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A level maths, with B in GCSE 20 years ago?!

I was a slacker at school and did basically no work and came out with a B in GCSE maths which I have regretted ever since. I left after my GCSEs in 1996, 20 years ago this year!

I've since done a couple of language A levels at night but would love to have done A Level Maths. But I've no idea how I would get back into it. Should I resit the GCSE and try for an A or A* before attempting it? Would it be enough just to work through the GCSE revision guides before enrolling in an A Level evening class? I work in a job that requires a certain amount of numerical skills and financial calculations and I'm not too bad but it's nothing like GCSE or A Level work.

Any advice appreciated :smile:
Take a look at a GCSE textbook, and ensure that your algebra is up to scratch (including A and A* grade topics like the quadratic formula) - this is the foundation of A-Level.
Original post by angeltreats
I was a slacker at school and did basically no work and came out with a B in GCSE maths which I have regretted ever since. I left after my GCSEs in 1996, 20 years ago this year!

I've since done a couple of language A levels at night but would love to have done A Level Maths. But I've no idea how I would get back into it. Should I resit the GCSE and try for an A or A* before attempting it? Would it be enough just to work through the GCSE revision guides before enrolling in an A Level evening class? I work in a job that requires a certain amount of numerical skills and financial calculations and I'm not too bad but it's nothing like GCSE or A Level work.

Any advice appreciated :smile:


There is absolutely no need to go over GCSE again.

Go to examsolutions.net or hegartymaths on youtube and watch most of the/every C1, C2, S1 videos and then proceed to do some questions from exercise out of the textbook and then go straight into past papers and you're more or less sorted
Reply 3
Original post by LordGrapha
Take a look at a GCSE textbook, and ensure that your algebra is up to scratch (including A and A* grade topics like the quadratic formula) - this is the foundation of A-Level.


agreed
Original post by TeeEm
agreed

So when my name isn't ConstellarKnight, you don't make ridiculous comments. Interesting...
Reply 5
Original post by LordGrapha
So when my name isn't ConstellarKnight, you don't make ridiculous comments. Interesting...


when you are sensible nobody does ...
Original post by TeeEm
when you are sensible nobody does ...


I'm a revolutionary trying to bring down moderatorial tyrrany - I don't have time to be sensible!
Reply 7
Original post by kelvin1338
There is absolutely no need to go over GCSE again.

Go to examsolutions.net or hegartymaths on youtube and watch most of the/every C1, C2, S1 videos and then proceed to do some questions from exercise out of the textbook and then go straight into past papers and you're more or less sorted

There definitely is a need to go over GCSE. You may think C1/2 are easy but the average student finds them hard.

20 years since a B in GCSE is probably not going to be enough to get straight into C1/2. The OP must make sure their algebra skills are at A/A* level. And it would be very useful for the OP to look over angles, trigonometry, vectors and basic number work.

I would also recommend trying some GCSE past papers to see what skills need to be worked on.
Reply 8
Thanks for the replies. I've ordered a GCSE textbook (the Edexcel one) and revision guide and workbook so I'll have a go at those and see how much I remember/can pick up again quickly before going any further.
I'm kind of in a similar situation as I did very little studying and no revision and came out with a C 10 years ago. However, I now need a B to get on to my chosen degree(like you it pisses me off to a certain extent as I know I could have done miles better).

I've attended a GCSE class for 2 hours a week since November and have got to grade A standard on past papers quite easily. If you slacked and got a B you should have no trouble brushing up to get to A/A* standard at GCSE before you do an A-level.
Glad it's not just me that slacked off and now regrets it!

They do have an A level evening class at my local college but it's only about three hours a week which doesn't seem a lot to me. It's also pretty expensive unfortunately. How have you found the GCSE class?
Original post by angeltreats
Glad it's not just me that slacked off and now regrets it!

They do have an A level evening class at my local college but it's only about three hours a week which doesn't seem a lot to me. It's also pretty expensive unfortunately. How have you found the GCSE class?


Tbh it's good and sh*it at the same time, the tutor is excellant but it's full of 18-19 year olds who behave like they're about 10. I can't really complain though as I got it for free as a goodwill gesture from the college that I'm studying Access to He at, in hindsight I would have payed the £330 to join the adult evening classes rather than the kids(mentally speaking) daytime class.

Luckily out of 6 only 2 or 3 of them tend to turn up so it's not too bad but if they're all in then nothing gets done.

I'd imagine if you're in an adults evening class(which won't contain people being disruptive) then 3 hours a week would be more than enough time to make decent progress, I've still made good progress despite the tutor spending half her time performing crowd control. It's not like school where there's 30 per class, small numbers make a massive difference in terms of progress rate.
I got an A* In GCSE Maths and a U in AS. If you absolutely love maths then go for it, I'm sure you'd be fine but do go into it knowing that it is a completely different ball game to GCSE.

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