Is anyone else finding A Level Chemistry challenging???

Im currently doing my AS Level in chemistry and wanted to know if anyone else finds it hard

(edited 9 years ago)

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Like all things in life some people will find it hard whilst others will find it easy.
Just focus on your studies and don't worry about what other people say about it and never compare yourself with others - that is the way to unhappiness.
Work as hard as you can. Chemistry is certainly one of the more challenging A levels and the jump from GCSE can be quite a shock. Success mostly comes down to making sure you properly understand the conceptual material (see if you can you explain it to someone else?), learn the factual content (definitions, organic reactions and mechanisms) really thoroughly and do loads of past paper practice and analyse the mark schemes (this is essential). Being able to do the chem is one thing, answering exam questions correctly is a different thing.
Make sure you have the specification so you know exactly what you have to know/do for each topic and make sure you can do it.
If you are struggling with concepts use different resources (books, online, teachers, other students, TSR) to get alternative ways to looking at it.
Overall, persistence and determination will get you there.
If you have specific questions post them here.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

Simran C

Thank you! u definately made me feel better

Reply 3

Joel5001

I also just started AS Chemistry and it's definitely the subject I'm finding the most difficult. I kinda feel like I know all the material when we learn it but I haven't been doing that well in the tests.

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Reply 4

Chlorophile

Found AS Chemistry the most difficult out of my AS Levels!

Reply 5

AlohaCharlotte

Original post by Joel5001

I'm the exact same!

Reply 6

yoomi

Well, I am doing chemistry A-level and it seems ok for me and not that hard I really like it.But Physics is the hardest A-level subject for me ><

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Reply 7

Norin

I'm dying here, my target grade is A as well, so i might die getting there

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Reply 8

username1445490

Original post by Joel5001

Like I said before: "Being able to do the chem is one thing, answering exam questions correctly is a different thing."
Do loads of past paper question practice and analyse the mark schemes.
You have to get into the head of the examiner and tell them what they want to know and how they want it written.

Reply 9

ubisoft

I also found AS chemistry the hardest, even though I do further maths and physics. But that's just because I'm much more interested in maths/physics and I just done chemistry for the sake of it. Most people find physics the hardest out of the sciences.

Reply 10

radprincess

I am doing AS Chemistry, I am finding it really hard too. I feel so stupid to everyone else. :confused:

Reply 11

ubisoft

Original post by AlphaMolecule

No, probably the easiest subject I'm doing. We've finished unit 1 already and I understand all of it, although nomenclature is pretty annoying.

Unit 1 was easy. Unit 2 is a pain, you have to learn so many equations, mechanisms, colours and such that I just gave up on it and focused on my other subjects instead.

Reply 12

ttaylor17

I got a D last year in as chemistry :-P
Planning on just re sitting unit 1 this year and unit 2 next year
A2 no way!!

Reply 13

ttaylor17

Finding physics fun though :-)

Reply 14

Joel5001

Original post by Madasahatter

Thanks. I think that's the hard part. And yh, I'll definitely try doing loads of past papers as we go on with the course.

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Reply 15

Scienceteacher

I teach Chemistry A level. Don't feel bad, loads of students find it hard, especially in the first couple of months when they're finding their feet from GCSE.

But I have to say, most of the students do find their feet and it all starts to make sense.

Here are three top tips for you (and this is based on 16 years of teaching)

1. Make sure that you learn the definitions. They're in the text books (at least for the OCR specification) and they are really hammered in the exam. The best way to learn them is to write them out on individual cards and then test yourself until you know them.

2. Take each topic in turn (for example ionisation energy) and try to produce a mindmap from the textbook. That will at least tell you what you are meant to understand. Then go through each part and ask yourself whether you understand it and if you don't, get your teacher to help.

3. When you feel ready, get hold of past papers (they're on the exam websites) and look at the questions. Remember that often several topics are tested in the same question so you might not be able to do all of a question. And most importantly, really go through the markscheme carefully and see what the examiners were looking for.

Remember that unlike Biology (which I also teach), Chemistry does not lend itself to "how science works" type questions, so the answers are usually fairly straightforward, once you know it.

By the way, unless you have a really great teacher who gives you fantastic notes, then I'd stick to the textbook as your first port of call.

And remember, it does get easier. It's the first bit that's the hardest.

Reply 16

Joel5001

Original post by AlohaCharlotte

I'm the exact same!

Really 😄. Which other subjects are u doing?

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Reply 17

AlohaCharlotte

Original post by Joel5001

Really ��. Which other subjects are u doing?

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Biology, geography and environmental science (so easy because I do geography and biology). Our school only lets us take 4 subjects.

Reply 18

Bevin

Original post by AlphaMolecule

No, probably the easiest subject I'm doing. We've finished unit 1 already and I understand all of it, although nomenclature is pretty annoying.

Although the content is easy to grasp in Chemistry, I think the questions they ask are incredibly wordy and hard to understand, so like Joel, I struggle with the questions rather than the knowledge.

My advice to you, do tonnes of practise questions, its the only way :smile: