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Should I do 5 A-Levels?

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Reply 40
QUOTE=Sly1;43683440]Look at the subject requirements for the course you want to do in your desired university.

Done that! :biggrin:

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(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 41
Reply 42
Original post by Sly1
Look at the subject requirements for the course you want to do in your desired university.


Have done so :smile:

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Reply 43
Original post by passionate27

From that you know what subjects you should smack.
Reply 44
Honestly someone speaking from experience I'd say it's a huge risk! I did 5 last year- Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths. Literally torture. I dropped Further Maths in March just before the exams because I felt I was spreading myself too thin. It didn't do me much favours when it came to the 4 AS levels. I struggled slightly. But it's up to you. You should do some work beforehand and know what you're getting involved with. Good luck anyway!
Reply 45
Original post by Nessa95
Honestly someone speaking from experience I'd say it's a huge risk! I did 5 last year- Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Further Maths. Literally torture. I dropped Further Maths in March just before the exams because I felt I was spreading myself too thin. It didn't do me much favours when it came to the 4 AS levels. I struggled slightly. But it's up to you. You should do some work beforehand and know what you're getting involved with. Good luck anyway!


Thank you, I won't be doing it :smile:

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Reply 46
Original post by Sly1
From that you know what subjects you should smack.


I have already looked ober nearly the whole of AS maths I'll be doing and there are only a few difficult topics next I will go in depth on physics so far some topics appear from the ocr gcse physics :smile:

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Reply 47
Quick question.
Does Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Economics and Eng Lit sound like too much?
Reply 48
Original post by passionate27
Were they similar to mine? :smile:

Not really. I am doing mostly arts subjects. Maths, both Englishes, French and Moving Image Arts :smile:
Hi, I've just done AS year and I did Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics. I would say that doing all three sciences is a lot of work and universities far prefer you to do really well in 4 subjects (ie 4 As) than if you got 3As and 2Bs for example. A Levels are a big step up from GCSEs and you will be really busy! I would say stick with 4 and work hard! Good luck :smile:
Reply 50
Original post by passionate27
I want to do:
Physics, Biology, Maths and Chemistry

With also Geography because I really enjoy it but im not sure whether that will be the same at A-levels.

Please help, I can choose if I want to geography or not on the enrolment day.

Thanks in advance:tsr:

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Didn't do too badly at GCSE, so I took: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, and Maths. Dropped Maths at half term. Still repeated the year. So no, don't take 5.
Reply 51
Original post by passionate27
I want to do:
Physics, Biology, Maths and Chemistry

With also Geography because I really enjoy it but im not sure whether that will be the same at A-levels.

Please help, I can choose if I want to geography or not on the enrolment day.

Thanks in advance:tsr:

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i don't know if you have made your mind up yet, but I will say that starting with 5 and dropping down to 4 is much easier than starting with 4, having regrets and picking up another subject.

5 is actually more manageable than some people make it out to be, it always depends on the individual circumstances. if you think you can handle it, then go for it :biggrin:

good luck with whatever you do
To counter all these stories about taking 5 and finding it back-breaking and impossible, I took 5 in one year (F.Maths, Eng Lit, Physics, Chem, Psychology) and got all As, with all above 90%. I didn't feel like I was spending all my time on work or that I was particularly overworked. It's all about you as an individual - do you and your teachers think you can do it? Have you found GCSEs to be fairly easy, and not much work was required to get A*s? If so, then you may well be able to cope with 5 AS-Levels.

But as others have said - do it for the right reasons. Don't do it because you want to impress universities. Only do it if you can get all As, or at least as good grades as you would with 4. You should be doing it because you genuinely want to do all subjects (personally I can't believe you'd want to study biology or geography :tongue: ).
Reply 54
Most Medicine courses ask for Chemistry and Biology as a must (out of the sciences) so if you do decide to drop a science I guess you could swap Physics for Geography. OP think this through before you rush into it, if you feel like you can cope then go ahead but 4 is more than enough. :smile:
Reply 55
Original post by ScienceHarp
Hi, I've just done AS year and I did Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics. I would say that doing all three sciences is a lot of work and universities far prefer you to do really well in 4 subjects (ie 4 As) than if you got 3As and 2Bs for example. A Levels are a big step up from GCSEs and you will be really busy! I would say stick with 4 and work hard! Good luck :smile:


I'll, thank you!

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Reply 56
Original post by PythianLegume
To counter all these stories about taking 5 and finding it back-breaking and impossible, I took 5 in one year (F.Maths, Eng Lit, Physics, Chem, Psychology) and got all As, with all above 90%. I didn't feel like I was spending all my time on work or that I was particularly overworked. It's all about you as an individual - do you and your teachers think you can do it? Have you found GCSEs to be fairly easy, and not much work was required to get A*s? If so, then you may well be able to cope with 5 AS-Levels.

But as others have said - do it for the right reasons. Don't do it because you want to impress universities. Only do it if you can get all As, or at least as good grades as you would with 4. You should be doing it because you genuinely want to do all subjects (personally I can't believe you'd want to study biology or geography :tongue: ).


Wow, how did you manage do to that?? Amazing! I will probably stick with the 4 :smile: thank youuu

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Reply 57
Original post by LadyJoka
i don't know if you have made your mind up yet, but I will say that starting with 5 and dropping down to 4 is much easier than starting with 4, having regrets and picking up another subject.

5 is actually more manageable than some people make it out to be, it always depends on the individual circumstances. if you think you can handle it, then go for it :biggrin:

good luck with whatever you do


Exactly how I feel, idk but I guess I will just do the 4 :smile: thank you!

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Reply 58
Heyy,

I've done five AS levels (Plus GS) this year, and it's not been any more difficult for me than many people are finding four. I did Photography, which was exceedingly time consuming, German, Eng Lit, History, IT and General Studies.

The only thing that's really an issue is that you have so few frees, with mandatory GS and tutor at my college, I was down to about 3 frees each week plus a lunch break everyday. So with subjects like sciences, where there is a lot of work...this might become quite a problem. To be fair, I took three essay subjects and a coursework subject which isn't light, and didn't struggle especially.

Honestly, Geography doesn't sound like it is that compatible with the sciences, perhaps focus on getting 4 As at AS, rather than 5 Bs? It really depends on if you think you can cope, and if it's worth your time. Everyone I know who does Geography seems to hate it :/

Sorry for the ramble... hope this helps
Reply 59

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