Is a fifth A-level worth having no free lessons?

I am going to take maths, chemistry, biology and physics. Psychology also interests me and it will fit into my timetable if I give up all six of my free lessons. A-level psychology looks quite interesting and enjoyable, but is it worth it? I don't want to give up any of my other subjects for it.

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Reply 1

Leon Trotsky

Well it depends whether you'll have interesting people in my frees. I'm doing three subjects now that I've started my A2s, and the frees are great - they really help you chill out and perhaps help you even more than an extra lesson would.

Reply 2

Tabers

I suppose it depends on if you can cope with the workload. You think at GCSE I doubt you would have had any free periods however the workload can get bigger at A level. I didn't do 5 A levels, I've only done 4. Then again you do start off at the beginning of the year planning to do homework and stuff in your frees and then after a month or two you just sit there and play cards. So I think it depends is you feel you can cope with the workload.

Reply 3

O_Bugger_its_Hitler

Definately not, you need time to relax and focus on your other subjects .. unless you have super-special powers of ultra intelligence and focus and no social life, you should just stick with 4

Reply 4

blatchcorn

No. I just finished doing four A-levels; I found the free periods to be very, very useful to get some productive work in. Besides, you don't really need four, let alone, five so you're best off focusing on getting good grades for less subjects.

Reply 5

Flippin-Mad

Duckzilla

It's probably not worth risking grades in the other subjects so how about you try it for the first couple of weeks then if its too much drop it. I did 6 AS's (one critical thinking so doesn't really count and one F. Maths which i did over 2 years in my own time, so actually call it 5) and I still had some frees because F. Maths was in my own time after school etc and I literally worked flat out through every single one of my frees at AS (my friends all had different frees so didnt have the distraction), having said that I also stupidly decided to be MD of young enterprise much fun lots of time. So cut it short I dont think I could have coped work load wise without any frees personally, and even without frees I really burnt myself out so in some ways regret taking so much on, having said this it did give me a stronger uni application and I managed to get decent AS grades so if your willing to put in the work do give it a go plus I love psych and i find it nice to have a written subject to break up science/maths subjects. Also, take into consideration your school if this is common than they will probably have ways to support people doing 5 subjects, but if like me your one of the 1st ones then it becomes very much on your own back.

Right I'm going to sum this up v quickly so you dont have to read all of my thinking^ if you dont want to:
If your willing to work hard give it a go (psych is interesting so I would say its worth it) but if you struggle with the workload drop it asap because it only gets worse.
If your not willing to put in the work don't jepardize your other grades for it as unis tend not be any more lenient on people with more A Levels/AS's.

Reply 6

0w3n-69

Duckzilla

Good luck... :eek:

These will gut you like a fish alone... :/

nah

You could always start the Psychology and see how the workload goes and whether it's really as interesting as you have been led to believe

Reply 9

Bezzler

Well, I did 8 AS levels, with one half-hour free period a week, and coped fine. I never did anything useful in my free periods - they were enjoyable, yes, but the only time I got any work done was when it was due in for the following period and I hadn't bothered to do it sooner. I would've coped fine without free periods - there's still morning break and lunchtime for socialising. However, whether that's what you want to do is up to you, nobody here can tell you. If you're clever/able to work at home, I see no reason why you wouldn't cope, but I can't tell you which option you'd prefer. Only you know that. Don't feel pressured either way.

Reply 10

foolsihboy

I ended up doing 5 AS levels and getting 11 frees a week (don't know how on earth that happened) but this year I had a more respectable 8 frees. I think that it is important to have those frees as relaxing time is very useful to help you cope with stress.

Reply 11

Dnator

Duckzilla

Frees are great, lots of dicking around.

Reply 12

kpwxx

Tabers

Agreed, you end up not really using the frees for work.

However, it will tire you out as it's more intensive than you're used to, plus you have to be prepared for coursework deadlines and exam revision, you will have more to fit in to the same time.

Personally I wouldn't do it, but each to their own.

Remember also that you probably won't take all five all the way to the full A-level. Make sure all the interesting stuff isn't in the second year! Sounds silly but could be easily missed.

Reply 13

OutsideOfMakeBelieve

Doing five is silly if you get that little frees! How many blocks do you have in a day/week?

I did five, and I had like, 24/35 Blocks filled, still 11 frees...

Reply 14

username345307

I did five and had about 4 free periods a week. I coped. Mainly went to Spar in them... depends how clever you are, how good you are at cramming, how much good quality work you do at home etc. You still see friends out of school hours, in class, and at lunch/break anyway.

Reply 15

BeanofJelly

I did 5 AS and had 2 frees a week.

You can probably generate at least one extra free by bunking general studies/critical thinking. I recommend this.

I was happy with that number of frees, although everyone said I was crazy*. I think you just get used to however much free time you have. My social time was before and after sixth form (I got in early and hung around for a lift often), lunch breaks, my 2 frees :p:

and also actually in lessons. Personally, I think lessons can be just as sociable as frees - it's more a case of how much work you're happy with (although, I think 5 isn't too much work, anyone could do it - it's your choice whether the interest/qualification is worth it for you).

*Edit: This may have been unrelated.

Reply 16

aphilpotts

If you can take the workload, definitely, it takes a lot of pressure of reaching your uni offer if you've got an extra A-level to play with. Only do it with subjects light on coursework though!