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6 A Levels?

Right so, I'm leaving school next year (2012) and I need to start thinking about colleges and sixth forms. I know I'm deffinately doing A Levels, but I just don't know what to pick as I am unsure of what I want to do a degree in, maybe Medicine of History?

I want to keep my options open so I'll need to do all my sciences and my maths along with English and History.

So all together that'll be:
- Biology
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Maths
- English
- History

6 A Levels. :s-smilie:

I just want to know if that's possible. Are you allowed to take six a levels? Would that be too much work? I'm predicted for A's and A*'s at GCSE so I can do the work, I just wonder if it's too much? :confused:

Well, thanks :smile:

It is way too much. You want to do medicine or history right? These are the ideal A-Levels for you:

Biology, Chemistry, Maths and History. You don't have to do all 4 to A2 but you can and I would say that is a much more reasonable and attainable goal than 6. Occasionally some people do 5 AS Levels and then 3-4 A2's, but never, ever do people do 6 A Levels because quite frankly it is unnecessary and silly to do so.

Reply 81

dragonkeeper999

17

Original post by tooosh

Well two of your ASes are critical thinking and general studies.. leaving you with 5 ASes which is still very hard. 6 proper subjects will be extremely hard.

True - although I may have taken critical thinking + general studies a bit more seriously that most :tongue:

. My point was that I still had plenty of free time, so could have squeezed in another subject if I had wanted. But I suppose my sailing gave me a break from work, so doing 6 A levels is likely to make op a bit more stressed. However, if they are good at managing their time, enjoy the subjects, and are good at them, they could cope ok. And there's always the option to drop a subject if they're having problems. I would really recommend keeping options open (I'm really regretting not taking biology) as most of the subjects they are proposing to take would be very useful when applying to medicine/ history. Except possibly physics. If they had to drop one, I would recommend dropping the physics (although it's my favourite subject... it isn't essential for medicine).

Reply 82

Slumpy

16

Original post by ThatPerson

Occasionally some people do 5 AS Levels and then 3-4 A2's, but never, ever do people do 6 A Levels because quite frankly it is unnecessary and silly to do so.

I'm like, 95% certain that this isn't true.

Reply 83

ThatPerson

18

Original post by Slumpy

I'm like, 95% certain that this isn't true.

I know a few people who've done 5 AS, they didn't do all of them to A2 because they didn't need to.

What part of this isn't true do you think?

Reply 84

tooosh

16

Original post by dragonkeeper999

True - although I may have taken critical thinking + general studies a bit more seriously that most :tongue:

. My point was that I still had plenty of free time, so could have squeezed in another subject if I had wanted. But I suppose my sailing gave me a break from work, so doing 6 A levels is likely to make op a bit more stressed. However, if they are good at managing their time, enjoy the subjects, and are good at them, they could cope ok. And there's always the option to drop a subject if they're having problems. I would really recommend keeping options open (I'm really regretting not taking biology) as most of the subjects they are proposing to take would be very useful when applying to medicine/ history. Except possibly physics. If they had to drop one, I would recommend dropping the physics (although it's my favourite subject... it isn't essential for medicine).

I think you underestimate your time management skills, and how much of it would be needed for 6 A-levels. Of course it's possible. But is it worth the risk? Probably not.

Reply 85

Revent

10

It is possible. Just may require a bit more work than normal (or no extra work if you're very talented) but it it's pointless. Having done 6 AS Levels and having carried on 5 to A2, I can tell you, it really isn't worth it. So much hassle.

Reply 86

TheDefiniteArticle

20

Six is possible but ****ing hard. I know one person who does six and she never stops working.

Reply 87

Slumpy

16

Original post by ThatPerson

I know a few people who've done 5 AS, they didn't do all of them to A2 because they didn't need to.

What part of this isn't true do you think?

I know a bunch of people who did 5 full A levels. If you're relatively intelligent, and put in the work, it's not that tricky.
And the fact that nobody does 6. Clearly not true.
(Also, I can't remember if you mentioned this, but as an admissions tutor, I'd be more impressed by AAAAAA than AAA).

Reply 88

ThatPerson

18

Original post by Slumpy

I know a bunch of people who did 5 full A levels. If you're relatively intelligent, and put in the work, it's not that tricky.
And the fact that nobody does 6. Clearly not true.
(Also, I can't remember if you mentioned this, but as an admissions tutor, I'd be more impressed by AAAAAA than AAA).

From personal experience I've never seen people do more than 5. I guess as an admissions tutor you would have considerably more experience than me.

However, is it necessary? No University courses require AAAAAA. I'm universities would be impressed by A*AAA, or A*AA, both results are considerably more achieveable in my eyes than the work load 6 A levels presents.

Reply 89

Slumpy

16

Original post by ThatPerson

From personal experience I've never seen people do more than 5. I guess as an admissions tutor you would have considerably more experience than me.

However, is it necessary? No University courses require AAAAAA. I'm universities would be impressed by A*AAA, or A*AA, both results are considerably more achieveable in my eyes than the work load 6 A levels presents.

(Sorry, poor phrasing. I meant from the perspective of an admissions tutor. I don't actually do that, though I know people who're vaguely involved in admissions policy.)
I'm sure I've seen a couple do more than 5 on TSR though. And of course that chap who did 23 is an obvious example.

Some people get SS+some A levels, and I'd say the workload there is well beyond 6 a levels, so I don't think that particularly washes.

Reply 90

BlueSheep32

11

Original post by ThumbsUp

im doing the exact same subjects you took! Except i dropped physics after AS. What uni are you studying at and which course, if you dont mind me asking :redface:

I almost dropped Physics halfway through A2 :tongue:

I did History as well but dropped it at AS. I'm at Birmingham doing Biochemistry :smile:

Reply 91

Flyteryder

12

Original post by Slumpy

I know a bunch of people who did 5 full A levels. If you're relatively intelligent, and put in the work, it's not that tricky.
And the fact that nobody does 6. Clearly not true.
(Also, I can't remember if you mentioned this, but as an admissions tutor, I'd be more impressed by AAAAAA than AAA).

As an admissions tutor I'd be more impressed with AAA than BBBCCC or whatever, which is what the OP, as well as anyone else who takes 6 A-levels, is risking. Why spread yourself too thin and as a result get lower grades, due to less time being spent on each subject, as well as too much work to even handle for 6 subjects?

Reply 92

ThumbsUp

8

Original post by BlueSheep32

I almost dropped Physics halfway through A2 :tongue:

I did History as well but dropped it at AS. I'm at Birmingham doing Biochemistry :smile:

to drop physics for me was a no brainer so i commend you :P ah wow history, you did quite a bit then at AS :eek:

wow thats so great, what are you planning to do post grad? :biggrin:

Reply 93

Slumpy

16

Original post by Flyteryder

As an admissions tutor I'd be more impressed with AAA than BBBCCC or whatever, which is what the OP, as well as anyone else who takes 6 A-levels, is risking. Why spread yourself too thin and as a result get lower grades, due to less time being spent on each subject, as well as too much work to even handle for 6 subjects?

You can drop some if you end up risking BBBCCC. But I'd have thought most people considering 6 would find getting the first 4 As pretty easy, and could pretty much just have a look at 2 on the side.

Reply 94

tamimi

16

I did seven.

Are you allowed? Legally yes, you can do as many as you want, but sixth form/college will only provide up to 4. Which means you self study for 2 of your subjects which I assure you is not easy. A levels are way, way harder than any qualification you've done before. That's for sure. You will also pay for all the exam entries that are not the ones you're doing in Sixth form or college. That's between 15 and 60 pounds per exam per subject. My last bill racked up to £174.90

There is no point. I regret doing more than three. Unis don't care, unless you're applying to a point-based uni, in which case there'd be no point anyway because UCAS point based unis tend to have lower requirements anyway.

"But I'm predicted X at GCSE!"
Doesn't matter. I've seen people come out with 12 A*s and run down to C grades in A level. They are nothing alike. Completely different leagues.

So if you want to go for it, knock yourself out but you will struggle and you'll probably regret it as I did.

Reply 95

Hellz_Bellz!

2

Having taken 6 AS levels this year, I can tell you there is absolutely no way I could cope taking all 6 to A2. It's utter madness.

Reply 96

Miryo

12

I did 5 AS subjects and had to do a lot more work than everyone else.

If you do 6 and want to do really well in all of them, you'll have no time for anything else, also the pressure of doing a lot of subjects really builds up in exam season.

Reply 97

Llewellyn

14

I did 6, but I only did one "essay" subject, which made it manageable. I really enjoyed all 6 though, and I don't regret it at all. But I did it for the sake of it, not because it gives me any advantage at all in terms of universities or "prestige" or whatever (because it does not).

Reply 98

jla7

2

don't...just don't! huge waste of time and effort. good luck with you decision :smile:

Reply 99

JollyGreenAtheist

14

Original post by MedicineBug

Maths
English Lit
Chemistry
Physics
Theology
History

6 A*'s

Are you sure you got an A* in Eng Lit?

OP: I wouldn't waste your time. It depends a bit on your schooling situation; if you're going to a top public school, maybe it's marginally more feasible, but still pretty stupid. I went to a school below the national average of GCSE results and got mostly A*s and As. I just did 4 AS subjects (results pending) and it was not easy. It's cliched and, exclusively on TSR, challenged, but the jump from GCSE to A-level is a big one. A capacity to get good grades at GCSE does not mean you will 'cope' at A-level with 6 ASs; indeed, it does not mean you can cope with 4 ASs necessarily. With the utmost respect, better students than you have become overambitious after their GCSEs, then crashed and burnt the next year.

As much as some posters (many of whom have not actually started their A-levels yet) assert that it will look good for university. Sure, it will IF you get like 6 A*s. However, you underestimate the difficulty of the course, the size of the workload, the pressure throughout the year to keep up with class work, the social pressures of having more of a life, and the propensity to fluff exams. Everyone fluffs exams once in a while, and you don't want to be sat through your A2 year studying 5 A2 subjects and half the course of 3 ASs. The workload will blow your mind.

There are a handful that can cope with this, maybe you're the tiny minority, but for the sake of your education, don't risk it. The odds weigh heavily in favour of you crashing and burning. Be realistic; take 4 ASs, and 3 A2s (4 if you're feeling a bit of a daredevil). Work your tits off for those and go to a wonderful uni.

(edited 11 years ago)

6 A Levels?

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