Biology Alevel exam board

I'm curious to hear from people who've done Cambridge and Edexcel ALevel Biology, or any teachers. What was your experience of the exam board? Any insight welcome.

I am a mature student embarking on Biology ALevel as part of two science Alevels to meet university entrance requirements. I already have alevels/a degree but no 'hard' sciences so have to do two more. I got Bs at ALevel 20 years ago!

The most important subject is biology as it's a requirement for my course, I can do any other from a list of 7/8 subjects. I need to get an A in Biology.

Everything I've read says AQA is easiest however as a distance learner the practical AQA exam is £1175 and you don't get much practice - I won't have access to a lab except during the intensive immediately prior to the exam. And if I fail it I have to pay to sit it again!

I've been told for Edexcel the exam questions are harder, and for Cambridge there's nowhere to sit it nearby, would be a huge expense with hotels for each paper, and possibly cause problems if there's a clash ie two exams on one day too far apart. I'd also be concerned about noise in a hotel as I'm very sensitive to noise.

When you're a mature student they just tell you to sit the exam in another exam session if there's a clash which is ridiculous when you want to go to University quickly - not wait an extra year when you're already old!

Any insight on the different exam boards welcome!

Thanks

Reply 1

(())

9

Original post by nata1ie

I'm curious to hear from people who've done Cambridge and Edexcel ALevel Biology, or any teachers. What was your experience of the exam board? Any insight welcome.

I am a mature student embarking on Biology ALevel as part of two science Alevels to meet university entrance requirements. I already have alevels/a degree but no 'hard' sciences so have to do two more. I got Bs at ALevel 20 years ago!

The most important subject is biology as it's a requirement for my course, I can do any other from a list of 7/8 subjects. I need to get an A in Biology.

Everything I've read says AQA is easiest however as a distance learner the practical AQA exam is £1175 and you don't get much practice - I won't have access to a lab except during the intensive immediately prior to the exam. And if I fail it I have to pay to sit it again!

I've been told for Edexcel the exam questions are harder, and for Cambridge there's nowhere to sit it nearby, would be a huge expense with hotels for each paper, and possibly cause problems if there's a clash ie two exams on one day too far apart. I'd also be concerned about noise in a hotel as I'm very sensitive to noise.

When you're a mature student they just tell you to sit the exam in another exam session if there's a clash which is ridiculous when you want to go to University quickly - not wait an extra year when you're already old!

Any insight on the different exam boards welcome!

Thanks

Hi edexcel a level biology I did :smile:

and i have mde all the resources you need so it'll be a breeze for you if you just msg me!!

Reply 2

(())

9

Original post by nata1ie

I'm curious to hear from people who've done Cambridge and Edexcel ALevel Biology, or any teachers. What was your experience of the exam board? Any insight welcome.

I am a mature student embarking on Biology ALevel as part of two science Alevels to meet university entrance requirements. I already have alevels/a degree but no 'hard' sciences so have to do two more. I got Bs at ALevel 20 years ago!

The most important subject is biology as it's a requirement for my course, I can do any other from a list of 7/8 subjects. I need to get an A in Biology.

Everything I've read says AQA is easiest however as a distance learner the practical AQA exam is £1175 and you don't get much practice - I won't have access to a lab except during the intensive immediately prior to the exam. And if I fail it I have to pay to sit it again!

I've been told for Edexcel the exam questions are harder, and for Cambridge there's nowhere to sit it nearby, would be a huge expense with hotels for each paper, and possibly cause problems if there's a clash ie two exams on one day too far apart. I'd also be concerned about noise in a hotel as I'm very sensitive to noise.

When you're a mature student they just tell you to sit the exam in another exam session if there's a clash which is ridiculous when you want to go to University quickly - not wait an extra year when you're already old!

Any insight on the different exam boards welcome!

Thanks

Hi edexcel a level biology I did :smile:

and i have mde all the resources you need so it'll be a breeze for you !!

please message me!

Reply 3

Tulipbloom

11

Original post by nata1ie

I'm curious to hear from people who've done Cambridge and Edexcel ALevel Biology, or any teachers. What was your experience of the exam board? Any insight welcome.

I am a mature student embarking on Biology ALevel as part of two science Alevels to meet university entrance requirements. I already have alevels/a degree but no 'hard' sciences so have to do two more. I got Bs at ALevel 20 years ago!

The most important subject is biology as it's a requirement for my course, I can do any other from a list of 7/8 subjects. I need to get an A in Biology.

Everything I've read says AQA is easiest however as a distance learner the practical AQA exam is £1175 and you don't get much practice - I won't have access to a lab except during the intensive immediately prior to the exam. And if I fail it I have to pay to sit it again!

I've been told for Edexcel the exam questions are harder, and for Cambridge there's nowhere to sit it nearby, would be a huge expense with hotels for each paper, and possibly cause problems if there's a clash ie two exams on one day too far apart. I'd also be concerned about noise in a hotel as I'm very sensitive to noise.

When you're a mature student they just tell you to sit the exam in another exam session if there's a clash which is ridiculous when you want to go to University quickly - not wait an extra year when you're already old!

Any insight on the different exam boards welcome!

Thanks

Hey I did Cambridge biology and it was quite a good course. Question is are you going to sit all 5 papers in one go or do AS followed by A2 exams? It is important that you have access to a lab to properly practice skills necessary to complete paper 3 and 5. Paper 3 is a whole practical paper which will require you to do a dry practical (the use of a microscope is required) and a wet practical (usually a food test/something related to/involving enzymes) Learning the concepts of each topic is made easy with the textbook. Scoring on the exams should be no problem so long as you do enough past papers and learn mark schemes (same questions come up from year to year).