The Student Room Group
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

Is Geology worth taking at A-level?

Picking A-levels in February and Geology is an option. I've done well so far at GCSE in the subject and the subject teacher recommends I take it at A-level, but just wish to know if it is interesting and if it is a facilitating subject when it comes to Uni.


Posted from TSR Mobile
Hi, what are you thinking of studying at university, and what other A Level subjects are you considering?

I did A Level Geology, and I highly recommend it. It's useful if you would like to study geology or a related subject at university, especially when combined with the more traditional science subjects like Physics and Chemistry (although I didn't take any of them). I found Geology really interesting, so I think it's worth taking at A Level if you're already doing well in it. But again, it depends on what you'd like to do afterwards. Geology isn't considered to be a facilitating subject, but if you combine it with subjects which are, like maths and the sciences, then you'll have more choice when it comes to university courses :smile:
It depends really on what interests you with Geology. Each year is split into large sections (for my exam board atleast) with the first year being tectonics and rocks (e.g. types of rocks and environments of deposition) then in the second year is sort of like applied geology (e.g. mining, water resources and engineering geology) and fossils/past environments. If one of those you don't like it can be a bit hard, I don't like the fossils part much which I am currently doing since there are so many types and there are so many key terms you need to learn for each.

As said above it depends on what you are going to do later on as well. I was interested in a geology degree at the start of the year but now applying for civil engineering which geology helps a lot with in the applied geology section.

I was interested in the A level because in geography I loved the physical side of it which geology puts more detail into and then more.

It does open a lot of routes for later careers which it can relate to. People in my class are going on into a range of things at uni including other types of engineering and some in english or humanities, about three in my class are going to do geology at degree. One about it is that not many do it (there's only one class in my current year and then 2 in the year below in my 6th form) so you will get better teaching since there's more attention to you and also less in workshops etc.
(edited 8 years ago)
no do not take geology i got a d in 2004
Original post by erika foster
no do not take geology i got a d in 2004


Why's that a reason they shouldn't take it?
Original post by Vikingninja
Why's that a reason they shouldn't take it?


i meant that when i got my a levels in 2004 i got a d my lowest grade now thats me personally but i thought it was ****ing hard and very boring, i know thats a long time ago that i did a levels but i should have said its a hard boring subject now everyone might not agree but i remember most my classmates hated it
Original post by erika foster
i meant that when i got my a levels in 2004 i got a d my lowest grade now thats me personally but i thought it was ****ing hard and very boring, i know thats a long time ago that i did a levels but i should have said its a hard boring subject now everyone might not agree but i remember most my classmates hated it


It depends on the person, I've loved the entirety of it apart from fossils which I just find tedious. At my 6th form in the AS year it was one of two subjects that had 100% pass rate (other taught by the same teacher).
Original post by Vikingninja
It depends on the person, I've loved the entirety of it apart from fossils which I just find tedious. At my 6th form in the AS year it was one of two subjects that had 100% pass rate (other taught by the same teacher).


what year did you finish your a levels and where did you go, i finished a levels in 2004 born july 1986 and went to colchester sixth form college, i think i just disliked it but i excelled at ict business studies and history
Original post by erika foster
what year did you finish your a levels and where did you go, i finished a levels in 2004 born july 1986 and went to colchester sixth form college, i think i just disliked it but i excelled at ict business studies and history


I'm currently still doing it.
Original post by Vikingninja
I'm currently still doing it.


that makes me old being a levels seem a long time ago maybe i am too old for tsr
Original post by Nurne
Picking A-levels in February and Geology is an option. I've done well so far at GCSE in the subject and the subject teacher recommends I take it at A-level, but just wish to know if it is interesting and if it is a facilitating subject when it comes to Uni.

Posted from TSR Mobile


If you enjoy Geology then by all means take it as a third or fourth A Level. Geology is not a traditional facilitating subject although it is still accepted as a science by a lot of universities. It's worth mentioning that you do not need Geology A Level to study Geology at University - Maths and Physics/Chemistry would probably be preferable. So yes, take Geology if you're interested in it and enjoy it but it wouldn't be as well regarded as, say, Chemistry or Maths - which doesn't mean you shouldn't take it, but just bear that in mind.
Reply 11
Avatar for Nurne
Nurne
OP
2
Thanks for all the replies, I was thinking of taking it as a fourth subject along with Maths (Pre-U), Chemistry (Edexcel) and Biology (Edexcel)


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Nurne
Thanks for all the replies, I was thinking of taking it as a fourth subject along with Maths (Pre-U), Chemistry (Edexcel) and Biology (Edexcel)


Posted from TSR Mobile


That sounds like a good plan :smile:

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you