the difference between gcse's and alevel

i have two sister who both got between them 10 A* and 11A
when they did alevel they struggled and one completely failed the first year. despite this she got AAb yet it was amazingly hard for her.
I see some people on tsr with decent gcse's yet they got AAAA.
what do you think is the difference? can people do well in gcse's with hard work but alevels take real intelligence?

Reply 1

Renal

17

The only difference is that one only matters until you start A-Levels and the other only matters until you start work or a degree.

Neither take really hard work, neither take real intelligence (whatever that is).

Reply 2

k823127

14

They're alot different but the main thing is effort....put it in you'll get something back. Don't and you'll get some lovely Us.

Reply 3

Sine

A Levels are more independent learning....... :s-smilie:

Reply 4

xxstace123xx

14

It depends, Gcse's the information is fed to you, you remember it, and write it in the exam.

WHereas A levels need more indepence and to think for yourself.

So it all depends if you can work well by yourself.

Reply 5

furry747

10

The difference is the name. One is called GCSE and the other A Level.

Reply 6

cowsgoquack

16

they're different levels of exams, you take gcses first! alevels are made up of an as and a2 part!

Reply 7

becky.fm

18

A Levels are a lot harder IMO, but that's just comparing them to GCSE's, so obviously it's going to be harder. :smile:

I am one of those people who very nearly ****** up my A Levels: 9A* to acdd at AS. :dontknow:

Reply 8

niyaaaah

becky.fm

A Levels are a lot harder IMO, but that's just comparing them to GCSE's, so obviously it's going to be harder. :smile:

I am one of those people who very nearly ****** up my A Levels: 9A* to acdd. :dontknow:

very nearly? that's just putting it nicely loool!!! :rolleyes:

what happened?? :confused:

Reply 9

becky.fm

18

niyaaaah

very nearly? that's just putting it nicely loool!!! :rolleyes:

what happened?? :confused:

Oh thank you. :frown:

I just wasn't used to working that way, and basically i gave up for a year, except for in Maths. Meh, it'll probably **** me over in the end, despite how hard i'm working this year.

Reply 10

marlyly

9

hamster33

i have two sister who both got between them 10 A* and 11A
when they did alevel they struggled and one completely failed the first year. despite this she got AAb yet it was amazingly hard for her.
I see some people on tsr with decent gcse's yet they got AAAA.
what do you think is the difference? can people do well in gcse's with hard work but alevels take real intelligence?

GCSE's is purely learning a lot of basic information on a large range of topics. A- levels is learning very complicated information on an equally large range of topics. But A-Levels requires much more hard work, and the ability to apply learning to new concepts. If people do well on A-Levels but poorly on GCSE's, it's because they didn't put in enough effort in year 11.

Reply 11

Electric_Dreams

9

GCSEs: spoon fed.
A-Levels: still rather spoon fed.

Thinking back, taking into account my subjects at GCSE I think I had to think more for myself back then.
How depressing.

Reply 12

Renal

17

Sine

A Levels are more independent learning....... :s-smilie:

xxstace123xx

It depends, Gcse's the information is fed to you, you remember it, and write it in the exam.

WHereas A levels need more indepence and to think for yourself.

So it all depends if you can work well by yourself.

becky.fm

A Levels are a lot harder IMO, but that's just comparing them to GCSE's, so obviously it's going to be harder. :smile:

I am one of those people who very nearly ****** up my A Levels: 9A* to acdd at AS. :dontknow:

Speaking with five years of hindsight, they're far more similar than I thought at the time.

Reply 13

mollymustard

14

I tend to think with A Levels people who are more naturally clever are likely to do better, especially if they put the work in. As you have to do alot more independant learning and reading/notes if you don't know how to do this effectively and you need to be spoonfed then you will flounder.

Saying that, I personally found doing A Levels alot more comfortable than GCSE's because you can focus on certain subject areas.

If you work hard and put effort into bridging the gap then you'll be fine!

Reply 14

ben_lines

how can someone get 10 A* at GCSE and then fail AS-Level. Sounds like a retard tbh

Reply 15

Psyk

16

I found GCSEs harder. I don't think there's a massive leap between GCSEs and A-levels. With A-levels it's just a bit more in depth in fewer subjects.

Reply 16

ununpentium

13

I got six As at GCSE (and 3 Bs, 1 C, 2 Ds) but at AS I got ACDD and didn't even take my A2s.

At school, it was disciplined and I worked well, at college no-one cared if I turned up to lessons or not, and I did poorly.

And then I went into hospital and couldn't finish my A levels.

Reply 17

Georgie_Mc

You cant get away with revising the night before, and still coming out with an A.

You gotta do the work to get that A!

Also GCSE's are what all the year 12's talk about, whereas the year 13's have forgotten.

Reply 18

hamster33

OP

11

right so while gcse is learn the stuff in the book and get tested straight on that subject, alevel is more like learning and then applying it almost at random at a different area. that makes it harder. so my sisters worked very hard and memorized the syllabus. for alevel you need to read around the subject and have real vigor!

Reply 19

Psyk

16

hamster33

for alevel you need to read around the subject and have real vigor!

It's probably dependent on subject, and maybe they're different to what they were like a few years ago, but in my experience, you really don't. I suppose it's probably quite different for humanities type subjects, but for science and maths subjects I didn't have to do any reading other than A-level textbooks.

the difference between gcse's and alevel

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