The Student Room Group

A-levels and work balance

I'm starting a levels in Sep but I also work for a hotel. I don't want to give up my hotel job because it pays for my car etc.

In the hotel i work evenings usually, 5 nights a week from 4/5 until close which is like 12am usually, but sometimes 1am depending on customer volume.

Realistically, is it possible to do this aswell as study for a levels.. or am I way in over my head and going to explode
hmm probably not as you'd get quite a lot of homework and if you work for that long 5 days a week then a lot of the time you would not get it done. i know from experience that not doing homework is problematic. plus also having to revise for exams would be really hard.
obviously if you really enjoy your job that presents a problem. have you mentioned to the hotel what you are planning to do? they could probably suggest a few things etc.
Reply 2
the job is alright, it's nothing special haha but i only got it the other week, and it was full time when i only wanted part time (reason i quit old job for it) but the moneys good so i snapped it up haha.

but now i feel bad cause in september imma be like lol hi i'm going college now bye :/
yeah my subjects are chemistry history and psychology and my friends say chem is solid
Reply 3
Original post by rebelli0n
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I'm also starting A-levels in September, I asked my future tutor about jobs at the A-level open day, and he it would be quite hard but not impossible to have a job during the first month or so of A-levels, however, when exams come around it's best not to have anything else time demanding going on.

I asked because I have recently gotten a job at a library where I work only Wednesday and Thursday 5pm-10pm.

Think of it this way, I was told by subject teachers that a typical subject at A-level approximately requires 4+ hours of independent study a week (not including homework) to reach your full potential. If you're taking 4 subjects that's 16 hours a week that you need to sit down at home and do some studying. Presuming you take the weekend off to do extra curricular activities, hang out with friends, etc. You need to do at least 3.2 hours of work each night. With your current working hours that will be difficult to fit in, it's difficult for me to fit in and I work a lot less than you.

I'd advise asking at work to have your hours reduced at least for the first half term, but then you might have to consider leaving your job to focus on your exam revision.
Reply 4
Original post by rebelli0n
the job is alright, it's nothing special haha but i only got it the other week, and it was full time when i only wanted part time (reason i quit old job for it) but the moneys good so i snapped it up haha.

but now i feel bad cause in september imma be like lol hi i'm going college now bye :/
yeah my subjects are chemistry history and psychology and my friends say chem is solid


You'll find with History and Psychology that there will also be a lot of content you have to cover in your spare time, like certain studies on types of thinking, etc. So the workload for those 'essay' based subjects is huge. I'm also taking Chem + Psychology, absolutely dreading Chemistry. I've already looked over the syllabus and the work book, it looks insane.

I'm a year older than most starting out at A-level because I took a year out to decide what I wanted to do. In this year I have seen my friends struggle a lot with A-levels because they have a job. It's definitely not recommended. It's not impossible but you may see a poor grade outcome compared to what you could be achieving.
Reply 5
Original post by lsaul95
You'll find with History and Psychology that there will also be a lot of content you have to cover in your spare time, like certain studies on types of thinking, etc. So the workload for those 'essay' based subjects is huge. I'm also taking Chem + Psychology, absolutely dreading Chemistry. I've already looked over the syllabus and the work book, it looks insane.

I'm a year older than most starting out at A-level because I took a year out to decide what I wanted to do. In this year I have seen my friends struggle a lot with A-levels because they have a job. It's definitely not recommended. It's not impossible but you may see a poor grade outcome compared to what you could be achieving.


yeah haha i'm 19 this year i took 2 years out.
but what you're saying sounds sensible, i might just stick it out until i can pay my debts off which should be a 2 months or so, then pack the job in
Reply 6
Yes, it's very possible. You only need a few weeks to get the grasp of an A level prior to the exam to get a decent result, if you do a little work constantly you'll be fine.
Reply 7
Original post by rebelli0n
yeah haha i'm 19 this year i took 2 years out.
but what you're saying sounds sensible, i might just stick it out until i can pay my debts off which should be a 2 months or so, then pack the job in


Ah nice one, it's nice to meet someone in the same boat as me!
Yeah, that sounds like a sensible plan man, good luck with your studies.
Reply 8
Not unless you're super smart/you want to do well. If I were you, I'd cut back the hours. You'll be exhausted and you won't have enough time. Working one or two nights is fine and easily manageable.
Reply 9
Original post by lsaul95
Ah nice one, it's nice to meet someone in the same boat as me!
Yeah, that sounds like a sensible plan man, good luck with your studies.


haha yeah man, i'm going to feel dead old at college because of all the 16/17 year olds who've just left, and i'm there chilling like hi i'm 19 :') thanks! good luck to yourself also.

Original post by Rancorous
Not unless you're super smart/you want to do well. If I were you, I'd cut back the hours. You'll be exhausted and you won't have enough time. Working one or two nights is fine and easily manageable.


i am supersmart doe.
haha seriously though i think i'll just try it out for the first month, being as people seem to have different opinions. i was always good at chemistry though, but my friends say it's so hard at a-level, but i guess we'll see. thanks for the advice :')
Reply 10
Original post by rebelli0n
haha yeah man, i'm going to feel dead old at college because of all the 16/17 year olds who've just left, and i'm there chilling like hi i'm 19 :') thanks! good luck to yourself also.


Yeah man, I know the feeling. Just remember that you can purchase alcohol legally for the first year of sixth form and they can't, they'll be begging you to be their friend! hahaha

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