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Five A-levels?

I need to choose my A-levels for sixth form and I'm wondering if five is too many? How does anyone doing five manage or not manage? :smile:

At the moment I'm thinking of doing,
English Lit
Maths
Physics
Further Maths
Computing/ Geography

I'm having a difficult time deciding whether to do geography or computing so I'd also welcome any advice about the two subjects. Thanks!

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Because of the new A-Levels, most people nowadays take 3/4 A-Levels. Unless you can cope with a lot of work, I would not advise to take 5- most universities only have a requirement of three anyway so it would be better for you to excel in 3 A-Levels as compared to getting average grades across 5.
I know people who took 5 and got 5A's, but they put in a lot of effort and were very academically inclined. However, they did the old spec.
Don't take 5 unless you are sure you can handle it. I did 4 AS's and even that was challenging.
I would've told you about geography, but there is a new spec starting this September for A levels, so idk what it'll be like.
Sorry I don't know much about Computing or Geography. But I wouldn't recommend doing five A Levels. :no:

Universities ask for three A Levels and one AS Level at most.

No need to put yourself through extra and unnecessary workload.

Good luck. :h:
Reply 4
Avatar for Ara8311a
Ara8311a
OP
17
Original post by Peppercrunch
I know people who took 5 and got 5A's, but they put in a lot of effort and were very academically inclined. However, they did the old spec.
Don't take 5 unless you are sure you can handle it. I did 4 AS's and even that was challenging.
I would've told you about geography, but there is a new spec starting this September for A levels, so idk what it'll be like.


Did you find the fieldwork a lot harder than the coursework at GCSE? Our school makes us do 4 ASs so I have to do four anyway but I can't decide what to drop out of my options so I'm considering taking five...
Original post by Ara8311a
Did you find the fieldwork a lot harder than the coursework at GCSE? Our school makes us do 4 ASs so I have to do four anyway but I can't decide what to drop out of my options so I'm considering taking five...


Uhm... you don't have to do coursework for your fieldwork, but you have to do an exam which tests you on it.

This will probably be similar to the kind of fieldwork exam you'll do for the new spec.
http://filestore.aqa.org.uk/resources/geography/AQA-70362-SQP.PDF
Reply 6
Avatar for rbvfer
rbvfer
1
I'm doing 4 and even that's a lot tbh
I think you should focus on getting the best possible grades in 4 subjects rather than okay grades in 5. Trust, that one extra subject will make a huge difference
In my college most people only did four A-Levels, I can't even remember if five was an option due to the timetable (this doesn't include compulsory RE and WBQ).

In A2 year, it was recommended for people to drop an A Level and just have the three. Only those wanting to go to top Universities may have kept four A levels.

In my opinion I don't think there is a need for you to do five, it's better doing four and having one less subject to worry about and you can do your best in those four. It's also just not necessary to do that many! Universities won't be asking for five.

I haven't done the A-Levels you are considering though so I can't give for advice there.
I think 4 is best. My school started off last year letting the most able do 5 but most people dropped one in the first week and no one does 5 anymore. Some people dropped from 5 right down to 3 as well, if that's any consolation?


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This is what the head of sixth form told us, I'm only in year 11


Posted from TSR Mobile
4 As levels and 3 A levels is typical. You can do more (I know someone who did 6 A levels plus an As), but it's only for the very hardworking and academically gifted. It's also not required in the slightest, but will give you a leg up if oxbridge is your aim.

Moreso than the number, I question your selection of choices - you appear to be jumping across multiple subject areas with relatively little focus. Geography, Physics, English Literature? Do you have an idea of what you would like to do at university? It might make sense to condense your options somewhat.
Original post by Ara8311a
I need to choose my A-levels for sixth form and I'm wondering if five is too many? How does anyone doing five manage or not manage? :smile:

At the moment I'm thinking of doing,
English Lit
Maths
Physics
Further Maths
Computing/ Geography

I'm having a difficult time deciding whether to do geography or computing so I'd also welcome any advice about the two subjects. Thanks!


I do computing and really enjoy it. I found the As level course to have a good balance of theory and practical coding. The coursework is at A2 so if you do end up taking 5 that is not something that you will have to worry about. I didnt take computing GCSE and still found it relatively easy to get myself up to the right standard within the first few months.
Reply 12
Avatar for Ara8311a
Ara8311a
OP
17
Original post by Wordnerd2
I think 4 is best. My school started off last year letting the most able do 5 but most people dropped one in the first week and no one does 5 anymore. Some people dropped from 5 right down to 3 as well, if that's any consolation?


Posted from TSR Mobile


The school I'm going to next year do four as levels and three a-levels and it's compulsory to at least 4 as levels. I've decided to stick to just doing four but since posting in this forum, I've spoken to a maths teacher there and found out that if I decide at the start of year 12 that I want to do further maths, they can add me onto the course. They've also said that there is the option to do AS further maths in year 13 if I decide it would be good for uni applications. Thanks for the advice though! :smile:

Original post by Elivercury
4 As levels and 3 A levels is typical. You can do more (I know someone who did 6 A levels plus an As), but it's only for the very hardworking and academically gifted. It's also not required in the slightest, but will give you a leg up if oxbridge is your aim.

Moreso than the number, I question your selection of choices - you appear to be jumping across multiple subject areas with relatively little focus. Geography, Physics, English Literature? Do you have an idea of what you would like to do at university? It might make sense to condense your options somewhat.


I was advised to choose the subjects which I enjoyed doing at GCSE by my teachers. I've narrowed it down now to English Lit, Physics, Maths and Geography. I realise that my options are quite broad but they are the subjects that I enjoy and are also subjects which I do the best in. I don't know what I want to do at uni so keeping a broad range of options should allow me to choose when the time comes.

Original post by DibbyDabby
I do computing and really enjoy it. I found the As level course to have a good balance of theory and practical coding. The coursework is at A2 so if you do end up taking 5 that is not something that you will have to worry about. I didnt take computing GCSE and still found it relatively easy to get myself up to the right standard within the first few months.


Thanks for the advice! I'm not taking it next year but hearing you talk about it makes me wish I was. :smile: However it's taken me a while to get to the stage where I'm set on my options so I really can't change... I wish you the best of luck in your exams!
Original post by Ara8311a
The school I'm going to next year do four as levels and three a-levels and it's compulsory to at least 4 as levels. I've decided to stick to just doing four but since posting in this forum, I've spoken to a maths teacher there and found out that if I decide at the start of year 12 that I want to do further maths, they can add me onto the course. They've also said that there is the option to do AS further maths in year 13 if I decide it would be good for uni applications. Thanks for the advice though! :smile:



I was advised to choose the subjects which I enjoyed doing at GCSE by my teachers. I've narrowed it down now to English Lit, Physics, Maths and Geography. I realise that my options are quite broad but they are the subjects that I enjoy and are also subjects which I do the best in. I don't know what I want to do at uni so keeping a broad range of options should allow me to choose when the time comes.



Thanks for the advice! I'm not taking it next year but hearing you talk about it makes me wish I was. :smile: However it's taken me a while to get to the stage where I'm set on my options so I really can't change... I wish you the best of luck in your exams!

It's okay and good luck with your exams
(edited 7 years ago)
Back when there was AS and A2, I took 5 A Levels and enjoyed them. :smile:

But honestly, at best, you will only be given a 3-subject offer and at worst, you will have an offer which consists of 5 A Levels.
@Ara8311a


I was like you, a lost sheep wandering on the M25 until I saw this and it inspired me. I hope it inspires you too.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Moeen_Nawazish

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4398668/Teenager-gains-22-A-levels-in-12-months.html

[video="youtube;EbH_dWWIE1Q"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbH_dWWIE1Q[/video]
Reply 16
Avatar for \\\
\\\
1
OK, well I've just finished a year doing five AS's (Maths, FM, Physics, History and Politics) and, yes, at some points it has been tough. Few do any more than four, especially with Uni's only taking the top 3. The biggest advantage, I think, is the choice- if you are undecided, (which most people are!) you've given yourself more choice and a wider range of subject choices at uni. On the other hand, it's a considerable extra amount of time you'll have to spend in lessons and you will get next to no free time during the week. The workload itself doesn't increase a huge amount, but the time you have to do it in seems to decrease a lot!

I think starting off without FM is probably better- if you feel like you can cope with more in the first few weeks, you will almost certainly be able to take 5. Those who do take 5 from the start often tend to be overwhelmed and drop the extra subject a week or two in.
Reply 17
Avatar for Ara8311a
Ara8311a
OP
17
Original post by Audrey18
@Ara8311a


I was like you, a lost sheep wandering on the M25 until I saw this and it inspired me. I hope it inspires you too.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Moeen_Nawazish

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/4398668/Teenager-gains-22-A-levels-in-12-months.html

[video="youtube;EbH_dWWIE1Q"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbH_dWWIE1Q[/video]


Thank you! :smile: It did inspire me although how did he start studying psycology three days before the exam and come out with an A??!

Original post by \\\
OK, well I've just finished a year doing five AS's (Maths, FM, Physics, History and Politics) and, yes, at some points it has been tough. Few do any more than four, especially with Uni's only taking the top 3. The biggest advantage, I think, is the choice- if you are undecided, (which most people are!) you've given yourself more choice and a wider range of subject choices at uni. On the other hand, it's a considerable extra amount of time you'll have to spend in lessons and you will get next to no free time during the week. The workload itself doesn't increase a huge amount, but the time you have to do it in seems to decrease a lot!

I think starting off without FM is probably better- if you feel like you can cope with more in the first few weeks, you will almost certainly be able to take 5. Those who do take 5 from the start often tend to be overwhelmed and drop the extra subject a week or two in.


Thank you for replying. My time management is lacking at the best of times and I'm not sure I'd cope with five when I think about it seriously.
I hope your exams go well / went well! :smile:
Original post by Ara8311a
I need to choose my A-levels for sixth form and I'm wondering if five is too many? How does anyone doing five manage or not manage? :smile:

At the moment I'm thinking of doing,
English Lit
Maths
Physics
Further Maths
Computing/ Geography

I'm having a difficult time deciding whether to do geography or computing so I'd also welcome any advice about the two subjects. Thanks!


I think 5 is generally too many. I wouldn't consider it unless you get all A*'s more or less at GCSE, and/or have a very good reason. The selection you've given is pretty broad. If you are mainly interested in maths/physics and definitely want to do Maths, FM and Physics, I would ditch English Lit. If you aren't, I would ditch FM, you can always pick the AS up in year 13 if you need it for a maths or physics course at university.
Original post by Ara8311a
I need to choose my A-levels for sixth form and I'm wondering if five is too many? How does anyone doing five manage or not manage? :smile:

At the moment I'm thinking of doing,
English Lit
Maths
Physics
Further Maths
Computing/ Geography

I'm having a difficult time deciding whether to do geography or computing so I'd also welcome any advice about the two subjects. Thanks!


Hi, I myself am going through this decision now, so I may not be the best person to get advice from, but I have looked around to see which as level subjects are hardest/biggest jump from GCSE. So apparently physics and maths have a really big jump, and a lot of people are saying further maths is hard unless you're really good at it.

Honestly I myself would not recommend to take further maths as well as, unless you know that you will go into uni/a career that is very heavily maths based. But that's just my opinion.

Good luck for choosing.

If you're wondering what as levels I'm considering:
Maths
Computing/Computer Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics

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