[SionR25]

Hi everyone,

At the moment I am taking 4 As subjects, Maths, Physics, Chemistry and geography. I just sat my exams and didn't find that there was too much to revise for the 9 exams I had to sit but am wondering, will that change next year?
If it helps I am predicted 2 A*s (Maths and Physics) and 2As (Chem and geo) and want to study physics/astrophysics at university.

So, should I stay with 4 or drop one, which would be geography?

Thanks in advance.

[beanstalkgirl_24]

Drop it. You don't need it to get into university and A2 is harder than AS. The content load also increases, and be aware that most A2 exams are synoptic which means they can ask you questions based on AS, so you kind of need to re-revise some A2 stuff too.

[Monkeysuit.]

If you get good enough grades and want to do it then carry them all on all it means it that you'll have a little bit more work to do than most people next year but loads of people carry on all four every year

[Caitykinss]

I carried on 4 and I regretted it to the point that I didn't even try in the exam for my fourth subject, knowing I could get my uni grades in my other three subjects.

[Manisha93]

I carried on with 4 and am currently doing my exams. Yes it is very stressful but if you feel you can do it then go for it!

Be careful not to lose motivation because off all the workload and not do it because it will all pile up (this happened to me)

Good luck!

[Thatstudentdude]

Yeah you really need to ask yourself if you'll honestly need the 4th for whatever you want to do. You've already got demanding subjects, drop whatever will be irrelevant.

[WillowSummers]

I'm doing it. If you feel you can, go for it!

Edit: but then I took 6 at AS, so doing only 4 now seems like a walk in the park.

[emma mw]

I carried on 4 currently doing my exams I study Biology,Chemistry,Math and History and have a place to study natural science at university I could have dropped history my non science subject but it was one of my A* subjects plus I enjoy it and I havent found the work load any more demanding personally for A2 in fact I found the step up from AS-A2 less sevre than GCSE-AS if that makes sense Im presonally gald I carried on 4 but its up to you

[jsmart13]

Does 4 help you get into uni more?

[jsmart13]

(Original post by emma mw)
I carried on 4 currently doing my exams I study Biology,Chemistry,Math and History and have a place to study natural science at university I could have dropped history my non science subject but it was one of my A* subjects plus I enjoy it and I havent found the work load any more demanding personally for A2 in fact I found the step up from AS-A2 less sevre than GCSE-AS if that makes sense Im presonally gald I carried on 4 but its up to you

I am doing the same option as you at the moment and i'm in year 12, I'm thinking of dropping history but I dont want to. Is there a lot of reading?

[cl_steele]

considering unis only look at 3 a-levels a fourth would be fairly pointless but if you enjoy the subject and dont think revising for it will hinder your other grades it definitely cant hurt ... there is somewhat of a difference between AS and A2 ... A2 is harder and from what my teacher said [could be wrong] has somewhat harsher marking as well... but yar if you enjoy all 4 and dont think a fourth will hurt the other 3 subjects then go for it

[Helloworld_95]

Try it out for a bit and then if you find it too much work then drop geography.

[DolallyDucky]

...

[CLARA_]

Why not try taking 4 subjects and then you could drop one if the work load is too much? You could also wait until results, see what you get then decide? I'm not really sure which subject I'm going to drop either, although we're all encouraged to drop one... it's your decision on how you can cope with it as the workload is supposed to increase dramatically at A2! Good luck!

[Helloworld_95]

(Original post by DolallyDucky)
In my sixth form they won't let us take 4, because one guy applied to Oxford and they found out he was taking 4, and they sent out head of sixth form a very angry letter. I'd say you don't need the fourth, so give yourself the extra time to spend on the other subjects.

That doesn't make any sense, unless he failed to disclose his fourth a level.

[Rebecca...]

(Original post by jsmart13)
Does 4 help you get into uni more?

I went to a university conference today and asked what universities think about 4 a levels. Most were not bothered, and just said we take your best three. But Oxbridge where discussing how it shows your hard work ability etc.. I want to continue to do four any how, but I already started maths early.

[roflcakes1]

I'd say no, because geography isn't really relevant to your degree course so there's really no benefit in taking it unless you really love it or something. If it was further maths I'd say take it, but there's not point making it hard for yourself. If you're still stuck, you could talk to your teachers about whether they think you'll be able to manage it, or wait until you get your grades in the summer?

[natninja]

If you can deal with it then yes it's worth it as employers are looking back at pre-degree qualifications more and more to such an extent that even GCSEs can count, you can always drop it if it gets too much. I'm managing fine with maths, chemistry, physics and further maths.

[TheDeviant]

Generally I think universities aren't all that interested in a 4th A-level; if you want to keep all 4 just to improve your application it's probably not worth it.

Having said that, if you enjoy geography a lot, or think it'd be useful for you, I'd go for it. I'm studying 4 at the moment and it only really begins to get noticeably difficult around exam time.

[Oromis263]

(Original post by DolallyDucky)
In my sixth form they won't let us take 4, because one guy applied to Oxford and they found out he was taking 4, and they sent out head of sixth form a very angry letter. I'd say you don't need the fourth, so give yourself the extra time to spend on the other subjects.

Wait, what? The way you've put it across, it seems as though he only put 3 down on UCAS, and kept the 4th a secret? No university would get angry because someone was doing some extra work...

(Original post by SionR25)
...

My advice is to carry them on if you enjoy them! The workload isn't much more, the content isn't always harder, sometimes it's just on different topics! My reasoning for keeping four was I enjoyed my fourth subject too much, and couldn't drop the other three due to my degree choice, so I just stuck at it. (Note: I took Maths, F.Maths, Physics and Chemistry).