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Question for those who did 5A-levels...

I was Thinking of doing:

[I would like to study medicine at cambridge when I'm older]
1)Chemistry-A2
2)Biology-A2
3)Physics-A2
4)Maths-A2
5)Further Maths-A2

Is this too much?
I'm sure i want to do 5 but should i drop one for AS(Further maths)?
does doing 5 A2s help in ANY way from Cambridge medicine?
How hard will it be(I go to a grammar school)?

Thanks.

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Reply 1
Original post by VNN
I was Thinking of doing:

[I would like to study medicine at cambridge when I'm older]
1)Chemistry-A2
2)Biology-A2
3)Physics-A2
4)Maths-A2
5)Further Maths-A2

Is this too much?
I'm sure i want to do 5 but should i drop one for AS(Further maths)?
does doing 5 A2s help in ANY way from Cambridge medicine?
How hard will it be(I go to a grammar school)?

Thanks.


For Cambridge Medicine you don't need 5 A-Levels as they can drop your grades. I think Cambridge is the one that needs A-Level Maths.
Original post by VNN
I was Thinking of doing:

[I would like to study medicine at cambridge when I'm older]
1)Chemistry-A2
2)Biology-A2
3)Physics-A2
4)Maths-A2
5)Further Maths-A2

Is this too much?
I'm sure i want to do 5 but should i drop one for AS(Further maths)?
does doing 5 A2s help in ANY way from Cambridge medicine?
How hard will it be(I go to a grammar school)?

Thanks.

I had a friend who did all this because they got all A*s at GCSE. They dropped the 5th within a week. Don't bother doing 5 when Cambridge and all the other top unis only require 3. Doing 4 is obviously a possibility if you think you can cope (I do 4 and I find it fine) but 5 is unnecessary. It is best to have 3 amazing a levels than 5 mediocre ones because you didn't have enough time to give the subjects the attention they need, especially with such a competitive course as medicine. Think about it realistically here, by doing 3 or 4, you have more time to perfect your subjects and really excel, get a placement in a hospital (which really boosts your application) and perhaps do an EPQ which can enrich your application. If you did 5, you're limiting yourself and placing yourself under unnecessary stress.
Original post by Raventtt
5 A Levels is definitely never needed. If you feel you'd enjoy 5 and think it will strengthen your application, by all means, go for it.
I had a friend who did 5 (4 the same as you but economics rather than biology) and while he was very naturally clever, he essentially had no life for 2 years, and he'll be the first to admit that. He did achieve A*A*A*AA, but, says he wishes he took 4. Further maths was apparently easy if you are good at normal A level maths, but the others took his time up. I would say if you have 8/9A* AT LEAST at GCSE, and want to work to very tough levels, go for it, otherwise 3, maybe 4 for Cambridge medicine will suffice.


Does it really take up that much time?
How much time did you friend spend studying a night?

Thanks.
Original post by rosie.mn
I had a friend who did all this because they got all A*s at GCSE. They dropped the 5th within a week. Don't bother doing 5 when Cambridge and all the other top unis only require 3. Doing 4 is obviously a possibility if you think you can cope (I do 4 and I find it fine) but 5 is unnecessary. It is best to have 3 amazing a levels than 5 mediocre ones because you didn't have enough time to give the subjects the attention they need, especially with such a competitive course as medicine. Think about it realistically here, by doing 3 or 4, you have more time to perfect your subjects and really excel, get a placement in a hospital (which really boosts your application) and perhaps do an EPQ which can enrich your application. If you did 5, you're limiting yourself and placing yourself under unnecessary stress.


Does it really take up that much time? How much time did you friend spend studying a night? Thanks.
I did five and it's really not necessary, all your ones are facilitating subjects too which can be overwhelming. If you think you can handle the stress and content then definitely go for it but remember you AS grades are important so don't mess them up because you did five even though it wasn't required.
I did 5. I did those except economics instead of biology. I found it fine. I actually had a larger workload in A2 because I didn't do further maths in my first year so had to do AS and A2 maths in my second year.

If you are good at maths, then maths and further maths don't take up much time. It's also half the battle with physics.
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 7
Tbh If I were you, I would not have done 5! Right now I do 3 and it's rather bulky..Now 5...

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Reply 8
Original post by VNN
Does it really take up that much time? How much time did you friend spend studying a night? Thanks.

My college expect us to do eight hours of just revision per subject minimal and this doesn't take into account of homework
Original post by VNN
Does it really take up that much time? How much time did you friend spend studying a night? Thanks.

It takes up time because you have barely any frees. It means that you can't use your frees to your advantage and have to do more work at home.
Original post by cleggj88
My college expect us to do eight hours of just revision per subject minimal and this doesn't take into account of homework


8 hours per week or?
Original post by rosie.mn
It takes up time because you have barely any frees. It means that you can't use your frees to your advantage and have to do more work at home.


It would only be one hour free a day anyway right?
Original post by Sternumator
I did 5. I did those except economics instead of biology. I found it fine. I actually had a larger workload in A2 because I didn't do further maths in my first year so had to do AS and A2 maths in my second year.

If you are good at maths, then maths and further maths don't take up much time. It's also half the battle with physics.


Nice to see a supporting remark...
Any more advice?
I would definitely not do 5 A levels, I speak from experience. In my AS Year I took Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Global Prospective Research and started my EPQ. I failed further maths as it was self taught and it ended up being detrimental to my other subjects.
I also just applied to Medicine.... you definitely don't need 5.
My recommendation would be do Biology and Chemistry and then pick a couple of light subjects. A levels are stressful as it is and then you have admissions tests for medicine on top of that. Make life easy for yourself
Original post by VNN
8 hours per week or?

a week yes
Reply 15
Biology, chemistry and maths. That's all you need.
Can I ask your reasons for wanting to go to Cambridge to do medicine?

Also, I know two people who did 5 A Levels, same ones as your are suggesting: one got 4A* 1A, the other 3A*s 2As. They also both did AEA and received merits. They're both at Galway doing medicine. It is definitely not necessary, but it is possible. They devoted so much time to their studying, though, and were naturally very good at maths anyway.

If you're set on doing those. Drop either FMaths or Physics at AS. Doing 5 is extremely tough unless you are very devoted and have very good organisation and time management.
Original post by Gogregg
Can I ask your reasons for wanting to go to Cambridge to do medicine?

Also, I know two people who did 5 A Levels, same ones as your are suggesting: one got 4A* 1A, the other 3A*s 2As. They also both did AEA and received merits. They're both at Galway doing medicine. It is definitely not necessary, but it is possible. They devoted so much time to their studying, though, and were naturally very good at maths anyway.

If you're set on doing those. Drop either FMaths or Physics at AS. Doing 5 is extremely tough unless you are very devoted and have very good organisation and time management.

and have stamina of a god
Oh, it also will not help in any way for Cambridge medicine. The only med school it would be useful for is Barts and The London, since they use UCAS tariff in their selection process.
don't do further maths you just don't need it, it would be better to focus on the other subjects(/having a life, i know extracurricular can be important when applying for medicine) and get an easy A* in normal a level maths. I do 5 (like yours but a language instead of biology) and i only cope cause i find the language easy and the maths/further maths kind of merge into one

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