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Biology AS (and A2)

Hey everybody :smile:
Well, I enrolled at my sixth form yesterday and was planning to take Maths, English lit, Economics and Classics, but I had a change of mind and decided to change maths for biology.

I doubt i'll have any problems with biology as I seemed to get a B at GCSE with a not-so-good teacher, and I know the teachers at my college are alot better. I also am really interested in biology.

Thing is, I wasn't initially going to take biology so didn't put much research into it whatsoever, so I was just wondering what it is like? What it consist of etc?
Also, what is A2 like?

Thanks guys :smile:

Also, just wondering if you think my course options are good ones?
Reply 1
Well I can say that GCSE biology is nothing compared to AS Biology

It does require alot of work so be prepared
Reply 2
bio A level takes motivation and perseverence. u might say ur interested in it nw..but if ur exam board does anything on nature or the environment..u might aswell take ur blanket and pillow to class! sayin that i gt an A at A2..gd luck!
Reply 3
Consists of many things. For a start, more chemistry than GCSE biology. Though don't worry, it's not pure chemistry, chemistry related to biology, eg different bonds between water, carbohydrates, etc. What happens when molecules eg two proteins join. That sort of thing.

It's also a lot more hands on, you'll do more lab work, some with microscopes, some without, eg I got to dissect a sheep's heart. Very fun! Depending on your course you may also have a field trip, we had one for AS and it was about ecology and we had to do our A2 coursework based around it.

There are definitely more concepts to be learned, you'll cover far more things in depth, especially things you haven't done at GCSE, eg muscles, DNA, immune system. Then there are things you've done at GCSE but you'll do again in a far more complex way...eg respiration, photosynthesis.

I'd highly recommend it, it's an excellent and well respected subject and will show you can handle both sciences and non science subjects well :yes:
Reply 4
Democracy
Consists of many things. For a start, more chemistry than GCSE biology. Though don't worry, it's not pure chemistry, chemistry related to biology, eg different bonds between water, carbohydrates, etc. What happens when molecules eg two proteins join. That sort of thing.

It's also a lot more hands on, you'll do more lab work, some with microscopes, some without, eg I got to dissect a sheep's heart. Very fun! Depending on your course you may also have a field trip, we had one for AS and it was about ecology and we had to do our A2 coursework based around it.

There are definitely more concepts to be learned, you'll cover far more things in depth, especially things you haven't done at GCSE, eg muscles, DNA, immune system. Then there are things you've done at GCSE but you'll do again in a far more complex way...eg respiration, photosynthesis.

I'd highly recommend it, it's an excellent and well respected subject and will show you can handle both sciences and non science subjects well :yes:

Couldn't have put it better myself.
I have found AS Biology to be much more interesting than anything we covered at GCSE, you do everything in much more depth but consequently some of your understanding sort of 'clicks' together an you sit there and go "Oooohhhhh, so that's why that happens, and it's also linked to this and that..." That's a great feeling :p:
Reply 5
I got an A at GCSE but a D at As and it was the subject I put most work into. I did have crap teachers though (NOBODY in out Bio class got an A, not even my friend who got AAA in his other subjects, Maths Chemistry and Physics. he got a B.) but still. I was so gutted, I was predicted a D and so did SO much work to try and get a C. I ended up getting 1 mark above an E, haha. If you're very good at Biology and have good teachers, go for it.
Reply 6
Thanks for the feedback :smile:

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