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AS Level Options - tips and tricks.

OP

benmh92

6 AS Levels is potentially damaging as you will have no life and as a result Universities won't like you because they like the rounded students who have the great grades and do activites as well such as Duke Of Ed or playing a Sport. Why would you want to do 6 anyway? Do you have no friends or hate socialising or something?

I do - but I really hate social situations. Not to sound arrogant or anything - but I'd like to be the kid in the background that everyone secretly envies. :wink:

Reply 21

IllidanSlayer2k8

benmh92

6 AS Levels is potentially damaging as you will have no life and as a result Universities won't like you because they like the rounded students who have the great grades and do activites as well such as Duke Of Ed or playing a Sport. Why would you want to do 6 anyway? Do you have no friends or hate socialising or something?

and you know what universities like because...?

Reply 22

princess1729

1

There is really no point doing more than 4 A levels. Universities don't care and it often ends badly anyway. A friends older sister got A/A*'s at GCSE and was aiming for medicine, took 4 AS, general studies (we all had to at AS anyway), and critical thinking at school, plus another at a college in the evenings. She did badly (like C's and D's I think), dropped down to 3 for A2, still didn't do great and ended up somewhere odd through clearing doing a lame course.

Pick A levels that are tough, and if you aren't sure of which course you are going to do, chose ones with won't limit you too much (ie philosophy and law aren't needed to do it at uni, might as well do sciences/english/history).

I don't think many prestigious univerisities do criminology, I had a look on UCAS, the first one I recoguised as good was Manchester, they want ABB and didn't specify subjects. I assumed you'd be looking at the top unis and expecting lots of A's.

EDIT: if you haven't ruled out maths at Cambridge then you will need further maths. I'd advise you look through UCAS at courses and unis you might consider and see what they require.

Reply 23

inksplodge

17

Ramadulla

What do you think about 5AS levels? Then, if i can't handle the work-load, I'll simply drop one - hence 4 A-levels.

Depends on which one's you're going to do, to be honest. My friend (all A*/A at GCSE) did 5 and came out with AACDE (biology, maths, chemistry, english literature aand govt & politics, not sure what order those went in though) at AS level. You can try it out and see how you go.

Also I agree with princess1729 - not many 'pretigious' universities do criminology. My friend is currently looking for somewhere to do it and says not many 'good' ones offer it.

Reply 24

SiaSiaSia

16

I know 2 people who did 6 AS's. and at A2 they dropped one as it was too hard.

If it were me, my FIVE would be:

- (AQA) English Literature
- (Edexcel) Geography
- (AQA) Maths
- (OCR) Psychology
- (AQA/OCR) Philosophy.

Law isn't very respected as an A-Level. Quite a few universities where you apply for Law don't even accept it. If you did 4 I'd drop the one you didn't like. Psychology isn't that highly regarded but it's not too bad either, I don't think it was on the Cambridge black list [that I can remember]

Reply 25

Rock n Roll

Ramadulla

I do - but I really hate social situations. Not to sound arrogant or anything - but I'd like to be the kid in the background that everyone secretly envies. :wink:

People envy you for having no friends? :confused:

Reply 26

benmh92

12

IllidanSlayer2k8

and you know what universities like because...?

My Dad is head of Science and Maths at the college and he knows what students get through and all that happens really on that front. Plus many other lecturers and Careers advisors have said so too. Isn't it obvious though? Why would you want someone who works, and only works? That type of person just isn't going to be sucessful, as you need to have good relations to do well in life being just 1 reason.

Reply 27

rainbow drops

17

don't do 6... it's utterly pointless and you're potentially shooting yourself in the foot; you could end up with AAABBB or AABBBB (or indeed, something worse) instead of AAAA. your GCSE predictions don't really mean anything here either.

Reply 28

username130457

OP

2

Compare my initial and current choices please - this should give you a better idea.

I'm scared of doing Physics because of the practical. I'm scared of doing Maths because it is compulsory, at the college I'd be going to, to do decision Maths: which i find tedious!

Reply 29

rainbow drops

17

Ramadulla

Compare my initial and current choices please - this should give you a better idea.

I'm scared of doing Physics because of the practical. I'm scared of doing Maths because it is compulsory, at the college I'd be going to, to do decision Maths: which i find tedious!

D1? it's not that bad. it is boring, but pure maths isn't exactly a bag of laughs either, and it should be a good opportunity for you to get lots of marks.

Reply 30

kjc_us

14

Oxford and Cambridge only ask for 3 A2s and 1 AS so why bother killing yourself doing 6 AS? It's so pointless, it won't help you at all; top universities would prefer you to do more in depth study off the syllabus into the subjects you're really passionate about, because by taking a ridiculous amount of subjects you're just spreading yourself very thinly.

If you want to set yourself apart from other candidates, it's what you do out of the classroom that counts.

(Oh, and like everyone else has said, keep maths and drop law and psychology!)

Reply 31

im so academic

15

btw OP if you are thinking of a criminology-like degree at a prestigious university have you seen Cambridge's SPS course? Here's the link:

http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/sps/index.html

Also, law does involve some criminology in it, particulary criminal law. Have you thought about that? Also, I agree with other users, 6 AS Levels really is unecessary; I think 4 is the ideal amount with 5 being the limit. Good luck!

Reply 32

im so academic

15

kjc_us

Oxford and Cambridge only ask for 3 A2s and 1 AS so why bother killing yourself doing 6 AS? It's so pointless, it won't help you at all; top universities would prefer you to do more in depth study off the syllabus into the subjects you're really passionate about, because by taking a ridiculous amount of subjects you're just spreading yourself very thinly.

If you want to set yourself apart from other candidates, it's what you do out of the classroom that counts.

(Oh, and like everyone else has said, keep maths and drop law and psychology!)

Do a small range of subjects 3-5, 4 is ideal and study them in depth outside of the classroom.

Reply 33

The Socialite

14

Laura373

6 AS Levels?
That's stupid. And I very much doubt your college will allow that. I'd drop the Law rather than Maths. What are your predicted GCSE grades?

I know of Runshaw, it's near Preston maybe? My cousin goes there but they're not letting him do A Levels because he dosses around too much, so he's doing BTECs.

I agree, I would drop Law. I do a module in Law at university, and the first thing they said was 'anything you learnt at A-level - forget it!'

It might be different for some other universities but there's no guarantee it will prove useful to you, as opposed to, say, Psychology.

Reply 34

Mask Of Sanity

14

Ramadulla

These were my initial choices:

-(AQA) Further Maths
-(AQA) Maths
-(Edexcel) Geography (or Computing)
-(AQA) Physics
-(AQA) English Literature.

I'd say your initial choices were better.
Although, if you're not going to be applying for mathematics in university, swap the Further Maths for something else, possibly Psychology.
I wouldn't advise law though.

I'd go with 5 personally, as opposed to 6.
But, as many have said, 4 are perfectly fine as well.
I'd prefer 4 'hardcore' subjects, rather than 6 'softer' ones, so to speak.

Reply 35

billet-doux

14

If you're even still considering doing Maths at Cambridge, then I'd advise you to take it as an AS Level. I'd advise you to take:
Maths
English Lit
Philosophy
Psychology
Geography

Reply 36

Malsy

18

I'd do ether Law or Psychology not both.

Plus why the sudden change of heart; not doing maths?

Reply 37

username130457

OP

2

piece_by_piece

If you're even still considering doing Maths at Cambridge, then I'd advise you to take it as an AS Level. I'd advise you to take:
Maths
English Lit
Philosophy
Psychology
Geography

OK great. I'll put those on for now.

Reply 38

billet-doux

14

Ramadulla

OK great. I'll put those on for now.

Good luck.
And if you need any info about English Lit and Psychology feel free to ask.

Reply 39

-WhySoSerious?

17

Ramadulla

I do - but I really hate social situations. Not to sound arrogant or anything - but I'd like to be the kid in the background that everyone secretly envies. :wink:

Don't do it. Seriously. We have one in Physics like that. All well and good for exams, but you're going to end up on your arse in later life.

AS Level Options - tips and tricks.

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