Is 4 a levels worth it?

Universities Forum Helper

I wouldn't say 4 are worth it, sure they're manageable but simply not worth the effort as unis don't care much, do 3 plus EPQ unless the 4th one is FM

Reply 2

Admit-One

21

Unless it includes Maths + Further Maths, no, it's not worth it.

Reply 3

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Admit-One

Unless it includes Maths + Further Maths, no, it's not worth it.

even then it's not worth it for many courses

Reply 4

Admit-One

21

Original post by summerbirdreads

even then it's not worth it for many courses

It's potentially a couple more options for meeting Maths offers. Primarily I meant that it's a more manageable than other combos, assuming Maths is taken in lower sixth.

Reply 5

Original post by Admit-One

It's potentially a couple more options for meeting Maths offers. Primarily I meant that it's a more manageable than other combos, assuming Maths is taken in lower sixth.

Yeah fair enough

Reply 6

username5319484

Doing 4 A-levels has no benefits for medicine except for QMUL where they use the UCAS tariff. It might bring your grades down and AAA looks better than ABBB. You could start out with 4 and decide whether you want to drop maths or psychology. Cambridge is the only medical school that requires 3 science A-levels

Reply 7

Baleroc

13

Original post by mlouise_

So I am currently in the process of starting to apply to colleges/6th forms and I am really struggling to narrow down the a levels i want to do to 3. I want to go on to study medicine and I really want to go to a uni such as BSMS or Anglia Ruskin, maybe kcl. So I have to do bio and chem which I'm happy with as they are subjects i love and would've probably done them even if i wasn't going to go into medicine. I also think Maths would be a very useful subject to have and i really want to do maths at a level however, from what i have seen/found out from open evenings and research, i love psychology and would love to do it as an a level. Is it worth doing the 4 and then either keeping them all the way through college/6th form or dropping one once i decide which ones i want to carry on or should i just do 3 a levels?

Some admissions statistics, according to Oxford. These are from 2013 and below, but should give an indication of how Oxbridge give offers:
2013, Oxford Admissions, page 26: https://gazette.web.ox.ac.uk/files/admissions-2013pdf

"Candidates may have taken more than 3 A-levels but table shows only the best 3 A-level"

Candidates with A*A*A* or above had a 44.6% success rate of gaining admission.
Candidates with A*A*A had a 30.3% success rate of gaining admission.
Candidates with A*AA had a 21.9% success rate of gaining admission.

Oxford mostly focuses on the grades of your top 3 A-levels. As you can see, candidates with 3 A*s had a significantly higher chance than candidates with A*A*A. Presumably, if you achieved A*A*AA at A-level, this might be perceived as a weaker candidate, compared to someone with A*A*A*.

Unless you are expected to get the grades A*A*A*A or A*A*A*A*, then no, it wouldn't be worth studying 4 A-levels.

The only time it would be worth it, is if you got at least A*A*A* in your 3 A-levels. In that case, a 4th A-level would unlikely be that much of a benefit anyway.

Based on this, I would assume it's best to focus on getting A*A*A* on 3 A-levels, than getting A*A*AA on 4 A-levels.

Reply 8

OP

Original post by hungrysalamander

Doing 4 A-levels has no benefits for medicine except for QMUL where they use the UCAS tariff. It might bring your grades down and AAA looks better than ABBB. You could start out with 4 and decide whether you want to drop maths or psychology. Cambridge is the only medical school that requires 3 science A-levels

Yeah that's true, i didn't really think about it like that. I think I might start with 4 then drop either maths/psych depending on which one is my favourite, or pay and stay on for an extra 2 years to do another a level after completing 3, obviously depending on what i want to do then. as that way i could get 2 years of work in a hospital as well.

Reply 9

OP

Original post by Baleroc

Some admissions statistics, according to Oxford. These are from 2013 and below, but should give an indication of how Oxbridge give offers:
2013, Oxford Admissions, page 26: https://gazette.web.ox.ac.uk/files/admissions-2013pdf

"Candidates may have taken more than 3 A-levels but table shows only the best 3 A-level"

Candidates with A*A*A* or above had a 44.6% success rate of gaining admission.
Candidates with A*A*A had a 30.3% success rate of gaining admission.
Candidates with A*AA had a 21.9% success rate of gaining admission.

Oxford mostly focuses on the grades of your top 3 A-levels. As you can see, candidates with 3 A*s had a significantly higher chance than candidates with A*A*A. Presumably, if you achieved A*A*AA at A-level, this might be perceived as a weaker candidate, compared to someone with A*A*A*.

Unless you are expected to get the grades A*A*A*A or A*A*A*A*, then no, it wouldn't be worth studying 4 A-levels.

The only time it would be worth it, is if you got at least A*A*A* in your 3 A-levels. In that case, a 4th A-level would unlikely be that much of a benefit anyway.

Based on this, I would assume it's best to focus on getting A*A*A* on 3 A-levels, than getting A*A*AA on 4 A-levels.

Yeah, i would definitely rather get 3 A* rather than lower but 4. I think i may just start with the 4 then drop either maths/psych after a term

Reply 10

username5319484

Original post by mlouise_

Yeah that's true, i didn't really think about it like that. I think I might start with 4 then drop either maths/psych depending on which one is my favourite, or pay and stay on for an extra 2 years to do another a level after completing 3, obviously depending on what i want to do then. as that way i could get 2 years of work in a hospital as well.

Not possible. Most medical schools want you to finish A-levels in 2 years

Reply 11

Original post by mlouise_

Yeah, i would definitely rather get 3 A* rather than lower but 4. I think i may just start with the 4 then drop either maths/psych after a term

Yeah that's a good idea

Reply 12

OP

Original post by hungrysalamander

Not possible. Most medical schools want you to finish A-levels in 2 years

Yeah but I would finish 3 in 2 years then I would take an extra one for 2 years so technically I would be finishing a levels in 2 years

Reply 13

Googley_eyes

Original post by mlouise_

Yeah but I would finish 3 in 2 years then I would take an extra one for 2 years so technically I would be finishing a levels in 2 years

That’s a waste of time and money. Would you do 2 gap years? You wouldn’t have time to do it with medical school and they probably won’t allow 2 gap years. And you must start uni within a certain number of years after completing a levels or you have to do an access course instead

Reply 14

Jpw1097

Original post by mlouise_

Yeah but I would finish 3 in 2 years then I would take an extra one for 2 years so technically I would be finishing a levels in 2 years

That would be a complete waste of time and would not help you getting into medical school, it would only delay you by at least two years for no reward.

Only consider doing 4 A levels if you think you are capable for achieving A/A* in all subjects, I did 4 A levels and was able to achieve 4 A*s, so it’s definitely possible.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 15

Reality Check

22

Original post by mlouise_

So I am currently in the process of starting to apply to colleges/6th forms and I am really struggling to narrow down the a levels i want to do to 3. I want to go on to study medicine and I really want to go to a uni such as BSMS or Anglia Ruskin, maybe kcl. So I have to do bio and chem which I'm happy with as they are subjects i love and would've probably done them even if i wasn't going to go into medicine. I also think Maths would be a very useful subject to have and i really want to do maths at a level however, from what i have seen/found out from open evenings and research, i love psychology and would love to do it as an a level. Is it worth doing the 4 and then either keeping them all the way through college/6th form or dropping one once i decide which ones i want to carry on or should i just do 3 a levels?

I'd concentrate on doing three for medicine, and getting A*A*A* in them. Four A levels offers no advantage for an application to study medicine. Chemistry, biology and maths is probably the most common combination for medicine admissions, by the way :smile:

Reply 16

OP

Original post by Reality Check

I'd concentrate on doing three for medicine, and getting A*A*A* in them. Four A levels offers no advantage for an application to study medicine. Chemistry, biology and maths is probably the most common combination for medicine admissions, by the way :smile:

yeah i will probably just do the 3. also im not aiming for 3A* because for me, thats not going to happen. im aiming for an A* in bio and then A in both maths and chem, maybe and A* in chem

Reply 17

Red Tesla

Original post by mlouise_

So I am currently in the process of starting to apply to colleges/6th forms and I am really struggling to narrow down the a levels i want to do to 3. I want to go on to study medicine and I really want to go to a uni such as BSMS or Anglia Ruskin, maybe kcl. So I have to do bio and chem which I'm happy with as they are subjects i love and would've probably done them even if i wasn't going to go into medicine. I also think Maths would be a very useful subject to have and i really want to do maths at a level however, from what i have seen/found out from open evenings and research, i love psychology and would love to do it as an a level. Is it worth doing the 4 and then either keeping them all the way through college/6th form or dropping one once i decide which ones i want to carry on or should i just do 3 a levels?

No, what's the point

Reply 18

Jpw1097