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Choosing between AS and A2 Physics

I am about 6 months into the 2-year course of A2 physics and my teacher has advised me to switch to AS physics because i'm currently doing 4 subjects, and i got a C on my recent mock ( 1 mark off a b). I really need physics for my future and my teacher advises me to change to AS because, in case i get a low grade, i can switch subjects. Recently i have been doing much better in physics attaining consistent A's in smaller tests and i feel i only got a C because i struggle with the topic of electricity.

I feel like i will end up with a getting a much better grade after 2 years because topics that i found difficult would get easier as my knowledge of physics expands.

Please can you advise me on what would be the best option. Also, what are the differences between AS and A2 physics? Do Uni's rate students that did AS then A2, lower than students that did the full A2? Is there any differences in difficulty? what are the adv/disadv?

Thank you
Reply 1
Original post by Naadir98
What board are you sitting


OCR A. Sorry, forgot to mention that.
Original post by exodee
I am about 6 months into the 2-year course of A2 physics and my teacher has advised me to switch to AS physics because i'm currently doing 4 subjects, and i got a C on my recent mock ( 1 mark off a b). I really need physics for my future and my teacher advises me to change to AS because, in case i get a low grade, i can switch subjects. Recently i have been doing much better in physics attaining consistent A's in smaller tests and i feel i only got a C because i struggle with the topic of electricity.

I feel like i will end up with a getting a much better grade after 2 years because topics that i found difficult would get easier as my knowledge of physics expands.

Please can you advise me on what would be the best option. Also, what are the differences between AS and A2 physics? Do Uni's rate students that did AS then A2, lower than students that did the full A2? Is there any differences in difficulty? what are the adv/disadv?

Thank you


Can't you technically do both? By that I mean, why don't you sit the AS exams this year? If you do good, then do the A2 next year, seeing as the AS exams won't count anyways (if you're on the new spec)

It takes some people a while to properly grasp physics, but once you do, its actually easy-ish. I found A2 much easier than AS, but to do A2, you have to understand the basic concepts of AS.

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Reply 3
Original post by UnknownAnon
Can't you technically do both? By that I mean, why don't you sit the AS exams this year? If you do good, then do the A2 next year, seeing as the AS exams won't count anyways (if you're on the new spec)

It takes some people a while to properly grasp physics, but once you do, its actually easy-ish. I found A2 much easier than AS, but to do A2, you have to understand the basic concepts of AS.

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I would like to do that but i feel like i won't do as well on the AS paper and Uni's will be looking at that, whereas i think i'll do better on an internal mock at the end of the first year.
Do both.
Original post by exodee
I would like to do that but i feel like i won't do as well on the AS paper and Uni's will be looking at that, whereas i think i'll do better on an internal mock at the end of the first year.


If you think you'll get a bad grade on AS, why would you do the full A2? It'll be three times as much to know. And definitely harder because you'd need to know everything. If you don't do AS, you still risk the chance of getting a bad mock grade, thus bad predicted grades.

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Reply 6
Original post by UnknownAnon
If you think you'll get a bad grade on AS, why would you do the full A2? It'll be three times as much to know. And definitely harder because you'd need to know everything. If you don't do AS, you still risk the chance of getting a bad mock grade, thus bad predicted grades.
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Ive got a question.

Lets say i do AS Physics and then in the 2nd year i do A2 Physics. Would the content of the A2 physics exam be the same as if i had done the full A2 Physics course?

Because i was wondering, if i do my AS physics this year, i wouldn't need to remember the AS physics stuff for the A2 exam in the next year. Am i correct?

Also, does that mean that the 2-year course of Physics has a different exam to the 2nd year (completing AS physics then choosing A2)

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Original post by exodee
Ive got a question.

Lets say i do AS Physics and then in the 2nd year i do A2 Physics. Would the content of the A2 physics exam be the same as if i had done the full A2 Physics course?

Because i was wondering, if i do my AS physics this year, i wouldn't need to remember the AS physics stuff for the A2 exam in the next year. Am i correct?

Also, does that mean that the 2-year course of Physics has a different exam to the 2nd year (completing AS physics then choosing A2)

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First of all are you on the new specification or the old one?

I'm guessing you're on the new one because you're in year 12. If that's the case, in AS you have two exams. Those don't count towards your final grade if you do A2. If you do them, it just means you have the option of dropping the subject after AS if you want. Doing them or not doing them doesn't really make much of a difference unless you want to drop it after AS because if you carry it on to year 13, either way, you'll have three exams (the same as everyone doing the full course).

If you decide to do the full A2 course, at the end of year 13, you'll have three exams. This includes all of the AS content as well as the A2 content. These make up your grade.


On the other hand if you're on the old spec, your AS exams (of which there two) will count towards your final grade as well the controlled assessment. This makes up 50% of your grade. Then you'll go into A2, and have another two exams (and controlled assessment) and this will make up the other 50% of your final grade.


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Reply 8
Original post by UnknownAnon


First of all are you on the new specification or the old one?

I'm guessing you're on the new one because you're in year 12. If that's the case, in AS you have two exams. Those don't count towards your final grade if you do A2. If you do them, it just means you have the option of dropping the subject after AS if you want. Doing them or not doing them doesn't really make much of a difference unless you want to drop it after AS because if you carry it on to year 13, either way, you'll have three exams (the same as everyone doing the full course).

If you decide to do the full A2 course, at the end of year 13, you'll have three exams. This includes all of the AS content as well as the A2 content. These make up your grade.


On the other hand if you're on the old spec, your AS exams (of which there two) will count towards your final grade as well the controlled assessment. This makes up 50% of your grade. Then you'll go into A2, and have another two exams (and controlled assessment) and this will make up the other 50% of your final grade.


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I understand, thank you.

And yes im on the new spec

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