Geography or Biology

Hi, I am new to the Student Room and I have a very important question.

For A-Levels which is more easier:
AQA Geography or OCR Biology?

I want to choose one of these two as my 4th A-level but I am struggling to decide due to limited help online.

It would be helpful if you can tell me that you are doing any of these two A-level

Thanks in advance :smile:

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Reply 1

Rixion

I did AQA Geography and found it to be my most enjoyable subject and easiest :smile:

Reply 2

journeyofeducation

I only did OCR Biology and a different exam board for Geography, but I will tell you that OCR Biology is very hard. The mark scheme throughout the whole course is so picky and fussy. If you are passionate about the subject and are willing to work hard you will get through it. But just know in advance that it will be hard, so if you want an easier subject I'd go for the geography!

Reply 3

Paralove

Geography! Didn't do any science as I hate it anyway and friends who did found it to be their hardest subjects.

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Reply 4

FlyingTurtles10

Original post by Rixion

I did AQA Geography and found it to be my most enjoyable subject and easiest :smile:

That's cool but it depends what you did alongside it :cool:

Reply 5

FlyingTurtles10

Original post by journeyofeducation

Ahhh I see, but is it hard at As level? or A2 level?

Reply 6

BOOM!!!

I was in your position last year choosing between the two, on the same exam boards as you are and in the end I chose to do both of them. I found Biology a lot harder (the way the exams are marked is very fussy) and less enjoyable than Geography and have dropped it this year. So I would advice you take Geography but it really depends on what your other subjects are? :smile:

Reply 7

kate3

I do both, geography is easier than biology if you do enough revision of case studies and you do loads of essay practicing. geography is so much more fun.

Reply 8

Blueee

In my opinion, it all depends on what you would like to do for a degree.

If you were going for a science degree, I would go for Biology - a lot of Unis want Science subjects for science-related degrees, although a few do accept Geography as a science. My friend (who wants to study microbiology) had this problem - she didn't do Biology and is struggling to find more than 3 Unis that will accept Geography as a science.

If you aren't going for a science degree, go for Geography! Geography is my favourite subject and it is great! :smile:

Reply 9

nomdeplumeX2

I did AQA geography and biology (can't remember the board :confused:

) to AS last year. Personally, I found geography a lot more enjoyable as well as being easier and am consequently dropping bio. I think one of the reasons I didn't really enjoy it was due to the mark scheme being so picky and specific. With geography you can really explore the questions and integrate your own thoughts into your answer (to an extent!) which is not something you can do with biology. Also, the biology coursework was awful!!

Reply 10

LeFailFish

I don't have any personal experience (well, I'm taking biology but then I'm basically a science nut) but one of my friends took both geography and biology, he found them equally hard but said AS geography was much less interesting than biology in his opinion, and most of the interesting geography modules were at A2 so if this is a fourth subject you're dropping before A2 biology may be more interesting.

Reply 11

lizz-ie

Original post by FlyingTurtles10

What other subjects are you doing? I didn't do geography, but OCR Biology is very hard. I found it the hardest out of my AS subjects and did Chemistry, Maths and Further Maths alongside it. I think it required the most work, and the mark schemes are very picky, you can put an answer and it'll be right, but you don't get the mark if it's not on the mark scheme. You need to be prepared to put a lot of work in to get an A. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. :smile:

Reply 12

tgwktm

I do geography and its great, I really enjoy it. I have never liked science much so I can't really speak for biology but for geography it is a lot to learn but what you learn isn't that hard to understand. what other subjects are you going to do?

Reply 13

SkinnyKat

There is a reason why science subjects are more respected than others and one of those is because they are harder :tongue:

Universities know this and if you have a science then you might be preferred over someone who doesn't. It really depends on what you want to do after. If you want to study science after A levels then for gods sake, choose science subjects! If not, then it probably doesn't matter unless you want to pick a science to give yourself an edge in applications.

Choose something that you enjoy and that will be useful, not just because it's easy. People aren't stupid, they know a B in a hard subject is worth more than an A in an easy subject.

Reply 14

Tillybop

I did AQA biology - loved it! Biology would be a lot lot more difficult - but it would be worth more too :smile:

. Science subjects are preferred as the person above me has said. If you want to study something science related then do biology - you will need 2 science subjects in order to do science of any kind at uni. I was considering geography, but opted for maths instead. I do also stuy biology, and I really do enjoy it - it's the easiest of the sciences, but so interesting. You need to enjoy it and put a lot of effort into it though. Good luck, hope you make the right decision :wink:

Reply 15

nomdeplumeX2

Original post by SkinnyKat

There is a reason why science subjects are more respected than others and one of those is because they are harder :tongue:

I agree that biology is far harder than geography (in my opinion) but sciences are no way the hardest a-levels you can do!! As hard as biology is, it was not a touch on economics AS for me! I can't speak for the other sciences, but if you're not doing science at uni I think it is a bad idea to do a science A level because it is perceived as being 'better' :smile:

Reply 16

FlyingTurtles10

Original post by Blueee

Hahaha... your friend seems very funny... microbiology without biology :tongue:

Reply 17

FlyingTurtles10

Original post by Nick Latham

Depends, what else are you doing alongside it?

I am doing Physics, Maths, Chemistry.... and the last one you guys can help me with :wink:

Reply 18

PG593

OCR is a tough board from what I hear but ultimately go for what subject you enjoy more and obviously what course you are thinking for university. Personally I think biology because it overlaps with many other subjects and is a top subject for many courses. :smile:

Reply 19

Blueee

Original post by FlyingTurtles10