A-Level Sociology
Hi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Reply 1
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
I got 999999887 in my GCSES and have just finished sociology alevel so may be able to offer some advice. Sociology is a pretty accessible alevel I would say in the sense that it could be considered 'easier' by some people as many of the theories and topics are easy to understand and weren't as complex as my 'harder' subjects. However, in order to get the top A* grade you do need to be politically aware and be able to bring in contemporary knowledge and examples that aren't taught in lessons or on the specification so I would say you do need to be organised and interested in the subject. Overall, I really enjoyed taking the subject and didn't find that any unis or opportunities discriminated against it as a subject for being easier. Good Luck!!
Reply 2
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
I wouldn't have said sociology was an 'easy' subject at all. It used to have the reputation of being a 'soft' subject (when we had such things), along with things like psychology. However, there is a lot of content in sociology, and the grade boundaries are high: in 2024, AQA needed 186 out of 240 for an A*, which is 77%. That's about as high as it gets.
Reply 3
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Hi, I do Alevel Aqa sociology. I completed a whole Paper 1 within 2 hours and finished it in plenty of time and got A* on that paper! As long as you know ur knowledge and don't stress u will be okay. I never did sociology in GCSE so it was very new to me in Alevel. In the beginning I didn't understand it and wanted to drop out but I continued and I am so glad i didn't drop it. I did half of Paper 2 for my mock which we had to complete in 1 hour. I did run out of time on that paper and didn't have time to put in a conclusion in my 20 marker! However, I still got an A*, so as long as you are able to write in a sociological way u'll be fine! I find sociology very easy, as u can tell. Taking 4 Alevels is very dependent on what type of person you are - personally, I would recommend doing 4 alevels but doing 1 as AS. U could also do EPQ as a 4th - EPQ can lower entry requirements for certain unis but not all unis accept EPQ! Hopes this helps! Xx
Reply 4
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Hi,
I did A Level Sociology myself and was just a mark off an A*. It was actually the subject I enjoyed the most, and I took it alongside chemistry and biology because I wanted something less science-heavy.
The exams are definitely manageable within the 2-hour time limit, but you do need to work efficiently. You can’t rush through, but it’s important to spend enough time planning and structuring your answers so you don’t run out of time at the end. Practising past papers really helps with timing.
Sociology has quite a lot of content, and topics are often linked, so staying on top of the knowledge and analysis is key for top marks. Make sure you listen carefully in class, learn your theory and evidence, and practise how to structure your essays clearly. There’s a lot of theorist names to remember and AO3!
It’s not an ‘easy’ subject for everyone, but with consistent effort and good organisation, it’s definitely more than manageable. As said above, the concepts are easier to understand than other subjects.
If you enjoy understanding how society works and like discussing ideas, you’ll find it really rewarding.
Hope that helps, good luck with your studies!
Tayba
Student Rep
Reply 5
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Hey, just finished soc earlier this year and hoping for an A* in 2 weeks time - Just for reference in an hour you are supposed to do two 10 markers (2 paragraphs) and a 20 marker (3 paragraphs + intro and conc) in an hour. Thats about 8.5m per paragraph so when youre a yapper like me, yes it can be time constraining. You have to think fast on your feet and know the content thoroughly to lessen this thinking time as much as possible. Yes, most of the concepts are "easy" and honestly are just opinions with names attached, but it has the most content out of any A level so I found it very time consuming to revise - which may not be ideal as a fourth subject.
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
I did sociology a-level and loved it.
The exams werent too bad. You could get everything done in the time.
It was my easiest subject out of the lot.
Reply 7
Original post
by Alexander NeelyHi all,
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Just have two queries regarding the a level in Sociology (AQA)
1. Are the exams time constraining? (ie, in the 2 hours, do you need to write 'really fast' in order to finish the paper) or is 2 hours plenty of time?
2. How easy it sociology at a level? (my gcse predictions are 999999888) I am taking it as a fourth a level, along with chemistry, maths and drama. I opted for sociology as a fourth, as I have heard it is easier, but can someone give advice? (I would appreciate it if no-one says "don't take four a levels" as I have had this convo many times loll but rather share your personal experience on the ease of it)
Thanks!
Hiya, I did Drama and Sociology so can only speak on those. When it gets to exam season you probably won't feel that much of a difference from your 3 a-level friends as drama is only 1 exam. I agree with the other comments, in that the basic sociological concepts are generally easy to grasp (it does ramp up towards the end of the topics). I have a similar grade profile to you for GCSE and got A*A*A at A-level (A* in Drama and Sociology), and would say that B/Cs are fairly attainable, but there is a hell of a lot of reading around the subject, key sociologists and key studies that you'll have to become comfortable with before you're looking at As or A*s. I would also say that unless you're applying to Oxbridge, I'm unaware of anywhere where 4 a levels would be desirable by the university, and they are more than satisfied by 3 really good grades (unless you're doing it because you really want to study all these subjects in which case this comment wouldn't apply). Equally, I can't see any reason why your 6th form/college wouldn't let you drop a subject up until October half term, just whilst you're finding your bearings. Hope this helps 🙂
Reply 8
Original post
by marthaapHiya, I did Drama and Sociology so can only speak on those. When it gets to exam season you probably won't feel that much of a difference from your 3 a-level friends as drama is only 1 exam. I agree with the other comments, in that the basic sociological concepts are generally easy to grasp (it does ramp up towards the end of the topics). I have a similar grade profile to you for GCSE and got A*A*A at A-level (A* in Drama and Sociology), and would say that B/Cs are fairly attainable, but there is a hell of a lot of reading around the subject, key sociologists and key studies that you'll have to become comfortable with before you're looking at As or A*s. I would also say that unless you're applying to Oxbridge, I'm unaware of anywhere where 4 a levels would be desirable by the university, and they are more than satisfied by 3 really good grades (unless you're doing it because you really want to study all these subjects in which case this comment wouldn't apply). Equally, I can't see any reason why your 6th form/college wouldn't let you drop a subject up until October half term, just whilst you're finding your bearings. Hope this helps 🙂
Hey, in the end, I also opted for Drama (Bio, Chem, Maths, Drama). Could you advise me on the relative ease to achieve an A, based on no past experience...
Thanks a lot, and how coincidental u also chose the subject I later chose!
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