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What is A Level maths and further maths like?

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Just want to let you know, that doing FMaths doesn't actually improve your application for medicine, most medical schools don't allow both maths and further maths at A-Level (unless you are doing at least two other subjects as well) since they consider them as one, and some don't even consider them separate at AS-Level (Leicester).

That said, it doesn't make too much of a difference, and I do the same subjects as you might be doing and I hope to apply to medicine, and I love Further Maths. It isn't more difficult than standard maths (at least at AS-Level) it's just more maths, so if you enjoy maths, and quite easily understand it, then take it! Although, only take it if you enjoy it, not to improve your application!
Original post by M14B
M4 and M5 are surely harder


One would think so, but I found M2 to be easier than M1.

In my experience, when I first started M1, it seemed like the hardest thing in the world. But once I understood how mechanics worked, everything became very easy. M2 was just building on M1 and so the initial shock of 'omg this is so hard' wasn't there in M2.

Hope that made sense
Original post by surina16
Do you enjoy maths?


I don't hate it, but i don't particularly love maths. I can easily sit and do maths all day, but sometimes it does stress me out a bit
Original post by emilywood99
I don't hate it, but i don't particularly love maths. I can easily sit and do maths all day, but sometimes it does stress me out a bit


Lots of people that I've spoken to say that you should only do further maths (or any A Level for that matter) if you really enjoy it. You will have to do it for two years and will only do well if you enjoy it enough to revise hard enough for it.
It is quite the challenge further maths. Take it from me. Normal maths at a level isn't too bad
I'm currently doing OCR AS Maths and definitely carrying it on next year. It's one of those things where, when you start off, it seems impossible, but by the end of the year it becomes easy once you know what you're doing, and you will if you are getting As and A*s at GCSE. It's just practice, practice, practice. Core 1 becomes so easy after a while and I'm now at the point where I can blitz through the first half of an exam paper in 25 minutes which leaves loads of time for the harder questions. From what you've said, I see no reason why you'd find it any harder. I can't speak for A2 maths because I'm not there yet, but Core 1, Core 2 and Stats 1 gets easy with practice. You have to really like algebra though because C1 and C2 are full of it. Stats 1, if your college does it, is just putting numbers in a calculator and is pretty easy.

I didn't do further maths, the thought scared me, but I can say I do do psychology. I only took it as a filler subject (because I took maths, English language, physics and psychology) but dropped physics two weeks in because I hated it, didn't find psychology much better, but now I love it, it's so interesting and it's now what I want to study at university (previously, I wanted to do physics).

So, I'm biased, but I'd urge you to take normal maths and psychology. I've heard from friends that further maths seems more complex, but it's just about remembering the method and applying it every time. I've found with normal maths that sometimes you have to be a little creative in the way you go about finding your answer but still, you're more than capable, and, like I said, I think you should keep psychology :smile:
Wow thank you, and yep i do psychology at the moment at gcse and its my favourite subject :smile:
Reply 27
Original post by JakeMuttitt
I'm currently doing OCR AS Maths and definitely carrying it on next year. It's one of those things where, when you start off, it seems impossible, but by the end of the year it becomes easy once you know what you're doing, and you will if you are getting As and A*s at GCSE. It's just practice, practice, practice. Core 1 becomes so easy after a while and I'm now at the point where I can blitz through the first half of an exam paper in 25 minutes which leaves loads of time for the harder questions. From what you've said, I see no reason why you'd find it any harder. I can't speak for A2 maths because I'm not there yet, but Core 1, Core 2 and Stats 1 gets easy with practice. You have to really like algebra though because C1 and C2 are full of it. Stats 1, if your college does it, is just putting numbers in a calculator and is pretty easy.

I didn't do further maths, the thought scared me, but I can say I do do psychology. I only took it as a filler subject (because I took maths, English language, physics and psychology) but dropped physics two weeks in because I hated it, didn't find psychology much better, but now I love it, it's so interesting and it's now what I want to study at university (previously, I wanted to do physics).

So, I'm biased, but I'd urge you to take normal maths and psychology. I've heard from friends that further maths seems more complex, but it's just about remembering the method and applying it every time. I've found with normal maths that sometimes you have to be a little creative in the way you go about finding your answer but still, you're more than capable, and, like I said, I think you should keep psychology :smile:

What grade did that you get at GCSE maths?
It all depends on the effort you put in. I definitely didn't get full marks on my paper at GCSE for maths. I got an A but the grade boundaries were so low that nearly half marks was an A.Further maths is different from normal maths, some rules are opposite and it takes a while to grasp the concept around it.If you feel confident enough to do further maths then doing it would definitely strengthen your application in medicine

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