How hard is AS Physics?

Managed to get an A* in Physics with 90%+ in 3 of the papers and 85% in the 4th.

Will I be able to get an A?

That question though. Regardless firstly if you find that you got that A* with low to medium difficulty then you're fine. If you had to revise hard for it the same will apply for AS and A2.

Reply 2

Beanos

AS physics is great, go for it, my favourite subject last year, got an A, I didn't find it TOO difficult, but a lot of people in my year did, I think you'll be fine tbh so long as you enjoy it.

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Reply 3

CD223

Original post by VonDoom

Managed to get an A* in Physics with 90%+ in 3 of the papers and 85% in the 4th.

Will I be able to get an A?

Which board? Watch out for AQA and their EMPAs

Reply 4

CookieInOrange

Physics was the most dropped subject after AS at my school, so obviously a lot of people found it quite hard. A2 is much harder though, and you really need to be confident in your maths (take maths, and the mechanics modules and you'll be okay).

That said, the grade boundaries are usually low enough that you can find it really hard and still get a good grade (I did AQA).

I found that it was useful to go over the material before the lesson, more so than for any other subject, because you have to understand it well and for that it's helpful to recognise what the teacher is talking about.

Reply 5

CD223

Original post by CookieInOrange

It looks hard for A2. By look up content before the lesson, how would you advise it? Any resources?

Reply 6

loperdoper

[looks at D grade which I gained after working just as hard as I did for my A in Biology] well.

I got a B in GCSE Physics, after very little work, which was probably my downfall. Physics is very concept-based, so it's really a case of either you get it or you don't. Mechanics is technically pretty simple, as in there isn't much to actually learn, it's just a few concepts to get your head around and then you're fine.

If you're good with understanding concepts, it shouldn't be a problem. Work hard, revise lots, and you'll be fine.

Reply 7

LeFailFish

Predicting AS/A level results from GCSEs is hard - some A* students get A*'s at A level, others get U's. If you found GCSE moderately easy and have a fantastic work ethic, and you also enjoy the subject, then you should be fine.

Original post by CD223

Which board? Watch out for AQA and their EMPAs

THIS. SO MUCH THIS. THE EMPA'S WERE LIKE TORTURE FOR BOTH PHYSICS AND BIOLOGY.

Reply 8

CookieInOrange

Original post by CD223

It looks hard for A2. By look up content before the lesson, how would you advise it? Any resources?

I used the textbook and revision guides for the most part. It depends on your exam board though, do you know yet?

Reply 9

CD223

Original post by LeFailFish

How'd you do in the EMPA(s)? I got a C in my AS one after A* at GCSE and full UMS in PHYA2. I suck at practicals.

Reply 10

CD223

Original post by CookieInOrange

I used the textbook and revision guides for the most part. It depends on your exam board though, do you know yet?

I'm about to go into A2 for the AQA course. I got A* at GCSE and an A (91%) at AS.

PHYA1: 112/120 - a
PHYA2: 120/120 - a
PHA3X (EMPA): 41/60 - c

Which revision guides did you use at A2? I used the textbook, CGP and Collins guides at AS. Would you recommend the same/different next year?

Reply 11

CookieInOrange

Original post by CD223

Well done!

I used the CGP revision guide before the lesson because it was a good introduction, and then used the Oxford revision guide (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Physics-through-Diagrams-Oxford-Revision/dp/0199150788) to give me a bit of a broader view (although don't believe the bit at the start that tells you what you need to know- it's for an old spec). Then I'd use the textbook in the lesson and afterwards to do the questions. Around revision time I also used some notes that other people had made, but they're not on this computer, and weren't really necessary.

There's the optional module that you have to do as well, if you know what you're doing. There are official (I think) notes for those that are really good, and if you do Astrophysics then I suggest reading Hawking's 'A Brief History Of Time'.