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Those who achieved all A/A*s at GCSE...

Hi, I'm curious whether you find A-Levels a lot harder than GCSEs?
Purely because I hear a lot of people achieving majority Cs at GCSE saying that A-Levels are significantly harder. However, some past A/A* students from my school have said they found A-Levels easier, due to doing only 4 subjects, rather than 10/11/12 ?
Reply 1
Original post by CharlotteMcD
Hi, I'm curious whether you find A-Levels a lot harder than GCSEs?
Purely because I hear a lot of people achieving majority Cs at GCSE saying that A-Levels are significantly harder. However, some past A/A* students from my school have said they found A-Levels easier, due to doing only 4 subjects, rather than 10/11/12 ?


I think you'll find there's a step up in terms of what you have to do for yourself. I definitely noticed a step up in a few subjects, but I was also doing 5 A-levels which was, at times, hard work.

I wouldn't worry, though. They're (in my opinion) not a "lot" harder than GCSEs, and if you approach them properly, it'll be fine.
I got A/A* in 10 out of my 12 GCSEs, I hope I'm allowed to answer :smile:

I find A levels MUCH harder than GCSE and I did jack **** for them last year apart from the crammed revision towards the exam periods, but I know that I can't do that for A level. There's more content and some of it is harder than at GCSE, the exam technique is also harder (I think).
Reply 3
Original post by CharlotteMcD
Hi, I'm curious whether you find A-Levels a lot harder than GCSEs?
Purely because I hear a lot of people achieving majority Cs at GCSE saying that A-Levels are significantly harder. However, some past A/A* students from my school have said they found A-Levels easier, due to doing only 4 subjects, rather than 10/11/12 ?


Original post by Thr33
I think you'll find there's a step up in terms of what you have to do for yourself. I definitely noticed a step up in a few subjects, but I was also doing 5 A-levels which was, at times, hard work.

I wouldn't worry, though. They're (in my opinion) not a "lot" harder than GCSEs, and if you approach them properly, it'll be fine.


I'd like to add that it also depends on which subjects you're doing, and how many you are doing. Obviously, someone doing five AS Levels in Further Maths, Chemistry, Physics, History, and Economics is going to have a rougher ride than someone doing four AS Levels in Theatre Studies, Media, Photography, and English Language...
I got A/A* in 11 out of 12 GCSEs, and as above poster said, I hope Im allowed to answer too.

I find A Levels a lot harder, as theyre more independent work, require a huge amount of motivation and dedication and you need to stay on top of everything, otherwise youll drown in a pile of work, revision and coursework. A lot more content, exam technique is harder, mark scheme is more specific and requires a good base of understanding from GCSE.
Think it depends on what subjects you do as well. People that gets all A/A*s usually go down the science/maths route and I think if you have a talent for maths there's not perhaps as much work as someone studying a subject heavily reliant on essays. I'm starting AS with Maths, further maths, geography, physics and chemistry and because geography is the only essay based subject there I'm finding it alright. So far, I've been doing well getting As/Bs in homework and Ive understood everything. I know people who thought they were taking the "easy route" ie not sciences/maths and they've way more work than I have. I sincerely hope that getting all A*s at gcse will make a levels easier than the hellish things people make them out to be :smile:
Reply 6
Thanks for the replies, everyone! :smile:
Of course those who said were 'allowed to post' haha, I just meant in A/A*s generally really:smile:
I'm planning on doing Biology, Maths, Chemistry and English Literature (so a bit harder, from the replies, I guess haha)
Reply 7
I'm finding A-levels more interesting and therefore easier :smile:


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Reply 8
Doing maths, further maths, physics and chemistry all of which I got A* in.
In truth, A-levels are much more enjoyable as I no longer have to waste my time with **** like English and media studies. I therefore find A-levels easier as I can concentrate on the subjects I enjoy the most.


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Reply 9
I found it as hard as GCSEs which wasn't too hard at all. I began revising quite late into the year and ended up with 4 As whereas with GCSEs it was the same, all A*s/As. It's as hard as your potential allows you to see it.


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