the medical courses you need chemistry that is why i'm willing to take a year out and pay and do it at home
Original post by goal101
I don't think there is any coursework anymore but there are required practicals you do have to know about. Also I don't really know any places which will allow you to go to the school/intuition to do the practicals


I never said anything about coursework. I was talking about the practicals - ISA/EMPA or whatever they're called these days - I doubt any school would take you on for just the practical but a local tuition centre might.
Reply 11
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goal101
OP
12
Original post by HAnwar
It's harder to do on your own.
I did it with a tuition place and did the practicals there.

Posted from TSR Mobile


I'd do it with a tuition as well and a online course would that be okay and manageable
Reply 12
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goal101
OP
12
Original post by Technetium
I never said anything about coursework. I was talking about the practicals - ISA/EMPA or whatever they're called these days - I doubt any school would take you on for just the practical but a local tuition centre might.


Oh I see thank you!
Original post by goal101
I don't think there is any coursework anymore but there are required practicals you do have to know about. Also I don't really know any places which will allow you to go to the school/intuition to do the practicals


All private examination centres should allow you to, there was a private examination centre which allowed coursework, but i'm not too sure on the reliability tbh. Just phone up and ask, 3A Tutors is a really good examination centre :smile:
Original post by Technetium
I never said anything about coursework. I was talking about the practicals - ISA/EMPA or whatever they're called these days - I doubt any school would take you on for just the practical but a local tuition centre might.


Original post by goal101
Oh I see thank you!


Yeah, avoid any external a-levels with coursework, you can't do then. There are distance learning providers offering one year a-level courses :smile: oxford open learning is a great provider, but will only allow two year a-level i believe.
Reply 15
Avatar for HAnwar
HAnwar
17
Original post by elmosandy
Oh maybe i'm wrong you can do the practicals there then. Is this the ISA you're talking about ( A-Levels Chemistry is no coursework and I believe homeschoolers can't do A-Levels with coursework).

Yeah ISA, I'm not talking about coursework.

Original post by goal101
I'd do it with a tuition as well and a online course would that be okay and manageable


If you're really dedicated then yeah it's doable.
A2 is quite hard though, so it's better to get more tuition for that.

Posted from TSR Mobile
I realise this is an old thread but it just so happens that I'm in the exact same position as you! So did you manage to do the Chemistry A-Level with the practical element during your gap year and how did it go?

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