Is Biology A level hard?

Some of my mates have found it hard and time consuming, whilst others have found it quite a doss. It's up to the individual really...

Reply 21

silent ninja

19

mouse_mat

Thanks, I figured so already. You a shenmue fan [avatar]?

Yeah. Havent played it in ages, but its an all time classic. :cool:

Reply 22

Maestor

i wish i did Human Biology rather than Biology...have to learn soooooo much of stuff that will never EVER be useful AT ALL!..(the A2 planty bits..OCR)

Reply 23

*River

15

For Edexcel, A2 is a lot harder than the AS. The volume of content increases considerably, and the mark schemes become painfully specific. If you're good at just learning and regurgitating, it's not all that difficult, but I know that several people in my class really struggled with the concepts in Unit 4 in January. Also, but this probably only applies to Edexcel, if your school does Unit 4 in January, prepare really, really well for it. You don't want to have to resit this in summer, because you'll have to re-learn all of the option work which you can otherwise forget and it makes for 3 hours in an exam hall doing Biology.

Reply 24

Excalibur

15

*River

For Edexcel, A2 is a lot harder than the AS. The volume of content increases considerably, and the mark schemes become painfully specific. If you're good at just learning and regurgitating, it's not all that difficult, but I know that several people in my class really struggled with the concepts in Unit 4 in January. Also, but this probably only applies to Edexcel, if your school does Unit 4 in January, prepare really, really well for it. You don't want to have to resit this in summer, because you'll have to re-learn all of the option work which you can otherwise forget and it makes for 3 hours in an exam hall doing Biology.

Eeee

Encouraging stuff :p:

I think our school is putting us for Unit 4 in Jan - which option did you do?

How difficult/mind-numbingly boring is the A2 coursework?

Reply 25

Crystal89

Sorry to rain on the parade here but I found it extremely difficult, just couldn't get my head round some of the stuff. I got AA at GCSE and ended up with with a D at AS. Don't do it unless you really want to, I took Biology so it would 'look good' and got so bored and demotivated that in the end I wasn't even making an effort to understand. Looking back, if I'd have revised properly and made more of an effort to understand some of the more complicated things then I probably could have got a C or even a B but my point is if you're not interested then you won't try. For me, it was a total waste of time and I'd think hard about doing it if you admit yourself that you don't particularly enjoy it.

Reply 26

shar7p

i found AS biology not too hard
there was alot to learn
but if your good at memorising, and you practice exam technique im sure you will do fine :smile:

i would also print off the specification for you exam board
thats what i did,and i used it as a checklist to make sure i had revised evreything and revised the correct things

also try to get the best grade possible in the january exam-i got a very low C in unit1 in january,and retook it as i wanted an A-i ended up sitting in the exam hall for 3 hours-if you do well in january it takes some pressure off in june when you probably have the most exams

its really down to how hard you work for the subject-i got an A at AS bio but a U in chem-because i revised biology and practiced exam papers and did nothing for chemistry

Reply 27

thedemon13666

Ive only done the AS level in Biology and at first i found it to be difficult before i got into the swing of doing my A levels.

After i got into the swing of it i found the Biology AS to be quite straight forward (but boring).

Too many raw facts to remember.

Reply 28

welcome_to_the_jungle

9

Just hope you dont get AQA B. Me and a few others who were really good at science knew the syllabus but still got a high B cos we didnt satisfy the mark schemes enough. You have to write the key words but it varies all the time.. so gay. It annoyed me greatly cos on any other exam board id have an easy A.

Reply 29

city_chic

13

I got a C in it for AS. Sigh. Will drop it now prob.

Reply 30

arpeggio

12

It's not a hard subject, but the exams aren't as easy to do well in as you might think because you have to be so specific. You could answer a question perfectly well, but if you don't use the keywords they're looking for in the markscheme and state the obvious, you won't get any marks :frown:

Reply 31

Sean3000

8

I dont think i would like to use the word 'hard' for any A level, and it is true that Biology is the least complicated of all the sciences, i say this partly because Chem, Maths and Physics all involve calculations. If you have a geniune interest in the human body then Biology is a great choice, i took it in conjuction with the other sciences and i enjoyed it by far the most. I studied the OCR modules (through my own choice) because they have a particulaly intersting module on Health and Disease. Put in the work, show a genuine interest and you will do well in Biology. I got a C at GCSE (4 years ago) just finished my AS and got 100% in all 3 modules so dont think that an outstanding GCSE is a pre-requiste for achieving an A.

Reply 32

x.beth.x

11

welcome_to_the_jungle

Just hope you dont get AQA B. Me and a few others who were really good at science knew the syllabus but still got a high B cos we didnt satisfy the mark schemes enough. You have to write the key words but it varies all the time.. so gay. It annoyed me greatly cos on any other exam board id have an easy A.

oh gawd... you've really really worried me now :s-smilie:

Reply 33

purple-girl

17

welcome_to_the_jungle

Just hope you dont get AQA B. Me and a few others who were really good at science knew the syllabus but still got a high B cos we didnt satisfy the mark schemes enough. You have to write the key words but it varies all the time.. so gay. It annoyed me greatly cos on any other exam board id have an easy A.

Damn...I could also say the same for the AQA B GCSE too. Should've got an A* but only got an A...

And it seems like my school's the only one that doesn't do modules in January at AS. Gah!

Reply 34

*River

15

Excalibur

Eeee

Encouraging stuff :p:

I think our school is putting us for Unit 4 in Jan - which option did you do?

How difficult/mind-numbingly boring is the A2 coursework?

We didn't do the coursework, centres can do the W2 paper (which is a written alternative with 2 questions, one on data interpretation and one usually planning an ecological experiement), so I can't comment! We did the Microbiology Option (I think it's 4A).

Reply 35

Excalibur

15

*River

We didn't do the coursework, centres can do the W2 paper (which is a written alternative with 2 questions, one on data interpretation and one usually planning an ecological experiement), so I can't comment! We did the Microbiology Option (I think it's 4A).

We're doing the Microbiology option too. Should be interesting - our school's third floor stunk of agar plates for about 3 weeks last year because of the A2 Biology lot :p:

Reply 36

Afrosaxon

I found AS level rather easy actually, but it depends on how good your memory is. In my opinion that's all it comes down to basically, with a bit of application. The key thing is to learn it all really well and ppractice how to answer the questions. As for A2, we shall have to wait and see...

Reply 37

<(+_+)>

10

Biology AS is good because basically all you have to do is memorise your favourite revision guide and you get an instant A. =)

I managed to get A's in both exams from doing that, sadly I only managed a C in the practical lmao. Stupid microscopes. =P

Reply 38

heeeel

If i were you i wouldnt worry about which exam board you're on, i was AQA B, and i ended up with an A, without being a genius.. in any way!
And I think the more time you put into your coursework/ practical the higher marks you get, honest, people as clever as me didnt do as well, but i know they could have! people dont seem to think cw is as bigger deal as exams (In my school anyway.)

Reply 39

Zii

13

Some of it is, some of it isn't.

Is Biology A level hard?

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