What are the main differences between A-levels and uni?
Hi all!
1. 🔔 It is now up to me to manage my time - you have fewer contact hours/lesson or lecture hours at uni and so just as sixth form is a step up from GCSE in terms of time management, uni is another step up!
2. ✍️ Uni involves more independent study - so rather than getting set homework tasks, you will instead b given a series of book chapters, papers to read or suggested topics from which to find your own study material.
3. 🎉 You can do a lot more at uni than you can at sixth-form! - such as joining in with societies, working part-time around your studies, and living independently - please make the most of these things because you don't need to spend all of your time working!
4. 🧑*🎓 Your teachers will be less hands-on - whilst your lecturers will always be there to help you, it is more up to you to ask for help and bring them questions than them giving you all the answers outright. This takes a bit of getting used to but please know that no one expects you to manage this on your own.
5. 💭 At uni, you can decide on which direction to take your work - for example, you may be given a general topic for an essay, but you are able to tailor the examples you use to your interests using both stuff from your lectures and stuff you've found yourself. So allow yourself to fall down subject rabbit-holes, use Google Scholar, and don't be afraid to take references from your references and to put your own spin and arguments into your work - this all shows independent and analytical thinking!
Any more suggestions?
1. 🔔 It is now up to me to manage my time - you have fewer contact hours/lesson or lecture hours at uni and so just as sixth form is a step up from GCSE in terms of time management, uni is another step up!
2. ✍️ Uni involves more independent study - so rather than getting set homework tasks, you will instead b given a series of book chapters, papers to read or suggested topics from which to find your own study material.
3. 🎉 You can do a lot more at uni than you can at sixth-form! - such as joining in with societies, working part-time around your studies, and living independently - please make the most of these things because you don't need to spend all of your time working!
4. 🧑*🎓 Your teachers will be less hands-on - whilst your lecturers will always be there to help you, it is more up to you to ask for help and bring them questions than them giving you all the answers outright. This takes a bit of getting used to but please know that no one expects you to manage this on your own.
5. 💭 At uni, you can decide on which direction to take your work - for example, you may be given a general topic for an essay, but you are able to tailor the examples you use to your interests using both stuff from your lectures and stuff you've found yourself. So allow yourself to fall down subject rabbit-holes, use Google Scholar, and don't be afraid to take references from your references and to put your own spin and arguments into your work - this all shows independent and analytical thinking!
Any more suggestions?
(edited 4 months ago)
Reply 1
Great info to know 🙂
Reply 2
Original post
by University of BathHi all!
1. 🔔 It is now up to me to manage my time - you have fewer contact hours/lesson or lecture hours at uni and so just as sixth form is a step up from GCSE in terms of time management, uni is another step up!
2. ✍️ Uni involves more independent study - so rather than getting set homework tasks, you will instead b given a series of book chapters, papers to read or suggested topics from which to find your own study material.
3. 🎉 You can do a lot more at uni than you can at sixth-form! - such as joining in with societies, working part-time around your studies, and living independently - please make the most of these things because you don't need to spend all of your time working!
4. 🧑*🎓 Your teachers will be less hands-on - whilst your lecturers will always be there to help you, it is more up to you to ask for help and bring them questions than them giving you all the answers outright. This takes a bit of getting used to but please know that no one expects you to manage this on your own.
5. 💭 At uni, you can decide on which direction to take your work - for example, you may be given a general topic for an essay, but you are able to tailor the examples you use to your interests using both stuff from your lectures and stuff you've found yourself. So allow yourself to fall down subject rabbit-holes, use Google Scholar, and don't be afraid to take references from your references and to put your own spin and arguments into your work - this all shows independent and analytical thinking!
Any more suggestions?
1. 🔔 It is now up to me to manage my time - you have fewer contact hours/lesson or lecture hours at uni and so just as sixth form is a step up from GCSE in terms of time management, uni is another step up!
2. ✍️ Uni involves more independent study - so rather than getting set homework tasks, you will instead b given a series of book chapters, papers to read or suggested topics from which to find your own study material.
3. 🎉 You can do a lot more at uni than you can at sixth-form! - such as joining in with societies, working part-time around your studies, and living independently - please make the most of these things because you don't need to spend all of your time working!
4. 🧑*🎓 Your teachers will be less hands-on - whilst your lecturers will always be there to help you, it is more up to you to ask for help and bring them questions than them giving you all the answers outright. This takes a bit of getting used to but please know that no one expects you to manage this on your own.
5. 💭 At uni, you can decide on which direction to take your work - for example, you may be given a general topic for an essay, but you are able to tailor the examples you use to your interests using both stuff from your lectures and stuff you've found yourself. So allow yourself to fall down subject rabbit-holes, use Google Scholar, and don't be afraid to take references from your references and to put your own spin and arguments into your work - this all shows independent and analytical thinking!
Any more suggestions?
Hi @University of Bath
This is some very accurate differences! For me, the biggest difference was how much more freedom you have at uni. This includes:
•
The freedom to manage your workload and decide when you are going to do all of the post-session tasks, key reading and assignments. This is particularly true for when you are given a task to do that is not followed up in the next lecture.
•
The freedom to choose what you want to write about in your assignments, within the requirements. I only did exam subjects as A Level so never had the opportunity to fully explore areas that I was particularly interested in.
•
The freedom of living in student accommodation rather than at home and being able to choose what you want to do, including what meals you are going to have!
However, with this increased freedom there is also the requirement that you are more responsible. This includes taking responsibility for attending all of your lectures and making sure that you do all of your work and assignments.
Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.
Quick Reply
Related discussions
- how to write a psychology uni essay
- Degree Apprenticeships!
- The key differences between a pure English Literature and a combined litlang one?
- IB/ Uni- please help!!
- uni requirments
- Can I do a foundation year and resit A levels at the same time ?
- Dentistry with average UCAT score?
- Life at SB Nottingham
- A-level Advice
- Is BTEC difficult?
- second guessing degree
- Is this a good monitor
- Career/Degree choices
- A Level Choices
- Are these GCSEs high enough for top russell group unis
- Which A level Combination is better for Finance
- PGCE at Hope University vs SCITT with long commute – advice?
- Human sciences or Arts & Science degree
- need help in choosing cardiff uni accom
- Clearing questions
Latest
Trending
Last reply 7 months ago
Just finished biology, chemistry, maths and sport a levels, ask anything!
How The Student Room is moderated
To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.
