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chemistry A level?

hey! I am interested in doing biology, chemistry, English literature and maths for A level, but I am worried about taking these four very academic subjects, especially chemistry which I have heard is really difficult! Is it as challenging as I have heard??x

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Original post by nstitt2910
hey! I am interested in doing biology, chemistry, English literature and maths for A level, but I am worried about taking these four very academic subjects, especially chemistry which I have heard is really difficult! Is it as challenging as I have heard??x


If your maths is secure (in particular applying formulae to questions) then you should be fine. How do you find moles-related questions at GCSE?
Reply 2
Original post by TheMindGarage
If your maths is secure (in particular applying formulae to questions) then you should be fine. How do you find moles-related questions at GCSE?


I find them relatively easy xx
Original post by nstitt2910
I find them relatively easy xx


Then you should be fine. I'm currently a year 12 doing Chemistry, and so far the only thing that's really more difficult maths-wise is that some questions have a few more steps to them.
Reply 4
I started out doing Chemistry a A-level. I dropped it because the workload was immense and it was negatively affecting my other subjects. Part of it was because the content was harder for me to understand than at GCSE, as I am very much excellent at applied subjects (Maths and Physics, CompSci too). However, the main reason is I didn't put in the effort at the start of the year and had a breakdown when the workload was suddenly dumped on me and I couldn't cope as I hadn't been working throughout the year.

If you're to take the 4 subjects, do so! If you work from the beginning and work hard, you will reap the VAST rewards of studying these specific subjects as well as studying 4 subjects in general. However, if you're worried about the workload, I would honestly say drop English Literature, or Biology at a push. Maths and Chemistry are extremely hard subjects for most, and so they're looked upon very favourably. Biology is also looked upon favourably, and obviously studying Bio/Chem/Maths opens up the gateway to medicine and other well rewarding degrees.

It all comes down to what you want to do at the end of the day. If you work hard and stick to your guns, you will surely do very well at A-Level. Good luck! :smile:
i am currently doing my A2 and according to me AS chemistry is quite easy but you have to struggle a bit with A2!!
but its really fun if you are interested and dedicated.:h:
You have to dedicate a lot of time to Chemistry and the only way you will do well is if u do every single past exam paper. Basically if you memorise the mark scheme you’ll be fine.
Reply 7
Original post by nstitt2910
hey! I am interested in doing biology, chemistry, English literature and maths for A level, but I am worried about taking these four very academic subjects, especially chemistry which I have heard is really difficult! Is it as challenging as I have heard??x


Hiya! I did Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Music for A level. 4 subjects is really hard no matter what combination of subjects you do. Do you have any idea of what career you want to go into? I'm a first year medical student so chemistry and biology were important for me. I nearly dropped maths and in retrospect maybe I should have because I definitely had to stretch myself but I'm glad I did it for sure, I got through it! Chemistry is tricky, notoriously so, but I always found it was not the concepts that were always hard but more the exam papers and actually applying it. Do you enjoy chemistry? If you do, stick with it, I found it very interesting!
Hey, I do all four of those subjects and I’m in Year 12. All I can say is that if you want to take these subjects, and do well in them, you need to be very dedicated and strategic with your time. If you’d like to talk more, send me a PM. I’d love to write more but I have my chemistry mock tomorrow. :smile:
Reply 9
Original post by JVR12
I started out doing Chemistry a A-level. I dropped it because the workload was immense and it was negatively affecting my other subjects. Part of it was because the content was harder for me to understand than at GCSE, as I am very much excellent at applied subjects (Maths and Physics, CompSci too). However, the main reason is I didn't put in the effort at the start of the year and had a breakdown when the workload was suddenly dumped on me and I couldn't cope as I hadn't been working throughout the year.

If you're to take the 4 subjects, do so! If you work from the beginning and work hard, you will reap the VAST rewards of studying these specific subjects as well as studying 4 subjects in general. However, if you're worried about the workload, I would honestly say drop English Literature, or Biology at a push. Maths and Chemistry are extremely hard subjects for most, and so they're looked upon very favourably. Biology is also looked upon favourably, and obviously studying Bio/Chem/Maths opens up the gateway to medicine and other well rewarding degrees.

It all comes down to what you want to do at the end of the day. If you work hard and stick to your guns, you will surely do very well at A-Level. Good luck! :smile:



thanks so much for your advice!! xx
Reply 10
Original post by nstitt2910
thanks so much for your advice!! xx


No problem, glad I could help!
I self taught the AS Course during Y11 and the first part of Y12 because Chemistry is a passion of mine, and from an AS perspective, Chemistry is as hard as you make it to be, if you're actually consistent with your work, have a genuine passion for Chemistry and an appreciation for the Sciences, the workload will not be as heavy as everyone has exaggerated it to be.

A2 Chemistry however, is much tougher than the AS course, and requires a lot more application, a new load of theory, and flips perspective on everything you've learnt at AS, the thing about A Levels in general that will make the difference between success and failure, especially in the Sciences and Maths, is adaptation, and thinking on your feet, problem solving is an essential part of these A Levels, developing that skill alone will mean once you've learnt theory, and practiced a lot of questions, you will know the style, you will know how to elaborate, and you won't have to ever worry about it again.

I'd suggest taking it if you actually enjoy Chemistry, as people who I know who drop Chemistry because of the 'workload' simply didn't have enough of an appreciation for it, by genuinely enjoying and having a passion for, Chemistry, you will never be in despair about working.
Original post by Discombobulated5
You have to dedicate a lot of time to Chemistry and the only way you will do well is if u do every single past exam paper. Basically if you memorise the mark scheme you’ll be fine.


Or you could actually shock horror- attempt to understand the subject.
Reply 13
Original post by AryanGh
I self taught the AS Course during Y11 and the first part of Y12 because Chemistry is a passion of mine, and from an AS perspective, Chemistry is as hard as you make it to be, if you're actually consistent with your work, have a genuine passion for Chemistry and an appreciation for the Sciences, the workload will not be as heavy as everyone has exaggerated it to be.

A2 Chemistry however, is much tougher than the AS course, and requires a lot more application, a new load of theory, and flips perspective on everything you've learnt at AS, the thing about A Levels in general that will make the difference between success and failure, especially in the Sciences and Maths, is adaptation, and thinking on your feet, problem solving is an essential part of these A Levels, developing that skill alone will mean once you've learnt theory, and practiced a lot of questions, you will know the style, you will know how to elaborate, and you won't have to ever worry about it again.

I'd suggest taking it if you actually enjoy Chemistry, as people who I know who drop Chemistry because of the 'workload' simply didn't have enough of an appreciation for it, by genuinely enjoying and having a passion for, Chemistry, you will never be in despair about working.


thanks so much for your advice! I do really enjoy chemistry, but get quite stressed when I don't understand certain topics. Hopefully if I work hard I will be fine :smile:
Hey I take English literature, Biology and chemistry at A2. These subjects are difficult. I really wouldn't advise you to take 4 with this combination, in fact I struggle to understand why any one would actually do 4 anyway. Universities will regard A*A*A* better than A*AAB if you do 4. Think carefully if you want to take on 4 subjects as even 3 is pretty difficult :smile:
Its doable. I know a guy who was doing those a levels but dropped in english a couple of weeks ago though.
There is really no good reason to take four subjects if two of them aren't Maths and Further Maths. Any other combination is considerably more work for much less return - in your case, what does English add to your prospects? Universities don't care if you take a mixed portfolio in general - there are maybe a handful of courses where it might be deemed at best "potentially useful" - and English is only a required prerequisite to study English Literature normally. You could just as easily and successfully apply to Law or Economics or even potentially something much closer to it such as Classics or Philosophy without English.

Beyond this point, the combination of Biology, Chemistry, and Maths is very typical and realistically the best preparation for any bioscience courses, or related things like medicine. It's also good for chemistry and related courses, especially more biochemistry oriented ones. It's adequate for some materials science or chemical engineering courses, and similar things like biomedical engineering, and similarly acceptable for earth sciences and related areas (especially if you're interested in palaeobiology or something along the lines of oceanography or environmental science). It is also acceptable for some other courses in engineering, maths, or computer science, although it wouldn't be the "ideal" combination for these. Not all such courses would require all three (maths probably being the most likely to not be a formal prerequisite) but all three provide a good breadth and depth for further study (and of the three maths is most generally useful for any STEM subject anyway).

Outside of university applications, whether they're good for you is something only you can answer - a lot of people seem insistent on taking up bio/chem or other STEM combinations despite not really enjoying it or even sometimes being particularly good at it. Play to your strengths - pick subjects you both enjoy and are good at, and consider the nature of those subjects both at A-level and beyond. If you are generally good at sciences, and say you like them, but hate doing labwork...then you don't like sciences. Similarly if you are good at and say you enjoy languages but hate oral exams, then...as before (or perhaps you are simply a Classicist in the making and would be quite happy studying languages and never having to speak them :wink: alternately Linguistics might be relevant to such an individual!)
Reply 17
Original post by artful_lounger
There is really no good reason to take four subjects if two of them aren't Maths and Further Maths. Any other combination is considerably more work for much less return - in your case, what does English add to your prospects? Universities don't care if you take a mixed portfolio in general - there are maybe a handful of courses where it might be deemed at best "potentially useful" - and English is only a required prerequisite to study English Literature normally. You could just as easily and successfully apply to Law or Economics or even potentially something much closer to it such as Classics or Philosophy without English.

Beyond this point, the combination of Biology, Chemistry, and Maths is very typical and realistically the best preparation for any bioscience courses, or related things like medicine. It's also good for chemistry and related courses, especially more biochemistry oriented ones. It's adequate for some materials science or chemical engineering courses, and similar things like biomedical engineering, and similarly acceptable for earth sciences and related areas (especially if you're interested in palaeobiology or something along the lines of oceanography or environmental science). It is also acceptable for some other courses in engineering, maths, or computer science, although it wouldn't be the "ideal" combination for these. Not all such courses would require all three (maths probably being the most likely to not be a formal prerequisite) but all three provide a good breadth and depth for further study (and of the three maths is most generally useful for any STEM subject anyway).

Outside of university applications, whether they're good for you is something only you can answer - a lot of people seem insistent on taking up bio/chem or other STEM combinations despite not really enjoying it or even sometimes being particularly good at it. Play to your strengths - pick subjects you both enjoy and are good at, and consider the nature of those subjects both at A-level and beyond. If you are generally good at sciences, and say you like them, but hate doing labwork...then you don't like sciences. Similarly if you are good at and say you enjoy languages but hate oral exams, then...as before (or perhaps you are simply a Classicist in the making and would be quite happy studying languages and never having to speak them :wink: alternately Linguistics might be relevant to such an individual!)


Wow thank you so much for the advice! My problem is that I don't think I could bare not to take English as it has always been one of my favourite subjects!! I think I will start with these 4 and I can always drop one if it gets too much xx
I did bio, chem, maths and psychology.
It is challenging but you just need to stay focused and put the hours in and you can do it!
Original post by nstitt2910
Wow thank you so much for the advice! My problem is that I don't think I could bare not to take English as it has always been one of my favourite subjects!! I think I will start with these 4 and I can always drop one if it gets too much xx


Well keep in mind, you can always read the same texts as in the English course yourself. I'm sure any friends you have taking the course would welcome someone who has read the book who would be willing to proof read essays and discuss the texts formally as well :tongue:

But if you are able to drop one after a year, then it's not such an issue. Do bear in mind with the exams at the end of year 13, not to mention technically more advanced content, the second year will be more difficult than the first, so even if you find the first year with 4 quite manageable think carefully about whether you can continue them in year 13 :smile:

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