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how does A-levels differ to GCSE's?

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Not much more understanding required except for maths and physics, just tougher mark schemes mean more precise answers are required instead of bluffing your way through it. This all adds up to more revising and less thinking

Reply 21

Areontas

You can't bluff your way through it, basically. You do actually need to put some work in and make sure you understand certain principles.

Reply 22

Barry Scott

AS isnt that much harder but just more work hence the lower number of subjects. A2 is harder but if you keep working, should be ok. of course, i can only comment on the subjects i do.

Reply 23

blondevalkyrie

im not gunna lie i found it hard at first because its more in depth and different essay writing styles etc, but its also 100% times more enjoyable than gcse, im talking from a humanties p.o.v though no nothing about science based subjects as i did Religious Studies, History and English Combined

Reply 24

sunspoon

More work, more in depth and more advanced subject knowledge compared to GCSE.

Very hard to blag A-levels since they are often subjected to very strict mark schemes that require the use of specific key words/phrases to mentioned in answers to exam papers.

EDIT: This is coming from a person who did/is doing all maths/sciences at A2.

Reply 25

shootingstar123

yeah, theyre quite a bit harder. it means that you cant always doss your way through lessons. it kinda depends on subjects though - some differences between GCSE and A Level are small, others encounter a large leap!
At first, itl seem like a lot of work, but you get used to it. As long as you keep up to date and dont slack off to much. GCSEs (which i did in 2006) now seem like a doddle!

Reply 26

Mishkath

well i do Maths, Physics and Double IT...

Maths - There is quite a big jump with the work load that is being given and the amount of independent study involved to it. I find it fun since I have an interest in Maths but I know people who dropped out quite early after doing GCSE (one person even dropped out after the first lesson after listening to the modules we were doing :smile:

)

Physics - This would be quite easy to pick up if you have done GCSE...not that hard if you havent...like me, but it would certainly help. Oh, and a good teacher too, if not you probably would not understand what is going on

IT - This is generally quite easy although sometimes the level of detail in you coursework needs to be quite high to achieve a distinction.

A Levels in general I think is harder and the work takes getting used to but it would surely come as time goes on...I would suggest to get involved with things like Prefects, Sports Clubs and things like that which would give you a good break but also a good experience...but remember to have fun alongside studying your head off coz you can quite easily get burnt out :smile:

Reply 27

Spinal

I just found the work load to be heavier and the time scale to do it all in even smaller. Revision is essential!

Reply 28

i'm no superman

Chemistry was a HUGE jump for me.

Reply 29

Blackwater

After about a week of settling in I found them not much harder than GCSEs really, except you do much less subjects so your learning is more focused.

And I disagree with this:

Maths - There is quite a big jump with the work load that is being given and the amount of independent study involved to it. I find it fun since I have an interest in Maths but I know people who dropped out quite early after doing GCSE (one person even dropped out after the first lesson after listening to the modules we were doing )

A big jump in the workload? Not for me - I did almost **** all independent study and I managed to do alright. :p:

In fact, Maths is probably the one subject where independent study is least important really (provided you have a good teacher) because there's no large volume of knowledge you have to revise like in other subjects, just key principles. Plus Core 1, Stats 1 and Mechanics 1 are all largely made up of stuff you should already have encountered at GCSE, just in a little more depth.

I agree with this though:

Chemistry was a HUGE jump for me.

A-Level Chemistry is a completely different beast to GCSE.

Reply 30

blondevalkyrie

kyleovyick

how do they get harder and are they much more demanding than GCSE, alot of colleges have said to me that A-levels are much more demanding than GCSE's is this true and did any one find it difficult when they made the transition on to A-level

whats subjects are you thinking of doing

Reply 31

vintage.queen

A levels require a lot of independant input. They are advanced levels obviously because it is advanced course material! You will look back in your final year of A levels and think GCSEs were a breeze. It also prepares you for study at university

Reply 32

Ewan

A levels are a lot harder, and you cant get by on doing no work. Many think that its play time and fail their first year, dont make that mistake. For maths, its when things really start, you can pretty much forget what you learnt at GCSE. Physics gets alot harder, and you actually have to think rather than just regurgitate facts (though there is a hell of a lot of that aswell)

Oh and what they say about doing work during the year, you dont have to. You can slack the entire year, but you will have to work 10 hours a day, for over a month just before exam time to get an A in your exams. Its not nice, I had to do this in my last year since I totally failed the first year. But it can be done, and it isnt the hardest thing in the world...

Reply 33

Shaksi

GCSEs you can get away with regurgitation, A-Levels not so much :smile:

Reply 34

fishandchips

At GCSE I did **** all in terms of revision and work and ended up with all stars and As.
At AS I did **** all in terms of revision and work (except for Biology, I crammed for a week) because I thought these were subjects I was "good" at and got ABBC. (Bio, History, English, Maths- god knows why I chose maths I hated it).

Reply 35

alatoiken

Yeh, pretty much what most people have said, GCSE's can be bluffed, I put very little effort into GCSEs and about 2 days revision for each subject a few days before the exams, and i got all As and Bs. At A/S level, after several attempts at past papers & getting U's each time, i realised much more effort was required. I put much more effort into A/S than at GCSE and came out with 3 As and 2 Cs.

Looking back, it does seem that you can cruise through GCSEs with very little effort, but on beginning A-levels i think you made gradual adjustments to your working style & effort. I didnt really notice the leap between the two was so great, until reflecting back later.