How hard is A Level Biology and Chemistry

Compared to other subjects, how hard are biology and chemistry?

Compared with what other subjects? They're all different so do you have any examples?

Biology is meant to be very heavy with lots to remember and some challenging concepts to get your head around. Chemistry is just said to be HARD. It's supposed to be the hardest subject out of all the A-Level Courses.

However, I haven't done either at A-Level but I am doing A-Level Biology in September!

Maybe compared with history? What other subjects are you taking?

Biology, History, Philosophy & Ethics and English Literature.

I would say they are both harder but History follows close behind. I think what you have to think about is that Science is normally just a case of remembering concepts, that at least will get you a passing grade and so on but in humanities, it's very much a deep understanding and how you perceive things alongside natural flare.

What else are you doing?

Compared to other subjects, how hard are biology and chemistry?

You're taking practically the same as me! I have chosen History, Biology, Chemistry and Philosophy & Ethics but I'm thinking of changing it to History, Philosophy & Ethics, English Literature and either a science or law.

Ok so I went into year 12 thinking chem would be my worst subject but I wanted at least one science and I hated biology and as for our physics teacher you could teach yourself more, and in the end not only is it my fav subject it is my most confident, my other subjects are history English lit and german. Hope this is helpful. (Also I'm bad at math so that is the only part of chem I struggled with but you get a calculator in the exams)


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Depends on the specific course you do, for example I did AQA biology and OCR chemistry A.

Biology was a weird one, AQA ask very ambiguous questions but have very specific mark schemes so you need to be good at interpreting the questions. The rest is basically learning what the textbook says. You definitely need to be able to interpret the questions though, no matter how well you know the syllabus!

Chemistry was was alright for me, it's half physical/inorganic chemistry (stuff like rates of reaction, transition metals etc) and half organic (carbon-based) and some people struggle with one of those areas but generally it's ok.

Very difficult to compare them to other subjects, purely because each subject is different and different people have different abilities and strengths.

I would choose a science over law! I love History, it's my passion. I'm rubbish at maths and not very good at Chemistry or Physics but pretty strong at Biology and I'm only not looking forward to English Literature!

I would be doing the OCR Salters Chemistry course and I've heard its very hard. Has chemistry got a lot of physics in it?

They all overlap in ways but Physics is the most "the only one of its type" out of all three.

Why would you choose a science over law? Is it because it would give me more options?

Compared to other subjects, how hard are biology and chemistry?

Biology is about as easy as Alan Carr is gay - incredibly easy.


Chemistry is probably the toughest A-level overall, but still fairly straightforward.


Simple, yet elegant and effective, instructions for obtaining two sparkling A*s:

1. Purchase or borrow a CGP revision guide for your specification in both subjects

2. Read them cover to cover

3. About three to four weeks before your exams - absolutely spam past papers until you've memorized them bad boys

4. Profit

You would be doing all humanities and it gives you more breadth. I wouldn't make life difficult and go for Chemistry, I'd do Biology personally. I would take a science over Law because law, to me, would be really dull - quite like politics - and is weak in comparison.

Okay, thank you very much for all your help