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Distance learning / Self taught A Levels?!

I am currently about to finish my first year at Sixth Form. However I do not wish to go back next year for personal reasons. Although I feel like I would not have reached my full potential leaving with only a few AS's. I have researched into distance learning and found organisations online that offer help, these appear to be quite costly for not a lot. I think I may be a bit confused by some other forums. Can I get a course specification from the exam board, teach myself via resources at home and go and sit my exam, or do I have to pay this ridiculous amount through the organisations?

I hope that someone can understand what I mean! Please help me, getting confused from so much information!

Basically can I just pay for the exam and do everything else myself?

Reply 1

Juno

You can teach yourself! You just need some books and a lot of time. However, many people find this route is more difficult than they anticipated, so you need to be very motivated.

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Reply 2

katie191

Yes of course! It would be very hard though if you chose subjects with course work as you'd need a teacher to authorise that the work is yours. Download the syllabus from the examination board you would be sitting your exams with and go through the course content yourself :smile:

I seen a website called "examstutor" and for very cheap you can have access to a whole load of resourceful information on course content and exam preparation! (12£ for 12 months per subject I think!) I am personally going to go through the NEC (national extension college) for my A Levels because I'm 21 and need every help I can get after being out of education since I was 17 and I'm a bit scared to go it alone. If you decide to do your a levels from home drop me a message and I'd be happy to chat and lend a bit of support as I know how daunting it can seem to go it alone with no classmates to study with.

Katie :smile:

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Reply 3

Amy387

Original post by Jayydanielle

Hiya! I am currently self teach Psychology A Level. I started in April this year after starting ICS Learn who are a distcance learning company. My personal opinion of them was very poor (typos, spelling mistakes, poorly written course material, Lack of tutor support etc) And speaking to some of the other people of the forum on the ICS website a lot of them have found the same and are not happy. So I complained, got a refund and started to teach myself. Which im finding much better. I really don't know how these companies justify the cost of their courses!? All you really get is a folder (no text books) full of poorly written notes, and a tutor. I guess you pay for the tutor support for 18 months, but I didn't even get assigned a tutor to begin with!! They dont even give you any help arranging your exams, you have to do it all yourself. and the exam fees are not included either. So it really is alot of money for nothing in my opinion. but then I hear some people have had much better experiences and have had a fantastic tutor. so anyway I spent some of the money that I would have spent on ICS on books from the exam board and revision guides and im teaching myself :smile:

What are you thinking of studying? if you need any advice or help feel free to message me :smile:

Reply 4

figuresk8rstudent

Hello.

Following on from Amy who started doing A Level in Psychology through ICS. I guess I'm very fortunate as the tutor was assigned to me immediately from joining although at first the responses given were quite vague but maybe my question didn't require much of a response. Throughout doing AS the support has gradually got better as I was a complete beginner with not only doing A Levels but Psychology. My English Language tutor has been incredible - so supportive, encouraging I have no gripes at all with ICS.

Yes it is a lot of money but I know it will all be worth it next year when I pass my A Levels and go to Uni in order to get a BA and become a Teacher - can't really put a price on that :smile:

Reply 5

Knalchemist

Original post by Jayydanielle

Yes you can. I'm planning on teaching myself 3 A Levels in Government and Politics, Law and something else.

ICS is a COMPLETE rip off. I 'bought' an A Level Law course from them. I had to pay extra for delivery of the 'notes' they gave me (which, may I add isn't enough, you really need to buy a book as well, which renders the notes pointless anyway) and on top of that you have to sort out exams yourself, with no help from ICS.

Ideally you want to do A Levels that are essay based and don't have coursework elements in them. As it will be easier to complete.

I think AQA are better than Edexcel for A Levels as they have more information on their website for Private Candidates. Take a look at their A Levels, and then look at the specifications. You might find that, by self teaching certain A Levels, you don't need to learn the WHOLE A Level. For example A Level Law, the exams are structured in a way so that the same umbrella topic comes up each year, you can then study that one topic for that one unit. (The same goes for Government and Politics, hence why I'm doing those two!).

Examination fee's are £40 - £100, and you pay it to the centre (school/college) where you want to sit the exams. The cost is fixed per exam but you may have to pay more if, for example, you have to cover costs of an invigilator or something.

Reply 6

MusaZ

Hi,
I was wondering how coursework would be assessed if i choose to study english literature and history on my own. If anyone could enlighten me on this aspect it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Reply 7

Juno

Original post by MusaZ

Hi,
I was wondering how coursework would be assessed if i choose to study english literature and history on my own. If anyone could enlighten me on this aspect it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

You have to find someone to mark it. If you go with a company like ICS they may organise this for you, or your exam centre may be help. Otherwise, some people hire a tutor.

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Reply 8

MusaZ

Thank you

think i'll try find a tutor who will be able to mark it

Reply 9

n0se_ring

ICS are absolutely terrible. AVOID this company like the plague. The course material was useless, I was not assigned a tutor, so where my money for tutor support was going I don't know. I got a refund and I'm now teaching myself A level psychology. The only thing good to come out of ICS was that I found a study buddy Amy387 :wink: