Will I need a lab coat for A level sciences?

Hi there!

Here's the situation. In the summer, I'm going to a chemistry camp at Nottingham university, and they require me to take a set of safety glasses and a lab coat. Now, as I'm really itching study Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Psychology (my current A level ideas), I was wondering whether I would need one for AS/A2 level. I'm 15 and I'm around 6 feet, and was wondering whether it would make sense to buy one now, or borrow one if you guys think I'll grow (my Dad was fully grown at about 6 foot 2).

Sorry for the disjointedness of this post, but basically, could anyone please confirm:

a) Whether I'll need a lab coat and safety glasses for these A level subjects.
b) If these items are required, would it be a good idea for me to buy them.

Thank you and good night! =)

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Reply 1

TwirlGirl

Presumably your school/college has lab coats for you to use? But yes, you will need both if you're doing chemistry!

Reply 2

Summer_fruits

The school/college should provide them?

I know my school had tacky stained lab coats with surprises in the pockets :eek2:

And my college have plastic aprons :facepalm:

And both provided us with GOGGLEZ.

Reply 3

atomic-aaron

I was at a sixth form and done Chemistry and Biology A-levels and we never used Lab coats it never came up at all.

Reply 4

GottaLovePhysics! :)

Nadiiiiia

And both provided us with GOGGLEZ.

And always some tw** has scrched the plastic up, or decided it would be a laugh to melt it with the bunson burner...

Reply 5

username349125

Our school provided us with goggles.

My school didn't have lab coats. We were too poor and crap, if you wanted one you had to buy your own but no one bothered, and we didn't wear anything over our normal clothes during any lesson. I never felt like we were truly doing science without a long white lab coat.

Wasted youth... :frown:

Reply 6

abbii

at our school the teachers laughed at the idea of labcoats (after making us by them in year 7) even at A-level, and they gave us goggles if we needed them

Reply 7

Asha5692

In my school they told us to buy lab coats and goggles which we've NEVER used, they're really lax about safety. You should ask someone else who be on the programme whether they end up using their own lab coats.

Reply 8

Scabo0o

You wont need one, we certainly never wore a lab coat during practicals. If however they require you to wear one, Im sure they will be provided.

Reply 9

hamijack

No, but if you do physics you should get a flak jacket.

Reply 10

Summer_fruits

GottaLovePhysics! :)

And always some tw** has scrched the plastic up, or decided it would be a laugh to melt it with the bunson burner...

Not happened here, there's 8 people in my A2 Chemistry class and a whole box of goggles, we always take the nice ones and leave the tacky ones.

Reply 11

SirMasterKey

Goggles the school should provide.

Lab-coat- I'm coming up to the end of A2 and we've never needed them. In fact the only time I've worn one was when on work shadowing at my old school working in the science tech lab, and even then it wasn't really needed.

Reply 12

stinky--pete

chemistry yes, the others no :smile:

although we rarely used them!! i know they are used a lot more at A2, there not expensive, about £5, so you might as well get one!!

Reply 13

areyousure?

No you don't really and if you do then I think your college should provide them.

Reply 14

IQ Test

Thank you for all your replies guys, helpful of you! =)

Reply 15

Nuttyguy

^
Ask the people in the year above or the teachers who teach a-level if its a joint sixth form
LOL at the goggles been provdided by the school its so bad you can BARELY see since its got so much scratches
and someone who forgot to bring in their coat had to wear a bin liner LOL

Reply 16

nuttygirl

Nuttyguy

ooh name buddy :five:

OT: no, you don't buy your own lab coat :smile:

Reply 17

Laurah5498

It was recommended that the people that did Chemistry at A Level had lab coats, just in case.

They spent most of the time pretending to flash people around school in them :biggrin:

On a more serious note, try and borrow one :smile:

Reply 18

CherryCherryBoomBoom

When I was doing AS Level Chemistry and Biology last year, we had to buy our own lab coats from our school, and they gave us our own goggles, and we had to wear both of those every single practicals. Though, looking at the other replies here I guess the rules vary from school to school. You're just gonna have to ask your school or college whether you need them, OP, and whether you need to buy them or if they provide them for you.