how are a levels different this year?

what is different about a level in September 2016. i know that it is linear so all of the exams are at the end of year 13 but do the actual type of exams change. will the grading be different??
can someone just explain everything that will change this year and how i can prepare for this please ???
thank you.

Most A Levels changed in September 2015 to the new A Levels. Your year will be the second year to begin the new A Levels. The year above you started them already.

The grading isn't different - I'm not sure what you're asking. Still graded A*-U for the full A Level, still marked by examiners. Some colleges/schools will allow you to do the AS Level, but it is no longer required. If you don't do the AS Level you will take your exams at the end of Year 13. If you do take the AS Level, the only exams that will 'matter' toward your final A Level grade are the exams you do at the end of Year 13. Some courses have coursework.

what is different about a level in September 2016. i know that it is linear so all of the exams are at the end of year 13 but do the actual type of exams change. will the grading be different??
can someone just explain everything that will change this year and how i can prepare for this please ???
thank you.

Apparently there's more content, my school is letting most people take only 3 subjects because they are saying that each subject has around 20% more content.

In terms of the work, what has actually changed?
I know that there will be no AS level, so in year 12 will it just be preparation for year 13 exams?

No AS im pretty sure only preparation for the exams in year 13.

Apparently there's more content, my school is letting most people take only 3 subjects because they are saying that each subject has around 20% more content.

I've just finished my first year (Year 12) and so I feel I would be best to inform you as I am ACTUALLY studying the new specifications. There ARE AS exams, for some students - it depends on your school's choice. You will spend Year 12 studying the first year of the A Level specification - just like in Year 10, when you spent the first year studying for the first year of the GCSE specification. The AS Level is designed to be co-taught with the first year of the A Level (there is no difference in teaching).

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that there's 'more content' from. I did 4 subjects and an EPQ and the content was not overwhelming. The 'more content' idea may be because you have to memorise the first year as well as the second year for your final exams, but that isn't necessarily impossible. I should also point out that even before the reforms, many students only took 3 A Levels - nothing has changed in the amount of subjects you take.

I've just finished my first year (Year 12) and so I feel I would be best to inform you as I am ACTUALLY studying the new specifications. There ARE AS exams, for some students - it depends on your school's choice. You will spend Year 12 studying the first year of the A Level specification - just like in Year 10, when you spent the first year studying for the first year of the GCSE specification. The AS Level is designed to be co-taught with the first year of the A Level (there is no difference in teaching).

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that there's 'more content' from. I did 4 subjects and an EPQ and the content was not overwhelming. The 'more content' idea may be because you have to memorise the first year as well as the second year for your final exams, but that isn't necessarily impossible. I should also point out that even before the reforms, many students only took 3 A Levels - nothing has changed in the amount of subjects you take.

I've just finished my first year (Year 12) and so I feel I would be best to inform you as I am ACTUALLY studying the new specifications. There ARE AS exams, for some students - it depends on your school's choice. You will spend Year 12 studying the first year of the A Level specification - just like in Year 10, when you spent the first year studying for the first year of the GCSE specification. The AS Level is designed to be co-taught with the first year of the A Level (there is no difference in teaching).

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that there's 'more content' from. I did 4 subjects and an EPQ and the content was not overwhelming. The 'more content' idea may be because you have to memorise the first year as well as the second year for your final exams, but that isn't necessarily impossible. I should also point out that even before the reforms, many students only took 3 A Levels - nothing has changed in the amount of subjects you take.

Ok thank you for clearing that up for me

I've just finished my first year (Year 12) and so I feel I would be best to inform you as I am ACTUALLY studying the new specifications. There ARE AS exams, for some students - it depends on your school's choice. You will spend Year 12 studying the first year of the A Level specification - just like in Year 10, when you spent the first year studying for the first year of the GCSE specification. The AS Level is designed to be co-taught with the first year of the A Level (there is no difference in teaching).

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that there's 'more content' from. I did 4 subjects and an EPQ and the content was not overwhelming. The 'more content' idea may be because you have to memorise the first year as well as the second year for your final exams, but that isn't necessarily impossible. I should also point out that even before the reforms, many students only took 3 A Levels - nothing has changed in the amount of subjects you take.

I think there are less subjects that have AS exams for our year than yours because they are phasing them out slowly, I think we only have them for maths but I'm not sure. They said that we could do AS level exams if we wanted to but they wouldn't count towards the Alevel so my school isn't doing them.

Our teachers said that there is more content as instead of doing AS exams at the end of year 12, they teach content in that time. But I'm not entirely sure if this is true I think they just used it as an argument to persuade most people to do 3 subjects.

So do you think that there will be books available for the new a level then?

I already wrote that. Most subjects are the new specification. I know about how the AS exams work now - I just did them.

I have also already written that yes, you may do just 3 subjects, but so the majority of the years above me only did 3 subjects to full A Level. It was the norm to only do 3 subjects - doing 3 subjects now is a continuation of what was commonplace before the reforms.

EDIT: I should also point out that the only subjects that haven't changed yet that I, or anyone I know, are doing are Maths and IT. I'm unsure of any others that haven't changed as all of the people I know are doing new spec. You all need to stop panicking so much - my year have begun the new A Levels and it's not as difficult as your teachers are making out, get on with it. (They're as difficult as A Levels are supposed to be).

Oh ok thanks. I'm thinking of moving schools to do 4 full Alevels, would you say that this is a bad decision?

I'd personally say to not take 4.

Universities base offers off of 3 A Levels, and doing 4 full A Levels will be a lot of work - it was before the reforms, and it most definitely will be after the reforms. I'll be dropping a subject after this year (I will have an AS in it though) as continuing all four on would be pointless.

Furthermore, it's highly likely you'll get worse grades doing 4, and most (as in, 96%) of Universities will not take into account the fact you did 4. So, if the entry requirements are AAB, you should get AAB. Not ABBB. Whilst you may be able to get, for example, AAB when only studying 3 subjects, with 4 you will be stretching yourself needlessly thin, and may only get ABBB, which is worse for Universities with non-UCAS grade requirements.

Basically, it's pointless to take 4 and could lead to you doing worse than you could have.