I'm hoping to start a Law & Politics course this year. To gain an extra qualification, and partly because I regret not taking it for A level, I want to do AS & A2 Politics as well this year. I think it would help considering there is also a Politics aspect to my course. I realise I already have the grades to get into uni, but I am considering reapplying anyway... and an extra qualification will help. I'm only going to this local uni just so I can say I gave it a shot, but if I don't like it and get into another uni, I'll drop it and go there in the following academic year.
As I said I'm hope to study at a nearby uni from home, so won't have a job, settling in etc. to get in my way - and I've already got a centre at which to take the exams. I hope to start evening language courses as well, mainly because I want to throw myself into everything I can achieve... not to mention, the first year's workload isn't too big, luckily. I think I could juggle politics considering I have politics modules in my degree anyway, and the evening course is just an aside.
I know it's up to me really and I seem to have made up my mind, but thought I'd express my views to TSR anyway... there may well be students here who went up to local unis and tried to gain extra qualifications/points.
Personally, I wouldn't. Having done both the first year of a politics degree and a history A level in a year, I wouldn't recommend doing both simultaneously (I took evening language courses during my second year, and even they were shattering).
As you say, it's up to you. But do consider whether it's worth it. If you decide to try to switch universities at the end of your first year, they will want to know how you performed during that first year. Taking the A level at the same time is likely to diminish your performance at university, and thus you risk doing badly in both, which would do nothing for your chances of a transfer.
Personally, I wouldn't. Having done both the first year of a politics degree and a history A level in a year, I wouldn't recommend doing both simultaneously (I took evening language courses during my second year, and even they were shattering).
As you say, it's up to you. But do consider whether it's worth it. If you decide to try to switch universities at the end of your first year, they will want to know how you performed during that first year. Taking the A level at the same time is likely to diminish your performance at university, and thus you risk doing badly in both, which would do nothing for your chances of a transfer.
I understand that. However, I wouldn't be transferring but instead starting from scratch.
I'm worried about the workload but I'd be even more upset if I didn't try. How did you do in your history A level, out of interest? I really am willing to put the effort in. My other alternative would be to take a gap year straightaway to do this A level, but I'd be wasting my time in the meantime... I wouldn't want to be bored. I guess I could get a job, but I'd be unhappy at not giving uni a shot.
I'm worried about the workload but I'd be even more upset if I didn't try. How did you do in your history A level, out of interest? I really am willing to put the effort in. My other alternative would be to take a gap year straightaway to do this A level, but I'd be wasting my time in the meantime... I wouldn't want to be bored. I guess I could get a job, but I'd be unhappy at not giving uni a shot.
No, I understand that. The only thing I'm slightly concerned about is that during school, A levels are so important - but they really do diminish in comparative value once you start your degree (and given that you got AAA, I can only assume that you're looking to reapply to Oxbridge - in which case you might want to ask on the Oxbridge forums whether an additional A level is likely to aid your chances enough to warrant taking it).
I got an A at history. I agree that there is common ground between your degree and the A level, but the methods of analysis are very different (I'm contemplating picking up an economics A level for interest during my PhD, but I suspect I'll struggle purely because the skill set demanded for each are so different) and you may find it tricky switching between the two.
If you're prepared to view both the A level and the university first year as 'giving it a shot' then it sounds as though you haven't much to lose. My concern though is that you could gain more by committing yourself to one or the other, rather than trying both in a bit of a scattershot fashion.
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Re: Politics A level alongside Politics degree?..
What course do you plan to do when you start again? You may not even need the politics a-level.
Tbh, it seems like a bit of a strange idea for you to start at your local uni when you have allready decided you are going to drop out and start again from scratch. Why not get a job on your gap year and save up for uni instead?
What course do you plan to do when you start again? You may not even need the politics a-level.
Tbh, it seems like a bit of a strange idea for you to start at your local uni when you have allready decided you are going to drop out and start again from scratch. Why not get a job on your gap year and save up for uni instead?
Same course but at a different uni... so I reckon the extra Politics A level will help.
I haven't decided this; I've just always wanted to go to a uni further away, so am keeping that option in case it all goes wrong. But, I may start in October and love it - you can just never be sure! I thought I might as well give it a shot.
If you're prepared to view both the A level and the university first year as 'giving it a shot' then it sounds as though you haven't much to lose. My concern though is that you could gain more by committing yourself to one or the other, rather than trying both in a bit of a scattershot fashion.
That's very true. The language course would be quite demanding as well, but I'm willing to be challenged. The logic you've given is precisely the stance my parents also have. This really is the year where I just try out and see how things go... I probably should be more committed to one or the other, but I feel I wouldn't be as challenged with just this first year at uni alone. Particularly because I won't have the added trouble of being far away from home, settling in and getting used to things over the first few months (I already have friends there as well).
Also, if I did decide to drop out and reapply... it would be, as I said, to start a new degree from scratch, rather than transferring. I am a bit worried about there of course being differences between the A level and politics modules, but I think I could still cover the material in the spare time I will most likely have (which I would have applied to a job if I were at a uni further away from home).
Thanks for the detailed responses though... I'll definitely give this more thought, but I'd regret not being able to take this extra A level. Congratulations on your A in history - the fact that you managed this in a year does give me a lot of hope, although you must either be really brainy or have put lots of hard work in (or both!)... I'm hoping the latter will help me in this situation.
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Politics A level alongside Politics degree?..
