OCR AS Biology (F211) - May 2014

I have been waiting for one of these threads to be made!

How did everyone do in their mocks? Especially for F211?

Biology is hard. I'm doing OCR for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, so I'm really use to OCR!

What are people's coursework marks like?

Mocks went surprisingly well - somehow managed to get 4As in all my subjects. For F211, we completed the June 2013 paper, which I got 50/60 Biology coursework didn't go as well (managed to get 33/40 in the plant practicals, so a B). I still have another chance on the coursework though, so fingers crossed for next time!

Have you done any biology coursework yet? How did your mocks go?

I agree though, biology is among the hardest of my AS levels. So much work to put in!

Thats really good!

For my mocks I got 1 A* and 5 As; for F211 I got 52/60.

for my coursework I have got 35/40 which is an A apparently. But I've got two more goes at it before they submit my best scores.

That's amazing! What are your secrets, if you don't mind me asking? Lucky you get two more tries at it - our school will only let us do one more

Thank you!!!!

My secrets I don't really have any, other than working hard and making sure I memorise all the content, understand it, do all past papers and keep going through my notes. Mind maps and stuff like that are not for me really.

That's unlucky. I really want to get higher and there's always a chance that we might get moderated down .
I suck at the evaluative, any tips for that? No one I know got 17/20 or above and I want to get 20/20 in it! Could you please tell me what you got in each coursework task?

I guess I'm not doing enough past papers. Or maybe I'm watching too much Sherlock...

Same, it really annoys me that the grade boundaries are so ridiculously high, especially with the coursework itself being so hard For qualitative, I got 9/10, for quantitative, I got 9/10 and for evaluative, I got 15/20 A girl in my class got 18/20 for the evaluative, though she's crazy smart. I really want to get 20/20 on the evaluative as well, it would build a solid foundation for when it comes to the others. As for tips, I don't think I'd be the best to ask, since I didn't actually do any preparation at home for the coursework (which I now really regret).

What did you get in each part? I would love to hear your tips if you have any!

I've got 9, 10, 16 in the qualitative, quantitative and evaluative respectively. I just make sure I get enough info on answering the questions from the teachers! But I make sure I practice questions; my teacher normally gives us a pack of questions before we do one, so I just make sure I memorise it really.

Well done! You've got full marks in one of the tasks so that sounds like a good foundation to build upon. A pack of questions is nice preparation - no wonder you did so well! In my school, we do a week's worth of preparation where nobody paid attention, and then we all regret it when it comes to the actual coursework :/

How are you finding your other A-levels? What do you want to do in the future/university?

Thank you! You've done really well already as well, considering you get less help than me. Make sure you don't regret the next one you take!

Yeah, so I'm doing Chemistry, Physics and maths as well. OCR for all sciences and AQA for maths. OCR A Chemistry is quite good; first unit (F321) is relatively easy, but the second unit (F322) is quite a lot! Physics is ok as well; it's definitely a step up if your doing OCR Physics. Maths is good as well; I'm finishing the A level this year and hoping to do AS FM next year, but I need an A* in it in order to do AS FM next year, so no pressure! .
Im a hopeful medic . I'm really interested in surgery. I want to study at Trinity college Cambridge (but I'm looking at other colleges there as well). I know it's competitive but why not. I can hope! But if I flop AS's I'll probably not bother with Cambridge but I really want to go there!

How about you? Future/university? Do you mind me asking what grade you got for GCSEs? You seem really smart!!!

Aww, thank you! I definitely won't regret the next one, I hope. I already know what the topic is so I am reading about it beforehand so I won't make the same mistakes

We are doing the same subjects! Yay! Though I am doing Edexcel for Chemistry. Are you doing OCR A or OCR B for physics? I am doing B, and has been such a big step up from GCSE An A* in maths? Wow - good luck with that, I hope you get the chance to do AS further next year!

You're a hopeful medic? You must be so smart then!!! Especially if you want to go to Trinity College, Cambridge! It doesn't matter if it is competitive - it is better trying and being rejected than not trying and thinking 'what if' for the rest of your life... Judging by your aspirations though, you seem really smart and won't flop AS's at all!

My GCSEs weren't amazing, so I'm working really hard right now to compensate. They were 4A*, 5A and 1C (in art, lol ) and a B in the FSMQ. What about you? As for future plans, I really want to study Natural Sciences at university, though where will depend on my AS results, of course. I haven't ruled out Cambridge (despite my under-average GCSEs) just in case my AS results turn out better than I thought. Fingers crossed

Thank you !!!

OCR A Physics . I've heard OCR B Physics is even worse!

Your GCSEs are brilliant! You've got A/A*s in the subjects that matter for your future.
For GCSEs I got 10A*s, 4As and 1 B (Drama)

Wow natural sciences! Which sciences would you focus on? Biological or Physical? You'll do fine seeing as you have a well planned future.
Yeah just make sure you nail your ASs. But really, your GCSEs are fine so I don't think you should have to "compensate" for them.

I guess we have to work really hard for this year!

Hey guys!

I'm Chloë and I have been blessed with this exam board too

Gah, the exam is so close! My class has nearly finished F212 (we were doing both units side by side) and have started revision. Although it means dragging myself out of bed and into school by half 7 in the morning!

How are you all revising? I've started creating some mind maps and I've done most of the past papers. It turns out that my teacher has taught us the wrong terminology, e.g. using 'cell membrane' when the exam board only accepts 'cell surface membrane'.

I have only done one quantitative and one qualitative task for coursework so far, I think. What tasks did you have to do?

Hi Chloë Nice to have you here among us!

Have you finished F211? Your school seem to be going rather quick with the course - that is a good thing, at least you will not end up like me and having to self-teach everything last minute Wrong terminology is so annoying, and it's so hard to break out of the habit to use the correct one.

Which quantitative and qualitative tasks have you had to do? So far, I have done the plants coursework, but will be looking to do an enzymes one soon.

I have a mock on tuesday on this unit. I do not understand the cell membranes section. Help!!!!


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Haha, you are so lucky you do not do OCR B! I am quite jealous you are doing the 'normal' physics board

Thank you! Your GCSEs are fantastic! You seem to have a well-thought out plan for the future - I wish you the best of luck Which other medical schools are you looking at? Have you been to any open days?

Provided that my AS results end up fine, I hope to pursue Biological, and then specialise in chemistry, though I have to get over my fear of doing practicals!

Yes, we will have to work very hard this year - I guess those A grades aren't going to just come flying to us without us working hard for them Though still, we will have to have make time for the fun things in life as well, and just be teenagers