Should I Take 5 A Levels?

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Hi guys.

Basically, so far for my A Level choices, I have put:

-Physics
-Biology
-Sociology
-French

However, I was speaking to the Philosophy teacher today, and he's really got me interested in it. It's the sort of thing I think I would really enjoy, however I don't want to give up any of the choices I've chosen so far.

I know A Levels are so much hard work, I have considered that.

I also know it won't give me an advantage in uni, I'm simply thinking of 5 because I just can't narrow it down.

Also, people do say I should drop Sociology for Philosophy but I really enjoy Sociology and I don't want to give it up.

I'm speaking to my teachers on Tuesday, but I just wanted to know any opinions on taking 5 A Levels.

Thanks.

Hey, from personal experience, taking four was even to much for me. I also did gen studies and an epq which took a while, I ended up doing so-so in them all cos it was spread to thin, I had to re take just 3 the next year to get into uni.

Hope this might help.

Personally I'd drop one. Like you said yourself, it won't help getting into University. It's just putting additional pressure on yourself which may affect your top 3 grades. If you're interested in a subject you can always read a textbook in your spare time, lets face it you'd learn just as much that way without the pressure of exams

Have you thought about what you want to do at University? Perhaps that will help you to figure out which subject is least relevant.

I really wanted to take 5 AS levels at the beginning of the year, so I did:

French
English Literature
History
Maths

and I did Critical Thinking as an extra, which took up an extra four lessons a fortnight. Critical Thinking isn't that taxing as an AS level, but I can't imagine juggling my time if my fifth subject was one with a lot of essays etc., plus I'd have no free periods on my timetable!

In the situation I'm in now, it means that I can do extra-curriculars too, like Debating Society, Bar Mock Trials, Young Enterprise and Sixth Form Committee, which I think I simply would not have had the time for if I had taken a fifth proper subject.

My advice would be to think carefully about having an extra- do you think you can handle the workload? Would you rather have 4 good grades at AS or 5 so-so grades, on account of the fact you spread yourself too thinly.

There are plenty of other threads discussing 5 AS levels that you may want to go and check out, see what other people think.

Good luck!

Hi guys.

Basically, so far for my A Level choices, I have put:

-Physics
-Biology
-Sociology
-French

However, I was speaking to the Philosophy teacher today, and he's really got me interested in it. It's the sort of thing I think I would really enjoy, however I don't want to give up any of the choices I've chosen so far.

I know A Levels are so much hard work, I have considered that.

I also know it won't give me an advantage in uni, I'm simply thinking of 5 because I just can't narrow it down.

Also, people do say I should drop Sociology for Philosophy but I really enjoy Sociology and I don't want to give it up.

I'm speaking to my teachers on Tuesday, but I just wanted to know any opinions on taking 5 A Levels.

Thanks.

If you're main reasoning for doing 5 A-levels is you can't pick 4 then you should rethink your strategy.

I don't have any experience with Philosophy A-Level but I'm guessing it's seen similar to Sociology? Which is seen as a "light" A-Level in my school.

Generally, when people do 5 A-Levels it's because they are whizzkids who are doing maths, physics, chemistry, biology, further maths or whatever, so you have to ask yourself, is taking on another "soft" A-Level really going to help you in the long run. Remember that unis, when making offers, make them on the basis of 3 A2s (generally), so you could end up getting AABBB and not getting into a AAA course (i know it's stupid)

Edit: That AABBB would be AABBB at AS and like AABB at A2 btw

I'm doing 5 A-levels next year, and remember that if you are prepared to put the work in and actually pay attention to your teachers you'll sail through your exams and two years of sixth form
P.S Next year I'm doing Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and Psychology

Best to do 4 as reasons mentioned above.

Perhaps you could drop Phsyics or Biology? Because if you are interested in taking either of them at uni, for Phsyics you need maths (and I saw you say something along the lines of maths is too hard - majority of phsyics is maths I heard!) and Biology works better with Chemistry, as quite a few Biology-related courses want a Chemistry A-Level. Depends what you think you might do in the future, have a look around what courses you could be interested in.

I'd say go for it. I'm doing four A levels + EPQ, everyone but the guy that let me do it thinks I am absolutely insane. It's genuinely not hard, so long as you're pretty good at exams. The worst it gets is the odd time where you have an essay from every single subject and have to spend all your frees in the library. But please don't think I'm one of those uber-motivated Oxbridge types - I'm only doing it really because I didn't get an A in German in first year but loved it too much to drop it. Having an extra A level is no help whatsoever once you actually get your offers but for me it did get me into Uni and I love all but one of the subjects, so I don't regret doing it at all.
Good luck whatever you do.

if you take on too much work then your grades might suffer across the board. Even taking 4 seems like overkill if you ask me. I'd ditch one out of french and sociology, probably sociology as it's the least useful in real life if we're being perfectly honest.

Yeah, the grades is definitely more important so I probably will stick with 4. I am considering dropping Sociology the most out of all of them, it's just I really do enjoy it.

Ah I see your point. I have considered dropping Sociology, but I am already doing it for GCSE and I really enjoy it. However, I am still considering dropping it. Thanks for the advice.



Wow, you're taking really good A Levels, you must be amazingly smart!



I'll definitely start looking at course I'm interested in, and haha yeah, I struggle with Maths. I have spoken to my teacher about it though, and he's given me resources to look at so I can start preparing. That's very true with the Chemistry though, I may consider changing my Sciences.



Wow, glad to see it's been a good experience for you. I do prefer exams over coursework by a mile! Thanks for sharing.

No shame in starting with five and dropping one if it gets too much. That was my plan at the start (then I'd get my three As for UCAS and get to keep German = win/win), but then I found it was actually fine. Plue my timetable would have been so empty I'd have stayed in bed all the time doing just three haha

As somebody who did 5 AS levels, I can say that it's not too hard, so long as you're prepared to work a full (40-50 hour) week - presumably you want As come the end? I know someone who's doing 6 A2, but she works 60 hours a week, so it's not recommended for sane human beings.

I'd recommend you do 5 AS then drop the one you like the least for your A2 year.

I started off with 5 AS levels because I couldn't choose, with a view to dropping one a month or so in (which I did) you might find then that there's a more obvious choice of one you don't want to do (say you don't get along with the teacher or syllabus).

I see what you mean, and I'd definitely want 4 good grades. Thanks for the advice, I think I'm definitely just going to stick with 4.

By the way, I really admire you for taking Maths A Level, you must be so clever!

I'm doing 5 A-levels next year, and remember that if you are prepared to put the work in and actually pay attention to your teachers you'll sail through your exams and two years of sixth form
P.S Next year I'm doing Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths and Psychology