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Best books to study alone

Hello guys, sorry if it is not the right section.
I'm not from Uk , I graduated (high school diploma) in another european country. I would like to study in Uk (University), and I thought to get some school books to study things I already studied (or sort of as curricula are different in every country) at school, but in English language.

I would like to buy Physic, Chemistry, Biology and Maths.
I'm confused about getting a GCSE or A levels book, Aqa or Edexcel etc (but this is less important I think) and more confused about the C1 or C2 and Year 1 or 2 etc.
Then I would like to know if it is better to go for a Student Textbook or Revision Guides or Complete Revision and Practice (pretending I start from zero knowledge of the subject).

Thank you very much.
Original post by MoonlightShadow
Hello guys, sorry if it is not the right section.
I'm not from Uk , I graduated (high school diploma) in another european country. I would like to study in Uk (University), and I thought to get some school books to study things I already studied (or sort of as curricula are different in every country) at school, but in English language.

I would like to buy Physic, Chemistry, Biology and Maths.
I'm confused about getting a GCSE or A levels book, Aqa or Edexcel etc (but this is less important I think) and more confused about the C1 or C2 and Year 1 or 2 etc.
Then I would like to know if it is better to go for a Student Textbook or Revision Guides or Complete Revision and Practice (pretending I start from zero knowledge of the subject).

Thank you very much.


GCSE is what people 15-16 study and A-levels are what 17-18 study so for example if you have already had maths lessons at a 15-16 year old standard then it is worth going straight to A-level.

edexcel books are all you need for maths, C1 and C2 form part of the Year 12 qualification for maths, along with one other unit (e.g. S1) and then we do C3 and C4 in Year 13 and another applied unit (e.g. S2 or M1 or D1)

There are plenty of resources online for Edexcel like examsolutions videos, alsovhe Maths forum here if you get stuck.
Original post by Kevin De Bruyne
GCSE is what people 15-16 study and A-levels are what 17-18 study so for example if you have already had maths lessons at a 15-16 year old standard then it is worth going straight to A-level.

edexcel books are all you need for maths, C1 and C2 form part of the Year 12 qualification for maths, along with one other unit (e.g. S1) and then we do C3 and C4 in Year 13 and another applied unit (e.g. S2 or M1 or D1)

There are plenty of resources online for Edexcel like examsolutions videos, alsovhe Maths forum here if you get stuck.


Hi, thanks
I have my Italian diploma (equivalent to A levels), but I didn't study Biology or Chemistry or Physic, and not enough and well done Maths.
So I start from zero, that's why I was asking if it is better to start from Gsce books or if starting from A levels books, I would miss things previously explained on Gsce books? Or A levels books have basis too plus more difficult and advanced subjects?

As for Maths, I would then need 4 books? C1/2/3/4?
Original post by MoonlightShadow
Hi, thanks
I have my Italian diploma (equivalent to A levels), but I didn't study Biology or Chemistry or Physic, and not enough and well done Maths.
So I start from zero, that's why I was asking if it is better to start from Gsce books or if starting from A levels books, I would miss things previously explained on Gsce books? Or A levels books have basis too plus more difficult and advanced subjects?

As for Maths, I would then need 4 books? C1/2/3/4?


Ah I understand, to answer your question, for A-level yes it builds on some parts of GCSE but otherwise it introduces new topics.

But if you're not confident with your maths ability then get an Edexcel gcse textbook and work through it, then get C1 and C2 to start with and see how you get on as they form part of the A-level.

Depending on what you want to study at uni, you might want to get 2 additional textbooks, for example if you wanted to do business or economics then do statistics 1 and statistics 2, if you want to do physics then maybe get statistics 1 and mechanics 1 (M2 might be difficult to self teach) or if you want to do Computer Science then Decision 1 and Decisipn 2.
Original post by Kevin De Bruyne
Ah I understand, to answer your question, for A-level yes it builds on some parts of GCSE but otherwise it introduces new topics.

But if you're not confident with your maths ability then get an Edexcel gcse textbook and work through it, then get C1 and C2 to start with and see how you get on as they form part of the A-level.

Depending on what you want to study at uni, you might want to get 2 additional textbooks, for example if you wanted to do business or economics then do statistics 1 and statistics 2, if you want to do physics then maybe get statistics 1 and mechanics 1 (M2 might be difficult to self teach) or if you want to do Computer Science then Decision 1 and Decisipn 2.


Thank you again.
Do you recommend Revison Guides, Complete Revision + practice or Student book?


Edexcel, Aqa etc it is the same I guess, as I don't have to take those exams boards but just study to learn.

My worry is that on the A levels books, they don't start from zero and take for granted you already have basis and just start with difficult topics?
(edited 6 years ago)

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