Opinions On Taking 5 A-Levels
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
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Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Hey, from one ambitious student to another
For reference I did 4 A Levels and an EPQ and have recently started studying at uni after taking a gap year. There's a few things to consider here.
1) I haven't actually heard of a college or sixth form allowing you to do 5 a levels. This is because each subject requires something like minimum 6 hours teaching which which 5 subjects is a 30 hour week, plus you need time for essays, homework, research etc and to do non-academic things which also are needed for your personal statement e.g volunteering or sports. Personally, even if you had the choice to do 5 A Levels I wouldn't reccomend it. 4 is impressive enough without compromising your social life or happiness (and trust me on this one because A Levels are a lot of work) plus no university actually wants or needs 4 A Levels, its just something for yourself really (for me it was because I liked all 4 subjects and also kinda wanted a 'backup subject' which I knew I was better in, in case I wasn't as strong in the others.
2) Saying that, if you want to do 4 A Levels and think you could handle it, go for it. Expect that its going to be tough but if you put in the effort it will be ok. I would say I think doing 4 mathsy subjects or 4 essay based subjects can make your life a bit harder so think carefully about your choice. But also don't forget if you are struggling you can always ask friends or teachers for help, or even drop the subject to an AS Level or even drop completely. It's important to remember that even the most prestigious UK universities only want 3 A Levels (admittedly all A*'s) but just put it in perspective because obviously universities would prefer 3 really good A Levels rather than 4 or even 5 okay ones.
3) For reference, I took Computer Science, Economics, French and English Language. That worked out as 3 essay subjects and one more mathsy subject which I think was a good balance. Also, I think it helped that I already had taken french gcse and was fairly proficient in speaking, reading and writing from about 9 years of practise before I did the A Level so I found it much less demanding than my other subjects.
Im not going to lie and say it is isnt kinda cool to say I've done 4 A Levels and an EPQ and it is a great thing to put on your personal statement and CV and in job interviews. Just bear in mind the workload, know when you've had enough and take breaks when you need it because it is a lot of work and you can't just sprint to the finish line.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions I might be able to answer. Good luck
Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
My advice would be to take three - all UK universities expect three A levels and generally extra ones will not be of any benefit.
If you want to take 4 to begin with, then that is fair enough, but you should drop your worst subject if things get too much. You should also bear in mind that 3 A levels is usually a more intense workload than 10 GCSE’s, so don’t underestimate how intense the workload will be for 4 or 5 A levels.
At my college you spend 4.5 hours per week per subject in lessons and the same for homework.
So that would be 4.5 * 2 * 5 = 45 hours per week roughly. Maybe you can manage but for most people it would be unrealistic.
I also think it makes a difference which subjects you pick. For example, if you do Maths and Further Maths it may be more attainable but I don't think 5 completely different subjects is worth the risk.
Finally, I would suggest it is better to do 4 subjects very well than 5 not so well. So A*A*A*A* is better than AAAAA for example which is much more likely to be the case or worse if you drown yourself in too much work. The best unis are looking for A*s but doing more than 4 won't put you at a huge advantage. Your application has many more components. If you can talk about things you do outside of lessons in you subject and dedicate lots of time to those things then it will put you in a good position in the future.
So that would be 4.5 * 2 * 5 = 45 hours per week roughly. Maybe you can manage but for most people it would be unrealistic.
I also think it makes a difference which subjects you pick. For example, if you do Maths and Further Maths it may be more attainable but I don't think 5 completely different subjects is worth the risk.
Finally, I would suggest it is better to do 4 subjects very well than 5 not so well. So A*A*A*A* is better than AAAAA for example which is much more likely to be the case or worse if you drown yourself in too much work. The best unis are looking for A*s but doing more than 4 won't put you at a huge advantage. Your application has many more components. If you can talk about things you do outside of lessons in you subject and dedicate lots of time to those things then it will put you in a good position in the future.
I did 4 on Bio, Math, Chemistry and Economics and it's not really a big deal for me. However a person I know did 6 with 3A* and 3 predicted A* but, none of the uni she applied to is willing to offer, not even an interview. So I think taking too much will eventually become a burden, especially when you are overqualified.
Babes I’m struggling with 3 alevels.
Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Id just probably do 4 to be honest.
I do know someone who did 6. She did biology, chemistry, physics, maths, further maths and general studies.
But the only reason she ended up doing 6 was for a couple of reasons.
a) because she did maths and further maths. Anyone who picked both were put in the advanced class where they did all of a-level maths in year 12 and all of a-level further maths in year 13. So it only took up 1 blocks worth of lessons. They might have had a few extra lessons but it only took up one block.
b) General studies was compulsory at our 6th form, (on top of whatever subjects you did). As useless as it was, unfortunately we had to do it.
We did our a-levels in the last year before the A* grade came out. If an A* was possible she would have got A*'s in most of her subjects. In several exams she got full marks. She ended up getting AAAAAD (the D being in general studies).
Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
You don't get "bonus points" by taking more than 3 A-levels when it comes to apply to uni. In fact it can have the reverse effect if you spread yourself too thinly and don't do as well across all your subjects. A*A*A >>> A*ABCC as far as unis are concerned.
Original post by cyberstudent99
Hey, from one ambitious student to another
For reference I did 4 A Levels and an EPQ and have recently started studying at uni after taking a gap year. There's a few things to consider here.
1) I haven't actually heard of a college or sixth form allowing you to do 5 a levels. This is because each subject requires something like minimum 6 hours teaching which which 5 subjects is a 30 hour week, plus you need time for essays, homework, research etc and to do non-academic things which also are needed for your personal statement e.g volunteering or sports. Personally, even if you had the choice to do 5 A Levels I wouldn't reccomend it. 4 is impressive enough without compromising your social life or happiness (and trust me on this one because A Levels are a lot of work) plus no university actually wants or needs 4 A Levels, its just something for yourself really (for me it was because I liked all 4 subjects and also kinda wanted a 'backup subject' which I knew I was better in, in case I wasn't as strong in the others.
2) Saying that, if you want to do 4 A Levels and think you could handle it, go for it. Expect that its going to be tough but if you put in the effort it will be ok. I would say I think doing 4 mathsy subjects or 4 essay based subjects can make your life a bit harder so think carefully about your choice. But also don't forget if you are struggling you can always ask friends or teachers for help, or even drop the subject to an AS Level or even drop completely. It's important to remember that even the most prestigious UK universities only want 3 A Levels (admittedly all A*'s) but just put it in perspective because obviously universities would prefer 3 really good A Levels rather than 4 or even 5 okay ones.
3) For reference, I took Computer Science, Economics, French and English Language. That worked out as 3 essay subjects and one more mathsy subject which I think was a good balance. Also, I think it helped that I already had taken french gcse and was fairly proficient in speaking, reading and writing from about 9 years of practise before I did the A Level so I found it much less demanding than my other subjects.
Im not going to lie and say it is isnt kinda cool to say I've done 4 A Levels and an EPQ and it is a great thing to put on your personal statement and CV and in job interviews. Just bear in mind the workload, know when you've had enough and take breaks when you need it because it is a lot of work and you can't just sprint to the finish line.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions I might be able to answer. Good luck
For reference I did 4 A Levels and an EPQ and have recently started studying at uni after taking a gap year. There's a few things to consider here.
1) I haven't actually heard of a college or sixth form allowing you to do 5 a levels. This is because each subject requires something like minimum 6 hours teaching which which 5 subjects is a 30 hour week, plus you need time for essays, homework, research etc and to do non-academic things which also are needed for your personal statement e.g volunteering or sports. Personally, even if you had the choice to do 5 A Levels I wouldn't reccomend it. 4 is impressive enough without compromising your social life or happiness (and trust me on this one because A Levels are a lot of work) plus no university actually wants or needs 4 A Levels, its just something for yourself really (for me it was because I liked all 4 subjects and also kinda wanted a 'backup subject' which I knew I was better in, in case I wasn't as strong in the others.
2) Saying that, if you want to do 4 A Levels and think you could handle it, go for it. Expect that its going to be tough but if you put in the effort it will be ok. I would say I think doing 4 mathsy subjects or 4 essay based subjects can make your life a bit harder so think carefully about your choice. But also don't forget if you are struggling you can always ask friends or teachers for help, or even drop the subject to an AS Level or even drop completely. It's important to remember that even the most prestigious UK universities only want 3 A Levels (admittedly all A*'s) but just put it in perspective because obviously universities would prefer 3 really good A Levels rather than 4 or even 5 okay ones.
3) For reference, I took Computer Science, Economics, French and English Language. That worked out as 3 essay subjects and one more mathsy subject which I think was a good balance. Also, I think it helped that I already had taken french gcse and was fairly proficient in speaking, reading and writing from about 9 years of practise before I did the A Level so I found it much less demanding than my other subjects.
Im not going to lie and say it is isnt kinda cool to say I've done 4 A Levels and an EPQ and it is a great thing to put on your personal statement and CV and in job interviews. Just bear in mind the workload, know when you've had enough and take breaks when you need it because it is a lot of work and you can't just sprint to the finish line.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions I might be able to answer. Good luck
Thank you so much for the response! I appreciate you taking time out of your day to coach me
I really like that you took the initiative of doing an EPQ (although it's not an option for me, as I'm an international student studying outside of the UK). I'm really intrigued now. Since you've given me such a nice opportunity to ask more questions...How much self-study did taking 4 require (in hours, or whatever works for you)? Was it very different to that of your peers taking 3 or 5? And were you able to keep up with English Language? I'm interested in taking it as well, and I'd love to hear your take on how the course went.
Finally, what's it like taking a gap year?? Was it for like, self discovery and whatnot, or purely academic reasons? And were you able to get into your chosen school?
I think I might be worrying about things a little bit early, but I can't help but be curious. I'm going to go back to revising for my GCSE exams (which are in 7 MONTHS!!!!). I really appreciate the help <3
Original post by TypicalNerd
My advice would be to take three - all UK universities expect three A levels and generally extra ones will not be of any benefit.
If you want to take 4 to begin with, then that is fair enough, but you should drop your worst subject if things get too much. You should also bear in mind that 3 A levels is usually a more intense workload than 10 GCSE’s, so don’t underestimate how intense the workload will be for 4 or 5 A levels.
If you want to take 4 to begin with, then that is fair enough, but you should drop your worst subject if things get too much. You should also bear in mind that 3 A levels is usually a more intense workload than 10 GCSE’s, so don’t underestimate how intense the workload will be for 4 or 5 A levels.
I see. Thank you for clarifying that; I was under the impression that the more you take, the better the chances of getting accepted by prestigious institutions!
The part about picking four initially and dropping one in your final year is the same stuff my teachers tell me, but I'm a little bit worried because I want to apply for an Ivy. Is it considered standard practice to drop one? So really, I guess my question is: is it really competitive enough to take just 3 A-level examinations for an Ivy League school?
Thanks for the quick response. I don't know what I'd do without this site, to be honest.
Original post by noahwdennis
At my college you spend 4.5 hours per week per subject in lessons and the same for homework.
So that would be 4.5 * 2 * 5 = 45 hours per week roughly. Maybe you can manage but for most people it would be unrealistic.
I also think it makes a difference which subjects you pick. For example, if you do Maths and Further Maths it may be more attainable but I don't think 5 completely different subjects is worth the risk.
Finally, I would suggest it is better to do 4 subjects very well than 5 not so well. So A*A*A*A* is better than AAAAA for example which is much more likely to be the case or worse if you drown yourself in too much work. The best unis are looking for A*s but doing more than 4 won't put you at a huge advantage. Your application has many more components. If you can talk about things you do outside of lessons in you subject and dedicate lots of time to those things then it will put you in a good position in the future.
So that would be 4.5 * 2 * 5 = 45 hours per week roughly. Maybe you can manage but for most people it would be unrealistic.
I also think it makes a difference which subjects you pick. For example, if you do Maths and Further Maths it may be more attainable but I don't think 5 completely different subjects is worth the risk.
Finally, I would suggest it is better to do 4 subjects very well than 5 not so well. So A*A*A*A* is better than AAAAA for example which is much more likely to be the case or worse if you drown yourself in too much work. The best unis are looking for A*s but doing more than 4 won't put you at a huge advantage. Your application has many more components. If you can talk about things you do outside of lessons in you subject and dedicate lots of time to those things then it will put you in a good position in the future.
I understand now. I think I might just go for 4 A-levels, which would be an estimated 36 hours based on your school. But of course, I'd prefer to only take 3 if it means I can get away with it. Do you think A*A*A* would outperform A*A*A*A or A*A*AA? I feel like the whole point of A-levels is to study your chosen subjects in depth, so maybe getting seriously impressive marks in 3 would be best, but I really don't know.
Thank you so much for the words of wisdom <3
Original post by Lemonadestars
I did 4 on Bio, Math, Chemistry and Economics and it's not really a big deal for me. However a person I know did 6 with 3A* and 3 predicted A* but, none of the uni she applied to is willing to offer, not even an interview. So I think taking too much will eventually become a burden, especially when you are overqualified.
I also plan on taking math and chemistry. Would you mind explaining a little bit about how the courses went?? I know A-level chemistry is notoriously difficult, but I thought I'd do fine as long as my foundations were strong (firm GCSE chemistry knowledge + starting self-study on some basic A-level content early). As for math, I think I learn fast, but I don't have a head start or anything. In fact, I think I might have a few knowledge gaps. I'm going to revise everything again for my GCSEs, though, so that might change, but do you think it's realistic for someone who isn't naturally amazing at math to take it for A-levels?
As for your friend... I feel really bad for her. Perhaps she sacrificed too much of her ECAs on taking that many A-levels. I will learn from her experience and probably just go for 4 or 3. Thanks a lot for the information!!!
Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Its not any more competitive to take 5 a levels than to take 4 or 3. I take 4 and it really isn't very nice and thats with two of them being maths, if it was 4 actual different a levels i would hate it. Stick to 4 or to 3, 4 is certainly managable depending on the subjects you take and 3 is quite easy imo. Unis wont care if you take 4 over 3 or 3 over 4.
Original post by harlz_chalamet
Babes I’m struggling with 3 alevels.
Oh no
To be honest, I don't have much experience with studying for hours, so I'm secretly afraid of not being able to adjust to a rigorous schedule. Is it really time-consuming? Which subjects are you taking? For reference, I definitely want to do chemistry, and my options right now include chem, math, either lit or lang (I haven't decided), business and psychology. If you're taking any of these courses, I'd love to hear about it!Good luck and keep your chin up.
Original post by istudie
I see. Thank you for clarifying that; I was under the impression that the more you take, the better the chances of getting accepted by prestigious institutions!
The part about picking four initially and dropping one in your final year is the same stuff my teachers tell me, but I'm a little bit worried because I want to apply for an Ivy. Is it considered standard practice to drop one? So really, I guess my question is: is it really competitive enough to take just 3 A-level examinations for an Ivy League school?
Thanks for the quick response. I don't know what I'd do without this site, to be honest.
The part about picking four initially and dropping one in your final year is the same stuff my teachers tell me, but I'm a little bit worried because I want to apply for an Ivy. Is it considered standard practice to drop one? So really, I guess my question is: is it really competitive enough to take just 3 A-level examinations for an Ivy League school?
Thanks for the quick response. I don't know what I'd do without this site, to be honest.
It is standard practice to drop one by the end of year 12 if it gets too much. It is also not required that you declare you took said subject previously on UK applications (though I couldn’t possibly advise on US applications as I haven’t previously applied to any such institutions) and since the US equivalents to A levels are regarded as being less intense, three strong A levels should make you more than competitive enough.
Apparently 3 or 4 A levels is considered standard for Harvard and other Ivy league applications, so I wouldn’t worry much. https://harvard-ukadmissions.co.uk/faq-links/#:~:text=How%20many%3F,them%20for%20their%20Advanced%20Highers.
Original post by istudie
Thank you so much for the response! I appreciate you taking time out of your day to coach me I really like that you took the initiative of doing an EPQ (although it's not an option for me, as I'm an international student studying outside of the UK). I'm really intrigued now. Since you've given me such a nice opportunity to ask more questions...
How much self-study did taking 4 require (in hours, or whatever works for you)? Was it very different to that of your peers taking 3 or 5? And were you able to keep up with English Language? I'm interested in taking it as well, and I'd love to hear your take on how the course went.
Finally, what's it like taking a gap year?? Was it for like, self discovery and whatnot, or purely academic reasons? And were you able to get into your chosen school?
I think I might be worrying about things a little bit early, but I can't help but be curious. I'm going to go back to revising for my GCSE exams (which are in 7 MONTHS!!!!). I really appreciate the help <3
I really like that you took the initiative of doing an EPQ (although it's not an option for me, as I'm an international student studying outside of the UK). I'm really intrigued now. Since you've given me such a nice opportunity to ask more questions...How much self-study did taking 4 require (in hours, or whatever works for you)? Was it very different to that of your peers taking 3 or 5? And were you able to keep up with English Language? I'm interested in taking it as well, and I'd love to hear your take on how the course went.
Finally, what's it like taking a gap year?? Was it for like, self discovery and whatnot, or purely academic reasons? And were you able to get into your chosen school?
I think I might be worrying about things a little bit early, but I can't help but be curious. I'm going to go back to revising for my GCSE exams (which are in 7 MONTHS!!!!). I really appreciate the help <3
Hi again
In terms of how much study time I was doing in college, I had 6 periods free out of a 30 hour week so I was having about 24 hours of actually in person teaching a week. However, I spent most of my free periods revising or doing homework or looking over/making notes so I would have less to do at home. So I would say most weeks I spent minimum of 30 hours a week learning. Then on top of that I would go home and do the other work that I didn't have time for during free periods so probably another 10 or so hours a week maybe at home (obviously this fluctuated throughout the year, increasing around exams for example).
Most of my friends did 3 A Levels. Our college wanted the best grades possible so they didn't really advertise or recommend doing 4 A Levels or 4 A Levels and an EPQ (which is practically unheard of) because it is unusual and not the stereotypical 'perfect' grades and personal statement that top universities want. My friends were happy with 3 A Levels (many of my friends took maths subjects and so still had a lot of work just in a different kind of domain - it's important to remember that different subjects have different workloads and also different methods of testing you so it's worth asking the teachers things like, how much homework will I get, when will I be assessed, what kind of work will I be expected to do on a weekly basis as it is likely to be quite different depending on the course. As I mentioned previously 4 A Levels is a lot of work and I put the effort in, but, part of the thing that helped me was that I took a language A Level which I believe to some extent, has a slightly lower workload or maybe it was just because I enjoyed speaking and reading the language so I found it easier.
I loved English Language. It was by far my favourite A Level and I would definitely recommend it. It's very different to GCSE English and looks at the way language is constructed, looking at theories and ideas around where it comes wrong, social influences, gendered language and children's language. It is amazing for improving your essay skills and encourages you to question everything in the news, media and also daily conversations which I think is a really important skill. In terms of workload, it is a lot of essays. I think it is a great preparation for university because of the way it teaches you to select information and write about it. The key tip for me would be to keep up with your notes from the beginning (particularly true with English Language but worth keeping in mind for all A Level subjects), I made documents with all the theories and theorists my teacher mentioned so by the end I had basically a whole folder of notes just by spending a couple of minutes updating it every day. I'm not going to lie, it obviously helps when you have some great teachers but I still think it's a great subject
I did take a gap year. It was a weird one and a bit of a long story but it ended with one of the best summers of my life. I originally started university straight after finishing my A Levels. (I was planning to do some kind of gap year but I kept changing my mind and ending up going to university). I started studying linguistics. Within 2 weeks, I knew the course wasn't right for me - it was a massive drop in hours from A Levels (30 at college to 5 hours a week at university) and I wasn't enjoying or engaging with the material. It was really stressful and I was very unhappy so I came home. I spent the next 4 months or so working and doing research on what I wanted to do. I caught up with friends from home who were on a gap year and moved on. It sucked for a while because I felt everyone was moving on without me, but I also knew that I had done the right thing for me. I saved up and then in June I flew to USA to do Camp America. It was probably 3 of the best months of my life. I loved it and I can't wait to go back some day. I came home in August and then got ready to start university. I have now started at a different university on a completely different course and it's stressful and crazy but its also good and I am happy. This past year taught me a lot and personally if you're thinking about doing a gap year I would say go for it, just make sure to have a plan and something to look forward to.
Finally, don't worry about researching early. I am definitely a planner and if there is something happening in the next month, year or even next few years I am looking into what's available. Trust me, I've only just started uni and I am already looking at study abroad options
Hope that helps
any other questions just let me know
Hello,
I am in Y13 doing 5 a levels: Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Electronics.
I agree with what others have said that 5 a levels doesnt really benefit your overall application that much. However, I decided to take them because I really enjoyed the subjects. Furthermore, my combination has quite a bit of overlap in some areas. For example, I can do the electronics option module for physics (aqa) and we have covered 90% of the content already in electronics.
Personally I dont think its too bad (its definitely very hard work but I havent been overwhelmed yet). One thing to take into consideration though is that my school taught all of Maths in the first year and most of Core Pure 1 so I think that has helped.
As for courseworks (i have three) I would say that the computer science one has been by far the hardest so far.
I am in Y13 doing 5 a levels: Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Electronics.
I agree with what others have said that 5 a levels doesnt really benefit your overall application that much. However, I decided to take them because I really enjoyed the subjects. Furthermore, my combination has quite a bit of overlap in some areas. For example, I can do the electronics option module for physics (aqa) and we have covered 90% of the content already in electronics.
Personally I dont think its too bad (its definitely very hard work but I havent been overwhelmed yet). One thing to take into consideration though is that my school taught all of Maths in the first year and most of Core Pure 1 so I think that has helped.
As for courseworks (i have three) I would say that the computer science one has been by far the hardest so far.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
I’d say 1 A level is about the same amount of work as 4-5 gcses. 4 if you’re a hard worker at gcse and 5 for lots and lots of people including myself . Because the difference with a levels is they require tons of homework and revision from the start whereas gcses you can coast for 1.5 years on bare minimum homework and the lessons alone .
Would you choose the workload of 20-25 GCSEs ? No you wouldn’t that’s insane
So, if you’re gonna do 4 do 3+further maths, otherwise do 3 , maybe an epq .
Seeing as the thread's been bumped, I took 4 for a year, plus EPQ. The workload is massive, and I didn't fully realise that until I dropped a subject. You really only need to if you're going for a STEM course at university. I wasn't.
It is perfectly possible to do 4 A Levels, but there's more to Sixth Form than just the academics, and 3 makes it a lot easier to enjoy all sides of it.
I met someone on a residential who took 5 A Levels (as their school did compulsory Welsh). I didn't know how they managed - we were all completely stunned. Just do 3 + EPQ, or 4 if you're going for STEM.
It is perfectly possible to do 4 A Levels, but there's more to Sixth Form than just the academics, and 3 makes it a lot easier to enjoy all sides of it.
I met someone on a residential who took 5 A Levels (as their school did compulsory Welsh). I didn't know how they managed - we were all completely stunned. Just do 3 + EPQ, or 4 if you're going for STEM.
(edited 1 year ago)
Original post by istudie
I read online that 5 A-levels is as competitive as you can get. The thing is, I also read online that taking 5 is way too many and completely unnecessary.
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
Any A-level students with firsthand or secondhand experience when it comes to taking more than 3 A-levels, aka being an academic freak?? Details about the coursework or the amount of time you have to put in will be suuuuper welcome.
(Please help out an ambitious GCSE student.)
hey! i'm currently in y13 and I began with 4 alevels. I ended up swapping one of them out for an EPQ instead because four was too much and I wasn't enjoying it anymore, but I felt like I wanted more than 3 alevels (even though that's more than enough). I've applied to university now, and so i know that if you're planning on going to a russell group or oxbridge, they usually go off grades not ucas points. this means that they'll go off your three highest grades regardless of if you take more than three. for me, taking three alevels was better because it mean it could devote more time to each subject while still being able to work two jobs, do drama, netball, see my friends, boyfriend..all of the things I wanted to do. i felt like if i took more than three then i'd end up doing worse in all of them instead of well in three, because then i just wouldn't get into the university i wanted. alevels are so much harder than they seem on the surface, i'd say do yourself a favour and don't do five
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