AEA biology

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Jen05

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure the past papers are online - but if you can't find them I remember doing one essay last year which was something like "Explain the importance of hydrogen bonds in biological molecules."
They then expect you to bring together material from different areas - eg macromolecules, H-bonding in water etc and explain how they are useful in different areas.
The essays tend to be as synoptic as possible to make you think more widely than you have to in the A level exam.

Reply 21

moojoo

does anyone know if we fail this whether we have to declare it or not on UCAS?

Reply 22

Cirsium

If you're in your AS year and haven't applied yet then no
It's like getting a U - it's like you never took it

Reply 23

belis

Did you declered that you are taking it when you have been applaying? Or are you applaying next year? I would ask sb from UCAS to be on a safe side but I do not think it is mendatory to declere. It is not a shame to fail either as more then 50% of people taking it fail.

Reply 24

belis

so if you get an U you do not have to declere it? I thought you have to declere all your grades from GSCE's and A levels.

By the way, sb taking AEA in year 12 and passing must be realy clever and dedicated to biology.

Reply 25

joshdajoker

belis

If people are taking it in their AS year like someone suggested that would explain the high failure rate...sigh

Reply 26

Cirsium

You have to tell UCAS all the A-levels you are planning to take the year you apply. So if you fail then obviously they will know. Same with AEAs if you mentioned it on your application form then UCAS and therefore the universities will be informed.
But if you get a U at AS then it's as if you never took it
And if you are mad enough to take it in year 12 (I assumed you were because otherwise you should have already told UCAS you're taking it, and they will automatically know - and because Year 12s often take Step I in maths) then you just omit it off your UCAS form and nobody would ever know... :rolleyes:

Reply 27

belis

Good luck everybody, aspecialy for ambiciuous people from year 12 lol. It is just 1 hour left. I do not know why but I feel nervous.

Reply 28

corkskrew

Right I'll be the first to post after the exam. How did you all find it?
Can;t say I've ever seen a dogwhelk in my life but at at least I know that if they're female and have penises, liklihood is thev're been hanging around harbours doing TBT for too long. Interesting questions, not bad all in all.
I did the island/continents essay followed by the medical testing one.

Reply 29

Seth

corkskrew

hahaha was definitely a bit of a strange build up to a question :rolleyes:

...I thought the paper was reasonable though compared to the one I saw from a few years ago so I'm not complaining. I just did the first essay from each category.. The first was about mitochondria and the second was why 'junk food' is bad..

Reply 30

Seth

Bekaboo

62 out of 100 for a distinction
52 for a merit
Unfortunately the site doesn't say what the mark for a pass is

Thanks Bekaboo :smile:

Reply 31

belis

I did the isolated island and junk food esseys. I think it was not that bad actualy.

Reply 32

moojoo

I'm doing it in yr13 but im reapplying so I guess if I failed I don't need to declare it. I thought the exam went pretty well though in the end, I did chloroplasts and then biodiversity for the essays.

Reply 33

sahsum

you are all insane!! i can not think of anything I would rather not do more!! but at the same time, lots of respect to anyone that can handle biology AEA

Reply 34

belis

I can honestly admit that I had a med moment when I come up with idea to do AEA in bio and chem :biggrin:

. I was regretting it until this morning when bio proved to be rather easy.

Reply 35

belis

what are u supposed to say on the junk food one?

I think nobady apart of examiners knows that for sure lol. I have writen:
to much simple suger, low gln cemic index, you get houngry quicly again
to much fat, building up deposits in blood vessels, heart attack, stroke, obesity leading to even grater risk of heart disease, diabates type II etc
to much salt, water retention, high blood pressure
not enough fibre, consipation, colon cancer
not enough vitamins, examples of defissiency diseases, lack of folic acid in pregnant women leading to deformation of fetus central nervous sysytem
not enough calcium, osteoporosis

enviromental effects of industry behing junk food
monoculture
battery chickens
burning rain forest to get area for pastures
sawage from farms polluting rivers