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Do I need another AS?

I've just finished 3 AS's (and general studies), and I'll be keeping them all for A2, but I just wondered whether unis prefer people to have 4 AS's? I'm not looking to apply to the 'top' unis - Leeds will be my first choice, and the course I want to apply for actually takes general studies. They don't specify whether they want a fourth AS though, so I'm not sure whether I need to take another one, as they accept gen stdies. :/

Will it look better for me if I take one, or won't it matter?

Reply 1

Mr Vella

yeah, you will definetly look more "attractive" (if you had 4AS's) to a university, depending on the course you want to study. i only did 3A-levels and 3 AS's but my course wasn't popular so they still took me on.

Reply 2

kellywood_5

If the uni you want to go to accepts General Studies, you'll have 4 A2s. Unis generally specify in their prospectus or on their website whether or not they want a 4th AS, so if it doesn't say anything, they probably don't, but if they accept General Studies, it doesn't matter anyway. Check what the situation is for the other unis you want to apply to, but generally it's only the top unis that don't accept General Studies and want a 4th AS, so you should be fine.

Reply 3

Foobso

Thanks a lot you guys, the unis I'm applying to don't specify a fourth AS so I guess I should be ok :smile:

. I'm just worrying about everything at the moment!

Reply 4

skippy786

When you look for uni course requiremnts on UCAS, it should say amount of a levels preferd and number required, for example
Minimum number required: 3
Number preferred: 3.5

thats the easiest and best way to find out.

Reply 5

*Tears and Butterflies*

I'd pick up an AS this year just incase :smile:

Reply 6

bright star

depends. if you think picking up another AS won't impact your grades in the 3 you're taking to A level then do it. but most likely it will. it looks better to have 3 good A levels than 3.5 bad ones.

Reply 7

*Tears and Butterflies*

treu but it is now the norm to have 3.5 grades minimum and more and more are taking 4 subjects to A2 so you might be at a disadvantage, I don't think it will definately have a negative impact at all. If people can manage to get 4 A grades at A2 I'm sure people can cope with 3A2's and one AS. However, it does depend upon if you have a lot of resitis to do aswell. However, a lot of places don't specify a garde in the AS just a pass, (which could be am E) .

Reply 8

bright star

depends on what sort of person you are. some people can cope with PhD's in neuroscience whereas some can hardly get 5C's at GCSE. that's the dumbest arguement ever.

Reply 9

*Tears and Butterflies*

I wasnt saying he would definately be able to cope. He won't know untill he has tried, will he. I don't think you understood what i was trying to convey. You said it most likely will have a negative impact upon his grades, I said that isn't always true. He may cope absolutely fine and achieve good grades in all of them.

:biggrin:

P.S Whoooo!!! I'm now a Exalted and Worshipped Member :biggrin:

Reply 10

bright star

it depends how you've done at AS i suppose. people tend to do worse in A2 modules than they did at AS tho. so you're gonna find everything harder. plus you'll have more work to do than before. if you were struggling in the first place then it certainly isn't going to help. and for the record i actually did it. i picked up AS italian in my 2nd year jus for kicks. it worked out well for me and i really enjoyed it. it can be good but it has to be right for you.

Reply 11

arguendo

bright star

it depends how you've done at AS i suppose. people tend to do worse in A2 modules than they did at AS tho. so you're gonna find everything harder.

i actually found i got higher UMS at a2 than as in three of my four subjects.

Reply 12

bright star

yeah me too actually. sciences in particular work the other way generally tho as the concepts get more complex and the level of understanding expected of you increases.