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A Level Chemistry / Biology / Computer Science HELP

Im planning to take the above courses for A level, how should i prepare myself? Are CS and Chem that math intensive ? These are all subjects I really enjoy ~

Do you have any advice to give me?

The grades i got:
Chem (Triple) : 8
Biology (Triple) : 8
CS: 7
Maths: 6

Current plan: Revise from day 1, do course related stuff everyday for 3 hrs (or more)
Original post by iamverydead
Im planning to take the above courses for A level, how should i prepare myself? Are CS and Chem that math intensive ? These are all subjects I really enjoy ~

Do you have any advice to give me?

The grades i got:
Chem (Triple) : 8
Biology (Triple) : 8
CS: 7
Maths: 6

Current plan: Revise from day 1, do course related stuff everyday for 3 hrs (or more)


I am moving into year 13 now - taking Biology, Chemistry and English Language.
What I can tell u about biology and chemistry is a lot:
Learning Biology is basically about definitions and just learning lots and lots of key points. There are many ‘application’ questions in exams which’re the hardest however as long as you do extra reading and know all the content, you should manage. They are a ‘practise makes perfect’ kind of question so be patient. Make lots of fact sheets and I recommend flashcards and glossaries for the definitions (biology and chemistry) - they’re easy marks!
Chemistry in my opinion is harder; it is much less content however the things you do learn are complicated and can often be easily changed in an exam. There is a lot of maths and you will need to learn the equations for both subjects - those are also easy marks.
Original post by iamverydead
Im planning to take the above courses for A level, how should i prepare myself? Are CS and Chem that math intensive ? These are all subjects I really enjoy ~

Do you have any advice to give me?

The grades i got:
Chem (Triple) : 8
Biology (Triple) : 8
CS: 7
Maths: 6

Current plan: Revise from day 1, do course related stuff everyday for 3 hrs (or more)

I did Bio and Chem A levels (can't comment on computer science tho!) so hopefully I can help.
Regarding maths, biology generally contains some but it's nothing too intensive and honestly you could easily flunk all the maths in the papers and still get a great grade (though I don't reccomend this haha). You'll mainly find them in application questions and there are one or two equations to learn throughout but again it's not that bad. Chemistry however is very maths heavy but don't let it scare you. I HATE maths with a passion and I do struggle with it but it was the kind of maths where you would get the hang of it after a lot of practice and you'd come up with methods for how to do it every time.

As for general advice? Biology is very content heavy so plan a way to get the content in your head (I emptied my local wilkos of flashcards) and while chemistry isn't as bad for content I found flashcards extremely useful here too.

Practice makes perfect! Once you're a chunk through the course start doing past papers. Markschemes can be quite picky so it allows you to learn how to answer the way they want you to. Past questions also help with application questions in biology. People are notorious for doing poor on application and data handling questions but if you do enough practice you begin to see they're all basically the same just in different contexts.

Revis your practicals. I know they may not seem important but you do get asked questions on them, especially in paper 3 for both bio and chem. Crack them down and you're sorted for those papers!

Hope I've helped and if you have anymore questions just ask!
Original post by yeahthatonethere
I did Bio and Chem A levels (can't comment on computer science tho!) so hopefully I can help.
Regarding maths, biology generally contains some but it's nothing too intensive and honestly you could easily flunk all the maths in the papers and still get a great grade (though I don't reccomend this haha). You'll mainly find them in application questions and there are one or two equations to learn throughout but again it's not that bad. Chemistry however is very maths heavy but don't let it scare you. I HATE maths with a passion and I do struggle with it but it was the kind of maths where you would get the hang of it after a lot of practice and you'd come up with methods for how to do it every time.

As for general advice? Biology is very content heavy so plan a way to get the content in your head (I emptied my local wilkos of flashcards) and while chemistry isn't as bad for content I found flashcards extremely useful here too.

Practice makes perfect! Once you're a chunk through the course start doing past papers. Markschemes can be quite picky so it allows you to learn how to answer the way they want you to. Past questions also help with application questions in biology. People are notorious for doing poor on application and data handling questions but if you do enough practice you begin to see they're all basically the same just in different contexts.

Revis your practicals. I know they may not seem important but you do get asked questions on them, especially in paper 3 for both bio and chem. Crack them down and you're sorted for those papers!

Hope I've helped and if you have anymore questions just ask!

Thanks for the response! It really helps! By any chances, do you know if its possible to do medicine with a grade 6 for maths at a good uni? If it's not, are there are any other paths for me to take that relate to medicine/biology and chemistry (perhaps biochem? not too keen on it tho) i can think about?

Thank you so much again, it really helped! Seems like im gonna needs lots od revision cards, though i came prepared!
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Char1309
I am moving into year 13 now - taking Biology, Chemistry and English Language.
What I can tell u about biology and chemistry is a lot:
Learning Biology is basically about definitions and just learning lots and lots of key points. There are many ‘application’ questions in exams which’re the hardest however as long as you do extra reading and know all the content, you should manage. They are a ‘practise makes perfect’ kind of question so be patient. Make lots of fact sheets and I recommend flashcards and glossaries for the definitions (biology and chemistry) - they’re easy marks!
Chemistry in my opinion is harder; it is much less content however the things you do learn are complicated and can often be easily changed in an exam. There is a lot of maths and you will need to learn the equations for both subjects - those are also easy marks.


I see! Thank you so much! I've already bought a lot of flashcards in preparation so I guess that was a good thing. I've asked this question before, but do you know if its possible to do medicine with a grade 6 for maths at a good uni? If it's not, are there are any other paths for me to take that relate to medicine/biology and chemistry (perhaps biochem? not too keen on it tho) i can think about?
Original post by iamverydead
Thanks for the response! It really helps! By any chances, do you know if its possible to do medicine with a grade 6 for maths at a good uni? If it's not, are there are any other paths for me to take that relate to medicine/biology and chemistry (perhaps biochem? not too keen on it tho) i can think about?

Thank you so much again, it really helped! Seems like im gonna needs lots od revision cards, though i came prepared!

Sorry I was never that interested in medical school so I don't know and I'm honestly so lost with the new number system. Your best bet is to check websites of the places you want to go to and see what they say about GCSEs or even email them if you want!

Plenty of science routes are open to you along with other degrees with no specific requirements for a levels. Bio and chem courses, medicine, pharmacology/pharmacy, etc. I do microbiology at university which has a heavy focus on disease, bacteria, viruses, etc. and it's great fun! There's plenty of paths you can take you just need to find the right one.
Original post by yeahthatonethere
Sorry I was never that interested in medical school so I don't know and I'm honestly so lost with the new number system. Your best bet is to check websites of the places you want to go to and see what they say about GCSEs or even email them if you want!

Plenty of science routes are open to you along with other degrees with no specific requirements for a levels. Bio and chem courses, medicine, pharmacology/pharmacy, etc. I do microbiology at university which has a heavy focus on disease, bacteria, viruses, etc. and it's great fun! There's plenty of paths you can take you just need to find the right one.


That's perfectly fine! No need to be sorry!

A 6 its basically a B. Microbiology seems really fun! Thanks for the advice~ and goodluck with your course!
How is a level computer science?
Original post by iamverydead
Thanks for the response! It really helps! By any chances, do you know if its possible to do medicine with a grade 6 for maths at a good uni? If it's not, are there are any other paths for me to take that relate to medicine/biology and chemistry (perhaps biochem? not too keen on it tho) i can think about?

Thank you so much again, it really helped! Seems like im gonna needs lots od revision cards, though i came prepared!

I got a grade 6 with GCSE maths and honestly you can do it, you’ll just have to work harder. I don’t feel like I struggle more with the maths side of biology and chemistry than other students :smile:
Original post by iamverydead
I see! Thank you so much! I've already bought a lot of flashcards in preparation so I guess that was a good thing. I've asked this question before, but do you know if its possible to do medicine with a grade 6 for maths at a good uni? If it's not, are there are any other paths for me to take that relate to medicine/biology and chemistry (perhaps biochem? not too keen on it tho) i can think about?

Think I just replied to the wrong chat but yes I got grade 6 and u can absolutely do it :smile:
Original post by Char1309
Think I just replied to the wrong chat but yes I got grade 6 and u can absolutely do it :smile:

thank you! this is really reassuring, goodluck with year 13!

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