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Picking up an additional AS

I've thought long and hard about my future options and although I'm academic, I see myself going down a musical route in the future.
Therefore I want to pick up music AS alongside my 3 A2's in my upper sixth year at sixth form.
However I'm not sure if doing this is exactly common?
Has anyone else ever done this?
What sort of reasons would you use to justify this, because it ultimately does create extra workload?
How do schools take to it? Do they advise people against it and do teachers become slightly hostile about it because they want to focus on those actually intending on taking study to A2 level?
I really don't know what to do because I'm desperate to go onto university to do music, but I feel as if I closed off all of the doors enabling me to do this :frown:

Thanks.

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Reply 1

RocketTown

I'm picking up 2 next year. Further maths, and History of Art.

I'll already be studying Maths, Physics and Fine Art at A2, and see F.maths and history of art as extensions on subjects i'm already doing, in areas i'm interested in. I want to study Architecture at uni, and all these combine to give me a good grounding to take on such a degree.

there's loads of ways of justifying it. It should be alright with your teachers (unless theyre *****) and its definatly alright with uni's.

If your interested in it, and it helps your future, just do it. Don't be put off because its not the normal 3 A2's or whatever. create a list of subjects that your gonna enjoy the most and get the most out of.

Reply 2

generalebriety

natallia729

It's not uncommon. I took two extra AS subjects (and a GCSE) along my normal four. It was a ****load of work, but it turned out well. :smile:

natallia729

What sort of reasons would you use to justify this, because it ultimately does create extra workload?

"I want to"? That's what I said. In the end, it was going to make me happy to study those extra subjects.

natallia729

How do schools take to it? Do they advise people against it and do teachers become slightly hostile about it because they want to focus on those actually intending on taking study to A2 level?

Mixed. The Spanish (GCSE) teacher barely batted an eyelid, he took a deep breath, said "yep!", and threw loads of textbooks and cassettes at me. Latin (AS) teacher was more thoughtful about it, but it was still a definite yes; chemistry teacher was a lot more "condemning" about it, but he certainly didn't begrudge me anything and even offered to give me regular help after school, which I gladly took up (despite self-teaching the other two). He strongly recommended I either join his class or quit chemistry for A2, though, and I took his advice and quit it. He was fine about it. School is for you to get the most out of, it's not for teachers to tell you what to do. Frankly, if they're decent teachers, I'd think they'd be thrilled that you wanted to do more than normal.

Of course, this is my school. Yours might be different.

natallia729

I really don't know what to do because I'm desperate to go onto university to do music, but I feel as if I closed off all of the doors enabling me to do this :frown:

Thanks.

Not at all. Take up a musical instrument, take up music AS (and even A2, why the hell not? Loads of people do 4 subjects at A-level), maybe do a couple of ABRSM exams if you get good enough, and either apply to university to study music or go to a specialist music college. No one expects you to be amazing before you go anywhere; showing interest and potential is usually sufficient.

Reply 3

bobby1986

i don't understand how you can start AS level further maths if you haven't finished Maths a level?

Reply 4

coffeym

In my school this idea of doing AS subjects along with A2 would be entirely impossible! Quite unfortunately as well, for I would have been interested in a couple of subjects (chemistry in particular).

Reply 5

RocketTown

Pabs666

i don't understand how you can start AS level further maths if you haven't finished Maths a level?

as maths = C1, C2, D1
a2 maths = C3, C4, S1

as f. maths = FP1, M1, M2( or D2) I'm bascially doing this because i want to do some mechanics modules.

I know it changes, and as far as i know you can do any module you want and it all adds up. anyway, there you go... now you understand.

Reply 6

*Tears and Butterflies*

I wan't to take up AS maths. I know it will be difficult though so I am unsure. It will fit in with my timetable though so it's just up to me really. I just depends how badly I have actually done on these AS levels. If I need to reit a lot of modules I won't bother as I really want AAA in the end( I know I will have to resit two Chemistry modules already. :s) and I don't think i'm willing to sacrifice that for an extra AS level.

Reply 7

Origami Bullets

Everyone at my school does 2 or 3 A2s and 1 AS in Yr13, and it's a really good school.

Reply 8

SLF

I think people only do this when they are really interested in the subject while somehow didn't do it in the first year. I am taking an extra AS accounting next year because my school didn't have an accounting course last year this time.

Reply 9

schrodinger's cat

I'm planning on self teaching myself AS Additional Further Maths next year, but that's slightly different as i'm already studying maths and further maths. How do i justify it? well it is helpful to the subject that i am applying for and will therefore hopefully improve my apllication. As for how the school takes to it, i know at my school (but they are especially annoying about these sorts of things) they wouldn't let you take up an AS in the A2 year; but i'm teaching the 2 modules to myself so i get around that.

Personally, i'm no doubt wrong, i don't see how taking music AS will help you get into music for university. As i say, i don't know much about music but i assume you've already checked universities that will accept you for music without the A2 and you're happy going there? In that case it would be a very good reason to take the AS and i think almost any school would make the exception for you to pick up the extra AS.

Reply 10

<(+_+)>

I was thinking of taking another AS in year 13 but depends on how my results turn out. If I do badly I want to focus more on getting them up to scratch.

Reply 11

city_chic

^ What extra AS would you do?

Reply 12

<(+_+)>

I'd like to do Physics but I doubt my teacher would let me because I dropped it at the start of the year.

Reply 13

city_chic

Ah right. Physics is the last subject I would EVER want to take haha :p:

What subjects have you taken altogether? Oh wait, just seen your profile lol.

Reply 14

bohemian

generalebriety

Take up a musical instrument, take up music AS (and even A2, why the hell not? Loads of people do 4 subjects at A-level), maybe do a couple of ABRSM exams if you get good enough, and either apply to university to study music or go to a specialist music college. No one expects you to be amazing before you go anywhere; showing interest and potential is usually sufficient.

I hope this doesn't appear rude, but there is no way that anyone who doesn't already play an instrument to a reasonable standard could expect to do well at Music AS. For starters, 30% of the course is performance, and you're expected to be at least grade 7 standard for that. Now most people reckon a year per grade, and 2 years to get to grade 1, ie 8 years to get to the level needed for AS. Specialist music colleges tend to suggest a bare minimum of grade 8 distinction, the best ones in reality require a much higher level of ability. Universities are more interested in academics though.

However, I assume the original poster has a fair degree of musical experience, in which case Music AS might be a fairly 'easy' one to take up, because it's 60% coursework, meaning that it's not such a big deal if you don't have lessons. If you do Edexcel or OCR there will probably be some harmony involved which is equivalent to around grade 6/7 theory, plus a bit of composition, and performances. The history/listening varies a lot depending on the board. Some universities aren't keen on AQA as it is percieved as an easy option board, it doesn't require aspects such as harmony to be studied at all, and if you're considering taking music further then some basic harmony (Bach chorale/figured bass type stuff) is absolutely vital.

Just so you know, most universities will expect A2 Music from applicants, although music colleges might not be so bothered. If you're really set on a musical career/university course, have you considered carrying on only 2 of your current AS subjects and doing the whole Music A level in a year? It's not so big a deal as it sounds, like with Edexcel it would mean a few short performances, a 20 minute recital OR 2 compositions, 1 composition, 1 harmony coursework piece, 1 harmony exam, 2 listening exams (similar stuff in each) and 2 history exams (with overlapping topics). And that would be the whole A level sorted - I would think it would be quite possible in a year with only 2 other subjects. If you want to know any detail about the AS Edexcel course I might be able to help out, having done it last year.

Reply 15

generalebriety

bohemian

Alright, then; take up an additional instrument, do ABRSM exams if you haven't, and take music to A2. :p:

I shall confess I really don't know much about music exams, sorry.

I suggested a specialist music college rather than university because I got the impression the OP preferred performance and composition to theory and the more academically based study of music.

Reply 16

Mos Def

If i wish to take AS Further Maths this year, do i put it on UCAS as FM - Pending? ... i mean that will be updated next year lmao. Or is it too alte for it to mean anything (as in, to the unis).

Reply 17

bobby1986

RocketTown

no i dont understand. how can you do FP1 before you have done C3 and C4?

Reply 18

schrodinger's cat

I don't know where you got that quote or conversation from but...

You can't take FP1 before C3 & C4 (apart from on one board i believe) i think you are getting confused. You can only start on you Further Maths AS once you've done the full maths A-Level. You don't do it at the same time as other AS subjects.

Reply 19

RocketTown

i dunno whether its because i'm doing OCR or what, but you definatly CAN take FP1 before C3 and C4, as FP1 is apparently an extension on topics covered in C1. (note: i won't be taking it 'before' but rather 'at the same time' in a seperate lesson.)

again... i dunno whether its because its OCR, but my college has a special AS Further maths course for those wanting to pick it up in their second year, where FP1 is one of the modules.

further maths is basically any other module you want to do beyond the compulsory alevel maths syllabus. you can pick and choose whatever the hell you want, and they add it all up. there's no set structure, and you definatly don't have to have done the full alevel maths before you can do other modules.

and just on another note, i have a mate who's picking up AS and A2 further maths next year so he'll be doing some of the craziest modules and is still doing C3 and C4 in his A2 maths. I dunno where you've got the idea that you can't do the further pure's till you've done something else.