Retaking Chemistry AS and doing A2 in the same year??

Hi, I'm new on here, so pretty confused on how to use it all....but I hope I'm at the right place.... Ok, so basically I had a 'U' in chemistry AS for many different reasons which probably just sound like excuses so I won't bother. Anyway, over the summer holidays I have had tuition and been working hard, preparing to retake both chemistry modules in January. However, as I have returned to college, my teachers are not allowing me to enroll for chemistry A2 because of the poor results, which I understand, but the thing is, I have revised them and I'm willing to enter for those exams privately, paying for myself and getting them done this january, meaning it will not be interrupting my A2 course, which I would be examined for later, in June. I cannot resit the year, that is out of question. I want to know if there's any way possible for me to do the AS and A2 this year, I don't mind doing it privately but there are practicals involved which can only be done in class right?? And it must cost A LOT!

Reply 1

Hennnaa

You could have the option to moving to another school and doing your chemistry there? Or doing your other A2s at this school and doing Chemistry completely privately? I'm in a situation slightly like yours, I got a D in Chemistry and I need to retake both AS exams in January, but my school isn't letting me :/ Dunno what I'm doing! :frown:

What other A-Levels you doing? What are you thinking of doing in Uni?

Reply 2

Jaz123.

Hi, i am pretty much in the same boat as you. I got my AS results in august and i got english lit:B Psychology:B Biology :colone:

and like you a U in Chemistry.I have decided to carry on into year 13 with my A2's and do resits for biology and my other two subjects to hopefully average a AAB. I dropped chemistry completely this year at AS level because i have decided i will do a one year intensive in chemistry AS AND A2 in my Gap year in private, so basically doing my whole chemistry alevel again in my gap year along side doing voluntary work to build up work experience to put in my personal statement. I am doing this one year intensive Alevel chemistry as a private candidate, for my college this is going to cost around£4,000, bearing in mind this is the WHOLE alevel course again, AS and A2. For me this is the only way i can get into my desired course at university which is pharmacy (chemistry is mandatory). I have a reason for such a poor grade though, i was ill during my exams, i even fainted in the morning of my exams (LOL), hence why i i got such a low grade in chemistry. I was not going to take a Gap year, but it seems that this is the only way i will get to do my alevel chem again and also get some workexp etc in a pharmacy and build up some impressive stuff to put on my personal statement. :biggrin:

Reply 3

CantThinkOfaUsername

Have you checked if any local FE colleges offer A2 chemistry? I know that my local one offers it as a night class so if there's something like that near where you live, it would be good as it wouldn't clash with your other subjects and you would get the same practical experience as you would in a school/college.

Another option is to self-teach and ask your college if you could sit in on practical lessons and sit your practical exam there. If they say no, contact other schools in your area to ask if you could sit the exams as an external candidate and if it would be possible to go to some of the practical lessons.

Aside from that, as someone else suggested, you could contact other schools and ask what their A2 chemistry timetable is like then compare it to your current timetable- if it works out that the chemistry lessons don't clash with your other subjects, you could see if it's possible to go to both schools- it sounds like it would be a lot of hassle but quite a few people at my school did it when a subject they wanted to do wasn't offered by the school/didn't fit their timetable and it worked out fine for them so it might be worth a try.

As for the workload, it's definitely doable. A lot of A2 is just expanding on what was covered at AS so when it comes to the exams, you'll find the AS stuff a lot easier with the extra knowledge from A2. It's really good that you've been revising already- it should be a significant help. I repeated the two written AS modules last June alongside the three A2 modules and whilst it was quite time-consuming, I think that repeating the earlier exams helped a lot with the A2 stuff anyway.

Good luck :smile:

Reply 4

lilmojouk

Dependant on exam boards but I did AQA Chemistry and A2 Chem is much harder than AS imho.
It requires much more effort to understand and remember. Which Board are you doing?

Reply 5

Nymthae

I can understand them on the poor results front, so I guess really you just have to prove yourself.

As a last ditch attempt to do it where you are: I'd see if you can get one of the teachers to set you a couple of mock papers from the AS course - which you've been doing over summer. Prove to them you can get a D or above (or whatever your college requires of you to carry on to A2). Offer to go in a lunch break etc. Other than proving yourself, I don't think the department at your current college would budge. They might not bite, but you lose nothing in trying to impress them (bar 2 hours of lunch or something in a week :tongue: