Difference between A2 & first year of uni?

how much of a gap is there between A2's and Uni?
Did you find your first year of uni much more challenging than A2's or maybe you found that it was easier/ the same?
I do realise this probably depends on uni and subject but I just wanted to see how people feel about it in general?
I just want to prepare myself mentally lol!

Reply 1

The_Lonely_Goatherd

It was a huge leap that I wasn't prepared for! :no:

Luckily loads of people made the extra effort to help me :smile:

Reply 2

The Blind Monk

It depends on your subject and how you thought about your A levels. If you went into your A levels just trying or being taught to tick boxes in a humanities subject, the gap can be quite large.

Reply 3

dude55

Like someone has said, it depends on the subject. If you're doing a physics degree, then you will have done physics at A-Level and so it will be a step up. If you're doing an Economics A-Level then first year Uni will be A-level stuff because most Economics students have never read it before they go to Uni.

Reply 4

concubine

Will really depend upon subjects you were doing/are going to do.

Reply 5

Chulabomb

I've heard that for most subjects, the first year summarizes the entire A2 subject...

Reply 6

Blueflare

First year was significantly easier than A2.
I took both of my chosen degree subjects at A level so I already had a good grounding in them; I didn't really learn anything in first year at all.
Second year is a step up.

Reply 7

Lenguini

Timings, I noticed. I'd be starting lectures at 9 in the morning and not finishing until 7!

It was do-able, and probably easy if you enjoyed the subject. I didn't though and got an apprenticeship instead. XD

No more teachers chasing you though, it's up to you to get your work done

Reply 8

aeterno

I wouldn't say it was either easier or harder...just different. I didn't go into uni with any expectations of what the workload would be like and just basically took each day as it came. But I enjoyed my first year a lot more than A-levels so it didn't feel as stressful and I didn't (always!) leave work til the last minute. I prefer not being spoonfed everything because I learn better this way whereas in school I just didn't try because I no longer cared.

Reply 9

flowermaster91

i found it more easier :dontknow:

Reply 10

ian5019

I found it a hell of a lot easier, but that may only be because i went from doing maths, physics and german at A2 to doing Criminology in uni. It might just be because i generally enjoy Criminology, and the same can't be said about maths and physics for me! Saying that it definately is noticeably more difficult once you reach second year!

Reply 11

Melon_smasher

put this way i got a 1st in my first year average.... 2nd year got a 2.2 with two re-sits.

The leap from 1st to 2nd uni years was harder for me, than a-level to 1st year.

Most unis bring everybody up to the same level in the 1st year or sometimes the 1st semester. depends.

Reply 12

Rainbow-Swirl

I'm worried that I will find it a huge step up because I have taken a gap year so have been out of studying for a year and I will be studying English Literature as part of my course and I haven't done literature since GCSE (did language at ALevel) and although I got an A at GCSE in literature, I'm not sure I'm gonna have what it takes to keep up at degree level despite the fact that I love English :frown: