Advice on next year's A2 options?

Hey guys,

I'm currently in Year 12 in the middle of my AS exams. I do AS Maths, Physics, Computing and History. I want to do Computer Science at a good, preferably Russell Group, university. But I need advice to make sure my application later this year fits well! I'm predicted 4 As this summer so hopefully I won't be restricted by grades.

Should I either:
1) Carry on to do A2 Maths, Physics, History and Computing (even though History isn't as relevant to my future plans)?

2) Drop History for an AS, pick up AS Further Maths whilst doing A2 Maths, Physics and Computing? (To show my passion for Maths and lighten the workload instead of 4 A2s).

3) Drop History for an AS, do an EPQ relevant to Computer Science whilst doing A2 Maths, Physics and Computing? (As the EPQ would be submitted by October giving me time to concentrate on 3 A2s).

OR

4) Drop History for an AS and carry on to do 3 A2s in Maths, Physics and Computing?

Any ideas? All advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

CD223

Reply 1

Jkizer

16

What sort of univeristies? If your gcse's are high enough/able and willing to go to those big end uni's, i'll go with option 2 otherwise ill go with 3 or 4

Reply 2

CD223

OP

10

Original post by Jkizer

What sort of univeristies? If your gcse's are high enough/able and willing to go to those big end uni's, i'll go with option 2 otherwise ill go with 3 or 4

Thanks for your prompt reply!

Well I'm thinking of applying to Bath, Bristol, and Southampton for a BSc in Computer Science... Oxford and Cambridge I haven't ruled out but I am a bit daunted by the heavy 8 week terms! Not too sure of a 5th option as teachers say I need a "safe" option... So hard to know what that is!

I got 13 A*s at GCSE, which I was ecstatic with obviously, but I do feel teachers put pressure on me because of it which doesn't do any good!

Would you say unis were indifferent when looking at someone with 4 A2s or 3 A2s and an 2 AS levels?

Posted from TSR Mobile

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

Jkizer

16

Original post by CD223

Thanks for your prompt reply!

Well I'm thinking of applying to Bath, Bristol, and Southampton for a BSc in Computer Science... Oxford and Cambridge I haven't ruled out but I am a bit daunted by the heavy 8 week terms! Not too sure of a 5th option as teachers say I need a "safe" option... So hard to know what that is!

I got 13 A*s at GCSE, which I was ecstatic with obviously, but I do feel teachers put pressure on me because of it which doesn't do any good!

Would you say unis were indifferent when looking at someone with 4 A2s or 3 A2s and an 2 AS levels?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Meh not really. If your interested in Oxbridge, may be worthy to looking at AS further (Cambridge ask a lot of logical sort of q's in their interviews).

If you decide against it though, then Bath, bristol and S'oton are still really good places for CS (just got to google 'ecs')

Reply 4

CD223

OP

10

Original post by Jkizer

Meh not really. If your interested in Oxbridge, may be worthy to looking at AS further (Cambridge ask a lot of logical sort of q's in their interviews).

If you decide against it though, then Bath, bristol and S'oton are still really good places for CS (just got to google 'ecs')

Thank you

I'm fairly sure on dropping History for an AS as I don't think spending time on something that isn't directly relevant to me is sensible at A2 level!

Bath, Bristol and Southampton are pretty much guaranteed to be on my application as I love the look of all of them and they're not too far a stone's throw away from where I am based now. I'm doing summer schools at Oxford and Cambridge this summer so hopefully that'll give me a better picture.

Just out of interest, what are you hoping to do/doing after college? :smile:

Reply 5

Jkizer

16

Original post by CD223

Thank you

I'm fairly sure on dropping History for an AS as I don't think spending time on something that isn't directly relevant to me is sensible at A2 level!

Bath, Bristol and Southampton are pretty much guaranteed to be on my application as I love the look of all of them and they're not too far a stone's throw away from where I am based now. I'm doing summer schools at Oxford and Cambridge this summer so hopefully that'll give me a better picture.

Just out of interest, what are you hoping to do/doing after college? :smile:

Off to S'oton to do Economics. During Y11, was thinking of computing/it, but realised after 2 weeks in AS computing, that i'm utter crap at it.

Southampton is beast for computer science according to 2 of my classmates, one of them even rejected a Cambridge offer for it :tongue:

(though its probably more to do with the A*A*AA offer!)

Reply 6

CD223

OP

10

Original post by Jkizer

Off to S'oton to do Economics. During Y11, was thinking of computing/it, but realised after 2 weeks in AS computing, that i'm utter crap at it.

Southampton is beast for computer science according to 2 of my classmates, one of them even rejected a Cambridge offer for it :tongue:

(though its probably more to do with the A*A*AA offer!)

Yeah I think, being realistic, although my GCSEs went well I wouldn't be up to the work load at Oxbridge.

Well done for getting into Southampton! Wow, that's impressive! Southampton looks really good. What A levels are you doing? :smile:

I'll be attending the open day later in June so I look forward to seeing what it's like!