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WJEC A2 Biology - BY4 (8th June 2015)

With the Summer exams in the not to distant future, I thought this thread would be useful for discussion, revision tips and general help with the WJEC BY4 biology exam.

The Exam: Monday 8th June 2015 (afternoon - 1/1.30pm)
Duration: 1h 45m

Specification: http://www.wjec.co.uk/uploads/publications/GCE%20Biology%20Spec%202009%20onwards%20(31-03-14).pdf?language_id=1

WJEC Website: http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/biology/biology-gce/#qualSearch

Maybe we can start off this thread with what you got last year, grades and UMS in each exam, and what you want to achieve this year.

Good Luck!!

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Reply 1
I shall start...

Last Year I achieved and A overall (288/300 UMS - 96%)
BY1 - 118/120 UMS - 98%
BY2 - 110/120 UMS - 92%
BY3 - 60/60 UMS - 100%

This year I am predicted and aiming for an A* in biology.
My biology results from last year:

BY1 - 89/120 UMS (74%)
BY2 - 120/120 UMS (100%)
BY3 - 60/60 (100%)
Overall performance: 269/300 UMS (90%)

I'm applying in September for a 2016 entry so I don't really have any predicted grades/references yet. I'm aiming for an A* with as high a UMS score as possible (Cambridge hopeful :colondollar:).

Original post by Natalierm2707
I shall start...

Last Year I achieved and A overall (288/300 UMS - 96%)
BY1 - 118/120 UMS - 98%
BY2 - 110/120 UMS - 92%
BY3 - 60/60 UMS - 100%

This year I am predicted and aiming for an A* in biology.


Those are some seriously exemplary results. :biggrin: Congratulations on doing so well, particularly on BY1 which, I always thought, would be the easy one. :/
Reply 3
Original post by Hydeman
My biology results from last year:

BY1 - 89/120 UMS (74%)
BY2 - 120/120 UMS (100%)
BY3 - 60/60 (100%)
Overall performance: 269/300 UMS (90%)

I'm applying in September for a 2016 entry so I don't really have any predicted grades/references yet. I'm aiming for an A* with as high a UMS score as possible (Cambridge hopeful :colondollar:).



Those are some seriously exemplary results. :biggrin: Congratulations on doing so well, particularly on BY1 which, I always thought, would be the easy one. :/


Thanks, and hey don't knock your results, they are really good, you will definitely be on target for that A*, what are you applying for at cambridge if you dont mind me asking??
Original post by Natalierm2707
Thanks, and hey don't knock your results, they are really good, you will definitely be on target for that A*, what are you applying for at cambridge if you dont mind me asking??


I'm hoping to read natural sciences. I'm still not decided over whether I should go for physical or biological natural sciences. It seems a little silly to me, having done some research on the Cambridge natural sciences course, that we're expected to apply to a specific one and then essentially get a free choice of physical, mathematical and biological modules in the first year regardless of what we applied for in the first place.

I might just go for biological because, after years of denying it, I've come to the conclusion that I'm just better at biology than I am at physics. I enjoy physics but my exam performance in that subject is wanting, to say the least.

What are you applying for? Or what have you already applied for, assuming you're not taking a gap year?
Reply 5
Original post by Hydeman
I'm hoping to read natural sciences. I'm still not decided over whether I should go for physical or biological natural sciences. It seems a little silly to me, having done some research on the Cambridge natural sciences course, that we're expected to apply to a specific one and then essentially get a free choice of physical, mathematical and biological modules in the first year regardless of what we applied for in the first place.

I might just go for biological because, after years of denying it, I've come to the conclusion that I'm just better at biology than I am at physics. I enjoy physics but my exam performance in that subject is wanting, to say the least.

What are you applying for? Or what have you already applied for, assuming you're not taking a gap year?


Good luck with natural sciences, I have some friends who applied and got in for NatSciPsy.

I have applied this year for medicine, but its not going well, Ive had 2 rejections, one interview and nothing from one, so I am most likely (unless I get an offer from cardiff where i was interviewed) taking a gap year.
Original post by Natalierm2707
Good luck with natural sciences, I have some friends who applied and got in for NatSciPsy.

I have applied this year for medicine, but its not going well, Ive had 2 rejections, one interview and nothing from one, so I am most likely (unless I get an offer from cardiff where i was interviewed) taking a gap year.


I hope it works out for you. :frown: It'd be a real shame if you had to take a gap year because of that. I live in Cardiff and some of my friends have applied there. Funnily enough, none of them have had interviews (at least the ones I know) despite the admissions people telling us that anyone with nine A*s or more at GCSE is automatically shortlisted for an interview. So you're doing better than most in that area. :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by Hydeman
I hope it works out for you. :frown: It'd be a real shame if you had to take a gap year because of that. I live in Cardiff and some of my friends have applied there. Funnily enough, none of them have had interviews (at least the ones I know) despite the admissions people telling us that anyone with nine A*s or more at GCSE is automatically shortlisted for an interview. So you're doing better than most in that area. :smile:


Yes thats true, anyone above the cut off (usually at the highest 8A* at GCSE) gets an interview no matter what but there is still time, so dont let them worry to much.

and thanks, but if it doesnt happen this year I shall just learn from my mistakes and try again.
Reply 8
Any of you guys struggling on any topics??

I on my mock didn't do too well with photosynthesis and I'm also really struggling with synoptic questions. anyone got a list of things to revise from last year that could come up as synoptic questions that relate to this years topic, don't really want to revise the whole of last years stuff too.


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I've finally started some revision and have been doing the ATP topic- however, I've noticed that in some places 'pyruvic acid' and 'pyruvate' have been used as if they're interchangeable, but googling it, pyruvate is only the output of glycolysis when there is no oxygen (I.e anaerobic respiration). Any help? 😜
Reply 10
My results last year were:

BY1: A - 106/120 (88%)

BY2: A - 101/120 (84%)

BY3: A - 50/60 (83%)

Overall: A - 257/300 (86%)

I'm aiming for at least an A this year.
Original post by Phoebe♥
I've finally started some revision and have been doing the ATP topic- however, I've noticed that in some places 'pyruvic acid' and 'pyruvate' have been used as if they're interchangeable, but googling it, pyruvate is only the output of glycolysis when there is no oxygen (I.e anaerobic respiration). Any help? ������


Pyruvic acid is CH₃COCOOH
Pyruvate is
CH₃COCOO−

So basically, pyruvate is just the salt form of the acid. I think they are interchangeable because the hydrogen is easily removed.
Reply 12
Woah. We don't need to know the chemical formulas for Pyruvate do we?
As far as topics go, I love the kidney and nervous system, and hate factors controlling population size-'it's too vague for my liking


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Reply 13
Oh wait, kidney is BY5. My bad.


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Reply 14
Original post by crawfy
Oh wait, kidney is BY5. My bad.


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Topics in BY4:
Respiration
Photosynthesis
Plant responses
Population
Microbiology
The kidneys
The nervous system

Topics In BY5:
DNA & Protein synthesis
Mutations
Genetic engineering
Cloning
Sexual reproduction in animals
Sexual reproduction in plants
Ecology

Hope this helps



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Reply 15
Original post by Asfoi
By plant responses, you mean photoperiodism right? How are you feeling about BY4 btw? :smile:


Yep photoperiodism!! We just call it plant responses at college for some reason!!

I'm feeling ok at the moment for BY4!! Need to do more revision but it could be much worse!!

Feeling much more confident for BY5. Luckily biology is my last worry as I did really well last year and I feel my coursework went well so I think I will be ok!!

How are you feeling about BY4?? In general my worst topics are probably photosynthesis and respiration just because I find them really dull


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Reply 16
Original post by Asfoi
Ah fair enough. That's good that you nailed AS puts some pressure off for A2! I'm a retake student so I'm only retaking BY4 exam as I messed up my coursework which brought my grade down. I'm retaking BY4 and BY6. Hopefully aiming for an A*! I quite enjoy BY4 due to the human biology involved in it. Have you finished all the past papers? I've got one left :redface:


Not even started the past papers I leave them until last


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Reply 17
This is probably a long shot, but does anyone have any online resources they use for revision? I do past papers and my own revision notes/mind maps/diagrams, but I've got to the point where the information is so boring and I want to refresh my interest in the content to make me more productive. Any quizzes or similar?


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Reply 18
Original post by crawfy
This is probably a long shot, but does anyone have any online resources they use for revision? I do past papers and my own revision notes/mind maps/diagrams, but I've got to the point where the information is so boring and I want to refresh my interest in the content to make me more productive. Any quizzes or similar?


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I usually go to youtube and watch videos about the topics, i also have an anatomy book which is great for the nervous system and the kidneys as well as most of BY5, it is expensive the book (i got it as i was interested in medicine) but you can find books in libraries to get info from a different source.


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can someone clarify how many ATP molecules are produced by per glucose?
in the book it says 32
but all other sources say 38, from PhD's in biology...

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