Should I do my A2 exams in my gap year?

I'm currently studying A2 political ideologies and have exactly the same book by Heywood.

There's a lot to take in and it probably is do-able in three months, but you'd have to work seriously hard at it.

Is there any way that you can sit the exam this summer and then re-take the exam next year if the grade is not satisfactory for you?

Oh are you? How do you find it?

I suppose I can but i dunno, i guess if i leave it till my gap year i could concentrate on my other two subjects (english and sociology).
Really is a dilemma. So much to learn in 3 months.
Don't know what to do tbh.

Yeah I am! There are some ideologies that I can't stand (Liberalism, Multiculturalism) and some that are more interesting than I thought they would be (Conservatism, Socialism). Some of the ideologies require some knowledge of the other ideologies to understand (a lot of them, such as feminism and Multiculturalism, require you to know parts about Liberalism and Socialism). Even though it is tough though, I am really enjoying it - no matter how complex some of the ideologies are.

The thing I would be concerned about is that if you've left it this late this year, next year when you won't have the distractions of English and Sociology will you leave it this late again and find yourself in the same situation?

You could try to sit it this year but focus more on English and Sociology, as if you mess up those exams this year then you might re-sit them as well as A2 politics in your gap year! So personally I'd give it a go at doing A2 politics this summer and if the worst comes to the worst you're only going to re-sit in your gap year.

Ewwww i am self teaching as well although i do get a teacher to look at some of my essays!
Is the text book enough to revise from or do you need more?

Hmm you make a good point i suppose lol. Still seems a lot to learn in 3 months and im scared. Just browsing through the book it seems like i wont be able to learn anything

Getting a teacher to look through the essays will help you a lot! The text book is enough to revise from and get a good grade, however it doesn't hurt to do a bit more reading (although in your case I'm not sure whether you'll have enough time).

Just grab yourself a highlighter and highlight the important parts. Look at:
1) core themes of each ideology and why the ideology supports them
2) what each strand thinks about the core themes, and are there tensions/rivalries between the strands (definitely in Multiculturalism).

Also highlight any sources and quotes that are mentioned in the Heywood.

If you have those three things, as well as the definitions of some of the key vocabulary, you can't really go wrong from there!

Thanks a lot btw, you have made me feel better.
Not really sure if it's worth me revising now as i really don't know anything about the unit's.
I feel maybe concentrate on English and Sociology and make certain i get A's in those subjects (need to work hard) and doing the 2 Politics A2 exams next June, on my gap year. The reason why i left it so late is because i had to revise for my other exams, including Politics which i just did in January! ( I was hoping to do Politics as an intensive in 1 year lol!)

I really don't know if i should start A2 Politics on monday, or leave it till next June? Will it count against me as i want to go to one of the london uni's to do Law? I would have to put my A level English and Sociology grades, whilst put pending on Politics?

I guess you could start revising now and see how things go? if it's too much for you then give up but if you feel you can manage then go for the exams in the summer.
Your plan is a good one, but the uni's might enquire as to what you're doing in your gap year and might not be too best pleased when you reply saying that you're sitting the A2 politics exams (you will probably have to put this in your personal statement).

I would start A2 politics on monday, or even ASAP to see if you can grasp it. After a month or so (beginning of April) decide whether you think you can do it. Definitely concentrate on English and Sociology though. I think either plan is good, possibly contact the london uni's you're interested in to see what their views on you taking A2 politics in your gap year are and take it from there?

Thanks for your reply
Hmmm that has got me worried now! What i am really thinking about it Uni!
I will have my two grades in English and Sociology, hopefully they will be good grades.
Politics I already have an A in the AS. Just i haven't done the A2! So basically my Politics on my UCAS forum would be pending?
On my gap year i was planning to do some charity work really, maybe work experience in law firms and chill lol, which i was going to include in my personal statement.
The uni i want to go to btw is SOAS.
It really is a dilemma though cos tbh I don't think I could get an A in A2 Politics with only 3 months to go?

I think in that case the best thing to do would be to concentrate on your A2's in English and Sociology, and leave the A2 politics until your gap year. I don't know how many law firms will take you on as I think most of them will ask for 3 A levels but there's no harm in trying.

But yeah, concentrate on English and Sociology and then really focus on Political Ideologies in your gap year - 8 hours per week can go a long way (4 hours 'lesson time' and 4 hours 'consolidating notes' time).

Thanks for the reply.
Wow didn't know you needed 3 alevels to do work experience in a law firm! Well I suppose I can do loads of charity work then and put that in my work personal statement as well as do my a2 ideologies.
Still worried that my ucas will look messy😞.

Well law firms are competitive and normally look for A levels of AAA/AAB from what I've read on here. The charity w/e should help but don't give up on the law firms!
Don't worry about UCAS - there will be some that are even more messy than yours, I have a friend applying who has 2 A levels and 2 AS levels this year!

Awwwww thanks helped me so much. So u don't think my ucas with me doing the politics a2 in June on my gap year will be a big problem for me getting into uni?