Whats A-level Maths like?

I'm going to start college this August and I'm going to do Maths. Whats it like? I've heard its a MASSIVE jump from GCSE Maths, and I found Maths okay at high school. I'm predicted an B/A and I think I can get a strong B, at least.

Also, I'm planning on doing it as a full A-level, so I'm wondering if it'll get easier as it progresses?

Thank you!

Reply 1

Sarabande

15

GCSE to C1 is a gentle gap. Really the large gap is between C2 and C3.

Reply 2

ImComplicated

I agree. C1 the content is easy if I am honest and C2 is not that much harder, however the jump to C3 is rather large and my opinion on C4 is that it lies between C2 and C3 in terms of difficulty. One massive tip I can give you is revise exam techniques because they will always find some way to trip you up.

Reply 3

foolscap

9

Are you guys serious? I coasted through the whole of gcse not working and missed an A* by 2 percent, then when i started doing A level maths I thought I was doing the hardest thing ever. As i got used to the pace of a level though it got much easier, I was in a double maths class though so we did topics super quick to save time to cover all the material.

Reply 4

kaypc

13

it was hard. glad i dropped it in Jan cos i didn't enjoy any lessons at all even though i was predicted a B i hated it too much to carry on.

Reply 5

TenOfThem

18

Original post by oreostastenice

I'm going to start college this August and I'm going to do Maths. Whats it like? I've heard its a MASSIVE jump from GCSE Maths, and I found Maths okay at high school. I'm predicted an B/A and I think I can get a strong B, at least.

Also, I'm planning on doing it as a full A-level, so I'm wondering if it'll get easier as it progresses?

Thank you!

Depends on why you are getting a B

A B means there is a lot of the Higher GCSE that you are not secure with

If this is predominantly Algebra then the jump is big

If, however, you are strong algebraically then the jump is much less

Reply 6

k9markiii

18

If you are really good at maths you will find it easier than GCSEs as they ask you questions in bizzarre ways at GCSE. It's really simple when you fully understand it but near impossible to just learn "what to do".

Reply 7

foolscap

9

Original post by k9markiii

If you are really good at maths you will find it easier than GCSEs as they ask you questions in bizzarre ways at GCSE. It's really simple when you fully understand it but near impossible to just learn "what to do".

16 was missing from your sig.

Reply 8

electriic_ink

15

You learn the standard methods, you sit the exam (which contains almost all textbook questions) and there's a 50% chance you'll get an A. Piece of piss.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 9

username247300

5

Original post by oreostastenice

I'm going to start college this August and I'm going to do Maths. Whats it like? I've heard its a MASSIVE jump from GCSE Maths, and I found Maths okay at high school. I'm predicted an B/A and I think I can get a strong B, at least.

Also, I'm planning on doing it as a full A-level, so I'm wondering if it'll get easier as it progresses?

Thank you!

Apparently people with A*'s struggle but I suppose everyone is different depending on natural ability, I don't even have a GCSE and I'm on target for 100% give or take for the entire A level.

Reply 10

ThatPerson

18

Just a quick question; how much Geometry is in A-Level Maths? (i.e. Circle Theorems, etc)

Reply 11

electriic_ink

15

Original post by ThatPerson

Just a quick question; how much Geometry is in A-Level Maths? (i.e. Circle Theorems, etc)

IIRC, there's a tiny bit in C2.

Reply 12

TheGoat

12

C1 and C2 are fine. C3 and C4 are not.

Reply 13

chelseafan

21

Would it be possible for someone with a B at gcse to get an A at A level. Im asking because i only got a b because i didnt reallt work hard at gcse.

Reply 14

chelseafan

21

Thanks for the confidence boost. :smile:

Reply 15

viksta1000

15

its weird...C1 starts of easy, C2 and C3 are like WTF, then C4 becomes easier again

The extra modules you take (I did Stats and Mechanics) are not too bad, although mechanics was made easier because I covered most of it during physics

Its not an easy A-Level, but I guess that's why most universities use it as a yardstick to judge applicants

Reply 16

Architecture-er

19

C1 is easy, we were advised to retake it if we got below 90-95% because we did the whole thing in a year, C2 is really fun, because it's more challenging but still fairly comprehendable because it builds off of C1.

C3 and C4 were basically 3 months of not understanding any of it, followed by a chain-reaction of eureka moments, and then a pair of really fun exams.

Maths exams are generally more enjoyable than most subjects, I've found. If you know your stuff then you can understand and work out any question, it's only when you've learnt by rote or repetition, but no real understanding behind that - that you run into trouble.

Anyone who's mentally sound can get a good grade in Maths, you just need to put the effort in to 'crack' things you've not understood yet :smile:

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 17

Watch Key Phone

15

I'll never understand why people have to be so absolute when they talk about this. Everyone has basically either said "It's the easiest thing in the world ever" or "it's impossible and you're going to fail".

The A-level is harder than the GCSE. It builds on knowledge you should have from the GCSE, but it gets harder. Although the core units increase in difficulty as you progress through the year, there is still a pretty big jump up in difficulty (and more noticeably, workload) between GCSE and the start of A-level. Like others have said, how difficult you will find it will depend on which areas of GCSE you were stronger or weaker at. But to generalise, I don't see any reason why someone working at your level should be unable to get a maths A-level. The important thing is to be ready at the beginning of the year, and prepared for the increased workload so it doesn't take you by surprise. Good luck.

Reply 18

Appeal to reason

14

C3 is really fun.
C4 is slightly less fun, and unlike most people I actually think it is the hardest of the lot. (CURSE YOU VECTORS - the rest of it is fine, its just the 5/6mark vectors questions that I found hard.)
I can't really remember how I found C2 aside from it being similar to C1 in difficulty.
C1 you don't really learn anything new that wasn't in GCSE, aside from differentiation and integration.

As for applied modules:
Mechanics 1 I enjoyed, Stats 1 I found fairly boring (because we were taught to do everything with our calculators) and Decision 1 is incredibly boring but is the easiest of the lot in terms of actual maths.

Reply 19

Jam'

15

The hardest bit about A Level is GCSE-stuff. No lie.

They sometimes use GCSE knowledge like circle theorems and what not and these tend to be the worst-answered questions at A Level. Retain this and everything else is fine. Not at all a 'big leap'.

Whats A-level Maths like?

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