Could a C Grade GCSE student do A-Level maths?

Currently I am a D/C GCSE student and I really want and need to do A-Level maths next year. I know my grade is astonishingly bad for someone who wants to do A-Level but so far this term my maths has vastly improved(I am doing some B/A grade topics in class). I have signed up for extra help after school classes and intervention(maths help during school hours). I am really going to try and improve my grade and get at least a B. I have never been very good at maths but I am really trying.

So what are my chances of being able to do A-Level maths? Or are there any other options?

Reply 1

curious_medic

4

Original post by quinoa

so far this term my maths has vastly improved

Term started last week.

And tbh... although I think it's great that you're trying really hard to improve, you yourself say that you've never really been good at the subject... why are you forcing it? Maybe it's just not for you. I got an A* at GCSE maths and getting an A at A-level was hard work. Would you want to put yourself through all that? Do you need it for uni?

Reply 2

Omega3!

6

Original post by quinoa

Currently I am a D/C GCSE student and I really want and need to do A-Level maths next year. I know my grade is astonishingly bad for someone who wants to do A-Level but so far this term my maths has vastly improved(I am doing some B/A grade topics in class). I have signed up for extra help after school classes and intervention(maths help during school hours). I am really going to try and improve my grade and get at least a B. I have never been very good at maths but I am really trying.

So what are my chances of being able to do A-Level maths? Or are there any other options?

I was a C/D GCSE student who obtained A*A*A*A in his A levels.

It's not really whether you're capable of doing A level maths, it's more whether you can convince a school / college to let you enroll with those grades.

Reply 3

JackB784

7

Yeah. My friend just got over 90% UMS in his AS maths and he's doing his 3rd retake for GCSE english.

Reply 4

fuzka

5

Dont worry I barely scrapped a c in gcse chemistry and got a B in a level chemistry. So If you put your mind to working hard you will make it

Reply 5

quinoa

OP

5

Original post by curious_medic

Term started last week.

And tbh... although I think it's great that you're trying really hard to improve, you yourself say that you've never really been good at the subject... why are you forcing it? Maybe it's just not for you. I got an A* at GCSE maths and getting an A at A-level was hard work. Would you want to put yourself through all that? Do you need it for uni?

My school starts earlier than most schools. I'm not trying to force it, I do enjoy maths when I can actually understand it. I am willing to put the hard work in for GCSE and A-level. I need maths A-level for med school.

Reply 6

crayolaguy

7

Original post by quinoa

Currently I am a D/C GCSE student and I really want and need to do A-Level maths next year. I know my grade is astonishingly bad for someone who wants to do A-Level but so far this term my maths has vastly improved(I am doing some B/A grade topics in class). I have signed up for extra help after school classes and intervention(maths help during school hours). I am really going to try and improve my grade and get at least a B. I have never been very good at maths but I am really trying.

So what are my chances of being able to do A-Level maths? Or are there any other options?

have you only just started your GCSE year, if so there is a whole year to improve your maths ability... just keep trying.

At the end of the year if you get less than a B I wouldn't recommend taking it.

Reply 7

Mike.Ross

8

Original post by quinoa

Currently I am a D/C GCSE student and I really want and need to do A-Level maths next year. I know my grade is astonishingly bad for someone who wants to do A-Level but so far this term my maths has vastly improved(I am doing some B/A grade topics in class). I have signed up for extra help after school classes and intervention(maths help during school hours). I am really going to try and improve my grade and get at least a B. I have never been very good at maths but I am really trying.

So what are my chances of being able to do A-Level maths? Or are there any other options?

It's not easy. Extra help, intervention is brilliant, keep going.
Past papers is key.
Never give up!

Reply 8

curious_medic

4

Original post by quinoa

My school starts earlier than most schools. I'm not trying to force it, I do enjoy maths when I can actually understand it. I am willing to put the hard work in for GCSE and A-level. I need maths A-level for med school.

As a medical student, let me tell you that you need bio and chem, not maths. Research it :smile:

Reply 9

iAmanze

18

You can do A-Level maths... the same way I could do cardiac surgery - doesn't mean you'll end up with a good result. Maths is a subject of practice. Intellectually ungifted people can achieve an A in maths if they live and breath it. It's simply...
1) Understand what the question is requiring you to use tool wise
2) Look at the tools you know
3) Use the taught steps to figure it out.

Everyone can know how a rocket works, does not mean they can operate one, i.e you have to practice and not just be know the bare minimum which is why maths is considered 'hard' as it requires a lot of time dedicated to it to reap a good result.

Reply 10

aajack

Original post by quinoa

My school starts earlier than most schools. I'm not trying to force it, I do enjoy maths when I can actually understand it. I am willing to put the hard work in for GCSE and A-level. I need maths A-level for med school.

I just wrote a really detailed response which dident load so I can't be bothered to write it again lol. I'm on a touch screen so it takes double the time.

So in short, to answer your question, you can do A-level maths and with really hard work you may just be able to get an A or A*. However realistically, considering your situation, I don't think you should take it as you may end up without an A you need and may affect your other A-level grades as well.

Also you say you are currently a C/D GCSE student. For medicine, due to the unbelievable competition, it's extremely difficult to get in without nearly all A/A* at GCSE. Even if you get amazing A-Level grades you may not get an offer regardless of how much work experience you may have. Of course there are rare cases where people do get accepted but these are very RARE cases.

So my advice is, if you really any to do medicine, to take a different undergraduate degree e.g. Biomed and then try to do medicine at graduate level.

Lol that was nearly as long as my original post

Reply 11

quinoa

OP

5

Original post by curious_medic

As a medical student, let me tell you that you need bio and chem, not maths. Research it :smile:

I am taking them two subjects, but I also need two more academic subjects so I thought possibly maths could help me out. My school recommended I went on this website called U-Explore and it said I needed A-Level maths. I might speak to a careers person at my school to see if I should need maths.

Reply 12

quinoa

OP

5

Original post by aajack

I just wrote a really detailed response which dident load so I can't be bothered to write it again lol. I'm on a touch screen so it takes double the time.

So in short, to answer your question, you can do A-level maths and with really hard work you may just be able to get an A or A*. However realistically, considering your situation, I don't think you should take it as you may end up without an A you need and may affect your other A-level grades as well.

Also you say you are currently a C/D GCSE student. For medicine, due to the unbelievable competition, it's extremely difficult to get in without nearly all A/A* at GCSE. Even if you get amazing A-Level grades you may not get an offer regardless of how much work experience you may have. Of course there are rare cases where people do get accepted but these are very RARE cases.

So my advice is, if you really any to do medicine, to take a different undergraduate degree e.g. Biomed and then try to do medicine at graduate level.

Lol that was nearly as long as my original post

Sorry about your reply that didn't get uploaded :angry:

I would like to be a dermapathologist or a histologist, which both require me to go to med school for, would I need a-level maths or do you think I would be fine with it and stick with bio, chem and another subject?

Reply 13

aajack

Original post by quinoa

Sorry about your reply that didn't get uploaded :angry:

I would like to be a dermapathologist or a histologist, which both require me to go to med school for, would I need a-level maths or do you think I would be fine with it and stick with bio, chem and another subject?

I would say that you need to do more research into the specific requirements for those courses. I can't give you a definitive answer as I have no experience in that area. However, even for medicine I don't think all universities will ask for maths as a requirement but it is beneficial to have it. But I would suggest for those courses doing bio, chem and another subject may be fine, and you could do maths to AS level and see how it goes. Again don't take this as a perfect answer and do your own research.

Hope that helps.

P.s I'm off to bed, but you can ask me any other questions you may have and I will try my best to answer them.

Reply 14

Asexual Demigod

10

Original post by Omega3!

I was a C/D GCSE student who obtained A*A*A*A in his A levels.

It's not really whether you're capable of doing A level maths, it's more whether you can convince a school / college to let you enroll with those grades.

How is that possible? Did you do absolutely no revision for GCSE?

Reply 15

crayolaguy

7

Original post by JackB784

Yeah. My friend just got over 90% UMS in his AS maths and he's doing his 3rd retake for GCSE english.

GCSE english won't help with maths... I have a slightly similar story with me, I got an A* in maths GCSE but on scraped a C English GCSE. Then went on to get 91% at AS level maths. Other subject don't even matter when you want to take A level maths besides obviously GCSE maths. In my GCSE's I didn't even get a single A and I got 1 A* which was in maths.

Reply 16

TenOfThem

18

Original post by quinoa

...

If you study the Higher Exam topics and get a B then you have not understood about half of the material

All of that material would form a basis for the A Level

So, you would need to put in a lot more work to ensure that you could do well in A Level maths

Since you do not need it - why would you risk getting lower grades across the board at AS because you were having to put so much extra work into the maths?

Reply 17

Smileyface97

2

Please don't take this to heart but I'm going to tell you as it is. If you want to do Maths at A-Level, you really need high competency in Maths at GCSE e.g. B or above. To be honest, I got an A in Maths and I am finding it difficult. You can take Maths if you want if you get a grade B, but I wouldn't advise it especially since you struggle with Maths GCSE.

Hope you do well in your exam!

Smileyface97

Reply 18

Omega3!

6

Original post by Asexual Demigod

How is that possible? Did you do absolutely no revision for GCSE?

Correct.

Exams aren't about your "natural intelligence" or any intelligence at all.

Just spend time practicing exams and you will be good at exams, like anything else.

Reply 19

ByronicHero

20

Yes.

Could a C Grade GCSE student do A-Level maths?

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