The Student Room Group

A levels and AS levels

Hi all im finding this a bit of a whirlwind but im wondering under the new changes do you still have to study an AS Level to gain a full A level or can you now literally just study the A level content and still be awarded a full A level?
Original post by JackB1993
Hi all im finding this a bit of a whirlwind but im wondering under the new changes do you still have to study an AS Level to gain a full A level or can you now literally just study the A level content and still be awarded a full A level?


The new AS content is a subset of the full A level content, whether or not you sit the AS exams you will need to learn and will be examined on the AS knowledge.


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Reply 2
So basically it is probably more beneficial to still sit the AS exams?
Original post by JackB1993
So basically it is probably more beneficial to still sit the AS exams?


If you sit the AS exams the results don't count towards your final A level result, you will be tested on the AS content again in the final exams. You probably won't have a choice in the matter as your school will have decided their strategy for AS exams.
Pro: you get some revision and exam experience that could help you assess where you are and where you need to improve, you will have an AS result to back up any predicted grade for uni applications.
Con: you will have to dedicate revision time for them that could be used for further study, if you do badly in them you will have a grade that you have to declare in uni applications.

Note: some subjects have not yet switched to the new linear format. A levels in Wales and Northern Ireland are undergoing a different process of reform.

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(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by gdunne42
If you sit the AS exams the results don't count towards your final A level result, you will be tested on the AS content again in the final exams. You probably won't have a choice in the matter as your school will have decided their strategy for AS exams.
Pro: you get some revision and exam experience that could help you assess where you are and where you need to improve, you will have an AS result to back up any predicted grade for uni applications.
Con: you will have to dedicate revision time for them that could be used for further study, if you do badly in them you will have a grade that you have to declare in uni applications.

Note: some subjects have not yet switched to the new linear format. A levels in Wales and Northern Ireland are undergoing a different process of reform.

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You don't actually have to declare the AS grade to universities, because they know that some will sit the AS and some won't, so they have no way of telling so cannot ask for it. When applying, because of the new changes, you just put A-Level and results pending.
Reply 5
Well im an adult student and currently the only college i can find offering affordable evening classes is the one in liverpool so i was planning on taking biology chemistry and either physics, maths or enviromental studies i aim to get myself on a veterinary course within the next 3 to 4 years so if the as material is covered in the a level then im guessing with the right amount of revision time dedicated i might aswell just sit the a levels and skip over the as?
Original post by kas9
You don't actually have to declare the AS grade to universities, because they know that some will sit the AS and some won't, so they have no way of telling so cannot ask for it. When applying, because of the new changes, you just put A-Level and results pending.


Please provide a link to the UCAS web site where it says that.
As far as I can see it still says you must enter all qualifications
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application
Any omission could lead to an application being cancelled.

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(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 7
Original post by gdunne42
Please provide a link to the UCAS web site where it says that.
As far as I can see it still says you must enter all qualifications
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/apply-and-track/filling-your-ucas-undergraduate-application
Any omission could lead to an application being cancelled.

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https://www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/entering-levels-and-levels-your-ucas-application

c) If your school doesn’t certificate AS Levels at all:

This would only apply for AS levels that are being taken onto A levels. In this case, you wouldn't state the AS level you just need to state that you have a pending A level. The qualification date would be August 2016.
Reply 8
So i can just take the a2 and be awarded a full a level?
Yeah you can just sit one set of exams but it will most likely include one paper of AS content one paper of A2 content and one mixed up.

Even if you sit AS exams you will basically have to sit the paper again when doing the full a level

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Reply 10
Mint that is going to save me a whole load of time! Thankyou.
Reply 11
Original post by JackB1993
So i can just take the a2 and be awarded a full a level?


A Level content, is pretty much the same as AS, with a little added content.

All three of my subjects, paper 1 is the same as AS content, with a little more, same with paper 2. Paper 3 is a mix of all with the added A-Level content.
Original post by kas9
https://www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/entering-levels-and-levels-your-ucas-application

c) If your school doesn’t certificate AS Levels at all:

This would only apply for AS levels that are being taken onto A levels. In this case, you wouldn't state the AS level you just need to state that you have a pending A level. The qualification date would be August 2016.


If you take one of the new AS level exams and attend a UK state school then it would be certificated and must be included in a UCAS application regardless of whether you go on to take the full A level or not.

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(edited 7 years ago)

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