Doing an A-Level a year early?
I'm currently in college right now and doing an A-Level but it's so boring that I'm thinking of just doing it this year and finish year 2 with only 2 A-Levels. It won't be hard either because the A-Level itself is easy and content light. Problem is what do I do in regards to the college? Do I do it a year early in the college or privately?
Honestly, strongly don't recommend this if your aim is to go to uni.
Some unis and courses have issues if you do not do 3 A-levels in the same exam sitting (e.g. doing one early and the 2 the following year).
You also don't get "bonus points" for doing one early. And if you happen to be less well prepared than you think and get a worse result, this will be viewed just the same as if you got that result after doing over the full 2 years.
Additionally resitting in year 13 would still be seen as a resit which some unis and courses may have an issue with.
You basically gain nothing and risk a lot doing this. If you find it uninteresting see if you can swap subject or otherwise use the time you would have spent preparing to take it in one year intensively to do more wider reading or cocurricular activities that are of interest.
Some unis and courses have issues if you do not do 3 A-levels in the same exam sitting (e.g. doing one early and the 2 the following year).
You also don't get "bonus points" for doing one early. And if you happen to be less well prepared than you think and get a worse result, this will be viewed just the same as if you got that result after doing over the full 2 years.
Additionally resitting in year 13 would still be seen as a resit which some unis and courses may have an issue with.
You basically gain nothing and risk a lot doing this. If you find it uninteresting see if you can swap subject or otherwise use the time you would have spent preparing to take it in one year intensively to do more wider reading or cocurricular activities that are of interest.
I'm fine with not gaining anything - the entire point of doing it a year early is to "free" myself from doing it for two years, because it's just so tedious - also the teaching is so slow that I could genuinely finish it this year with minimal effort.
My main concern is with unis having issues if you don't do them all in one sitting. Why is that? For what courses?
I'm taking 4 A-Levels, so would the 4th one "make up" for taking one early?
My main concern is with unis having issues if you don't do them all in one sitting. Why is that? For what courses?
I'm taking 4 A-Levels, so would the 4th one "make up" for taking one early?
Original post by grade9s
I'm fine with not gaining anything - the entire point of doing it a year early is to "free" myself from doing it for two years, because it's just so tedious - also the teaching is so slow that I could genuinely finish it this year with minimal effort.
My main concern is with unis having issues if you don't do them all in one sitting. Why is that? For what courses?
I'm taking 4 A-Levels, so would the 4th one "make up" for taking one early?
My main concern is with unis having issues if you don't do them all in one sitting. Why is that? For what courses?
I'm taking 4 A-Levels, so would the 4th one "make up" for taking one early?
If you're doing 4 A-levels then it's not an issue, as you'd still be doing 3 in one go.
Basically for Oxbridge and some similar unis, and for courses like medicine, they often prefer or require you to have done a "full academic courseload" during your A-levels, including doing a full set of exams in one sitting. For Oxbridge this is due to how their courses work (largely assessed by final exam and so they want to know you can take multiple exams in one go successfully) I gather.
Honestly if you're doing 4 A-levels I'd say not bother taking it at all and just dropping it. You also don't get "bonus points" for doing a 4th A-level as far as UK unis are concerned so just dropping down to the normal required 3 A-levels would be fine and probably the best approach.
Original post by artful_lounger
If you're doing 4 A-levels then it's not an issue, as you'd still be doing 3 in one go.
Basically for Oxbridge and some similar unis, and for courses like medicine, they often prefer or require you to have done a "full academic courseload" during your A-levels, including doing a full set of exams in one sitting. For Oxbridge this is due to how their courses work (largely assessed by final exam and so they want to know you can take multiple exams in one go successfully) I gather.
Honestly if you're doing 4 A-levels I'd say not bother taking it at all and just dropping it. You also don't get "bonus points" for doing a 4th A-level as far as UK unis are concerned so just dropping down to the normal required 3 A-levels would be fine and probably the best approach.
Basically for Oxbridge and some similar unis, and for courses like medicine, they often prefer or require you to have done a "full academic courseload" during your A-levels, including doing a full set of exams in one sitting. For Oxbridge this is due to how their courses work (largely assessed by final exam and so they want to know you can take multiple exams in one go successfully) I gather.
Honestly if you're doing 4 A-levels I'd say not bother taking it at all and just dropping it. You also don't get "bonus points" for doing a 4th A-level as far as UK unis are concerned so just dropping down to the normal required 3 A-levels would be fine and probably the best approach.
I can't drop the 4th one 😢
If I were to go ahead and take the A-Level a year early, how would I inform my college of this?
Original post by grade9s
I can't drop the 4th one 😢
If I were to go ahead and take the A-Level a year early, how would I inform my college of this?
If I were to go ahead and take the A-Level a year early, how would I inform my college of this?
No idea, speak to your head of year or similar I guess?
They can't really force you to register for an exam you don't want to do. I think "can't" is a bit strong a word here as a result. Schools are not the all powerful entity students seem to think.
Original post by grade9s
I can't drop the 4th one 😢
If I were to go ahead and take the A-Level a year early, how would I inform my college of this?
If I were to go ahead and take the A-Level a year early, how would I inform my college of this?
You won't need to inform your College. Because you would become a Private External Candidate at another exam centre.
If you're in London, then Campbell Harris College on High Street Kensington, London, W8 6SH is worth going to. Because you can sit any exam, any exam board. 🙂
How to register | Campbell Harris
Original post by thegeek888
You won't need to inform your College. Because you would become a Private External Candidate at another exam centre.
If you're in London, then Campbell Harris College on High Street Kensington, London, W8 6SH is worth going to. Because you can sit any exam, any exam board. 🙂
How to register | Campbell Harris
If you're in London, then Campbell Harris College on High Street Kensington, London, W8 6SH is worth going to. Because you can sit any exam, any exam board. 🙂
How to register | Campbell Harris
I know I'd do it externally, but they would still have signed me up for the two year course i.e. I will still keep taking the subject in college even when I've done the exam if I don't tell them.
Original post by grade9s
I know I'd do it externally, but they would still have signed me up for the two year course i.e. I will still keep taking the subject in college even when I've done the exam if I don't tell them.
Which subject at A-Level? 😧 Yes, you should inform your Head of Sixth Form or Headteacher.
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