is Physics A level a pain?

is it an annoying subject? do u need to spend tons of revision on it? do you enjoy it or dislike it? and why?

im sitting my a level physics exams this summer and im hoping to do physics with astro at uni next year. dont get me wrong, it is a pretty hard subject, but if you enjoy it, especially at gcse its manageable. personally, the content in year 12 for me was much harder than yr 13 content and most of it is just additions from gcse concepts. if you are thinking of taking a level physics, definitely have a good think of the other subjects you will take alongside it. i take physics, maths and computer science and i must say maths is super useful to have for physics. the exams itself arent too bad, personally i hate forces so moments are a pain but its mostly just applying concepts using the formulas that are in the formula book. the hardest bit i will say is paper 3 which is applying physics to concepts that you would not have learnt at all and applying physics to real life, this paper is pretty tough but it does get easier with just tons of past paper practice. for context, i got a 9 in gcses (2022 so covid grade boundaries) and ucas predicted for uni a* in alevel but currently getting a/b so it is alot of work haha. but if you enjoy it, it can be a great subject for a levels. i hope this kind of helps hahahaha

Reply 2

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

15

Original post by ismaelishere

is it an annoying subject? do u need to spend tons of revision on it? do you enjoy it or dislike it? and why?

Hiya,

I'm a current 3rd year astrophysics and cosmology student at Lancaster University and definitely enjoy the subject!

As with every subject, there are going to be certain topics you enjoy and others that you might not like as much. I think what matters most when choosing subjects to study at higher levels is how much you think you would enjoy the subject content yourself, as everyone has their own preferences. If you're wanting to see what is covered, definitely have a look at course outlines / specs online for respective exam boards as that is what you will have to learn throughout the course. It's a great way to see if you are actually interested in the content and can compare it to other subjects you might be deliberating.

In terms of revision, there is always a certain level of independent learning and revsion associated with any subject but if you find it easier, you might find you don't have to spend as long revising it compared to something else. However, if you're wanting to aim for higher grades, every subject involves undergoing a lot of revision, so I wouldn't dwell on this aspect, as it would be similar for any subject you choose. Subjects at higher levels are meant to be more intellectually challenging so all subjects would require you to revise quite a bit to perform well in your final exams.

Overall, I would say choosing A Levels mainly depends on if you enjoy the subject, if it interests you and if you're wanting to pursue it later at higher levels. If physics is something you are deliberating, it's great to do at A Level as it opens doors to a wide variety of jobs / degrees / opportunities later in life but if you think you may not enjoy the content compared to another subject, it might not be for you.

I hope all this helps and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask :smile:

)
-- Arya (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

Reply 3

ismaelishere

OP

13

Original post by Lancaster Student Ambassador

Hiya,

I'm a current 3rd year astrophysics and cosmology student at Lancaster University and definitely enjoy the subject!

As with every subject, there are going to be certain topics you enjoy and others that you might not like as much. I think what matters most when choosing subjects to study at higher levels is how much you think you would enjoy the subject content yourself, as everyone has their own preferences. If you're wanting to see what is covered, definitely have a look at course outlines / specs online for respective exam boards as that is what you will have to learn throughout the course. It's a great way to see if you are actually interested in the content and can compare it to other subjects you might be deliberating.

In terms of revision, there is always a certain level of independent learning and revsion associated with any subject but if you find it easier, you might find you don't have to spend as long revising it compared to something else. However, if you're wanting to aim for higher grades, every subject involves undergoing a lot of revision, so I wouldn't dwell on this aspect, as it would be similar for any subject you choose. Subjects at higher levels are meant to be more intellectually challenging so all subjects would require you to revise quite a bit to perform well in your final exams.

Overall, I would say choosing A Levels mainly depends on if you enjoy the subject, if it interests you and if you're wanting to pursue it later at higher levels. If physics is something you are deliberating, it's great to do at A Level as it opens doors to a wide variety of jobs / degrees / opportunities later in life but if you think you may not enjoy the content compared to another subject, it might not be for you.

I hope all this helps and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask :smile:

)
-- Arya (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

thanks for your reply. im planning to take physics alongside bio chem and maths. i want to pursue medicine and i think that this a level choice will give me the highest chance of getting into top unis. i personally think that i am quite talented and will be able to manage it with everything else, however, don't know whether i will enjoy the process. i guess with gcse, i dont rlly like it too much bc it is quite basic, mostly inputting numbers into calculator by using a formula. i much prefer the advanced abstract and super complex maths in maths a level and even further maths.

looking through the spec, i'd say at max 50%/ 55% of the stuff seems enjoyable. i feel like i shouldn't spend an entire a level on something i only half like, or maybe its not too bad. idk.

ive also been thinking of replacing physics with english lit. i find it more enjoyable, but at gcse level it takes a lot more time to revise, and i assume at a level too. english lit ive heard is very respected by unis and builds those analytical and critical thinking skills outside of STEM. Maybe it could be something interesting to draw upon in my interview? or is physics a safer bet?

is Physics A level a pain?

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