Self Study A-Levels at NEC- Good value?

Hi,

I have been looking at self study options for the A levels I need for vet school - Biology, Chemistry and Physics. I have just looked up the National Extension College, and was surprised to find how cheap it was for an A level:
http://www.nec.ac.uk/colleges/product?product_id=110&category_id=3801

This isnt bad compared to the £300+ my mum spent with ICS. Am I right in thinking this is for the entire A level course, not just the AS?

If so, I reckon this is good value and will probably go for it.

Reply 1

meercatman

It's funny you should post this - as I was considering using these aswell.

Sometimes though - if you are aged between 16 and 19 - your local college might offer Open Learning Alevels free of charge, that's what i'm looking into...

Reply 2

Char_Devon

I'm doing Biology and Maths A levels with them and so far I'm pleased. I've found it quite hard to motivate myself however the biology folders are really helpful and will enable you to get the top grades providing you put in the effort.

Do you have somewhere to take the exams. Otherwise it could be expensive. I can't find anywhere that will take me as a rivate candidate so I will probably need the NEC tob arrange me a place at the sixth form college next door to their centre. They charge almost £100 for each exam - so in total for AS/A2 in all 3 subjects this would work out at between £1200-1800 depending on whether you do the current 6 unit specifications or the new ones with just 4 units.

Reply 3

Char_Devon

This is the correct price! http://www.nec.ac.uk/courses/product?product_id=72&category_id=3305

Reply 4

KwungSun

In my experience very very bad value. I signed up for physics with the NEC. The materials were interesting and well written but DID NOT ACCORD WITH THE SYLLABUS THAT WAS SUPPOSEDLY BEING COVERED. There were a lot of bits in the NEC notes that weren't requried, and a lot of stuff required that WAS required that was nowhere to be found in the NEC stuff. Furthermore even the stuff that did cover the required syllabus provides NO preparation whatsoever for the eventual examination. You do about six problem sets during the course of your studies that are marked by your tutor, but these problem sets do not in the slightest reflect the style or difficult of questions on the actual exam.

Overall it just seemed as though somebody at the NEC put together an interesting physics course without ever bothering to check whether anybody could actually use it to pass an A-level. What I eventually ended up doing was to buy the Nelson Advanced Science Edexcel study guides and go through loads of past papers.

Reply 5

Char_Devon

I do agree with 'KwungSun' to an extent. For biology I purchased the Nelson Advanced Science books in addition to the NEC course and some other reference text books. I work through the NEC folder and the edexcel book to make sure it is all covered.

Reply 6

Laura373

Char_Devon

This is the correct price! http://www.nec.ac.uk/courses/product?product_id=72&category_id=3305

you're looking at resources, not the actual course.

I did GCSE Sociology with them, my first tutor was great but then she resigned and I got a poo one. And I only came out with a B - personally I don't think I'd have passed if I didn't attend the GCSE Sociology revision sessions at my school for their GCSE class. I learnt more in those two days than the whole of the two years.