What makes A-levels so hard?

According to most people and teachers (well from everyone I have spoken to) A-levels are very very hard. Well what makes them so hard? Is it the content or the amount or something? I am gonna finish my GCSE's this year and I was wondering what tips you would give to all those who are hoping to do A-levels next year. I want to do biology, chemistry, physics and maths. I might change physics to French I dunno.

In terms of maths and science (possibly with the exception being biology, for which the exam papers are always waffly ****. Seriously, 62% for an A? wtf?) they're totally right.

Maybe not 'piss-easy', but once you understand, it's really easy to score high marks on a paper by doing past papers and getting model answers from mark schemes.


Also, sorry for replying to your thread so much lol, I must be bugging you.


FURTHERMATHSFURTHERMATHSFURTHERMATHSFURTHERMATHS.

They're hard/harder than GCSEs because:

I'm glad I questioned you about it.

What is it you want to do?
I chose my A levels aiming for either medicine or maths. It's clear to me now that medicine is not right for me (maybe after my undergrad maths degree ) so biology is kind of useless to me. I'm either going to take all 5 to A level, or I'm going to drop biology and take up AS and A2 economics.

I 'lied' on my college application, because my school didn't really give predicted grades, because, well, it was a crap school. I put all A*/A except for art, and ended up with almost that.

In my opinion, further maths would be well worth your time!
So, either take biology, chemistry, physics and maths in first year, and then chemistry, physics, maths and further maths (AS) in second year, or see if you can do all 5.

In fact, something you might consider is doing the above, while self teaching AS further maths (i.e. FP1 and 2 'easier' applied modules such as any statistics modules) and then instead of further maths AS in second year, you could join an A2 further maths class.

In my college, we do AS maths, half of A2 maths, and half of A2 further maths (wierd huh?) in the first year, so C1 C2 C3 S1 S2 S3. However, I've self taught C4, FP1, and some FP3 in the last few months, so next year I can skip laods of classes.

It's very do-able, and not even 'nerdy', because if you have a natural flair for maths, you'll pick it up.

If you want to know more about the subject at A level, to decide whether you want to pursue this or not, try the 'patrickJMT' youtube channel and look up stuff like matrices, partial derivatives, and hyperbolic functions. The first topic is an easy further maths topic, while the latter are a little harder.
You probably won't understand any of it without having first done A level maths, but you'll appreciate it all the same.

I think A Levels are only hard if:

1. You choose the wrong subjects. Plenty of people I know chose a subject that would look good, rather than one they were genuinely interested in. Consequently, they didn't enjoy it, found it difficult to motivate themselves to put the work it and just generally struggled.

2. Choosing subjects with a lot of coursework. ICT is the main example here - I've had friends taking this threaten suicide at times! Make sure if one subject has a lot of coursework, it's balanced out by the other subjects.

3. Obvious, but - if you lack the motivation to work. Revision isn't much help when you have nothing to revise from as you've done sweet FA all year, and the teachers aren't there to chase you up and give you detention if you fall behind like at GCSE.

They're hard/harder than GCSEs because:



No matter what some people might say, the jump from GCSE to A-level is a big one, and teachers often say it's the biggest jump you have in your academic life (in some cases, A-levels are harder than the first year of a degree, for example).

Oh sounds cool. So you take some modules early or something? Lol the only one I have heard of out of those topics are hyperbolic functions - I don't even know what they are but never mind haha!

Yeah me too I was thinking medicine - but not necessarily a doctor as I'm hoping to explore other things that you can do as well! I mean definitely something maths and science related though! I'm screwed with my GCSE grades anyway so yeah chances are slimmer than slim. I'm not bothered about nerdyness lol. Nerds rule.

Yep my teachers have told me exactly that!

Well, the only thing that puts me off medicine is the need for experience. It's not really fair as some people are in situations where experience wouldn't really be favourable.
The only available work experience for me was at a nursing home. How can I write positively about something I know I'll hate? I don't ever want to go into a caring position.

Hyperbolic functions are... well, I don't know either actually. But they're useful.

I haven't taken any modules early, but I'm very well prepared for next year.
I intend to have covered all of next year's pure maths by the end of the summer so all I have to worry about is mechanics!

Oh by the way, if you get the choice of maths modules, pick as much pure and mechanics as possible. Statistics is the easiest really, but mechanics is most useful for maths related stuff at uni.

Oh by the way, if you get the choice of maths modules, pick as much pure and mechanics as possible. Statistics is the easiest really, but mechanics is most useful for maths related stuff at uni.

I wish I could agree with you haha! After a year of attempting to self teach S1, I can say that for me M1 is a hell of a lot easier. Maybe Im just strange then.

Difference between GCSE's and A levels?
One unit at A level is the same volume as one subject at GCSE.
And you cant get an A by studying for 2 hours.

advice about physics
only do it if you really have a passion for it or you need it for a future career option
you will regret it otherwise