The Student Room Group

Reply 1

Don't know about other exam boards but I found CIE Biology to be quite easy.

Pros:
-You can memorize a bunch of mark schemes answers (and use them as notes) and get an A* as the same questions come up from year to year.
-You can sit AS exams and retake them in November if you aren't pleased with your May results.
-The use of the textbook the exam board authored is sufficient to aid your learning

Cons:
-You have to do a whole practical paper which includes do a wet prac (food test/something with enzymes) and a dry prac which requires the use of a microscope
-Specification is quite narrow. Topics like reproduction and environment + ecology are not taught.

Reply 2

Original post by Tulipbloom
Don't know about other exam boards but I found CIE Biology to be quite easy.

Pros:
-You can memorize a bunch of mark schemes answers (and use them as notes) and get an A* as the same questions come up from year to year.
-You can sit AS exams and retake them in November if you aren't pleased with your May results.
-The use of the textbook the exam board authored is sufficient to aid your learning

Cons:
-You have to do a whole practical paper which includes do a wet prac (food test/something with enzymes) and a dry prac which requires the use of a microscope
-Specification is quite narrow. Topics like reproduction and environment + ecology are not taught.


They can't be sat in UK state schools as far as I am aware

Reply 3

take my sincere advice and never do edexcel a. I'm retaking bio but keeping the same board as I've done it for two years. I think OCR is meant to be easy? I'm not sure though

Reply 4

Original post by Muttley79
They can't be sat in UK state schools as far as I am aware

Sigh sorry forgot to mention this, just for international peeps :/
Original post by pigeonwarrior
take my sincere advice and never do edexcel a. I'm retaking bio but keeping the same board as I've done it for two years. I think OCR is meant to be easy? I'm not sure though

What is your problem with Edexcel A? I'm doing at the moment and I am enjoying the course, I like the fact that the biology is applied to real life.

Reply 6

Original post by flowersinmyhair
What is your problem with Edexcel A? I'm doing at the moment and I am enjoying the course, I like the fact that the biology is applied to real life.


Personally I think it's harder than the other exam boards, even my teacher said it's the hardest board for bio

Reply 7

Original post by pigeonwarrior
Personally I think it's harder than the other exam boards, even my teacher said it's the hardest board for bio

Your teacher is wrong - all boards have the same standard - JCQ checks this every year.

Reply 8

There is no easy option for A level Biology

Reply 9

OCR seems to be very popular with UK schools. I was once helping with a sixth form open day for Biology and my teacher explained to me that my school uses the OCR exam board because apparently other exam boards use essays on the exams - OCR merely uses a couple of longform questions which are a bit easier on the student, since essays are arguably the bane of science students!

Reply 10

Original post by Tulipbloom
Don't know about other exam boards but I found CIE Biology to be quite easy.

Pros:
-You can memorize a bunch of mark schemes answers (and use them as notes) and get an A* as the same questions come up from year to year.
-You can sit AS exams and retake them in November if you aren't pleased with your May results.
-The use of the textbook the exam board authored is sufficient to aid your learning

Cons:
-You have to do a whole practical paper which includes do a wet prac (food test/something with enzymes) and a dry prac which requires the use of a microscope
-Specification is quite narrow. Topics like reproduction and environment + ecology are not taught.


Original post by Muttley79
They can't be sat in UK state schools as far as I am aware


Original post by pigeonwarrior
take my sincere advice and never do edexcel a. I'm retaking bio but keeping the same board as I've done it for two years. I think OCR is meant to be easy? I'm not sure though


Original post by flowersinmyhair
What is your problem with Edexcel A? I'm doing at the moment and I am enjoying the course, I like the fact that the biology is applied to real life.


Original post by pigeonwarrior
Personally I think it's harder than the other exam boards, even my teacher said it's the hardest board for bio


Original post by Muttley79
Your teacher is wrong - all boards have the same standard - JCQ checks this every year.


Original post by totallyfine
There is no easy option for A level Biology


Original post by Scotland Yard
OCR seems to be very popular with UK schools. I was once helping with a sixth form open day for Biology and my teacher explained to me that my school uses the OCR exam board because apparently other exam boards use essays on the exams - OCR merely uses a couple of longform questions which are a bit easier on the student, since essays are arguably the bane of science students!


Thanks all for the very useful responses.
I am actually an international student, so I could do CIE. So thanks for the Pros and Cons of it.

Have a great rest of your week :smile: