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Please help me choose my A-Levels

I am currently in my second year of GCSE. I am studying Triple science, Geography, Product Design, I.T, English and Maths. I am definitely studying Chemistry and Biology at A-Level (Could anybody tell me what it's like? And how much of a big step it is?) And the other choices I am thinking of are Business Studies, Maths or Physics. I want to study Human Biology in university in the future to become a doctor or a dentist. I have been told Biology and Chemistry will be a handful as it is and I expect I will get straight As in GCSEs so will I be able to handle Physics and Maths on top of Biology or should I pick Business studies and Maths or physics or should I just take 3 A - Levels only? Please help me, it's urgent and it's really stressing me out.
Thanks
Original post by JSDhaliwal
I am currently in my second year of GCSE. I am studying Triple science, Geography, Product Design, I.T, English and Maths. I am definitely studying Chemistry and Biology at A-Level (Could anybody tell me what it's like? And how much of a big step it is?) And the other choices I am thinking of are Business Studies, Maths or Physics. I want to study Human Biology in university in the future to become a doctor or a dentist. I have been told Biology and Chemistry will be a handful as it is and I expect I will get straight As in GCSEs so will I be able to handle Physics and Maths on top of Biology or should I pick Business studies and Maths or physics or should I just take 3 A - Levels only? Please help me, it's urgent and it's really stressing me out.
Thanks


Biology A-level is great and very interesting :smile: It does have a lot to remember however, does really depend on the exam board.

Chemistry A-level you'll be quite surprised at all the things that are lied to you at gcse haha, but it is quite more difficult that Biology but is my favourite so I can handle it well.

Do not do business studies at A-level it is really seen as a 'soft' A-level. Universities don't really like it, especially if you want to go on and be a doctor.

TAKE 4 AS and 3 A-LEVELS.
Definitely do Chemistry as it is essential if you want to be a doctor! Biology and maths A-levels are seen as good combinations if you want to go into a career as a doctor as well.
Reply 2
Original post by tcameron
Biology A-level is great and very interesting :smile: It does have a lot to remember however, does really depend on the exam board.

Chemistry A-level you'll be quite surprised at all the things that are lied to you at gcse haha, but it is quite more difficult that Biology but is my favourite so I can handle it well.

Do not do business studies at A-level it is really seen as a 'soft' A-level. Universities don't really like it, especially if you want to go on and be a doctor.

TAKE 4 AS and 3 A-LEVELS.
Definitely do Chemistry as it is essential if you want to be a doctor! Biology and maths A-levels are seen as good combinations if you want to go into a career as a doctor as well.


Ok thanks, if you don't mind me asking, what grades did you get in your GCSEs? Also how are you doing now in the A levels you had chosen? I am now thinking that for As I should take Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths but what should I do for A2? I am not great at Maths, if I sustain an A in GCSE I think it'll just be scraped! Should I take Physics instead for A2 or is Maths extremely valuable? I have heard Maths is extremely difficult and to be honest I do tend to struggle now :frown:
Original post by JSDhaliwal
Ok thanks, if you don't mind me asking, what grades did you get in your GCSEs? Also how are you doing now in the A levels you had chosen? I am now thinking that for As I should take Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths but what should I do for A2? I am not great at Maths, if I sustain an A in GCSE I think it'll just be scraped! Should I take Physics instead for A2 or is Maths extremely valuable? I have heard Maths is extremely difficult and to be honest I do tend to struggle now :frown:


I got 3 A*, 7 A's and a B

I got A*'s in biology, chemistry and A's in maths and physics.

I do maths, chemistry, geography and biology at A-levels

Well basically the most difficult A-level at the moment for me is probably Chemistry, with geography following, then maths, then biology as the easiest.

Choose your A2's when the time comes, not now as you never know how you'll handle your AS's

I really like maths so am enjoying maths A-level. Maths and Chemistry are really my favourites because they are the most interesting.

The step up from GCSE to A-level is really probably highest in Maths and Biology I think anyways. I don't find maths too hard but it really is much beyond A* GCSE stuff in terms of content/difficulty. Like the easiest stuff at AS would be A* GCSE stuff.

Physics I've heard it very hard, but it alongside maths are a very good combination as some aspects are the same in both subjects.

You really have planned to take what is seen as the most difficult A-levels but I have a lot of friends who take the subjects you plan on taking and are finding it fine.

I think some teachers really overrate the step-up from gcse to a-level, I'm not sure really. I go to a grammar school so I guess I may not find things as difficult from gcse to A-levels.
Reply 4
Original post by tcameron
I got 3 A*, 7 A's and a B

I got A*'s in biology, chemistry and A's in maths and physics.

I do maths, chemistry, geography and biology at A-levels

Well basically the most difficult A-level at the moment for me is probably Chemistry, with geography following, then maths, then biology as the easiest.

Choose your A2's when the time comes, not now as you never know how you'll handle your AS's

I really like maths so am enjoying maths A-level. Maths and Chemistry are really my favourites because they are the most interesting.

The step up from GCSE to A-level is really probably highest in Maths and Biology I think anyways. I don't find maths too hard but it really is much beyond A* GCSE stuff in terms of content/difficulty. Like the easiest stuff at AS would be A* GCSE stuff.

Physics I've heard it very hard, but it alongside maths are a very good combination as some aspects are the same in both subjects.

You really have planned to take what is seen as the most difficult A-levels but I have a lot of friends who take the subjects you plan on taking and are finding it fine.

I think some teachers really overrate the step-up from gcse to a-level, I'm not sure really. I go to a grammar school so I guess I may not find things as difficult from gcse to A-levels.


Ok thanks a lot, you've been really helpful and I think I know what I need to focus on, I've also done my research and have acknowledged that I need to get 3 As in Chemistry and Biology compulsory to get into Newcastle University which is in the top 10 for medical universities. From what you've told me I believe it would be best for me to do Maths so I guess I have to focus on that a lot now. Any tips for Maths GCSE and A - Level?
Original post by JSDhaliwal
Ok thanks a lot, you've been really helpful and I think I know what I need to focus on, I've also done my research and have acknowledged that I need to get 3 As in Chemistry and Biology compulsory to get into Newcastle University which is in the top 10 for medical universities. From what you've told me I believe it would be best for me to do Maths so I guess I have to focus on that a lot now. Any tips for Maths GCSE and A - Level?


Maths GCSE: really just do A LOT of exam papers! Maths GCSE do tend to ask the same things really but obviously worded differently and in different contexts. Get a list of alll the possible topics that could be in the paper and one by one go through them and make sure you are able to do easy-hard questions on that topic.

A-levels: Really just revise over the summer after your gcse's. Maths is easy to forget and by A-levels you really are thrown into the deep end with teachers assuming you already know majority of GCSE stuff. There is a lot of content at a level maths. So really does need revision after every lesson.

You'll be fine. I'm definitely not a mathematician.
I think the trick is to REALLY LIKE maths and appreciate maths for it's brilliance, that really does help with motivating you to want to try harder questions and develop your mathematical knowledge.
Reply 6
Original post by tcameron
Maths GCSE: really just do A LOT of exam papers! Maths GCSE do tend to ask the same things really but obviously worded differently and in different contexts. Get a list of alll the possible topics that could be in the paper and one by one go through them and make sure you are able to do easy-hard questions on that topic.

A-levels: Really just revise over the summer after your gcse's. Maths is easy to forget and by A-levels you really are thrown into the deep end with teachers assuming you already know majority of GCSE stuff. There is a lot of content at a level maths. So really does need revision after every lesson.

You'll be fine. I'm definitely not a mathematician.
I think the trick is to REALLY LIKE maths and appreciate maths for it's brilliance, that really does help with motivating you to want to try harder questions and develop your mathematical knowledge.


Thanks for the amazing tips :smile: I hope they'll pay off and I wish you good luck for your A - Levels

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