The Student Room Group

Private candidate A-levels

Sorry to have to make this thread for the second time. However i'm so confused. I'm supposed to be doing the new A-level system and have been revising it at home as a private candidate. Yet when i search for centres they all say they no longer do the practical endorsement.

You can imagine how confusing and frustrating it is, when i'm sure most high universities that i wish to apply to will expect the practical certification.

My issue with this is that it will be completely stressful to apply to these universities i have in mind when i had no choice in the matter about whether i could do the practicals or not. I don't undertsand why the practicals are needed anyway if most private students can't do them.

Someone please help! :frown: I'm really having a meltdown

Do you think the universities will understand that most centres don't do practicals anymore?
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Jason8888
Sorry to have to make this thread for the second time. However i'm so confused. I'm supposed to be doing the new A-level system and have been revising it at home as a private candidate. Yet when i search for centres they all say they no longer do the practical endorsement.

You can imagine how confusing and frustrating it is, when i'm sure most high universities that i wish to apply to will expect the practical certification.

My issue with this is that it will be completely stressful to apply to these universities i have in mind when i had no choice in the matter about whether i could do the practicals or not. I don't undertsand why the practicals are needed anyway if most private students can't do them.

Someone please help! :frown: I'm really having a meltdown

Do you think the universities will understand that most centres don't do practicals anymore?


You can do them just private exam centres tend to just stick to paper exams.
Practical endorsements are run by a limited number of private providers as a business. They are often 2 or 3 day courses.
Practical endorsement is required by unis in almost all cases. Universities will not understand because they are available.
The cost of courses tends to vary from £800 all the way up to £1400 depending where you live.
Why are you a private candidate?
Original post by Jason8888
Sorry to have to make this thread for the second time. However i'm so confused. I'm supposed to be doing the new A-level system and have been revising it at home as a private candidate. Yet when i search for centres they all say they no longer do the practical endorsement.

You can imagine how confusing and frustrating it is, when i'm sure most high universities that i wish to apply to will expect the practical certification.

My issue with this is that it will be completely stressful to apply to these universities i have in mind when i had no choice in the matter about whether i could do the practicals or not. I don't undertsand why the practicals are needed anyway if most private students can't do them.

Someone please help! :frown: I'm really having a meltdown

Do you think the universities will understand that most centres don't do practicals anymore?


As @Tigger999 has said, universities know that the practical endorsement is difficult for independent candidates to complete but most insist on it anyway. The basic principle is that you can't truly claim to have studied a science subject without completing some practical work just as you can't get an Art A level without producing any art work. The practical endorsement is available through a limited number of centres but isn't cheap.
e.g.
https://www.englishandmaths.com/12-practical-endorsements/
https://www.aectuition.co.uk/science-practical/science-practical
https://www.londonbrookescollege.co.uk/private-candidates-examination-centre-hendon-london/science-practical-exams/
https://www.macclesfieldtutorialcollege.com/gce-science-practical-requirements/

If you do your study using the resources from the National Extension College they can offer help with finding exam centres that will enable you to take the exams and complete the practical tests.
https://www.nec.ac.uk/course-categories/a-levels

Some people choose to take the Cambridge International A levels where the practical exams are smaller in scope and have been available from a few centres in the past.
Reply 3
Avatar for Jason8888
Jason8888
OP
11
I happened to find a center that does the practicals btw. I am truly grateful as the universities want the practicals regardless of whether they play a small role in the New spec or not.
Original post by 999tigger
You can do them just private exam centres tend to just stick to paper exams.
Practical endorsements are run by a limited number of private providers as a business. They are often 2 or 3 day courses.
Practical endorsement is required by unis in almost all cases. Universities will not understand because they are available.
The cost of courses tends to vary from £800 all the way up to £1400 depending where you live.
Why are you a private candidate?
Original post by Jason8888
I happened to find a center that does the practicals btw. I am truly grateful as the universities want the practicals regardless of whether they play a small role in the New spec or not.

You are missing the point which is unis like you to have studied the subject properly and its a bit strange never to have done any lab work, especially if there is lab work in the degree course.

The other point you miss is that exam boards take practicals seriously which is why they have an independent endorsement for them.

It is the most expensive part of home study. Thanks to gdunne for showing you what courses look like. I normally list some but not enough info was provided. Shop around.

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you