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Should I take a gap year?

Hi guys, I'm meant to apply for uni this autumn but I'm thinking of taking a gap year to do a level biology and apply for medicine. I already do chemistry at the moment. I know you can apply without biology but I want to do biology because I think I'll struggle without it. Anybody done this before? Was your uni ok with it? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Reply 1

999tigger

Original post by bxso

You should be aware that the vast majority of medical schools require he A levels you are asking to be considered to meet the entrance criteria to have been sat in a two year window. Hopefully you have three or more existing A levels which already meet the grade.

Reply 2

MonteCristo

Why would you need a gap year to study A-level biology? Buy a revision guide, read it, and then sit the exams. I went the other way and did AS-level chemistry while studying biology as an undergraduate. It took two days in the library with revision books and past papers to score an "A". I'd be surprised if A-level biology took much effort now that you are so much more used to studying and sitting exams.

The only potential difficulty comes if the exam board you are sitting with require a practical assessment. My former school allowed me back to sit the practical components but a local college could presumably fulfil the same role.

Your university don't have to know or be involved.

Reply 3

4120Wallflower

Oh this.. yeah you needn't worry about a knowledge gap. It sometimes clouds the teaching because you're re teaching the a level content but in more depth, so sometimes they even prefer you to not take it. As long as you read a few books and know the basics.. like GCSE basic as well as how to apply concepts then you're good to go - don't waste another year unless it's absolutely necessary.