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Does anyone actually find a levels easy?

I think I'm in a pretty good position now although if I was still doing an essay subject like Economics i'd be shitting myself probably. Maths, bio and chem aren't too hard to prepare for

Reply 21

math42

20

Well to be honest I spent most of my English Lit lessons near the end playing CoD and didn't revise until the month of the exam, and in general didn't have to kill myself work-wise for any of it, and a similar story with physics (minus not paying attention in lessons), although the later parts of that were conceptually challenging. I found it easier to remember things than at GCSE due to the smaller amount of subjects, and I was aided I think by great resources. The bulk of my work was on Maths and Further Maths and I guess it was sort of easy to do, but "hard" work...i.e. I did lots and lots on it, but I never really found that tough.

Reply 22

Ayman!

15

They're time consuming, but not difficult.

Reply 23

Kevin De Bruyne

21

Original post by Lucasium

My high school English teacher said that A levels are far harder than degree because of the workload but of course she did an English degree so...

I can't comment about English degrees, but with Maths, well... the average amount of contact hours I've had is about 20 a week, and they say that you should expect to do around the same hours of independent study. Even though there's more teaching time per week at A-level than at uni, those teaching hours at uni can be pretty intense. If I have a bad day with a string of lectures (3 or 4 in a row) by the 3rd I lose concentration about halfway through, and for most lectures I can't concentrate for the last 5 minutes. It's just too demanding to follow everything that's going on, and when they refer to something that they've already gone over in that lecture it's not that easy to keep up.

And there are a few differences between uni and A-levels that makes it a bit more difficult:

There's no one textbook that has everything for you to follow.

If you google a question from an A-level textbook, chances are it's been asked somewhere before and you don't even have to ask the question yourself. At uni, you may be able to google the concept itself but you'll have to work out that question for yourself, unless you find a very similar example.

There aren't an abundance of past papers. There's usually 5 available and that's it. For physics here, there are even some units that just give you the numerical answer to a past paper question and not how you get to it.

Just like A-levels test more of your understanding than GCSE, uni tests you on it more than at A-levels.

But with all of that in mind, it's fair to say that GCSEs can be difficult when you're actually doing them, same with A-levels, uni etc but if you're doing it right then you're getting smarter all the time and you just have to work hard enough and it'll all be okay.

Reply 24

Min7

Original post by Shiv Loves Maths

I know majority of people find a levels incredibly difficult and stressful but has anyone actually glided through a levels?

Yes, enjoy studying. Plus know your English, vocab and gramma and know your subject.

Reply 25

username4563188

1

I'm only on my first year of A-levels and i'm doing Maths, further Maths and Physics so...yeah lol

Up until about a week ago, I hadn't done many of the homeworks I had been assigned and i'd done little to no revision so i was doing okay in exams. I got through GCSEs sleeping in lessons and not revising at all (literally zero revision) so revision is a completely new concept to me.I managed to do well enough in my GCSEs, though still bad relative to where i probably should have been.

I've missed a fifth of school this year because i keep getting the flu and I also dropped economics for physics a few months into the school year so i've done bad in my exams,

Since i've started revising though, i've noticed just how easy the content is. I literally just did the most revision i've done in my entire life. During the past two hours, i went over three of the six AS physics modules and my hand kills so i decided to take a break. Just need to do exam questions now.
So to sum it all up, i find them to be quite easy.
I really hate myself sometimes because i'm so lazy. My GCSEs went alright so even if i do really well in my A levels, i'm worried that the top russel groups won't accept me. Hoping to get into Oxbridge and if not, UCL or imperial. Sorry for going off topic. i'll stop now :smile:

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 26

username4563188

1

Original post by Shiv Loves Maths

I know majority of people find a levels incredibly difficult and stressful but has anyone actually glided through a levels?

I'm only on my first year of A-levels and i'm doing Maths, further Maths and Physics so...yeah lol
Up until about a week ago, I hadn't done many of the homeworks I had been assigned and i'd done little to no revision so i was doing okay in exams. I got through GCSEs sleeping in lessons and not revising at all (literally zero revision) so revision is a completely new concept to me.
I managed to do well enough in my GCSEs, though still bad relative to where i probably should have been.

I've missed a fifth of school this year because i keep getting the flu and I also dropped economics for physics a few months into the school year so i've done bad in my exams but since i've started revising, i've noticed just how easy the content is. I literally just did the most revision i've done in my entire life in the past two hours. went over three of the six AS physics modules and my hand kills so i decided to take a break. Just need to do exam questions now.
So to sum it all up (and i apologise if i come across arrogant or narcissistic at all), it's quite easy.
I really hate myself sometimes because i'm so lazy. My GCSEs went alright so even if i do really well in my A levels, i'm worried that the top russel groups won't accept me. Hoping to get into Oxbridge and if not, UCL or imperial.

Sorry for going off topic. i'll stop now :smile:

Reply 27

Coffee567

9

bundles of past papers, mark schemes examiners report, essay feedback, progress test, mock exam review.

But it is all worth it in the end if you make it to the other side. All it requires is effort, self discipline and determination

it’s not all about intelligence or how much you can recall.

Reply 28

Exceptional

21

Conceptually, I didn't find them hard, but the effort required to get good grades was quite significant at that stage in your academic career. Revising mark schemes, doing countless past papers and mastering exam technique were the long bits.

At uni, it's the opposite in my experience. The content is hard but the exam technique isn't. It's not as rigid.

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 29

san_cisco

17

honestly a levels are gcse's with more content. the concept is the same, at least, to me.

Loool

I chose subjects that were ridiculously easy for me: English (Lang and lit), Spanish (I am Spanish), and Music (I have been classically trained). It was about 100000000000 easier than GCSE for me. I don’t want to come off as a show off but yeah choosing easy A levels really helped..... I have 3As and I’m going to study my passion subject Music in a top uni. So my advice is choose the absolute easiest A levels for you if they meet the requirements for your uni course. Don’t be tricked into thinking Unis value English and Science and Maths more they don’t. They just wanna see As 👍

Reply 32

CatInTheCorner

19

Original post by LightingMN7

I chose subjects that were ridiculously easy for me: English (Lang and lit), Spanish (I am Spanish), and Music (I have been classically trained). It was about 100000000000 easier than GCSE for me. I don’t want to come off as a show off but yeah choosing easy A levels really helped..... I have 3As and I’m going to study my passion subject Music in a top uni. So my advice is choose the absolute easiest A levels for you if they meet the requirements for your uni course. Don’t be tricked into thinking Unis value English and Science and Maths more they don’t. They just wanna see As 👍

Why does this thread keep getting bumped every half century

Does anyone actually find a levels easy?

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