Help needed with 4th A Level choice!
I am in Year 11 and need to start applying for the college I want to attend pretty soon. I know for definite that I want to take Maths, Further Maths and Physics as these are my favourite and strongest subjects. However, I cannot decide on which subject to choose for my 4th option. I will most likely be taking Maths, Further Maths and Physics to A2, and dropping off my 4th option after AS so that I can allocate most of my time towards Maths and Physics to secure the highest grades possible, (Hopefully being high A's and A*s). For a long time I have been torn between Biology and Chemistry as my 4th option. I excel equally at both subjects with A*'s in both upto now, but I would say that I enjoy Biology more than Chemistry, but that may be down to my Chemistry teacher being boring which in turn may make the subject seem slightly boring to me. However, isn't Chemistry seen as a more respected subject when applying for universities? I would also like people's opinions on the difficulty of the subjects who have taken both Biology and Chemistry at AS.
Thanks
Thanks
biology and chemistry are on equal footing. their in the same list (A1) as Physics maths and further maths (according to trinity college cambridge). Chemistry gets really interesting at AS but so does bio. bio has more work though. i did A levels for a week before switching to IB and now i do biology but not chemistry
Original post by CharlieBoardman
I am in Year 11 and need to start applying for the college I want to attend pretty soon. I know for definite that I want to take Maths, Further Maths and Physics as these are my favourite and strongest subjects. However, I cannot decide on which subject to choose for my 4th option. I will most likely be taking Maths, Further Maths and Physics to A2, and dropping off my 4th option after AS so that I can allocate most of my time towards Maths and Physics to secure the highest grades possible, (Hopefully being high A's and A*s). For a long time I have been torn between Biology and Chemistry as my 4th option. I excel equally at both subjects with A*'s in both upto now, but I would say that I enjoy Biology more than Chemistry, but that may be down to my Chemistry teacher being boring which in turn may make the subject seem slightly boring to me. However, isn't Chemistry seen as a more respected subject when applying for universities? I would also like people's opinions on the difficulty of the subjects who have taken both Biology and Chemistry at AS.
Thanks
Thanks
I would say both are mind numbingly boring, but that's just me (having taken them both at AS Level)
Original post by CharlieBoardman
I am in Year 11 and need to start applying for the college I want to attend pretty soon. I know for definite that I want to take Maths, Further Maths and Physics as these are my favourite and strongest subjects. However, I cannot decide on which subject to choose for my 4th option. I will most likely be taking Maths, Further Maths and Physics to A2, and dropping off my 4th option after AS so that I can allocate most of my time towards Maths and Physics to secure the highest grades possible, (Hopefully being high A's and A*s). For a long time I have been torn between Biology and Chemistry as my 4th option. I excel equally at both subjects with A*'s in both upto now, but I would say that I enjoy Biology more than Chemistry, but that may be down to my Chemistry teacher being boring which in turn may make the subject seem slightly boring to me. However, isn't Chemistry seen as a more respected subject when applying for universities? I would also like people's opinions on the difficulty of the subjects who have taken both Biology and Chemistry at AS.
Thanks
Thanks
Biology and Chemistry are both highly respected by universities. What do you plan on doing at university (if you know)? It might be worth looking into where those subjects could take you and what the entry requirements are for certain degrees.
I would personally go for Biology provided that you're not compelled to take Chemistry because of your degree choice. The workload is so much easier if you do A-levels that you enjoy!
Original post by hassi94
I would say both are mind numbingly boring, but that's just me (having taken them both at AS Level)
Did you enjoy them at GCSE or not? Or was it the AS work that put you off?
Original post by Rascacielos
Biology and Chemistry are both highly respected by universities. What do you plan on doing at university (if you know)? It might be worth looking into where those subjects could take you and what the entry requirements are for certain degrees.
I would personally go for Biology provided that you're not compelled to take Chemistry because of your degree choice. The workload is so much easier if you do A-levels that you enjoy!
I would personally go for Biology provided that you're not compelled to take Chemistry because of your degree choice. The workload is so much easier if you do A-levels that you enjoy!
I want to study either Maths or Maths with Physics at University, so the 4th option isn't relevant to the course. Thanks
If you enjoy Biology more, then take that. Although, if you get to your AS year and still really can't decide which you'd like to do to AS, try both (i.e. take M, FM, Bio, Chem, Phys) and see which you like better at AS.
Original post by Mr Inquisitive
If you enjoy Biology more, then take that. Although, if you get to your AS year and still really can't decide which you'd like to do to AS, try both (i.e. take M, FM, Bio, Chem, Phys) and see which you like better at AS.
Will this not make my workload too large? As they are all strong subjects, as I would like to concentrate mostly on my Maths and Physics.
Original post by CharlieBoardman
I am in Year 11 and need to start applying for the college I want to attend pretty soon. I know for definite that I want to take Maths, Further Maths and Physics as these are my favourite and strongest subjects. However, I cannot decide on which subject to choose for my 4th option. I will most likely be taking Maths, Further Maths and Physics to A2, and dropping off my 4th option after AS so that I can allocate most of my time towards Maths and Physics to secure the highest grades possible, (Hopefully being high A's and A*s). For a long time I have been torn between Biology and Chemistry as my 4th option. I excel equally at both subjects with A*'s in both upto now, but I would say that I enjoy Biology more than Chemistry, but that may be down to my Chemistry teacher being boring which in turn may make the subject seem slightly boring to me. However, isn't Chemistry seen as a more respected subject when applying for universities? I would also like people's opinions on the difficulty of the subjects who have taken both Biology and Chemistry at AS.
Thanks
Thanks
bio is good but I prefer phys & chem. I recommend that you do maths, f.maths, phys and chem.
Original post by CharlieBoardman
Did you enjoy them at GCSE or not? Or was it the AS work that put you off?
I did enjoy them at GCSE, but AS Level was harder in a way where I had to memorise loads of information that didn't challenge or intrigue my brain - whereas maths and physics (and even more so further maths) were things I actually enjoyed and really find interesting and engaging.
My personal advice is unless you actually really enjoy one of them, try to do a different subject that could perhaps break up your schedule of scientific subjects; or if you're a little worried by that try something that isn't too full of writing (Geography/Economics/Computing?). But if you do enjoy Biology to the extent you WANT to study it then go for it, though AS definitely killed both biology and chemistry for me. It became learning boring uninteresting stuff that you had to read repeatedly to remember rather than the cool interesting stuff I used to remember learning in GCSE.
Original post by CharlieBoardman
Will this not make my workload too large? As they are all strong subjects, as I would like to concentrate mostly on my Maths and Physics.
Don't do both. If you decide to do one of them do Biology because you enjoy it more. It's not less respected than Chemistry AS level when it comes to applying for maths so don't worry about that!
Original post by CharlieBoardman
Will this not make my workload too large? As they are all strong subjects, as I would like to concentrate mostly on my Maths and Physics.
Like I said, you'd be trying it out.
Would it be a good idea to take both, and then drop the subject I liked the least aftter the first few weeks? Or is the first couple of weeks not a good enough indicator?
Original post by CharlieBoardman
Original post by CharlieBoardman
Would it be a good idea to take both, and then drop the subject I liked the least aftter the first few weeks? Or is the first couple of weeks not a good enough indicator?
that sounds good to me. that's what i'll probably do. i'm thinking of doing the same options as you.
It may be worth considering the quality of teaching of the 2 subjects in your school
Does one usually lead to better results than the other
What do people in your Y12/Y13 say about the 2 subjects
You say your Chem teacher is boring ... will he be the teacher next year
They are both excellent choices for keeping your options open so it may come down to some of these softer issues
Does one usually lead to better results than the other
What do people in your Y12/Y13 say about the 2 subjects
You say your Chem teacher is boring ... will he be the teacher next year
They are both excellent choices for keeping your options open so it may come down to some of these softer issues
Honestly I would say if you enjoy Biology more, do Biology. After all, you're doing really academic other subjects and if you're predicted such grades in them really your foruth AS isn't going to matter that significantly. In terms of choosing between Biology and Chemistry I doubt it's really going to matter a great deal essentially, maybe to some Chemistry is regarded as better but Biology is very well respected as well, so do the one you enjoy the most, because even if you're good at both you're most likely to succeed in the one you enjoy the most. Good luck. xxx
Original post by Jed123
that sounds good to me. that's what i'll probably do. i'm thinking of doing the same options as you.
I think that's what I'm going to do then!
Original post by TenOfThem
It may be worth considering the quality of teaching of the 2 subjects in your school
Does one usually lead to better results than the other
What do people in your Y12/Y13 say about the 2 subjects
You say your Chem teacher is boring ... will he be the teacher next year
They are both excellent choices for keeping your options open so it may come down to some of these softer issues
Does one usually lead to better results than the other
What do people in your Y12/Y13 say about the 2 subjects
You say your Chem teacher is boring ... will he be the teacher next year
They are both excellent choices for keeping your options open so it may come down to some of these softer issues
I will be going to a college that is completely separate from my current school, meaning I don't know any of the teachers. However, the college is regarded as the best college in the north west, so I can't imagine that there are any poor/weak departments
Original post by likeanexorcism
Honestly I would say if you enjoy Biology more, do Biology. After all, you're doing really academic other subjects and if you're predicted such grades in them really your foruth AS isn't going to matter that significantly. In terms of choosing between Biology and Chemistry I doubt it's really going to matter a great deal essentially, maybe to some Chemistry is regarded as better but Biology is very well respected as well, so do the one you enjoy the most, because even if you're good at both you're most likely to succeed in the one you enjoy the most. Good luck. xxx
Cheers, thanks a lot
So I Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, and Chemistry is probably my favourite subject because it's the one I understand the most! The thing is, when you're doing really hard subjects, you need to enjoy them...so I'd say pick the one that you prefer (but Chemistry is really great).
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