The Advanced Extension Award (AEA) Thread

How many AEAs are Ox-2005 people taking? I'm trying to decide between taking English and French or English, French and History.

Would three be too many? Does Oxford give any credence to them at all?

Reply 1

ad_infinitum87

1

What's an AEA :confused:

?

-Becs

Reply 2

~Sam~

15

ad_infinitum87

What's an AEA :confused:

?

-Becs

Advanced Extention Award. Basically just another exam based on your A Level syllabus but harder. Most schools (like mine) don't offer them so I would think it would be unfair if Oxford put a lot of emphasis on them

Reply 3

chloe_sh

OP

ad_infinitum87

What's an AEA :confused:

?

-Becs

Advanced Extension Award, supposed to extend and test the top 10% of candidates.

Reply 4

chloe_sh

OP

deianra

School won't let me do any - I wanted to take AEA Economics and AEA Maths or STEP I (applying for Economics and Management). Official school view is that if you apply without AEAs, it does not disadvantage you in any way, thus pointless to take them.

Am now arranging to do them at one of the independent schools in the local area, but nothing confirmed. Grr.

That's evil! :eek:

Don't they realise that AEAs are actually more fun than normal work...?

Reply 5

Grifter

Chloe_sh

Does Oxford give any credence to them at all?

how can they, as your application is submitted, and their offer given, before you have taken them? seems like a waste of time to me.

Reply 6

chloe_sh

OP

Grifter

how can they, as your application is submitted, and their offer given, before you have taken them? seems like a waste of time to me.

It's not a waste of time, because aside from possibly aiding applications they're interesting and far less mechanical than A-Levels. I take it you're not doing any then...?

Reply 7

~Sam~

15

chloe_sh

It's not a waste of time, because aside from possibly aiding applications they're interesting and far less mechanical than A-Levels. I take it you're not doing any then...?

I don't think they're a waste of time, but I think it would be unfair if they were part of the selection process as most people don't get a chance to take them.

Reply 8

chloe_sh

OP

~Sam~

I don't think they're a waste of time, but I think it would be unfair if they were part of the selection process as most people don't get a chance to take them.

They certainly don't give offers which include AEAs (unlike Cam!) but I thought it might strengthen one's overall profile to have 2 or 3... which is really my point. To do two or three?!?

Reply 9

~Sam~

15

chloe_sh

They certainly don't give offers which include AEAs (unlike Cam!) but I thought it might strengthen one's overall profile to have 2 or 3... which is really my point. To do two or three?!?

Well, it certainly won't do any harm to have them. But I still think it would be unfair to use them to distinguish between people. I don't know how much work they entail, but if you think you can cope with three then by all means go for it. They won't be included in an offer so there won't be masses of pressure on you to do well, so you can just try to enjoy them!

Reply 10

chloe_sh

OP

~Sam~

Well, it certainly won't do any harm to have them. But I still think it would be unfair to use them to distinguish between people. I don't know how much work they entail, but if you think you can cope with three then by all means go for it. They won't be included in an offer so there won't be masses of pressure on you to do well, so you can just try to enjoy them!

No work.

I have a weekly class for English, but it's rather rubbish. And nothing at all for History/French.

Reply 11

chloe_sh

OP

deianra

You might as well do three, since you're clearly good enough to do all of them (I've been following your posts for a bit :redface:

). But to be honest, I don't think it matters whether you're doing two or three - either way, it's all good.

Scary stalker... *hides* Lol, seriously, thanks for the advice! I haven't spoken to my history teacher yet but I'm sure he'll agree - one of those easy-to-manage men. Good luck with E+M! :smile:

Reply 12

EconLou

12

For those who say there is no point, I would say they are worth it. Firstly, there is the experience and taking an exam at a higher level will help you prepare for uni ect. But also, more importantly if you miss your grades by 1 grade having an Merit or Dist. in an AEA will give you a greater change of still being offered your place, it's no guarentee but if quite a few miss the grades then having an AEA will put you at an advantage.

Reply 13

Alexander

12

chloe_sh

No work.

I have a weekly class for English, but it's rather rubbish. And nothing at all for History/French.

Do all three then -- they are scheduled after the A-level exams, so it sitting them won't interfere with your revision.

Reply 14

Unregistered

chloe_sh

How many AEAs are Ox-2005 people taking? I'm trying to decide between taking English and French or English, French and History.

Would three be too many? Does Oxford give any credence to them at all?

Dont bother. Spend you time doing something non-academic and you'll get a better balanced ps and have some fun at the same time. Seriuosly, I reall dont think oxbridge care about AEAs.

Reply 15

ThePants999

14

Sit them. The whole idea of an AEA is that it requires no extra work - it just tests you to a greater depth on what you've already learned. So for the total cost of three hours each, you get some nice unusual qualifications - and personally, my AEA Economics was the first exam I ever enjoyed sitting.

Incidentally, because they require no extra teaching - just the cost of one extra exam entry - schools are nothing short of negligent if they refuse to let you sit them. Good Lord, my college let me sit A-level and AEA Economics - and they don't even teach Economics at all! I hate pointlessly restrictive schools.

Reply 16

Elles

17

boris

Dont bother. Spend you time doing something non-academic and you'll get a better balanced ps and have some fun at the same time. Seriuosly, I reall dont think oxbridge care about AEAs.

i'd be inclined to agree to an extent. & the thing with AEAs is that they are hard to predict.. straight A students fail them, A level top 5 students don't get distinctions (ok, i only know 1 example here, but..lol) so i don't think you'd get kudos for merely stating that you're entering it.

so if the ATs who deal with you see them as important then they'll make them part of your offer (i know of someone who had that) which would make things very pressurised.. :eek:

& Alexander's point seems valid.. but back in the day when i did them & perhaps due to the subjects i did, there was timetabling overlap with my crucial A2 subjects & the fact i would have had 2 AEAs on the same day, the day before chemistry (the key subject for my course!).. so i only ended up doing 1 - but didn't even put it on my UCAS in the first place.

the arguments about being enriching & less mechanical than A level or being used as a bargianing tool if you slip the grade etc. don't require them to be put on the UCAS & i doubt right now they'd be of any help in securing a place.

Reply 17

Golden Maverick

4

Louise_1988

For those who say there is no point, I would say they are worth it. Firstly, there is the experience and taking an exam at a higher level will help you prepare for uni ect. But also, more importantly if you miss your grades by 1 grade having an Merit or Dist. in an AEA will give you a greater change of still being offered your place, it's no guarentee but if quite a few miss the grades then having an AEA will put you at an advantage.

If you get a merit / distinction in an AEA there is no way you should miss a grade - if you do perhaps you have spent too much time worrying about the AEA?
Oxford does not give offers based on them, and as entry to them is not restricted the fact you are entering will not change their decision. But if you want to push yourself and don't mind having exams when no-one else does, go for it.