a-level biology without other sciences?

hi,

just thought i would ask some actual a-level students, since all those i know who study bio take maths/chem/psych. i've always really liked biology and really hoping for a* at gcse (triple sci). it was an obvious choice for me when choosing a-levels, but i'm worried it will be difficult to do well in if i'm doing no other stem subjects?

i'll be taking history, biology and art (or literature). i would ideally need aaa for university (for history), and i'm worried that if i would struggle in bio since most others seem to combine with another science/maths.

does having maths or another science actually put you at a significant advantage, or will i be fine as long as i put in lots of work?

thanks.

Reply 1

AspiringUnderdog

21

I don't actually study biology but from what I know biology is probably the second subject that most people taking only one STEM subject will pick with maths being first. I think that chemistry would help but really you don't need it. As long as you're willing to revise and work hard then all will be fine.

Reply 2

Gerry-Atricks

22

You dont really need it but it may be slightly helpful in general in a few parts, without it you could still do well,as you say with work.

Reply 3

Wolfram Alpha

20

Hi,
I take biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics, and I can assure you that biology is the one subject out of my other 3 subjects that doesn not oevrlap very much with them. I can't deny that physics and chemistry overlap and of course maths with both of them, but biology is a subject that can be studied in complete isolation. The maths involved in biology is not very advanced either, it's pretty much all just inserting numbers into formulas.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

username3167456

OP

2

Original post by AspiringUnderdog

I don't actually study biology but from what I know biology is probably the second subject that most people taking only one STEM subject will pick with maths being first. I think that chemistry would help but really you don't need it. As long as you're willing to revise and work hard then all will be fine.

ahhh, i've been told that about chemistry. i'm working hard to try and get an a/a* chemistry gcse but i really struggle with it in comparison and i don't enjoy it so i dont think it would be worth doing, but most people do seem to do them both :/

i'll just try my best with it and if its too much i can always change over to english or something

Reply 5

username3167456

OP

2

Original post by Wolfram Alpha

Hi,
I take biology, physics, chemistry and mathematics, and I can assure you that biology is the one subject out of my other 3 subjects that doesn not oevrlap very much with them. I can't deny that physics and chemistry overlap and of course maths with both of them, but biology is a subject that can be studied in complete isolation. The maths involved in biology is not very advanced either, it's pretty much all just inserting numbers into formulas.

thank you! that's really reassuring, i'm okay at maths so hopefully a decent gcse in maths would be enough to get through bio.

Reply 6

AspiringUnderdog

21

Original post by samwesttt

ahhh, i've been told that about chemistry. i'm working hard to try and get an a/a* chemistry gcse but i really struggle with it in comparison and i don't enjoy it so i dont think it would be worth doing, but most people do seem to do them both :/

i'll just try my best with it and if its too much i can always change over to english or something

Nah but I don't think that you need chemistry it's just people in my chemistry class who also take biology every now and again say that they covered a topic in chemistry too.
If you needed both subjects to succeed they would be one subject. People before have succeeded with biology being their only science and so can you!

Good luck in your GCSES. xx

Reply 7

TakingMyTimeOnMy

13

i do maths economics biology and Spanish for AS level and maybe I'll keep all four until A2. i haven't found the jump hard nor felt that not doing chemistry or something else has disadvantaged me. Also I have a friend who does history geography biology and Art. Although she is dropping biologyy she still has loved the combo despite the heavy content and workload. At the end of the day A levels are just what you make them out to be and also how much you work you put in so if you love bio, defo GO FOR IT. good luck for GCSE you will smash them x

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 8

Blue_Storm

1

Original post by samwesttt

hi,

just thought i would ask some actual a-level students, since all those i know who study bio take maths/chem/psych. i've always really liked biology and really hoping for a* at gcse (triple sci). it was an obvious choice for me when choosing a-levels, but i'm worried it will be difficult to do well in if i'm doing no other stem subjects?

i'll be taking history, biology and art (or literature). i would ideally need aaa for university (for history), and i'm worried that if i would struggle in bio since most others seem to combine with another science/maths.

does having maths or another science actually put you at a significant advantage, or will i be fine as long as i put in lots of work?

thanks.

Hi, lol i'm one of those people who does Maths and Chemistry aswell. But personally I loved bio before I started AS, don't like it now, currently at the end of A2. FYI the jump everyone will tell you about between AS and GCSE is 100% true, A level and AS biology are very different to GCSE. In my opinion A - level Biology is one of the hardest a levels there is, I find it very challenging since I struggle with memorising. Maths can help sometimes, like it's not necessary to do A - level maths but part of the course will include maths anyway. Imo the other sciences don't really help biology, maybe chemistry helps a little but barely.

Hope this helps and good luck!

a-level biology without other sciences?

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