do i need maths??

I want to do biochem or a life science degree and I got 5A at AS in chem/bio/law/bus/crit. Would doing maths AS next year help me a great deal getting into a good life sciences degree at a good uni or would the grades in chem/bio/law A2 be good enough. I've told my tutor I want to do it but looking through the stuff i really don't think I can only got a b in gcse and was never really well taught!

Reply 1

ChemistBoy

16

Maths is always useful in science and I would recommend that you do consider taking it to at least AS standard.

Reply 2

polarman

OP

ok it may be useful but is it essential? i really can't do basic algebra and everything i should have learned in the 2 year gcse course is now a distant memory and i wasn't taught it well at all! Also i feel the workload would really do me in but if I need it to study biochemistry or another life science at a good university i could try. On the otherhand if i could get away without it i would have a lot more spare time to study chem/bio/law and get AAA rather than AAB with b/c in AS maths. Ahhhh i have to decide by tommorow but looking through the maths books is scaring me i know next to nothing!

Reply 3

Jenii

15

Depends where youre applying. Oxbridge would like to see the maths wheras others would se the 5 As and think you must be fab anyway. It's worth looking through prospectus entries of whereryou're planning to apply and see if they asy you need it or if they prefer it. Some may say they prefer 3 maths/science A-Levels.

Biochemistry is a very popular subject and the AS Maths would defnitely boost you're chances.

Take it though only if:
a) You got A* at GCSE
b) You're confident you'd get above a C grade.

Reply 4

Tom H

9

Plus, if you can't do GCSE level maths, let alone A-Level, you're gonna struggle.

Reply 5

ForumFreak

9

It would help but as long as you have a good grade in biology and chemistry then it isn't necessary. I dont know about biochem but I got into biomed with a lot less than 5As. There is a lot of algebra in A level maths and it is a large workload. If I were you I'd try and find out more about the course then only do it if you really want to.

P.S If you choose to do it then I'd recomend the Statistics module as that goes well with Science degrees.

Reply 6

polarman

OP

i only got a b at gcse and found it hard should have but didn't do any cramming in the summer, I think im in for a nasty shock! Oh well I think I shold do it just to say i tried, can always drop it.....although it would mean going to college, 2 hours to get there for one lesson a day for 2 weeks?!

They do all their exams in june for maths AS so how will the uni's give me an offer based on it do they ever require AS or turn you down because of its result?

Reply 7

Tom H

9

They work off predicted grades, just like everything else. And yes, they can require AS grades.

For Biochem, more and more places are requiring maths at A-Level. And this isn't just because they can, but because it really is useful.

Reply 8

ragchez

If you want to do Maths at AS, go for it. It is not essential but places like Oxford list it as atleast "helpful" for a biochemistry degree.
Also, I got a B in GCSE maths, this was my worst grade. However, I decided after 5 weeks of my AS levels that i hated French, so I did maths instead. I ended up with an A in AS level maths, with a UMS of 270/300.
If you are commited and work hard, you can do maths.

Reply 9

john171

11

Ask yourself is it worth the work. Most universities do not state Maths is a requirement. In some cases, other subjects like A2 Physics will substitute the lack of Maths. Warwick is a good example.

Reply 10

khil

15

polarman

I want to do biochem or a life science degree and I got 5A at AS in chem/bio/law/bus/crit. Would doing maths AS next year help me a great deal getting into a good life sciences degree at a good uni or would the grades in chem/bio/law A2 be good enough. I've told my tutor I want to do it but looking through the stuff i really don't think I can only got a b in gcse and was never really well taught!

I got into 5 different biomedical science courses and my A-Levels were Art, Biology, Chemistry, with AS Eng Lit. My Maths GCSE is at grade B. My offers were from:
Bristol - for BSc Pharmacology - typical offer BBB
Nottingham - for MSci Neuroscience - low offer BBB
Manchester - for BSc Pharmacology - AAB
Leeds - for BSc Medical Sciences - typical offer BBB
Reading - for BSc Pathobiology - typical offer 300 points (equivalent of BBB or ABC)

With Bristol, Nottingham and Manchester being the top ones, of course.

So basically, no you don't need Maths. Not even to AS-Level. This is for Biomedical/Biological sciences though. If you're into Chemistry and Chem-orientated degrees, then yes, Maths would be good, as all Chemistry-related courses always require "Chemistry and one other science, preferrably Maths or Physics" - some would require Maths altogether. That is of the unis I looked at, of course, but I only looked at the top to respectable ones anyway.

Reply 11

vickyrkenya

2

Maths would be undoubtedly useful, especially the statistics (as the pure maths needed is often covered at basic level in A-level chemistry). Probably not definitely needed though.

do i need maths??

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