Am I right for A level Chemistry?

Hi just asking for some opinions on my A level choices. I have just started A levels and i have decided to drop another subject as I don't think it is suited to me. I have looked at the specification for A level Chemistry and I think it sounds really interesting, however at GCSE I only did foundation combined science which meant I got a 55 (which is a C/B). I was told I had the potential to do higher but by the time I wanted to it was too late to sort it out. However I got the maximum marks in all my science papers. I also did foundation maths however my teacher thinks I can get a much higher grade If I did higher so I am currently working to sit the GCSE maths higher paper. I have always really enjoyed Chemistry and would love to study it, I am just not sure whether it is the right A level for me to do.

Any advice or information about A level Chemistry would be great thanks.

Reply 1

17ehoque

12

In most sixth forms a grade 66 is required for combined science and if you can still do it then that's great, but don't forget that is really tough, not the maths bit but the other ones so choose the subjects carefully, and if you are doing physics or maths then definitely take chemistry :-)
hope that helps

Reply 2

2childmum!

11

The main problem is that you've missed quite a lot of content that A level builds on. The higher level isn't just harder, there is more of it. You need to catch up on the extra content in the higher combined science, and then it would be useful to cover the extra content in the straight chemistry GCSE. It is possible to do A level having done combined science, - you don't necessarily need to know the single science content for the A level but it comes in useful . It would be a very big jump coming from foundation combined science.
It may be useful to cover at least the higher level combined science chemistry content, and possibly the single subject chemistry extra stuff too. You could try just using a textbook, or another way would be to subscribe to something like https://www.my-gcsescience.com This has videos, worksheets to print off and fill in as you watch the videos, and then exam style questions with answer. You do have to pay for it, and unfortunately you can't subscribe to just single chemistry. You could subscribe to the double science and use the higher level chemistry parts, which would at least get you up to speed on the higher level chemistry you need for A level.

Have you checked your school will let you take A level chemistry? What other A levels are you doing, and what are your other possibilities?

Reply 3

replyplzbish

13

Original post by gleesantana

Hi just asking for some opinions on my A level choices. I have just started A levels and i have decided to drop another subject as I don't think it is suited to me. I have looked at the specification for A level Chemistry and I think it sounds really interesting, however at GCSE I only did foundation combined science which meant I got a 55 (which is a C/B). I was told I had the potential to do higher but by the time I wanted to it was too late to sort it out. However I got the maximum marks in all my science papers. I also did foundation maths however my teacher thinks I can get a much higher grade If I did higher so I am currently working to sit the GCSE maths higher paper. I have always really enjoyed Chemistry and would love to study it, I am just not sure whether it is the right A level for me to do.

Any advice or information about A level Chemistry would be great thanks.

I got an A* at GCSE but wasn't acc that good at it, just worked hard. Took it for A level and ngl thought it was quite hard but worked hard at it and got an A. It is achievable if you put the work in. If you have GCSEs which you did much better in and got As, and if you don't need chemistry for your future plans, i'd say probably choose something else. What other subjects have you chosen? If you try hard you should be ok. Good luck

Reply 4

Racsoix

16

Really all comes down to effort. Did you try really hard at GCSE Chemistry? If you did, found it interesting, and still got put on Foundation for Combined Science then you really have to think about how you're revising and how best to improve. I currently take both A Level Maths and Physics and I already know, despite getting 7s in both (1 mark off an 8 in Physics), I'm going to be in for a long 2 years. You said you got full marks, which is a good start, but definitely talk to your Chemistry teacher and ask them what they think.

Often, Sixth Forms will require a grade 6 as a minimum in either Triple or Combined Science, as well as a 6 in Maths (at least in my school) for Physics/Chem due to the Maths elements of the course. Check both of these things, and if you honestly think you would be willing to put the effort in then go for it. You said you enjoy Chemistry, which is great. Having motivation for the subjects you want to take is vital: it will obviously help both in the lesson and when it comes to revising.

I would assume most people would have covered more content at GCSE, especially those doing Higher Triple, and so will have a more solid grounding in some of the concepts you will cover. However there's nothing to say that you can't do well if you work hard from the get-go. I think the best thing you can do is talk to your Chemistry teacher/Maths teacher at GCSE and see whether they think you will be up for it. Good luck either way! :smile:

Reply 5

gleesantana

OP

4

Original post by 2childmum!

The main problem is that you've missed quite a lot of content that A level builds on. The higher level isn't just harder, there is more of it. You need to catch up on the extra content in the higher combined science, and then it would be useful to cover the extra content in the straight chemistry GCSE. It is possible to do A level having done combined science, - you don't necessarily need to know the single science content for the A level but it comes in useful . It would be a very big jump coming from foundation combined science.
It may be useful to cover at least the higher level combined science chemistry content, and possibly the single subject chemistry extra stuff too. You could try just using a textbook, or another way would be to subscribe to something like https://www.my-gcsescience.com This has videos, worksheets to print off and fill in as you watch the videos, and then exam style questions with answer. You do have to pay for it, and unfortunately you can't subscribe to just single chemistry. You could subscribe to the double science and use the higher level chemistry parts, which would at least get you up to speed on the higher level chemistry you need for A level.

Have you checked your school will let you take A level chemistry? What other A levels are you doing, and what are your other possibilities?

Hi thankyou so much for your reply. It is really useful information about all of the online ways of catching up. I am talking to my school tomorrow about it but I have lot's of positive things to say about how I would catch up and I have so much determination to do whatever it takes to study this subject. I am also doing Psychology and RE, However because I had to repeat 12 (not for academic reasons) I have already covered the y12 content for both of those subjects so I have a lot more free time to work on chemistry. Thankyou for your info!!